Gates 'Not Surprised' by Russian Opposition to Missile Defense Plan

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe. "We've made some very far-reaching proposals, and I have no doubt that there's debate in Moscow about how to respond under the circumstances," the secretary said at a news conference here with German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.

The secretary stopped in Germany on his way back to Washington to brief German leaders on his talks with senior leaders in Moscow and Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week. In his meetings with the Poles and the Russians, Gates discussed the plan to base ground-based interceptors in Poland and radar assets in the Czech Republic.

Polish leaders said the plan would enhance their country's security. German leaders expressed their gratitude that U.S. officials were undertaking discussions on the plan with the Russians.

Jung said missile defense is a very important activity because it's a way of meeting the threat before the threat matures, a senior administration official in the meeting with the Germans reported. Gates noted that President Bush initiated the talks at the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Responding to a question about news reports on Russian opposition to the plan, Gates said, "It may take awhile for the Russians to consider what we said."

He noted that Russia's foreign minister did not sit in on the meetings, nor did the chief of the general staff sit in on several of the meetings.

During his meetings in Moscow, the secretary explained that the missile system would not be a threat to Russia and asked them to be a partner in its development. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia would form a working group of experts to address the technical details of the plan and Russian concerns.

"We've made a very forthcoming offer," Gates said. "We've invited them to come see our interceptors in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and to come see our radar in California. We even offered to collocate radar with them and share data."

The Russians have not yet responded to the invitation, he said.

The secretary said U.S. officials have been talking to the Russians about missile defense for several years, and he thinks it's important that the dialogue was initiated again over the last few weeks.

"I hope that they understand the intensification of this effort and the effort to try to (create) a potential partnership through the dialogue we've had in Moscow this week and at NATO last week," he said.

A senior administration official traveling with Gates told reporters on background that the secretary is not discouraged by the Russians' negative statements.

"In my experience, particularly in this kind of circumstance, when the Russians are on a wicket, they tend to have relatively uniform talking points," he said. "They tend to stick to those talking points until they've made the decision as a government to change their position. Then the talking points change, and they'll have a new set of talking points which they'll all use."

The secretary and his senior advisors did not anticipate getting a speedy response from the Russians, the official said. "It doesn't happen overnight," he stressed.

The defense officials went to Moscow to further the discussion, he said, and the Russians are now seriously looking at the proposals.

The Russians did agree, however, to have their experts sit down with U.S. experts and "work through some of the basic facts of the system," the official said.

U.S. officials hope to "ameliorate their concerns, through transparency measures or otherwise, so that they will understand what we believe to be the truth of the matter, which is that this is not a system directed against them. It's directed against Iran," he said.

U.S. leaders are going to "extraordinary lengths," he said, to brief both the Russians and European allies. The next step is to follow through on the invitations the secretary extended.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Civic, Business Leaders Visit USS Eisenhower on Ship's Last Day in Gulf

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – Following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf, sailors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can return to Norfolk, Va., proudly, knowing that they made a difference in the global war on terror, the ship's commander said. "I believe this crew understood its mission and has been more fulfilled than any previous deployment," Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd told 45 civic and business leaders visiting the carrier today. "They know that what they did made a difference and saved lives every day."

On its last day in the Arabian Gulf, the aircraft carrier hosted educators, entrepreneurs and civic leaders who were participating in the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. The group is traveling in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for a crash course in the capabilities of the U.S. military.

The nuclear-powered Nimitz-class "Ike" is part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which has been providing support to American and coalition ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since the end of October.

The carrier also has taken part in maritime operations in the region by maintaining open channels for commerce, allowing freedom of the seas, and dealing with issues like piracy and human trafficking, Cloyd said.

Strike group commander Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers told participants that the ship's 5,000 sailors have provided support from the air and sea to CENTCOM, in addition to having boots on the ground in places like the Horn of Africa.

The 61 aircraft on the carrier have flown more than 2,000 combat sorties, dropped more than 150,000 pounds of ordnance, and continuously provided close-air support to troops and shows of force during operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

"As impressive as the ship is and as impressive as the aircraft are, it's the sailors -- the young men and women, America's sons and daughters -- who are the most impressive part of what we do here," Myers said.

He was talking about sailors like Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Anthony, a nuclear electrician who spent two years in training before taking his first assignment on the Eisenhower.

Anthony works on the carrier's two nuclear reactors that not only keep the ship moving in excess of 30 knots, they provide enough energy to keep the carrier in operation for 18 years without refueling. The reactors also provide the steam that catapults aircraft from its deck at nearly 170 miles per hour.

"Our job operating the reactors is critical," Anthony said. And while the separation from his family is difficult, he said it's a small sacrifice to make for the nation.

For Seaman Zack Schutze, who serves as an aviation boatswain's mate, being in such a remote area makes it easy to lose sight of the true impact the crew has in the war.

Schutze's job is to help man the circular booth high over the ship's deck to closely monitor and track each aircraft that the carrier launches and recovers. "With an average of 75 flight missions per day," he said, "our work has to have a big impact on operations."

The carrier is a national asset that has the capability to strategically and operationally effect what's going on in the region, said operations officer Navy Cmdr. Mike Baker. "We are 4.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory," he said. "And with 70 percent of the world covered in water, we can play a role in operations nearly everywhere."

Members of the crew repeatedly told their guests how much they enjoy their jobs and the positive impact they are having on the world.

One "Ike" catapult officer, who was temporarily reassigned from his duties as a pilot, told Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants that he enjoys his job just as much today as when he joined the Navy eight years ago. "This job is awesome," the "shooter" said. "I love it, and that will never change."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

U.S. Commanders Continue to Watch North Korea, Push for Three-Year Tours

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – The top U.S. commander in Korea urged Congress yesterday to help him introduce standard three-year rotational tours for military forces in South Korea over the next several years. Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the current "dysfunctional, one-year, war-zone rotational tour mechanism" has outlived its day.

Fifty-four years after the end of the Korean War, Bell said it's time to end the arrangement that needlessly adds to the already-high U.S. worldwide operational tempo. At the same time, Bell said, it handicaps readiness and engagement opportunities with South Korea.

"I'm abdicating three-year, normal accompanied tours as an objective and a goal that we should work toward in Korea, and I would appreciate your support as I work this initiative over the next several years," he told the panel.

Bell joined Navy Adm. Timothy Keating, who took the helm of U.S. Pacific Command in March, in updating the Senate committee about U.S. military operations in Korea in light of the fiscal 2008 defense budget request.

Both commanders reported a healthy U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance that has successfully deterred North Korean aggression since the war's end.

"Our mission in Korea has been a resounding success and serves as a model for military response to aggression, leading to peace, prosperity and democracy," Bell said.

Bell reported progress in moving U.S. troops to south of Seoul. This move, being paid for largely by the South Korean government, will improve troops' living and working conditions and increase their strategic and operational flexibility, he said.

The next milestone for the alliance will be in 2012, when the two countries transition operational command and control of Republic of Korea military forces in wartime to an independent ROK military command. Currently these forces fall under Combined Forces Command, which will be inactivated as a new U.S. independent warfighting command is established in Korea, Bell said.

Throughout this process, the United States "will retain clear national command over all of our forces and personnel," he said.

As these advances take shape, the commanders said they're continuing to watch North Korea closely to ensure it complies with promises made in February to abandon its nuclear programs.

North Korea's promises to shut down its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors into the country represent an assuring step forward, Keating told the committee. That promise was the outcome of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing that involved the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas.

"Six-party progress is, while not rapid, ... no less an important step toward providing peace and security on the peninsula," Keating said.

Bell expressed hope that North Korea will make good on its word, but acknowledged concerns about North Korea's long-term intentions. "We all remain hopeful that the progress made in the last round of Six-Party Talks will result in a denuclearized Korea," he said.

He expressed concern, however, over North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's "history of manipulating the international community in an attempt to shape the political and military environment to meet his objectives."

Bell cited North Korea's "highly provocative military actions this past year," including unprecedented missile firings and detonation of a nuclear device. These, he said, "present a continuing threat to international peace and security worldwide."

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Army Activates New Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.

Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.

The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.

The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.

Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.

The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.

"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.

The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.

The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.

"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."

Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.

The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.

Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.

The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.

"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."

Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.

Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.

"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."

The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.

"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Army Activates New Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.

Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.

The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.

The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.

Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.

The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.

"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.

The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.

The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.

"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."

Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.

The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.

Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.

The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.

"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."

Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.

Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.

"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."

The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.

"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Why We Serve: Marine Sergeant Applies Childhood Experiences to Military Career

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – A childhood dream became reality when a missionary couple's daughter joined the U.S. Marine Corps four years ago. “I fell in love with the thought of being a Marine when I was 14 years old," Sgt. Paula Payne said.

Payne is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to participate in the "Why We Serve" outreach program to share their personal experiences with the American public. Program participants are traveling throughout the nation to speak to veterans organizations, schools and business groups.

The 23-year-old, who lived outside of the United States for the first 15 years of her life, said she realized at a young age that she needed to find a way to pay for her secondary education.

"Being missionaries, my parents didn't make a lot of money," Payne said. "Since going to college was important to me, I knew I had to find a way to pay for it."

After talking to her father about several options and doing a lot of research, Payne said, the natural choice for her was to join the Marine Corps to pay for schooling down the road; so she signed up for the Delayed Entry Program while still in high school.

Within seven months of being assigned to the 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.

While deployed, Payne was one of the first female Marines to man checkpoints in Operation Lioness. Up until that point, Iraqi women were passing through checkpoints without being searched due to cultural sensitivities. Payne said some were being used as "mules" to traffic drugs and weapons.

"The experience was great," the radio operator said. "That's when I realized being able to have contact with another culture was really awesome."

She said she was surprised that many of the Iraqis coming through the checkpoints seem to love Americans. "They let their kids out (of the cars) to come and see us," Payne said. "The kids always wanted to be held, and mothers wanted us to kiss their babies."

Payne said she was also surprised at how giving many of the Iraqis are. "They were always giving us fruit, baklava and candy," she said.

Mission work and military service may seem to be opposite ends of the spectrum, but Payne said they have much in common.

"My childhood up-bringing and the Marine Corps go hand-in-hand," she said. "Being a missionary kid and pastor's daughter, I was taught to care about others, be humble and self-sacrificing."

Payne said those are principles that play a large role in being a Marine.

Marines take care of their fellow troops, they care for the people they are trying to protect, and they are willing to lay down their lives for their country, she said.

"A lot of the values and morals I learned as a child really have carried over to the Marine Corps," Payne said. "I've been able to apply my childhood experience to my current job."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Civilian Leaders Meet Sailors Working Aboard Navy Carrier in Gulf
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2007 – Members of the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference today walked, or catapulted, away from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with a greater appreciation for what sailors are doing for their nation and the global war on terror. Forty-five civic and business leaders who are traveling in the Central Command's area of responsibility were introduced to sailors manning the nuclear-powered, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the day before it headed back to its home port in Norfolk, Va., following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Sea.

Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants arrived to the carrier via Navy C-2A "Greyhound" cargo plane where they were "recovered" by one of four arrestor wires on the 1,092-foot deck. Each of the three cargo planes came to a jolting stop on the ship's deck resulting in applause and cheers from its passengers.

After a brief introduction to the ship's senior leaders, participants had lunch in the ship's aft mess decks with junior sailors from the 5,000-member crew.

Sailors were quizzed by the participants on their jobs, the reason they joined the Navy and how they felt about their mission in the global war on terror.

By climbing seemingly endless staircases, visitors were allowed the rare opportunity of touring the ship's bridge and primary flight control areas to see how the carrier's crew orchestrates the 70 plus daily missions performed by the "Ike."

The ship's "Air Boss" and his staff controlled launches, recoveries and the location of all aircraft within a 10-mile radius while explaining to the visitors the steps of the seamless operations onboard.

After watching the process from high above the carrier's deck, participants were allowed to go onto the ship's bridge where they stood mere feet away from the four catapults that launched F-18C "Hornets," F-18E "Super Hornets" and E-2C "Hawkeyes" onto training missions.

The participants watched in awe when they were allowed to stand by the arrestor wires as aircraft approached the 4.5-acre flight deck at full throttle until their tail hooks caught the wires to come to a complete stop within seconds of touching down.

Before leaving the Eisenhower, the ship's commander Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd presented the participants with a certificate naming them honorary "tailhookers" for their landing earlier on the ship's deck.

"I hope you leave us with a sense of how incredibly talented, inspiring and talented our young people are on the Eisenhower," he told the guests resulting in applause, whistling and cheering. "Their satisfaction and pride in a job well-done is the highest I've seen during my 28 years in the Navy."

The carrier strike group commander echoed his sentiments.

"They joined the service to make a difference," Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers said, "and that's exactly what they do each and every day."

Our sailors make a difference by launching aircraft and providing security in the region, Myers told the group. They truly believe in what they are doing, he said.

"The level of skill and capability of sailors is amazing," said JCOC participant Kellie Johnson, who is the president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises in Torrance, Calif. "It takes a certain kind of person to be in the Navy; I am in awe."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Two Cops, a Fed and a Civilian

Editor's Note: Three of the four are former military.

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added to state and local police officers, one federal law enforcement officer and a civilian police writer.

Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.

One reader/reviewer of Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.”

Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau.

He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically. Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.

Special Agent Raymond Sherrard (ret.), of the United States Treasury Department, is the author of Encyclopedia of Federal Law Enforcement Patches and Federal Law Enforcement Patches: An Illustrated Reference Manual. He co-authored The Centurions Shield: Badges of the LAPD with retired LAPD Command Keith Bushey; and, co-authored Badges of the United States Marshals, with retired Deputy United States Marshal George Stumpf.

In 1951, William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department.

In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!

Police-Writers.com now hosts 503 police officers (representing 210 police departments) and their 1061 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.