By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 1, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today announced he will leave Nov. 4 for a six-day trip to China, Korea and Japan. "In Tokyo and Seoul, I'll touch base with two valued friends going back five decades and two strong partners in the war on terror," he said during a Pentagon news conference. "With regard to China, it will be a chance to keep open the lines of communication and strengthen the relationship between our two countries."
The secretary stated that he does not consider China a military threat to the United States. "I have concerns with a variety of the military programs they have under way, developmental programs," he said. "I have concerns with the lack of transparency. Those are the issue we will be talking about in addition to the ways we can strengthen the relationship."
In Korea, Gates will participate in the 39th annual Defense Consultative Meeting. Civilian and military leaders will discuss the way forward for the U.S.-Republic of Korea Pact.
In Japan, Gates will meet with his new counterpart Shigeru Ishiba and discuss Japan ending its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. Japanese oilers refueled coalition ships supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The government of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has not been able to get authorization through the Japanese Diet, the country's legislature, even though the government wants to continue the mission.
Gates said Japan ending the mission will not have an impact on the U.S.-Japan defense relationship. "My hope is that relatively soon -- in a matter of weeks and not more, I hope, than a few months -- this assistance will be renewed," he said.
Gates said he welcomes Japan's partnership in the war on terror and said the country is combating terrorism in other ways. "But this is important, and we hope it will be renewed," he said.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Face of Defense: Bagram Airman Uses Music to Bring Families Together
By Capt. Michael Meridith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - Thousands of miles from home, one airman here is finding a way to bring servicemembers a little closer to their families. For the last few weeks, Air Force Master Sgt. Tim Chandler of Ashland, Ohio, a member of 455th Expeditionary Communications Flight, has been hosting an Internet-based radio show during his free time, giving Bagram airmen a vehicle to send long-distance dedications back home to their loved ones.
"I started practicing in May while I was still back in the States, and when I told the station manager (for the Web-based "Taboo Radio") I was coming over here, he suggested that I do a show for the troops," Chandler said. "I thought it was a cool idea."
Chandler, who goes by the handle "Guardstar" while on the air, has about 60 listeners from across the globe, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. However, he said, audience response has been so positive that plans are in the works to expand his show's capability so it can support up to 500 listeners.
"I think it is a great idea, and all of us here (in the U.S.) are behind the effort totally," Tom Pepple, the Taboo Radio station manager, said in an interview during the live show. "It is nice to see the response."
Chandler attributes some of his show's popularity to its eclectic mix of country, pop and oldies from the 1960s and 1970s, but mostly to the patriotism and compassion of his audience.
"(The listeners) all want to adopt the troops and be their pen pals," Guardstar said. "We've also received lots of packages with blankets and clothes people have donated for the Afghans."
Air Force Staff Sgt. John DeLeon, a singer/songwriter from Redlands, Calif., and currently assigned to 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, said Chandler's efforts have opened an important communications channel between the airmen of Bagram and the rest of the world.
"We're so remote that people don't understand that we have real lives and real feelings out here. Being able to use an artistic ability to give some people gratification is really rewarding," said DeLeon, who performs his songs on the show.
For Chandler, the most fulfilling part of the show remains bringing airmen and loved ones together. "One of my first guests sent a greeting home to his wife and daughter -- he has a three-and-a-half-year-old little girl – and afterwards his wife told him that she was laughing and crying at the same time and his daughter was looking at the computer and saying, 'Daddy is in there!' When you hear that, it makes you feel good," he said.
(Air Force Capt. Michael Meridith is assigned to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - Thousands of miles from home, one airman here is finding a way to bring servicemembers a little closer to their families. For the last few weeks, Air Force Master Sgt. Tim Chandler of Ashland, Ohio, a member of 455th Expeditionary Communications Flight, has been hosting an Internet-based radio show during his free time, giving Bagram airmen a vehicle to send long-distance dedications back home to their loved ones.
"I started practicing in May while I was still back in the States, and when I told the station manager (for the Web-based "Taboo Radio") I was coming over here, he suggested that I do a show for the troops," Chandler said. "I thought it was a cool idea."
Chandler, who goes by the handle "Guardstar" while on the air, has about 60 listeners from across the globe, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. However, he said, audience response has been so positive that plans are in the works to expand his show's capability so it can support up to 500 listeners.
"I think it is a great idea, and all of us here (in the U.S.) are behind the effort totally," Tom Pepple, the Taboo Radio station manager, said in an interview during the live show. "It is nice to see the response."
Chandler attributes some of his show's popularity to its eclectic mix of country, pop and oldies from the 1960s and 1970s, but mostly to the patriotism and compassion of his audience.
"(The listeners) all want to adopt the troops and be their pen pals," Guardstar said. "We've also received lots of packages with blankets and clothes people have donated for the Afghans."
Air Force Staff Sgt. John DeLeon, a singer/songwriter from Redlands, Calif., and currently assigned to 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, said Chandler's efforts have opened an important communications channel between the airmen of Bagram and the rest of the world.
"We're so remote that people don't understand that we have real lives and real feelings out here. Being able to use an artistic ability to give some people gratification is really rewarding," said DeLeon, who performs his songs on the show.
For Chandler, the most fulfilling part of the show remains bringing airmen and loved ones together. "One of my first guests sent a greeting home to his wife and daughter -- he has a three-and-a-half-year-old little girl – and afterwards his wife told him that she was laughing and crying at the same time and his daughter was looking at the computer and saying, 'Daddy is in there!' When you hear that, it makes you feel good," he said.
(Air Force Capt. Michael Meridith is assigned to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs.)
Why We Serve: Army Captain Cites Communication for Iraq Success
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - An Army officer who commanded an infantry company in Iraq says enhanced communication with local Iraqis increased civic cooperation and boosted stability within his area of operations. Capt. Cedric L. Burden, 32, deployed to Iraq in September 2005 for a one-year tour of duty. Burden's unit was responsible for conducting security operations in an area about 18 miles west of Kirkuk.
"It was more like Dodge City," Burden said of the situation when he arrived in Iraq, comparing his area of operations to the wild Kansas frontier town of America's Old West.
Burden said he quickly realized that mission success would be predicated on gaining the respect and trust of the Iraqi citizens he and his soldiers were pledged to protect. The captain directed his troops to get out of their vehicles during patrols and walk among and communicate with local residents.
"It showed that we're here for security, but we didn't want to 'bully' them off their own streets," he explained.
Getting to know the Iraqi people was a turning point, Burden recalled. "We went from people not even speaking to us, to having Iraqis knowing our names," he said.
As relations improved, more Iraqis came forward with information that was used to disrupt insurgent operations, and instances of violence decreased, the Gary, Ind.-born officer said.
Burden is among a group of 10 servicemembers who served in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been selected to tell the military's story to the American people at community, business, veterans and other gatherings as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
Why We Serve began in fall 2006 and was originally the idea of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace. Representatives from all the service branches participate in the program, which is conducted in quarterly segments. Burden and the other nine servicemembers in his group constitute the fifth iteration since the program began.
Burden, who wanted to be a soldier since he was a young child, also wants to tell speaking-tour audiences about the importance of supporting U.S. servicemembers. "It's important to support soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen," Burden said. "Freedom isn't free, and someone has to do hard things during hard times."
There "is no greater honor" than to serve your country in its time of need, the captain said.
Military service is "a noble thing to do, because it is being selfless," Burden said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - An Army officer who commanded an infantry company in Iraq says enhanced communication with local Iraqis increased civic cooperation and boosted stability within his area of operations. Capt. Cedric L. Burden, 32, deployed to Iraq in September 2005 for a one-year tour of duty. Burden's unit was responsible for conducting security operations in an area about 18 miles west of Kirkuk.
"It was more like Dodge City," Burden said of the situation when he arrived in Iraq, comparing his area of operations to the wild Kansas frontier town of America's Old West.
Burden said he quickly realized that mission success would be predicated on gaining the respect and trust of the Iraqi citizens he and his soldiers were pledged to protect. The captain directed his troops to get out of their vehicles during patrols and walk among and communicate with local residents.
"It showed that we're here for security, but we didn't want to 'bully' them off their own streets," he explained.
Getting to know the Iraqi people was a turning point, Burden recalled. "We went from people not even speaking to us, to having Iraqis knowing our names," he said.
As relations improved, more Iraqis came forward with information that was used to disrupt insurgent operations, and instances of violence decreased, the Gary, Ind.-born officer said.
Burden is among a group of 10 servicemembers who served in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been selected to tell the military's story to the American people at community, business, veterans and other gatherings as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
Why We Serve began in fall 2006 and was originally the idea of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace. Representatives from all the service branches participate in the program, which is conducted in quarterly segments. Burden and the other nine servicemembers in his group constitute the fifth iteration since the program began.
Burden, who wanted to be a soldier since he was a young child, also wants to tell speaking-tour audiences about the importance of supporting U.S. servicemembers. "It's important to support soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen," Burden said. "Freedom isn't free, and someone has to do hard things during hard times."
There "is no greater honor" than to serve your country in its time of need, the captain said.
Military service is "a noble thing to do, because it is being selfless," Burden said.
Troops Warned of Blood Clot Risk, Especially During Deployments
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - The wife of an NBC News correspondent who died of a blood clot while embedded with a U.S. unit during the Iraq invasion is working to increase awareness to prevent others from sharing her husband's fate. Melanie Bloom remembers getting a call from her husband, David Bloom, who was embedded with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division as it approached Baghdad on April 4, 2003. Bloom whispered into the satellite phone, explaining that he was sleeping on the fender of his retrofitted tank and didn't want to be overheard and risk getting attacked. He was sleeping outside so he could stretch out his legs, which had been cramping up inside the confines of the tank, he told his wife.
Two days later, the award-winning journalist who brought the sights and sounds of war into America's living rooms live from his "Bloom-mobile" was dead at age 39. He died of deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, and a related condition called a pulmonary embolism, in which a blood clot broke free from a vein in his leg and moved into his lung.
Bloom's death brought widespread attention to a killer that claims 300,000 Americans every year -- more than AIDs and breast cancer combined, said Melanie Bloom, who's become a national spokeswoman raising awareness about the affliction that claimed her husband.
Servicemembers in circumstances like Bloom's -- spending long periods in close quarters that limit their ability to move and dehydrated due to heat and failure to drink enough water -- are particularly at risk, she said. In addition, like many deployed troops, Bloom had spent many hours on long flights that limited his mobility.
An autopsy revealed that Bloom also had an undiagnosed blood disorder that increased his risk of DVT. He had no family history of blood clots and, except for his cramped legs, appeared to be the picture of health, his wife said.
Like families of troops serving in the combat zone, Melanie Bloom had fears about her husband's safety while he was in Iraq, she said during a joint interview yesterday with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. What she hadn't expected was that he'd die from "the bomb within his own body" that would take his life so quickly, she said.
Expressing gratitude for the way the military reached out to her and her three daughters after her husband's death, Melanie said she's now dedicating herself to ensure servicemembers and others recognize the dangers of DVT and take steps to protect themselves.
She urged troops to arm themselves with information so they can be proactive in their own health care. "You are in dangerous places, and you are risking your life every day for our country," she said. "My message for the troops is: In the areas that you can, take care of your health and stay healthy and alive."
She encourages troops and everyone else whose mobility is restricted for long periods to pump their legs up and down to stimulate circulation. This works just about anywhere DVT might strike: on an airplane, in a bus or tank, or even at a computer desk, she said. "If one person hears this and lives, if one life is saved, then David's death is not in vain," she said.
Army Dr. (Col.) David Gillespie, chief of vascular surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, in Bethesda, Md., said there's no evidence that military people suffer from DVT at higher rates than the general population.
But U.S. troops, including those in a combat zone, have died of the disease, which strikes without warning or with symptoms that some people dismiss as temporary annoyances, he said.
Gillespie cited two military populations at the highest risk: ground troops in Iraq or Afghanistan in restricted environments, particularly in high temperatures that can lead to dehydration, and wounded troops whose mobility is restricted.
He credits strict "water discipline" within the military, in which leaders ensure their troops drink sufficient water, with helping reduce the incidence of DVT. Another factor is the stringent pre-deployment medical screening troops undergo before leaving for a combat theater, he said.
Gillespie urged troops to ensure their doctors know if they have any family history of blood clots. And he emphasized the importance of seeking medical advice quickly if they notice symptoms -- particularly swelling or discoloration in one leg, and tight, shiny, painful skin around it.
The military has state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to diagnose DVT, even at forward locations, he said. Often it takes little more than a handheld ultrasound machine to make a diagnosis. "So we can make the diagnosis, and we treat it on the spot," Gillespie said.
Typically treatment involves a blood thinner injection to stabilize the clot while the body deploys its own clot-busting defenses, he said. And the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment begins, the fewer complications are likely to occur, he said.
Wounded troops who are immobile for long periods and particularly susceptible to DVT should get preventative care to protect against it, he said.
Despite the emphasis on ground troops' vulnerability, Gillespie called DVT an equal-opportunity killer that doesn't discriminate between services. "All services are at risk," he said, regardless of whether the person afflicted is a shipboard sailor, a flight mechanic or a nurse operating on a vessel at sea.
"If you are traveling long distances, if you are in hot environments, you need to stay hydrated, and you need to stay mobile," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - The wife of an NBC News correspondent who died of a blood clot while embedded with a U.S. unit during the Iraq invasion is working to increase awareness to prevent others from sharing her husband's fate. Melanie Bloom remembers getting a call from her husband, David Bloom, who was embedded with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division as it approached Baghdad on April 4, 2003. Bloom whispered into the satellite phone, explaining that he was sleeping on the fender of his retrofitted tank and didn't want to be overheard and risk getting attacked. He was sleeping outside so he could stretch out his legs, which had been cramping up inside the confines of the tank, he told his wife.
Two days later, the award-winning journalist who brought the sights and sounds of war into America's living rooms live from his "Bloom-mobile" was dead at age 39. He died of deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, and a related condition called a pulmonary embolism, in which a blood clot broke free from a vein in his leg and moved into his lung.
Bloom's death brought widespread attention to a killer that claims 300,000 Americans every year -- more than AIDs and breast cancer combined, said Melanie Bloom, who's become a national spokeswoman raising awareness about the affliction that claimed her husband.
Servicemembers in circumstances like Bloom's -- spending long periods in close quarters that limit their ability to move and dehydrated due to heat and failure to drink enough water -- are particularly at risk, she said. In addition, like many deployed troops, Bloom had spent many hours on long flights that limited his mobility.
An autopsy revealed that Bloom also had an undiagnosed blood disorder that increased his risk of DVT. He had no family history of blood clots and, except for his cramped legs, appeared to be the picture of health, his wife said.
Like families of troops serving in the combat zone, Melanie Bloom had fears about her husband's safety while he was in Iraq, she said during a joint interview yesterday with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. What she hadn't expected was that he'd die from "the bomb within his own body" that would take his life so quickly, she said.
Expressing gratitude for the way the military reached out to her and her three daughters after her husband's death, Melanie said she's now dedicating herself to ensure servicemembers and others recognize the dangers of DVT and take steps to protect themselves.
She urged troops to arm themselves with information so they can be proactive in their own health care. "You are in dangerous places, and you are risking your life every day for our country," she said. "My message for the troops is: In the areas that you can, take care of your health and stay healthy and alive."
She encourages troops and everyone else whose mobility is restricted for long periods to pump their legs up and down to stimulate circulation. This works just about anywhere DVT might strike: on an airplane, in a bus or tank, or even at a computer desk, she said. "If one person hears this and lives, if one life is saved, then David's death is not in vain," she said.
Army Dr. (Col.) David Gillespie, chief of vascular surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, in Bethesda, Md., said there's no evidence that military people suffer from DVT at higher rates than the general population.
But U.S. troops, including those in a combat zone, have died of the disease, which strikes without warning or with symptoms that some people dismiss as temporary annoyances, he said.
Gillespie cited two military populations at the highest risk: ground troops in Iraq or Afghanistan in restricted environments, particularly in high temperatures that can lead to dehydration, and wounded troops whose mobility is restricted.
He credits strict "water discipline" within the military, in which leaders ensure their troops drink sufficient water, with helping reduce the incidence of DVT. Another factor is the stringent pre-deployment medical screening troops undergo before leaving for a combat theater, he said.
Gillespie urged troops to ensure their doctors know if they have any family history of blood clots. And he emphasized the importance of seeking medical advice quickly if they notice symptoms -- particularly swelling or discoloration in one leg, and tight, shiny, painful skin around it.
The military has state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to diagnose DVT, even at forward locations, he said. Often it takes little more than a handheld ultrasound machine to make a diagnosis. "So we can make the diagnosis, and we treat it on the spot," Gillespie said.
Typically treatment involves a blood thinner injection to stabilize the clot while the body deploys its own clot-busting defenses, he said. And the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment begins, the fewer complications are likely to occur, he said.
Wounded troops who are immobile for long periods and particularly susceptible to DVT should get preventative care to protect against it, he said.
Despite the emphasis on ground troops' vulnerability, Gillespie called DVT an equal-opportunity killer that doesn't discriminate between services. "All services are at risk," he said, regardless of whether the person afflicted is a shipboard sailor, a flight mechanic or a nurse operating on a vessel at sea.
"If you are traveling long distances, if you are in hot environments, you need to stay hydrated, and you need to stay mobile," he said.
Americans Can Text 'Thanks' to Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation to troops serving far from home this holiday season, look no further than "Giving Thanks," a new initiative from the Defense Department's America Supports You program. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison.
Between 6 a.m. Nov. 17 and midnight Nov. 22, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief one- or two-line message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember.
"We know that thousands of families will be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about loved ones who are far away from home serving their country," Barber said. "We are counting on other American families to take a moment during their holiday celebration to think of those families and their family members who are serving and say, 'Thanks.'
"The reassurance that others are thinking about them will mean a lot to our troops," Barber added.
Those who send a message during the six days of the "Giving Thanks" program also will be directed to the America Supports You Web site. There they'll find a sampling of messages from the public and a running tally of how many messages have been received. They'll also be able to read messages from the troops.
Some servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan already have sent messages thanking the public for the support. Angie, an airman serving in Iraq, wrote: "Your support means so much, especially during the holidays. God Bless."
Members of Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan also wrote to express their appreciation for the continued support they receive: "To all the great Americans who go out of their way to support all the Soldiers of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan -- Thank You."
Barber is hoping troops around the globe will participate, as well. Troops serving anywhere in the world can e-mail a brief message to americasupportsyou@osd.mil to communicate their gratitude for support from back home. Responses must be received by Nov. 9.
In an effort to reach the Hispanic community, which is represented in large numbers in the armed services, America Supports You is working with Interlex, an advertising, marketing and public relations firm with multicultural capabilities.
"What we are doing is complementing the general market efforts to mobilize the Hispanic community to become involved in America Supports You," said Rolando Rodriguez, Interlex's managing director for public relations and community-based outreach. "Obviously that's important because many Hispanics do consume different press than the general market would."
The firm's goal is to inform the Hispanic communities that a number of Hispanic youth are serving in the military. "There (also) are a number of Hispanic families that (will be) impacted during the holidays because (the servicemembers) are not sitting at the table with them, so it's important to show their appreciation," Rodriguez said.
He added that his team is working to get the message out to the Hispanic communities in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas through Spanish-language media outlets, as well as entertainment and sporting venues. These are the same types of venues that will carry information about the America Supports You "Giving Thanks" program to the general market.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2007 - For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation to troops serving far from home this holiday season, look no further than "Giving Thanks," a new initiative from the Defense Department's America Supports You program. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison.
Between 6 a.m. Nov. 17 and midnight Nov. 22, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief one- or two-line message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember.
"We know that thousands of families will be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about loved ones who are far away from home serving their country," Barber said. "We are counting on other American families to take a moment during their holiday celebration to think of those families and their family members who are serving and say, 'Thanks.'
"The reassurance that others are thinking about them will mean a lot to our troops," Barber added.
Those who send a message during the six days of the "Giving Thanks" program also will be directed to the America Supports You Web site. There they'll find a sampling of messages from the public and a running tally of how many messages have been received. They'll also be able to read messages from the troops.
Some servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan already have sent messages thanking the public for the support. Angie, an airman serving in Iraq, wrote: "Your support means so much, especially during the holidays. God Bless."
Members of Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan also wrote to express their appreciation for the continued support they receive: "To all the great Americans who go out of their way to support all the Soldiers of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan -- Thank You."
Barber is hoping troops around the globe will participate, as well. Troops serving anywhere in the world can e-mail a brief message to americasupportsyou@osd.mil to communicate their gratitude for support from back home. Responses must be received by Nov. 9.
In an effort to reach the Hispanic community, which is represented in large numbers in the armed services, America Supports You is working with Interlex, an advertising, marketing and public relations firm with multicultural capabilities.
"What we are doing is complementing the general market efforts to mobilize the Hispanic community to become involved in America Supports You," said Rolando Rodriguez, Interlex's managing director for public relations and community-based outreach. "Obviously that's important because many Hispanics do consume different press than the general market would."
The firm's goal is to inform the Hispanic communities that a number of Hispanic youth are serving in the military. "There (also) are a number of Hispanic families that (will be) impacted during the holidays because (the servicemembers) are not sitting at the table with them, so it's important to show their appreciation," Rodriguez said.
He added that his team is working to get the message out to the Hispanic communities in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas through Spanish-language media outlets, as well as entertainment and sporting venues. These are the same types of venues that will carry information about the America Supports You "Giving Thanks" program to the general market.
Army Withdraws Command Post from California Wildfire Duty
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 1, 2007 - An Army organization that provides support to civil authorities during emergencies is withdrawing its command-and-control detail from southern California, according to a U.S. Army North news release. The nearly 70 departing servicemembers belong to San Antonio-based U.S. Army North, a component of U.S. Northern Command, the unified command on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., that's responsible for homeland defense and civil support.
Since Oct. 25, the Army command post coordinated Defense Department assets in fighting a series of wildfires that raged across southern California.
Army North will keep Col. Mark Armstrong in southern California for now as the Defense Department's senior representative on the ground to facilitate requests from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency assigned to California wildfire-fighting efforts.
Meanwhile, an eight-person Joint Task Force Civil Support planning team from Fort Monroe, Va., is being deployed to Sacramento, Calif., to support the state's Army and Air National Guard's planning effort, NORTHCOM officials said. The team consists of military planners with expertise in medicine; intelligence; logistics; military operations; air operations; and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives. It will work out of the state's Joint Force Headquarters.
The joint task force provides operational control of federal military forces deployed to support civilian agencies in emergencies. Its mission is to save lives and prevent injury.
Other military air and ground assets in California continue to assist as the wildfires are extinguished. California fire control officials have said they expect the fires to be out by tomorrow.
Nearly 3,000 California Guardsmen have been employed in firefighting, security and communications duties.
The wildfires destroyed more than 2,700 buildings. More than 500,000 people were evacuated from their homes from an area north of Los Angeles to the Mexican border. Seven people were killed as a result of the blazes, and 117 were injured.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also is working with FEMA to address local power, housing, planning, debris removal and disposal needs.
Nov. 1, 2007 - An Army organization that provides support to civil authorities during emergencies is withdrawing its command-and-control detail from southern California, according to a U.S. Army North news release. The nearly 70 departing servicemembers belong to San Antonio-based U.S. Army North, a component of U.S. Northern Command, the unified command on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., that's responsible for homeland defense and civil support.
Since Oct. 25, the Army command post coordinated Defense Department assets in fighting a series of wildfires that raged across southern California.
Army North will keep Col. Mark Armstrong in southern California for now as the Defense Department's senior representative on the ground to facilitate requests from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency assigned to California wildfire-fighting efforts.
Meanwhile, an eight-person Joint Task Force Civil Support planning team from Fort Monroe, Va., is being deployed to Sacramento, Calif., to support the state's Army and Air National Guard's planning effort, NORTHCOM officials said. The team consists of military planners with expertise in medicine; intelligence; logistics; military operations; air operations; and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives. It will work out of the state's Joint Force Headquarters.
The joint task force provides operational control of federal military forces deployed to support civilian agencies in emergencies. Its mission is to save lives and prevent injury.
Other military air and ground assets in California continue to assist as the wildfires are extinguished. California fire control officials have said they expect the fires to be out by tomorrow.
Nearly 3,000 California Guardsmen have been employed in firefighting, security and communications duties.
The wildfires destroyed more than 2,700 buildings. More than 500,000 people were evacuated from their homes from an area north of Los Angeles to the Mexican border. Seven people were killed as a result of the blazes, and 117 were injured.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also is working with FEMA to address local power, housing, planning, debris removal and disposal needs.
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