By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 24, 2008 - In the Pentagon, "U2" usually refers to an Air Force high-altitude spy plane, but this week it referred to the rock group, as lead singer Bono met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Jan. 22. "It's a matter of age that I thought U2 was an airplane," Gates told a Pentagon news conference today.
For years, the Irish rocker has championed relief to Africa, the world's poorest continent. Bono took advantage of a trip to Washington to meet with Gates.
The secretary said today that he was very impressed with Bono and his knowledge of the situation in Africa.
The singer had read a speech Gates delivered at Kansas State University in November "and had liked a lot what I said about also strengthening the non-military side of the U.S. face abroad," Gates said.
During that speech, Gates said that one of the most important lessons from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is that military success is not sufficient to win the war on terror. A soft-power approach -- using all aspects of government -- is needed. This include economic development, nation-building, establishing the rule of law, promoting internal reconciliation, good governance, providing basic services, training and equipping indigenous military and police forces, and strategic communications.
The secretary spoke with Bono about establishing U.S. Africa Command. "He did share some of the concerns that he has heard," Gates said. "We gave him some information on AFRICOM, and he was not ... hostile to it. I would say that he was open-minded about it and just recommended that we take care in how we proceeded."
The meeting went for about 20 minutes, Pentagon officials said. The singer was not wearing his trademark sun glasses, according to Pentagon employees who saw the singer arrive.
Gates said the singer seemed very well informed.
The secretary also said his daughter "nearly had an aneurysm when I told her who I was meeting with."
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Missile Destroyer Dewey
The Navy will christen the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Dewey, Saturday, Jan. 26, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss.
Designated DDG 105, the new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey (1837-1917) who commanded the Asiatic Station from the cruiser Olympia. Shortly after the onset of the Spanish-American War, Dewey led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898. The next morning, his squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss. A widely popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him, in March 1903. Two previous ships have proudly carried his name. The first was a destroyer (DD 349) that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate (DLG 14) before being reclassified as a guided-missile destroyer (DDG 45).
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. His wife, Deborah, will serve as sponsor of the ship. In accordance with Navy tradition, she will break a bottle of champagne across the ship's bow and christen the ship.
Dewey is the 55th of 62 Arleigh Burke class destroyers. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Dewey will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense. This is in keeping with "A Cooperative Strategy of 21st Century Seapower," the new maritime strategy that postures the sea services to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world
Cmdr. Warren R. Buller, of Concord, Mass., is the prospective commanding officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 292 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Dewey is being built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Pascagoula, Miss.
For more information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers, visit http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.
Designated DDG 105, the new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey (1837-1917) who commanded the Asiatic Station from the cruiser Olympia. Shortly after the onset of the Spanish-American War, Dewey led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898. The next morning, his squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss. A widely popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him, in March 1903. Two previous ships have proudly carried his name. The first was a destroyer (DD 349) that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate (DLG 14) before being reclassified as a guided-missile destroyer (DDG 45).
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. His wife, Deborah, will serve as sponsor of the ship. In accordance with Navy tradition, she will break a bottle of champagne across the ship's bow and christen the ship.
Dewey is the 55th of 62 Arleigh Burke class destroyers. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Dewey will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense. This is in keeping with "A Cooperative Strategy of 21st Century Seapower," the new maritime strategy that postures the sea services to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world
Cmdr. Warren R. Buller, of Concord, Mass., is the prospective commanding officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 292 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Dewey is being built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Pascagoula, Miss.
For more information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers, visit http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.
Police Officer Takes Writing Career Full-time
January 23, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Best selling author and award-winning Police Officer Shane Moore announced his retirement from law enforcement and to pursue his writing career full-time.
Shane Moore grew up poor in rural Illinois. In his youth, he wore Salvation Army clothes and never owned more than two pairs of pants for school. Before began preschool, Shane tested off the charts and was moved to kindergarten at age three. Shane was sixteen when he entered his senior year of High School. After High School, Shane Moore enlisted in the United States Navy.
During his military service, Shane Moore served in campaigns Provide Hope and Secure Democracy, during the Bosnian civil conflict. After his discharge from the Navy, Shane Moore attended classes to become a police officer. At the time of his retirement he was a detective for the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois).
During his law enforcement career Shane Moore received: Over 30 letters of commendation from various supervisors, departments, and State's Attorneys; Two citations for bravery; One citation for life saving; One medal for life saving; and, Officer of the year in 2005.
In January 2007 Shane's first fantasy novel titled; "A Prisoner's Welcome" was released. Since then he has been taken on a whirlwind ride across the country signing books in Canada and many states, quickly becoming one of his publisher's best selling books of 2007. Shane Moore has gathered praise from many other authors of his genre, including Robert Fanney, John Beachem, and Joe Lawson. In addition, several professional artists liked his work so much they voluntarily have began series of artwork depicting characters from his debut novel. Of these artist, the most notable is; "Billy Tackett." Shane has recently met with several companies to produce products from his book.
Shane Moore has recently finished his second book; "The Breach of Crowns" and is working in his third; "Exodus of the Strong." He lives with his wife Alicia Moore, and his son, Dakota Moore.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 833 police officers (representing 379 police departments) and their 1759 law enforcement books in 32 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.
Shane Moore grew up poor in rural Illinois. In his youth, he wore Salvation Army clothes and never owned more than two pairs of pants for school. Before began preschool, Shane tested off the charts and was moved to kindergarten at age three. Shane was sixteen when he entered his senior year of High School. After High School, Shane Moore enlisted in the United States Navy.
During his military service, Shane Moore served in campaigns Provide Hope and Secure Democracy, during the Bosnian civil conflict. After his discharge from the Navy, Shane Moore attended classes to become a police officer. At the time of his retirement he was a detective for the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois).
During his law enforcement career Shane Moore received: Over 30 letters of commendation from various supervisors, departments, and State's Attorneys; Two citations for bravery; One citation for life saving; One medal for life saving; and, Officer of the year in 2005.
In January 2007 Shane's first fantasy novel titled; "A Prisoner's Welcome" was released. Since then he has been taken on a whirlwind ride across the country signing books in Canada and many states, quickly becoming one of his publisher's best selling books of 2007. Shane Moore has gathered praise from many other authors of his genre, including Robert Fanney, John Beachem, and Joe Lawson. In addition, several professional artists liked his work so much they voluntarily have began series of artwork depicting characters from his debut novel. Of these artist, the most notable is; "Billy Tackett." Shane has recently met with several companies to produce products from his book.
Shane Moore has recently finished his second book; "The Breach of Crowns" and is working in his third; "Exodus of the Strong." He lives with his wife Alicia Moore, and his son, Dakota Moore.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 833 police officers (representing 379 police departments) and their 1759 law enforcement books in 32 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.
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