Thursday, December 17, 2009

Doctors Perform Groundbreaking Surgery at Walter Reed

By Kristin Ellis

Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - Doctors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the University of Miami collaborated to perform the first pancreas islet cell transplant Thanksgiving Day on an airman whose pancreas was injured so severely in Afghanistan that it had to be removed. While serving with an Army unit in Afghanistan, 21-year-old Air Force Senior Airman Tre Porfirio was shot three times in the back by an insurgent Nov. 21. Seventy-two hours and 8,000 miles later, Porfirio was at Walter Reed with injuries so extensive it would require 11 surgeries to reconstruct his abdomen.

Porfirio was taken to the operating room where Army Col. (Dr.) Craig D. Shriver, chief of general surgery, found the pancreas damaged to the point it was leaking dangerous enzymes that were causing blood vessels and tissue to break down.

"The only possible course of action at the time was to remove the remainder of his pancreas, which would predictably lead to a severe form of life-threatening and lifestyle-limiting diabetes," Shriver explained to reporters at a Dec. 15 news conference.

Risks for this type of diabetes include blindness, kidney failure, amputations and strokes, as well as daily insulin injections for the rest of his life.

Over the last eight years of war, doctors at Walter Reed have seen only 28 pancreatic injuries, and only one of this devastating nature, officials said. The surgical team called the University of Miami and put together a plan to ship the damaged pancreas to Florida to harvest the cells that produce insulin -- called islet cells -- and immediately ship them back to Walter Reed to be transplanted into Porfirio's liver.

All of this had to be done overnight, the day before Thanksgiving.

"I knew who the main players were in this case," said Dr. Rahul Jindal, transplant surgeon. "I picked up the phone and called [Dr. Camillo Ricordi, chief of cellular transplantation, University of Miami] and, without hesitation, he said, 'For a wounded warrior, I'll bring my whole team.'"

"Being able to serve a wounded warrior who risked his life to defend us all, I can think of no better way to spend Thanksgiving," Ricordi said.

In islet cell transplantation, the insulin-producing islets are isolated from the donor pancreas and then re-infused in a patient's liver, where they begin to produce insulin, doctors explained.

"You turn the liver into a double organ as it takes on the function of the pancreas," Ricordi said. "Normally, when similar procedures are done for Type 1 diabetes, the cells come from another person, so you need immunosuppressant drugs to keep them alive. Since we were able to use his own cells, he won't need to be on anti-rejection drugs."

The University of Miami team spent six hours isolating the islet cells before they were suspended in a specialized cold solution and flown back to Walter Reed. Ricordi helped to coordinate the transplant with the surgeons through an Internet connection, and on Thanksgiving Day, Porfirio's own cells were successfully injected into a vein to his liver.

Porfirio's blood tests show his harvested islet cells are functioning well, and he is gaining back his strength every day, doctors said.

"For anyone within a six-hour flight range of Miami, there is no reason any pancreas should ever be thrown away," Ricordi said.

(Kristin Ellis is a staff writer for Stripe, a civilian enterprise online publication serving Walter Reed Army Medical Center.)

U.S.-Pakistani Talks Focus on Long-Term Partnership

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - The United States is committed to a long-term strategic partnership with Pakistan that's critical to the success of President Barack Obama's new Afghanistan strategy, senior U.S. leaders assured their Pakistani counterparts during a recent consultative session here. The United States will remain a stabilizing force in the region long after the conflict ends, Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, and others said.

Flournoy recognized actions Pakistan has taken to deal with extremists within its border, and promised continued U.S. support, David Sedney, deputy assistant secretary for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, told reporters today.

"America will remain a staunch supporter of Pakistani security and prosperity long after the guns fall silent," Sedney said Flourney told the Pakistani delegation led by the Pakistani defense secretary, retired Lt. Gen. Syed Athar Ali.

The 18th Defense Consultative Group session, the first since 2006, occurred just a week after Obama's announcement regarding Afghanistan only coincidentally, Sedney said.

But it provided a valuable forum to discuss Pakistan's role in the strategy's success, he said, and to clear up Pakistani concerns about the drawdown plan in Afghanistan.

The U.S. delegation emphasized that the United States has no plan to abandon Afghanistan, as it did after Soviet forces withdrew there in 1989.

Flourney and her fellow delegates made clear that the July 2011 date for troop drawdowns to begin is "not an end to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan," Sedney said, but rather, "a transition point."

The Pakistanis had a lot of questions about this issue, but "left understanding that the commitment of the United States in Afghanistan is for the long term," he said.

Meanwhile, the delegates reaffirmed the importance of Pakistan in accomplishing U.S. objectives in Afghanistan, and the United States' interest in bolstering a long-term U.S.-Pakistani strategic partnership.

America will remain a staunch supporter of Pakistani security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent," Sedney said the delegates told the Pakistanis.

Initially, the U.S.-Pakistani partnership will focus primarily on supporting Pakistan's internal struggle against extremists, Sedney said. This includes boosting Pakistan's counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities, and ultimately, providing more combined training opportunities.

But over the longer term, the United States also is committed to helping Pakistan increase development and security, while strengthening its democratic institutions, he said. This effort will transcend current operations, helping Pakistan become a major stabilizing force in the region.

"This is a comprehensive effort," Sedney said. "This is not just a military-focused effort, to focus on one military task, and then the relationship stops....It is a whole-of-government approach that is aimed at addressing the immediate [threats], but also looking forward to a longer, more strategic [partnership]."

The next delegation-level meeting to assess progress is to be held in the new year in Islamabad.

H1N1 Pediatric Vaccine Recalled for Low Potency, Not Safety

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - Some supplies of a pediatric version of the H1N1 vaccine have been voluntarily recalled because they are slightly less potent than the manufacturer indicated, officials said today. Some pre-filled syringes [of the vaccine] for infants from 6 months to 35 months of age were recalled because the antigen content was slightly lower upon distribution than when it was created, Army Lt. Col. Patrick Garman, directory of the military vaccine agency, said.

"So it's slightly less than what the manufacturer is saying," Garman added. "It's a non-safety issue. It's a potency issue, or a strength issue."

Antigen is the active ingredient in the vaccine that stimulates an immune response and results in protection against influenza.

The drop in effectiveness is so small that the effected vaccines that have been distributed still will provide an adequate immune response, Garman said.

While revaccination isn't necessary, it's important to understand that anyone under the age of 10 requires two doses of the vaccine to be fully immunized, he added.

"These individuals that were given the pre-filled syringe ... they don't need a third vaccination," Garman said. "That first one counts and after a month goes by they should still come back in and get their second dose."

About 800,000 doses distributed throughout the United States were recalled. Some of those doses were distributed to military treatment facilities and given to military children.

They are as protected against H1N1 as any other child who has received only one of the two doses required, Garman said.

There are other multi-dose products available for the younger population, he added. One, another injectable, is good for those aged 6 months to adult. The younger patients still would receive the vaccine in two .25 milliliter doses, but adults would receive only one .5 milliliter dose.

"Another product is the intranasal product, which some parents really like," Garman said. "You ... spray it up your two-year-old's nose and they're protected."

It's approved for those from 2 to 49 years.

"What we were able to check rather quickly on the [recalled supply] was the stuff that was going to the uniform personnel, because that comes directly to us," Bryan G. Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.

Military facilities in the states receive their vaccinations from the state in which they are located. They are inspecting their supply to determine whether they received any of the recalled vaccine, Whitman added.

Sanofi Pasteur Inc. is the manufacturer of the recalled supplies and initiated the testing of and voluntary recall of the prefilled syringes.

North Dakota Guardsman shaping young minds in Kosovo



Story courtesy of the North Dakota National Guard

(12/9/09) -- Over the years, Soldiers have left their mark here in many ways, from painting walls and helping clean up neighborhoods to donating school supplies around Kosovo.

Now, KFOR Soldiers are shaping young minds as much as the school buildings that hold them or the landscape around them.

Spc. Abby A. Tews, a Soldier with Multi-National Task Force-East(MNTF-E), 231 Maneuver Task Force(MTF), is new to the teaching world, and has an opportunity, through a Kosovo adopt-a-school program, to exercise her skills.

"I just graduated from Valley City (N.D.) State in May. I got my degree in elementary education and Early Childhood Development," Tews said.

The North Dakota Guardsman primarily worked with elementary-aged students, but here she is teaching ninth-grade English at Musa Zajmi School here, once a week.

"I did my student-teaching, for elementary education, in a first grade (classroom) and my early childhood development I did in a kindergarten (classroom)," she said.


A mission that started at Musa Zajmi during previous rotations has Tews, a supply specialist, helping Mejreme Berisha, an English teacher who has worked with Soldiers for the last three years to better herself and her students.

"I was worried there would not be a Soldier who would be interested, but there were always Soldiers that we're interested," Berisha said. "This still continues, and I am very happy."

Berisha said her professional relationship with Soldiers has helped her become a better teacher.

"I attended a seminar on Camp Bondsteel, where I learned classroom management skills. I learned a lot from the Soldiers," she said.

Berisha has taught at Musa Zajmi since 1994, although her ambitions were not always to be a teacher.

"In high school, I wanted to be an artist, I wanted to become a student at the art institute, but I could not. So, I thought I will study English and all the doors will be opened," she said.

Berisha said when U.S. Soldiers first came to her school in 2001, she was shy and didn't take advantage of learning from and working with them. In 2007, when Soldiers came to the school she became more involved and started to build a relationship which resulted in her and the Soldiers not only becoming colleagues, but friends.

"I am really happy that I am a teacher at Musa Zajmi. I feel privileged to work with American Soldiers," she added.

Berisha knows, from a trip she took to Great Britain, the impact of visiting a country first hand to see differences in teaching styles. She spent about two weeks there and learned a lot about methods of teaching English to children.

Her goal is to visit the United States to observe the classrooms of various schools to incorporate ideas into her lesson plans for her students here.

For now, American teachers in the form of MNTF-E Soldiers are coming to her, and she has seen an improvement in her teaching style and students' learning. Berisha said students have had a chance to improve their English communicating with native-speakers.

Tews and Berisha coordinate and go over lesson plans via email.

"I enjoy it and I think so far it has been a great experience," Tews said. She is joined in the classroom by Capt. Brock Larson, of Fort Ransom, N.D., a fellow member of 231 MTF.

Tews prefers teaching younger students, but she said the experience that she is gaining in a foreign environment, will provide a richer experience for her to share with American students after her return to the U.S.

"It is interesting to experience firsthand in the classroom different behaviors and learning styles, but doing this will make me a better teacher," Tews said.

Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann, Bismarck, N.D., commander of MNTF-E, said Tews personifies the term "Napoleon's Corporal" or "Strategic Corporal," a Soldier who understands the total picture of their command's military objectives and uses that understanding to promote effective results at the most basic levels of the military organization.

"We want all of our Soldiers to be aware of how they can make a difference by teaching the people of Kosovo ways they can make their futures brighter," Dohrmann said. "Soldiers, such as Spc. Tews, are doing just that, by using her knowledge and professionalism as a Soldier and a teacher to enrich the skills of a peer and to make a difference in the lives of young people here."

The Soldiers of MNTF-E are just beginning their deployment in Kosovo, but Tews intends to continue spending a day out of every week visiting Berisha's classrooms to teach and to learn.

Tews does not have a teaching job to return to after her deployment - yet.

"I plan to start looking for a teaching job towards the end of the deployment, for now I will focus on my mission here,' Tews said.

Kansas Guard serves in the Sinai

By Sgt. Christopher C. Barlow
Task Force Sinai

(12/15/09) -- Soldiers from Charlie Battery 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery of the Kansas National Guard are settling into their Multi-National Force and Observers mission here.

The Kansas soldiers man checkpoints, towers, and observation points throughout the southeast part of the Sinai. The MFO is an independent international peacekeeping organization and has been in existence since 1979, and the U.S. involvement dates back to 1982.

"The mission of the MFO is to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent any violation of its terms", said Sgt. 1st Class Steve Ahlstedt, operations sergeant. "We observe, report, and verify any treaty violations if they happen."

The soldiers have a very unique mission; one that most were not even aware existed before being notified last year. When off duty, the opportunity for professional and personal development is more prevalent because of the mission's peacekeeping nature.

There is an education office, where soldiers can enroll in online college courses through two different universities. The soldiers enjoy many of the comforts of home and stay in touch with friends and family via phone, e-mail and letters. Some soldiers spend their off duty time playing organized sports, such as softball and basketball.

Several of the unit members are Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and welcome the change of pace.

"The MFO mission is more relaxed compared to when I was in Iraq. Here in the Sinai, we don't have to worry about mortars and rockets impacting inside our camp. When we were in Iraq, we constantly had to worry about what to do when we heard incoming rounds or impacts. It is nice to not worry about that here," said Sgt. Kenneth Mateer.

In addition to their other duties, the unit members also perform monthly Combat Water Survival Training. This training is performed due to the fact that one of the observation posts is on Tiran Island just off the coast and is only accessible by helicopter over the Red Sea. This training is performed in full gear to include uniform, boots and in some cases, backpack and weapon.

"It's all about gaining confidence," says Staff Sgt. Charles "Chip" Cunningham, a primary water survival instructor. "The goal is not only to help our strong swimmers advance in their skills, but to help our weak swimmers gain the confidence they need to remain calm under duress."

The weather isn't anything like Kansas this time of year in the Sinai - in the winter months, the Sinai averages temperatures in the 70s. That is a far cry from the cold and windy days back in Kansas. Though, the summer months here in the Sinai compare to the summer months back in Kansas - the temperatures are in the upper 90s and 100s and are humid, thus making some soldiers feel more at home.

Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery is scheduled to return to Kansas by late summer of 2010.

Rescue crews train Japan Air Self Defense Force pilots



By Airman 1st Class Jessica Green
California National Guard

(12/16/09) -- Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilots teamed up with 129th Rescue Wing aircrews here for refueling training Dec. 7-18. Maj. Eiji Sekine and Capt. Takeshi Tokuda, UH-60J pilots both with the Air Rescue Wing at Komaki Air Base, Japan, and Maj. Masahiko Miyazaki and Capt. Takemas Tsuchimiochi,C-130H Hercules pilots with the 1st Tactical Airlift Wing at Komaki Air Base, received hands-on training for day and night air refueling on the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft.

“They have done some refueling training with the 33rd Rescue Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan,” said Maj. Mathew Wenthe, the 129th Rescue Squadron’s tactical officer. “However, the 33rd RQS is on a deployment rotation leaving them unable to provide any more training or academic service to the JASDF pilots.”

This collaboration was prompted by the JASDF’s plan to buy refueling pods for the C-130H. They are currently flying KC-767 Jet Tankers and UH-60J’s but have no refueling systems, Tsuchimiochi said.

“When we got word from Kadena, we thought it would be a great experience to support,” said Wenthe. “There’s a big push for building partnership from the Pacific Air Force and we see this as a key element to that partnership. It’s been a blast.”

JASDF’s plan is to buy refueling probe packages for their UH-60’s so they can do air refueling while on rescue missions. Their job will be to return to Japan and teach their fellow pilots the training they’ve learned here, Wenthe said.

“Our rescue squadron saves include retrieving sick fishermen at sea and shipwrecks,” said Sekine. “With this training we will return to Japan to train our pilots and become operational in the near future.”

Focusing on safety, partnership and accuracy while training, the Japanese pilots will return home to improve their rescue mission’s range and efficiency.

“We do our best, thank you for all of the training,” said Miyazaki. “We appreciate everything.”

MILITARY CONTRACTS December 17, 2009

NAVY
ITT Industries Corp., Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems, Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a $111,737,911 not-to-exceed firm-fixed-price contract for non-recurring engineering required to modify, manufacture, test and deliver 17 AN/ALQ-214(V)3 radio frequency defensive electronic countermeasures engineering development model (EDM) units. In addition, this contract provides for delivery of three ALQ-214 systems test fixtures (test benches). These EDM units are required for the test and evaluation of the associated engineering change proposal prior to making a production cut-in decision for an alternate configuration of the ALQ-214 for the F/A-18C/DE/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J. (54 percent); San Jose, Calif. (24 percent); San Diego, Calif. (19 percent); Rancho Cordova, Calif. (2 percent); and Tampa, Fla. (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in June 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0022).

DZSP 21, LLC, Philadelphia, Pa., is being awarded modification P00001 for the exercise of award option 1 at $88,245,726 under a cost-plus-award-fee contract for base operation support services in the Territory of Guam for the Joint Naval Forces Marianas. The current total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $390,116,311. Work will be performed at various installations in the U.S. territory of Guam. This option period is from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity (N40192-10-C-3000).

Knik Construction Co., Inc., Seattle, Wash., is being awarded firm-fixed-price task order 0012 at $22,999,744 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity paving and resurfacing construction contract for paving of the perimeter road at U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N69450-08-D-1272).

RMA-ECC, JV, Anaheim, Calif., is being awarded a $15,869,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of a child development center at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. Work will be performed on Ford Island, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online websitewith 12 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-10-C-1302).

CACI International, Fairborn, Ohio, is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a not-to-exceed amount of $11,492,246 for non-personal professional engineering, technical and management support services in the areas of scientific/engineering analysis and studies, test and evaluation, technical data support, field engineering, integrated logistics support, configuration management, management support services and data management in support of the Airborne Electro-Optic Systems Branch. Work will be performed in Crane, Ind., and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N000164-10-C-JQ12).

Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Inc., Pasadena, Calif. 91124-9999, is being awarded a $9,440,275 modification under a multiple award contract firm-fixed price task order to fully fund option year one which provides for program and engineering support of capital improvement projects in the metro San Diego area. The total cumulative task order amount after award of this modification will be $13,450,186. The task order also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $65,547,222. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (contract number N00178-05-D-4487-EFE3).

Hascon, LLC*, Columbia, Md., is being awarded a $7,945,226 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of a child development center at Naval Support Activity Annapolis. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Md., and is expected to be completed by July 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as an 8(a) small business set-aside via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 17 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Public Works Department, Annapolis, Md., is the contracting activity (N40080-10-C-0501).

AIR FORCE

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,763,454 contract which will provide the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Production Lot 23 contract. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-09-C-0052, P0009).

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Ga., was awarded a $7,185,949 contract which will provide for the installation of communications upgrades to Air Force C37 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 727 ACSG/PKB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F33657-00-D-0038, P00156).

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Ga., was awarded a $6,285,518 contract which will provide for the installation of communications upgrades to Air Force C37 aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 727 ACSG/PKB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F33657-02-D-2011).

Holiday message from the Adjutant General of Wisconsin

December 17, 2009: As we head into the holiday season, I'm aware that we all have our own special traditions and hope that this year finds you with time to spend with your loved ones in whatever way you celebrate the holidays. Most of us know what it is like to spend the holiday season away from home and we know how special it is to share those moments once again with our families when we return. These precious moments are paid for in full by the sacrifices of our Soldier's and Airmen's time, comfort and safety; and our families have earned those moments through the many adjustments that our absences have required.

Thank you to the men and women who serve in the Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Department of Military Affairs - we are grateful for your service to our state and nation. Last month, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told attendees at the National Guard Senior Leaders' Conference that he cannot distinguish the National Guard from active duty Soldiers and Airmen when they serve shoulder to shoulder overseas. I could not agree more, having seen thousands of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deploy in support of the global war on terror as well as other military missions, and hearing how our men and women perform their missions with professionalism and excellence. The Wisconsin National Guard adds enduring value to our nation.

Our Soldiers and Airmen perform with dignity and poise, and have never failed to complete the mission. We recently welcomed back the 115th Fighter Wing and the 951st "Sapper" Engineer Company, who each raised the bar as they performed their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively. Guard members still in the fight include the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the headquarters element of the 732nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Iraq; the 115th Security Forces Squadron in the Middle East; and our Embedded Training Team in Afghanistan.

To those men and women deployed through this holiday season, serving our nation overseas, a special thank you. I join my entire leadership team in wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Sincerely,

Donald P. Dunbar

Brigadier General (WI)

Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility


Editor's Note:  The Guest is former USMC.

On January 21, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with corrections official Tracy E. Barnhart on the Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility

Program Date: January 21, 2010
Program Time: 1710 hours, Pacific
Topic: Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/unconventional_delivery_deadly_force.html

About the Guest
After completion of a Marine Corps combat tour of duty in Iraq in 1991, Tracy E. Barnhart completed the National Registry requirements as an Emergency Medical Technician. He responded to calls of emergency medical nature for over three years until he became a police officer for the City of Galion (Ohio). After three years on patrol he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Later leaving the City of Galion Tracy E. Barnhart was hired as the Chief of Police for the City of Edison (Ohio). After 3 years as chief of police, and with a total of ten years experience in law enforcement he changed careers leaping into the realm of corrections where he is currently employed at the Marion Juvenile Correctional Facility.

Tracy E. Barnhart is the Law Enforcement coordinator the Tri-Rivers Public Safety Adult Education where he designs and coordinates continuing educational courses for law enforcement and correctional officers. He has established courses on verbal de-escalation, criminal behavior analysis, use of force, and ground fighting and take down techniques for law enforcement.

About the Subject
Tracy E. Barnhart & co-author Gary T. Klugiewicz wrote an article on Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility which appeared in the December 2009 issue of the American Heroes Press Newsletter. The article began, “We wanted to write an article on a topic that you might have thought that you never would read about in print. This article is going to discuss how and when to use deadly force in a correctional facility and most importantly how to defend your actions. Since most corrections officers are not trained or equipped with weapons designed to deliver deadly force the techniques we are going to discuss will need to be unconventional. The following information is the kind of stuff we talk about before roll call when we hear about an assault on an officer from the previous shift. This type of violent assault against a corrections officer could happen anywhere. It could even happen in your facility. These life threatening assaults could happen to a friend or someone who you went to the academy with or it could happen to you. Hopefully it’s doesn’t end up like the incident referenced below with an officer being killed.”

The entire article can be found at:
http://www.police-writers.com/articles/unconvential_delivery_deadly_force.html

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/unconventional_delivery_deadly_force.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Researcher Shares Cold Safety Tips for Soldiers

By Christen N. McCluney
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine are coming up with ways to sustain soldiers' performance in environmental extremes, a research physiologist at the institute said today. "Our job is to help [soldiers] do their job better in rough environments," John Castellani told listeners to the "Dot Mil Docs" program on DoDLive.mil.

Hypothermia, frostbite and nonfreezing cold injuries are common in winter and in cold environments, he said. Areas of the body affected by frostbite usually feel cold and firm, and burning, tingling, stinging, or numbing sensations may also be felt, Castellani said. White spots may appear on the skin in minor cases, and more severe cases could cause blistering and tissue damage.

"One of the biggest things is to get out of the environment and to re-warm the tissue," he said. Though the first instinct is to warm the area over a fire or an engine, he added, the best step is to re-warm very slowly to make sure there is no major damage.

Castellani emphasized the need to get out of the environment to prevent major tissue damage from frostbite. "You are better off to allow tissue to remain frozen than to be in an environment where you are in a freeze- thaw -freeze cycle," he said.

Another way soldiers can prevent cold-related injuries is to protect their bodies. "How you dress is the biggest preventive method," Castellani said.

Dressing in layers provides insulation from trapped air. He suggested that soldiers wear a base layer that allows moisture to move through it, rather than cotton, which absorbs sweat. Silk, polypropylene and other synthetics serve as the best materials, he said, because they allow moisture to move away from the skin.

The middle layer should be materials that provide insulation, such as fleece and wool, and the top layer should be windproof and waterproof. Soldiers should use knowledge of layering to create their own number of layers based on their personal preference, he added.

Staying dry is important in preventing cold-related injuries, Castellani said. Getting wet from sweat or rain or wearing wet gloves or boots can cause injuries, he said.

Protecting the skin is also another measure Castellani recommended to stay protected in the cold. Wind chill, the temperature felt on exposed skin due to wind, can get low before seeing an actual frostbite injury. Wind from helicopter rotors and moving downhill in a cold environment need to be taken in to account when protecting the skin, he noted.

Another possible injury is one not usually associated with cold weather. "Sunburn can still happen in the winter, and you can still get sunburn when the UV index is low," Castellani said. Wearing sunscreen is important in a cold environment, he said, because there is always a chance of sunburn from indirect light off snow. "Snow blindness," which he said is sunburn of the eye, is easily preventable by wearing sunglasses or goggles, he said.

Although the cold doesn't change the body's requirements for food and water intake very much, Castellani suggested staying hydrated and listening to your body to know when you may require more food to maintain your energy. Some people burn more calories than usual walking in the snow or carrying extra weight from cold-weather clothing or backpacks, he said.

"When you go to a cold environment, work in it and see how it goes, and then adjust from that," he said.

(Christen N. McCluney works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Army Announces Force Structure Actions

The Department of the Army announced today a series of planned unit activations at three installations. These force structure actions will result in an increase of 70 soldiers and 164 civilians at Fort Gordon, Ga., and an increase of 90 soldiers and 92 civilians at two different locations: Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Fort Eustis, Va. Implementation of these changes is scheduled to be completed in January 2010.

The 7th Signal Command (Theater) will activate at Fort Gordon, Ga. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 106th Signal Brigade will activate at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 93rd Signal Brigade will activate at Fort Eustis, Va.

The 7th Signal Command will extend LandWarNet capabilities to operating and generating forces in support of U.S.-based information-enabled expeditionary operations in support of the Grow the Army Initiative. LandWarNet is the Army's part of the DoD information technology infrastructure.

For more information, contact Lt. Col. Lee Packnett, 703-614-2487, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Army.

Recruiter, 80, Still Brings in Soldiers



By Jonathan E. Agee
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - He turned 80 in November and is having difficulty getting around - not because of any physical impairments, but rather because during his 59 years of recruiting, retired Army Sgt. Maj. Raymond Moran seems to know everyone, everywhere. "I hate to take him shopping with me," his wife, Barbara, said. "He says he will push the basket, but then I have to look for him all over the store, because he is talking to friends. And that does not just happen in the commissary. Every place we go, he has enlisted someone or someone from their family, and they recognize him and they get into conversations."

An average trip to the store, Barbara said, is increased by 30 minutes when Moran accompanies her, but she also knows how much it means to him to promote the benefits of the Army and speak to soldiers who enlisted under his guidance.

Over the years, many people have trusted the guidance of Moran. He has enlisted everyone he could, including friends and family, who he is quick to mention "all still love me." However, when asked how many people he has recruited, he says he simply doesn't know.

"I have lost track over time," he said. "I would have to say over 1,000. It is just something I never kept a list of. I just call them the Old Soldier's Brigade."

His friends and colleagues call him the Old Soldier, a moniker he earned in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago, and although his age may justify the title, his attitude is anything but old.

Lt. Col. Gary Sheftick, who joined the Army Reserve with the help of Moran, agrees.

"He has a lot of enthusiasm, and he is definitely passionate about the Army. ... He cares about soldiers, people, the Army and America," Sheftick said. "He has a deep passion that drives him. He seems to genuinely care about the young men and women he is helping become soldiers."

Getting out and talking to people is one of the main tools of a recruiter, Moran said, but not the most important one.

"The most important thing is establishing a reputation of being truthful," he said. "When people trust you, they will send friends and family to talk to you. Once people trust you, they will follow your recommendations for the Army."

"Sergeant Major Moran is the kind of person that you would want to teach your kids," said Edwin MacDonald, director of operations sustainment for Camber Corp. "His character, ethics and morals are something that you only read about, but when you're with him, you know in minutes this is who they wrote the book after."

So why after nearly 59 years does Moran continue to recruit? Moran said it simply never has crossed his mind to retire.

"It's just not something I think about," he said. "I enjoy what I am doing, and I enjoy who I work with. You will not find better people to work with. For me, it is a great sense of pride."

(Jonathan E. Agee works for the Army's 1st Recruiting Brigade.)

TRICARE Program for Gray Area Reservists On Its Way

December 17, 2009: A new program will offer “gray area” reservists the opportunity to purchase TRICARE health care coverage. While qualified members of the Selected Reserve may purchase premium-based coverage under TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), retired National Guard and Reserve personnel did not have TRICARE health coverage options until they reached age 60.

Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010, that’s all changed.

The new provision will allow certain members of the Retired Reserve who are not yet age 60 (“gray-area” retirees), to purchase TRICARE Standard (and Extra) coverage. TRICARE Extra simply means beneficiaries have lower out of pocket costs if they use a network provider.

“We’re working hard to coordinate all the details of eligibility, coverage and costs, and expedite implementation of this important program,” said Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity. “This is a major benefit program with implementation on the same magnitude as TRS. It will require detailed design, development and testing, but qualified retired reservists should be able to purchase coverage by late summer or early fall of 2010.”

While the health care benefit provided for gray-area retirees will be TRICARE Standard and Extra – similar to TRS – the new program will differ from TRS in its qualifications, premiums, copayment rates and catastrophic cap requirements. The program is tentatively called TRICARE Retired Reserve.

The new statute requires premium rates to equal the full cost of the coverage. That is the major difference contrasted with TRS, where the statute provides that Selected Reserve members pay only 28 percent of the cost of the coverage. Premiums for the new gray area retiree program will be announced after program rules are published in the Federal Register.

This new program offers an important health coverage option for Reserve and National Guard members who served their country honorably before hanging up their uniforms at retirement, said Hunter. For more information about TRICARE benefits go to http://www.tricare.mil/.

Korea Command Focuses on Quality of Life

By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Molly A. Burgess
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2009 - Improving the quality of life for servicemembers and their families stationed in the South Korea is a top priority, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea said this week. In a "DODLive" bloggers roundtable Dec. 15, Army Gen. Walter "Skip" Sharp said one of his main priorities is to maintain and improve facilities, services, schools and medical capabilities to benefit all current and future servicemembers, Defense Department civilians and families who will call Korea home temporarily.

"We are working very hard to make sure that the facilities, the services, the schools, the medical capability that we have in the Republic of Korea is top-notch, which it is today," Sharp said. "We are working towards being able to have all of our servicemembers come to Korea for two- and three-year tours and bring their families instead of one year at a time unaccompanied."

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has approved extended tour lengths last year, paving the way to allow servicemembers' families to accompany them with command sponsorship. Extending tour lengths while increasing command sponsorship opportunities reduces stress levels not only for servicemembers, but also for their families, Sharp said.

U.S. Forces Korea will continue to increase the number of sponsored families and the length of tours in South Korea as facilities are available, the general said.

"We have gone from about 1,700 officially command-sponsored families in Korea during the summer of 2008 to 3,700 command-sponsored families in Korea," he said. About 28,500 U.S. servicemembers are stationed in South Korea.

As U.S. Forces Korea continues lengthening the tours of servicemembers deployed to South Korea, Sharp said, he expects by this time next year there will be close to 4,900 command-sponsored families. That number is expected to grow three-fold over time to nearly 14,000 command-sponsored families as they make room for this growth by building additional apartments, medical facilities and schools, Sharp added.

During the roundtable, Sharp encouraged people to visit South Korea to see how much has changed in a country where living conditions once dictated that most servicemembers serve unaccompanied tours.

"It is a modern, wonderful country," Sharp said. "For those old enough ... to remember the 'M*A*S*H' TV series, it's not at all like that. It is a great country that welcomes our troops and really takes care of our troops and our families."

Sharp also highlighted the Defense Department's school system in South Korea, which he said consistently get the highest SAT scores of any schools in the Defense Department system and well above the national average. Students in Defense Department schools in South Korea also get more service academy nominations and scholarships than those in the system's other schools, he added.

Sharp noted that he was born while his father was serving in the Korean War.

"I'm very proud of the fact that I'm an Army 'brat,'" he said. "I'm very, very proud of his service and humble to be now in command in the country that he served in when I was born."

(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Molly A. Burgess serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Latest scams camouflaged as military calls for assistance

December 17, 2009: The latest attempts to part innocent persons from their money or sensitive information, just in time for the holidays, could be called "Operation Desert Scam." One recent scheme strikes close to home, as a scam artist used the name and other personal information of a deployed Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier, obtained from a news article, to attempt to sell a vehicle on-line to a potential buyer in Oklahoma. The potential buyer became suspicious and reported the incident to the Wisconsin National Guard.

Maj. Joseph Adamson, provost marshal for the Wisconsin National Guard, said that to date, the Soldier in question has not suffered financial loss as a result of the scam attempt.

According to Adamson, the scammer obtained only limited personal identification information from the news article.

"There are no steadfast ways to protect against [identity theft resulting from scammers reading] properly vetted and released news articles," he warned, adding that the best protection was vigilance - monitoring personal finances, investigating unexpected charges, contacting all three credit report agencies if necessary, and filing a police report immediately if identity theft is suspected.

"It takes time to recover from a bona fide identity theft where there is a loss to the victim," Adamson explained. "And in some cases it can cost the victim money to recover from the negative impact of being an identity theft victim."

Adamson said there are no confirmed cases of Wisconsin National Guard members suffering actual losses from identity theft. Guard families, however, have been victimized, he said. In some cases, the scam artist will call someone from the Guard member's extended family - a grandparent, for example - seeking money on behalf of the Guard member for some type of emergency.

"[Scammers] manipulate a sense of urgency," Adamson said. He urged anyone receiving this type of surprise contact to verify the information - phone numbers for the hospital or police station, the police report file number, exact time and location of the alleged incident - and also recommended contacting someone who can verify that the relative may be in the location the caller claims.

"Very seldom will a relative get a [legitimate] call from a stranger about an injured family member," he said.

Another scheme has been around for some time and bears striking similarities to the "Nigerian prince" scams of the 1990s. This particular scam claims that a handful of U.S. Marines have discovered millions in cash in the mansion of a militant leader in Iraq and need your help to bring the money back to the states.

"This is a very serious deal and I wouldn't be asking for your help if I am not convinced that this is not going to bring any harm to you or your family, or put you in a risky position," states the author of the scam, allegedly a Marine named Williams Barnes. The reader is asked to provide their full name, mailing address and private telephone number, and advised to wait for further instructions.

Adamson said the lure of easy money, along with the belief that responding could aid a service member, blinds some people to warning signs of a scam known as a "confidence swindle."

"They fall into a downward spiral," he explained. "It's 'what am I going to lose by doing this?' That's the first part of the process. Next, [the scammers] will ask for your birthday, or your account number. It's a way of getting the victims invested."

"I hope I can rely on your sense of discretion," the alleged Marine writes. "If for some reasons you don't want to or can't help us, I want you to delete this message immediately and assume we never had this conversation."

The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Bureau of Consumer Protection encourages anyone who receives such offers to ask themselves two questions: Why would a perfect stranger pick you to share a fortune with, and why would you share personal or business information with a perfect stranger?

"If it sounds too good to be true," Adamson said, "then it is too good to be true."

The provost marshal's office serves the members of the Wisconsin National Guard and their families, and is a conduit between victims and law enforcement. The provost marshal's office does not complete identity theft reports, but does work with Guard members and their families to get that information to the correct law enforcement agency.