Comedian Bo Irvine talks to Sailors about Risk Management

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Howard,

Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East Detachment Europe

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Comedian Bo Irvine spoke with Sailors at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples about risk management and personal safety, June 26.

During his two-day visit to NSA Naples, Irvine conducted four safety briefs on risk management and occupational health as the community prepared for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

"Every job in the military is risky, so the military recruits people willing to take that risk," said Irvine. "That's why there will always be safety briefs to remind members about weighing the risks involved on the job and off."

Irvine used his renowned comedic humor to add a new spin to routine safety briefs.

"I enjoyed the presentation," said Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Jessica Angelo, a Sailor assigned to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa. "More people would pay attention during safety briefs if they were presented like this more often."

Sailors in attendance learned about being responsible in everyday situations including vehicle safety, situational awareness and watching out for your fellow shipmates.

"Life is risk, and how we judge the levels of risk day to day is risk management," said Irvine. "It bothers me so much to see young people die because someone got behind the wheel while intoxicated. Telling a shipmate who is about to make a mistake that they are doing something stupid isn't stupid. It's actually pretty smart."

Irvine travels all over the world spreading the message about risk management and safety.

"I learned a lot from Irvine," said Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Eileen Sempa, also assigned to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa. "I think if the Navy wanted more Sailors to pay attention during safety briefs, they should get rid of the Powerpoints and bring in the comedians."

Toby Keith Performs Underway for Deployed Cape St. George Sailors

By Ensign Lexi Dauernheim, USS Cape St. George Public Affairs

USS CAPE ST. GEORGE, At Sea (NNS) -- A country music celebrity superstar performed for more than 350 Sailors during an underway concert on the forecastle of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), April 24.

With the garrison flag flying from the forward deckhouse, the Sailors gathered to hear Toby Keith perform several of his numerous hit songs, including "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," "Red Solo Cup" and "As Good as I Once Was."

The United Services Organization (USO) and Navy Entertainment sponsored the concert to boost the morale of the deployed Sailors. Keith, who is on his 10th USO tour, "Live in Overdrive," performed a concert aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) the day before.

Fire Controlman 2nd Class Kyle Peters said his brother saw Keith two years ago in Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan, and Peters was glad to also have the chance to see Keith perform live. "His patriotism and support for the U.S. military shows through his music and the amount of time he spends visiting the troops," Peters said.

While aboard Cape, Keith toured the vertical launching system, the MT51 5-inch gun loader room, and the combat information center before performing and signing autographs.

Chief Logistics Specialist Zach Schneider, one of Cape's supply leading chief petty officers, said he also saw Keith while he was in Afghanistan.

"He has entertained Sailors, soldiers, Marines and airmen all over," Schneider said. "I admire the man personally, and I enjoy his music."

Capt. Don D. Gabrielson, commanding officer of Cape, accompanied the band on guitar for the last few songs.

"Toby Keith's visit was one of the most morale-boosting events we have had this deployment. I don't think he will ever know how much it lifted our spirits," said Ensign Kelly Carson, Cape's strike officer.

Cape and Lincoln are currently deployed with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, which also includes embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 and Destroyer Squadron 9, comprised of the guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). CSG 9 is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and combat flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Country Music Star Toby Keith Entertains Lincoln Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan P. Idle, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- Country music superstar Toby Keith performed for more than 4,000 Sailors during an underway concert in the hangar bay of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), April 23.

The concert was part of a tour sponsored by the United Services Organization (USO) in conjunction with Navy Entertainment to boost the morale of deployed Sailors.

The Sailors gathered in the hangar bay to hear Keith perform several of his numerous hit songs, including "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," "American Soldier," "Should've Been a Cowboy" and "Red Solo Cup."

Keith, who is currently on his 10th USO tour since 2002, said he started performing for service members as a way to honor his late father's memory, but after his first tour, he knew it was something he wanted to continue doing.

"I was going to do a couple weeks just to honor my dad and the time he did in the service, and we just fell in love with it," Keith said. "The men and women that serve had such a good time that the USO said, 'they want you to go back.' So we started going every year. Now, 10 years and 180-something shows later, we keep coming back. It's been a wonderful time."

While aboard Lincoln, Keith toured the ship, signed autographs, posed for photographs and stood witness as a group of Lincoln Sailors reenlisted.

Aviation Electrician's Mate 1st Class Kenneth Gaal, one of the reenlisting Sailors, said he was honored to have Keith there for the ceremony.

"Toby Keith has supported the Navy and the United States in our military endeavors for over a decade," Gaal said. "He is a patriotic celebrity who shows his support for the sacrifices we make, and I'm proud to have been able to reenlist in his presence. This has certainly been the highlight of my deployment."

Keith said he appreciated all the Sailors in attendance at the show as well as all U.S. service members stationed around the world.

"I see the job you do every day," he said. "It's a tough job. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard; I get to see it all. You do a wonderful job. Godspeed to you. As long as you're out here, we'll keep trying to come back, shake your hand and thank you for what you do."

Lincoln is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 9, which also includes guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and Destroyer Squadron 9, comprised of guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104).

CSG 9 and Carrier Air Wing 2, embarked aboard Lincoln, are deployed to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support exercises in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

USO Celebrities Visit Joint Operations Center

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 18, 2012 – The tables turned today as the USO's spring tour celebrities got a taste of combined military operations during a visit to a joint operations center here.

Navy Vice Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is serving as military host for the tour for comedian and actor Anthony Anderson; retired Major League Baseball pitcher Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson; actor Jason “Wee-Man” Acuna; actor and pitchman Dennis Haysbert; Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders Allyson Traylor, Brittany Evans and Kelsi Reich; and former “American Idol” contestants Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young.

The celebrities toured U.S. Air Forces Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center. The CAOC is responsible for command and control of all air operations in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, said Air Force Col. Dave Iverson, 609th Air and Space Operations Center commander, providing 24/7 air coverage and conducting counterterrorism operations 365 days a year.

The CAOC is a joint and coalition team, staffed by the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and coalition partners since becoming fully operational on Feb. 18, 2003.

“We work with Canadians, Australians, the British and our other coalition partners in addition to every branch of service,” Iverson noted.

Serving as host for the USO celebrities’ tour of the facility, Iverson explained the CAOC’s mission and operational capabilities.

A majority of the CAOC's operations occur in Afghanistan’s southern and eastern border regions, Iverson said. Troops in enemy contact can have air support in seven to eight minutes, he added.

Air mobility is another major mission, whether it’s moving cargo or airdropping supplies for special operations forces, who often are in locations difficult to get to by road or with no airfields nearby, Iverson said.

Other CAOC functional areas include cells for personnel recovery, offensive and defensive operations and space, he explained.

Following the short tour and photo opportunities with the service members in the CAOC, some of the celebrities shared their thoughts of the tour.

“I felt like a third-grader trapped on a school tour,” Anderson joked. “But I understand why they can't have classified and top secret stuff on the screens while I'm in there. It was informative, and I understand [the privacy was] for national security reasons and whatnot. The center was what I pictured it to be -- minus the classified information that was going to be on the screen. I really wanted to see what was going on.”

After calling the tour an “amazing” experience, the comedian couldn’t resist another joke.

“I wanted to watch a Super Bowl or NBA Finals game on one of those [big] screens,” he said. “Overall, great experience just to see how an operation works like that from the inside out.”

The tour also showed him that Hollywood portrayals of military operations centers can be fairly accurate, he said. “[It was] definitely what I thought it would be from watching movies, being a part of movies in situations like that,” he said. “It was like, 'OK, what we've done on film is pretty accurate to what really goes on inside a command center like that.”

Johnson, who has been on multiple USO tours and visited other operations centers, was also impressed by the CAOC.

“It was obviously very intense to see the maps and big-screen videos and probably stuff that you can't talk about too much,” he said. “But I felt very privileged to be able to see the stuff behind the scenes. There's so much technology going on, and I just feel honored and privileged to be here, and hopefully, we encouraged and lightened up the moment and the day for some people.”

Montel Williams Provides Lunch for Wounded Warriors

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Monique K. Hilley

BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- Montel Williams provided lunch for nearly 100 wounded warriors and their families at the Fisher House in Bethesda, Md., Feb. 13.

Service members and their families were treated to a feast of donated baby back ribs, pulled pork and coleslaw, fried fish cooked by Montel's sister, Marjorie, crab cakes made by his father, Herman, a salad and turkey chili prepared by one of Montel's favorite chefs, Claire Winslow, and green fruit smoothies which Montel prepared himself. Two large patriotic cakes were also donated for dessert.

"This started six trips ago, and now this is trip number seven, and by the time we get done, we'll be at trip number 70 or 80 because I'm going to continue to do this; I think it's just a way for us to give back," said Williams. "Why am I doing this? Because I want to stop people from just paying lip service to 'I support the troops' and understand there is something you can do personally to put a smile on a soldier's face."

The luncheon marked the Williams family's seventh trip to provide lunch at Fisher House for wounded warriors, their family members and the guards on the base.

"These family members come down here and they do what we don't do for those who allow us to live with the dignity we do and the freedom we do," said Williams. "These family members don't ask for anything, they barely even ask for help, they don't even know about Fisher House. Most of the time, Fisher House has to reach out to them and say, look, I have a place for you to stay."

Fisher House has provided help, on average, for 17,000 families a year across the nation at 56 Fisher Houses located nationwide. The houses are located near Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and at all major military medical facilities. The Fisher House in Bethesda has five houses with 72 rooms total.

"We are opening number 57 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska on Friday [Feb. 17], one at the end of the month in Salt Lake City at the VA, and one at Ft. Belvoir on the 22nd of May," said Cindy Campbell, Fisher House Foundation, Inc., vice president for Community Relations and Media Affairs.

"So, we're expanding a great deal. We're also building a Fisher House in Birmingham, England to support British wounded warriors at their hospital. It's our chance to reach out to our allies and thank them for their service, as Americans, and to give back to the British soldiers who have served us so well."

Fisher Houses are free of charge for all family members and caregivers to the wounded warriors, not just spouses, parents or siblings. Family members can stay for any length of time needed, whether that is for a week, six months, or a year. Cindy and all members of the Fisher House Foundation, of which Montel Williams is a trustee, are grateful to have him talking about Fisher House and providing lunches for the families.

"This is a chance for us at Fisher House to thank the families for what they're doing because we all forget that when the military member is wounded, we only tend to think about the price of that injury that has to do with the recovery of the wounded, said Campbell. "The other price is the family because you have the entire family that has now taken on this injury. They're the ones who have to get him through this."

One of the families Fisher House is helping is Deborah Elliott and her husband, Marine Capt. Tommy Elliott, an aviation supply officer assigned to Cherry Point, N.C., who was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease. The Elliotts, who are expecting their son, Oliver, to be delivered at Bethesda within the next 10 days, have been at Fisher House since Dec. 31, 2011, when Capt. Elliott was admitted to the hospital.

"He was in the hospital for two weeks inpatient care, and he's getting outpatient care, so we've been here for six weeks, said Debbie Elliott. "For the treatment they have my husband on, they're still trying to work everything out because it's such a severe disease. He has to be near the hospital because he's on complete digestive rest, so he can't eat at all and is on a feeding tube and nutrition bag. They said no food for another two to three weeks, but the doctors suggest we are in this area for another six months."

For the Elliotts, charities such as Fisher House can become a long-term solution to what may have quickly become a financial crisis brought on by severe health issues and the expenses that can rack up during those times.

"It has been wonderful that we are here and we've been provided with a place to stay," said Debbie Elliott. "It's really nice to have this facility on base, close to the hospital, where we can come and go as we need to his appointments. It's nice knowing that he's getting treatment, and I'll be getting treatment here shortly for the birth of our son."

Montel Williams providing lunch at Fisher House took some guests by surprise. Montel arrived at nine a.m. to begin preparing and cooking the food, with lunch beginning at noon.

"I didn't expect to wake up and go down to get some breakfast and Montel Williams is in there getting ready for lunch," said Debbie Elliott. "It's just wonderful that he is here and that he supports Fisher House. He's got his own history with the military, so he's very connected to this place."

During the lunch, he chatted with many of the families and let them know how much he appreciated them. As a former enlisted Marine and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with 22 years of service, Montel has a connection to those who are currently serving in the military.

"I spent every single day I could trying my best at the time I was on active duty thinking that I was in every hot spot we had," said Williams. "I have a very strong bond with the guys who still are willing to not have to do so because they were forced by draft, they step up to the plate and volunteer to continue to support and defend my democracy? I mean, come on, what else am I supposed to be doing then what I'm doing here?"

Over the course of the last three years, Williams has been visiting the wounded warriors in Bethesda, Md. almost every month.

"I go and I see them and after about a year, I didn't even know Fisher House existed," said Williams. "I was introduced to one of the board members of Fisher House and was shocked that this is an organization that, number one doesn't have as much media attention as it should because these guys are, in my opinion, the No. 1 wounded warrior charity in the country. They are providing free living space for family members while their loved ones recover in the hospital here and in the course of about nine years now, they've given over 180 million dollars in services just to our fallen Soldiers."

Montel Williams, a former talk show host who has prided himself in leading his life in a way that may serve as an example to others, continues to do that through his work with the Fisher House Foundation.

"I think it's just as important to give lip service to it as it is to give heart to it, to give your personal time to it," said Williams. "I can sit on television and say you need to do this, but unless I bring myself down here and try to show by example and do it again and again and again and again, I don't think it makes sense to people. Then, once they start to see stuff like this, maybe they'll start to realize that 'what did I do last week to say thank you for being free?'"

USO Carries on 70-Year Legacy of Troop Support

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2011 – Returning home today from his first multi-country USO holiday tour, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff continued a popular tradition that’s become part of the United Services Organization’s 70-year legacy.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., this morning after hosting a celebrity-packed tour that featured seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry, singing sensation Jordin Sparks, actress Minka Kelly and comedian and co-host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” Thomas "Nephew Tommy" Miles.

While Dempsey met troops in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Germany during the whirlwind trip, the performers provided the entertainment.

The USO tour, Dempsey’s first as the top U.S. military officer, is part of a decades-old tradition. Through its history, the USO has brought Hollywood celebrities and volunteer entertainers to perform for the troops – including the beloved Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ann Sheridan, James Cagney, Jimmy Stewart, Fred Astaire, the Andrews Sisters and more.

At its high point in 1944, just three years after its founding, curtains were rising on USO shows 700 times a day.

That popularity seemed almost unimaginable when the USO was founded Feb. 4, 1941, and opened its first center in a small storefront smack in the middle of New York’s Times Square.

The organization was founded at President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s request with the solid mission of lifting the spirits of service members and their families, Brian Whiting, president and CEO of the USO of Metropolitan New York, told American Forces Press Service.

It was a unique experiment that brought together six service agencies that had been working independently to support the military. The six stars on the USO logo continue to pay tribute to these organizations: the Salvation Army, National Catholic Community Services, National Jewish Welfare Board, National Travelers Aid Association, and the YMCA and YWCA.

Ultimately growing to about 3,000 centers during World War II, the USO provided a “home away from home” for the military, Whiting said. USO centers hosted dances,

social events, movies and music. They also offered quiet refuge where troops could write a letter home or enjoy a free cup of coffee and a snack.

Now with operations consolidated into about 160 centers, the USO continues to serve its historic mission of caring for military members, their families, and especially forward-deployed troops, Whiting said.

The tiny, initial USO facility has relocated to a larger space in the busy Port Authority Bus Terminal complex, he said, but remains focused like a laser beam on its original mission.

“First and foremost, we are about making sure that we can provide any- and everything that we possibly can to troops and their families,” he said, whether through the USO or another not-for-profit organization.

Like many USOs that now operate at airports to provide an oasis for and assist military travelers, the New York one keeps busy helping military tourists as they visit the Big Apple.

In addition to information about places to go and sites to see, one of its most favorite offerings is free and reduced-price theater tickets. The New York USO provides nearly $3 million in discounted and complementary tickets every year, Whiting reported.

In addition to providing tickets to nearly impossible-to-get-ahold of productions such as Phantom of the Opera, and thousands of tickets to Mary Poppins, the USO has arranged more than 16,000 troops to enjoy private showings of the Christmas spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

The USO staff participates in every deployment and homecoming in the area, and partners with a broad range of organizations to provide other services. Among them is the United Through Reading program that enables troops away from their loved ones to record a storybook and send it to a son or daughter at home. In another effort, the USO distributed thousands of donated bicycles to local military children.

Since the 9/11 terror attacks here, the New York USO’s most regular patrons are members of the New York National Guard supporting the Empire Shield security mission. When they’re not manning their posts or patrolling busy transportation hubs, they seek refuge in the comfort and quiet of the well-appointed USO facility, or at smaller USO break rooms in Grand Central Station and Penn Station.

“This is where they can come in with their weapons and other personal belongings, and they can take off the nearly 100 pounds that they are carrying and be able to enjoy a sandwich,” Whiting said. “They are here morning, noon and night.”

Throughout the USO’s history, volunteers have been the glue that has enabled it to stay true to its original mission, he said.

Among those at the Times Square center is Army Capt. Jacquie Jordan, who puts in time at the reception desk in between Master’s degree studies at nearly Colombia University to prepare her to teach at the U.S. Military Academy.

Jordan called her service at the USO a chance to stay connected with service members while she’s temporarily away from the ranks, and an opportunity to repay some of what the USO has provided her over her career.

“The thing that keeps me in the Army is soldiers, and this is a way to be able to give back to them,” she said. “I love that we [at the USO] can help them in what can be an overwhelming city, and provide them a home away from home.”

Tom Flagg, a six-year volunteer in New York, first learned about the USO when his son, Air Force 1st Lt. Tyler Flagg, raved about the services he received during a long airport layover in Denver. Flagg checked out the New York USO facility that he’d walked past for 30 years, and soon started volunteering his services, followed by his wife.

“This is the best-kept secret in New York,” he said. “You are safe here. The coffee is free.

“And the best part is, we get to do for [military members] who have done so much for us,” he said. “They are the ones out there doing the heavy lifting. This is the least I can do for them.”

Joan Ashner, a volunteer at the Times Square center, recently was singled out from about 18,000 USO volunteers nationwide as the 2011 USO volunteer of the year. Ashner is a fixture at the New York center, volunteering her services about 35 hours a week. When a blizzard crippled the city last year and brought mass transportation to a standstill, she single-handedly opened and operated the center for five days straight to help more than 800 stranded service members and their families, Whiting reported.

Army Sgt. Sergio Rodriguez, a New York National Guard member supporting the Empire Shield mission, credited the USO volunteers and staff for providing the same level of support and respite Roosevelt had in mind 70 years ago.

“Whenever I go anywhere, I look for the USO,” he said. “They make you feel at home and can guide you in the right direction.

“Plus,” he said, pausing as he bit into a cookie, then looking up with a smile, “they have awesome snacks.”

Army Staff Sgt. Neftali Perez, a member of the New York National Guard’s 27th Brigade Combat Team, called the USO “the best thing going for the military.”

“The USO is our family,” he said. “We can rely on them for anything. They support the troops, and have been doing it for many years.”