Eurasia Partnership Capstone 2011 Concludes

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Caitlin Conroy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa/ Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

VALLETTA, Malta (NNS) -- More than 100 multinational naval and coast guard representatives attended the final days of Eurasia Partnership Capstone (EPC) 2011 after kicking off the weeklong collaboration Dec. 4, in Valletta, Malta.

EPC 2011 was cohosted by the armed forces of Malta and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, and was held in Malta for the second time, it included approximately 100 representatives from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Malta, Romania, Ukraine and the United States. These nations focused on strengthening maritime relationships between Eurasian partners.

"The U.S. Navy, as well as our partner navies, face many similar issues or threats; which is why it is so important to be able to work together," said U.S. Navy Lt. Giulliana Vellucci, EPC coordinator.

The maritime environmental protection (MEP) workshop covers regional, national and departmental perspectives on any involved agencies from the United Nations and government of Malta.

"I thought the maritime environmental protection workshop was an excellent opportunity to share information with partner navies and coast guards on the importance of environmental protection and the basic requirements for vessels and naval operations," said John Owens, U.S. Navy on-scene coordinator, regional oil spill preparedness coordinator.

"The topics discussed highlighted the basic needs for all groups to ensure that environmental protection is fully integrated into all planning, training, exercise and operational efforts. Overall it was a very well-rounded workshop," Owens said.

In addition to workshops like maritime environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and advanced network-enabled maritime interdiction operations, participants also took part in the non-commissioned officer (NCO) workshop. The NCO workshop seeks to develop leadership in partner navies NCOs and to foster relations between those officers and NCOs. The goal is to orient leaders at all levels to utilize their personnel to their full potential.

"This workshop was very useful for me," said Romanian Chief Petty Officer Pascu Romeo. "I found the information the instructors shared with us from personal experiences very interesting, I think many of the men and women from our navy should go through a workshop like this."

Participants also enjoyed helping out the local community.

Where they volunteered at the 'Dar tal-Providenza' (House of Providence), a local home for persons with disabilities, located on the outskirts of Siggiewi, Malta. Dar tal-Providenza welcomed the volunteers and set them to work cleaning and decorating for the upcoming holiday season.

"It feels good to serve the community and feel like you've given something back," said Greek naval officer Lt. Christos Tasiopoulos, who was cleaning with a group of EPC participants. "The residents were very welcoming, it was very touching."

"Id-Dar tal-Providenza was glad to welcome all those persons who while attending a conference and workshops in Malta found time to do volunteer work at our homes," said Father Martin Michallef, director at Id-Dar tal-Providenza. "This initiative was a true expression of solidarity and I am sure it was very rewarding to all."

The goal of EPC 2011 is to spark collaboration to improve maritime security through workshops that range from maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, maritime environmental protection, leadership development courses for non-commissioned officers and, for the first time during EPC, advanced network-enabled maritime interdiction operations.

USS Philippine Sea Visits Georgia

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By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary A. Prill, Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East Detachment Sigonella

BATUMI, Georgia (NNS) -- Guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) pulled into Batumi, Georgia, Oct. 17, and was welcomed by traditional Georgian dancers, local media, and military and civilian leaders.

"This is a great partnership building opportunity for our crew," said Capt. Herbert Hadley, commanding officer of Philippine Sea. "The crew will be given a chance to interact with the host nation on a personal level through military-to-military training courses and community service projects. This is a great way to strengthen the friendship between our countries."

While in port, the crew will participate in basic boat maintenance; electronics; damage control evolutions and boarding operations.

"These training opportunities are a huge benefit to not only the students but also the instructors," said Philippine Sea Command Master Chief Scott Kircher. "It will truly be a learning environment for everyone involved. We encourage the students to share their experiences so that the instructors can benefit and get a better idea of what areas are in need of improvement."

The crew will also hold a reception and conduct a beach clean-up with local residents.

"Community service projects show a true form of goodwill that Sailors can offer to the countries that open their ports and allow us to enjoy their beautiful culture," said Lt. Jonathan Black, Philippine Sea's command chaplain.

Philippine Sea is on a regularly scheduled deployment in the Black Sea and serves to promote peace and security in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility

Face of Defense: Amputee Earns Commission Through Army ROTC

By Paul Kotakis
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 29, 2008 - The blast of a roadside bomb in Iraq's Sunni Triangle resulted in the amputation of a portion of Richard Ingram's left arm, but it did not rob him of his dream of becoming an Army officer. Ingram's dream became a reality Dec. 13 when he graduated from North Georgia College and State University and became a second lieutenant.

"I am extremely proud to have earned a commission through the Army ROTC program at North Georgia College, and I look forward to serving as an Army officer," Ingram said. "I didn't decide to do this just to get a slap on the back. I want to be an inspiration to others who were wounded."

He is the first individual with such severe combat injuries suffered during the global war on terrorism to earn a commission through the Army ROTC program, military officials said.

"I was honored to attend the ceremony at which this outstanding young man became an officer," Maj. Gen. Arthur M. Bartell, commanding general of U.S. Army Cadet Command, said. "He has already assembled a remarkable record of achievement, both as a combat veteran and as a ROTC cadet."

The LaGrange, Ga., native was serving with the Georgia Army National Guard's 48th Brigade Combat Team as a cavalry scout in June 2005 when his tactical vehicle was struck by an explosive device and rolled several times.

"I didn't think there was any way I was going to live through it when the truck started rolling," Ingram said. "But it was clear that I hadn't fulfilled my purpose in this life. Even though I was hurt, I knew I'd get to keep doing the things I love so much. I was being given another chance at life."

Ingram recovered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he received physical therapy and was fitted for a prosthetic device.

"The care that I got at Walter Reed was great," Ingram said. "But after a while I knew that it was time to get back to North Georgia College and get on with my life and my education." He returned to classes at the school he had left when his National Guard unit was activated.

Ingram also returned to the Army ROTC program, where he quickly showed that despite the wounds sustained in combat he was still in excellent physical condition. After successfully completing the Leadership Development and Assessment Course -- the Army ROTC training event conducted annually in Fort Lewis, Wash. -- it was clear that Ingram was capable of carrying out the demanding duties of an Army officer.

"Lieutenant Ingram demonstrated throughout his time in ROTC that he was more than capable -- both physically and mentally -- to be a highly effective leader in our Army," Army Col. Michael Pyott, professor of military science at North Georgia College, said.

"Once you spend time observing Richard, you forget that he has a physical disability," he continued. "He can run faster and do more physical training than most cadets. He will do an outstanding job leading troops in combat, and I know he will succeed in his goal to attend Airborne, Sapper and Ranger training."

While a full-time student at North Georgia and an Army ROTC cadet, Ingram also served as an intern for U.S. Sen. John Douglas of Georgia, chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

"I was impressed with his determination and effort to rehabilitate himself," Douglas said.

(Paul Kotakis works in the U.S. Army Cadet Command public affairs office.)

Face of Defense: Couple Travels Parallel Army Career Paths

By Army Maj. Dave Olson
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 22, 2008 - Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers are the logistics staff officers for their respective brigade combat teams. While they serve their country in different locations, they have worked together as a team during the last 10 years. Majs. Lesley and Dennis Ortiz, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division and deployed to Multinational Division Baghdad, developed and fostered a loving relationship while simultaneously serving parallel military careers by working together and communicating effectively.

Lesley, assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team in February, deployed to Baghdad in March, and her husband, Dennis, joined the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in May at Forward Operating Base War Eagle, Iraq.

The Ortizes began a parallel career track from the beginning. They signed contracts to join the ROTC program on the same day during their junior year at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., where he majored in mathematics and she studied English and education, Lesley said.

"I met him at a football game, and we became inseparable," she said. The ROTC cadets alternated as ushers and color guards at the football games, she added.

After the pair graduated and received their commissions as second lieutenants in the Army, they attended their Officers Basic Courses in 1997. Lesley entered the Transportation Corps and attended her course at Fort Eustis, Va., while Dennis traveled to Fort Lee, Va., to complete his quartermaster officer course. Their careers continued to parallel each other at their first duty assignments at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Army assigned them to the same brigade, but they served in different battalions, said Dennis, who hails from Augusta, Ga.

"We were platoon leaders, executive officers, battalion staff officers and company commanders at the same time," Lesley said.

During this time, the couple continued to communicate and their relationship blossomed and grew stronger, explained Lesley, an Atlanta native. They made it official by getting married May 29, 1999.

"Being with another person in the military, we both had a common understanding how things went, and with not rushing into starting a family, we were able to adjust [to deployments] a lot easier in the early years," she said.

Lesley said the deployments made her realize that during their marriage, they were going to have to focus on balancing their time apart. They both realized there may come a time when they, as a military couple, would be separated due to their careers and, as a result, would have to work through the challenges, she explained.

At that moment, Lesley and Dennis stopped everything to map out a 10-year plan, she explained.

In the time that followed, they attended the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course at Fort Lee, Va., and the Combined Armed Services Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., together in 2001.

When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that same year, the military couple's relationship changed forever.

Dennis and Lesley were roommates during the CAS3 course. They were on lockdown due to the attacks, and even after completing their schooling could not leave the post for several days. Lesley, who is a third-generation soldier, explained that the way the U.S. military does business has changed because the nation is at war.

Busier than ever with the new challenges of deploying to war, the couple focused on how they were going to manage their lives and work together as a team.

Lesley and Dennis said they love to plan, so they both adjusted their original 10-year plans, she explained. Those plans brought them to Fort Hood, Texas.

Dennis deployed as the company commander of a forward support company with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 near Tikrit. Lesley commanded the 297th Cargo Transfer Company, 180th Transportation Battalion, 64th Corps Support Group, 13th Corps Support Command. Her company deployed simultaneously to Cuba, Iraq and Kuwait, and her teams covered operations at 12 different logistical bases in Kuwait and Iraq during the initial Operation Iraqi Freedom rotation. During the next deployment, she pushed two platoons to Iraq in December 2004 and one platoon to Afghanistan in 2005.

After three years at Fort Hood, both received orders for 3rd Army at Fort McPherson, Ga., where they worked in the logistics section of the same headquarters.

"We worked together as a team, and it worked out very, very well," she remarked.

Then one day, Lesley and Dennis' lives would again be forever changed – this time when their son, Dennis Jr., was born in May 2007. The baby, who has started walking since Lesley and Dennis deployed, caused the military couple to review their plans yet again and make changes.

Lesley's mother, Wilma Sims, takes good care of Dennis Jr. while his parents serve their country in Iraq. It is the first time, Lesley said, that she has ever had to rely solely on her parents, but she said her mother is doing a great job providing for her only grandson.

"I understand love in a different way than the way I did before," she explained. "I understand loving my parents, loving my spouse; but the love for a child – it's unconditional; it's awesome! It inspires you to go above and beyond anything you ever expected."

Dennis said that he also looks forward to redeploying, returning to family, his son and his home at Fort Hood, especially since he deployed nearly five months before Lesley.

"We have a 14-month-old boy, and I have been deployed for nine months, so I miss my son and haven't had a lot of time to be with him," Dennis explained.

Dennis returned to the 4th Infantry Division in March 2007, and Lesley reported to the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command, in July 2007.

Dennis deployed to Iraq with the division logistics section in October as the liaison officer to 1st Cavalry Division. Lesley transferred to the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team and deployed to Iraq as the brigade's logistics officer in March.

Dennis acknowledged that as both officers develop in their careers, it will be harder to continue to be stationed together.

"So far, the Army has been good at keeping us together," he explained. "Even with this deployment, we were both in [Iraq] within a few months of each other and will redeploy back to the States within a few months of each other."

"This has been a tough deployment," Lesley said. "Leaving my baby was the hardest thing I did for this deployment. This has been one of our toughest years in the military – one of the toughest years, period."

Both love to travel, Dennis said, and the couple has traveled to several renowned spots, from Paris to New York, where they took the opportunity to be tourists, eat out, catch a show, go to sporting events and attend the theater. They also love to cook together, added Lesley, who calls her husband her best friend.

"The only time we fight is over the kitchen," she joked. He makes the best lasagna, she said, and while she cooks the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, he cooks a Latin-style Christmas dinner with roasted pork and pastilles smeared with yucca paste wrapped in banana leaves.

"We are planning our next 10 years," she added. "We're looking at retirement homes. We're looking where we want to retire."

Lesley said she encourages military couples to work at their relationship as a team, and that she constantly looks for the little thing she can do today to make her marriage stronger.

Lesley said that she believes that if today's military couples don't have friendship established first, there are going to be difficulties in both their relationship and their military careers.

"Everyone knows that marriage is a big commitment," she said. "No matter how big you think it is, it's bigger than that."

(Army Maj. Dave Olson serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office. Army Sgt. Zachary Mott contributed to this story.)

Guard Answers Calls in Weather-Battered States

By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 12, 2008 - National Guard members in four states were called out by their governors to assist civil authorities today after tornadoes crossed the southwestern United States on May 10 and flooding on the Delaware coast left communities in need of emergency assistance. Since May 7, the National Weather Service has confirmed at least 42 tornadoes in the southern plains and the southeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the nation, with the strongest tornado recorded May 10 as an F-4. It developed from a super-cell storm that tracked through three states.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina were affected by severe weather during the weekend, with at least 22 confirmed deaths, many homes destroyed and thousands of people without power. The Guard also is responding to flooded areas in Delaware after heavy rains on Mother's Day.

In Oklahoma, Gov. Brad Henry called out the National Guard to assist emergency responders after five confirmed tornadoes touched down in the state. At least 25 Army Guard members are providing security support in the town of Picher after an F-4 tornado churned up a 63-mile swath of damage from Oklahoma to Missouri.

Soldiers reportedly are assisting local law enforcement in securing the area, which includes routes in and out of the town four miles south of the state's border with Kansas. An Army Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew is flying aerial assessment missions for the governor.

In Arkansas, where at least two tornadoes touched down and tracked through the central part of the state the evening of May 10, homes were destroyed in the town of Stuttgart.

"We've deployed 50 Guardsmen from the Guard's 875th Engineer Battalion," said Air Force Maj. Keith Moore, a National Guard spokesman. Moore said the soldiers traveled from their station in Jonesboro and are providing security support at traffic control points and conducting patrols to prevent looting.

The soldiers are working two shifts during an around-the-clock operation and are expected to be on station through May 14. The Army Guard is flying Gov. Michael Beebe and emergency management agency personnel on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter out of Camp Robinson to assess damaged areas.

"This is one of the key roles of the Guard, being a dual-mission force, that we are here to support our local communities [and] respond to the governor," Moore said.

After severe storms and tornadoes swept through southwestern Missouri, nearly 20 Army Guard soldiers deployed on state active duty to support Gov. Matt Blunt in his emergency response efforts for the towns of Newtonia and Grany. The soldiers are assisting local law enforcement agencies with security. Eight soldiers and two military vehicles deployed to each town.

In Delaware, tidal flooding and heavy rains led to Guard members deploying in six light medium tactical vehicles and one 2.5-ton truck to assist in flood evacuations at South Bowers Beach, Kitts Hummock Beach, Woodland Beach and Slaughter Beach.

"The LMTVs can carry up to 15 people and have a high ground clearance, which allows them operate in up to 4 feet of water," said Lt. Col. Len Gratteri, Delaware National Guard spokesman. Gratteri said the state's Guard members are deployed from the 262nd Maintenance Company, the 261st Signal Brigade and the 72nd Troop Command.

The Delaware Guard is coordinating emergency assistance through the state's emergency management agency with its Joint Operations and Emergency Operations Centers. A shelter area is also set up in Kent County.

(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau. Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this report.)

Five Guard Brigades Alerted for 2009 Deployments

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2007 - Defense officials announced today the deployment of five National Guard brigade combat teams to begin in summer 2009. These units will replace units that have not yet deployed. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters the units are being identified well in advance to give maximum time possible for mission-specific training.

"It's a tribute to the military planners who are trying to provide -- particularly for our National Guard brigades -- the type of timely notification so they can be prepared for the specific missions, but also to give the predictability for their families and employers," Whitman said.

The soldiers will be mobilized for 12 months.

The Defense Department alerted the 53rd and 48th brigade combat teams, roughly 7,000 soldiers, to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. "The 48th Infantry Brigade is from Georgia, and its mission will be to train the Afghan national security forces," Whitman said. "The 53rd, out of Florida, will assume battlespace in Afghanistan and conduct the full spectrum of operations."

The 32nd BCT from the Wisconsin Guard, the 41st BCT of the Oregon Guard and the 155th BCT from the Mississippi Guard have been alerted for deployment to Iraq in summer 2009.

The roughly 8,000 soldiers will take over the security force mission "and will ensure freedom of movement and continuity of operations within the country," Whitman said. The units will be responsible for base defense and route security within Kuwait and Iraq.

New Initiative Offers Education, Training Funds for Military Spouses

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 14, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates joined Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today in supporting a new initiative to help military spouses get the education and other credentials needed to pursue careers in high-demand, high-growth occupations. Gates praised the new Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative as a "landmark program that will open the doors to our military spouses for more fulfilling careers," even as they relocate regularly due to their loved ones' assignments.

The $35 million demonstration program, co-sponsored by the Defense and Labor departments, sets up accounts for eligible spouses in eight states to cover expenses directly related to post-secondary education and training, Gates said during today's signing ceremony at the Pentagon.

These include costs for tuition, fees, books, equipment, and credentialing and licensing fees required for careers in education, health care, information technology, construction trades, financial services, and other "high-growth, portable" fields, Chao said.

The program also covers the cost of renewing existing credentials and licenses due to a military move.

Beginning in January, the new program will launch at 18 military installations in eight states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, North Carolina and Washington.

Spouses of active-duty servicemembers grades E1 through E5 and O1 to O3 will be eligible to participate. They must have a high school or general education diploma.

Gates said the program will provide the much-needed help many spouses need to pursue rewarding careers despite frequent career disruptions. "Thousands are called on to pack up and relocate the family, often at the cost of their own careers," he said. "This makes it difficult to navigate the career licensure and certification requirements that go with most professions.

"In addition, education is often unaffordable for young families who must also bear the expense of child care," he said.

Gates called the new initiative another step in fulfilling the Defense Department's commitment to its servicemembers and their families. "We owe it to our brave men and women in uniform to assist their families as they do their job, often thousands of miles from their homes and families and under extremely hazardous conditions," he said. "When servicemembers find time to call home or e-mail home, they shouldn't have to worry. They have the right to hear their loved ones honestly say, 'We miss you, but we are doing fine.'"

Chao said the program will give the 77 percent of military spouses who report wanting or needing to work an opportunity to forge careers in fields that provide the most opportunity now and in the future.

Workers in these high-demand occupations will be able to pick up and move with their loved ones' assignments, but still continue building their own careers, she said. She noted that with the trend toward a knowledge-based economy, two-thirds of the new careers will require some post-secondary education or training.

Chao said military families serve as the backbone of the fighting force. "Our military could not do its job without your support," she told spouses at today's ceremony. "As they say in the military, you are mission-essential. And that's what this initiative is all about."

Twenty-five-year-old Gwen Bates, wife of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Bates, said she hopes to be among the first military spouses to take advantage of the new program. Living in San Diego, where her husband is assigned, with the couple's three children, Bates said her family hasn't had extra cash to put toward her education. "This has been my stumbling block. I've been at a crossroads," she said.

Bates said the new initiative will offer exactly what she needs to build on the associate's degree she already has to get a bachelor's degree in pre-medicine, then go on to medical school. "This is the reinforcement I need to finally go ahead and get the show on the road," she said.

With the initiative beginning as a demonstration program, Bates said she's hopeful it will expand to include more spouses military-wide. "There are so many people like me," she said.

She called the new initiative an example of the Defense Department making good on its pledge of support to its military families. "It shows they actually care," she said.

Georgia Group's Packages Keep Troops Cooking

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

, Sept. 5, 2007 - Care packages from one Georgia group are keeping troops in combat support hospitals cooking. "Our mission is to send support, smiles and care packages, as well as small appliances, ... to our combat support hospitals," said Meredith Kelly, chairman of "Operation Stars and Stripes."

The appliances go beyond mere coffee pots, though those have made their way from the Peach State to foreign shores as well. Operation Stars and Stripes has sent mini-refrigerators, microwave ovens and hot plates to give troops some flexibility when it comes to mealtime.

In addition to the support it offers the hospitals, the group sends smaller care packages of comfort items, cards and letters, Kelly said. More than 3,600 such packages have been sent since March 2003.

"Once we connect with a unit or individual, we send them what they need throughout their deployment," Kelly said.

In addition to its care package program, the all-volunteer group works to increase public awareness and understanding of hardships faced by active-duty personnel.

Operation Stars and Stripes is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Kelly said she has high hopes for her group's affiliation with America Supports You.

"We hope that it will help to get more exposure for us nationwide," she said, adding that that exposure may help in securing donations to cover postage and fill the care packages as well.

"We are just a group of volunteer Americans who are proud of what our military is doing and feel that they should know that we support them and will not forget about them," Kelly said.