More than 900 take part in 'One Tough Cookie' inaugural mud run

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

More than 60 service members and veterans joined approximately 900 women and girls to prove they are "One Tough Cookie" Saturday (Sept. 15) in a 5K mud run adventure at Oakwood Knoll Girl Scout Camp in East Troy, Wis.

The Wisconsin National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command co-sponsored the event with the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland Council, with the goal of promoting physical activity. Race Director LaShell Lentz said the inaugural event went extremely well.

"There will definitely be a next year," she said. "We had double or triple the spectators we were expecting. I think we'll easily double our participants for next year. We've gotten tons of really great feedback."

Warrant Officer 1 Kari Wagner, who has led Girl Scout Troop 2651 in McFarland, Wis., for the past year, also led six Girl Scout moms and two other women through the course.

"We did awesome," she said. "We started together and we all finished together."

Wagner said they tackled the course to show the girls in Troop 2651 that fitness is important.

Lentz described the difficulty level of the obstacle-filled course - designed by two Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans from the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 1158th Transportation Company - as beginner to intermediate, but said it still challenged many of the participants.

"The course is as hard as you make it," she said.

Obstacles included jumping through tires, climbing walls, low-crawling through mud and swimming in icy, murky water. Wagner recounted part of the course where one participant was reluctant to scale the wall, but overcame the challenge with help and encouragement from others.

"She was out of her element," Wagner observed. "She was crying afterward, but she was happy that she did it."

The "One Tough Cookie" was the first such race for Col. Joane Mathews, deputy chief of staff for personnel with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and her 15-year-old daughter Shannon.

"We really enjoyed it," Mathews said. "It was a good time for us to connect while exercising and having fun. It also gave us both the urge to do more of these because it was so fun."

Lentz said that an age-appropriate course will be offered next year for girls 14 and under.

Proceeds from the run benefited the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland Council.

Face of Defense: Army Captain Looks After Her Troops

By Mollie Miller

1st Infantry Division

FORT RILEY, Kan., Sept. 17, 2012 – Army Capt. Lisa Halvorson’s troops have called her "Mama Halvorson" since she took over the 1st Infantry Division’s Company C, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, nearly two years ago.

Halvorson, a signal officer who served as commander of the "Crusaders" until a few weeks ago, is an experienced soldier with just a hint of a southern drawl. And being Mama Halvorson to her troops suits her just fine, she said.

"I love my soldiers," Halvorson said. "I'm not just here doing a job, and they can tell."

Halvorson took command of Company C in October 2010, about halfway through the unit's deployment to Iraq. Quickly, the new commander realized her troops faced some challenges, and she began designing a plan to strengthen the men and women in her unit.

"I asked myself, 'How am I going to mentor all of them to become better soldiers?'" Halvorson said. "I immediately stopped, though, and said, 'No, how can I help my soldiers become better people?'"

Over time, Halvorson's plan to make her team into better soldiers and better people evolved into a schedule that included weekly classes covering topics such as resilience training, life skills and sexual assault prevention. The goal of the classes, Halvorson said, was to help to teach her soldiers how to "live the right way."

"In the beginning, we were building the trust level and getting to know one another," she said. "I talk a lot, but when I'm talking to my soldiers, I listen a lot, too."

Once the Crusaders returned to Fort Riley at the end of their deployment, Halvorson added more elements into the plan to strengthen the company. Monthly family readiness group events, long-range calendars and classes designed to address the unit's specific needs all provided stability and predictability as the soldiers returned to their "normal" lives back in Kansas.

"Charlie Company is a very tight group of soldiers, and they watch out for each other like family," said Lt. Col. Allan Lancetta, 601st ASB commander. "[Halvorson] and her leadership have found the right balance of educating soldiers, training soldiers and engaging soldiers."

The plan that kept her soldiers and family members safe during an often challenging reintegration time was not created in a vacuum, Halvorson said. To create something that works, she said, it was necessary to get out from behind her computer and really get to know her soldiers.

"Leaders need to step outside their offices," Halvorson said. "When you step outside your office, you will really see what is going on."

The Crusaders' success hasn't gone unnoticed. In December, the company received the 1st Infantry Division's "Encased Saber," honoring a record of more than 1,400 days free from alcohol- or drug-related incidents. At the award ceremony, Halvorson said her company's success could be traced to engaged leaders at all levels who listen and use their resources to take care of soldiers.

"Long gone are the days when a commander or senior noncommissioned officer simply scared people into listening," Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Sasser, the division’s senior NCO, said during the saber presentation ceremony. "Saving a career, and, sometimes, saving life requires outside-of-the-box thinking like this. This is a great accomplishment."

Halvorson concluded her time with the Crusaders at the end of August. Although she is no longer with her team -- men and women who she still considers family -- the signal officer will never forget the lessons they taught her during the past 20-plus months.

Halvorson said she hopes her soldiers do not forget the lessons she’s tried to teach them.

"I hope what I did here made them stronger," she said. "I hope that caring for them, listening to them and really seeing them will lead them to be positive, successful leaders and people in the future."

CNE-CNA Fleet Master Chief Meets Ukraine's First MCPON

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (NNS) -- The fleet master chief (FLTCM) of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa spent two days touring facilities and meeting junior and senior Ukrainian sailors along with the recently selected first Ukrainian master chief petty officer of the navy (MCPON) in Sevastopol, Ukraine, Sept. 11.

While in Ukraine, FLTCM JoAnn Ortloff visited Ukrainian MCPON Riabtsev Serhii, toured the naval academy, spoke with Ukrainian sailors and toured the command and control Ukrainian ship Slavutich.

 "This is the first time I've had the chance to visit Ukraine and it's a true honor to meet with Ukraine's first MCPON," said Ortloff. "This trip gave me the opportunity to speak to many different Ukrainian sailors and talk about the issues they deal with every day. These sailors are very intelligent and are extremely proud to serve their nation; they asked many of the same questions our [U.S.] Sailors ask."

A highlight was meeting with 15 Ukrainian female sailors, where a myriad of topics were discussed, including the differences between the U.S and Ukrainian navies.

 "I really enjoyed the presentation," said Ukrainian Petty Officer 2nd Class Tsokur Olga. "There is a big difference between the U.S. and Ukrainian navies; the U.S Navy has more opportunities for women and I hope that our navy will, one day, have some of the same opportunities."

 Ukrainian MCPON Serhii noted that the Ukrainian fleet is young and is working hard to develop its petty officers.

 "My vision is that the petty officers be an integral part of the leadership link," said Serhii. "During my short tenure as MCPON, I'm doing the best I can to change the mindset of senior officers and Fleet Ortloff's visit is reinforcing the same things I teach daily."

 Lt. Cmdr. Gary Hunter, U.S. Naval Forces Europe's Black Sea/Eurasia maritime affairs officer, commented on the importance of Fleet Ortloff's visit.

 "The level of tasking that MCPON Serhii has been given is incredibly large," said Hunter. "Fleet Ortloff's interaction with him was been invaluable to the future development of Ukraine's petty officers."

 The final event of the trip was a visit to the command and control ship Slavutich, where Ortloff met with the ship's senior leadership and held an all-hands call with its petty officers.

 "The crew was very squared away and represented themselves and the Ukrainian navy extremely well," said Ortloff. "They had interesting questions and were very engaging."

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a full range of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation missions in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Former Paratrooper Now Serves as Paralympian

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

American Forces Press Service

LONDON - After serving her country for nearly 10 years as a paratrooper, Centra “Cece” Mazyck continues to answer the nation's call at the 2012 Paralympic Games here.

Mazyck, who served with the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., is a javelin thrower for the 2012 U.S. Paralympic team.

“It's been a great, great journey [and] experience,” she said. “It's surreal. The crowd is phenomenal.”

Here for her first Paralympic Games, the Army veteran explained what goes through her mind as she prepares to compete.

“I try to stay focused and try to remember all the points,” Mazyck said. “Chest first – lead with your chest. [I try to] make sure I get that long stretch in the back with the javelin, and [then] just fire like a rubber band. “[I] just continuously run through that process in my head.”

Mazyck said she is so passionate about the javelin, she decided to forgo the other traditional track and field events.

“I think the javelin found me,” she said. “I really have a passion for it. It's a really technical sport. I just fell in love with it. I dropped everything else – shot put, discus – for the javelin. I love it.”

In the Army, Mazyck started off as an administrative specialist in the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg jumping with the 82nd Airborne Division.

“And then I moved on to the Advanced Airborne Course Jump Master School,” she said, “where I became a jump master,” she said.

On a high-altitude jump in November 2003, Mazyck suffered a spinal cord injury.

“Unfortunately, on that cold November day, I got entangled with another jumper and I landed wrong, which caused me to become an incomplete paraplegic,” she said. “I retired in 2005.”

Mazyck credits her military career for helping her “adapt and overcome” – she calls that her sports motto -- and become a Paralympian.

“Being a paratrooper, and being in the military service, definitely helped me become a Paralympian,” she said. “With both of them, you have to stay focused and dedicated. And you have to serve your country with the utmost respect. So that's how the two are very parallel.”

Mazyck said she is grateful for the privilege of serving her country again, and looks forward to the 2016 Paralympic Games, set to take place in Rio de Janeiro.

“It is definitely an honor to serve my country – No. 1, as a veteran, and No. 2, as a Paralympian,” she said. “Words cannot express [my feelings]. I just think God gave me a second chance to serve my country. I will not let … any adversity stop me. I will proceed on. … Look out, Rio!”

Former Army Cadet Captures Paralympic Silver Medal

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

American Forces Press Service

LONDON – Many Paralympic athletes participating in the 2012 Paralympic Games here have overcome diseases, injuries or other afflictions. But not many have suffered through a combination of all of those factors and still rose above them to experience success in their chosen sports the way Jennifer Schuble, a former cadet and three-letter varsity athlete at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., has been able to.

The former Army cadet suffered a traumatic brain injury during hand-to-hand combat training at the academy. She later was involved in a car accident in which her right arm was crushed and her TBI was exacerbated. In a final challenging blow, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004.

Schuble, now a two-time Paralympian, spoke to American Forces Network here yesterday about the thrill of winning her second medal Sept. 1 at the Olympic Park's Velodrome and the electrifying crowd.

“It's just amazing hearing all the noises, screaming and roaring,” she said. “This is the loudest crowd I've ever raced in. And it's a sold-out crowd. It's just so amazing -- all these people, [and] they're screaming for us. It's just an environment that [brings excitement. People are wearing ear plugs [because] it's so loud in here. It's just like, ‘Wow!”

Schuble won her silver medal in the in the 500-meter time trial paracycling event, an event in which she earned the gold medal during the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

“I knew I had to time the [starting] gate just right,” she said. “I had to get out fast. [I knew] I could jump it after all the false starts that happened earlier by other competitors throughout the week, and I timed the gate just right and went out like a rock star. I had the fastest lap, and I was holding on for dear life. I rode the fastest lap I've ever rode. It wasn't a gold medal round – I didn't defend my gold title – but still, Sarah [Storey of Great Britain] rode a great ride.”

Schuble said she’s pleased with her silver medal, and that she also has a bronze medal to add to her accomplishments, earned with her teammates in yesterday’s team sprint cycling event.

Although she has faced many mental and physical hurdles, Schuble has demonstrated the ability to continuously adapt and overcome the challenges of her disabilities.

“What helped me get through this is I set goals for myself,” she said. “I keep looking forward. I don't look back. And that's what kept me focused.”

Schuble noted she's been working in the gym to improve her balance and coordination. “That's what's kept me healthy and my disease in check,” she said.

Along with her resilience in overcoming her disabilities to be a successful Paralympic athlete, Schuble has applied her drive to academics as well. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a master's degree in production operation research, and she works full-time as an engineer for Mercedes-Benz Corp.

Although she didn't defend her gold here, Schuble said, she is satisfied with her performance after training for the last four years.

“I didn't get my Paralympic gold medal in the 500, but I got a silver, and I rode a personal best,” she noted. “So, I mean, to get two medals so far in the [2012] Paralympic Games, and I still have two more events, I can't be more happy.”