Colorado Guard Responds to Blizzard Emergency

By Donna Miles

Dec. 21, 2006 – About 50 Colorado Army National Guard troops worked through the night, rescuing stranded motorists, clearing roadways for emergency vehicles and delivering American Red Cross supplies in the midst of a blizzard that's already blanketed the state with more than two feet of snow. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens declared a state of emergency yesterday and activated the Guardsmen to respond to the blizzard.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Mason Whitney, state adjutant general, told American Forces Press Service the troops were ready for the activation order. "We started preparing about two days ago. We knew this was going to be a big one, but we didn't know it was going to be this big," he said.

The Guard activated its Joint Operations Center and put small mobility teams on alert at 10 armories across the state, the general said.

When the governor ordered the call-up, the troops quickly responded with 25 Humvees and 15 medium tactical vehicles to help first responders rescue motorists and clear pathways for emergency workers, he said. The troops also are delivering Red Cross emergency supplies, including cots, food and water, to emergency shelters.

Most of their operations are focused on Denver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and other parts of the state's eastern range section. Whitney said another 20 Guardsmen are expected to be on duty soon to provide relief to their fellow troops who worked through the night.

About two more inches of snow are expected to accumulate before early afternoon today, but Whitney said the storm has been downgraded from blizzard status. As soon as conditions improve, the Guard will dispatch helicopters to search roads inaccessible by vehicle to ensure no one is stranded, he said.

The Colorado Guard currently has just three UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and four UH-1 Huey helicopters at its disposal because most of its Black Hawks and all its Chinooks are deployed to Iraq, Whitney said.

In the event that the Colorado Guard needs more aircraft to conduct its state mission, he said other states would contribute their resources, an arrangement provided through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

In addition, officials at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs have offered assets, if needed, Whitney said.

The general called the Colorado National Guard's quick response to the blizzard an example the important state emergency response role the Guard carries out nationwide.

"That responsibility is one of our primary missions, and we have always responded," he said. "That's the strength of the National Guard. We are the forward-deployed forces in communities across America for the homeland defense and emergency response mission."

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Tribute for Troops Donates to Troops, Vets

By Carmen L. Burgess

Dec. 21, 2006 – Organizers of the annual "Tribute to the Troops" motorcycle ride and benefit concert recently donated more than $18,000 to Minnesota and Wisconsin-based military support groups. The group raised the funds during their third ride Sept. 8-10. The event takes place each year around the Sept. 1, 2001, anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

Gregg Schmitt, director of the Minneapolis-based organization, first teamed up with country music artist Rockie Lynn in 2004 to plan the event as a way of showing the families that Americans from all walks of life care about them and are aware of their loss.

More than 200 bikers participated in this year's ride which began in Minneapolis and ended three days later in Hamel, Minn. The riders stopped at the homes of nine fallen servicemembers along the route to pay their respects to families and to thank them for their sacrifice.

Plans for the fourth annual ride slated for Sept. 7-9, 2007 are already underway.

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Internet Radio Show Helps Military Wives

By Gerry J. Gilmore

Dec. 21, 2006 – Two Army wives have joined forces to run an Internet radio show that provides important information to other military wives. Star Henderson and Tara Crooks have more than 20 years' experience between them, and the two have teamed up to help other military wives through their Internet talk radio show, Army Wife Talk Radio.com.

"We want to pass that experience along to other Army wives," said Henderson, 32, whose husband, David, is a captain in the Georgia Army National Guard. The Hendersons have a 10-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.

Army Wife Talk Radio.com covers a variety of topics, such as how to solve family challenges when a spouse is deployed and navigate the military's healthcare system. The program has developed a core following of fans, said Crooks, 31, a veteran with 10 years of military experience. Crooks' husband, Kevin, is a U.S. Army captain assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga. The Crooks have a 5-year-old daughter.

"It became like a community thing, where I've got loyal listeners that are probably following my life, wondering what the heck is going to happen in the Crooks' household today," Crooks said. "And, then I've got people calling in and sharing their stories. It makes me feel that I'm not alone."

There are "so many" services available to help military families, Crooks said there's no cohesive program to promote them to family members. That's where the radio show can really help, she said.

Henderson launched Army Wife Talk Radio.com a year and a half ago, and Crooks got involved about seven months ago when she began writing for the show's newsletter. Now they share responsibilities equally in the program.

A recorded show is made available on the site each Monday, but Henderson said they hope to be able to broadcast live in the near future.

In addition to sharing their personal experiences, the pair also interviews experts to provide advice on and get information about different subjects.

About seven months ago, they interviewed Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, for the show. Their radio show is preparing to become a sponsor of the Defense Department's America Supports You program.

"I think it's an amazing program," Crooks said of the ASY program. "Just to see all those organizations coming together to support military members and their families is wonderful."

ASY highlights support from individuals, non-profit organizations and corporations for U.S. military men and women. ASY, Operation Homefront and Wal-Mart joined forces to sponsor Operation Christmas here and at five other locations across the country to bring cheer to military families.

Crooks and Henderson attended yesterday's Operation Christmas event for military families here. During the event, they discussed their shows and shared some of their views on military family life.

Juggling husbands and children and military life can be challenging, the women said, but military wives are a strong lot who instinctively bond together to help one another, discuss pressing issues and propose solutions.

According to Crooks' husband, Army Wife Talk Radio.com is "absolutely great," and his wife is eminently qualified to help other military wives.

"She is definitely the 'rock,'" Crooks said. "She holds together the family when I am gone [on deployment], she pays the bills. It's really unbelievable what she puts in."

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New Englanders Collect Gifts for Troops

By Carmen L. Burgess

Dec. 20, 2006 – Thousands of students from the Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts and New Hampshire donated more than 22,000 gifts for deployed troops this holiday season. The students took part in the largest drive yet organized by New England Caring for Our Military, an America Supports You member organization. ASY is a Defense Department program that focuses on connecting support groups throughout the nation with the men and women of the armed forces at home and abroad.

The gift drive, dubbed "It Takes a Valley," kicked off in November and ended Dec. 9. Some 6,000 students in grades kindergarten through high school participated, collecting items to send to the troops from a list provided by New England Caring for our Military.

"They put their lives on hold for us, to preserve our freedom," Organization founder James SereigWareing said of the troops being supported through the effort. "It's the least we can do for them."

The organization started holiday care packages to the troops in 2004.

The 22,000 items collected by the community were combined to make more than 10,000 individual gift sets, sent in cases to units, as well as entire platoons.

The care packages, sent to troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Korea, Japan and Africa, also included 7,000 handmade holiday greeting cards and posters.

Sereigo-Wareing said packaging the items turned out to be a community effort. Students, senior citizens and people with mental and physical disabilities pitched in to pack the 2.2 tons of gifts that were shipped over a six-day period.

"Taking all segments of the population to work on a project is very powerful," he said.

Sereigo-Wareing said he works with local school systems to collect items and letters for care packages, to help send a message. "I try to teach students respect for the military because they will be our future leaders," he said. "Imagine how many lives we impact when students get involved."

The reward, he said, will be knowing that troops have something special to open for the holidays.

"I want them to feel like they are home," he said. He ensured that "fun" items such as puzzles, cards, books and board games made it into the packages in addition to telephone cards, socks and T-shirts.

"It's probably always hard for troops to be far away from home, but especially hard on the holidays," he said. "I use this as an opportunity to try to pay them back for my freedom."

Sereigo-Wareing said he believes the handmade greetings from the students will go a long way to boost morale and reinforce to the men and women serving in the military that U.S. citizens support them and honor their dedication and service.

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Military Families Enjoy 'Operation Christmas' In Georgia

By Gerry J. Gilmore

Dec. 20, 2006 – Santa Claus and some of his friends visited a National Guard armory in this Georgia town today to bring early holiday cheer to more than 200 military families. The occasion was "Operation Christmas," a campaign sponsored by the Defense Department's America Supports You program, the Wal-Mart retail store chain and Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to military families while servicemembers are deployed.

America Supports You showcases the efforts of American individuals, non-profit groups and corporations in supporting military men and women.

The Hinesville event was the last in a series of six held across the country to honor military families.

Children and parents had their pictures taken with Santa. They also enjoyed holiday music and cookies, as well as games and presents of toys like stuffed bunnies, radios and games.

U.S. Army Cpl. Joseph Glover, his wife, Rachel, and their children Alexis, 4, Caeden, 3, and 3-month-old baby Camereon collected a bevy of goodies while navigating through the "Operation Christmas" tent set up on the armory's grounds.

Rachel Glover said her husband, a 3rd Infantry Division soldier stationed on nearby Fort Stewart, was serving in Iraq last Christmas. She praised America Supports You, Operation Homefront and Wal-Mart for providing Operation Christmas for servicemembers and their families.

"I think this is wonderful. It really warms my heart that you're supported 100 percent, with our troops being overseas," she said.

Caitlyn Bass, a 13-year-old Army family member, wore a big smile after visiting Santa and receiving a new radio. "This is good," she said, "because you get to get gifts from Wal-Mart."

Rosalind Brewer, Wal-Mart's vice president for operations in Georgia, said Operation Christmas is a good way to honor servicemembers and their families. Brewer said her company is honored to co-partner the program with America Supports You and Operation Homefront.

"We hope all of you have the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Year's from the bottom of our hearts," Brewer told the gathered military families.

Thousands of Wal-Mart employees are in the military and serving overseas, Nick Agarwal, the corporation's vice president of communications, said.

"We wanted to put a program together that shows we care," Agarwal said.

Retired National Basketball Association player Dominique Wilkins was also at the event, showing that he cares, too. Wilkins chatted with military families and provided autographed photos. The former Atlanta Hawks' player and nine-time all-star said he felt good about being part of Operation Christmas.

"We owe it to servicemembers and their families to show that we care and understand what they're going through," Wilkins said. "They stand on the front lines to make sure that we're okay."

Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, greeted servicemembers and their families at the Hinesville event.

"What's happening today is exactly the goal of America Supports You," Barber said. "It is a matter of helping corporate America partner with grassroots groups for one reason, and that's to be able to actually help the military members and their families."

Events like Operation Christmas constitute "a perfect scenario for the America Supports You program, because that's what it is about," Barber said.

Operation Homefront depends on corporate sponsors like Wal-Mart to put on such events like Operation Christmas, said Amy Palmer, Operation Homefront's executive vice president of operations.

Amid all the festivities at the armory, ABC's television show, "Good Morning America," interviewed Army wife Kimberly Fontenot, whose husband, Sgt. Dirk Fontenot, is serving in Iraq. The show set up a live feed so Kimberly could see and talk with her husband during the broadcast.

"I'm excited. I got to see my husband, and that's what it was all about for me, getting to see him," said Fontenot, who's expecting to give birth to a baby girl in less than five months. "I really appreciate what they did for us today," she said. "This is nice."

Good Morning America host Mike Barz interviewed the Fontenots. Barz said his father was an Army and Vietnam War veteran who'd been stationed at Fort Stewart in the early 1970s. "I'm an Army brat, so I kind of understand a little bit about what these families are going through," he said.

Mary Perdue, wife of Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, made a special appearance. She praised servicemembers and their families for their contributions to the nation and wished them all a happy holiday season.

"Georgia has always been a patriotic state, and support for our military is strong," Georgia's first lady said. "Sonny and I will always do everything in our power to lift up the military, to support it, to take care of our troops and our families."

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Deployed Sailors Receive Christmas Gift Boxes

By Army Pfc. Michael J. Nyeste

Dec. 21, 2006 – Santa arrived early for sailors deployed here, as Senior Navy Central Command enlisted officials delivered gifts from 26 U.S. corporate sponsors. More than 75 volunteers assembled the 8,000 gift boxes for sailors stationed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, including Afghanistan.

"We're here to visit as many sailors as possible," said Navy Command Master Chief James Russell, command master chief of the U.S.S Dwight D. Eisenhower, as he handed out gifts last week. "We're just trying to bring a little bit of Christmas cheer."

Sailors at the Navy Morale Welfare Recreation center here were surprised by the dozens of boxes.

Before handing out the presents, the Navy NCOs took turns expressing their gratitude for the sailors' service, and the group joined together to sing the Christmas carols.

The gift boxes included candy, soda, a phone card and greeting cards praising them for their hard work and effort.

"It was a surprise," said Navy Seaman Recruit Brandon Thompson, a culinary specialist with the VAQ-142 Squadron. "A lot of sponsors chipped in. It's a nice box, and it got the morale up."

"These sailors that are over here have been asked to go a step above their usual level of responsibility," Russell said. "These gifts are well-deserved and well-received."

(Army Pfc. Michael J. Nyeste is assigned to the 19th Public Affairs Detachment.)

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Alaska Guard Troops Conduct Vital Missile Defense Mission

By Donna Miles

Dec. 20, 2006 – Just a few years ago, this snow-swept central Alaskan post lay dormant, closed through the Base Realignment and Closure process. But today it's up and running again at full speed, serving as the epicenter of the United States' Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program. Eleven ground-based interceptor missiles buried in underground silos here represent a key part of a multi-layered defense system designed to protect the United States from a ballistic missile attack. These interceptors, and two more at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., would destroy incoming missiles at the "midcourse phase," outside the earth's atmosphere.

In the event of an attack, members of the Alaska Army National Guard's 49th Missile Defense Battalion based here would use sophisticated surveillance and radar systems to track the missile through its initial boost phase, explained Maj. Joe Miley, the unit's operations officer. If the missile reached the midcourse phase, the Alaska Guardsmen would await the order to engage it.

On order, they would fire an interceptor at the incoming missile. The force of the collision --the equivalent of two refrigerators slamming into each other at 15,000 mph -- would destroy the target before it reentered the atmosphere, Miley said.

Miley noted that the National Guard is perfectly suited to perform such an important mission.

"The National Guard has traditionally done homeland defense," he said, citing National Guard history dating back 370 years to the Minutemen in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. "And this is the epitome of homeland defense."

Here at what Miley called the "strategic sweet spot" for missile defense, almost 200 Alaska Guardsmen who came from around the country to serve in the 40th Missile Defense Battalion take that calling pretty seriously.

The unit represents a cross-section of America, at one time representing 46 states and territories, and all its members applied for three-year, Active Guard and Reserve assignments with the program, Miley explained.

Getting accepted into the program is tough, but passing the extensive training required is even tougher, Miley said. Applicants go through nine to 14 weeks of air defense training at Fort Bliss, Texas; a nine-week Ground Missile Defense operator course in Colorado Springs, Colo., then four more weeks of unit training in Colorado Springs before taking a certification test.

"We hire the best and put them through a rigorous training program," Miley said. To pass the GMD operator course, for example, students have to score 90 percent or better.

"You have to be an A student or you can't do GMD," Miley said. "The way we conduct our training, you basically have to get everything right to progress to the next level, so there's no room for error. We have very high standards."

That's a good thing, he said, in light of the responsibility they shoulder every day. Whether they're providing security at the 800-acre missile defense complex here or manning fire direction center in what Miley called "the tank turret of missile defense," they're on the front lines of homeland defense.

Regular exercises keep troops here at the top of their game.

"They say you fight as you train, and we train extensively to make sure we're on our toes," said Sgt. Seth Paul, a former Illinois Guardsmen who joined the Alaska Guard here two years ago.

The Guardsmen just wrapped up exercise Vigilant Shield, with scenarios that called on them to respond. "Training exercises are successful because you're up all the time, running missions, but at the same time, they're reassuring," Paul said. "We do things almost ad nauseum, but the bottom line is that you can never be too prepared."

That message got reinforced this summer when North Korea announced plans to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.

"We were on high alert, and we were ready for it," Miley said. "All the crews had done thousands of hours of simulations, on top of their training, and they were ready to act if it had turned out to be a threat."

Sgt. Anthony Montoya, a communications operator in the fire direction center that received initial confirmation of the North Korean test, said he and his unit were ready to respond.

"I'm ready to do my mission," he said. "I feel confident in my training, in the system, the crew, and that everyone will make the right decision and do what they're supposed to do."

Montoya, formerly from the New Mexico Guard, said he jumped at the chance to join the 49th Missile Defense Battalion and get involved in what he called "the next step up for air defense."

"It's great to be part of such technology and to serve your country in such a different kind of way," he said. "This isn't a job; it's a mission."

Paul agreed that the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology also attracted him to the job. "We have systems here that they don't have anywhere else," he said. "It's a good learning experience, and we're doing something no one else does."

And they're doing it in conditions not found anywhere else in the U.S. military. Winter weather here in the shadow of the magestic Alaska Range can be brutal, with temperatures dipping to 60 degrees below zero and winds howling at more than 60 mph. The troops here just got issued the Army's new Extended Cold Weather System and call it a godsend in keeping them warm and dry during foot patrols and range operations.

Even when the weather eases up, the troops here face interesting workday challenges. Roaming foxes or moose frequently set off heat-detection sensors along the complex's fence line perimeter. Fort Greely's remote location, 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, makes tiny Delta Junction, population 840, the closest "big city" short of a two-hour drive.

And Fort Greely itself, mothballed in 2002, is still working to catch up with the 49th Missile Defense Battalion's quality-of-life needs. The post exchange and commissary have expanded, and a new European-inspired coffee bar has become a popular gathering place for troops seeking refuge from the cold. "This place has made an amazing progression since 2003," Miley said. "It has truly come along."

Meanwhile, the 49th Missile Defense Battalion's mission here also continues to grow, incorporating new technology as it's developed.

"We have a system capability, and we're enhancing it, explained Brig. Gen. Tom Katkus, the Alaska Guard's assistant adjutant general for missile defense. "It's the idea of flying the plane and building it at the same time."

Troops here say it's exciting to be a part of that growth, and the sky-high retention rates reflect their enthusiasm. Unlike typical active-Army units, where troops frequently move on to new assignments, soldiers here can reapply for their positions and even build a career, Katkus said.

This brings stability to the mission, minimizing disruption while building cohesive, experienced crews accustomed to working together. "They become a real team, committed to working together to carry out their mission," Katkus said.

Paul called the opportunity to conduct an important, real-world mission every day the most gratifying part of the job. "Our homeland is one of the most important things to us, because our families are here," he said. "By being here, I can contribute to preventing something that could be catastrophic in nature. What I'm doing here could be helping other people.

"What the military does around the world is important," Paul concluded. "But it's especially important right here, in our homeland. That's why we want to be here."

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Army, Marines Release New Counterinsurgency Manual

By Jim Garamone

Dec. 18, 2006 – "Learn" and "adapt" are the key messages of the new Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, which just hit the streets. The Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24 and Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, is a unique joint effort between the Army and Marines to put in place doctrine to help operators as they face the challenges of asymmetric warfare.

You can download the manual at Counterinsurgency Manual.

The manual codifies an important lesson of insurgencies: it takes more than the military to win. "There are more than just lethal operations involved in a counterinsurgency campaign," said Conrad Crane, director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute, in Carlisle, Pa., and one of the leaders of the effort.

He said the team working on the manual decided early on to emphasize the interagency aspect of counterinsurgency fights. "The military is only one piece of the puzzle," Crane said. "To be successful in a counterinsurgency, you have to get contributions from a lot of different agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and host-nation organizations. There are so many people involved to make counterinsurgency successful."

All of these organizations bring important weapons to the campaign, "and you've got to bring unity of effort if you can to make it effective," he said.

Lt. Col. Lance McDaniel, a branch head at the Marine Corps Combat Development Center at Quantico, Va., said the manual is aimed at battalion-level officers and NCOs, but felt that all who read it could gain some insight into the difficulties of a counterinsurgency war. "We see this being part of the pre-deployment training units undergo," McDaniel said. "Once on the ground they can adapt the ideas from the manual to their particular location and enemy."

The Army and Marine Corps have shared field manuals in the past, but this is the first on which the two services worked closely to write, both Crane and McDaniel said. "This was a real team effort of Army and Marine writers," Crane said. "What I tell people is we had about 20 primary writers on the manual and about 600,000 editors."

Crane said many soldiers and Marines commented on the manual and provided input to the final product. "We received more than 1,000 comments from people actually doing the mission," he said.

But it didn't stop with military feedback. State Department employees, CIA officials, academic experts and representatives of the international human rights community contributed insights to the manual, McDaniel said. "I hope the publication will make it easier for other agencies and organizations to work with us," he said.

Chapter 4, a discussion on Campaign Design, is a unique aspect of the manual. "The Marines brought that to the manual," Crane said.

Before beginning a campaign, planners must identify the problem that needs solving, then be ready to change the plan as conditions change on the ground, Crane said. "In counterinsurgency, that is so important because it is a complex situation," he said.

A counterinsurgency campaign is much more complex than a traditional military-on-military conflict. The make-up of the community, the needs of the various groups, the history of the area, traditional allies in the region, and many other things contribute to understanding how to design a counterinsurgency campaign. "It takes a lot more analysis before you jump into it, because if you do the wrong thing, it could have major implications," Crane said. "You have to be sure you are applying the right solution to the right problem."

Crane said the idea of campaign design will probably permeate other Army field manuals.

The new counterinsurgency manual uses examples from fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also uses examples from the Napoleonic War, the U.S. experience in Vietnam, and counterinsurgency efforts in the Philippines, Malaya (now Malaysia) and South America. Crane and McDaniel agree that insurgencies are the wars of the future. The idea of a nation taking on the United States army to army or navy to navy is remote, given the U.S. conventional expertise. "Enemies will make us fight these kinds of wars until we get them right," Crane said. "Then they'll switch."

The manual is informed by Afghanistan and Iraq, but also informed by history, Crane said. "We tried to glean what was useful from the historical record, but also with the realization that there are a lot of things that are new out there, Crane said. "Trying to grapple with the nature of contemporary insurgency was one of the toughest parts of writing it."

The manual is not limited to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "If we've created a manual that is just good for Iraq and Afghanistan, we've failed," he said. "This thing has got to be focused on the future and the next time we do this."

The manual is going to be useful in Iraq and Afghanistan, but much of what the manual covers is already being done in those theaters. "The manual is future-focused," Crane said. "The manual gives you the tools to do your analysis and the guidelines to apply it with the understanding that every situation is going to be unique."

It also will be rewritten, as needed, the men said.

Both men said the manual is receiving a good reception. "This is not a doctrine that is being jammed down peoples' throats," Crane said." This is a doctrine that they are demanding."

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Safeguarding Information Technology Vital to DoD

By Gerry J. Gilmore

Dec. 18, 2006 – Safeguarding and protecting vital computer-accessed information is the job of everyone working at the Defense Department, a senior DoD official said. "It's the responsibility for everyone to be sensitive to the security of their information, their passwords, the use of their (common access) cards to protect the information that they wish to convey or they are receiving from someone," John G. Grimes, assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration and DoD's chief information officer, said.

The Defense Department is constantly under surveillance by potential enemies interested in accessing DoD systems to obtain sensitive information, Grimes said during a Pentagon Channel interview.

Information technology is moving so quickly today that the processes that acquire and field needed information are playing "catch-up," Grimes said. "It's still too slow to keep up with the technology change," Grimes said. "So, that, coupled with protecting the information that's out there on the network are the two major concerns that I have."

A major effort is under way with the National Security Agency to introduce new and improved information technology security measures across DoD's computer networks, Grimes said.

Joint Task Force Global Network Operations works with U.S. Strategic Command to monitor the military's global information operations network for vulnerabilities, he said. The task force would also work to identify the culprits "if there's an event that's happened and someone has penetrated your (computer information) networks," Grimes said.

Continual evolution of information technology drives the demand for new systems that increase network capabilities, he said. This incessant upgrading involves land-based IT systems as well as satellite delivery networks. "It's refreshed; it's upgraded because the technology is changing," he said.

Maintaining information security is a continuing process, much like the "Check It" campaign that seeks across-the-board improvements in the way the Defense Department conducts its daily business. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England launched the program July 28.

"If you check things, then what should happen, will happen," England said at the "Check It" kick-off at the Pentagon. "It's what we want to do every day in the jobs we do."

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Military Aircrews Continue Supporting Mount Hood Rescue Effort

By Donna Miles

Dec. 18, 2006 – After finding the body of one missing climber on Mount Hood, Ore., members of the Oregon Army National Guard, Nevada Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are continuing the search today for two other lost climbers. Rescue crews, joined by civilian volunteers, planned to take advantage of clearing weather after several days of snow, ice and winds hampered earlier efforts, Capt. Christopher Bernard of the Air Force Reserve's 304th Rescue Squadron, based in Portland, told reporters today.

The 304th Rescue Squadron was the first aircrew on the scene, Dec. 11, after three climbers went missing after they set out Dec. 7 for what was to be a two-day climbing trip, Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Przybyciel, of the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., told American Forces Press Service.

Nine pararescue team members and three combat rescue officers conducted ground surveillance through Dec. 14 before pausing operations during inclement weather as they geared up to launch the air mission, Przybyciel said.

The squadron left one crewmember on the mountain to serve as a spotter for a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft is part of the only Air Force wing equipped with "scathe view" technology that provides real-time imagery of ground activity via electro-optical and infrared sensors mounted on military aircraft, Przybyciel explained.

Meanwhile, three Oregon Army National Guard helicopter crews joined the search Dec. 15. Twelve flight crews and medics aboard two UH-60 Black Hawks from the 1042nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance), based in Salem, and a CH-47D Chinook from Detachment 1, D Company, 113th Aviation Battalion, based in Pendleton, are involved in the search.

This morning, a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft from Reno headed to the summit to retrieve a body found in a snow cave yesterday on Mount Hood's north face. Although officials declined to name the climber during today's news conference, family members said it was 48-year-old Kelly James.

Joe Wimpler, Mount Hood County sheriff, compared locating the snow cave to finding "a needle in a haystack" and praised the "excellent spot on the part of the air crews."

The search for James' companions, Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke, has narrowed to "The Gullies," an avalanche-prone area with a sheer 2,500-foot drop. It's still too dangerous to put ground crews in the area, Wimpler said, but search-and-rescue efforts are continuing from the air.

Bernard noted that the aircrews involved in the operation are combat veterans who have served in the mountains of Afghanistan. "There's a wide set of skills coming together to support this mission," he said.

Despite the lack of good news, officials expressed optimism that the missing two climbers may still be alive. "There definitely is hope," Bernard said.

Army Col. Dave Greenwood, Oregon's state aviation officer who has been flying Black Hawk missions during the search, said the military is uniquely qualified to carry out the mission. "When we see something like this, we realize that we're the only ones with our type of capabilities, so we are always ready to roll," he said.

The Oregon Guard typically conducts about 20 search-and-rescue missions a year, but few of this magnitude, he said.

Greenwood noted that since returning from Afghanistan in March, the Oregon Guard helicopter crews spent 43 days this summer fighting wildfires. "It just never stops," he said. "It's a lot of missions for these guys."

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Military Housing Rates Boosted 3.5 Percent Overall

By Gerry J. Gilmore

Dec. 18, 2006 – Servicemembers will receive an average 3.5 percent boost in their basic allowance for housing compensation benefit in 2007, Defense Department officials said.
The planned BAH increase starting Jan. 1 works out to about $300 million more than what was paid in 2006, officials said.

"The continued improvement in housing allowances represents our commitment to the preservation of a compensation and benefit structure which will provide members with a suitable and secure standard of living that will sustain a trained, experienced and ready force in the future," Cynthia Smith, a DoD spokeswoman, said today.

Officials said military housing allowances are computed according to three key criteria: median current market rent; average utilities, to include electricity, heat and water/sewer costs; and average renter's insurance.

BAH rates also are based on dwelling type and number of bedrooms in a given area and then calculated for each pay grade, both with and without family members.

For servicemembers with family members, average increases in the BAH are approximately $44 per month. For example, a typical specialist/corporal (E-4) will receive about $34 more in BAH than in 2006, while a master sergeant/first sergeant (E-8) will receive about $42 more than this year.

The BAH rate system has built-in protections to ensure that an individual servicemember in a given location won't see his or her BAH rate decrease. This provision assures that members who have made long-term lease or contract commitments are not penalized if the area's housing costs decrease.

Some areas' housing costs have remained relatively stable, while others continue to rise. Most of the costliest housing in the United States with the highest BAH rates are clustered on or near the East and West coasts, and the state of Hawaii.

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Leaders Praise Fortitude of Stryker Brigade Families

By Donna Miles

Dec. 15, 2006 – Army leaders praised military families here during ceremonies this week for standing solidly behind the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team during its 16-month deployment to Iraq. Army Secretary Francis Harvey told families of brigade members during the "Arctic Wolves'" redeployment ceremony here Dec. 12 that the Army recognizes their sacrifices and will continue its efforts to support them.

Harvey thanked the families for the strength they demonstrated during the long separation that became even more difficult for them after the brigade's deployment was extended four months. "Your soldier could not have done (their) mission without the support they received from each and every one of you," he said.

"Look, we are an Army of soldiers and families. That is the centerpiece of what we are, and it is my number-one priority," Harvey told American Forces Press Service following the ceremony. "We asked our soldiers and families to go above and beyond what is required, so I am going to be here with them, to thank them and tell them how much we appreciate them."

Army Col. Michael Shields, who commanded the brigade in Iraq, told family members both at the redeployment ceremony and at yesterday's change of command and "reflagging" ceremony that few people can fully appreciate what the families endured, particularly during the unit's extension.

"No one will ever understand the suffering, the sacrifice, the challenges you and your children -- our children -- faced during the 120-day extension," he said at the Dec. 12 ceremony. "I am humbled by your support, and I am in awe of your sacrifice and selfless service of the military families. You have my utmost respect and admiration."

When the unit was extended, Shields delivered news of the extension personally to family readiness group leaders via teleconference from Baghdad. During the 90-minute session, he told the family members he understood their disappointment and acknowledged the hardship the extension would cause.

At the brigade's redeployment ceremony, he called the way the families accepted the news "a legend."

Maj. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., commander of U.S. Army Alaska, echoed Shields' praises at yesterday's ceremonies, during which the brigade was redesignated the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team and Shields passed his command to Col. Burdett "Burt" Thompson

"Thank you for your service," Jacoby told family members. "That service has been just as extraordinary as your soldiers'. Your soldiers could not have achieved their success without you."

Leticia Waldorf, wife of Sgt. 1st Class Eric Waldorf, said she was happy to hear Army leaders acknowledge the role families play in keeping the home fires burning while their loved ones deploy. Waldorf's 9-month-old son, Nathan, was born while his father was in Iraq.

"I appreciate that they took the time to recognize the commitment and the sacrifices the families make," she said. "It's not something you hear all the time, so I'm pleased."

Sgt. 1st Class David Dodson, who served in Iraq with Company B, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, said that as tough as things sometimes were in Iraq, he knows that the families left behind carried an even heavier burden.

"It was rough when we were there, and there were times you didn't think it would end," he said. "But it was harder on the families than it was on us. Being gone makes you look at your family a little differently now."

Ashley McCulloh, wife of Capt. Timothy McCulloh, understands firsthand the challenges families face when their loved ones deploy and said the extension made things even more difficult.

Ashley was seven months pregnant when her husband deployed with his unit's advanced party in July 2005 and became 172nd Headquarters and Headquarters Company Brigade's family readiness group leader a few months later, after her husband took command of the unit.

The challenges families faced ran the gamut, she said, from keeping cars running and pipes from freezing during the harsh Alaska winter to taking care of the kids single-handedly while running the household.

But as difficult as that was, Ashley said it got even more difficult after families who were expecting their loved ones home at any time got word of the extension. Ashley and another unit wife had to deliver the news personally to about 90 spouses. "It was really hard because (the soldiers) were so close to coming home," she said, noting that about 300 brigade members had already arrived back in Alaska. "There you were, driving on post and seeing the 'welcome home' signs. It was heartbreaking."

Most of the families rebounded quickly and well, she said, supported through a strong family readiness group network and other support the Army provided. The Army community pulled out all stops to make sure families were prepared to handle the additional stress of the extension, she said.

New family assistance centers opened at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson in Anchorage to help families deal with nonrefundable airline tickets, powers of attorney that were about to expire, moving concerns and mental health issues. The Army augmented the local support staff with child psychologists, adolescent counselors and specially trained chaplains with advanced degrees in family counseling. The post chartered a plane and offered spouses a free shopping trip to Anchorage, while providing child care while they were gone.

"They responded quickly and made sure families knew that they were concerned and they cared," McCulloh said.

In addition, McCulloh called visits by Harvey, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker and other Army and DoD leaders to express support for the families "very helpful."

"It gave the spouses someone to talk to who they felt could make a difference, without having to work through a lot of chain of command," she said. "They felt that they could go right to the people who could correct a problem, and they did. It was really helpful for them and sent a strong message that the leadership cared."

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Montenegro Partners With Maine National Guard

By Sgt. Jim Greenhill, USA

Dec. 14, 2006 – The ripples from the first muster of Dec. 13, 1636, have reached the shores of the Adriatic Sea, where the world's youngest country joined America's oldest military service in the National Guard's State Partnership Program on Dec. 7. "This is an historic first step initiating a strong bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Montenegro," Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said here at the formal announcement of the partnership in the nation's capital.

"I want to express my gratitude to the United States of America for its support," Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic said during a meeting with Blum. "I'm very glad about the cooperation between the state of Maine and the state of Montenegro. It will further strengthen the cooperation as a whole between Montenegro and the USA."

"This is the first, very historic step on establishing mutual partnership relations in terms of defense between the United States and Montenegro," said Lt. Col. Gen. Jovan Lakcevic, Montenegro's chief of defense. "As the states of Montenegro and Maine are very similar when it comes to their landscapes, the same goes for the National Guard of Maine and the Montenegrin military. We look alike. We have many similar army units. We have a lot of potential for military cooperation."

The State Partnership Program pairs 55 countries with the National Guard in U.S. states and territories.

Other Balkan countries also are members of the SPP, and Blum said during his Montenegrin visit that he hopes a Balkan SPP Regional Workshop, tentatively scheduled for May, will bring together these nation and their National Guard state partners.

"The State Partnership Program has acted as a catalyst for stability in regions where stability has been sought for centuries and was never achieved and now is possible," Blum said.

Blum, Army Maj. Gen. John W. Libby, adjutant general of the Maine National Guard, and other National Guard officials visited Montenegro during the first week of December to recognize the country's SPP membership.

"I'm struck by the similarities between Maine and Montenegro -- its culture, its people, certainly the geography and the economy," Libby said.

Montenegro was independent until 1918 when it was united with Serbia. It became a constituent republic of Yugoslavia in 1945. After that nation's collapse in 1992, 12 years after the death of Josip Broz Tito, the dictator whose iron rule kept the nation together, Montenegro partnered with Serbia.

The former Yugoslavia weathered a disastrous civil war through the 1990s. Montenegro managed to avoid the worst of the conflict though the country endured strategic NATO air strikes because of its Serbian union.

On May 21, more than 86 percent of the electorate turned out for a referendum, and more than 55 percent embraced independence from the union with Serbia. The country declared independence June 3.

"The leadership of Montenegro is incredibly of one mind," Blum said. "They truly want to be part of the Euro-Atlantic community. They absolutely are desirous of being members of NATO, and they see the State Partnership Program being what they consider a fast-track for that."

Montenegro's SPP membership and the visit by Blum and Libby dominated evening news broadcasts and newspaper front pages in the country.

Among other initiatives, the SPP offers:

-- Transformation. The Maine National Guard will advise the Montegrin military as it transitions from a conscripted to an all-volunteer force, reduces its numbers and updates 30-year-old equipment.

-- Officer development. Members of the Montenegrin military may attend officer candidate school in Maine.

-- Noncommissioned officer development. Maine's NCOs may get opportunities to teach in Montenegro, which is looking to develop an NCO academy.

-- Language. The SPP will help Montenegrin officers and enlisted soldiers develop English language skills.

-- Emergency management. Montenegro may work with the Maine National Guard and emergency managers to enhance emergency response for civil emergencies and search-and-rescue operations. Montenegro is vulnerable to floods and earthquakes. Maine will model the National Guard's relationship with civilian law enforcement agencies for Montenegro, which is developing similar relationships from scratch.

-- Coastal defense. Maine may assist Montenegro in enhancing its coastal defenses.

-- Civilian-to-civilian partnerships. Student exchanges are among possible civilian programs.

"Our force structure in Maine parallels almost identically the force structure here in Montenegro, and will make the military-to-military piece very easy for us," Libby said.

"We're very similar states in many respects, and both of us have significant coastlines, significant industries and a wide spectrum of possible cooperation and partnership," Libby told Montenegro's Vijesti newspaper.

In one of numerous stories, the newspaper outlined the National Guard's history, calling it a critical part of America's Armed Forces, and compared the National Guard to the national civil defense system once used by Yugoslavia.

Affiliating with the SPP is one of a series of steps the fledgling government has taken to strengthen the partnership between Montenegro and both the United States and the European Union after 16 years of isolation. Other steps include joining the Partnership for Peace, a program designed to help NATO aspirants ramp up for full membership. Montenegro also became the 192nd member of the United Nations on June 28 and is seen as a promising candidate for European Union membership.

"My presence here today is ... a clear manifestation of U.S. support for Montenegrin efforts towards integration with the Euro-Atlantic community," Blum said.

Potential benefits from the State Partnership Program go beyond specific programs to improved cultural understanding. "We understand clearly in the National Guard that we're subordinate to civilian authorities and that we support civilian authorities," Libby said. "That's a notion that will serve these people and this nation particularly well."

During the visit to formalize Montenegro's SPP membership, Blum and Libby met with senior civilian and military Montenegrin officials. They observed special operations forces and special anti-terrorists unit demonstrations. They also toured many cultural sites.

"I was particularly impressed by the warmth of the people (and) by the enthusiasm that these people show for their newfound freedom," he said.

He added that the National Guard represents America. "Ours is a nation of compassion, a nation that sets about to set other men and women free. We see an opportunity in this country to provide them a road ahead in terms of their economy, in terms of their military and civilian relationships," he said. "The men and women of the Maine National Guard look forward to this opportunity."

(Army Sgt. Jim Greenhill is assigned to the National Guard Bureau. The Association of the United States Army contributed to this report.)

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Excitement Heating Up Over New Extended-Cold-Weather Gear

By Donna Miles

Dec. 14, 2006 – Members of the Alaska Army National Guard here are sizzling with excitement about their new cold weather gear that keeps them toasty warm even when temperatures dip to double digits below zero. The new Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System takes the latest insulating and wicking materials that have become hot tickets among skiers, snowmobile riders and other extreme-sports enthusiasts and adapting them for soldiers operating in demanding arctic conditions, explained Army Maj. Joe Miley, operations officer for the Alaska Guard's 49th Missile Defense Battalion. "It's designed to work in extremely cold weather," he said.

Unit members got the new, layered system about two weeks ago, just in time for the coldest part of the season here, when the "Delta winds" bring in sustained 60-mph winds, with higher gusts, and temperatures can hit minus-60.

Those conditions make soldiering pretty demanding, explained Army Sgt. Seth Paul, a military policeman for the unit who patrols the Missile Defense Complex on some of those bone-chilling days. They gel up diesel fuel in vehicles and fray or split belts, freeze up weapons systems, and render radios unusable.

Such conditions can take an even bigger toll on troops, particularly those serving outside over extended periods.

The new ECWCS gear, with 12 components that can be mixed and matched depending on the conditions and how active a soldier is, offers the critical protection soldiers here need to do their jobs, Miley said.

The system begins with silky long underwear that's made of lightweight, moisture-wicking polyester designed to keep the wearer dry. The mid-weight shirt and pants provide light insulation during warmer days or an extra layer in colder conditions.

The hands-down favorite piece of gear among the Guardsmen here, the green fleece jacket, offers a snuggly replacement for the Army's heavy black fleece jacket. "It's lighter and warmer, and it's modeled after animal fur," Paul said.

On colder days, soldiers can top the fleece with a lightweight, waterproof windbreaker or a breathable soft shell set designed for cold, rainy ways. A waterproof layer offers even more protection in prolonged, hard rain. During the coldest days, troops can add a puffy, extreme-cold-weather parka with high-tech insulation quilted into it and matching pants that zip over other layers in the system.

After two weeks wearing the new gear, the Alaska Guardsmen here give it a unanimous thumbs-up. "I love it. It's comfortable as pajamas, but still looks really professional," said Sgt. Katja Paul, an MP who makes up half of one of the husband-wife teams within the 49th Missile Defense Battalion here.

"It's easy to take care of. You wash it and dry it, and you're ready to go," she said. "And the real beauty of it is that the whole system can be easily folded up and put in your rucksack."

Army Spc. Anthony Montoya, a battalion communications operator, touted the new gear's breathability, even during heavy activity. "It works well on the range. It's comfortable and lets you move around, but it's still light and compressible," he said.

Seth Paul admitted to putting the new gear to the test "on Army time and off Army time," including snowboarding in his off-duty hours. "It's great stuff," he said. "You can get it soaking wet on the outside and it still keeps you warm and dry."

The new ECWCS gear is slated for initial fielding to the Army in about a year, but the 49th Missile Defense Battalion and a few other units received it ahead of schedule, based on their mission. The Fort Drum, N.Y.-based 10th Mountain Division received it in 2005, in time for its deployment to Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Christopher Cavoli, commander of the division's 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, offered the new system his highest praises after seeing its effectiveness in Operation Mountain Lion in the spring.

"During Operation Mountain Lion, I found myself praying for bad weather -- the first time in my military career I was actually begging for a cold front to come through," he said. "I knew my soldiers could handle it and the enemy couldn't.

"The ECWCS allowed my men to outlast the enemy on their own terrain," Cavoli said. "When the enemy was forced out of the mountains due to the bitter cold to take shelter, that's when we got them."

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American Idol Winner Visits Troops

By Sgt. Sarah Scully, USA

Dec. 14, 2006 – Hundreds of servicemembers lined up to receive an autograph and photo from Carrie Underwood, country music star and 2005 American Idol winner, at Camp Arifjan's Combined Operations and Intelligence Center yesterday. Underwood, on a United Service Organizations tour in the Middle East, also gave a concert at Camp Buehring, a few hours away from Camp Arifjan, before heading to Iraq for additional concerts.

Army Master Sgt. Ricky Bakke waited in line for his chance to have Underwood sign a guitar for his 10-year-old daughter right before Christmas.

"(She's) a huge fan of Carrie's and is learning to play," Bakke, a logistics NCO for National Guard affairs supporting 3rd Army and U.S. Army Central, said of his daughter.

"Thanks for giving me such a warm welcome," Underwood said to a fan. "We're happy to be able to come here and spread some holiday cheer."

Clutching pictures and CDs of Underwood, servicemembers of all ranks and ages asked her to sign memorabilia for family members and themselves and to pose for pictures.

"I had Carrie autograph posters for me and my two girls," said Chief Warrant Officer Stoney Hobbs, a pilot with 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment. "They are big fans from American Idol."

(Army Sgt. Sarah Scully is assigned to the 40th Public Affairs Detachment.)

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Students' Penny Drive for Troops Makes Cents

By John J. Kruzel

Dec. 15, 2006 – The pennywise students of Hawthorne Middle School, in Pocatello, Id., can afford to be proud of themselves. In November, the students held a three-week penny drive to raise money for 92 National Guard servicemembers recently deployed from Pocatello. Hawthorne students come from the poorest parts of Pocatello, and the penny drive gave each one a chance to participate in the fundraising effort, school officials said.

"You walk down the sidewalk and see pennies on the ground," Carol Hill, director of Hawthorne's Student Leadership Group and school counselor said. "We didn't ask them (to donate), we just had jars out that they could drop their coins into."

School officials expected the students would raise roughly $150. But the 540 Hawthorne students dropped $1,001.30 in coins into the school's collection jars.

"When you think of a penny drive you don't think it will turn into so much. I was amazed," Hill said.

Many Hawthorne students come from families under financial strain, so raising roughly $1,000 was overwhelming and humbling to witness, Hill said.

Hawthorne will use the money to send greeting cards and telephone calling cards to each of the 92 servicemembers before the holidays.

"I donated to the soldiers because I feel like since they give freedom and safety to us, I should at least give some money to help them have an opportunity to talk with their families," Kourtney, an eighth-grader at Hawthorne, said.

Every six weeks, Hawthorne students brainstorm possible service projects, then one project is selected through a popular vote. Collecting coins for troops won by a landslide. And because Veterans Day was nearing when the idea was floated, patriotism might have been on the children's' minds when selecting the project, Hill said.

"I participated in the fundraiser because I have family in the war," seventh-grader Rachael said. "I know it was the right thing to do."

During a school assembly on Veterans Day, Army Spc. J.D. Oborne returned to Hawthorne Middle School, his alma mater, to speak to students. "He talked about what life was like as a soldier over (in Iraq). I think it had a terrific effect on them," Hill said.

A student survey revealed that many students have dads, brothers, and uncles in Iraq right now, said Hill, whose nephew currently is serving in Baghdad.

"I wanted to honor my family," Scott, and eighth-grader, said. "We've had many members in the military throughout the years."

News of Hawthorne's penny drive rolled as far as Capitol Hill.

"The success of Hawthorne Middle School students in this penny drive reflects a refreshing sense of civic duty and national pride," Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo said. "It's indicative of the influence of strong families and educators at this Idaho school.

"I commend them on their generosity and commitment to our military, and I call our nation's attention to the students, parents and teachers of Hawthorne Middle School as models of committed patriotism and selfless giving," Crapo said.

The kids learned that there's no amount too small when giving to our troops, Hill said. "I'm really proud of these kids," she said. "You hear a lot about what's wrong. Well, this is an example of what's really right with American youth. If we give them the opportunity they will measure up."

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B-52 Flight Uses Synthetic Fuel in All Eight Engines

Dec. 15, 2006 – A B-52 Stratofortress took off from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., today on a flight-test mission using a blend of synthetic fuel and "JP-8" in all eight engines. This is the first time a "Buff" has flown using a "synfuel-blend" as the only fuel on board, Air Force officials said. In September, the Air Force successfully flew a B-52 with two-engines using the synfuel-blend. "The B-52 test flights at Edwards Air Force Base are the initial steps in the Air Force process to test and certify a synthetic blend of fuel for its aviation fleet," Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said. "We are confident that the success of this flight will bring us one step closer to allowing a domestic source of synthetic fuel to accomplish the Air Force mission in the future."

The first B-52 flight using "Fischer-Tropsch" fuel occurred Sept. 19 at Edwards. Today's flight further demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to using alternate fuels and is the next step in the testing and certification process before the fuel can go into widespread use, officials said.

The Air Force has reinvigorated its energy strategy, which is underpinned by supply-side availability and demand-side conservation, Air Force Assistant Secretary Bill Anderson said. "The Air Force is moving forward in its commitment to certify alternative sources of fuel for both its aircraft and ground vehicles fleet," Anderson said.

Maj. Gen. Curtis Bedke, Air Force Flight Test commander, is flying the aircraft to assess how well the aircraft performs using the synthetic blend of fuel.

The next test phase for the B-52 will be cold weather testing to determine how well the synfuel-blend performs in extreme weather conditions.

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Reunited Stryker Families Planning for Extra-Special Holiday

By Donna Miles


Dec. 15, 2006 – Christmas came early this year for the Skeen family as they celebrated what Joanna Skeen called the best gift she could ever ask for: the safe return of her husband. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Skeen and his fellow 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team soldiers returned to Alaska this month after 16 months in Iraq.

"It's already Christmas," said Joanna, whose husband was among the first "Arctic Wolves" delivered to their families and loved ones during the past weeks -- not in sleighs, but in chartered commercial planes. "It's felt like Christmas morning every day since he's been home," she said. "It's just overwhelming."

Holding his 18-month-old daughter, Lillian, Staff Sgt. Skeen could barely take his eyes off the strawberry-blonde toddler who was just two months old when he left for Iraq. "Now she's walking around and talking," he beamed. "It's great."

Skeen was deployed in Iraq last Christmas with Battery A, 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, which was redesignated yesterday as 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery.

Knowing he'd miss his baby's first Christmas in 2005, Skeen had squeezed in an early celebration during his rest-and-recuperation leave earlier that month. A highlight, he said, was taking Lillian for her first trip to see Santa Claus, near the family's log home in (no kidding) North Pole, Alaska.

"Now I'm ready to make up for lost time," he said. "I'm finally getting to be with my family."

Another Stryker Brigade soldier, Capt. Jacob Haverstick, is excited about spending Christmas with his wife, Amy, and daughter, Ava, who was born five months after he deployed to Iraq.

If there's an "up" side to deployments, Haverstick said, it's that they make people appreciate what they have at home. "Being deployed makes you realize how important family is," he said. "You realize that you take a lot of things for granted, and how much (family members) mean to you."

As the holiday approaches, Haverstick is planning a low-key celebration. "We're staying here and having a quiet Christmas, just us," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Like Haverstick, Ashley McCulloh and her husband, Capt. Timothy McCulloh, are planning a quiet holiday with their 14-month-old son, Brooks.

Ashley went out of her way to fill their house on a snowy, wooded hillside about 10 miles from Fort Wainwright with holiday spirit. She put up a tree and hung red, white and blue bows from the balcony, a big wreath at the door, icicle lights from the roof, and holiday stockings for everyone, including the family dog.
"This is our first Christmas (together) as a family, and we want it to be special," she said.

But big parties and travel arrangements don't figure high in the McCullohs' plans. "I think it's going to be an intimate Christmas," she said. "I think everyone here is going to have a very close family Christmas, with not so many big ones.

"Everyone wanted their spouses here for Christmas, and they got it," she said. "So now we want to just enjoy that we were the lucky ones to get our spouses back, and a lot of people are just staying here."

While many newly returned soldiers here prepare to celebrate the holiday with new babies, Spc. Ian Helmandollar from the newly redesignated 2nd Brigade, 8th Field Artillery, looks forward to spending it with his new bride.

Helmandollar married his wife, Lori, when he was home for rest-and-recuperation leave in October 2005 and shared last Christmas with her only through e-mails and phone calls.

"Last Christmas, we were on a mission in Mosul," he recalled. And while the contractor that ran the dining facility there tried to make the holiday meal special, with seasonal tablecloths and sparkling grape juice, Helmandollar said, this year's celebration will be head and shoulders above it.

"It's going to feel really different this year, being home," he said. "It's going to be great."

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New San Diego Store Illustrates Commissary Transformation

By Gerry J. Gilmore

Dec. 15, 2006 – A new commissary being built in southern California heralds the future for the Defense Commissary Agency, the organization's top official said today. Nixon, 60, who served in Vietnam almost 40 years ago as a Marine Corps supply sergeant, became DeCA's chief in late June. The new San Diego commissary, he said, will be the largest and most modern facility within the agency's 263-store, worldwide system.

"We call it our store of the future, because it is going to have some concepts in it that we are going to unveil for the first time," Nixon said.

Many of the new commissary's features, such as self-service and express checking lanes, a bright interior, and colorful customer-information signs are the result of findings from commissary Agency-commissioned grocery industry trend studies, Nixon said.

Major food retailers also perceive that shoppers want grocery stores to offer both convenience and choice, he said. Therefore, the new San Diego store will have two main entrances, one for customers who want to pick up just a few food items, and another entrance for those who want to stock up on groceries.

"You're going to have to be able to address two entirely different shopping dynamics: the convenience shopper and then the pantry-loading shopper," Nixon said. "Somehow, you're going to have to be able to attract both of them."

The new San Diego commissary also will have a health and wellness center that provides nutritional information for its customers' health needs. And, great effort and care is being taken to ensure that San Diego commissary customers -- and other commissary patrons -- will be able to choose from only the best and freshest meats, produce and seafood available. "We're going to have the best-possible products at the best prices you'll find anyplace in the world," Nixon said.

Features found in the new San Diego store will eventually filter across the commissary system, Nixon said, noting DeCA is focused on providing quality products, service and a unique shopping experience for its customers.

The Defense Commissary Agency was established in 1990 through the merger of previously separate commissary systems managed by each service branch. Nixon, who has worked at the agency since it was created, noted that his organization has changed much in the past 16 years.

Recent government audits have provided DeCA a clean bill of financial health, Nixon said, noting his 18,000-employee global organization is one of the few within the Defense Department to achieve this. "We're a model citizen when it comes to fiscal responsibility in the Defense Department, and we want to continue to demonstrate that," Nixon said.

Operational improvements and new technologies implemented across the commissary system over the past few years have helped it become more efficient and an even better steward of taxpayer dollars, he said.

And, servicemembers and their families continue to receive great value by shopping at military commissaries, Nixon said. Commissary shoppers realize about 32 percent in annual savings, he said, which works out to about $3,000 a year for a family of four.
The commissary benefit "is alive, well and strong," Nixon said, noting it carries a lot of weight among military families during re-enlistment decision time.

"We've got the best customer in the world," Nixon said, "and for what we ask our military to do, there's nothing we can't do for them."

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'Operation Christmas' Cheers Military Families

By Elaine Wilson

Dec. 14, 2006 – Christmas came a few weeks early this year for military families throughout San Antonio. Nearly 300 servicemembers and their families, many dressed in their holiday best, flocked to the Texas National Guard Armory early yesterday for "Operation Christmas," a campaign aimed at brightening the holidays for military families.

The San Antonio event was the fifth in a series of six celebrations that have taken place in military communities throughout the nation, thanks to a joint effort between America Supports You partner Operation Homefront and Wal-Mart. America Supports You is a Defense Department program that highlights and facilitates public support for U.S. servicemembers and their families.

"Operation Christmas is a way to say thank you to military members for their service and thank you to the family members who are sacrificing," said Amy Palmer of Operation Homefront.

The early morning festivities, held in a colorfully decked-out tent, included holiday arts and crafts, a visit with Santa Claus, food, music, and satellite and Web links with deployed loved ones. San Antonio Spurs basketball legend George "Iceman" Gervin was on hand to sign basketballs and autograph pictures for new and old fans alike.

"We realize many military families here are sacrificing, as well as the military overseas," said the Basketball Hall of Famer. "We wanted to show how much we appreciate them and will do whatever we can to support them."

No one walked away empty-handed. Each child received a sizeable toy from Santa, and parents and older siblings were treated to Wal-Mart gift cards so they could buy toys of their own. While Santa will most likely garner the glory, the credit for the early Christmas gifts was due to Wal-Mart, which donated $500,000 to Operation Homefront for the Operation Christmas events.

"This is wonderful," said Wendy Hansen, who traveled about 130 miles from Fort Hood, Texas, with her 8-year-old son, Dawson, to attend the event. Her husband deployed to Iraq in October. "It means a lot to me, makes me realize that people care."

Along with military families, about 45 wounded warriors recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center here took part in the festivities. While too old for Santa's lap, the servicemembers still scored an early Christmas present.

"This is a great thing to do for military families," said wounded warrior Army Staff Sgt. David Barnette, who was waiting in line to greet Santa with his wife, Ruby, and 5-year-old daughter, Jordan.

"Doing something like this is a blessing," Ruby said.

"It's wonderful that people care so much for soldiers," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Phillip Colvin. "To be out there giving our lives, and have something like this to come back to, it's heartwarming."

A few of the recovering soldiers appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" program, which sent a crew to broadcast live from the Operation Christmas site. The morning show has covered two of the events, and plans to cover the final one in Savannah, Ga., next week.

"You can never show enough support of troops," said Morgan Zalkin, GMA producer. "We wanted to let them know that we weren't just thinking of the troops in the field, but also their families back home."

"I don't know how you can't support the troops," said GMA correspondent Mike Barz, an Army "brat" whose grandfather fought in three wars. "Regardless of how you feel about the war, you should support the servicemembers."

Brooke Army Medical Center Commander Brig. Gen. James Gilman thanked everyone for their efforts in support of military members and their family and emphasized the importance of America's continued support.

"Organizations like Operation Homefront and Operation Comfort and businesses that help do this type of an event are indicators that Americans understand how hard it is to be a warrior or the family of one," he said. "Our wounded warriors work really hard. I'm not sure people understand how hard it is to get up, endure pain and fatigue, and stay motivated.

"Support like this keeps them going, keeps them carrying on."

Chris Hansen, a wounded warrior injured a year ago by two roadside bombs in Iraq, said the support was much appreciated, particularly as he transitions to civilian life.

"I didn't expect this; it's a surprise," said the father of five children, all under age 8. "I wasn't able to afford much for my kids this year, so this means a lot."

(Elaine Wilson is assigned to the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)

Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have written books.

Military Writers adds first three

Military-Writers.com, a website listing current, former and active United States Military personnel who have authored books, added its first three military writers: Richard Huffman, Chuck Chambers and Raymond Foster.

Richard Neal Huffman was born the son of a sharecropper. At the age of two his parents migrated to southwest Michigan. At 20, Richard was drafted into the United States Army where he served as a medic. He completed a tour of duty in the Panama Canal Zone where he was assigned as an ambulance driver for the 601st Medical Detachment of the United States Southern Command. In the regular Army, Richard was an E-4. After discharge, he joined the Michigan Army National Guard and later the Army Reserves. In the guard he was both a medic and tank crewmen. Richard joined the Bangor Police Department and throughout his career he would serve as a patrol officer, training officer, sergeant, detective and assistant chief of police. Richard’s first book, “Dreams in Blue: The Real Police,” is an autobiographical journey that takes the reader inside the world of the small town cop. He introduces the reader to people, situations, and a culture that is both interesting and unique. Richard’s second book, “Rubal,” is a fictional account of a Union soldier during the Civil War.

A former police officer for the city of Palmetto (Florida), Chuck Chambers is the Chief investigator and owner of Chambers Investigations. In 1965, Chuck Chambers joined the United States Marine Corps and held a position in the Anti Tank Battalion. In his book, The Private Investigator Handbook: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Protect Yourself, Get Justice, or Get Even, he shares his insider expertise, with true case histories from his files, tricks of the trade, and step-by-step advice to help readers be able to: Catch a cheating spouse; Uncover hidden assets, monetary malfeasance, and fraud; Tail and track a mark; Use the Internet to get information on anything and anyone; Protect one's privacy; Prepare an intelligence file on anyone-on and off line; and, Find and preserve legal evidence.

Raymond E. Foster retired at the rank of lieutenant from the Los Angeles Police Department after 24 years of service. He served in the United States Coast Guard as a radioman from 1976 to 1982. He has a BA in criminal justice, masters in public administration and is currently working on his PhD. Raymond’s first book, Police Technology, has been adopted by over 100 colleges and universities. His second book, Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style, is schedule to be published next year. His current writing projects include an introduction to policing text book and a book on marketing.

In addition to hosting current, former and retired military personnel who have written books, Military-Writers.com is building and extensive web-based directory of military personnel who own businesses.