Lessons Learned Should Fix National Guard Resource Woes

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 1, 2007 – The Defense Department has learned from its mistakes in resourcing the National Guard and now has systems in place to prevent those mistakes from happening again, the nation's top military officer said here yesterday. Despite problems in the past, Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace told the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves that he is confident defense leaders are considering the Guard's unique resourcing needs.

"I think the performance of the Guard and reserve has clearly indicated to all of us that we would ignore their needs to the national defense's peril and to the disrespect of the great Americans and their families who serve in the Guard and reserve," Pace said. "We need to do this right. I am comfortable that we have recognized what we have done wrong in the past and that we have systems in place now to make that work."

Much of the National Guard's resourcing woes came to light in recent years as the force was moved from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve. Officials agreed, though, that deployed Guard units are equipped and trained to the level of their active-component counterparts. Primarily at issue are the equipment and funding the Guard needs to handle its many other missions in the United States.

National Guard Bureau Chief Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum told the commission that 88 percent of the National Guard units in the U.S. are "poorly equipped."

Pace said three things are now happening to prevent reserve-component forces' needs from being overlooked in resourcing talks.

First, the Department of Homeland Security is identifying gaps in resources needed to respond to homeland emergencies. Once gaps are identified, the department will determine which agency is best suited to respond and what resources are needed, Pace said.

Second, a new force generation model will ensure National Guard units are resourced similar to their active-duty counterparts on a cyclical basis. The model ensures that a specific number of brigade combat teams are available to deploy within a specific timeframe.

Under the plan, four to five brigade combat teams will be available to deploy each year in a six-year cycle. At the same time, other units will be undergoing training and working through equipment and personnel issues.

As both active-component and Guard units near their deployment window, training and resources become critical, Pace said.

"Then we will be able to look at the unit and its equipment and personnel status and training status and do all the things that you need to do, ... just like we do on the active-duty side," Pace said.

The model will "force us to look at the resources ... to ensure that the Guard and the reserve are properly getting resourced," Pace said.

Finally, lessons learned in the budgeting process were applied in developing the 2008 defense budget to ensure Guard and reserve input, Pace said.

"We did not do a good enough job getting the Guard and reserve into the process early enough (in 2006) so that not only were they properly resourced but they knew they were going to be properly resourced," Pace said.

The departments of the Army and Air Force learned those lessons in the 2007 budgeting process and applied them well in the 2008 process, Pace said.

"This year, to the best of my knowledge, ... everyone is saying, 'We did learn our lessons, and we are paying attention to that,'" Pace said.

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

Gates Hosts Colombian Defense Minister at Pentagon

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hosted his first Latin-American defense minister visit in his new post today when he and Colombian National Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos met to discuss ways the two countries can step up their cooperation to confront drug trafficking and terrorism. Gates and Santos met for breakfast at the Pentagon this morning as Santos began a two-day swing through Washington to reaffirm a strong relationship between the two countries and discuss Colombia's progress in establishing territorial control and strengthening democracy, said Juan Pablo Cardenas, an official in the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Western Hemisphere Affairs Office.

The Colombian government, with help from the U.S., is making strides in confronting narcoterrorists, primarily the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC; the National Liberation Army, or ELN; and the remnants of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, officials said.

Almost 500 U.S. troops in Colombia are serving as advisors and trainers for the Colombian military, helping improve the Colombians' skills and professionalism so they are better able to deal with narcoterrorism and other threats.

"It is important that we continue to work with our Colombian counterparts in fighting narcoterrorism, disrupting the flow of illicit drugs and developing alternatives to illicit cultivation, strengthening of institutions, protecting human rights and providing humanitarian assistance," Cardenas said.

In an effort to further the two countries' cooperation, Santos also will visit with Deputy National Security Advisor J.D. Crouch II, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, senior officials with the Drug Enforcement Agency and Senate and House members.

He is slated to hold a news conference and give a presentation on Colombia's new democratic security consolidation policy tomorrow morning at the National Defense University at Fort McNair here, after which he will speak with students at the joint-service school.

Santos' visit here builds on progress made in January when Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spent two days in Colombia meeting with Santos and other Colombian political and military leaders.

The success of the relationship between the United States and Colombia is having a direct positive impact on the security and stability of the entire region and hemisphere, Pace told reporters in Bogota.

Speaking at a Jan. 19 joint news conference with Santos and Gen. Freddy Padilla, commander of the Colombian armed forces, Pace said the close relationship between the two countries benefits both. "This is a two-way street," Pace said. "The fact that the United States is able to help Colombia inside Colombia is a good thing for Colombia, but it is also a good thing for my country. And the fact that your country is fighting against drugs -- a great deal of which come to the streets of the United States -- is your country helping out to help my country."

U.S. military support for Colombia, previously focused on combating drugs, has expanded to helping the Colombian military confront the country's rebel insurgency, officials said. U.S. Special Forces troops in Colombia provide Colombian forces military training ranging from refresher training in skills such as reconnaissance, life-saving and air-assault operations, to human-rights training, Alberto Rodriguez, an embassy spokesman, told American Forces Press Service.

Meanwhile, other U.S. troops in Colombia are training their Colombian counterparts to conduct critical support missions that keep the operational troops in the fight, including logistics and helicopter repair and maintenance, he said. At the same time, U.S. forces are helping the Colombians professionalize their noncommissioned officer corps and establish an equivalent to the U.S. warrant officer system, Rodriguez said. "The ultimate goal is that Colombia will have a more professional military that is able to conduct operations and sustain itself," he said.

The United States provides the Colombians other assistance, including providing military equipment to the Colombian military and police through the military assistance program, foreign military sales and the international narcotics control program.

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

Florida Guard Team to Support Super Bowl Security

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 1, 2007 – Tens of thousands of football fans will flock to Florida this weekend, passionate about their pigskin picks, but a handful of Florida Guardsmen are hoping that the game is anything but exciting for them. The 44th Civil Support Team, based at the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center near Starke, Fla., has been tapped to be at the game working with the Miami-Dade Police Department bomb squad, the FBI and other local, state and federal agencies.

The joint 22-person team has the equipment and expertise to identify chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive agents or substances, and they are trained to help incident commanders on site figure out what to do in the event of such an attack or disaster.

But fans shouldn't expect to see soldiers and airmen walking around the venues in chemical suits collecting samples, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, Florida National Guard public affairs officer.

"For the most part, fans won't even know they are there. But they will be there ready to respond in direct support of our emergency responders," he said.

The team is equipped with state-of-the-art substance identification and detection equipment, a mobile laboratory system, and a secure digital satellite communications system designed to connect with any agency around the world. The team and its equipment are completely self-contained and can be airlifted to disaster areas if needed.

This isn't the team's first trip to a Super Bowl, Tittle said. It provided support during Super Bowl XXXIX at Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 6, 2005. The team also has supported international conferences and other events within Florida, Tittle said.

The team regularly trains with other agencies throughout the state, and cooperative exercises hone the team members' highly specialized skills. This also helps establish working relationships with the agencies and personnel they would support in the event of an emergency.

"That's one thing that our team has been working to do, ... to reach out and work with those other agencies so you already have a good sense of teamwork established," Tittle said. "They continue to have exercises ... to maintain those ongoing relationships. Our team is constantly attending functions in ongoing support roles throughout the state. Our team has worked with pretty much every county in Florida."

The team has responded to two real-life situations: an Anthrax scare in Boca Raton in 2001 and a joint investigation with the Coast Guard responding to suspicious cargo on a ship.

To prepare for the Super Bowl, the team has been plugged into the planning process for the past eight months and is now fully integrated into the multi-agency response plans, said Army Lt. Col. Russ Spengler, the team's commander.

He said his team welcomes the opportunity to work on an event of this scale.

"This is a great opportunity for our soldiers and airmen to work with other talented experts from various agencies. The level of cooperation is outstanding. It really makes you proud to see the efforts of so many to protect this event," Spengler said.

The 44th Civil Support Team was fielded in August 2000. The National Guard's civil support team program has 55 teams located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Florida and California are the only two states with two civil support teams.

Team members acquire as much as 800 hours of initial training above their military occupational skill qualification or professional military education requirements.

Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4 promises to bring in thousands of fans. Grammy award winner Billy Joel will sing the national anthem, and Prince will perform at halftime. Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens will seat 70,000 for the game, and thousands more are expected for the pre-game activities.

The Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region is stepping up its air patrols in the Miami-Dade area to increase security during Super Bowl XLI activities, officials said. NORAD has provided air defense support for every Super Bowl since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Spectators will see Air Force fighter jets flying over Dolphin Stadium during pre-game events and in the local area during the game.

The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched the 2006 game in the United States. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories, according to the official Super Bowl Web site.

The Chicago Bears are back in the Super Bowl for first time since winning Super Bowl XX in January 1986. The Indianapolis Colts will make a Super Bowl appearance for the first time for the franchise since the Baltimore Colts won Super Bowl V in January 1971.

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

Casey: Army is Not Broken

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 1, 2007 – The Army faces significant challenges in the years ahead, but it is still the world's preeminent land power and has not been overly strained by the war on terror, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said here today. Casey, who has commanded in Iraq since July 2004, is President Bush's pick to be the next Army chief of staff. Speaking at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee, Casey expressed confidence in U.S. soldiers.

"I see in Iraq every day a splendid Army," Casey said. "I know that (current Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker) has problems with the forces yet to deploy and with some of the strategic elements that will deploy later, but from what I see in Iraq, the Army is far from broken."

Casey said he believes in the Army vision and transformation, and that his position in Iraq has given him an opportunity to see the Army at work in the war on terror. Today's soldiers are the best he has seen in his entire career and make a difference in Iraq every day, he said. He pledged that U.S. soldiers and their families, who make tremendous sacrifices, will be his top priority if confirmed.

The Army's transformation to a lighter, modular-based force has been successful in Iraq, Casey said. The smaller units are able to handle the complexities of the war in Iraq, he said, and transformation will continue to be important in the Army's future.
Casey also noted the importance of the Army National Guard and Reserve to the service's mission. The United States is approaching a point where half of Guard and reserve troops are combat veterans, and these troops will be essential to future operations, he said.

The proposed increase in Army end strength of 65,000 troops over five years is adequate, Casey said, and the new strategy to secure Iraq can work. He noted that Iraqi security forces have assumed control of security in several provinces. The main challenge remains in Baghdad, where sectarian violence has surged, he said.

"For the Iraqis to successfully assume and sustain security responsibility, their security forces must emerge as the dominant security forces in the country," Casey said. "To do this, political and militia influence over the security forces must be eliminated and levels of sectarian violence, particularly in the capital, must be brought down substantially - brought down to the point where the people in Baghdad can be safe in their neighborhoods. This is what we are working toward in Baghdad. It will take time, and the Iraqis do need our help."

Casey said he recognizes the tremendous responsibilities associated with the chief of staff position. He is willing to take it on because he views it as his duty, and he is committed to the future of the Army, he said.

"I'm a soldier. My roots are in the Army, and I know the pride of wearing this uniform," Casey said. "Service as Army chief of staff is not a reward. It's a duty. It's about service, and it's about personal commitment to the men and women of the United States Army."

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

Military OneSource Offers Free Online Tax Filing

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 2, 2007 – The Defense Department's Military OneSource family support program is once again offering free, online tax preparation and filing for servicemembers and their families, officials said. The service began Jan. 15. It's available to active duty servicemembers, National Guardsmen and reservists and their families.

This is the second year of the program. Last year, more than 327,000 tax claims were filed using a similar program, said Jane Burke, principal director in the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy.

Burke added that servicemembers can put their tax refunds to good use as a deposit in a savings or retirement account or to pay off debts.

"How to use the refund may be the first financial decision of the year" for servicemembers in improving their financial readiness, Burke noted. DoD is launching a campaign called "Military Saves" to encourage servicemembers to save money and eliminate or reduce their personal debt.

Filers who use Military OneSource's online system can expect to receive their refund within 10 days, Burke said. And Military OneSource tax consultants, she said, are trained to answer questions on preparing and filing taxes and provide other financial management information.

Additionally, through the Military OneSource Web site at www.militaryonesource.com, servicemembers and their families can get guidance and answers to questions, Burke said.

The Military OneSource service augments the long-standing voluntary income tax assistance program offered through legal centers at most military installations, Burke said. Volunteers at the centers provide free tax preparation and filing services, she said.

The service available through Military OneSource's Web site "is a new option where people can do their taxes online for free," said Army Maj. John Johnson, executive director, Armed Forces Tax Council. Tax-filing assistance also is available through the Internal Revenue Service's electronic filing program.

Military OneSource's online tax preparation and filing was very popular with servicemembers and their families last year, Burke said.

"It is just one more way we can help improve the quality of life for our troops and their families," she said.

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

Military Health Officials Unveil Revitalized Plan

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 31, 2007 – Military Health System officials are working on several ways to improve health care delivery and management and save servicemembers money, the Defense Department's top doctor said here yesterday. One development that will facilitate health care administration is the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, the electronic health records system recently deployed by the Defense Department. AHLTA provides a clinical data repository with information on all beneficiaries that will be accessible worldwide for military health care providers.

"We have now completed the implementation of AHLTA. It was a three-year project that was finished on time (in December 2006)," Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs and director of the Tricare Management Activity told reporters at the State of the Military Health System 2007 Annual Conference.

"We are now into the next stages of refinement of AHLTA that involves making it even faster and creating a local cache so there's always a redundant capability," he said.

Another part of the new MHS strategy is to replace the Veterans Affairs' outdated health record application with AHLTA and share beneficiary information between the two departments.

"VA uses the Vista system, which has been around for a few years, works well; good data shows it makes an impact on quality and care," Winkenwerder said. "However, the Vista system was built on an old platform and ... doesn't have the capability to move the information around the world like AHLTA."

Joining the VA's health record system with DoD's will ensure that "medical information can move seamlessly from the battlefield to any medical facility in the world," Winkenwerder said. He added that the arrangement will "set the standards for interoperability of information sharing."

Another military health project Winkenwerder discussed is the Center for the Intrepid, a $50 million Army national rehabilitation center that opened Jan. 29 at Fort Sam Houston.

"The casualties that we're caring for, have been caring for, and will care for tomorrow are a central part of our focus and part of our concerns right now," he said. "And the (Center for the Intrepid) is the most impressive center for rehabilitation I've ever seen for someone who's had a severe injury."

Winkenwerder said the Military Health System is aggressively searching for ways to reduce health care costs to servicemembers and that efforts have been successful in a number of areas.

"In the area of pharmacy, we have very effectively implemented the Tricare Formulary, ... where we have placed certain drugs within a class into a preferred coverage status," he said. "The non-preferred status is where the individual would have to pay $22 for a co-payment, vs. $15."

Though the differential does not initially seem significant, preferred status has an influence on consumers that affects the pharmaceutical industry, Winkenwerder said.

"It is enough of a differential that it does have some impact on people's buying decisions, and therefore it attracts the notice of the pharmaceutical companies who are, in turn, more willing to negotiate to lower their price," he said.

"So the net effect of having this tiered pharmaceutical benefit has been that we've been able to go through roughly half of the drug classes and make decisions to move things into one of these classes," he said. "It's been a very good process ... that has saved around $500 million in the last two years."

Beneficiaries are encouraged to use the mail-order prescription service as another way to reduce costs, Winkenwerder said.

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and active, former and retired police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.

Air Force Requests Proposals for Next Tanker Aircraft

By Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez, USAF
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 31, 2007 – Air Force leaders officially released a "request for proposals" yesterday for a replacement tanker aircraft. The RFP is the official invitation to manufacturers to begin making offers to build a replacement for the Air Force's aging fleet of "Eisenhower-era" KC-135 Stratotankers, said Sue Payton, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition.

Tanker aircraft operate as "flying gas stations," refueling other aircraft in the air.

"This is a major milestone in fair, open and transparent dialogue that we have been involved in since the request for information was sent out in April of 2006," Payton said. "We are confident it will allow us to fulfill the Air Force's No. 1 acquisition priority."

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley set replacing the KC-135 as the service's top acquisition priority late in 2006. Other priorities include a new combat rescue helicopter, space-based early warning and communications satellites, the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, and the next-generation long-range strike bomber.

Payton said she expects to have a tanker contract in place before the end of the year and that competition for the contract will be fair for all involved.

"The RFP has laid the groundwork for a fair and open competition that will ensure a thorough evaluation of any proposal we receive," she said. "We remain committed to a full and open competition. The KC-X is our No. 1 acquisition priority for the Air Force, and we will continue to conduct this competition in a very deliberate and open manner."

Payton said she expects the Air Force could see the first operational fleet of new tankers by 2013.

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and active, former and retired police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.

Fort Dix Hosts Servicemembers' Financial Planning Seminar

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 31, 2007 – More than 400 servicemembers learned how they can eliminate their debts and achieve financial security at a free Defense Department-sponsored seminar held here today. The Defense Department has initiated a program called "Military Saves" to change the culture within the military so that servicemembers better manage their money, Brenda McDaniel, DoD project officer for financial management seminars, said at the day-long event at the Timmermann Conference Center.

Military readiness is greatly enhanced if servicemembers aren't distracted by financial problems, McDaniel explained. DoD is kicking off the new, ongoing program during "Military Saves Week," observed Feb. 25-March 4.

The Fort Dix event featured a seminar by financial management expert Kelvin Boston, host of the PBS television series, "Moneywise." Boston provided credit management and savings tips, as well as investment advice.

Boston said anyone concerned with achieving financial security should save something from each paycheck, eschew hefty credit card bills and avoid costly unnecessary purchases.

"You should save your credit for big-ticket items," Boston said, such as when purchasing a car or a home.

It was Boston's second such seminar conducted for the military out of a series of five planned at different installations. In September, Boston conducted his first seminar for servicemembers and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

"Money Wise in the Military" and 'Military Saves' are vital parts of DoD's overall financial readiness campaign, McDaniel pointed out.

"Military Saves" is a component of "America Saves," a nationwide campaign in which nonprofit, corporate and government groups assist individuals and families save and build wealth.

"Military Saves" campaign director Sarah Shirley met with soldiers, sailors and airmen and provided planning worksheets for savings and debt-reduction. "Military Saves" is co-sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America, she explained, noting the initiative partners with about 30 other consumer-assistance organizations.

"Military Saves" recommends that servicemembers save between $500 and $1,000 monthly in an emergency savings account and pay off their credit card and other debt, Shirley said.

"We can change our environment so that it becomes totally cool to have money in the bank," Shirley declared.

The event also featured consumer information booths and additional seminars about credit reports, fraudulent and predatory lending practices, bankruptcy, personal financial planning, savings accounts, investments, home ownership and other topics.

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Denise James, 35, said she plans to buy a home in the future. Boston's presentation was very informative, James noted.

"It encouraged me to save more money than I am presently," she said. "Your credit (rating) is very important, so you have to stay on top of your spending."

Navy Seaman Craig Charbonneau, 21, from the Naval Air and Engineering Station at Lakehurst, N.J., also appreciated the seminar.

"It motivated me to save some money," Charbonneau said.

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and active, former and retired police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.

NORAD Fighters to Patrol Super Bowl XLI

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 31, 2007 – The Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region is stepping up its air patrols in the Miami-Dade area to increase security during Super Bowl XLI activities. Spectators will see the Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, fly over Dolphin Stadium Feb. 4 during pregame events and other Air Force fighter jets in the local area during the game.

The patrols are a smart, efficient way to protect American lives and resources in the region, said Maj. Gen. Henry C. Morrow, the commander of both 1st Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region.

"NORAD protects a variety of national assets across the nation on any given day," Morrow said. "In this instance we are increasing our sorties in the Miami-Dade area as part of our continuing resolve to protect our homeland and citizens during these major events."

In preparation for Super Bowl XLI, NORAD fighters will make low approaches at several local airports Feb. 2, including Boca Raton, Pompano Beach Airpark, Fort Lauderdale Executive, Opa Locka, and Kendall-Tamiami Executive.

Air patrols are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure public safety while demonstrating NORAD's rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted air patrols throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle -- the command's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The flights will have minimal impact on aircraft in the area and are not in response to any specific threat.

"We want citizens to know that we remain dedicated to protecting their freedoms as we project our determination to preserve peace and our way of life," Morrow said.

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

Commission Hears Testimony on Future of Guard's Top Post

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 31, 2007 – The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves heard testimony here today from three top leaders concerning how best to empower the Guard through its top leadership position. Congress directed formation of the independent commission, charged with recommending any needed changes in law and policy to ensure that the nation's Guard and reserve forces are organized, trained, equipped, compensated, and supported to best meet national security requirements.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey and Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum gave the commission their views on the way forward for the top National Guard position, which Blum currently occupies, as well as on the Guard's organization and funding.

Blum told the commissioners that while there has been some adaptation by the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies in acknowledging the more significant role the National Guard plays in national security, that role needs to be formalized and written into the National Guard's charter.

"DoD and DHS are adapting, although not formally. It's ad hoc and hit-and-miss," Blum said. He also said the National Guard's top officer should have a formal relationship with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the secretary of defense.

Pace agreed with Blum that the National Guard Bureau chief's relationship with the chairman and secretary of defense should be formalized, but said the Guard chief should be an advisor, reporting to the chairman, as opposed to being a member of the Joint Chiefs. Pace said most of DoD's top staff and combatant commanders reach out to Blum in an informal manner because they value his expertise and input.

"The truth is that all of those folks know that Steve Blum knows a lot of stuff, so we have informally reached out," he said.

Rewriting of the Guard's charter to include a relationship to the secretary of defense through the chairman, Pace said, would allow for formal lines of communication between the Guard and combatant commanders.

"I would encourage that in whatever is rewritten in the charter that we recognize the unique capabilities of the chief of the National Guard Bureau," Pace said.

Among the questions the commission is considering is whether the Guard would be better served with a four-star general in charge. Blum, who wears three stars, said it comes down to "scope and responsibility of the job."

His role is increasing in responsibility, he said, and he noted that he manages a force that in terms of budget and personnel is larger than the United States Marine Corps.

Pace said that based on the Guard Bureau chief's current job description, a three-star billet is sufficient, but that the commission should review the position to see if additional current and future obligations are comparable to a four-star general's responsibilities.

And if the position of advisor to the chairman is added, he said, then additional resources also should be allocated.

"If we are going to add those kinds of tasks to his ruck sack, then we also resource him," Pace said. "I don't know how much in office staff and resources he will need, but if we want to make him available to all of those decision-makers, then we should resource him and not take it out of his pocket."

Pace conceded that the Defense Department did not go a good enough job in the past of resourcing the Guard, but that DoD officials have taken those lessons learned and are applying them to current practices. He said systems now are in place that will systemically ensure that officials are appropriately looking at resourcing units.

"We need to do this right. I am comfortable that we recognize what we've done wrong in the past, and we have systems in place," Pace said.

Pace said seating the Guard chief with the Joint Chiefs would create a rift in joint cooperation.

"If you make this individual a member of the Joint Chiefs, you create two armies and two air forces," the general said. "You will do major damage to the synergy that we've gotten. We are there, and should not take a step back. I would recommend in the strongest terms I know how, 'Do not do that.'"

In his opening statement to the commission, Harvey cited progress in joint cooperation since the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act became law in 1986. The law streamlined the military chain of command and required the services to work more closely together. He said proposed legislation aimed at, among other things, making the Guard Bureau chief a member of the Joint Chiefs is unnecessary, but that he understands the motivation behind it.

"(The legislation) would confuse command and control relationships and lines of authority that the department has formed over the past 20 years since Goldwater-Nichols was enacted," Harvey said. "I believe that the legislation stems from decades of neglect of the needs of our reserve forces. This partially resulted from a strategy that was based on using the reserve components as a strategic reserve.

"However, just as our strategy has dramatically changed, so has the department's entire approach to organizing, training and equipping our reserve forces. ... Quite frankly, the proposed solution is intended to solve a problem that does not exist," Harvey said.

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

Navy Writers Added

January 31, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Military-Writers.com, a website listing current, former and active United States Military personnel who have authored books, added two former naval personnel who co-authored a novel.

Leroy E. "Skip" Vogel was born in Bruno, Saskatchewan, Canada, but spent most of his childhood in Nebraska and Minnesota. After graduating from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, he enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was awarded the degree of Master of Divinity. He later earned the Master of Sacred Theology degree at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and pursued doctoral studies at Harvard University. Skip served for 20 years in the United States Navy, and retired as a Captain. He served on major ships of the line, at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and at various Naval Stations in the United States and abroad, including Antarctica. He participated in numerous key missions in Southeast Asia, and was awarded an array of medals and decorations.

His co-author, Jerome "JD" Hamilton made a dual contribution to this novel. He is the persona of its leading character, Lain Byrd. In addition, his diary and "letters home" retained from Navy days were integral to shaping the novel's story line and developing the profiles of the leading characters. JD served as a Yeoman in the Navy for four consecutive Commanding Officers aboard a major ship of the line and completed several deployments to the Mediterranean and South America. Following his service, he completed the Department of Defense Industrial Security Training program and was employed by a large federal contractor in Washington, D.C. He currently resides with his wife and three children in Cabot, Arkansas, where he has established three entrepreneurial businesses. His most recent venture involved developing a new data base locator (http://www.tractorfax.org) involving the agricultural and construction equipment industry. He is currently writing a novel of his own reflective of another aspect of Navy life.

In the 1980s, Skip further pursued his interests in history and religion, writing a book titled History, Harmony, and the Hebrew Kings. He taught courses in religious history, public policy, and politics and American life at Concordia Seminary. Skip and his wife, Gloria, live in retirement in Spring Valley, Minnesota. He has four children and twelve grandchildren.

According to the book description, “Skip Vogel's CONSTANT BEARING - DECREASING RANGE: The Collision of Public Policy and National Defense, is a compelling character-driven story of intrigue, tragedy, honor, and humor within the U.S. Navy as it was undermined by the questionable efforts of American politicians and social engineers as they attempted to integrate low aptitude personnel and criminals into our naval forces, and the unfortunate consequences that resulted from these policies.”

Military-Writers.com now list eight former military personnel and their eleven books.

Air Force Thunderbirds to Kick Off Super Bowl XLI

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 30, 2007 – The U.S. Air Force's elite demonstration squadron, the "Thunderbirds," will help kick off Super Bowl XLI in Miami with a flyover of Dolphin Stadium on Feb. 4. The team's six red, white and blue F-16 fighter jets will roar over in their signature six-ship Delta formation at the conclusion of the national anthem. The aircraft will fly over at about 500 feet and 450 miles per hour.

"We are honored to participate in the Super Bowl, especially this year, as the United States Air Force commemorates our 60th anniversary," said Lt. Col. Kevin Robbins, Thunderbird commander.

The flyover is just one of many events the Thunderbirds will participate in during 2007 to commemorate the Air Force's six decades of air and space power.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, four civilians and about 120 enlisted airmen performing in more than 25 career specialties. "Our job is to represent the thousands of airmen who serve their country on a daily basis, including the more than 25,000 fighting on the front lines in the global war on terror," Robbins said.

The Super Bowl is the nation's highest-rated TV program annually. According to the National Football League, more than 141 million viewers in the United States tuned in to the last Super Bowl game. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

CENTCOM Nominee Touts Diplomacy in Iraq Approach

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 30, 2007 – Cooperation and assistance from U.S. allies in the Middle East are essential to promoting security and stability in Iraq, the president's nominee to lead U.S. Central Command said here today. Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, whom President Bush nominated to take over for Army Gen. John Abizaid, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that, if confirmed, he would draw on his diplomatic experience as the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, where he has served since February 2005. In Pacific Command, Fallon said, he engages countries in the region for advice and opinions in security operations. He would like to bring this same approach to the Middle East, he said.

"It seems to me that we make progress when we are willing to be open and to use every means at our disposal to try to achieve the ends. But this, of course, requires reciprocal actions from the other parties," Fallon said. "And so I don't know the extent to which those endeavors have been undertaken in the Middle East, but I am very anxious to find out and to try to play a constructive role in that."

If confirmed, Fallon will be the first Navy officer to head Central Command. He acknowledged today that a new way forward is needed in Iraq, with more emphasis on securing the Iraqi population. He said that Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who was confirmed Jan. 26 to command Multinational Force Iraq, will be in charge of operations on the ground, while he will focus on the broader issues.

"It seems to me that there's an expectation that I'd be working outside the borders of Iraq to try to get the neighborhood, for example, to help us, and to continue to work these other issues like Afghanistan," Fallon said. "So I'd be looking to work in a complementary manner."

Right now, Fallon said, he sees a lot of inaction on the part of Middle Eastern countries. He is eager to work with the U.S. Department of State in engaging these countries and working toward stability, he said.

In Iraq, political and economic progress must take place, or security improvements will mean nothing, Fallon said. The Iraqi government must act on the objectives it set out to give the people confidence and hope, he said.

"If this endeavor of a pluralistic democratic entity in Baghdad is going to survive, it's going to require political courage and leadership, I believe, to stand up and make decisions that can be helpful to people," he said.

The United States must make clear to the Iraqi government that U.S. forces are not in an open-ended commitment, and progress is expected, Fallon said. However, now is not the time to give the Iraqis strict deadlines without flexibility, he said.

Diplomacy also will be important in dealing with Iran, Fallon said. The government there is trying to deny U.S. involvement in the region, but is also a threat to U.S. allies, he noted. The U.S. must work with these allies and pay close attention to Iran's actions, he said.

"There are many things that ought to be considered as we approach our engagement in the region, and I'll be very anxious to particularly consult with the Gulf region nations to see what's new, what's learned, because it's been a number of years since I actually engaged in this area," Fallon said.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

Group Takes Helping Wounded to New Heights

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 30, 2007 – Sometimes all it takes for a wounded veteran to begin healing is being surrounded by family and friends. That's the premise on which the Minnesota-based Veterans Airlift Command was founded. Walter Fricke, founder of the nonprofit organization and a former Army aviator, knows having family and friends nearby can aide a wounded vet's recovery. "I was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and I was wounded while flying a helicopter," he said.

Fricke said he spent about six months in a military hospital with 700 miles separating him from his family. It was only after his family members gathered the resources to visit him that his condition, which had actually begun to decline, started turning around.

"I didn't start healing until my family got there. In fact, I was going downhill until they got there," he said. "I really know the value of having a family close by and also for kids getting home on convalescent leave."

Years after Fricke made a full recovery, he realized there was again an unmet need. Wounded veterans of the global war on terrorism are recovering at military medical facilities and Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country, sometimes far from home and their families.

With the mission of providing "air transportation for medical and other compassionate purposes to wounded warriors, veterans and their families through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots," he began Veterans Airlift Command.

It began in spring 2006 and in November, with nine aircraft in its network, Veterans Airlift Command flew its first mission, which involved a young Marine.

"We now have well over 200 aircraft in our system," Fricke said, adding that the number of volunteer pilots has grown without any formal advertising. "The aviation community really connects on this, and they have been pretty aggressive in signing up."

Fricke said he received many requests for assistance during the holiday season from wounded servicemembers wanting to get home to spend time with their families. Typically, though, about half of requests for transport come from family members, he said.

In fact, that's how the first mission came about. A young injured Marine had traveled from his home in Melbourne, Fla., to Jacksonville, N.C., to receive his Purple Heart and other awards. The trip took 13 hours and required four layovers.

The Marine's father, in an effort to make things easier for his son's return trip, contacted the Military Severely Injured Center, which put him in touch with Veterans Airlift Command. "We flew him home in two and a half hours, nonstop," Fricke said.

Other inquiries typically come through official channels, Fricke said, adding that his group has developed a good relationship with Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. The medical facility makes at least one request daily.

The organization operates with very little overhead, Fricke said. The group works with donations that include the pilots' time, use of their planes and fuel. The cost of the flights can vary greatly depending on the distance flown and what type of aircraft is used. A typical flight, up to 500 miles, costs the pilots a minimum of $500, but can go as high as $10,000 when a corporate jet flies a mission for Fricke.

When the group's fundraising mechanism is organized, Fricke expects that anything raised above what is needed to cover his few overhead costs will be used to buy airline tickets when it's not practical to use a private aircraft. For example, if a flight is outside the organization's maximum flight radius of about 800 miles, a commercial airline is a more practical choice.

The organization also has been working with USA Cares on a travel request hotline, Fricke said. Though the group prefers requests come to them via their Web site, by the end of February, USA Cares will be fielding and vetting requests for Veterans Airlift Command assistance received on the travel request hotline, 1-866-784-8917.

USA Cares is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans are supporting the nation's servicemembers.

To date, Veterans Airlift Command has flown about 35 missions and expects to complete at least 250 this year. While he anticipates the organization's volunteer network will be able to handle 1,000 missions in 2008, Fricke's ideal number would be much lower.

"Zero would be the perfect number," he said, to indicate he wished the need for his service didn't exist.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

Training Center Transformation Ensures Combat-Ready Troops

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 30, 2007 – When the National Training Center opened here in 1981, it presented the most realistic environment imaginable for troops to prepare for a potential large-scale, tank-on-tank confrontation with the Soviet Union in Germany's Fulda Gap. Today, this sweeping training center has transformed dramatically to train troops for the fight they face today against terrorists and insurgent groups in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Deep within the Mojave Desert, on a post larger than Rhode Island, there's little sign of the National Training Center's past life, when it focused on preparing troops for a major Cold War confrontation.

Gone is the permanent opposing force that operated with Soviet tactics, dressed in Soviet uniforms and navigated the training grounds in Vietnam-era M-551 Sheridan tanks modified to look like T-72 and BMP tanks.

Army Capt. Sean Patrick, an observer-controller with the Operations Group here, remembers going through the old NTC in 1999. "It was a high-intensity conflict environment, designed for tank-on-tank conflict," he recalled. "It was wide-open desert, with no towns. We were fighting the Soviet army, so our techniques were different."

Today, Patrick and the rest of the NTC cadre and staff offer what soldiers training here describe as the best preparation they could receive stateside for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Troops now train for the many diverse tasks they'll be called on to conduct while deployed: mounted and dismounted patrols, cordon-and-search missions, searches for weapons caches and high-value targets, bilateral talks with Iraqi officials, and infrastructure missions.

"What we do here runs the spectrum, from troop-leading procedures to teaching units how to react to contact and everything in between," said Patrick.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Adam Lammers, another observer-controller, went through NTC in 1997 with the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. Ten years later, he's training the same unit for its third deployment to Iraq.

"Instead of putting the emphasis on big tank-on-tank battles, now the focus is on stability and support operations," he said. "Also, back then, we used tactical assembly areas. Now our operations are FOB (forward operating base)-based. So a lot has changed."

Training reflects the environment and threats troops will face in Iraq, and is altered slightly for troops deploying to Afghanistan. Scenarios are updated regularly to reflect lessons learned on the battlefield, said Army Col. Steven Salazar, commander of the Operations Group. "We do absolutely everything we can possibly think of to make sure we have a current environment and a current scenario," he said.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Heath Thayer, a section trainer for the scout platoon, calls the NTC's similarity to conditions in Iraq the perfect environment to reinforce the tactics, techniques and procedures troops will use during their deployment.

"This gives us an opportunity to rehearse (standard operating procedures and tactics, techniques and procedures) that soldiers have been working on at home station and evaluate if they will actually work in theater ... against the most realistic and up-to-date threats," he said. "It's all very realistic, about as realistic as it gets."

Much of the activity centers around 12 Iraqi-style villages that dot the landscape, inhabited by some 1,600 actors posing as Iraqi citizens. Most of these actors are soldiers from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment that serves as NTC's permanent opposing force, but 250 are Iraqi-Americans. They adopt roles ranging from political or tribal leaders to mullahs to everyday people whose support varies for or against U.S. troops depending on their actions.

John Wagstaffe, the training center's public affairs officer, compares the scenarios that take place in these villages to "an improvised Shakespearean play."

Citizens in the fictional village of Wasl, for example, started a recent training exercise relatively neutral toward the Americans in their midst. But after a patrol from the 3rd Infantry Division disrupted a house during a search and treated an "Iraqi" woman in a way the local people thought inappropriate, they staged a demonstration. The protest turned violent, and two soldiers were "captured."

The following day, a small group of soldiers met with the town mayor, police chief and religious leaders to help turn a bad situation around. "We focus on getting soldiers used to dealing with the Iraqis and how to react to different scenarios," explained David Beach, one of two site managers in the "town."

Army Pvt. 2 Jimmy Hills, who has played a friendly Iraqi for the past six months, said he sees a direct correlation between soldiers' actions and the local people's behavior. "It all depends on what the soldiers do. If they mess up the city, it's just like in real life; we get angry," he said. "When soldiers go through here, they actually reap the repercussions of their actions. As they do that, they are learning cultural awareness, how to use the language and what to look for."

Nearly every training situation here enforces the ever-present threat posed by improvised explosive devices and snipers. Pyrotechnics are used widely to keep troops ever watchful for roadside bombs, car bombs and insurgents wearing suicide vests. Snipers hide within the villages, often attacking when troops react to IEDs.

For example, medics going through Lammers' simulation training exercise lane got a taste of that when their Humvee and a vehicle loaded with "Iraqis" got hit by an IED. As the troops secured the area and began treating patients, they were hit with a sniper attack.

Army Cpl. Nathan Bell, a gunner with the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, who returned from Iraq in March, called the villages, explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire here good preparation for the unit's upcoming deployment. "This is all pretty realistic, and it's making us better prepared," he said. "We're able to work on deficient areas and get retrained in areas we need it."

Army 1st Lt. Doug Serota had glowing words for the training the NTC cadre offered his troops. "These guys learned a lot from overseas, and they know what they need to push our way," he said. "There's always stuff we can learn, and these guys are awesome in what they give us."

The NTC cadre and staff say they recognize the urgency of the training. "Nobody comes to the NTC anymore unless they are going to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan," Wagstaffe said. "That puts a lot more pressure on us to ensure that the training is challenging and meaningful. We have to be sure that when people leave here, they are ready to go."

After-action reviews, conducted after training events, take on a more pressing nature than ever before. "No thin skin, okay?" Army Sgt. 1st Class Steve Smith, an observer-controller, said as he talked with members of 1st Platoon, 58th Combat Engineer Company, about a road-clearance training mission.

Smith pointed out shortcomings in the mission in which five tracked vehicles got ambushed and two of them got hit with IEDs. The vehicles were spaced too closely together, making them vulnerable to attack, he noted. The soldiers didn't properly scan the area for secondary IEDs before reacting to the first. They had no established succession of command in the event that the leaders were lost. And a single vehicle crew was tapped to do two missions it couldn't possibly do simultaneously: evacuate casualties while setting up a traffic control point.

"Hopefully you will learn something from here," Smith told the soldiers, all bound for Iraq within the next few months. "Take what you get here and apply it."

"The whole thing we do here is to get these guys spun up and get them ready," said Bob Mortensen, a civilian who advises troops going through route-clearance training. "The more knowledge people have when they get (to the combat theater), the better. So that's our mandate: to train these guys, give them the most up-to-date information so that when they're into the theater, they're prepared."

Army Sgt. Tony Smith, preparing for his third deployment to Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade, said he welcomes the preparation he's getting at NTC. "This training parallels everything we deal with over there in Iraq," he said.

"This is probably as close as we are going to get to what it looks like and what we're going to be exposed to in Iraq," agreed Sgt. Marcus Williams, Smith's comrade. "It gets pretty intense here, because that's what it's going to be like when we are over there. So this is the time we can make mistakes and fix those mistakes."

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

National Leaders Thank Wounded Warriors

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 30, 2007 – How does a nation thank someone whose legs were destroyed by an insurgent's homemade bomb? How do Americans pay tribute to someone whose face melted in the fires of war? In marking the opening of a new state-of-the-art rehabilitation center and two new Fisher Houses here yesterday, Cabinet secretaries, military leaders, senators, business leaders, and celebrities did their best to express their gratitude to some of the nation's sons and daughters who bear the scars of combat. The VIPs acknowledged both the servicemembers' and their family members' sacrifice.

"All those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and all those recovering from their wounds remind us of the price of freedom," Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said. "It is a price that is periodically required to be paid in blood, and suffering and courage."

England was one of about 3,000 people gathered here to mark the opening of the Center for the Intrepid, the Army's national rehabilitation center, and two Fisher Houses, where families of the severely wounded stay to be near their loved ones. The $50 million center was built from private funds donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

"What you see before you is a monument built by contributions by 600,000 Americans," said Arnold Fisher, chairman of the fund. "This is a monument to not only the men and women and their families who will come here, but a monument to the generosity of our citizens and their love for those who serve."

Both the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Fisher House Foundation are members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program. The program works to highlight ways in which Americans support U.S. troops

The guests, including actress Michelle Pfeiffer, talk show celebrity Rosie O'Donnell, singer-songwriter John Mellencamp and producer David E. Kelley, paid tribute to more than 300 severely wounded men and women. While some troops sat in a row of wheelchairs in front of the stage, others slowly walked beneath crossed swords to silently parade before the applauding audience.

Mellencamp performed two of his hit songs, "Pink Houses" and "Our Country" during the event. The entertainer said he came here because the rehabilitation center is a worthwhile project. "It shows the spirit of what people can do on their own when they want to and when they need to," he told American Forces Press Service.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the military's highest-ranking officer, said he objects to the idea that these members of the all-volunteer force "lost" their limbs. "You gave an arm; you gave a leg; you gave your sight as gifts to your nation that we might live in freedom," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff emphatically told the wounded warriors.

Pace said families members have sacrificed in ways that most people can only imagine. They, too, often need rehabilitation, and that's why the Center for the Intrepid and the Fisher Houses are so important.

"Those of you who are family members of the fallen and of the wounded have served this country as well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform, and we thank you for that," the chairman said. "You pray for us when we're gone, and ... when we're wounded, you're there to put us back together again."

Pace's senior enlisted advisor, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, later echoed his boss's sentiments. "Families are the most important thing to us soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and 'Coasties,'" Gainey said in an interview. "If we have a system that will take care of our families, then we can deal with it, and that's a fact. If we take care of the families, we take care of the troops."

Pace also paid tribute to the military's caregivers. "From the instant any of us is wounded on the battlefield until the time we arrive here," he said, the medical professionals provide "the loving care and compassion that these wounded warriors so deserve."

One of those caregivers, retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Kathy Rasmussen, assistant administrator for the Center for the Intrepid, led the chairman on a brief tour of the $50 million facility. The 24-year veteran from Charles City, Iowa, recently retired from active duty but stayed on as a civilian employee here. "What better way to continue to serve my country," she told American Forces Press Service. "I absolutely love working with the patients."

Army Master Sgt. Daniel Robles, 17-year-Army veteran from Tucson, Ariz., who's now a patient at the Center for the Intrepid, was severely injured about four months after deploying to Iraq. He said hopes to find work at Fort Sam Houston.

"There's a lot of good people here who want to support me in that," he said in an interview. "I think it's going to work out."

During the ceremony, Arizona Sen. John McCain acknowledged the debt the nation owes its combat veterans and their families. "We have incurred a debt to you, and no matter how sincerely and generously we honor our obligations to you, we can never repay in full," McCain said. "What you have done for us we can never do for you. But we're mindful of that distinction and humbled by it.

"Our appreciation for your service demands that we all do what we can ... to help keep this nation a place, an idea worthy of the hardships, dangers and sacrifices you have borne so valiantly for us."

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said the country has been well served by those who fight for our freedoms.

"We are blessed to have so many who have given so much," she said. "But in return, we are obligated to ensure in every way we can that they and their families are given the support that they have so richly earned and deserved."

The rehab center will be a place of healing and support, for the wounded warriors who face a challenging road ahead, Clinton said.

"May this center and the staff that serve so nobly here help all who pass through its doors to heal in body and soul, to look forward to a future that is still filled with potential, to live long and productive lives at home and to continue in whatever way you choose to serve this nation that admires, respects and loves you," she said.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

National Guard Chief Confirmed for Additional Two Years

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 29, 2007 – The U.S. Senate has confirmed the nomination of Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum for a two-year extension as chief of the National Guard Bureau.
President Bush nominated Blum for the extension in December. The Senate acted on the nomination Jan. 26. Blum will have served as the chief for four years in April.

During his tenure, Blum has presided over the transformation of the National Guard from a strategic reserve to an operational force. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he rebalanced the National Guard to ensure the nation's governors would have at least one-half of their National Guard available at all times to respond to potential catastrophic events. During Hurricane Katrina, he directed the largest military response to a national disaster in American history, sending more than 50,000 Guardsmen from every state and territory to relieve the badly stricken Gulf states.

In 2006, Blum answered the call of the president and four southwestern governors to send up to 6,000 troops to support the Customs and Border Patrol mission along the U.S.-Mexico border. The largest mobilization of the Guard since World War II also occurred during Blum's first four years as the National Guard Bureau chief.

Blum is the senior uniformed National Guard officer responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans affecting more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel. Appointed by the president, he serves as the principal advisor to the secretary and chief of staff of the Army, and the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force on all National Guard issues. Blum serves as the Army and Air Force's official channel of communication with the governors and adjutants general of the states.

Prior to his current assignment, Blum served as chief of staff of U.S. Northern Command from August 2002 to April 2003.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

Navy Aviator Missing In Action From the Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Navy Cmdr. Peter Mongilardi Jr., of Haledon, N.J. He will be buried on April 11 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C.

On June 25, 1965, Mongilardi departed the USS Coral Seain his A-4C Skyhawk on an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. His flight encountered bad weather and enemy fire over Thanh Hoa Province, causing the wingman to lose visual and radio contact with Mongilardi. Contact was never re-established and the aircraft failed to return to the carrier.

In 1993, a joint U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) archival team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), obtained information concerning the crash while researching documents, artifacts and photographs at the Central Army Museum in Hanoi. Later that year, another joint U.S./S.R.V. team conducted an investigation in Thanh Hoa Province. The team interviewed two local Vietnamese citizens who recalled the crash and said the pilot died in the impact. The men then led the team to the crash site.

In 1994, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered human remains and pilot-related items, including a belt tip, boot heel, pieces of flight boot and other items worn by the pilot.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used nuclear DNA in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/ or call (703) 699-1169.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books, blogs and websites.

$50 Million Rehabilitation Center Opens on Fort Sam Houston

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 29, 2007 – Thanks to the generosity of 600,000 Americans, wounded warriors now have a $50 million state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation facility. The Center for the Intrepid, designed for servicemembers wounded in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, opened here today along with two new Fisher Houses during a ceremony that included speeches from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace and Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England. R. James Nicholson, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs also spoke at the ceremony.

"There are those who speak about (wounded warriors) today -- 'He lost an arm. He lost a leg. She lost her sight.' I object," Pace told the the injured troops in attendance. "You gave an arm, you gave a leg, you gave your sight as gifts to your nation that we might live in freedom."

The $50 million center was built entirely from private funds through the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides assistance to the nation's military heroes injured in the performance of duty and their families.

"This is a red letter day for this country and for the 600,000 Americans who have contributed a dollar, some more than a million dollars, to make sure our young men and women who have given so much to this country are aware the American people care about them," said Arnold Fisher, chairman of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. "They are our national treasure."

Both the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Fisher House Foundation, which makes the Fisher Houses possible, are members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program. The program works to highlight ways in which Americans support U.S. troops, veterans and their families.

Dozens of wounded warriors joined more than 3,000 guests at the grand opening. The guest list included Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain, country group Big & Rich, Rosie O'Donnell, Michelle Pfeiffer, producer David E. Kelley and top military leaders from all branches of service. Rock music star John Mellencamp performed during the ceremony.

Although the audience was packed with the top military leaders and Hollywood celebrities, the wounded warriors received the longest round of applause, along with a standing ovation.

"It's amazing, truly amazing. It really shows the American people care," said wounded warrior Staff Sgt. Daniel Barnes, a bilateral amputee.

The four-story, 60,000-square-foot center was designed for wounded warriors like Barnes. Equipped with the latest rehabilitation technology, it is a potential athlete's dream. The facility includes an indoor running track, firing range, pool, two-story climbing wall, prosthetic center and a computer assisted rehabilitation environment known as CAREN.

The environment comprises a dome with a 4-meter platform and screen, simulating everything from a city sidewalk to a day on the lake so patients can improve their gait and balancing skills. The unit is one of nine in the world, and it is the only one in the United States.

"What you see before you is a monument built by contributions by 600,000 Americans," Fisher said. "This is a monument to not only the men and women and their families who will come here, but a monument to the generosity of our citizens and their love for those who serve."

The center will initially cater to amputees and burn patients injured in the global war on terrorism, but is hoped to expand to encompass retirees, family members and veterans.

"This is my son's (Ken Fisher) and my commitment, and our mission," Fisher said.
"We'll continue this as long as it's necessary. Our only wish is that a place like this someday, it will become a garage."

The two new Fisher Houses bring the on-post total to four. Fisher Houses serve as a home away from home for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and Veterans Affairs medical centers.

The 21-room homes are built in the newer Fisher House style, with a sprawling 16,800 square feet, as opposed to 5,000-plus square feet. Families will be able to live in comfort and style as they care for their loved ones at BAMC in homes that more closely resemble a Malibu mansion than temporary military housing. Each home has a kitchen even Martha Stewart would love, a formal dining room, several sitting rooms and elegant bedrooms equipped with DVD/VCR systems and flat screen TVs.

"What a privilege it is to render assistance to military families," said Ken Fisher, chairman of the Fisher House Foundation.

Pace echoed the sentiment. "Thank you to the families -- families of the fallen, families of the wounded; you sacrifice in ways that people who have not walked in your shoes can only imagine. When we are wounded, you are there to help put us back together. Those of you who are family members of fallen and of wounded have served this country as well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform."

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

Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have authored books; and criminal justice leadership online.

Army Vice Chief Awards Medals at New Rehab Center

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 29, 2007 – With the star-studded grand opening just a day away, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody yesterday officiated over the first awards ceremony at the Center for the Intrepid here. The official dedication of the $50 million, state-of-the-art rehabilitation center for wounded warriors today is slated to draw a crowd of 3,000, along with a slew of celebrities and politicians, to include Senss Hillary Clinton and John McCain, and entertainers Denzel Washington, John Mellencamp and Rosie O'Donnell.

Yesterday, however, Cody's focus was not on the grand opening or the celebrity cast, but on Army Master Sgt. Daniel Robles, who was being honored with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star in the lobby of the new center.

"We have a warrior ethos in the Army that Sergeant. Robles has lived up to all of his career, and certainly on that day in April 2006 in Baghdad when he was serving as an NCO, leading soldiers when he was injured," the general said.

The mortar platoon sergeant was injured April 8, 2006, while on a patrol in southern Baghdad. Robles was riding in the lead vehicle of a convoy when it hit an improvised explosive device. Robles was riddled with shrapnel and lost both of his legs below the knee as a result of the explosion.

"Since then he's been going back and living that ethos of 'mission first,' never accepting defeat, never quitting and never leaving a fallen comrade," Cody said.

That same mission applies to the Center for the Intrepid, Cody said. The center was made possible through private donations and the commitment of Arnold and Ken Fisher, a father-son team who head up the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Fisher House Foundation.

Both the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Fisher House Foundation are members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which works to highlight ways in which Americans support U.S. troops, veterans and their families.

"Mission first is getting soldiers like Sergeant Robles back on their feet; never quitting is his job; never accepting defeat is our job to help him; and never leaving a fallen comrade is what the Fisher House Foundation and the CFI Foundation (have done), and all of those great Americans who have donated their dollars and their hearts to let our soldiers know that if you are wounded on the battlefield, we will stay with you," Cody said.

Despite his injuries, Robles stood to receive his Bronze Star and Purple Heart, which Cody called a "badge of honor."

"I hate giving out Purple Hearts, but I'm also proud to give out Purple Hearts because I know the pain and suffering that not only the soldier goes through, but also his family in helping him in coming back, never quitting and giving him back his life."

Regardless of their injuries, Cody said, many of the soldiers he meets profess their love of this country and the Army. "Most of them say, 'General, can we stay in? I have so much to offer,'" he said.

The general said Robles asked him the same question. Cody gave his answer at the awards ceremony. "You have my commitment as vice chief of staff of the Army," he said, "we'll keep you in the Army as long as you want to stay."

Robles, who has 17 years already under his belt, said he's excited he will be able to complete a 20-year career. "It's pretty amazing," he said. "(Cody) even gave me his card.

"I couldn't ask to be in a better place coming to Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center," Robles said. "I can only imagine what will be accomplished once this place is fully open. Tomorrow is a big day for Fort Sam and all of the services."

Along with the Center for the Intrepid, two new Fisher Houses will open today at Fort Sam Houston. The 21-room houses, which resemble an upscale hotel, provide a home away from home for families of wounded warriors.

"People ask me why we do what we do," said Ken Fisher, chairman and CEO of the Fisher House Foundation. "Look to my left," he said referring to Robles. "Can you imagine this sergeant going through his rehab and not having his family with him? This is exactly why we do what we do."

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

Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have authored books; and criminal justice leadership online.