Ceremony Honors Troops Killed in Persian Gulf War

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 25, 2007 – About 160 family members of U.S. troops killed during the Persian Gulf War gathered at an Army officers' club at Fort Myer, Va., today as part of an annual observance to remember fallen loved ones. The 16th annual remembrance ceremony to honor those killed in the Gulf War is sponsored by the White House Commission on Remembrance and the Embassy of the State of Kuwait.

The ceremony was to have been held at Section 60 in Arlington National Cemetery, where many servicemembers killed in the Gulf War lay at rest. However, inclement winter weather caused the ceremony to be moved indoors to Fort Myers, located next to the cemetery.

The United States and more than 20 allied nations fought the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War to remove Iraqi military forces that had invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990 by then-dictator Saddam Hussein's order. More than 370 U.S. servicemembers died in the conflict.

Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was one of several senior U.S. and foreign government officials who addressed the families at the event. The admiral said it was an honor "to celebrate not only the service, but of course, the sacrifice of those who fought and died in defense of freedom in the Gulf War."

Giambastiani said remembrance of the fallen is a long-standing American military tradition, and Arlington National Cemetery "is a physical remembrance and an expression of remembrance of service and sacrifice and loss that each of us, every single one of us in uniform carry as part of who we are and why we serve."

Observances of the fallen also help families realize their "yearning and fervent desire to retain the spirit of these loved ones," the four-star admiral said.

"One behalf of a grateful nation, I thank you for your sacrifice - the greatest one can make," Giambastiani told gathered family members. "I can assume you that we will continue to support and defend the nation for whom they gave the last full measure of devotion."

The remembrance ceremony also illustrates the strong bond of friendship between the people of the United States and Kuwait, Gordon Gray, the U.S. State Department's deputy assistant Secretary of State for the Near East, said.

Since liberation by U.S. and coalition forces at the end of February 1991, Kuwait continues as an appreciated and steadfast ally of the United States, Gordon said. Kuwait has instituted many democratic and economic reforms over recent years in a tumultuous region of the world, Gordon noted, including providing Kuwaiti women the right to vote and run for political office.

The U.S.-Kuwaiti partnership "is embodied by robust political, military and economic ties," Gordon said, noting Kuwait has provided substantial assistance during Operation Iraqi Freedom, to include the provision of troops.

Sheik Salem Abdullah Al Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait's Ambassador to the United States, extended his government's gratitude and that of its people to the United States' military members who died to liberate his country during the Persian Gulf War. Kuwait, he said, has experienced a political and economic rebirth since the late Iraqi dictator's forces were driven out 16 years ago.

"The victory of Operation Desert Storm will never, ever be forgotten," the Kuwaiti ambassador said. "Nothing can make up for the pain you have suffered or bring back your loved ones.

"But, the brave sacrifices of your loved ones were not meaningless or made in vain," he said. "It has meant so much to us Kuwaitis, and to other people in the [Middle East] region."

About 30 families attended the event, said Carmella LaSpada, director of the White House Commission on Remembrance.

Lisa Spain, 42, widow of Army Staff Sgt. William T. Butts, a helicopter door gunner who died in Iraq sixteen years ago, said she was grateful to attend the observance ceremony, wherever it was held.

"It's appreciated and hasn't gone unnoticed," said Spain, who has since remarried and lives in Atlanta. She attended this year's observance with her three daughters, Shannon, 23, and Lindsey, 17, from her marriage to Butts, and 7-year-old Lexi from her present marriage.

Butts died on Feb. 27, 1991, Spain said, during an aerial mission to rescue an Air Force F-16 pilot whose jet had crashed in Iraq. Butts' UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was shot down by Iraqi forces, she recalled, killing five of the Blackhawk's eight-member crew.

Spain's husband died four hours after a cease-fire had been agreed to by the Iraqi government, she said. His remains are buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

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

NORTHCOM Hosts Hurricane-Preparation Conference

By Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braymen, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – Representatives from military and civilian agencies that would provide federal hurricane-relief efforts attended the second annual Hurricane Preparation Conference hosted by U.S. Northern Command at its headquarters yesterday. Participants discussed improving communication and collaboration should the need for federal assistance arise during the 2007 hurricane season.

"It's all about, 'What did we learn the last time and how can we do it better this time?'" said Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul J. Sullivan, chief of staff of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and NORTHCOM. "That's really why we meet on an annual basis in February. If we uncovered something difficult right now, we still have time to react before the heart of the hurricane season."

Conference attendees included officials from the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C., and the adjutants general or their representatives from nine hurricane-prone states on the Gulf and southeastern coasts of the United States. Also attending were leaders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Army North, 1st Air Force, NORTHCOM and other officials who could be involved in disaster response.

Successful hurricane-relief efforts are built on a partnership among organizations, "and we need all of these partners," said Glenn Cannon, director of FEMA's response division.

"We've all learned that we can't respond to these things and everyone do their own thing," he said. "There has to be a unified response. What these workshops do is give us the chance to not only integrate plans but ... to integrate people."

Every day at FEMA, Cannon said, operations center personnel talk with their counterparts in the operations centers at DHS, the Coast Guard and NORTHCOM.

"That's critical that we share information and we know what's going on, so that we're all on the same page," he said. "The American people are benefited by having a coordinated, unified response to their situation. We have so much that we can use to help people, to save lives and reduce suffering. But if we don't do it in a coordinated way, we won't (accomplish) that mission in the best way possible."

NORTHCOM assets are normally not the first to be called upon for hurricane-relief operations; by law, the command must wait to respond until directed by the president or secretary of defense. Typically, the first uniformed people on the ground at the scene are National Guard soldiers and airmen.

The hurricane-preparation conference allows National Guard leaders to get to know NORTHCOM officials and build closer relationships with them, said Alabama adjutant general, Army Maj. Gen. C. Mark Bowen.

"With the relationship we've built here, I will feel more comfortable going to Northern Command and saying, 'Look, we need a little help in Alabama,'" Bowen said. "We've worked out a mutual aid-type agreement where we work together, and that's going to work very well for us."

The governor of Louisiana has instructed the state's National Guard leaders to do as much coordination as possible with their federal partners who can help the state's citizens during times of need, said Louisiana adjutant general, Army Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau.

"The opportunity to have coordination discussion and collaboration is absolutely essential to our preparations for whatever we need to respond to within the state, whether it's tornadoes or a man-made disaster or hurricanes or whatever," he said.

The quiet hurricane season of 2006 was an anomaly, said Air Force Lt. Col. David Lawyer, NORTHCOM's senior meteorology and oceanographic officer. "Don't let your guard down because of what happened in 2006," he warned conference participants. "That was abnormal that we didn't have any hurricanes hit the United States at all."

For the 2007 hurricane season beginning June 1 and ending Nov. 30, experts predict 14 named storms, seven of which are expected to be hurricanes.

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braymen is assigned to the combined Public Affirs Office of NORAD and NORTHCOM.)

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

New Agency Director to Guide DoD Business Transformation

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – A new Defense Department agency designed to drive and accelerate improvements to the department's business operations now has its first director. David M. Fisher was chosen as the Business Transformation Agency's director, officials announced during a discussion with reporters at the Pentagon yesterday. Fisher has been the BTA's acting director since November, and also has served as the defense enterprise integration executive and the director of transformation priorities and requirements within the agency.

Fisher thanked Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, and the department for giving him "an opportunity to take the great work that's already been done to date and grow it."

"This is not a transformation point, I think it's a maturity point," Fisher said.

Fisher said he will continue to execute the planning that has gone into DoD's business transformation effort over the past two years.

"Philosophically, I think I'm perfectly aligned with where this effort has gone over the last couple of years to build that foundation," he said. But planning and executing reconstruction efforts within a department as large as DoD takes time, he emphasized.

Brinkley said Fisher was selected after "a long and thorough" candidate search.

"One of our key challenges has been to create a nonpolitical organization, the Business Transformation Agency, to establish momentum, to deliver measurable six-month outcomes, and to be accountable to the taxpayers and the American people," Brinkley said.

Appointing Fisher to lead the BTA will help sustain this effort beyond the term of this administration, Brinkley said.

"(We) want to set this effort up to be successful and sustained in the long term for the Department of Defense," he said.

"The DoD is a massive enterprise, because it was the first organization to computerize - it's got computer standards of every standard from 1950 to 2006," Brinkley said. "Our job is to modernize that.

"Big corporations take years to modernize," said he continued. "You're not going to modernize the largest industrial enterprise in the world in a four-year presidential term."

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

Online Tool Offers Guidance for Troops' Water Purification Requirements

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – The problem of "Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink" can apply as much to deployed troops cut off from their pure water supply as it did to the ancient mariner stranded at sea in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's beloved poem. Clean water is critical to military operations, used in everything from drinking to hygiene and field sanitation to food preparation to medical care, Army Maj. Bill Bettin, chief of the field water section for the Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine here, told American Forces Press Service.

The typical deployed troop pours through 15 to 20 gallons of water a day, he said.

Recognizing the importance of water to the military mission, the services have sophisticated water purification and supply networks to ensure troops are never left high and dry. An old Quartermaster Corps adage captures water's importance to servicemembers: "The ultimate weapon runs on water, and everything else runs on fuel."

But what happens when troops find themselves operating away from their established water supply lines with little chance of getting their water supply replenished before it runs out?

Bacteria, viruses and parasites make many local water sources unsafe, Bettin said, and simply boiling water isn't always enough to ensure contaminants are destroyed.

So for emergency situations or operations in remote areas with no water resupply available, troops resort to disinfecting surface water they find with iodine tablets or purifying it with charcoal-based filtering systems. The problem, Bettin said, is that current military-issued purifiers work slowly and may not be as effect as possible.

Commercial water-purification systems have become popular among hikers and campers, and outdoor magazines and catalogs tout their benefits. But until recently, the military hadn't systematically tested these systems and wasn't able to tell deploying units which ones might best suit their needs, Bettin said.

To come up with an answer, the Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine launched an 18-month scientific study of 68 commercial, off-the-shelf water-purification systems.

As they evaluated these systems, Bettin and his staff quickly realized that there's no one-size-fits-all answer to military water-purification requirements. "We had planned to pick one product to recommend, but because of the different scenarios units operate under, there was no one solution for every unit," he said.

Instead, they came up with an online decision tool units can use to select the best water purification system for their exact circumstances. That tool, posted on the center's Web site, helps units evaluate what might work best for them and what doesn't work at all, he said. "We found that some (commercial) claims were groundless, and we were able to weed out the non-performers," he said.

Which personal water purifier works best depends on a range of considerations, Bettin said. Units operating at a stationary base camp might find that one system best fits their needs, while troops on the move, either mounted or dismounted, might need something altogether different. In an emergency situation that leaves forces cut off from their existing supply lines, an entirely different system might be the answer, he said.

But other factors play into the decision, as well, including the size and weight of the system, how easy it is to use, its cost, and most importantly, its effectiveness.

The new decision tool has proven to be popular among military members trying to sift through the myriad commercial pitches by water-purification companies. "We've gotten feedback from users who like that it's easy to use and apply," Bettin said.

Civilian outdoorsmen are also accessing the site and reporting its value, he said. Among them was a high school teacher who thanked Bettin for helping him select water-purification systems for a school camping trip.

Just how effective the new site has been in helping prevent troops from drinking contaminated water or having to scale back their water usage due to shortages is tough to tell, Bettin acknowledged.

"That's the whole challenge of preventive medicine," he said. "We know that it's providing a positive result, but it's hard to report what you've prevented."

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

DoD Overhauling Disability Evaluation System

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – The Defense Department is putting in place reforms to its disability evaluation system and working to ensure the decisions of the Disability Advisory Council are fast and fair, Pentagon officials said today. The system is used to evaluate servicemembers' disabilities and separate or retain them, as appropriate. Servicemembers who are separated with at least a 30 percent disability rating receive disability retirement pay, medical benefits and commissary privileges. With a rating below 30 percent, veterans receive severance pay, but no benefits.

In the past, each service had its own disability evaluation system. Now DoD has put in place an overarching DoD-level framework with a single information system, Pentagon officials said. Each service manages its caseload under that framework.

The war on terrorism has taxed the system, officials said. Medical and transportation advances have allowed more servicemembers to survive more serious wounds than in previous wars. In fiscal 2006, service eligibility board caseloads were 13,162 for the Army, 5,684 for the naval services, and 4,139 for the Air Force. In 2001, the numbers were: 7,218 for the Army, 4,999 for the naval services and 2,816 in the Air Force.

DoD officials acknowledge that servicemembers have complaints about the system. According to recent media reports, servicemembers have complained that the military services are not consistent in evaluations and do not follow the Department of Veterans Affairs schedule of rating disabilities. They say it takes too long for evaluations to be processed, the process is unnecessarily complicated, and personnel running the system are inadequately trained in its nuances.

DoD is aware of these problems and is working to address them, said Marine Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman. "We are in the midst of a business-process review that will generate improvements to program effectiveness," he said. "We are especially concerned with a balance of what constitutes prompt adjudication, while maintaining reasonable flexibility within the system to ensure recoveries are not inappropriately rushed."

He said the services have increased the number of people involved in the process.

DoD is committed to providing quality health care to servicemembers and a "full and fair due process" for disability evaluation and compensation, he said.

In fiscal 2006 most cases were processed within 70 days, officials said.

The disability process begins with medical evaluation boards at military hospitals. Attending physicians evaluate each patient, looking at conditions that may make the servicemember unfit for duty. If the condition or wound is judged to make the servicemember unfit, the board refers the case to a physical evaluation board. The board has a mix of medical officers and line officers. They determine if the problem is service-related or not. The panel further recommends compensation for the injury or condition and recommends the disability rating.

The Army has three boards at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Walter Reed Army Medical Center here; and Fort Lewis, Wash. The Navy has a board at the Washington Navy Yard here. The Air Force board meets in San Antonio.

"Servicemembers are afforded due process to ensure their cases and concerns can be fairly considered," Upton said. "Servicemembers also have rights of appeal at specific points in the process should they disagree with their ratings."

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

Diversity Remains A Priority At DoD, Official Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service


Feb. 23, 2007 – The Defense Department has made significant gains in placing more minorities and women in senior military and civilian positions in recent years, a senior official said at a DoD-sponsored African-American History Month observance luncheon yesterday at Hampton University, Va. Yet, the department can do more, said Clarence A. Johnson, DoD's principal director and director for civilian equal employment opportunity within the department's office of diversity management and equal opportunity.

"We'd certainly like to see more diversity and better representation of all minorities in senior civilian and military grades," Johnson said. "We'd also like to see more minorities and women in some of the key occupations that have a better prospect of leading to the senior ranks and grades."

The Hampton University luncheon was part of annual DoD-sponsored African American History Month workshops and seminars that reach out to students attending historically black colleges and universities to demonstrate the diverse and rewarding civilian and military careers DoD has to offer. Last year's event was held at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas.

The theme for DoD's 2007 African American History Month observance and outreach activities is, "Reaching Out to Youth: A Strategy for Excellence."

Students at the luncheon are part of the future of America, Johnson, a former Air Force colonel, said. He challenged them to engage in public service or related private-sector endeavors so that they could more fully participate in the nation's democracy.
"If you discount military or public service as you consider your options, you'll miss a whole lot of opportunity right before you," Johnson said.

Whether leading troops in battle, flying a jet off the deck of an aircraft carrier on the high seas, or conducting nuclear research, young people who join the military or DoD's civilian work force perform important missions while gaining leadership skills and responsibilities unavailable anywhere else, Johnson said.

Johnson also praised 11 African-American servicemen and women who'd been selected for DoD recognition for their contributions in the global war against terrorism. Johnson had presented the servicemembers with signed certificates at an award ceremony held the previous day.

The honored African-American servicemen and women are "heroes who indeed are reflective of the superb men and women of our military," Johnson said. He also asked the audience to salute all servicemembers defending the nation.

America's military members "volunteer to put their lives at risk to safeguard our freedom and our way of life," Johnson said.

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

Citizens Must Take 'Ownership' to Preserve Freedoms

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

February 23, 2007 – Citizens who serve in the military, or seek out other selfless civic responsibilities, help to preserve the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans, a university president and retired two-star Army general said here yesterday. Wallace C. Arnold, president of Cheyney University in West Chester, Pa., spoke at a DoD-sponsored African American History Month observance luncheon at Hampton University. Arnold retired as a major general in 1995 after serving as the Army's assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel.

During his keynote remarks, Arnold told educators and students that freedom isn't free and that Americans of all ethnic persuasions must take personal ownership and responsibility for the nation's future.

"We have to convince men and women in our country that ownership is a part of this," Arnold said. "Ownership causes you to serve; ownership causes you to sacrifice; and ownership causes you to go further than you think you can go."

Citizens who selflessly serve their communities help to sustain "a governmental system that is for and by the people," Arnold said.

Many areas of the world do not enjoy the personal freedoms Americans take for granted on a daily basis, he said, noting Americans could one day lose their freedoms through inattention or apathy. Citizens who serve in the military and take active roles in their communities help to safeguard the nation's freedoms and way of life for future generations, he said.

"Ownership, first, is the preservation of this great land we have," Arnold said.

"If we don't feel like we 'own' everything, we'll lose it," Arnold emphasized. "And what we will lose will be our freedom."

Yet, through "service to country" and "service to each other," Arnold said Americans can ensure that they won't lose their hard-won freedoms.

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

Chairman Visits Brigade Using New 'Reset' Process

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – The 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team here is the first unit to employ the Army's new "reset" process to rapidly refurbish everything from M-16 rifles to state-of-the-art Stryker combat vehicles. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came here yesterday to check out the new process. Accompanied by Maj. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of U.S. Army Alaska, Pace toured a huge maintenance facility where work is under way.

The 3,000 troops and 200 contractors employed in the effort "are dedicated to getting these machines cleaned up and turned faster than normal -- in this case, probably in four months instead of six," Pace said.

"That doesn't mean they're going to go back into combat in four months," he stressed. "But it means they'll be ready quicker than normal, thanks to the terrific energy on the part of the workers here and being able to buy the spare parts to get things fixed."

Jacoby said the reset mission is all about transformation. "Alaska is on the leading edge of supporting the war by providing modular forces for combatant commanders," he said.

"This is not business as usual for Fort Wainwright," he said. "What you see here is not business as usual for the United States Army.

"We're proud to be a part of this," Jacoby continued. "I'm privileged to have the chairman up here and to get a chance to show him great soldiers, family members and civilians who are putting their nose to the grind stone and holding up our end of the bargain."

Army Col. Burt Thompson, commander of the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, said his people are focused on getting equipment coming out of Kuwait "ready to get back into the fight."

In the past, he said, when units needed to refurbish equipment, they sent it off to maintenance depots and the process took about six months. The new reset process aims to cut two months off that timeline by doing the majority of the work at home station.

"Can it be done? I think we're proving that it can," he said. "The priority here is to get this brigade reset in 120 days. The (Army) chief of staff made this a priority, and we're not going to let him down."

The brigade commander pointed out that the reset process involves more than just getting unit equipment ready for deployment. It also involves receiving and training new personnel. "It's about the ability to marry people with equipment (in order) to execute a realistic, collective training strategy, which will begin for us in about June," he said. "We'll carry on with that until we're told to get ourselves on a fast chart to prepare for deployment."

In December, the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team was officially redesignated the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. While most of the troops in the brigade today are newly assigned, about a third carried over from the old brigade, Thompson said.

"We're getting about 1,000 more soldiers by June, on top of about 1,200 we've already got," he said. "There's a lot of new folks, new leadership. It's a brand new team."

The 1,200 soldiers who served with the 172nd spent 16 months in Iraq. The newcomers will learn as much as they can from the combat veterans, Thompson said. "They're enjoying it because they're seeing this thing develop before their eyes," he said. "They're going to get lots of new and refit equipment. They're excited about it."

Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Gabriel Cervantes, who joined the unit a week ago, agreed. "Our soldiers are motivated," he said. "They are up for the task. It's all about attitude, and their attitude is great."

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

Chairman Thanks Spouses, Listens to Their Concerns in Alaska

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 24, 2007 – About 60 military spouses here had a chance yesterday to share some of their concerns with the military's top ranking officer. "Spouses and families serve this country as well as anybody that's ever worn the uniform," the chairman said. In some ways, he said, it's harder for the folks back home than it is for the troops deployed in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

"When we go overseas into combat, we know when we're in trouble," he told the spouses. "We're surrounded by Marines and soldiers, which isn't a bad place to be. For the guys and gals overseas, we're in an environment we're trained for.

"You don't have that luxury," he said. "You think we're in trouble all the time. You sit home and worry."

When military men and women receive awards and citations for their service, Pace said noted, spouses pretend they had nothing to do with it, when in fact they had everything to do with it. "Somehow," he said, "we have to find better ways to provide recognition for spouses' and families' sacrifices."

The chairman briefed the spouses about some of the efforts the services are working on to relieve stress on military families, such as maintaining set tour lengths, providing cash bonuses for extended tours, and lengthening the time between deployments.

When Pace opened the floor for questions, several wives focused on the need for counseling for their mates before and after they came home from combat.

"Obviously, we're more aware of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and we're doing the best that we can," one woman said. "But I don't think we're doing enough. We're not only failing our soldiers, but we're failing our families because we don't really know what we're looking for."

Often, servicemembers don't want to deal with it, she said, and while there are programs out there to help, there is a stigma attached to seeking help. In some cases, they're told to "just suck it up."

She asked if it would be possible to have the troops meet periodically with their peers before they come home so that they have a chance to vent.

"When my husband talks to me, I don't even know how to respond to some of the things he says," she said. "If they can talk among themselves, without fear of repercussion, maybe that would help."

The chairman said military leaders have told his the troops do receive periodic evaluations. The wives indicated that this is true for the active duty troops. One woman said the active duty troops in her husband's unit are given an assessment 30 days prior to coming home. Once they are home, there are 30 and 90 day follow-ups.

Other wives indicated that National Guard and Reserve troops may not be getting the same assessments. The same is true for servicemembers who deploy individually rather than as part of a unit.

Based on the spouses input, Pace said, the military needs a system to require every soldier to go and talk to somebody. Pace used himself as an example of a servicemember who probably wouldn't want to go to counseling.

"Somehow, we need a way, so that guys like me -- who naturally know we don't need any help with anything -- get the chance to sit down and answer questions we really don't want to answer.

"If you give me the chance to volunteer to go see somebody, or not go see somebody, and I'm thinking I'm OK, why would I waste my time," he said. "Especially, if I think everybody's going to wonder if there's something wrong with me. It has to be a required system for everybody."

Another woman suggested helping servicemembers understand and prepare for the transition they'll be making between being in a combat zone and being back with their families.

"My husband came home in January for his two-week, mid-tour leave, and we took the four kids to Disneyland in Orlando," she said. "This man who came home was so military, he began executing a plan of attack on Disneyland. I told him this is a vacation, please sit by the pool. He did, and slowly began to relax.

"The few days we were at home he said, 'I've got to sweep the snow; I know the car needs to be fixed'. So I know when he comes home, he's going to look around the house at all the things I needed to do and he's going to execute his plan of attack on the honey-do list," the woman continued. "I would love to have the time for him to really come back and really relax."

Another woman said it seems the spouse network that traditionally provided family support while their mates are deployed is no longer as strong as it once was. She suggested the spouses need more communication and more knowledge of available support assets.

Another woman said she runs a Family Support Group for her husband's National Guard unit, but when she emails the 300 wives on her list, she only gets about 20 responses. She said they are not helping themselves reach out for the information about programs that will help them.

Lynne Pace pitched in to tell the wives about the Defense Department's America Supports You Program that highlights more than 200 nonprofit homefront groups around the country that provide support. She advised the spouses to check out the Web site: www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.

"There's a lot of information and a lot of groups listed on the web site that truly do support the troops," Lynne said.

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

Chairman Presents Awards for Heroism in Iraq

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Alaska, Feb. 23, 2007 – Marine Gen. Peter Pace presented a Distinguished Service Cross and two Silver Stars here yesterday to three soldiers for heroism displayed in Iraq on Nov. 19, 2005. Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was an emotional moment for him to properly recognize the soldiers' heroism, and "to say thank you for their incredible valor in the face of a very, very dangerous enemy."

Pace awarded the Distinguished Service Cross to Army Pvt. Stephen C. Sanford of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, for displaying extraordinary courage during the evacuation of casualties from a home in Mosul while under intense enemy fire, according to Army officials.

Although shot in the leg during his squad's initial assault attempt, he still accompanied his squad during its second assault. Once inside the house, Sanford provided a heavy volume of suppressive fire while the casualties were evacuated. He continued to engage the enemy while escorting wounded soldiers from the house, according to the award citation.

Sanford returned to the house a second time to provide covering fire for the final withdrawal of casualties. When the last soldier leaving the house was shot in the neck, Sanford began performing CPR. Sanford was shot twice more in the back while trying to revive the other soldier. He returned fire and killed an insurgent while receiving two more potentially fatal gunshot wounds, the citation stated. He continued returning fire while helping his wounded comrade until he was incapacitated by his own loss of blood.

The chairman awarded a Silver Star to Staff Sgt. Michael L. Barrera Jr., and to Pfc. Joshua V. Joseph, both of 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Brigade Combat Team, for heroism and selfless service. Army officials said their courage and disregard for their own welfare resulted in saving the lives of comrades who were severely wounded.

After pinning on the three medals, Pace called the three soldiers back to stand by him in front of a "wall of heroes," displaying photos of the 30 soldiers in their unit who have died in Iraq.

"I have had the distinct honor of participating in many award ceremonies," Pace told the audience of family, friends and fellow soldiers. "This is the first time I have ever had the honor of awarding a Distinguished Service Cross. It's certainly the first time I've ever had in one ceremony the honor of putting two Silver Star Medals on two very deserving soldiers."

The chairman said each of the soldiers would probably say they don't think they deserve the awards. "If you asked them, they'd say they were doing their jobs," he said. "But if you asked their fellow soldiers, they'd say they went above and beyond the call of duty.

"The soldiers on the wall behind me know what you have done," Pace told the award recipients. "Your courage in combat made a difference. You deserve these awards."

When read in a citation, Pace said, words like "extraordinary heroism" and "gallantry in action" don't capture what really happened that day. "But you know what happened, and so do your fellow soldiers in the unit," he said.

"Thank you for doing what soldiers have always done in combat -- to serve, to serve well and to serve above and beyond what any of our fellow citizens would ask you to serve," he concluded.

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

Anchorage Community Pays Tribute to Military

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 24, 2007 – Anchorage 's community spirit was in fine form last night as about 1,000 people came out in evening dress and black tie to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens introduced the military's top ranking officer as the event's guest speaker. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife Lynne, traveled from Washington , D.C., for the 30th Annual Salute to the Military hosted by the Armed Services WMCA of Alaska.

The gala's guest list included all of the city's movers and shakers - the mayor, former and retired military members, veteran's organizations, a host of corporation presidents and business leaders as well as legislators, senators, representatives and assembly members.

Anchorage City Manager Denis C. LeBlanc said the 275,000 people who make up the community "embrace the military."

"This is the biggest gathering I've seen in my ten years here," he told American Forces Press Service. "If you are anyone here in Alaska, particularly in Anchorage, you are here tonight."

LeBlanc said the military is a significant part of the Anchorage family. About 15,000 troops and family members are stationed "on the city's doorstep," he said, on Elmendorf AFB, Fort Richardson and Kulis Air National Guard Base.

Driving out of one of Elmendorf AFB's gates, for example, a sign indicates it's only 1.5 miles to downtown Anchorage. The close physical proximity, LeBlanc said, promotes community spirit and close ties between military leaders and state and city leaders.

"Having lived in other cities, there was a separation between the community and the military base. Here it's the next street," LeBlanc said. "There is no differentiation between them and us. That's why I think a lot of the military that come to Alaska retire here because they feel so accepted, so embraced by the community that they just want to be part of it."

Although there were many mid-level and senior officers among the chattering guests, the packed gala wasn't only for the high ranking. About 130 or so enlisted service members from every branch of the active duty, Reserve and National Guard also decked out for the gala. They were special guests of the Armed Services YMCA and the Anchorage Community.

"The Armed Services YMCA is a treasure of the community," LeBlanc said. "They reach out to these young people and they try to provide whatever they need. We know they're away from home. We know they're stressed - but they're all smiling, because they know they're in Anchorage, Alaska ."

As the gala got underway, the emcee recognized an outstanding member from each of the services as well as every service member who carried the colors and the service flags into the room. Guests were invited to stand, hoot and holler when the Air Force Band of the Pacific - Alaska Brass played each service song.

When the chairman took the podium to give his keynote address, he said he'd come a long way to say two simple words - thank you -- to anyone who would listen.

"To the men and women in this room tonight who wear the cloth of our armed forces, thank you for who you are and what you do," he said.

Pace said it is an incredible honor for him to represent the 2.4 men and women of the active duty military, National Guard and Reserves who have each solemnly sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.

"I'm here to tell you and to remind all of us, that the families of the service men and women serve this country as well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform," the chairman said, drawing applause.

Pace also acknowledged the veterans in the room, which included several World War II veterans. "To all who have served before, thank you, not only for your service, but for the legacy you have given us. You have shown us how to properly serve this nation," Pace said.

"It's an interesting fact that in combat, it is not that our servicemen and women do not know fear. We certainly do," Pace said. "There have been times that I could have crawled up inside my helmet and waited for my Mother to call me home.

"What overrides the fear of physical harm," he said, "is the fear that those of us who now have the honor of serving this nation, would let down those who went before us. Or, that we would somehow let down the soldier, Marine, airman, sailor or coast guardsman on our left or our right.

"It is the fear of not performing to the standard set by our veterans that spurs us on to serve this nation the way we do. So you veterans in this room tonight, thank you, for not only defending this nation during your time in uniform, but in showing us how to do it properly for the decades to come."

The chairman then turned to thank the Anchorage community for their "incredible outpouring of support and love."

"What a delight it has been to be here with you," he said. "This community, this state, your contributions to the security of our nation, this gathering tonight where you are showing those of us in uniform how much you appreciate us, it makes a difference. Thank you for your support."

During the gala, the Anchorage community recognized the following outstanding servicemembers:

- Army NCO of the Year Sgt. Shanna D. Foremny, 164th Military Police Company, Fort Richardson, Alaska

- Alaskan Reserve Soldier of the Year Sgt. Anthony E. Rivas, 1102d Garrison Support Unit, Ft. Richardson, Alaska

- Active Duty Marine of the Year Lance Cpl. Timothy M. Huebscher, Company D, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

-Alaskan Reserve Marine of the Year Cpl. Travis C. Kauffman, Company D, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

- Alaska Sailor of the Year Petty Officer 1st Class Robert D. Evans, Alaskan Command, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

- Naval Reservist of the Year Master at Arms Petty Officer First Class Victor O. DeMoss, Naval Magazine Indian Island Det. C, Fort Richardson , Alaska

- Elmendorf Airman of the Year Staff Sgt. Jaclyn Rutan, 3rd Communications Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

- Air Force Reservist of the Year Tech. Sgt. Jerry A. Hedstrom, 804th Civil Engineer Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

- Alaska Coast Guard of the Year Food Specialist 1st Class Andrea L. Bisignani, USCG SAR, Kodiak , Alaska

- Alaskan Reserve Person of the Year Port Security Specialist 1st Class Michael W. McClure, U.S. Coast Guard Sector, Juneau, Alaska

- Alaska Air National Guard Airman of the Year Senior Airman Daniel r. Krueger, 176th Maintenance Squadron, Kulis Air Guard Base, Alaska

- Alaska Army National Guard Soldier of the Year Spc. Brian V. Norris, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry, Fort Richardson , Alaska

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

Parents' Love Leads to Troop-Support Group

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – When Army Sgt. Brian Horn deployed to Iraq in 2003, his unit was spearheading the war effort. He and his men were ahead of supply lines, and after seven months in country, they were still sleeping on the ground. When mail and care packages started coming from loved ones at home, it had a huge impact on morale. But not all troops received the small tokens that did so much to boost the spirits of others. Brian, looking out for the welfare of his comrades, asked his parents to send packages that he could distribute to those who hadn't received anything. From that request, Any Soldier Inc. was born.

The Horns began a Web site in August 2003 as a way to let friends and neighbors in LaPlata, Md., participate in showing their support to Brian's unit. News of the effort spread, and a year later more military units had been adopted, with more than 1,000 troops volunteering to distribute care packages to their fellow servicemembers.

The family's site became so popular that, by August 2005, it had broadened to cover all the services with domain names and specific versions of the Web site for each. Since its inception, the organization has helped more than 700,000 servicemembers.

Any Soldier Inc. became a team member of America Supports You in May 2006. America Supports You is a Department of Defense program highlighting home front groups across the nation that are providing a variety of services and support to troops and their families.

"Being an America Supports You member has had a positive impact on our organization," Brian said. "Even if there are only a handful of people who are directed to the site, then it is successful. The relationship with America Supports You is priceless."

The Web site provides statistics tracking the number of contacts they have from each service in addition to ranks and gender. A message board is also provided so recipients can make special requests, post photos and messages or express appreciation to those who send items.

"Please let it be known that we thank you for all your wonderful support, gifts and words of encouragement," said Marine Staff Sgt. L.A. Hayes on the site.

Since his unit's deployment, he has periodically posted messages updating readers on his troops. "Most of the Marines on our team are 'kids' to you and I," Hayes said. "But, God bless them, they are doing great work in a mature and forthright manner. They would all make you proud; ... they sure make me proud."

"This has become my life," said Marty Horn, the organization's president. "It's wonderful to know that we're helping so many people."

Even though Brian has left the Army to further his education, Marty said that he will continue to dedicate himself to the support of troops.

"Morale -- without it we will lose," he said. "There's no way you can complete a mission without it. It helps with survival. Let's give our troops a reason to come home."

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

Kids Learn About U.S. to Aid Military Families

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 23, 2007 – Rachel and Kelsi Okun kicked off their organization's second treasure hunt today to raise scholarship funds for military children and spouses with the help of their classmates at Haycock Elementary School here. Treasure Hunt Aiding Needs of Kids and Spouses of those serving the United States of America," or ThanksUSA, is a member of America Supports You. The Defense Department program highlights the ways Americans are supporting the nation's servicemembers.

Rachel and Kelsi, 11 and 8, respectively, founded the organization in August 2005 after being inspired by two documents. The first was a letter from troops in response to care packages Rachel's Brownie troop had sent. The second piece of inspiration came from Michael Stadther's book, "A Treasure Trove."

"(The troops) gave us a letter and it said, 'The thing that keeps us going through the dirt and dust is that we have a free country, and that's what we're fighting for,'" Kelsi said. "We said, 'OK. We can put these two together. So why don't we make a treasure hunt that gives out scholarships for the troops?'"

The girls also encouraged the students, teachers and parents gathered in the school's gym to participate in the hunt for answers to American history and trivia by enticing them with sample questions. Student who answered the questions correctly received small prizes.

Last year's hunt, which also centered on facts about the country, was expected to be a one-time event, Jeri Thomson, the organization's president said after the assembly.

"It started out to be a one-time family project, but last summer everybody sort of realized that there is a real need here," she said. "It's a very carefully defined niche now; scholarships for spouses and kids of active duty troops, defined so it includes Guard and reserves."

So this year the girls, who spent about a year creating their first treasure hunt with friends, family and teachers, decided to create another, and they had even more help. In addition to parents, teachers and friends, Rachel's Junior Girl Scout Troop and Kelsi's third-grade class got involved, each creating a chapter for the clue book.

"Treasure hunts, they take a lot of work," Rachel told those assembled in the gym. "But they're so rewarding."

Even the girls' puppy pal, Miles, played his part. "He's just a really good 'pound hound,'" Kelsi said. "So we decided, 'Why don't we make him the star of one of our chapters? He can hunt clues."

The contest is free to anyone who wants to participate, but the girls are hoping for generous donations to fund their scholarships. Last year, donations from the treasure hunt totaled more than $500,000, which helped fund more than 100 scholarships, Kelsi said, adding that they hope that amount will be even greater this year.

Just as great as the donations received are the thank you notes from scholarship recipients, Jeri Thomson, the organization's president, said. One military spouse who received a scholarship wrote: "(I) just wanted to let you know that your scholarship has helped so, so much. When I get my degree, I promise I will return the favor in donating back to ThanksUSA to give other students."

Her mother, Deanna Okun, said there are suggestions for fund-raisers on the ThanksUSA Web site if classes should want to make a donation to the scholarship fund.

The focus of this year's treasure hunt is still on America, Rachel said. "Our country is so special. So this year our treasure hunt is about the pillars of democracy ... like the Bill of Rights (and) the Declaration of Independence," she said. "We wanted to focus on what makes our country so great."

But because the girls are trying to engage school children, the Okuns added a new element to the hunt, which should make teachers happy too, Deanna said.

"This year we've made it consistent with standards of learning for social studies and history," Deanna said said. "Sixty percent of the questions in each chapter are consistent with those standards."

This is a huge plus for teachers, because it helps them develop the skills their students need to be working on anyway, Danylchuk said. "I need to get them to cite references and also (improve) their research skills," she said. "So it kind of killed two birds with one stone."

The assembly, which had begun with the Pledge of Allegiance, also included the airing of a ThanksUSA public service announcement. That announcement encourages doing more than presenting returning servicemembers with a medal and a pat on the back. "If you think our troops deserve more than that, make a donation to our scholarship fund," the announcement said.

To find out how to participate in the second ThanksUSA Treasure Hunt, visit the ThanksUSA Web site. The contest is broken into three phases, with Phase 1 open to any kindergarten through 12th-grade class. Phases 2 and 3 are open to individuals. Prizes will be awarded for correct answers in accordance with official rules.

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

Army Upgrades Its Electronic Warfare Training

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 22, 2007 – U.S. Army soldiers and insurgents have something in common: They share a single electromagnetic spectrum to communicate and launch attacks. "The spectrum is that invisible world inhabited by television transmissions, by all sorts of radios, by cell phones, by satellite links, by GPS links," Army Col. Lauri Moe Buckhout, electronic warfare division chief, told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday.

"In Baghdad you might have American soldiers, coalition soldiers ... an Iraqi friendly forces mother and father talking to each other to coordinate a taxi to pick up their sick son and take him to the hospital," she said. "They are all legitimate users of the spectrum."

Buckhout said the U.S. forces' enemies haven't historically used electronics to wage warfare, but things are changing and the spectrum is wide open.

"In the middle of it, there's a bad guy using a cell phone to make something bad happen," she said. "So we have to get good at finding that one hostile spectrum user and take him out.

"Electronic warfare is defined as using the spectrum to attack an enemy, to deny, degrade, defeat the capabilities of an enemy," Buckhout said. "We need to dominate the spectrum."

The Army's fight to dominate electronic warfare is hampered by its lack of experience, she said. The last time the army wielded electronic warfare as a major tactic, soldiers used "barrage jammers" to prevent enemies from using the spectrum. But these former methods are now ineffective, Buckhout said.

"It was a big box that would radiate electronic death and put out a heavy frequency across a wide spectrum," she said. "You can't do that any more, because think of all the collateral damage you would have."

In response to a changing electronic battlefield, Gen. Richard A. Cody, army vice chief of staff, launched two U.S. Army training courses in October, aimed at giving soldiers an edge.

The "Tactical Course," a three-week session at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., trains soldiers at the battalion level and below. Electronic warfare operators at the brigade level and higher take the "Operational Course," receiving six weeks of training at the Fort Sill, Okla.

One of Cody's directives is to make the Army equally competent in electronic warfare as the other services, Buckhout said.

"(Other branches) have electronic warfare professionals who are PhDs in what they do, and we're just starting out," she said. "We didn't have any (electronic warfare) folks, so the Navy stepped up and said, 'We can help you.'"

These Navy advisors "have been fully integrated, absolutely embraced, and they have taught the Army a whole lot about how to fight this fight," she said.

The Army plans to replace a majority of those advisors with soldiers by March 2008, she added.

Another goal Cody outlined is to make electronic warfare an Army core competency, meaning every soldier will receive training, she said.

The Army will base its approach in part on the Navy model. "Everyone's got to touch it now, which is a huge sea change," Buckhout said. "Each soldier has to understand some basics of electronic warfare - jammers, the threats on the spectrum electronic system that reside in both air and on ground."

Soldiers, ranging from privates engaged in initial training to the chief of staff of the Army, will receive some level of electronic warfare training, she said.

"The Army needs to get smart in electronic warfare so we can handle ourselves in this environment and take control of it rather than having it take control of us," she said.

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

Diversity, Equality Programs Strengthen America's Military

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 22, 2007 – Defense Department policies that promote diversity and equal treatment for all servicemembers and civilians, regardless of race, have helped to make the U.S. military a force to be reckoned with, a senior DoD official said here today. The U.S. military is smaller than the force that existed 15 years ago, but it's also the most lethal military ever, Clarence A. Johnson, principal director and director for civilian equal employment opportunity within the department's office of diversity management and equal opportunity, said at a DoD-sponsored African-American History Month symposium held at a local hotel.

"I think that is true, at least in part, because the Defense Department has put in place policies and programs to ensure that military and civilian members are treated fairly, equably and with respect, thus maximizing the production capacity of each of our members," Johnson said to senior educational leaders representing 15 historically black colleges and universities.

African-Americans traditionally have looked at military service as a way to serve their country and to get ahead, Joyce M. Jarrett, provost for Hampton University, said. And, through the years "the armed forces took the lead and convinced the nation to be inclusive," Jarrett said.

To support diversity, "we really have to lean forward," said Dr. Joseph Guzman, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for strategic diversity initiatives. While the Air Force has achieved increased diversity over the years, Guzman noted, it still needs more African-Americans to fill senior military officer and civilian leadership positions.

The Army, too, has a plethora of professional positions to offer young college graduates, Maj. Gen. John R. Hawkins III, the Army's deputy chief of staff for mobility and reserve affairs, said. And ROTC, he noted, remains a strong program for commissioning junior officers as they graduate from a college or university.

"We want to make those opportunities available, and we will do everything in our power to make sure that you are aware of those opportunities," Hawkins told the senior education leaders.

In addition to seeking a climate of personnel diversity, the department also sponsors programs that seek out minority-owned firms to do business with DoD.

Paul Bowes, a Hampton University graduate, businessman and Vietnam-era Army veteran, attended the symposium to press his proposal for a pilot program that would have non-tactical military vehicles use non-foreign-oil sources of fuel, such as biomass products like ethanol.

"Me being here, communicating and setting up relationships with historically black colleges and universities, is part of it," Bowes said.

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

Walter Reed Puts 'Full-Court Press' on Fixing Building 18

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 22, 2007 – The Army surgeon general's staff is putting a "full-court press" on fixing the backed-up repairs needed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center's outpatient Building 18, the service's top medical officer said here today. Flanked by a host of staff officers and facing a small army of media, Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Kevin C. Kiley said most of the reported maintenance issues that brought the center into the national spotlight will be fixed by the end of this week.

Kiley also said a major renovation is planned for the building -- a former hotel used to house outpatients and their families -- that will overhaul it entirely, including its heating and air conditioning system and plumbing. Because the soldiers there will have to move, the timing has not been set. Planners want to cause minimal disruption to the soldiers, Kiley said.

Officials allowed media to tour the building, as well as another building that houses outpatient soldiers, the Mologne house. Soldiers milled around Building 18 shooting pool and playing video games as reporters and photographers flocked around them.

The halls throughout the 54-room building smelled of bleach and plaster. Contractors went about repairing plumbing and painting walls. Finished rooms were on display.

The same soldier pictured in newspaper reports standing next to a moldy wall was now being photographed standing with the Army's surgeon general in a freshly cleaned and painted room.

Another soldier, Army Spc. Ruben Villalpando, said he is happy he can get a warm shower now. For the past several months, his water has varied from extremely hot to cold, he said.

"Now it will be a lot better," he said. "You fix my shower and I'm good."

Within walking distance of the hospital's Georgia Avenue entrance, Building 18 was bought by the Army in 1989.

In 2005 the Army spent more than $260,000 replacing the carpet in all of the rooms and fixing up the lobby and game room. New mattresses and tables were placed in each room. The game room got a new pool table, games and a plasma television. Security cameras also were installed.

The rooms are apartment-style, with two bedrooms sharing a common kitchen area and bath. Each has a microwave and a small refrigerator.

There are 76 soldiers living in the building. It can house 106.

Kiley said his staff also is looking into reported problems with the bureaucracy of the medical process and personnel system. He admitted that the outpatient process can, at times, be bureaucratic, and that it needs to be streamlined.

"We want to be responsive to their concerns, both medical and quality of life, and we're going to move out smartly on that," he said. "We worry when soldiers think we are ignoring them. We want to correct that."

Kiley said officials are looking at adding more case managers. At one time, one case manager was responsible for 120 soldiers, Kiley said. Now the ratio is about 1 to 30 soldiers, and officials will look at lowering the ratio even further, he said.

Some of the problems are systemic across the Army and the Defense Department, Kiley acknowledged, but he said he would call on service officials, and Congress if needed, to fix the problems. Primarily, he said, he hopes to streamline the medical and physical board process that determines the administrative disposition of soldiers' cases that is lengthy and bureaucratic.

Kiley said that, while there is no excuse for the problems cited in news reports, those problems not indicative of the care all of the servicemembers and their families receive at the center.

The hospital has a staff of 4,200 and has treated more than 6,000 wounded soldiers in the past five years. The population of outpatients at Walter Reed increased from pre-war levels of about 120 to a peak of more than 874 soldiers in 2005.

Over the next few weeks, the hospital staff will review about 30 outstanding work orders, according to a Walter Reed news release. The hospital already has completed more than 200 maintenance projects in the past year, the release reported.

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

Breaking America's Will as Road to Victory

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2007 – Terrorists know they can't defeat the United States militarily, so they seek instead to break the nation's will, Vice President Dick Cheney told the crew of the USS Kitty Hawk today. Cheney spoke aboard the aircraft carrier in Japan, one stop on a swing through the Pacific. "The only way (terrorists) can win is if we lose our nerve and abandon our mission," Cheney said. "So they continue committing acts of random horror, believing they can intimidate the civilized world and break the will of the American people."

Terrorists have made Iraq the central front of the struggle, Cheney told the Kitty Hawk's crew, and are well aware of the stakes there.

"If the terrorists were to succeed, they would return Iraq to the rule of tyrants, make it a source of instability in the Middle East, and use it as a staging area for even more attacks," he said. "The terrorists also know that as freedom takes hold, the ideologies of hatred and resentment will lose their appeal, and the advance of liberty and self government in the broader Middle East will lead to a much safer world for our children and our grandchildren.

"This nation has learned the lessons of history," Cheney continued. "We know that terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength; they are invited by the perception of weakness."

The war on terror, the vice president said, is unlike any war the nation had fought previously.

"This war is not a matter of finding an opposing army and engaging it, or finding a navy and sinking it," he said. "The terrorist enemies are hidden and dispersed, and they view the entire world as a battlefield. They are determined to commit indiscriminate murder against innocent, unsuspecting men, women, and children. They serve an ideology that rejects tolerance and demands total obedience.

"It's an extreme and a hateful ideology -- and it's what drove 19 men to get on airplanes and come kill 3,000 Americans," he continued. "These enemies want to seize control of a country in the Middle East so they can acquire a base for launching attacks, and oil wealth to finance their ambitions. They want to target and overthrow other governments in the region, and eventually to establish a totalitarian empire that encompasses the region from Spain, across North Africa, through the Middle East and South Asia, all the way to Indonesia. And it would not stop there."

Cheney cited terrorists' stated goals and their history of attacking U.S. interests whenever possible as reasons to keep taking the fight to them in Iraq.

"We know that if we leave Iraq before the mission is completed, the enemy is going to come after us," he said. "Having seen our interests attacked repeatedly over the years, and knowing the ambitions of the terrorists, this nation has made a decision: We will engage these enemies. We will face them far from home, so we do not have to face them on the streets of our own cities.

"Every member of our military can be certain that America will stay on the offensive in the war on terror," he continued. "The president of the United States and his national security team understand the threat -- the enemy's changing tactics and its unchanging nature. We are not dealing with adversaries that will ever surrender or come to their senses."

Under the leadership of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, Cheney said, U.S. forces are helping Iraqis to clear and secure Baghdad to protect the local population, and are ensuring that Iraqi forces will be capable of providing the security necessary in their capital city on their own. But it won't happen overnight or without a price, the vice president noted.

Petraeus, he said, is aware of the challenge of engaging what the general called "a determined, adaptable, barbaric enemy" in a battle of wills that holds no guarantees. But he said U.S. strategy in Iraq recognizes that the enemy won't stand pat.

"We will be flexible. We'll do all we can to adapt to conditions on the ground. We'll make every change necessary to do the job," he said. "And I want you to know that the American people will not support a policy of retreat. We want to complete the mission, we want to get it done right, and then we want to return with honor."

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

Officials Offer No Excuses, Only Changes at Walter Reed

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2007 – Senior defense officials today said they take full responsibility for the recently reported poor-quality outpatient housing and bureaucratic hassles some servicemembers have experienced at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and offered up a "no excuses" approach to fixing the problems. "Several matters reported ... are serious matters. They deserve immediate attention, and they are getting immediate attention," Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant defense secretary for health affairs, said at a Pentagon briefing.

"They are problems that need (to be) fixed and fixed immediately," he said.

Officials are putting together an independent review group that will report back with recommendations to the offices of the secretaries of the Army and Navy, as well as Winkenwerder's office, he said. Meanwhile necessary repairs and leadership changes are being made.

Winkenwerder emphasized that none of the reported complaints cited the medical care of the wounded servicemembers or the treatment of their families by the medical staff at Walter Reed. The concerns lay solely with caring for the "whole person" as the servicemembers and their families worked through the outpatient care process, Winkenwerder said.

Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard Cody yesterday visited Building 18, a former hotel near the medical center that houses some Walter Reed outpatients and their families.

Cody said they were "absolutely disappointed" in the living conditions there and that there had been a breakdown in leadership. He called the delays in the repairs to the building "inexcusable."

Cody said he is a frequent visitor to the medical center facilities and has regular conversations with the staff, servicemembers and families there. Even so, he said, he was caught off guard by the reports.

"I am disappointed that I had to learn about the conditions of that building through media reports," Cody said.

Winkenwerder and Cody both said they had received no complaints about Building 18.

"That is not an excuse. ... Clearly, we've had a breakdown in leadership, and a bureaucratic medical and contractual process bogged down a speedy solution to these problems," Cody said. "I can assure you the appropriate vigor and leadership is being applied to this issue, and we will correct any problems immediately."

Cody said he personally will oversee the plan to upgrade Building 18.

"I'll take responsibility. I am the vice chief of staff of the Army," Cody said. "I'll take responsibility for this, and I'll make sure it's fixed."

Building 18 is located on Georgia Avenue. It has 54 double rooms, with 76 servicemembers living there. Each room has a private bath, a sink and a refrigerator.

Cody said he found that the conditions at the building ranged from good to "not very good." But, said he said, the conditions at the home are not indicative of the facilities most wounded servicemembers enjoy at the medical facility.

"This is an anomaly that is going to be fixed," Cody said.

Cody also addressed reported complaints of patients unable to make or meet appointments and of other scheduling problems. He said officials will open a one-stop family assistance center at Walter Reed.

"The Army leadership is committed and dedicated to ensuring that (servicemembers') quality of life and the quality of their medical care is equal to their quality of service and sacrifice," Cody said.

Winkenwerder acknowledged that because of the problems, officials will have to work to rebuild the trust that has been lost.

"The trust has clearly taken a hit here," he said. "I think it's our job to repair that trust, to re-earn that trust, and that's what we intend to do."

Both Winkenwerder and Cody said funds are available for all needed repairs.

The Walter Reed Health Care system includes 10 major treatment facilities in three states. The system boasts a staff of 6,000 that includes more than 600 Army physicians. It provides care for more than 150,000 soldiers, other servicemembers, family members and retirees in the National Capital Area.

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

By Looking Back, African-American NFL Players Help Army See Future

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2007 – Past and present members of the National Football League joined the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command's observance of African-American History Month here today. In a panel discussion, former professional players Bill Willis, Brig Owens, Darrell Green, Rick "Doc" Walker and current Washington Redskins player Kedric Golston talked about how early African-American players paved the way for today's African-American athletes.

"It's about living the American dream," said Maj. Gen. James Myles, ATEC commanding general, as he opened the program. "In our (regular ethnic observances) we have to remember it wasn't always the way it is now. If we don't remember the past, there's a good chance to slide backwards."

The panel members represented each decade in which the NFL has allowed African-American players.

Willis was the first African-American player who signed on to play professional football, a full year before Jackie Robinson broke the racial barriers in professional baseball. When Willis began playing for the Cleveland Browns in the 1940s, he said, he was subject to discrimination both on and off the field.

Walker, who served as the event's moderator, pointed out that Willis didn't succumb to discrimination, and opened the door for other athletes.

"Because he didn't fight back, become belligerent or quit, the rest of us had an opportunity to follow him," Walker said.

Willis attributed his successes, both on the football field and in life, to mentors he had along the way.

"When one gets ahead in anything, it means that someone has helped them," Willis said. He shared that the person who encouraged him was Ohio State football coach Paul Brown who looked past his ethnicity to see that he was a talented player who deserved to play college ball.

"It took someone to give me the opportunity," he said. "There were times things were pretty rough. All players didn't accept that I should play on the same field, but I made the best out of the situation."

As a former Redskins player and assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association, Owens shared that his successes in life have come from being prepared for the unanticipated.

"I know you have dreams and aspirations," he told a handful of local high school football players in the audience. "All those dreams can come true if you believe enough and base everything on a strong foundation of education - the end of your football career is only one play away."

Repeatedly, the panelists emphasized that by making the best of a situation and following the footsteps of others one can succeed in life.

"We all come to a fork in the road where we have to make important decisions," said Golston, who represented the youngest generation of NFL players, "but we should seek out those who can help us and who we can learn from."

"I'm only 23," he said. "But I'm going to take advantage of my situation so I can make an impact on others."

These players are really trailblazers, said Brig. Gen. Belinda Pinckney, following the event. She said they are making a difference for others by making the most of life's opportunities.

Pinckney, commanding general for the Army's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, is also making the most of her opportunities - she and her sister are the first two African-American women to become general officers in the Army.

"I think everyone is put in places for a reason," she said. "The military has offered a wonderful opportunity for me to also make a difference."

Concluding the observance, Myles thanked the participants. "You have paved the way for these men to go forward and live their dreams," he told the panelists. "You have broken the path for others."

"This is about opportunity, but the journey is not over. Ours is the same journey," Myles said. "This is another demonstration that we are the most powerful country in the world because we give people the opportunity."

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

'Quad-A' Offers Families Assistance

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2007 – An organization that has distributed more than $3 million in scholarships and interest-free education loans has entered its second half-century of service to the extended Army Aviation family. The Army Aviation Association of America, or "Quad A," was organized 50 years ago at Fort Rucker, Ala., to support U.S. Army aviation soldiers and their families, the group's national president said.

The group's AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc., a member of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, furthers that purpose by offering financial assistance for educational pursuits. America Supports You highlights the ways Americans are supporting the nation's servicemembers.

Retired Army Brig. Gen. Tom Konitzer, Quad A's national president, said the organization received 148 scholarship applications in 2006 and awarded $239,000.

Some 1,788 qualified applicants have received more than $3 million in scholarships and interest-free loans since the program began in 1963, according to the scholarship foundation's Web site. Only members of the Army Aviation Association of America and their families are eligible to apply, but membership is easy enough to attain, Konitzer said.

"Anybody can join," Konitzer said, adding that the children of a member, their spouses, and the individuals themselves are eligible for the financial assistance.

Full guidelines and application procedures are available on the scholarship foundation's Web site.

The foundation's membership in the America Supports You program has provided great networking opportunities that have allowed his group to understand what other organizations are doing for the servicemen and women, Konitzer said.

Through that association, he said, he became aware of an event that Operation Gratitude's Carolyn Blashek was planning in California.

"So I asked our (California) chapter president to go over and represent us at the event to demonstrate the support for her initiative," Konitzer said.

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