By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – After two years of pushing for new state legislation, a Colorado troop-support group has been told to hit the road -- literally. With the support of 33 state congress members, American Military Family today announced its successful efforts in getting a license plate dedicated to the troops for residents of the Centennial State.
According to the new law, 93 percent of the proceeds from the $25 vehicle tag will go to directly support Colorado military members and their families. This will include active-duty members, National Guard and reserve soldiers as well as veterans and non-profit organizations working to support the military.
With the help of their 12 corporate sponsorships, the group hopes to take care of overhead costs so 100 percent of the tag proceeds eventually can go back to Colorado troops, Debbie Quackenbush, the organization's founder, said. She said this is part of their "Support the Troops 100%" program.
"We are just a bunch of average people supporting our military," Quackenbush said. "We believe we are going to do great things for our troops through this program."
Although the plate is set for release July 1, the organization has already collected more than 150 advance orders for the tag emblazoned with a yellow ribbon and American flag.
"I think people in the state and the nation want to tangibly support our troops," she said. "This is a great way to do it. We are so proud that years of work have come to fruition."
American Military Family is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad. All monies donated above the cost of the license plate will be distributed to servicemembers throughout the nation.
By working closely with the state's Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, the organization will review requests for monetary assistance on a quarterly basis for distribution throughout the state for those who qualify. Quackenbush said this includes family emergencies for military families in addition to other troop-support groups.
Quakenbush, whose brother is a Vietnam veteran, said she believes no one who has sacrificed for America's freedom should go unrecognized.
"This is going to be a huge message going down the highways to our troops and their families," she said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Independent Medical Review Group Presents Preliminary Conclusions
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – The problems wounded servicemembers and their families experienced at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are systemic, members of the Independent Review Group said here yesterday. The group met with members of the Defense Health Board and presented preliminary conclusions at a meeting at the hospital.
"There has always been an American ethic and that ethic is that America always takes care of its wounded," said John O. Marsh, co-chairman of the group and former Army secretary. "We've got be certain that we always emphasize that ethic."
The group is looking exclusively at conditions Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md. Yet the group's finding indicate problems beyond the two flagship military medical centers.
"We have reason to think that the observations we make are systemic," Marsh said. "We did encounter indications that some of the problems ... do exist in other medical facilities of our armed forces."
Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West, co-chairman of the group, said there were failures of leadership at Walter Reed. Army Secretary Francis Harvey, Army Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, and Walter Reed Commander Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman were fired for those failures.
West said there was a "virtually incomprehensible inattention to non-medical facilities," and an "almost palpable disdain" for the long-term treatment that outpatients need.
Marsh said the circumstances at Walter Reed created a "perfect storm." The Army did not expect the number of injured from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army officials did not invest in the Walter Reed facility once it was placed on the base realignment and closure list, and they tried to fill the void by hiring contractors to provide critical outpatient services. Medical personnel did not understand how to cope or treat servicemembers affected by traumatic brain injuries from improvised explosive devices and post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, there is a systemic breakdown of the disability review process.
The group will recommend speeding up closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, West said. Under the base realignment and closure commission, Walter Reed and Bethesda are to be consolidated in Bethesda and the whole complex named the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The group recommends speeding up construction at Bethesda and ensuring that there is no "dying on the vine" for the facilities at Walter Reed until the complex is open. This will require funding improvements at a facility that is due to close, group officials said.
The group will recommend more money to research traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical personnel need to know the best diagnostic tools and treatments for these conditions.
The group will recommend more case workers for out-patient servicemembers, and better training for the case workers. The group will also study what part contracting-out played in the hospital's "perfect storm."
Finally, the group is unanimous regarding the disability review process, West said. "The horrors that are inflicted on our wounded servicemembers and their families in the name of physical disability review, simply must be fixed," he said.
All servicemembers go through three separate board proceedings to determine disability. In the Army it is four proceedings. There are different stands and results from these boards and they appear "wildly incomprehensible" to wounded servicemembers and their families, West said.
The system needs to be combined and consolidated into a reasonable process from the servicemembers point of view, West said.
"To be sure it was the degradation of the physical facilities that caught the eye of the media," West said. "Important as that is, we believe there is far more important things to be dealt with here than applying paint or crawling around basements to deal with electrical problems.
"This is our bottom line: We are the United States of America," he continued. "These are our sons and daughters and sisters, uncle and aunt, maybe even a grandparent or two. ... Their families are our families. We are their neighbors. Their anguish is ours. We can and must do better."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – The problems wounded servicemembers and their families experienced at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are systemic, members of the Independent Review Group said here yesterday. The group met with members of the Defense Health Board and presented preliminary conclusions at a meeting at the hospital.
"There has always been an American ethic and that ethic is that America always takes care of its wounded," said John O. Marsh, co-chairman of the group and former Army secretary. "We've got be certain that we always emphasize that ethic."
The group is looking exclusively at conditions Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md. Yet the group's finding indicate problems beyond the two flagship military medical centers.
"We have reason to think that the observations we make are systemic," Marsh said. "We did encounter indications that some of the problems ... do exist in other medical facilities of our armed forces."
Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West, co-chairman of the group, said there were failures of leadership at Walter Reed. Army Secretary Francis Harvey, Army Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, and Walter Reed Commander Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman were fired for those failures.
West said there was a "virtually incomprehensible inattention to non-medical facilities," and an "almost palpable disdain" for the long-term treatment that outpatients need.
Marsh said the circumstances at Walter Reed created a "perfect storm." The Army did not expect the number of injured from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army officials did not invest in the Walter Reed facility once it was placed on the base realignment and closure list, and they tried to fill the void by hiring contractors to provide critical outpatient services. Medical personnel did not understand how to cope or treat servicemembers affected by traumatic brain injuries from improvised explosive devices and post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, there is a systemic breakdown of the disability review process.
The group will recommend speeding up closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, West said. Under the base realignment and closure commission, Walter Reed and Bethesda are to be consolidated in Bethesda and the whole complex named the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The group recommends speeding up construction at Bethesda and ensuring that there is no "dying on the vine" for the facilities at Walter Reed until the complex is open. This will require funding improvements at a facility that is due to close, group officials said.
The group will recommend more money to research traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical personnel need to know the best diagnostic tools and treatments for these conditions.
The group will recommend more case workers for out-patient servicemembers, and better training for the case workers. The group will also study what part contracting-out played in the hospital's "perfect storm."
Finally, the group is unanimous regarding the disability review process, West said. "The horrors that are inflicted on our wounded servicemembers and their families in the name of physical disability review, simply must be fixed," he said.
All servicemembers go through three separate board proceedings to determine disability. In the Army it is four proceedings. There are different stands and results from these boards and they appear "wildly incomprehensible" to wounded servicemembers and their families, West said.
The system needs to be combined and consolidated into a reasonable process from the servicemembers point of view, West said.
"To be sure it was the degradation of the physical facilities that caught the eye of the media," West said. "Important as that is, we believe there is far more important things to be dealt with here than applying paint or crawling around basements to deal with electrical problems.
"This is our bottom line: We are the United States of America," he continued. "These are our sons and daughters and sisters, uncle and aunt, maybe even a grandparent or two. ... Their families are our families. We are their neighbors. Their anguish is ours. We can and must do better."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Interservice Cooperation on Okinawa Impresses Top NCO
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – On the second day of a visit to Okinawa, the U.S. military's top enlisted servicemember today expressed his pleasure that the services seem to be working together better than he could have imagined a decade ago. Having spent the morning with Navy sailors and yesterday with Air Force and Army personnel on the island, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cited an example while here for briefings on Army operations on Okinawa.
The Army's 58th Signal Battalion manages the Joint Warfighter Interbase Telecommunications Network on Okinawa, providing connectivity among 18 locations for all U.S. military services on the island, as well as providing communications for Japanese SelfDefense Forces.
Discussion during the briefing turned to a tsunami-related disruption of communication from Navy ships to Navy aircraft. The problem was overcome thanks to an effort attributed by enlisted leaders in the meeting to a sense of partnership in a close inter-service working relationship. The same spirit came through during a briefing about the Army's 505th Quartermaster Battalion, which provides bulk fuel to all Defense Department activities on Okinawa.
"Let me tell you something. Fifteen years ago, that would not have happened," Gainey said. "You would not have a Navy master chief taking about an Army sergeant major as a partner in the mission. It would have been 'us' and 'them,'" he said.
Throughout the visit, servicemembers have asked Gainey whether the trend toward joint training and operations will continue. He answers the question by having the servicemembers put a hand over the name of their service embroidered on a fabric tape above the shirt pocket.
"When you cover the name of your service, what's left?" he asks the servicemembers. "U.S. -- that's us. That's what it needs to be about now."
Servicemembers need to "care enough to care" and take time to learn other services' cultures and standards, he said here today. He added that he's encouraged by discussions during his visit that "are about how we serve each other, not how we serve ourselves."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – On the second day of a visit to Okinawa, the U.S. military's top enlisted servicemember today expressed his pleasure that the services seem to be working together better than he could have imagined a decade ago. Having spent the morning with Navy sailors and yesterday with Air Force and Army personnel on the island, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cited an example while here for briefings on Army operations on Okinawa.
The Army's 58th Signal Battalion manages the Joint Warfighter Interbase Telecommunications Network on Okinawa, providing connectivity among 18 locations for all U.S. military services on the island, as well as providing communications for Japanese SelfDefense Forces.
Discussion during the briefing turned to a tsunami-related disruption of communication from Navy ships to Navy aircraft. The problem was overcome thanks to an effort attributed by enlisted leaders in the meeting to a sense of partnership in a close inter-service working relationship. The same spirit came through during a briefing about the Army's 505th Quartermaster Battalion, which provides bulk fuel to all Defense Department activities on Okinawa.
"Let me tell you something. Fifteen years ago, that would not have happened," Gainey said. "You would not have a Navy master chief taking about an Army sergeant major as a partner in the mission. It would have been 'us' and 'them,'" he said.
Throughout the visit, servicemembers have asked Gainey whether the trend toward joint training and operations will continue. He answers the question by having the servicemembers put a hand over the name of their service embroidered on a fabric tape above the shirt pocket.
"When you cover the name of your service, what's left?" he asks the servicemembers. "U.S. -- that's us. That's what it needs to be about now."
Servicemembers need to "care enough to care" and take time to learn other services' cultures and standards, he said here today. He added that he's encouraged by discussions during his visit that "are about how we serve each other, not how we serve ourselves."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Medical Evaluation Process Getting Fresh Look
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – Less than two months after a roadside bomb took both his legs during a reconnaissance patrol near Iraq's Syrian border, Marine Corps Cpl. Dylan Gray is preparing for his first encounter with the Defense Department's medical evaluation process. Recently transferred from the National Naval Medical Center, where he underwent a long string of surgeries, 23-year-old Gray is undergoing rehabilitation here at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He hopes to get transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, closer to his native Utah, to finish his treatment.
For now, Gray said he's focusing solely on his medical treatment, not to what's down the road for him, or whether he'll be able to continue his military career. "It's just too soon to worry about that," he said. "Right now, all I am going to think about is healing."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Ezell has had a little more time to contemplate the medical board he expects to review his records during the next several weeks. He's hoping beyond hope that it will give him the green light to continue his five-plus-year Air Force career.
Ezell, an aerial gunner with the 20th Special Operations Squadron, was participating in a mission to infiltrate a hostile landing zone in Iraq when he got shot in the back of his head in late December. The bullet exited through his right eye, destroying the eye and fracturing the bones of his eye socket.
Ezell went through complicated surgery that involved taking bone from his leg to repair the structural area around his eye socket so he can eventually receive a prosthetic eye. He reached a major milestone earlier this months when he was discharged from Walter Reed to rejoin his unit at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
But what he most looks forward to, he said, is getting back to full duty and resuming his career.
The one hurtle that stands in the way is the DoD Disability Evaluation System -- the system used to determine if sick or wounded troops are fit for duty and, if not, how to compensate them for their disabilities.
The concept dates back to the Civil War, when Congress established the first disability retirement system for wounded officers. Nearly 150 years later, some 25,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines-officer and enlisted, active-duty and reserve-component-are included in the system, officials in DoD's manpower policy office told American Forces Press Service.
In fiscal 2006, those numbers broke down to more than 13,100 soldiers, about 5,700 sailors and Marines and more than 4,100 airmen.
Despite common assumption, only 15 to 20 percent of those in the system were wounded in combat. The vast majority of the cases stem from non-combat accidents, illnesses and other medical conditions, officials explained.
The Disability Evaluation System is actually a two-step process. It begins with a medical evaluation board that decides if a servicemember is fit enough to remain on duty. If not, the board passes the case to a physical evaluation board, which determines the extent of the disability.
That finding determines if the servicemember qualifies for retired pay and military benefits such as health care and base privileges for life, or a one-time severance payment with no additional benefits.
If the rating is less than 30 percent, the servicemember may be discharged with severance pay. Those rated 30 percent or higher are medically retired. In some cases, troops are put on a temporary disability retired list for up to five years.
Not all troops -- especially those rated at less than 30 percent disability -- are happy with the findings, a defense official said. "It's understandable, when you have so much at stake, that not everyone is happy," he said.
They can appeal their cases, but once they finish those appeals, the case is closed, he said.
A complicating factor is that several federal agencies, particularly DoD and the VA, have totally different gauges for their disability findings, he said. After DoD declares a servicemember unfit and assigns a disability rating of 20 percent, for example, VA may give a far higher disability rating, sometimes as high as 70 percent.
"That's because VA looks at disability differently than we do in DoD," the official said. "We look at it in terms of a soldier being fit or unfit, based on their ability to do the job. VA has a much wider scope. They are looking at disability in terms of a lifetime of earnings.
"We compensate for a career cut short. VA is looking at a lifetime of earnings," he said. "But a lot of servicemembers don't understand the different perspectives."
Differences like this create a lot of confusion and may signal the need for a national review of disability programs, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said during testimony today before the Senate Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees. "It may be time to cast a wider net and look at this whole area of disability," he said.
England joined other defense and Department of Veterans Affairs leaders briefing the senators about how ongoing reviews of the medical and disability systems are progressing.
No fewer than seven different task forces, both within DoD and independently run, are examining the Disability Evaluation System to make it as expeditious, easy to understand and, most of all, fair, for servicemembers like Gray and Ezell, officials noted.
President Bush appointed a Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, which is conducting a comprehensive review of this and all other aspects of care being provided to wounded warriors.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates appointed an Independent Review Group to examine issues throughout the military medical system, as well as the way it processes troops through the Disability Evaluation System.
David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, has also directed a group to assess the Disability Evaluation System process and recommend ways to ensure "a dignified, equitable and seamless transition to civilian society for our wounded warriors unable to return to duty," he noted in a recent letter to U.S. Sen. Jim Webb.
Acting DoD Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble and his staff also began reviewing DoD's Wounded Warrior Transition Program earlier this year, at Chu's request, and are expected to report their findings to him soon, Chu reported.
Meanwhile, each of the military departments has initiated internal reviews of their processes to come up with ways to make them smoother, less bureaucratic and more responsive to the people they affect, Chu said.
Another goal is to ensure disability cases move quickly, but not so quickly that they're rushed, a defense official explained. Most cases are processed within 70 days, he said, but particularly complicated ones take longer.
England told the senators DoD is committed to improving its systems to serve wounded troops, including those involved in the medical evaluation process. "The very top priority of the Department of Defense is taking care of our men and women in uniforms and their families, and in particular, those who have made the greatest sacrifices for our nation," he said.
Those words are reassuring to Ezell, who, with two or more surgeries still ahead, is preparing for the medical evaluation process to determine if he can remain in the Air Force.
"My case is pretty cut and dried, and it's pretty much a given that my eye is not coming back," he said. "But I've got good vision in my left eye, so there's still a lot that I can do. I can't do a flying job, but I can cross-train into a whole lot of other jobs."
Ezell said he hopes the board will allow him to explore those new possibilities.
"The military has offered me a lot and given me a lot of opportunities, and I've already established a foundation that I can continue to build on," he said. "I'm hoping they'll give me the chance to do that."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – Less than two months after a roadside bomb took both his legs during a reconnaissance patrol near Iraq's Syrian border, Marine Corps Cpl. Dylan Gray is preparing for his first encounter with the Defense Department's medical evaluation process. Recently transferred from the National Naval Medical Center, where he underwent a long string of surgeries, 23-year-old Gray is undergoing rehabilitation here at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He hopes to get transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, closer to his native Utah, to finish his treatment.
For now, Gray said he's focusing solely on his medical treatment, not to what's down the road for him, or whether he'll be able to continue his military career. "It's just too soon to worry about that," he said. "Right now, all I am going to think about is healing."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Ezell has had a little more time to contemplate the medical board he expects to review his records during the next several weeks. He's hoping beyond hope that it will give him the green light to continue his five-plus-year Air Force career.
Ezell, an aerial gunner with the 20th Special Operations Squadron, was participating in a mission to infiltrate a hostile landing zone in Iraq when he got shot in the back of his head in late December. The bullet exited through his right eye, destroying the eye and fracturing the bones of his eye socket.
Ezell went through complicated surgery that involved taking bone from his leg to repair the structural area around his eye socket so he can eventually receive a prosthetic eye. He reached a major milestone earlier this months when he was discharged from Walter Reed to rejoin his unit at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
But what he most looks forward to, he said, is getting back to full duty and resuming his career.
The one hurtle that stands in the way is the DoD Disability Evaluation System -- the system used to determine if sick or wounded troops are fit for duty and, if not, how to compensate them for their disabilities.
The concept dates back to the Civil War, when Congress established the first disability retirement system for wounded officers. Nearly 150 years later, some 25,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines-officer and enlisted, active-duty and reserve-component-are included in the system, officials in DoD's manpower policy office told American Forces Press Service.
In fiscal 2006, those numbers broke down to more than 13,100 soldiers, about 5,700 sailors and Marines and more than 4,100 airmen.
Despite common assumption, only 15 to 20 percent of those in the system were wounded in combat. The vast majority of the cases stem from non-combat accidents, illnesses and other medical conditions, officials explained.
The Disability Evaluation System is actually a two-step process. It begins with a medical evaluation board that decides if a servicemember is fit enough to remain on duty. If not, the board passes the case to a physical evaluation board, which determines the extent of the disability.
That finding determines if the servicemember qualifies for retired pay and military benefits such as health care and base privileges for life, or a one-time severance payment with no additional benefits.
If the rating is less than 30 percent, the servicemember may be discharged with severance pay. Those rated 30 percent or higher are medically retired. In some cases, troops are put on a temporary disability retired list for up to five years.
Not all troops -- especially those rated at less than 30 percent disability -- are happy with the findings, a defense official said. "It's understandable, when you have so much at stake, that not everyone is happy," he said.
They can appeal their cases, but once they finish those appeals, the case is closed, he said.
A complicating factor is that several federal agencies, particularly DoD and the VA, have totally different gauges for their disability findings, he said. After DoD declares a servicemember unfit and assigns a disability rating of 20 percent, for example, VA may give a far higher disability rating, sometimes as high as 70 percent.
"That's because VA looks at disability differently than we do in DoD," the official said. "We look at it in terms of a soldier being fit or unfit, based on their ability to do the job. VA has a much wider scope. They are looking at disability in terms of a lifetime of earnings.
"We compensate for a career cut short. VA is looking at a lifetime of earnings," he said. "But a lot of servicemembers don't understand the different perspectives."
Differences like this create a lot of confusion and may signal the need for a national review of disability programs, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said during testimony today before the Senate Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees. "It may be time to cast a wider net and look at this whole area of disability," he said.
England joined other defense and Department of Veterans Affairs leaders briefing the senators about how ongoing reviews of the medical and disability systems are progressing.
No fewer than seven different task forces, both within DoD and independently run, are examining the Disability Evaluation System to make it as expeditious, easy to understand and, most of all, fair, for servicemembers like Gray and Ezell, officials noted.
President Bush appointed a Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, which is conducting a comprehensive review of this and all other aspects of care being provided to wounded warriors.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates appointed an Independent Review Group to examine issues throughout the military medical system, as well as the way it processes troops through the Disability Evaluation System.
David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, has also directed a group to assess the Disability Evaluation System process and recommend ways to ensure "a dignified, equitable and seamless transition to civilian society for our wounded warriors unable to return to duty," he noted in a recent letter to U.S. Sen. Jim Webb.
Acting DoD Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble and his staff also began reviewing DoD's Wounded Warrior Transition Program earlier this year, at Chu's request, and are expected to report their findings to him soon, Chu reported.
Meanwhile, each of the military departments has initiated internal reviews of their processes to come up with ways to make them smoother, less bureaucratic and more responsive to the people they affect, Chu said.
Another goal is to ensure disability cases move quickly, but not so quickly that they're rushed, a defense official explained. Most cases are processed within 70 days, he said, but particularly complicated ones take longer.
England told the senators DoD is committed to improving its systems to serve wounded troops, including those involved in the medical evaluation process. "The very top priority of the Department of Defense is taking care of our men and women in uniforms and their families, and in particular, those who have made the greatest sacrifices for our nation," he said.
Those words are reassuring to Ezell, who, with two or more surgeries still ahead, is preparing for the medical evaluation process to determine if he can remain in the Air Force.
"My case is pretty cut and dried, and it's pretty much a given that my eye is not coming back," he said. "But I've got good vision in my left eye, so there's still a lot that I can do. I can't do a flying job, but I can cross-train into a whole lot of other jobs."
Ezell said he hopes the board will allow him to explore those new possibilities.
"The military has offered me a lot and given me a lot of opportunities, and I've already established a foundation that I can continue to build on," he said. "I'm hoping they'll give me the chance to do that."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Deputy Defense Secretary Calls for Immediate Fix to Disability Process
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today called for a new policy that moves wounded troops from Iraq and Afghanistan to the front of the line in the disability rating process while system-wide fixes to the disability and health care systems are put in place. England recommended an immediate measure to speed combat-wounded troops through the DoD disability system and smooth their transition to the Department of Veterans Affairs system. The goal, he said, is "an uninterrupted, seamless continuum of care and support" that ensures nobody falls through the cracks or gets mired down in bureaucratic red tape.
Wounded troops represent about 11 percent of the 25,000 servicemembers being processed through DoD's disability system. The problem, England told the senators today, is that this 11 percent is funneled through the system just as the other 89 percent, many of them career servicemembers preparing to retire.
This "one-size-fits-all rating process" bogs down the processing of combat-wounded troops cases, England said.
Instead, he recommended that DoD expedite its cases to smooth their transition into VA care. Many of the wounded troops' cases are relatively clear-cut and can be moved through the system quickly, he said.
England acknowledged that this immediate fix is just one step toward improving the way wounded troops are cared for and, when appropriate, processed through the disability system. He said he's looking forward to hearing what the many studies, reviews, commissions and panels have to say about the matter when they report their findings before the year's end.
What's needed, he said, is a broad-based system that ensures combat-wounded troops get the care and treatment they deserve. "In my judgment, it is time to step back and take a holistic look at the system instead of just applying fixes to the system," England told the committees. "We need an integrated, systemic solution with the right mechanisms in place ... that makes sense from the soldier's perspective."
That requires thinking about what the best system would look like if it were being built from scratch and what steps would have to be taken to get it, he said.
England said it also may require looking to other national systems associated with disability determination and compensation: the Social Security Administration's disability payments, the Department of Labor's workmen's compensation program and the Department of Veterans Affairs and DoD disability systems, among them.
"They are all carried out in different ways, against different systems to achieve different ends," he said.
The differences between these complex programs can be confusing to benefit recipients, England said, suggesting the need for a new national approach for compensating disabled workers. "It may be time to cast a wider net and look at this whole area of disability," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 12, 2007 – Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today called for a new policy that moves wounded troops from Iraq and Afghanistan to the front of the line in the disability rating process while system-wide fixes to the disability and health care systems are put in place. England recommended an immediate measure to speed combat-wounded troops through the DoD disability system and smooth their transition to the Department of Veterans Affairs system. The goal, he said, is "an uninterrupted, seamless continuum of care and support" that ensures nobody falls through the cracks or gets mired down in bureaucratic red tape.
Wounded troops represent about 11 percent of the 25,000 servicemembers being processed through DoD's disability system. The problem, England told the senators today, is that this 11 percent is funneled through the system just as the other 89 percent, many of them career servicemembers preparing to retire.
This "one-size-fits-all rating process" bogs down the processing of combat-wounded troops cases, England said.
Instead, he recommended that DoD expedite its cases to smooth their transition into VA care. Many of the wounded troops' cases are relatively clear-cut and can be moved through the system quickly, he said.
England acknowledged that this immediate fix is just one step toward improving the way wounded troops are cared for and, when appropriate, processed through the disability system. He said he's looking forward to hearing what the many studies, reviews, commissions and panels have to say about the matter when they report their findings before the year's end.
What's needed, he said, is a broad-based system that ensures combat-wounded troops get the care and treatment they deserve. "In my judgment, it is time to step back and take a holistic look at the system instead of just applying fixes to the system," England told the committees. "We need an integrated, systemic solution with the right mechanisms in place ... that makes sense from the soldier's perspective."
That requires thinking about what the best system would look like if it were being built from scratch and what steps would have to be taken to get it, he said.
England said it also may require looking to other national systems associated with disability determination and compensation: the Social Security Administration's disability payments, the Department of Labor's workmen's compensation program and the Department of Veterans Affairs and DoD disability systems, among them.
"They are all carried out in different ways, against different systems to achieve different ends," he said.
The differences between these complex programs can be confusing to benefit recipients, England said, suggesting the need for a new national approach for compensating disabled workers. "It may be time to cast a wider net and look at this whole area of disability," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Texas Police Authors
Editor's Note: One of the authors if former Airborne.
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Three Texas law enforcement officials were added to the growing list of state and local police officers who have authored books. Two of the newly added authors represent Texas county and municipal law enforcement while the third is a retired federal law enforcement official from the State of Texas.
John Matthews, Executive Director of Community Safety Institute, is an Assistant Chief Constable for Dallas County and a former small-town Chief of Police. Earlier in his law enforcement career, he served as a member of the Dallas Police Department. John Matthews has a BA and Masters in Administrative Management. He has served as a facilitator and instructor for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National League of Cities, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street program. He is the author of two books.
His first book, The Eyeball Killer, is a true crime thriller. According to the book description, “Death was an occupational hazard for every hooker who worked Dallas's depressed south side. That's why police weren't surprised to find the body of prostitute Mary Lou Pratt shot to death in December of 1990...until the discovery that sickened even the seasoned coroner: the young woman's eyes had been cut out.” The book details the murders committed by Charles Albright. John Matthews’ second book is Creating a Safer School.
Brent Walker serves with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office in the Marine Division, which includes marine patrol, dive team and emergency response duties. Previously, Brent served as a SWAT officer on a multi-agency tactical team, detective and US Marine in a reserve Scout Sniper platoon. As a marine enforcement officer, Brent has taken advantage of his military and tactical backgrounds. He developed a curriculum and trained SWAT units in tactical maritime methods by merging existing SWAT strategy with marine patrol and dive team options. The end result is a “win-win” solution for all involved. Additional details on this can be found in Brent’s first book, Waterborne T.E.A.M.S. Marine Patrol and Dive Team Support of SWAT.
He is also responsible for having adapted USCG and USN port security tactics for use by civilian law enforcement when patrolling maritime security zones and guarding/escorting high value vessels and cargo. Brent Walker is a certified boating safety and police instructor in Texas. Brent has also authored several marine theft and boating safety articles in various publications.
Claude Thormalen was born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1940 and grew up in Alice, Texas. Claude has a masters degree in education with a minor in criminal justice. He has worked as a police officer, criminal investigator for Customs Agency Service in the Treasury Department and as a special agent with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the Justice Department. After leaving the Justice Department, he taught law enforcement at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, where he also served as department chairman, Dean of Men and Dean of Students. Thormalen also worked as a middle school counselor in San Antonio. Claude also volunteered for 3 years in the 82nd Airborne Division and was discharged a Sgt. E-5
His book is The Right Side of the Law. According to the book description, “This fictionalized, realistic look at the life of a federal narcotics agent follows Alton Haymon, former special agent still suffering from post traumatic stress resulting from work with both the Treasury and Justice Departments as drug agencies were merged to form the DEA. The conflict between his honest desire to enforce his country’s laws and his need to protect his brother agents with whom he feels bonded is the major struggle of the book. Thefts of drugs and drug money and use of illegal wiretaps become common and agents’ drugs use is wide spread. This struggle between good and evil and Haymon’s continued risk taking causes his final collapse. Haymon, a broken 31-year-old man, resigns from what was up until then the most important thing in his life and finds himself living in the mountains of Western Colorado where, in a last desperate attempt at sanity, he writes his story.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 467 police officers (representing 197 police departments) and their 973 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Three Texas law enforcement officials were added to the growing list of state and local police officers who have authored books. Two of the newly added authors represent Texas county and municipal law enforcement while the third is a retired federal law enforcement official from the State of Texas.
John Matthews, Executive Director of Community Safety Institute, is an Assistant Chief Constable for Dallas County and a former small-town Chief of Police. Earlier in his law enforcement career, he served as a member of the Dallas Police Department. John Matthews has a BA and Masters in Administrative Management. He has served as a facilitator and instructor for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National League of Cities, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street program. He is the author of two books.
His first book, The Eyeball Killer, is a true crime thriller. According to the book description, “Death was an occupational hazard for every hooker who worked Dallas's depressed south side. That's why police weren't surprised to find the body of prostitute Mary Lou Pratt shot to death in December of 1990...until the discovery that sickened even the seasoned coroner: the young woman's eyes had been cut out.” The book details the murders committed by Charles Albright. John Matthews’ second book is Creating a Safer School.
Brent Walker serves with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office in the Marine Division, which includes marine patrol, dive team and emergency response duties. Previously, Brent served as a SWAT officer on a multi-agency tactical team, detective and US Marine in a reserve Scout Sniper platoon. As a marine enforcement officer, Brent has taken advantage of his military and tactical backgrounds. He developed a curriculum and trained SWAT units in tactical maritime methods by merging existing SWAT strategy with marine patrol and dive team options. The end result is a “win-win” solution for all involved. Additional details on this can be found in Brent’s first book, Waterborne T.E.A.M.S. Marine Patrol and Dive Team Support of SWAT.
He is also responsible for having adapted USCG and USN port security tactics for use by civilian law enforcement when patrolling maritime security zones and guarding/escorting high value vessels and cargo. Brent Walker is a certified boating safety and police instructor in Texas. Brent has also authored several marine theft and boating safety articles in various publications.
Claude Thormalen was born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1940 and grew up in Alice, Texas. Claude has a masters degree in education with a minor in criminal justice. He has worked as a police officer, criminal investigator for Customs Agency Service in the Treasury Department and as a special agent with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the Justice Department. After leaving the Justice Department, he taught law enforcement at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, where he also served as department chairman, Dean of Men and Dean of Students. Thormalen also worked as a middle school counselor in San Antonio. Claude also volunteered for 3 years in the 82nd Airborne Division and was discharged a Sgt. E-5
His book is The Right Side of the Law. According to the book description, “This fictionalized, realistic look at the life of a federal narcotics agent follows Alton Haymon, former special agent still suffering from post traumatic stress resulting from work with both the Treasury and Justice Departments as drug agencies were merged to form the DEA. The conflict between his honest desire to enforce his country’s laws and his need to protect his brother agents with whom he feels bonded is the major struggle of the book. Thefts of drugs and drug money and use of illegal wiretaps become common and agents’ drugs use is wide spread. This struggle between good and evil and Haymon’s continued risk taking causes his final collapse. Haymon, a broken 31-year-old man, resigns from what was up until then the most important thing in his life and finds himself living in the mountains of Western Colorado where, in a last desperate attempt at sanity, he writes his story.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 467 police officers (representing 197 police departments) and their 973 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Recruiting, Retention Rates Remain Solid in March
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – All service branches met or exceeded their active-duty recruiting goals in March, but three of the six reserve components missed their targets, Defense Department officials announced yesterday. "For the month, the armed forces have done extraordinarily well," Bill Carr, the deputy undersecretary for Military Personnel Policy, said in an interview.
In March, the two ground services exceeded their recruiting goals. The Army had a goal of 5,500 recruits and actually enlisted 5,545 new soldiers, for 101 percent. The Marine Corps had a target of 1,787 and enlisted 1,936 recruits, for 108 percent of its goal.
The Navy and Air Force met their goals of 2,749 and 2,172, respectively.
DoD officials said retention in the services remains solid. The Army, Marine Corps and Air Force are meeting or exceeding overall retention missions. The Navy missed its first-term target, but achieved 99 percent overall.
On the reserve-component side, three of the six components made their recruiting goals in March.
"The reserves are over 100 percent except the Army Reserve and the Navy Reserve," Carr said. "But the National Guard for the Army is above 100 percent, so ... the ground forces are doing well."
The Army National Guard hit 105 percent of its goal, recruiting 6,953 soldiers out of 6,645 needed. The Air Force Reserve also exceeded its recruiting goal, recruiting 741 on a goal of 622, for 119 percent.
Also finishing March on the plus side was the Marine Corps Reserve, which attained 116 percent of its goal, recruiting 430 Marines on a goal of 371.
Falling short in March was the Army Reserve, which hit 80 percent of its goal, with 2,055 recruited out of 2,567 needed, and the Air National Guard, recruiting 90 percent of its goal, with 844 out of 933 needed.
The Navy Reserve missed its goal for the fifth consecutive month. The component hit 99 percent of its goal, recruiting 851 sailors out of 856 needed.
"(Navy Reserve recruits) are coming up, and they are starting to close the gap. So they're on the right azimuth now," Carr said. "I expect the Navy Reserve is going to be on the mend from this point to the end of the year."
Navy Reserve recruiters are putting in place the right incentives and best practices to help build momentum, he said.
For the year to date, the Army's active-duty recruitment is at 107 percent, and the Defense Department is at 104 percent in total enlisted accessions, Carr said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – All service branches met or exceeded their active-duty recruiting goals in March, but three of the six reserve components missed their targets, Defense Department officials announced yesterday. "For the month, the armed forces have done extraordinarily well," Bill Carr, the deputy undersecretary for Military Personnel Policy, said in an interview.
In March, the two ground services exceeded their recruiting goals. The Army had a goal of 5,500 recruits and actually enlisted 5,545 new soldiers, for 101 percent. The Marine Corps had a target of 1,787 and enlisted 1,936 recruits, for 108 percent of its goal.
The Navy and Air Force met their goals of 2,749 and 2,172, respectively.
DoD officials said retention in the services remains solid. The Army, Marine Corps and Air Force are meeting or exceeding overall retention missions. The Navy missed its first-term target, but achieved 99 percent overall.
On the reserve-component side, three of the six components made their recruiting goals in March.
"The reserves are over 100 percent except the Army Reserve and the Navy Reserve," Carr said. "But the National Guard for the Army is above 100 percent, so ... the ground forces are doing well."
The Army National Guard hit 105 percent of its goal, recruiting 6,953 soldiers out of 6,645 needed. The Air Force Reserve also exceeded its recruiting goal, recruiting 741 on a goal of 622, for 119 percent.
Also finishing March on the plus side was the Marine Corps Reserve, which attained 116 percent of its goal, recruiting 430 Marines on a goal of 371.
Falling short in March was the Army Reserve, which hit 80 percent of its goal, with 2,055 recruited out of 2,567 needed, and the Air National Guard, recruiting 90 percent of its goal, with 844 out of 933 needed.
The Navy Reserve missed its goal for the fifth consecutive month. The component hit 99 percent of its goal, recruiting 851 sailors out of 856 needed.
"(Navy Reserve recruits) are coming up, and they are starting to close the gap. So they're on the right azimuth now," Carr said. "I expect the Navy Reserve is going to be on the mend from this point to the end of the year."
Navy Reserve recruiters are putting in place the right incentives and best practices to help build momentum, he said.
For the year to date, the Army's active-duty recruitment is at 107 percent, and the Defense Department is at 104 percent in total enlisted accessions, Carr said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Use 'R-Triple-A' to Lead, Enlisted Leader Urges NCOs
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – The Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy here gives students the tools to lead, but they need to use these tools in a way that works for them individually, the Defense Department's top NCO told graduates here today. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told 75 Air Force noncommissioned officers that an "R-triple-A" approach is what up-and-coming servicemembers expect and need from their leaders.
The "R" means leaders should respect their subordinates by giving them responsibility, Gainey told the graduates.
"They crave to ... be 'Responsible' for something," he said. "Give it to them. They're not going to let you down. Give them all the responsibility they can hold."
But giving people responsibility isn't enough, Gainey warned.
"The hard thing for us as leaders is the first 'A' -- to give them the 'Authority' to be responsible," he said.
Gesturing to the flags adorning the stage, Gainey explained that a leader who gives people responsibility for the flags, but tells them not to do anything without first asking for his or her approval isn't being an effective leader. "What have you given them?" he asked. "Nothing."
If authority is properly granted, Gainey said, the second "A" then comes into play.
"Hold them 'Accountable' for their actions, as they're going to hold you accountable for your actions," he told the graduates, adding that it's necessary not only for when subordinates fall short, but also when they succeed.
When they do fall short, he said, it's time for the third "A" - "Assist" them when they stumble.
"Everyone stumbles," he said. "It depends on who's there to help you."
When the inevitable stumbles occur, Gainey told the graduates, a good leader will help the person recover, but then must coach, teach, mentor and train so the individual learns from the experience and can succeed.
At that point, he said, it's important to express pride in the person's accomplishment and show confidence. "They need you to look them in the eye and ... (let them know you) care about them," he said.
Exhorting the graduates to move forward with their ambitions, Gainey advised them not to let anyone get in their way as long as they can answer "no" to five questions about their ambitions.
"The first thing (to ask yourself) is, 'Is it going to hurt somebody else?' No? Go for it," he said. "Is it going to hurt you? No. Go for it. Is it illegal? No. Go for it. Is it immoral? No. Go for it. Is it going to bring disgrace to your name or the unit or your country? No. Then you go for it, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it."
But if the answer to any of the five questions is "yes," he said, that has to be resolved.
Gainey used the desire to climb a mountain as an example. While the person might be able to say "no" in answer to four of the questions, the answer would have to be "yes" to the second question if the person lacked the proper training or equipment.
"Stop, take a step back, reassess what you want to do, get the proper training, get the proper equipment, and make it a 'no,'" he said.
The graduation culminated a day in which Gainey met with servicemembers all over the largest U.S. installation in the Pacific theater. He'll remain on Okinawa for the rest of the week, visiting servicemembers at other bases on the island and meeting more people at Kadena.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – The Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy here gives students the tools to lead, but they need to use these tools in a way that works for them individually, the Defense Department's top NCO told graduates here today. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told 75 Air Force noncommissioned officers that an "R-triple-A" approach is what up-and-coming servicemembers expect and need from their leaders.
The "R" means leaders should respect their subordinates by giving them responsibility, Gainey told the graduates.
"They crave to ... be 'Responsible' for something," he said. "Give it to them. They're not going to let you down. Give them all the responsibility they can hold."
But giving people responsibility isn't enough, Gainey warned.
"The hard thing for us as leaders is the first 'A' -- to give them the 'Authority' to be responsible," he said.
Gesturing to the flags adorning the stage, Gainey explained that a leader who gives people responsibility for the flags, but tells them not to do anything without first asking for his or her approval isn't being an effective leader. "What have you given them?" he asked. "Nothing."
If authority is properly granted, Gainey said, the second "A" then comes into play.
"Hold them 'Accountable' for their actions, as they're going to hold you accountable for your actions," he told the graduates, adding that it's necessary not only for when subordinates fall short, but also when they succeed.
When they do fall short, he said, it's time for the third "A" - "Assist" them when they stumble.
"Everyone stumbles," he said. "It depends on who's there to help you."
When the inevitable stumbles occur, Gainey told the graduates, a good leader will help the person recover, but then must coach, teach, mentor and train so the individual learns from the experience and can succeed.
At that point, he said, it's important to express pride in the person's accomplishment and show confidence. "They need you to look them in the eye and ... (let them know you) care about them," he said.
Exhorting the graduates to move forward with their ambitions, Gainey advised them not to let anyone get in their way as long as they can answer "no" to five questions about their ambitions.
"The first thing (to ask yourself) is, 'Is it going to hurt somebody else?' No? Go for it," he said. "Is it going to hurt you? No. Go for it. Is it illegal? No. Go for it. Is it immoral? No. Go for it. Is it going to bring disgrace to your name or the unit or your country? No. Then you go for it, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it."
But if the answer to any of the five questions is "yes," he said, that has to be resolved.
Gainey used the desire to climb a mountain as an example. While the person might be able to say "no" in answer to four of the questions, the answer would have to be "yes" to the second question if the person lacked the proper training or equipment.
"Stop, take a step back, reassess what you want to do, get the proper training, get the proper equipment, and make it a 'no,'" he said.
The graduation culminated a day in which Gainey met with servicemembers all over the largest U.S. installation in the Pacific theater. He'll remain on Okinawa for the rest of the week, visiting servicemembers at other bases on the island and meeting more people at Kadena.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Guard Leaders Urge Solid Funding to Close Equipment, Training Gaps
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – The National Guard force is second to none in terms of the quality of its people, but severe equipment shortfalls are keeping it from being fully ready, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told Congress today. Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum urged the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee to support the fiscal 2008 National Guard budget requests to ensure the Guard can continue serving as the country's "21st century Minutemen and -women."
Guard forces deployed overseas are "superbly equipped and superbly trained, ... and we want for nothing," Blum told the subcommittee.
But he said the situation at home isn't nearly as rosy. "It's a much different story, and it's not a good story," he said.
"The National Guard today, I am sad to say, is not a fully ready force," the general said. "Unresourced shortfalls still exist that approach $40 billion to provide the equipment and the training that I personally feel your Army and Air National Guard are expected to have to be able to respond to the citizens of the United States."
Blum introduced two Guard members who exemplify this gap.
One, an Oregon Air Guard staff sergeant who just completed a third combat tour in Iraq, returned home to his unit to train on equipment built in 1953. "Now imagine being a combat controller in a critical mission like that and operating with unreliable old equipment built in 1953," Blum told the subcommittee. "I think that says it all. So while we have the best people, we have some significant equipment challenges."
A Kansas Army Guardsman who accompanied Blum to the hearing faces an even more serious issue, he said. Returned from Iraq in November, the soldier "doesn't have a problem of old equipment," the general said. "He has a problem of no equipment."
His unit, after leaving its own equipment in Iraq for the unit that replaced them, returned home to just two Humvees, both deemed "not good enough to go to war," Blum said. "And that's the equipment he has in his unit today."
Should a tornado or other stateside disaster require a Guard mobilization, the unit's ability to respond would be minimized, "not because of the great people in it, but because of the lack of equipment that is in that unit right now," he said.
Blum said the problem has reached epidemic levels, particularly in the Army. Most of the units in the Army and Air National Guard are underequipped for the jobs and the missions they have to perform with no notice here at home," he said. "Can we do the job? Yes, we can. But the lack of equipment makes it take longer to do that job, and lost time translates into lost lives, and those lost lives are American lives."
He urged Congress to address these shortfalls, noting the defense bargain the National Guard represents. The Army Guard makes up almost 40 percent of the Army's combat, combat support and combat service support structure, but costs just 11 percent of the Army's budget, he said. Similarly, the Air Guard provides more than one-third of the Air Force capability, at just 6 percent of the Air Force's budget.
"Plus, your Army and Air National Guard are the only Department of Defense forces that can be called upon by the governors with no notice to do what is necessary right here in the zip codes where your constituents reside," he said.
Blum said these statistics demonstrate the importance of the National Guard, not only in the global war on terror, but as an on-call force ready to respond to stateside emergencies.
"This nation cannot afford the consequences of an unready Army and Air National Guard," Blum said. "A strong and properly resourced National Guard, I think, is the best credible deterrent for any of our adversaries overseas that might miscalculate and think that we are unable to respond."
Army Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, reported that recruiting and retention in the Army Guard is on the upswing since last year. "We have averaged, at a net, over 1,000 a month to our end strength," he said.
He urged Congress to provide the resources these troops need to be mission-ready, citing the newly retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker's mantra, "Don't confuse enthusiasm with capability."
"I can tell you that we have the enthusiasm," Vaughn told the senators. "The capabilities, you buy. You buy it in terms of training dollars, and you buy it in terms of equipment."
Air Force Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley, the Air National Guard's vice chief, joined Blum and Vaughn in urging congressional support for the National Guard budget requests. In the midst of tremendous "churn" within the force -- much of it due to the Base Realignment and Closure process -- the Air Guard continues to operate as a highly effective force, he said.
"Your Air National Guard is ready to fight today," he said. "They are totally integrated in the United States Air Force in the global war on terror; they are fighting the away game very professionally in all theaters of the globe, and we are also providing great support here at home."
Maintaining this capability requires solid funding so the force can modernize, McKinley said. "It is extremely important to the Air National Guard that our Air Force continues to recapitalize so we can transition the 20th century Air National Guard into a highly effective combat capable 21st century Air National Guard," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – The National Guard force is second to none in terms of the quality of its people, but severe equipment shortfalls are keeping it from being fully ready, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told Congress today. Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum urged the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee to support the fiscal 2008 National Guard budget requests to ensure the Guard can continue serving as the country's "21st century Minutemen and -women."
Guard forces deployed overseas are "superbly equipped and superbly trained, ... and we want for nothing," Blum told the subcommittee.
But he said the situation at home isn't nearly as rosy. "It's a much different story, and it's not a good story," he said.
"The National Guard today, I am sad to say, is not a fully ready force," the general said. "Unresourced shortfalls still exist that approach $40 billion to provide the equipment and the training that I personally feel your Army and Air National Guard are expected to have to be able to respond to the citizens of the United States."
Blum introduced two Guard members who exemplify this gap.
One, an Oregon Air Guard staff sergeant who just completed a third combat tour in Iraq, returned home to his unit to train on equipment built in 1953. "Now imagine being a combat controller in a critical mission like that and operating with unreliable old equipment built in 1953," Blum told the subcommittee. "I think that says it all. So while we have the best people, we have some significant equipment challenges."
A Kansas Army Guardsman who accompanied Blum to the hearing faces an even more serious issue, he said. Returned from Iraq in November, the soldier "doesn't have a problem of old equipment," the general said. "He has a problem of no equipment."
His unit, after leaving its own equipment in Iraq for the unit that replaced them, returned home to just two Humvees, both deemed "not good enough to go to war," Blum said. "And that's the equipment he has in his unit today."
Should a tornado or other stateside disaster require a Guard mobilization, the unit's ability to respond would be minimized, "not because of the great people in it, but because of the lack of equipment that is in that unit right now," he said.
Blum said the problem has reached epidemic levels, particularly in the Army. Most of the units in the Army and Air National Guard are underequipped for the jobs and the missions they have to perform with no notice here at home," he said. "Can we do the job? Yes, we can. But the lack of equipment makes it take longer to do that job, and lost time translates into lost lives, and those lost lives are American lives."
He urged Congress to address these shortfalls, noting the defense bargain the National Guard represents. The Army Guard makes up almost 40 percent of the Army's combat, combat support and combat service support structure, but costs just 11 percent of the Army's budget, he said. Similarly, the Air Guard provides more than one-third of the Air Force capability, at just 6 percent of the Air Force's budget.
"Plus, your Army and Air National Guard are the only Department of Defense forces that can be called upon by the governors with no notice to do what is necessary right here in the zip codes where your constituents reside," he said.
Blum said these statistics demonstrate the importance of the National Guard, not only in the global war on terror, but as an on-call force ready to respond to stateside emergencies.
"This nation cannot afford the consequences of an unready Army and Air National Guard," Blum said. "A strong and properly resourced National Guard, I think, is the best credible deterrent for any of our adversaries overseas that might miscalculate and think that we are unable to respond."
Army Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, reported that recruiting and retention in the Army Guard is on the upswing since last year. "We have averaged, at a net, over 1,000 a month to our end strength," he said.
He urged Congress to provide the resources these troops need to be mission-ready, citing the newly retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker's mantra, "Don't confuse enthusiasm with capability."
"I can tell you that we have the enthusiasm," Vaughn told the senators. "The capabilities, you buy. You buy it in terms of training dollars, and you buy it in terms of equipment."
Air Force Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley, the Air National Guard's vice chief, joined Blum and Vaughn in urging congressional support for the National Guard budget requests. In the midst of tremendous "churn" within the force -- much of it due to the Base Realignment and Closure process -- the Air Guard continues to operate as a highly effective force, he said.
"Your Air National Guard is ready to fight today," he said. "They are totally integrated in the United States Air Force in the global war on terror; they are fighting the away game very professionally in all theaters of the globe, and we are also providing great support here at home."
Maintaining this capability requires solid funding so the force can modernize, McKinley said. "It is extremely important to the Air National Guard that our Air Force continues to recapitalize so we can transition the 20th century Air National Guard into a highly effective combat capable 21st century Air National Guard," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Asia Crucial Front in Long War on Terror
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – South Asia and Southeast Asia are crucial fronts in the long war, and U.S. policies in the region are paying off, a top Defense Department expert on Asia said today. U.S. national interests and "our national health" lie squarely in Asia, Marine Brig. Gen. John Toolan, the principal director for South and Southeast Asia for DoD, said here during a briefing at the Pentagon. This is true economically, but also from a security standpoint.
The U.S. military uses an "indirect approach" to combating terrorism in the region, Toolan said. A key to success is building the security capacity of allies in the region. Building this capacity crosses U.S. military and government lines, he said. DoD agencies; the State, Justice and Commerce departments; and the U.S. Agency for International Development are all players in building a country's economic and security capacities.
Toolan said the indirect approach reduces the U.S. footprint in the region and encourages a more multilateral approach to security issues in the area.
"We've learned from experience that having large footprints is problematic," Toolan said. "And so our effort is ... using the experience and the talents that are available to the U.S., to then impart those capabilities upon our friends and allies in South and Southeast Asia and allow them to do the job.
"And by the indirect approach," he added, "I also mean being able to use some of our key allies in Asia, and working with them and through them to then help build capacity and capability within South and Southeast Asia."
The United States works closely with treaty allies in the region, including Japan, Korea, Thailand and Australia, to improve the capabilities of neighboring countries. This has worked in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other nations.
"So this indirect approach is not only just training and emphasizing the capabilities of our friends in South and Southeast Asia, but also working indirectly through some of our key allies in Asia," he said.
China and India are the two largest nations on Earth and two nations that are playing increasing parts on the world stage. He said no one can talk about South Asia and Southeast Asia without considering China. The United States is involved in engaging China and capitalizing on China's desire for stability and security in Asia.
India is the largest democracy in the world, and the U.S. relationship with the nation continues to grow, Toolan said. A U.S.-Indian naval exercise is under way in the Indian Ocean.
"There is a natural relationship between India and the U.S," Toolan said. "And so as we look at that wide-open sea in the area that's particularly around ... what we call the terrorist triangle in and around the Sulawesi Sea, having India's ... naval capability to help address the security in those oceans is of great importance."
South and Southeast Asian nations see the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as drawing too much U.S. attention, Toolan said. Leaders in the region believe that the United States isn't spending "the quality time that's necessary to build those interests and build those relationships" with the region.
The general referenced the concept often called "whack-a-mole" after the arcade game. "You take care of a problem in one part of the world, and a problem will pop up some place else," he said. "What we have really established ... is a concept of attacking the war on terrorism from a global perspective."
This concept calls for a unified government plan, Toolan said. Promoting economic development, shaping the conditions for the rule of law, encouraging good governance are all part of promoting stability and security in the region. And these require expertise from all areas of the U.S. government, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – South Asia and Southeast Asia are crucial fronts in the long war, and U.S. policies in the region are paying off, a top Defense Department expert on Asia said today. U.S. national interests and "our national health" lie squarely in Asia, Marine Brig. Gen. John Toolan, the principal director for South and Southeast Asia for DoD, said here during a briefing at the Pentagon. This is true economically, but also from a security standpoint.
The U.S. military uses an "indirect approach" to combating terrorism in the region, Toolan said. A key to success is building the security capacity of allies in the region. Building this capacity crosses U.S. military and government lines, he said. DoD agencies; the State, Justice and Commerce departments; and the U.S. Agency for International Development are all players in building a country's economic and security capacities.
Toolan said the indirect approach reduces the U.S. footprint in the region and encourages a more multilateral approach to security issues in the area.
"We've learned from experience that having large footprints is problematic," Toolan said. "And so our effort is ... using the experience and the talents that are available to the U.S., to then impart those capabilities upon our friends and allies in South and Southeast Asia and allow them to do the job.
"And by the indirect approach," he added, "I also mean being able to use some of our key allies in Asia, and working with them and through them to then help build capacity and capability within South and Southeast Asia."
The United States works closely with treaty allies in the region, including Japan, Korea, Thailand and Australia, to improve the capabilities of neighboring countries. This has worked in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other nations.
"So this indirect approach is not only just training and emphasizing the capabilities of our friends in South and Southeast Asia, but also working indirectly through some of our key allies in Asia," he said.
China and India are the two largest nations on Earth and two nations that are playing increasing parts on the world stage. He said no one can talk about South Asia and Southeast Asia without considering China. The United States is involved in engaging China and capitalizing on China's desire for stability and security in Asia.
India is the largest democracy in the world, and the U.S. relationship with the nation continues to grow, Toolan said. A U.S.-Indian naval exercise is under way in the Indian Ocean.
"There is a natural relationship between India and the U.S," Toolan said. "And so as we look at that wide-open sea in the area that's particularly around ... what we call the terrorist triangle in and around the Sulawesi Sea, having India's ... naval capability to help address the security in those oceans is of great importance."
South and Southeast Asian nations see the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as drawing too much U.S. attention, Toolan said. Leaders in the region believe that the United States isn't spending "the quality time that's necessary to build those interests and build those relationships" with the region.
The general referenced the concept often called "whack-a-mole" after the arcade game. "You take care of a problem in one part of the world, and a problem will pop up some place else," he said. "What we have really established ... is a concept of attacking the war on terrorism from a global perspective."
This concept calls for a unified government plan, Toolan said. Promoting economic development, shaping the conditions for the rule of law, encouraging good governance are all part of promoting stability and security in the region. And these require expertise from all areas of the U.S. government, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates Extends Army Tours in Iraq to 15 Months
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today. "Effective immediately, active Army units now in the Central Command area of responsibility and those headed there will deploy for not more than 15 months and return home for not less than 12 months," Gates said, during a Pentagon news conference.
This policy applies to all active duty Army units with the exception of two brigades currently in Iraq that have already been extended to 16 months. The policy does not apply to Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force units serving in Central Command. It also does not apply to Army National Guard or Army Reserve units deployed to the region.
The 15-month tour applies to active duty soldiers serving in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and all the countries in the region. U.S. Central Command stretches from Kenya to Kazakhstan and Egypt to Pakistan.
Soldiers will receive an extra $1,000 a month for each month or portion of the month that they serve longer than 12 months, Gates said.
Gates called this policy an "interim change." The goal for active duty units is 12 months deployed followed by 12 months at home station. Ultimately, the Army would like to see soldiers deployed for 12 months and home for 24 months.
"My objective was to set clear guidelines that our commanders troops and their families could use in determining how future rotations in support of the global war on terror would effect them," Gates said.
Upon taking office in December 2006, Gates learned that even the sustaining the level of deployed Army forces needed before surging five brigades into Iraq would require active duty units to flow into Iraq before they had spent a full 12 months at home. He said this reality was a significant factor in his decision to recommend to President Bush that defense officials increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps over the next five years by 62,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.
The deployment change is intended to provide better clarity, predictability and sustainability in how the Defense Department deploys active duty Army forces, Gates said.
He said the changes produce clear, realistic, executable, and long-term policy goals to guide the deployment of active duty forces. The change will also allow the Army to support the 20 brigade goal of the surge as long as it is needed, he said.
"Without this action we would have had to deploy five Army active duty brigades sooner than the 12-month at home goal," Gates said. "I believe it is fairer to all soldiers that all share the burden equally."
The secretary said he realizes his decision will ask a lot of Army troops and their families.
"We are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their commitment to accomplishing our mission," he said. "In the end, this new approach will better allow the Army to better support the war effort while providing a more predictable and dependable deployment schedule for our soldiers and their families."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today. "Effective immediately, active Army units now in the Central Command area of responsibility and those headed there will deploy for not more than 15 months and return home for not less than 12 months," Gates said, during a Pentagon news conference.
This policy applies to all active duty Army units with the exception of two brigades currently in Iraq that have already been extended to 16 months. The policy does not apply to Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force units serving in Central Command. It also does not apply to Army National Guard or Army Reserve units deployed to the region.
The 15-month tour applies to active duty soldiers serving in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and all the countries in the region. U.S. Central Command stretches from Kenya to Kazakhstan and Egypt to Pakistan.
Soldiers will receive an extra $1,000 a month for each month or portion of the month that they serve longer than 12 months, Gates said.
Gates called this policy an "interim change." The goal for active duty units is 12 months deployed followed by 12 months at home station. Ultimately, the Army would like to see soldiers deployed for 12 months and home for 24 months.
"My objective was to set clear guidelines that our commanders troops and their families could use in determining how future rotations in support of the global war on terror would effect them," Gates said.
Upon taking office in December 2006, Gates learned that even the sustaining the level of deployed Army forces needed before surging five brigades into Iraq would require active duty units to flow into Iraq before they had spent a full 12 months at home. He said this reality was a significant factor in his decision to recommend to President Bush that defense officials increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps over the next five years by 62,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.
The deployment change is intended to provide better clarity, predictability and sustainability in how the Defense Department deploys active duty Army forces, Gates said.
He said the changes produce clear, realistic, executable, and long-term policy goals to guide the deployment of active duty forces. The change will also allow the Army to support the 20 brigade goal of the surge as long as it is needed, he said.
"Without this action we would have had to deploy five Army active duty brigades sooner than the 12-month at home goal," Gates said. "I believe it is fairer to all soldiers that all share the burden equally."
The secretary said he realizes his decision will ask a lot of Army troops and their families.
"We are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their commitment to accomplishing our mission," he said. "In the end, this new approach will better allow the Army to better support the war effort while providing a more predictable and dependable deployment schedule for our soldiers and their families."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Why We Serve: Army Captain Embraces Life, Military Service
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – Much to her parent's chagrin, when Jessica Murphy was in fourth grade she joined the boy's flag football team. "I was a little 4-foot, 50-pound string bean," she said. "I loved playing, but once I got to the age where the team started tackling, my mom made me quit."
The Milwaukee native said her can-do attitude and tendency to buck stereotypes carried through to her college years when, unbeknownst to her parents, she applied for and was awarded an ROTC scholarship.
After earning a degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2001, Murphy was commissioned into the Army's military police corps.
She said her parents weren't exactly thrilled, but once they saw her successes and experiences within the military they were more than supportive of her decisions.
"I've done things that others don't normally get to do," Murphy said, as she listed her experiences in meeting the secretary of defense, working on military assignments associated with presidential visits, and touring the White House.
Murphy is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to join the "Why We Serve" outreach program. Members representing each military branch travel to communities across the nation to relate their personal military experiences through speaking engagements ranging from veterans organizations to schools to business groups.
"I've been able to do so many things in six short years," Murphy said. "It's awesome, and I love it!"
Although meeting such dignitaries has been an honor for her, Murphy said that her most fulfilling assignment has been serving as a platoon leader in the 300th Military Police Company at Fort Riley, Kan.
"Honestly there is no better job on this earth," the captain said.
Within a few months of her arrival to the unit at the end of 2002, the 300th MP Company deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Murphy served as a platoon leader for seven months before moving up to become the company's executive officer for the remainder of the year-long combat tour.
Being in charge of every aspect of her soldiers' lives from training and morale, to job evaluations and personal finances, Murphy said that her soldiers became her family.
"It was almost like I was their parent," she said. "I actually call them my kids and stay in touch with them to this day."
The 27-year-old said that other aspects of military life have fit her very well.
Sports have always played an important part in her life from cross-country running and track when in high school to rock climbing and snow boarding while in college.
"The teamwork found among sports teams came naturally to me," Murphy said. "It's very similar to the military too."
Murphy's enthusiasm and zeal for life is apparent when she begins talking about all the things still on her list of things to try.
"My life is all about experiencing 'things,'" she said with a smile. "Life is too short; there are so many things out there to do, and I don't want to be limited by anything."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 11, 2007 – Much to her parent's chagrin, when Jessica Murphy was in fourth grade she joined the boy's flag football team. "I was a little 4-foot, 50-pound string bean," she said. "I loved playing, but once I got to the age where the team started tackling, my mom made me quit."
The Milwaukee native said her can-do attitude and tendency to buck stereotypes carried through to her college years when, unbeknownst to her parents, she applied for and was awarded an ROTC scholarship.
After earning a degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2001, Murphy was commissioned into the Army's military police corps.
She said her parents weren't exactly thrilled, but once they saw her successes and experiences within the military they were more than supportive of her decisions.
"I've done things that others don't normally get to do," Murphy said, as she listed her experiences in meeting the secretary of defense, working on military assignments associated with presidential visits, and touring the White House.
Murphy is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to join the "Why We Serve" outreach program. Members representing each military branch travel to communities across the nation to relate their personal military experiences through speaking engagements ranging from veterans organizations to schools to business groups.
"I've been able to do so many things in six short years," Murphy said. "It's awesome, and I love it!"
Although meeting such dignitaries has been an honor for her, Murphy said that her most fulfilling assignment has been serving as a platoon leader in the 300th Military Police Company at Fort Riley, Kan.
"Honestly there is no better job on this earth," the captain said.
Within a few months of her arrival to the unit at the end of 2002, the 300th MP Company deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Murphy served as a platoon leader for seven months before moving up to become the company's executive officer for the remainder of the year-long combat tour.
Being in charge of every aspect of her soldiers' lives from training and morale, to job evaluations and personal finances, Murphy said that her soldiers became her family.
"It was almost like I was their parent," she said. "I actually call them my kids and stay in touch with them to this day."
The 27-year-old said that other aspects of military life have fit her very well.
Sports have always played an important part in her life from cross-country running and track when in high school to rock climbing and snow boarding while in college.
"The teamwork found among sports teams came naturally to me," Murphy said. "It's very similar to the military too."
Murphy's enthusiasm and zeal for life is apparent when she begins talking about all the things still on her list of things to try.
"My life is all about experiencing 'things,'" she said with a smile. "Life is too short; there are so many things out there to do, and I don't want to be limited by anything."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Chaplain in Afghanistan Invents Portable Chapel Kit
By 1st Lt. Ashley Dellavalle, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Army Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Shriver dedicated the first "expeditionary portable chapel kit" on Good Friday, April 6, during a ceremony at a small forward operating base in the southeastern region of Afghanistan. Shriver, 864th Combat Engineer Battalion chaplain, developed the chapel kit as a means to provide religious service to this small FOB. The kit is the middle-ground solution between "containerised," or prefabricated, chapels, used at large forward operating bases, and a chaplains' kit, a small bag that chaplains hand carry.
Shriver Said he designed the kit to address the problem of bringing religious support to small operating bases where a chaplain is not present all the time."
"The soldiers themselves can utilize the kit each week for worship services and bible studies," He said.
Among the guests at the Good Friday service were the command sergeant major of Task Force Rugged, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Busch; the 864th Engineer Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Mark Deschenes; and the battalion's senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Turner.
"Chaplain Shriver has been very creative in designing this whole idea, which I think will not only benefit the soldiers here, but could also be utilized at many small operating bases around this country," Deschenes said.
The expeditionary portable chapel kit consists of a large folding table for an alter, 24 folding chairs, an altar cross, candlesticks, chalice and paten (a small plate to hold Communion hosts), alter linens, silk flower arrangements in vases, votive candles, a chaplain resupply kit, and religious candles, among other items.
Shriver handcrafted the vases for the silk flower arrangements out of mailing tube, spray paint, and sand. All of the items, except the chairs and table fit in a wooden crate that easily can be transported on a helicopter.
The 864th Engineer Battalion plans on using the concept on Construction Base Pacemaker in the future, officials said.
(Army 1st Lt. Ashley Dellavalle is the public affairs officer for Task Force Rugged.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Army Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Shriver dedicated the first "expeditionary portable chapel kit" on Good Friday, April 6, during a ceremony at a small forward operating base in the southeastern region of Afghanistan. Shriver, 864th Combat Engineer Battalion chaplain, developed the chapel kit as a means to provide religious service to this small FOB. The kit is the middle-ground solution between "containerised," or prefabricated, chapels, used at large forward operating bases, and a chaplains' kit, a small bag that chaplains hand carry.
Shriver Said he designed the kit to address the problem of bringing religious support to small operating bases where a chaplain is not present all the time."
"The soldiers themselves can utilize the kit each week for worship services and bible studies," He said.
Among the guests at the Good Friday service were the command sergeant major of Task Force Rugged, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Busch; the 864th Engineer Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Mark Deschenes; and the battalion's senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Turner.
"Chaplain Shriver has been very creative in designing this whole idea, which I think will not only benefit the soldiers here, but could also be utilized at many small operating bases around this country," Deschenes said.
The expeditionary portable chapel kit consists of a large folding table for an alter, 24 folding chairs, an altar cross, candlesticks, chalice and paten (a small plate to hold Communion hosts), alter linens, silk flower arrangements in vases, votive candles, a chaplain resupply kit, and religious candles, among other items.
Shriver handcrafted the vases for the silk flower arrangements out of mailing tube, spray paint, and sand. All of the items, except the chairs and table fit in a wooden crate that easily can be transported on a helicopter.
The 864th Engineer Battalion plans on using the concept on Construction Base Pacemaker in the future, officials said.
(Army 1st Lt. Ashley Dellavalle is the public affairs officer for Task Force Rugged.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Exercise Strengthens Maritime Partnerships With North Africa
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Phoenix Express, a two-weeklong exercise designed to strengthen U.S. and European maritime partnerships with North Africa, began today in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Eleven nations will conduct multilateral training to increase regional maritime awareness and improve maritime security and safety, U.S. Naval Forces Europe officials said.
A comprehensive agenda that includes maritime interdiction operations, search-and-rescue training, division tactics and medical practices will allow armed forces from Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States to enhance maritime and air capabilities, officials said. The series of challenging training scenarios is focused on developing the individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
"Strengthening regional maritime partnerships allows us to address potential conflicts before they start, and awareness is the first step," said Navy Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, U.S. 6th Fleet deputy commander. "We are committed to enhancing the awareness and maritime capability of our North African partners to help create an environment that is inhospitable to maritime criminals, extremists and terrorists."
USS Nassau and USS Kauffman, both home ported in Norfolk, Va., will participate with Marines based in Rota, Spain, and Patrol Squadron 5 air assets based in Sigonella, Italy. The Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Patuxent also will provide valuable training during this annual exercise.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for Nassau and crew to build on unit-level training and increase our combat readiness in a multinational environment," said Navy Capt. John Roberti, Nassau commanding officer. "We are looking forward to operating with our regional partners."
Exercise Phoenix Express 2007 will take place between today and April 24 primarily in Rota and the Gulf of Cadiz.
(From a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-6th Fleet Public Affairs news release.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
April 10, 2007 – Phoenix Express, a two-weeklong exercise designed to strengthen U.S. and European maritime partnerships with North Africa, began today in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Eleven nations will conduct multilateral training to increase regional maritime awareness and improve maritime security and safety, U.S. Naval Forces Europe officials said.
A comprehensive agenda that includes maritime interdiction operations, search-and-rescue training, division tactics and medical practices will allow armed forces from Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States to enhance maritime and air capabilities, officials said. The series of challenging training scenarios is focused on developing the individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
"Strengthening regional maritime partnerships allows us to address potential conflicts before they start, and awareness is the first step," said Navy Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, U.S. 6th Fleet deputy commander. "We are committed to enhancing the awareness and maritime capability of our North African partners to help create an environment that is inhospitable to maritime criminals, extremists and terrorists."
USS Nassau and USS Kauffman, both home ported in Norfolk, Va., will participate with Marines based in Rota, Spain, and Patrol Squadron 5 air assets based in Sigonella, Italy. The Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Patuxent also will provide valuable training during this annual exercise.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for Nassau and crew to build on unit-level training and increase our combat readiness in a multinational environment," said Navy Capt. John Roberti, Nassau commanding officer. "We are looking forward to operating with our regional partners."
Exercise Phoenix Express 2007 will take place between today and April 24 primarily in Rota and the Gulf of Cadiz.
(From a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-6th Fleet Public Affairs news release.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Quilts Provide Comfort to Military Children
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Military children missing deployed parents can take comfort in quilts the Armed Services YMCA's Operation Kid Comfort program is making especially for them. The Armed Services YMCA is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans and the corporate sector are supporting the troops.
"The children don't know that (parents) are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq or in a more dangerous situation than any other," Susan Simms, the organization's manager for branch and corporate relations, said. "They just know Mom or Dad is gone."
To help them deal with the separation, Operation Kid Comfort participants create quilts unique to each child 5 and under, Simms said. The quilts include family photos, the child's name and the parent's service seal. Older children receive a small pillow with the same photos.
Since the program began on Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003, Simms estimated, close to 3,000 children have received quilts with a card explaining their significance.
"The card is addressed to the child, and it's the quilt talking to the child," she said. "It's telling the child that this quilt is especially for him or her, and it's OK to hurt, it's OK to cry, (and) the quilt is there to give them a little bit of comfort."
Simms said she thought it was a good way of trying to get across the purpose of the quilt. Each card is signed, "Your Buddy K.C.," initials that stand for Kid Comfort.
The quilts have benefits beyond being a cool gift, however, Dr. Sarah Hansel, a Department of Veterans Affairs staff psychologist, said.
"Blankets and stuffed animals have long been associated with kids as transitional objects, things they hold on to specifically for comfort," Hansel, whose husband retired from the Navy after 24 years, said. "I think that's one of the reasons why the program is so beautifully named.
"Kid Comfort is precisely what it does," she said.
A child's response to a parent's absence can manifest itself in many ways. Hansel said children's responses could include bed-wetting and exhibiting more challenging behavior. Those symptoms often improve significantly when the kids have something to latch onto that represents Mom or Dad to them.
"The little quilts are something tangible that they can grab hold of and take with them and wrap up in, be surrounded by parents' love," she said. "Those are all real, positive things that are likely to have solid impact, and families can see the difference in behavior."
Hansel believes so strongly in the program's positive impact that she has involved her quilting group, Stars and Stripes Quilters of Fort McHenry. Since the group started quilting for Operation Kid Comfort in July, it has completed more than 80 of the 40-inch-square quilts, she said.
Hansel said she got involved in the program as an opportunity to participate in a primary prevention project.
"We know that there's a lot of research evidence that shows that early parental separation is a risk factor for depression in adulthood," she said.
She stressed that such separation is only a risk factor and not a determining factor. "That's part of why I got involved, was to really push for something that has the potential of having a long-term impact in making up for some of the harm that war does that we never actually ... see."
Hansel added that the children aren't the only ones who find a measure of comfort in the quilt. All those involved benefit, she said and cited research that finds those who witness or engage in an act of kindness also feel better.
"This is a great project that spreads blessings on so many levels," Hansel said. "It's something that's just got kind of a no-lose component."
Those blessings have spread from Fort Bragg to Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Drum, N.Y. and to Armed Services YMCAs in San Diego and Alaska, Simms said. The program is expected to be introduced at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Carson, Colo., by fall.
The ASYMCA's most recent addition of the Operation Kid Comfort program is at Fort Belvoir, Va. That program is a joint effort between the ASYMCA and Fort Belvoir Child and Youth Services.
It was launched March 29 in observation he Month of the Military Child, which is April, Simms said. The event included a spaghetti supper where military children were presented with an Operation Kid Comfort quilt or pillow.
Charlize Reagin, 1, was one of the children to receive an Operation Kid Comfort quilt at the Fort Belvoir event. Her older sister, Eliana, 9, who couldn't be there, received a pillow.
Their dad, Army Staff Sgt. Josh Reagin, has been deployed to Iraq since Dec. 31 and is not due back until January 2008. His wife, Melanie, accepted a quilt and pillow personalized with family photos, including one of Josh riding a horse in front of the caisson at the funeral of President Ronald Regan.
"The quilt and pillow will comfort them a lot," said Melanie, as Charlize pointed to a photo of Josh on the quilt. "Da Da," she said.
(Quentin Melson of the Belvoir Eagle contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Military children missing deployed parents can take comfort in quilts the Armed Services YMCA's Operation Kid Comfort program is making especially for them. The Armed Services YMCA is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans and the corporate sector are supporting the troops.
"The children don't know that (parents) are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq or in a more dangerous situation than any other," Susan Simms, the organization's manager for branch and corporate relations, said. "They just know Mom or Dad is gone."
To help them deal with the separation, Operation Kid Comfort participants create quilts unique to each child 5 and under, Simms said. The quilts include family photos, the child's name and the parent's service seal. Older children receive a small pillow with the same photos.
Since the program began on Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003, Simms estimated, close to 3,000 children have received quilts with a card explaining their significance.
"The card is addressed to the child, and it's the quilt talking to the child," she said. "It's telling the child that this quilt is especially for him or her, and it's OK to hurt, it's OK to cry, (and) the quilt is there to give them a little bit of comfort."
Simms said she thought it was a good way of trying to get across the purpose of the quilt. Each card is signed, "Your Buddy K.C.," initials that stand for Kid Comfort.
The quilts have benefits beyond being a cool gift, however, Dr. Sarah Hansel, a Department of Veterans Affairs staff psychologist, said.
"Blankets and stuffed animals have long been associated with kids as transitional objects, things they hold on to specifically for comfort," Hansel, whose husband retired from the Navy after 24 years, said. "I think that's one of the reasons why the program is so beautifully named.
"Kid Comfort is precisely what it does," she said.
A child's response to a parent's absence can manifest itself in many ways. Hansel said children's responses could include bed-wetting and exhibiting more challenging behavior. Those symptoms often improve significantly when the kids have something to latch onto that represents Mom or Dad to them.
"The little quilts are something tangible that they can grab hold of and take with them and wrap up in, be surrounded by parents' love," she said. "Those are all real, positive things that are likely to have solid impact, and families can see the difference in behavior."
Hansel believes so strongly in the program's positive impact that she has involved her quilting group, Stars and Stripes Quilters of Fort McHenry. Since the group started quilting for Operation Kid Comfort in July, it has completed more than 80 of the 40-inch-square quilts, she said.
Hansel said she got involved in the program as an opportunity to participate in a primary prevention project.
"We know that there's a lot of research evidence that shows that early parental separation is a risk factor for depression in adulthood," she said.
She stressed that such separation is only a risk factor and not a determining factor. "That's part of why I got involved, was to really push for something that has the potential of having a long-term impact in making up for some of the harm that war does that we never actually ... see."
Hansel added that the children aren't the only ones who find a measure of comfort in the quilt. All those involved benefit, she said and cited research that finds those who witness or engage in an act of kindness also feel better.
"This is a great project that spreads blessings on so many levels," Hansel said. "It's something that's just got kind of a no-lose component."
Those blessings have spread from Fort Bragg to Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Drum, N.Y. and to Armed Services YMCAs in San Diego and Alaska, Simms said. The program is expected to be introduced at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Carson, Colo., by fall.
The ASYMCA's most recent addition of the Operation Kid Comfort program is at Fort Belvoir, Va. That program is a joint effort between the ASYMCA and Fort Belvoir Child and Youth Services.
It was launched March 29 in observation he Month of the Military Child, which is April, Simms said. The event included a spaghetti supper where military children were presented with an Operation Kid Comfort quilt or pillow.
Charlize Reagin, 1, was one of the children to receive an Operation Kid Comfort quilt at the Fort Belvoir event. Her older sister, Eliana, 9, who couldn't be there, received a pillow.
Their dad, Army Staff Sgt. Josh Reagin, has been deployed to Iraq since Dec. 31 and is not due back until January 2008. His wife, Melanie, accepted a quilt and pillow personalized with family photos, including one of Josh riding a horse in front of the caisson at the funeral of President Ronald Regan.
"The quilt and pillow will comfort them a lot," said Melanie, as Charlize pointed to a photo of Josh on the quilt. "Da Da," she said.
(Quentin Melson of the Belvoir Eagle contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Urges Congress to Pass Emergency War-Spending Bill
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today reiterated his call for Congress to pass an Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill and called for a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to move the process ahead. Speaking to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., the president called for a session next week to work toward a bill that's not bogged down with pork-barrel projects and "arbitrary deadlines" for a withdrawal from Iraq.
"We can discuss the way forward on ... a clean bill ... that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground," he said.
He urged Congress not to use the funding issue to make a political statement that ultimately hurts the troops. "I know we have our differences over the best course in Iraq," he said. "These differences should not prevent us from getting our troops the funding they need without withdrawal and without giving our commanders flexibility," he said.
Bush said further delays in passing a bill he can sign will soon put the brakes on military training and equipping and could cause deployed troops to have their tours extended.
"The clock is ticking for our troops in the field," he said.
Military leaders will be forced to notify Congress in the days ahead that they need to transfer $1.6 billion from other military accounts to cover the funding shortfall. "That means our military will have to take money from personnel accounts so they can continue to fund U.S. Army operations in Iraq and elsewhere," Bush said.
This transfer comes on the heels of another $1.7 billion transferred last month from money designated for weapons and communications systems and military personnel accounts. Bush said that money had to be redirected so the military could continue funding programs to protect troops from improvised explosive devices and send hundreds of mine-resistant vehicles to front-line troops.
These actions are just the beginning of what's to come if an emergency-spending bill isn't passed soon, he said. "And the longer Congress delays," he continued, "the worse the impact on the men and women of the armed forces will be."
Bush reminded the group that Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently testified that if Congress doesn't pass a bill by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing other major efforts.
Among programs that could suffer: equipment repair and quality-of-life initiatives for Guard and reserve forces and stateside training for reserve-component units. "This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," the president said.
"If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute," he said.
The Army will have to consider slowing or even freezing funds for its depots, delaying or curtailing active-force training and putting the brakes on forming its new brigade combat teams. These measures would have serious consequences for the troops, Bush said. Forces now deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq might need to be extended because other units aren't ready to take their places.
"The bottom line is this:" Bush said, "Congress' failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loves ones to return from the front lines. Others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than anticipated."
That's unacceptable all around, he said, expressing hope that next week's meeting with congressional leaders will break the logjam.
"When it comes to funding our troops, we have no time to waste," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today reiterated his call for Congress to pass an Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill and called for a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to move the process ahead. Speaking to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., the president called for a session next week to work toward a bill that's not bogged down with pork-barrel projects and "arbitrary deadlines" for a withdrawal from Iraq.
"We can discuss the way forward on ... a clean bill ... that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground," he said.
He urged Congress not to use the funding issue to make a political statement that ultimately hurts the troops. "I know we have our differences over the best course in Iraq," he said. "These differences should not prevent us from getting our troops the funding they need without withdrawal and without giving our commanders flexibility," he said.
Bush said further delays in passing a bill he can sign will soon put the brakes on military training and equipping and could cause deployed troops to have their tours extended.
"The clock is ticking for our troops in the field," he said.
Military leaders will be forced to notify Congress in the days ahead that they need to transfer $1.6 billion from other military accounts to cover the funding shortfall. "That means our military will have to take money from personnel accounts so they can continue to fund U.S. Army operations in Iraq and elsewhere," Bush said.
This transfer comes on the heels of another $1.7 billion transferred last month from money designated for weapons and communications systems and military personnel accounts. Bush said that money had to be redirected so the military could continue funding programs to protect troops from improvised explosive devices and send hundreds of mine-resistant vehicles to front-line troops.
These actions are just the beginning of what's to come if an emergency-spending bill isn't passed soon, he said. "And the longer Congress delays," he continued, "the worse the impact on the men and women of the armed forces will be."
Bush reminded the group that Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently testified that if Congress doesn't pass a bill by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing other major efforts.
Among programs that could suffer: equipment repair and quality-of-life initiatives for Guard and reserve forces and stateside training for reserve-component units. "This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," the president said.
"If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute," he said.
The Army will have to consider slowing or even freezing funds for its depots, delaying or curtailing active-force training and putting the brakes on forming its new brigade combat teams. These measures would have serious consequences for the troops, Bush said. Forces now deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq might need to be extended because other units aren't ready to take their places.
"The bottom line is this:" Bush said, "Congress' failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loves ones to return from the front lines. Others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than anticipated."
That's unacceptable all around, he said, expressing hope that next week's meeting with congressional leaders will break the logjam.
"When it comes to funding our troops, we have no time to waste," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Casey Takes Over Army Helm
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker today handed the reins of Army chief of staff to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who most recently served as commander of Multinational Forces Iraq. Casey became the 36th Army chief of staff.
This was the second time Schoomaker has retired from Army life; he first retired in 2000 but was asked to return in 2003 to serve in the Army's top billet.
"Every so often an institution needs a leader to remind it of its core values," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of Schoomaker. "He's done that by emphasizing the Warrior Ethos, focusing on physical fitness and basic skills like marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat."
Gates said this has led to a renewal of timeless values like personal courage and pride in one's physical and mental strength. "These are integral parts of the moral fiber and institutional memory that has, throughout history, made our military so effective against our enemies and so respected by our friends," the secretary said.
Top defense officials have credited Schoomaker with engineering the Army's greatest reorganization since World War II, as well as revamping training protocol across the force, all while the Army was engaged in combat.
The general led the transformation from a division-based to brigade-based Army that provided a fully modular force that was not only lighter but also more lethal, Gates said. The timetable to deploy brigades has become days or weeks, rather than months under Schoomaker's leadership, he said.
Gates said Schoomaker showed remarkable ability in leading individuals as well as institutions during his more than 30 years in the military. "He prepared our forces for the kinds of wars we are fighting and the ones we many be called upon to fight in the future," Gates said. "It is a difficult task in an environment that requires a rifleman and a smart bomb, an unconventional approach as well as conventional power."
As he said farewell to the Army, he took the opportunity to pass along words of advice to the many top military brass and political leaders in attendance. "I believe that this is the most dangerous period of my lifetime," Schoomaker said. "We are still closer to the beginning than the end of this fight."
He told the audience the pace of the Army's transformation and adaptation must accelerate, as well as the pace of conflict in Iraq. "Although the burden of the long war is slowly beginning to shift to a more balanced approach using all elements of our nation's power," he said, "the road ahead will not be easy, and the stakes couldn't be higher."
The general, both the son and father of soldiers, quoted former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams as saying, "People are not in the Army, they are the Army."
"My four years as Army chief have only affirmed that soldiers are our greatest strength because war is fought in human dimensions, and the men and women both in and out of uniform who are willing to put their boots on the ground are absolutely essential," he said.
Schoomaker said that while the technology of the Army has changed in its nearly 232-year history, the dedication to duty, patriotism and steely-eyed resolve of its soldiers has not.
"I have looked into the eyes of today's warriors, and I am proud to report that they continue to exceed every expectation for courage, dedication and selfless service," he said. "They are the heart of all we do; they are our future."
"Our Army is strong today and every soldier is a warrior because of your vision and leadership," Casey told Schoomaker during the ceremony.
Casey, who has spent 30 months as the commander of forces in Iraq, said that U.S. combat veterans have been baptized by fire and blood, but they have come out as strong as steel. He said he takes great pride in now being their leader.
He said the next decade will likely be one of persistent conflict. "We've been at war for over five years, fighting for our freedom, our security and our future as a nation," Casey said. "We have made hard sacrifices, and we will be called on to make more."
Casey said the quality of the men and women of the Army is the best he's seen in his 36 years of service. "The remarkable men and women of our all-volunteer force, supported by their families, are a national treasure and will be cared for accordingly," he said.
He added that soldiers' care and quality of life should be commensurate with the magnificent service they render the American people. "I want to renew my personal commitment to ensure these standards are met and maintained for our soldiers, civilians and their families," Casey said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker today handed the reins of Army chief of staff to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who most recently served as commander of Multinational Forces Iraq. Casey became the 36th Army chief of staff.
This was the second time Schoomaker has retired from Army life; he first retired in 2000 but was asked to return in 2003 to serve in the Army's top billet.
"Every so often an institution needs a leader to remind it of its core values," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of Schoomaker. "He's done that by emphasizing the Warrior Ethos, focusing on physical fitness and basic skills like marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat."
Gates said this has led to a renewal of timeless values like personal courage and pride in one's physical and mental strength. "These are integral parts of the moral fiber and institutional memory that has, throughout history, made our military so effective against our enemies and so respected by our friends," the secretary said.
Top defense officials have credited Schoomaker with engineering the Army's greatest reorganization since World War II, as well as revamping training protocol across the force, all while the Army was engaged in combat.
The general led the transformation from a division-based to brigade-based Army that provided a fully modular force that was not only lighter but also more lethal, Gates said. The timetable to deploy brigades has become days or weeks, rather than months under Schoomaker's leadership, he said.
Gates said Schoomaker showed remarkable ability in leading individuals as well as institutions during his more than 30 years in the military. "He prepared our forces for the kinds of wars we are fighting and the ones we many be called upon to fight in the future," Gates said. "It is a difficult task in an environment that requires a rifleman and a smart bomb, an unconventional approach as well as conventional power."
As he said farewell to the Army, he took the opportunity to pass along words of advice to the many top military brass and political leaders in attendance. "I believe that this is the most dangerous period of my lifetime," Schoomaker said. "We are still closer to the beginning than the end of this fight."
He told the audience the pace of the Army's transformation and adaptation must accelerate, as well as the pace of conflict in Iraq. "Although the burden of the long war is slowly beginning to shift to a more balanced approach using all elements of our nation's power," he said, "the road ahead will not be easy, and the stakes couldn't be higher."
The general, both the son and father of soldiers, quoted former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams as saying, "People are not in the Army, they are the Army."
"My four years as Army chief have only affirmed that soldiers are our greatest strength because war is fought in human dimensions, and the men and women both in and out of uniform who are willing to put their boots on the ground are absolutely essential," he said.
Schoomaker said that while the technology of the Army has changed in its nearly 232-year history, the dedication to duty, patriotism and steely-eyed resolve of its soldiers has not.
"I have looked into the eyes of today's warriors, and I am proud to report that they continue to exceed every expectation for courage, dedication and selfless service," he said. "They are the heart of all we do; they are our future."
"Our Army is strong today and every soldier is a warrior because of your vision and leadership," Casey told Schoomaker during the ceremony.
Casey, who has spent 30 months as the commander of forces in Iraq, said that U.S. combat veterans have been baptized by fire and blood, but they have come out as strong as steel. He said he takes great pride in now being their leader.
He said the next decade will likely be one of persistent conflict. "We've been at war for over five years, fighting for our freedom, our security and our future as a nation," Casey said. "We have made hard sacrifices, and we will be called on to make more."
Casey said the quality of the men and women of the Army is the best he's seen in his 36 years of service. "The remarkable men and women of our all-volunteer force, supported by their families, are a national treasure and will be cared for accordingly," he said.
He added that soldiers' care and quality of life should be commensurate with the magnificent service they render the American people. "I want to renew my personal commitment to ensure these standards are met and maintained for our soldiers, civilians and their families," Casey said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Thanks Troops, Legionnaires
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them. Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. "There's something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend" it, he said.
The president said it's difficult facing the personal losses the war on terror has inflicted. "We've lost some fantastic young men and women," he said. "And we honor their service and their sacrifice by completing the mission, by helping a generation of Americans grow up in a peaceful world."
Bush said he prays for the families of the fallen troops and recognizes the pain they're enduring. "And it's very important for me to make it clear to them that I believe the sacrifice is necessary to achieve the peace we all long for," he said.
The president thanked the Legionnaires who, like today's troops, sacrificed for the country. They provide inspiration for those in uniform today, he said, and continue to serve through their long tradition of support to the military.
Bush noted that World War I veterans gathered in November 1944 to found the Fairfax post as a way to rally support for those in uniform. "These veterans understood what it meant to be in war, what it meant to be far from home, and they provided necessary support for our troops," he said.
It's a tradition the group continues today, from visiting wounded troops in military hospitals to awarding ROTC scholarships at nearby George Mason University.
Bush also thanked the group for taking the time to send care packages to deployed troops Iraq and Afghanistan "to remind those who wear the uniform that you support them."
These and other efforts the country is making send a solid message of support to troops far from home and the lift they sometimes need, he told them. "It matters," he said.
The American Legion is among myriad groups, corporations and private citizens around the country showing support for the men and women in uniform. These efforts are showcased through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. Launched in November 2004, the program helps directly connect military members to the support of the America people and offers ways the general public can find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them. Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. "There's something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend" it, he said.
The president said it's difficult facing the personal losses the war on terror has inflicted. "We've lost some fantastic young men and women," he said. "And we honor their service and their sacrifice by completing the mission, by helping a generation of Americans grow up in a peaceful world."
Bush said he prays for the families of the fallen troops and recognizes the pain they're enduring. "And it's very important for me to make it clear to them that I believe the sacrifice is necessary to achieve the peace we all long for," he said.
The president thanked the Legionnaires who, like today's troops, sacrificed for the country. They provide inspiration for those in uniform today, he said, and continue to serve through their long tradition of support to the military.
Bush noted that World War I veterans gathered in November 1944 to found the Fairfax post as a way to rally support for those in uniform. "These veterans understood what it meant to be in war, what it meant to be far from home, and they provided necessary support for our troops," he said.
It's a tradition the group continues today, from visiting wounded troops in military hospitals to awarding ROTC scholarships at nearby George Mason University.
Bush also thanked the group for taking the time to send care packages to deployed troops Iraq and Afghanistan "to remind those who wear the uniform that you support them."
These and other efforts the country is making send a solid message of support to troops far from home and the lift they sometimes need, he told them. "It matters," he said.
The American Legion is among myriad groups, corporations and private citizens around the country showing support for the men and women in uniform. These efforts are showcased through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. Launched in November 2004, the program helps directly connect military members to the support of the America people and offers ways the general public can find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Ohio Group Supports Marines, Families
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2007 – Members of a troop-support group are using their experience as parents of servicemembers to offer support to other military families in Ohio. The Marine Corps Family Support Community began two years ago when a group of parents in Columbus, Ohio, came together for mutual support as their children left for Marine boot camp around the same time.
"We were bursting with pride, but scared to death at the same time," said Michele Gire, current secretary of the organization. "We didn't know anything about the military."
Since Marine bases are located primarily near the East or West Coast, she said, family members in the Mid-west don't typically have places to turn when they have questions about military life.
Gire said that parents and spouses have gathered to support each other through the different phases of their Marine's life. From boot camp to permanent duty stations to deployments, the group has learned about each stage together.
The non-profit group now offers their expanding knowledge base to others.
"We support anyone who supports military families," she said. "This results in fewer worries for our Marines. If they know their families are being taken care of they can focus on their mission."
Gire said her organization is constantly disseminating information about veteran's benefits, boot camp, deployments and education benefits to family members.
"We have people that either know the answer or know where to get it," she said.
Although the group first started as a support network for Ohio-based Marine families, they have since branched out to assist Marines and their families throughout the world.
Over the past two years the organization has sent more than 1,100 packages to troops overseas. In addition to sending those to individual Marines, the group also sends packages monthly to hospitals and public affairs offices in the war zone for distribution.
The Marine Corps Family Support Community is a member of America Supports You, the Defense Department's program connecting grassroots groups with servicemembers and their families at home and abroad.
"We couldn't have done any of this without being a member of America Supports You," Gire said. Since they joined the DoD program, they have gotten thousands of visits to their Web site from across the nation resulting in more support for the men and women overseas.
People started writing to ask how they could help, Gire said. She started a letter writing campaign where supporters could "adopt" a Marine if they promised to write them on a weekly basis for the duration of their deployment. More than 150 individuals have signed up to be dedicated letter writers.
"Marines love getting letters," she said. "Unfortunately they aren't always able to write back, but it means so much to them to get letters of support from back home."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online and police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2007 – Members of a troop-support group are using their experience as parents of servicemembers to offer support to other military families in Ohio. The Marine Corps Family Support Community began two years ago when a group of parents in Columbus, Ohio, came together for mutual support as their children left for Marine boot camp around the same time.
"We were bursting with pride, but scared to death at the same time," said Michele Gire, current secretary of the organization. "We didn't know anything about the military."
Since Marine bases are located primarily near the East or West Coast, she said, family members in the Mid-west don't typically have places to turn when they have questions about military life.
Gire said that parents and spouses have gathered to support each other through the different phases of their Marine's life. From boot camp to permanent duty stations to deployments, the group has learned about each stage together.
The non-profit group now offers their expanding knowledge base to others.
"We support anyone who supports military families," she said. "This results in fewer worries for our Marines. If they know their families are being taken care of they can focus on their mission."
Gire said her organization is constantly disseminating information about veteran's benefits, boot camp, deployments and education benefits to family members.
"We have people that either know the answer or know where to get it," she said.
Although the group first started as a support network for Ohio-based Marine families, they have since branched out to assist Marines and their families throughout the world.
Over the past two years the organization has sent more than 1,100 packages to troops overseas. In addition to sending those to individual Marines, the group also sends packages monthly to hospitals and public affairs offices in the war zone for distribution.
The Marine Corps Family Support Community is a member of America Supports You, the Defense Department's program connecting grassroots groups with servicemembers and their families at home and abroad.
"We couldn't have done any of this without being a member of America Supports You," Gire said. Since they joined the DoD program, they have gotten thousands of visits to their Web site from across the nation resulting in more support for the men and women overseas.
People started writing to ask how they could help, Gire said. She started a letter writing campaign where supporters could "adopt" a Marine if they promised to write them on a weekly basis for the duration of their deployment. More than 150 individuals have signed up to be dedicated letter writers.
"Marines love getting letters," she said. "Unfortunately they aren't always able to write back, but it means so much to them to get letters of support from back home."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online and police and military personnel who have authored books.
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