“Criminal and Epidemiological Investigation Handbook, Federal Bureau ofInvestigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the USDepartment of Justice, and the US Army Soldier Biological ChemicalCommand. 2006.”
Available At:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/docs/CrimEpiHandbook2006.pdf
Book Excerpt:
“Current information indicates that, regardless of location, American assets and citizens will continue to be targets of terrorist activities. Terrorists have demonstrated their willingness to employ non-traditional weapons to achieve their ends. One such class of non-traditional weapons is biological agents. Biological agents pose new challenges to both law enforcement and public health officials in their efforts to minimize the effects of a biological attack and apprehend those responsible for the attack. In the past, it was not uncommon for law enforcement and public health officials to conduct separate and independent investigations. However, a biological attack requires a high level of cooperation between these two disciplines to achieve their respective objectives of identifying the biological agent, preventing the spread of the disease, preventing public panic, and apprehending those responsible. The lack of mutual awareness and understanding, as well as the absence of established communication procedures, could hinder the effectiveness of law enforcement’s and public health's separate, but often overlapping, investigations. Due to the continued likelihood of biological attacks, the effective use of all resources during a biological incident will be critical to ensure an efficient and appropriate response.
The purpose of this handbook is as follows:
To provide an introduction to epidemiological and criminal terrorist investigations so public health and law enforcement personnel have a better understanding of each other's information requirements and investigative procedures.
To identify potential conflicts law enforcement and public health personnel will encounter during their respective biological incident investigations and to provide potential solutions that can be adapted to meet the needs of the various jurisdictions and agencies throughout the United States.
To enhance the appreciation and understanding of each discipline's expertise by all parties.”
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Children Join Parents for Fun at Pentagon
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 26, 2007 – The Defense Department's America Supports You program welcomed more than 500 children to the Pentagon's center courtyard today for arts and crafts as part of the 15th annual "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day." America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
"Today's event is just one example of the many America Supports You activities that take place around the country that help us honor and recognize members of our military community, especially their children," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. "We're thankful for the opportunity today to show our appreciation to these great kids whose parents come to work at the Pentagon every day dedicated to supporting our deployed troops and keeping our country safe."
Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day is a national public education program created by the Ms. Foundation in 1993. It was originally Take Our Daughters To Work Day, and it evolved into Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day in 2003. The Pentagon has taken part in the event for the past three years.
Connect and Join, a family support and education services publishing company and corporate supporter of America Supports You, joined with the Defense Department program to organize the day's activities, which included sand art, paper crafts and T-shirt painting, among others. Participants also had the option of taking a guided tour of the building.
The consensus of those 12 and under was that the day was "fun." Some, like Keana Boyens, 9, did admit that getting out of school for a time was part of the allure of coming to work with her mom, Katasha Hunter.
Hunter, who is former military and works as human resources specialist for the Army Inspector General, said curiosity about her job was truly at the heart of her kids coming with her today. "They always ask me, 'What is it that you do? You work at the Pentagon?'" she said. "So now they get to see what we do."
For her son, Karee Boyens, 10, the crafts were a bonus. "We took pictures and made T-shirts," he said. "That was a fun activity for me."
Gregory Malish, 8, agreed that the activities were a hit.
"I just think it's so fun being here and doing all this, and I'm proud of my mom for working for all of this," he said. "She sets up things to talk to the president and all. So it actually helps our nation."
Malish's mom, Cassandra Hagin, is a telecommunications specialist who works video telecommunications for the secretary of defense.
For some, the crafts were fun, but it was all about getting to hang out with Mom or Dad. In fact, as 4-year-old twins Ashley and Kaylee Waters sat stringing beads with their dad, Army Col. Roger Waters, the deputy division chief for the Iraq Intelligence Cell, the best part of the day as far as Kaylee was concerned was "to go to work with Daddy!"
In addition to all the fun, today also was an opportunity for Connect and Join to say "thank you" to the military community at the Pentagon.
"This is our way of giving back to the employees of the Pentagon and their children for the service that they do for our country and also for the military children," Linda Dennis, Connect and Join's founder, said. "The yard's filled today with kids of all ages, and there's nothing better than a good arts and crafts project to make a child smile."
If the crafts made the children smile, then the parents were surely pleased with the message Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Cucolo III, chief of Army public affairs, had for the kids as he opened the festivities.
"For all the young men and women who have come, you've got to be proud of your parents," Cucolo said. "It doesn't matter what their job is or what their duty is here in this incredible building, from administration to planning to working on information systems, your parents all have a role to play, and it's an important one."
The fast-paced tempo that moms and dads who work at the Pentagon face can equate to long hours and that can mean children may not always get to see parents as much as they'd like, he said. As a parent of three, Cucolo said, he understands the importance of "Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day" for the children who came to see where Mom and Dad work and what they do all day.
"A day like (today) is so important. It's a moment where there's one-on-one contact," he said. "I consider it quality time because they're together, lots of great, fun events for them to go and participate in, but most importantly, to get to see where Mom and Dad go for all these long hours and get a better understanding of what they're doing."
Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day is a national public education program created by the Ms. Foundation in 1993. It was originally Take Our Daughters To Work Day, and it evolved into Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day in 2003.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 26, 2007 – The Defense Department's America Supports You program welcomed more than 500 children to the Pentagon's center courtyard today for arts and crafts as part of the 15th annual "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day." America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
"Today's event is just one example of the many America Supports You activities that take place around the country that help us honor and recognize members of our military community, especially their children," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. "We're thankful for the opportunity today to show our appreciation to these great kids whose parents come to work at the Pentagon every day dedicated to supporting our deployed troops and keeping our country safe."
Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day is a national public education program created by the Ms. Foundation in 1993. It was originally Take Our Daughters To Work Day, and it evolved into Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day in 2003. The Pentagon has taken part in the event for the past three years.
Connect and Join, a family support and education services publishing company and corporate supporter of America Supports You, joined with the Defense Department program to organize the day's activities, which included sand art, paper crafts and T-shirt painting, among others. Participants also had the option of taking a guided tour of the building.
The consensus of those 12 and under was that the day was "fun." Some, like Keana Boyens, 9, did admit that getting out of school for a time was part of the allure of coming to work with her mom, Katasha Hunter.
Hunter, who is former military and works as human resources specialist for the Army Inspector General, said curiosity about her job was truly at the heart of her kids coming with her today. "They always ask me, 'What is it that you do? You work at the Pentagon?'" she said. "So now they get to see what we do."
For her son, Karee Boyens, 10, the crafts were a bonus. "We took pictures and made T-shirts," he said. "That was a fun activity for me."
Gregory Malish, 8, agreed that the activities were a hit.
"I just think it's so fun being here and doing all this, and I'm proud of my mom for working for all of this," he said. "She sets up things to talk to the president and all. So it actually helps our nation."
Malish's mom, Cassandra Hagin, is a telecommunications specialist who works video telecommunications for the secretary of defense.
For some, the crafts were fun, but it was all about getting to hang out with Mom or Dad. In fact, as 4-year-old twins Ashley and Kaylee Waters sat stringing beads with their dad, Army Col. Roger Waters, the deputy division chief for the Iraq Intelligence Cell, the best part of the day as far as Kaylee was concerned was "to go to work with Daddy!"
In addition to all the fun, today also was an opportunity for Connect and Join to say "thank you" to the military community at the Pentagon.
"This is our way of giving back to the employees of the Pentagon and their children for the service that they do for our country and also for the military children," Linda Dennis, Connect and Join's founder, said. "The yard's filled today with kids of all ages, and there's nothing better than a good arts and crafts project to make a child smile."
If the crafts made the children smile, then the parents were surely pleased with the message Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Cucolo III, chief of Army public affairs, had for the kids as he opened the festivities.
"For all the young men and women who have come, you've got to be proud of your parents," Cucolo said. "It doesn't matter what their job is or what their duty is here in this incredible building, from administration to planning to working on information systems, your parents all have a role to play, and it's an important one."
The fast-paced tempo that moms and dads who work at the Pentagon face can equate to long hours and that can mean children may not always get to see parents as much as they'd like, he said. As a parent of three, Cucolo said, he understands the importance of "Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day" for the children who came to see where Mom and Dad work and what they do all day.
"A day like (today) is so important. It's a moment where there's one-on-one contact," he said. "I consider it quality time because they're together, lots of great, fun events for them to go and participate in, but most importantly, to get to see where Mom and Dad go for all these long hours and get a better understanding of what they're doing."
Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day is a national public education program created by the Ms. Foundation in 1993. It was originally Take Our Daughters To Work Day, and it evolved into Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day in 2003.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Four new military writers
Military-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing all former United States military personnel who have written books. Four authors were added: Jack Sullivan, Michael Levine, William Childers and D.J. Stephens.
Commander Jack Sullivan, United States Navy (R), was called to active duty in three wars: World War II; Korean War; and, Vietnam War. He was also called to active during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His book, Shields of Honor, “tells of his part in these wars and realistically portrays the role the Reserve Component of the Navy played in each. He combines the lighter parts of his life in the Navy with his role in combat. His characters are portrayed with true service humor, but also depict their sincere dedication to duty as well. It's an interesting read for anyone who had a friend or relative in the Reserve or National Guard.” When he wasn’t serving his county in the Navy, Jack Sullivan was a detective for the New York Police Department.
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau. From 1958 to 1961, Michael Levine served in the United States Air Force as a police officer, he was honorably discharged as a Airmen Third Class, E-3.
He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically. Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.
In 1951, William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department. He retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander.
In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!
D.J. Stephens served 10 years in the United States Army (August 1956 to June 1965) attaining the rank of E-7. While in the military, he competed as a member of the Division rifle team and parachuted for a Post skydiving team. After his military service he spent the next 40 years involved in the computer industry; working in every capacity from programmer to company president. Recently, he made a career change and became the general manager of a company which specializes in vehicles for the physically impaired. D. J. Stephens is the author of two novels and several short stories.
His first novel, Bearkiller, “is a fast paced adventure novel that takes a man from the present to over two hundred years in the past, to possibly a past life! Jeff Barkil has a passion for hunting. It seems to have been an integral part of his being since he was a boy. But he has never known why he is so drawn to it.”
His second novel, HALO, is titled after the military acronym for High Altitude Low Opening; a parachute technique used for the clandestine insertion of military personnel. According to his book description, “The story takes place between the years 1958 and 1961, a period between the French surrender and expulsion from Vietnam, and the U.S. admitting they had troops in the country. Sergeant Barkil takes you on eleven harrowing missions including his time as a prisoner of the Viet Cong. You are taken from one mission to the next as Sergeant Barkil comes to terms with being a hired assassin while at the same time carrying out his missions and fighting to stay alive.”
In addition to hosting current, former and retired military personnel who have written books, Military-Writers.com is building and extensive web-based directory of military personnel who own businesses.
Commander Jack Sullivan, United States Navy (R), was called to active duty in three wars: World War II; Korean War; and, Vietnam War. He was also called to active during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His book, Shields of Honor, “tells of his part in these wars and realistically portrays the role the Reserve Component of the Navy played in each. He combines the lighter parts of his life in the Navy with his role in combat. His characters are portrayed with true service humor, but also depict their sincere dedication to duty as well. It's an interesting read for anyone who had a friend or relative in the Reserve or National Guard.” When he wasn’t serving his county in the Navy, Jack Sullivan was a detective for the New York Police Department.
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau. From 1958 to 1961, Michael Levine served in the United States Air Force as a police officer, he was honorably discharged as a Airmen Third Class, E-3.
He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically. Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.
In 1951, William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department. He retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander.
In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!
D.J. Stephens served 10 years in the United States Army (August 1956 to June 1965) attaining the rank of E-7. While in the military, he competed as a member of the Division rifle team and parachuted for a Post skydiving team. After his military service he spent the next 40 years involved in the computer industry; working in every capacity from programmer to company president. Recently, he made a career change and became the general manager of a company which specializes in vehicles for the physically impaired. D. J. Stephens is the author of two novels and several short stories.
His first novel, Bearkiller, “is a fast paced adventure novel that takes a man from the present to over two hundred years in the past, to possibly a past life! Jeff Barkil has a passion for hunting. It seems to have been an integral part of his being since he was a boy. But he has never known why he is so drawn to it.”
His second novel, HALO, is titled after the military acronym for High Altitude Low Opening; a parachute technique used for the clandestine insertion of military personnel. According to his book description, “The story takes place between the years 1958 and 1961, a period between the French surrender and expulsion from Vietnam, and the U.S. admitting they had troops in the country. Sergeant Barkil takes you on eleven harrowing missions including his time as a prisoner of the Viet Cong. You are taken from one mission to the next as Sergeant Barkil comes to terms with being a hired assassin while at the same time carrying out his missions and fighting to stay alive.”
In addition to hosting current, former and retired military personnel who have written books, Military-Writers.com is building and extensive web-based directory of military personnel who own businesses.
Tour Takes Entertainment to Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Operation Straight Up Tour is working to help military children and families become stronger through faith-based entertainment, its founder said. "OSU Tour is an organization dedicated to helping our armed forces with the common issues brave men and women face," Jonathan Spinks said, referring to child rearing, troubled marriages, anger, depression, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. "We're addressing those things through entertainment."
OSU Tour is one of the newest members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.. Spinks said he expects to include the America Supports You banner on stage during performances.
"Everything I've ever seen about the America Supports You organization is just great. Obviously (it's) got a great reputation," Spinks said, adding that America Supports You is an established organization that has been around long enough to add credibility to its member organizations.
The entertainment provided by OSU Tour is diverse and includes sports personalities, comedians, actors, and even the Flying Wallendas and their death-defying feats on the high wire. Those appearing on behalf of OSU Tour present wholesome, family-oriented entertainment that's also of interest to single men and women, Spinks said.
As a result of their personal experiences, the entertainers also are able to provide positive role models, he said, holding actor Stephen Baldwin up as one of those role models.
"Since God made a difference in his life, he's been very outspoken," Spinks said. "His life was going in one direction that was causing chaos and disruption in his life, and he just feels like God made those things better.
"So he (delivers) a simple message like that and tries to lend encouragement," Spinks added.
Since it's founding in August 2005, OSU Tour has taken its brand of entertainment to Fort Bragg, N.C., and Fort Hood, Texas. More shows are in the works, including at overseas venues.
"We obviously are very interested in going to Iraq," Spinks said. "They've been encouraging us to go to Germany, which we're also working on."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Operation Straight Up Tour is working to help military children and families become stronger through faith-based entertainment, its founder said. "OSU Tour is an organization dedicated to helping our armed forces with the common issues brave men and women face," Jonathan Spinks said, referring to child rearing, troubled marriages, anger, depression, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. "We're addressing those things through entertainment."
OSU Tour is one of the newest members of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.. Spinks said he expects to include the America Supports You banner on stage during performances.
"Everything I've ever seen about the America Supports You organization is just great. Obviously (it's) got a great reputation," Spinks said, adding that America Supports You is an established organization that has been around long enough to add credibility to its member organizations.
The entertainment provided by OSU Tour is diverse and includes sports personalities, comedians, actors, and even the Flying Wallendas and their death-defying feats on the high wire. Those appearing on behalf of OSU Tour present wholesome, family-oriented entertainment that's also of interest to single men and women, Spinks said.
As a result of their personal experiences, the entertainers also are able to provide positive role models, he said, holding actor Stephen Baldwin up as one of those role models.
"Since God made a difference in his life, he's been very outspoken," Spinks said. "His life was going in one direction that was causing chaos and disruption in his life, and he just feels like God made those things better.
"So he (delivers) a simple message like that and tries to lend encouragement," Spinks added.
Since it's founding in August 2005, OSU Tour has taken its brand of entertainment to Fort Bragg, N.C., and Fort Hood, Texas. More shows are in the works, including at overseas venues.
"We obviously are very interested in going to Iraq," Spinks said. "They've been encouraging us to go to Germany, which we're also working on."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Starbucks Employees Donate Coffee to Deployed Troops
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Coffee has always been an integral part of military life, and the recent coffee craze in America just whet the appetite of soldiers, sailors airmen and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Starbucks Coffee Company employees have responded by donating thousands of pounds of coffee and other items over the past several years.
"We kept getting cards and e-mails from troops deployed overseas saying how much they missed our coffee," said Julie Shelton, a consumer relations partner at Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle. "It was great we were able to get support from the military."
That support has resulted in thousands of pounds of Starbucks coffee and tea getting to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Marine Gen. Peter Pace traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan April 18-22, the back of his C-17 Globemaster 3 was filled with 5,500 pounds of coffee donated by Starbucks employees.
That delivery grew out of efforts by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Tony Forbes, who works in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to do something for his fellow servicemembers. "Back in 2003, I wanted to do something," Forbes said. "I started by asking local Starbucks in Fredericksburg (Va.) for donations."
His local Starbucks was able to donate 93 pounds of coffee, which he brought to Iraq as part of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers' 2003 holiday trip to the region.
"It was an instant hit with the troops, and I received a lot of thank you notes and e-mails, and I thought maybe we could get bigger," he said.
Forbes contacted Shelton at Starbucks, and they began to work together. Starbucks partners receive a pound of coffee per week as an employee benefit known as "partner mark-out." Many employees choose to donate this coffee to the troops. Shelton was also able to collect tea, chai, T-shirts, cups, thermoses and many other items.
On the Pentagon end, Forbes contacted Marine Lt. Col. Jeb Bishop at the Joint Staff Logistics Office for help. For the December 2004 Chairman's Holiday Tour, Shelton gathered 12,000 pounds of Starbucks "product" at the coffee roasting plant in Kent, Wash. Bishop contacted EGL Trucking Company, which donated trucks, the cost of drivers and gas to ship the coffee and other items to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
At Andrews, airmen with the 89th Aerial Port packed the coffee on pallets and loaded it aboard the C-17. Since that trip, another 5,000 pounds went to the region in August 2005, 18,000 pounds in December 2005, and 1,100 in July 2006.
"We have 140,000 partners in the United States," Shelton said. "It's fair to say that most of them have been involved in this one way or another."
During last week's trip with Pace, Forbes also brought over $16,000 worth of electronics equipment donated by Gloria Firestone. Forbes delivered iPods, DVD players, Play Stations, jump drives, and media for the equipment to hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Forbes will soon get the chance to see the process from the other side: He deploys to Iraq sometime this summer.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to 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 25, 2007 – Coffee has always been an integral part of military life, and the recent coffee craze in America just whet the appetite of soldiers, sailors airmen and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Starbucks Coffee Company employees have responded by donating thousands of pounds of coffee and other items over the past several years.
"We kept getting cards and e-mails from troops deployed overseas saying how much they missed our coffee," said Julie Shelton, a consumer relations partner at Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle. "It was great we were able to get support from the military."
That support has resulted in thousands of pounds of Starbucks coffee and tea getting to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Marine Gen. Peter Pace traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan April 18-22, the back of his C-17 Globemaster 3 was filled with 5,500 pounds of coffee donated by Starbucks employees.
That delivery grew out of efforts by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Tony Forbes, who works in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to do something for his fellow servicemembers. "Back in 2003, I wanted to do something," Forbes said. "I started by asking local Starbucks in Fredericksburg (Va.) for donations."
His local Starbucks was able to donate 93 pounds of coffee, which he brought to Iraq as part of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers' 2003 holiday trip to the region.
"It was an instant hit with the troops, and I received a lot of thank you notes and e-mails, and I thought maybe we could get bigger," he said.
Forbes contacted Shelton at Starbucks, and they began to work together. Starbucks partners receive a pound of coffee per week as an employee benefit known as "partner mark-out." Many employees choose to donate this coffee to the troops. Shelton was also able to collect tea, chai, T-shirts, cups, thermoses and many other items.
On the Pentagon end, Forbes contacted Marine Lt. Col. Jeb Bishop at the Joint Staff Logistics Office for help. For the December 2004 Chairman's Holiday Tour, Shelton gathered 12,000 pounds of Starbucks "product" at the coffee roasting plant in Kent, Wash. Bishop contacted EGL Trucking Company, which donated trucks, the cost of drivers and gas to ship the coffee and other items to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
At Andrews, airmen with the 89th Aerial Port packed the coffee on pallets and loaded it aboard the C-17. Since that trip, another 5,000 pounds went to the region in August 2005, 18,000 pounds in December 2005, and 1,100 in July 2006.
"We have 140,000 partners in the United States," Shelton said. "It's fair to say that most of them have been involved in this one way or another."
During last week's trip with Pace, Forbes also brought over $16,000 worth of electronics equipment donated by Gloria Firestone. Forbes delivered iPods, DVD players, Play Stations, jump drives, and media for the equipment to hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Forbes will soon get the chance to see the process from the other side: He deploys to Iraq sometime this summer.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to 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.
Starbucks Employees Donate Coffee to Deployed Troops
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Coffee has always been an integral part of military life, and the recent coffee craze in America just whet the appetite of soldiers, sailors airmen and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Starbucks Coffee Company employees have responded by donating thousands of pounds of coffee and other items over the past several years.
"We kept getting cards and e-mails from troops deployed overseas saying how much they missed our coffee," said Julie Shelton, a consumer relations partner at Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle. "It was great we were able to get support from the military."
That support has resulted in thousands of pounds of Starbucks coffee and tea getting to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Marine Gen. Peter Pace traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan April 18-22, the back of his C-17 Globemaster 3 was filled with 5,500 pounds of coffee donated by Starbucks employees.
That delivery grew out of efforts by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Tony Forbes, who works in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to do something for his fellow servicemembers. "Back in 2003, I wanted to do something," Forbes said. "I started by asking local Starbucks in Fredericksburg (Va.) for donations."
His local Starbucks was able to donate 93 pounds of coffee, which he brought to Iraq as part of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers' 2003 holiday trip to the region.
"It was an instant hit with the troops, and I received a lot of thank you notes and e-mails, and I thought maybe we could get bigger," he said.
Forbes contacted Shelton at Starbucks, and they began to work together. Starbucks partners receive a pound of coffee per week as an employee benefit known as "partner mark-out." Many employees choose to donate this coffee to the troops. Shelton was also able to collect tea, chai, T-shirts, cups, thermoses and many other items.
On the Pentagon end, Forbes contacted Marine Lt. Col. Jeb Bishop at the Joint Staff Logistics Office for help. For the December 2004 Chairman's Holiday Tour, Shelton gathered 12,000 pounds of Starbucks "product" at the coffee roasting plant in Kent, Wash. Bishop contacted EGL Trucking Company, which donated trucks, the cost of drivers and gas to ship the coffee and other items to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
At Andrews, airmen with the 89th Aerial Port packed the coffee on pallets and loaded it aboard the C-17. Since that trip, another 5,000 pounds went to the region in August 2005, 18,000 pounds in December 2005, and 1,100 in July 2006.
"We have 140,000 partners in the United States," Shelton said. "It's fair to say that most of them have been involved in this one way or another."
During last week's trip with Pace, Forbes also brought over $16,000 worth of electronics equipment donated by Gloria Firestone. Forbes delivered iPods, DVD players, Play Stations, jump drives, and media for the equipment to hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Forbes will soon get the chance to see the process from the other side: He deploys to Iraq sometime this summer.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to 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 25, 2007 – Coffee has always been an integral part of military life, and the recent coffee craze in America just whet the appetite of soldiers, sailors airmen and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Starbucks Coffee Company employees have responded by donating thousands of pounds of coffee and other items over the past several years.
"We kept getting cards and e-mails from troops deployed overseas saying how much they missed our coffee," said Julie Shelton, a consumer relations partner at Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle. "It was great we were able to get support from the military."
That support has resulted in thousands of pounds of Starbucks coffee and tea getting to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Marine Gen. Peter Pace traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan April 18-22, the back of his C-17 Globemaster 3 was filled with 5,500 pounds of coffee donated by Starbucks employees.
That delivery grew out of efforts by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Tony Forbes, who works in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to do something for his fellow servicemembers. "Back in 2003, I wanted to do something," Forbes said. "I started by asking local Starbucks in Fredericksburg (Va.) for donations."
His local Starbucks was able to donate 93 pounds of coffee, which he brought to Iraq as part of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers' 2003 holiday trip to the region.
"It was an instant hit with the troops, and I received a lot of thank you notes and e-mails, and I thought maybe we could get bigger," he said.
Forbes contacted Shelton at Starbucks, and they began to work together. Starbucks partners receive a pound of coffee per week as an employee benefit known as "partner mark-out." Many employees choose to donate this coffee to the troops. Shelton was also able to collect tea, chai, T-shirts, cups, thermoses and many other items.
On the Pentagon end, Forbes contacted Marine Lt. Col. Jeb Bishop at the Joint Staff Logistics Office for help. For the December 2004 Chairman's Holiday Tour, Shelton gathered 12,000 pounds of Starbucks "product" at the coffee roasting plant in Kent, Wash. Bishop contacted EGL Trucking Company, which donated trucks, the cost of drivers and gas to ship the coffee and other items to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
At Andrews, airmen with the 89th Aerial Port packed the coffee on pallets and loaded it aboard the C-17. Since that trip, another 5,000 pounds went to the region in August 2005, 18,000 pounds in December 2005, and 1,100 in July 2006.
"We have 140,000 partners in the United States," Shelton said. "It's fair to say that most of them have been involved in this one way or another."
During last week's trip with Pace, Forbes also brought over $16,000 worth of electronics equipment donated by Gloria Firestone. Forbes delivered iPods, DVD players, Play Stations, jump drives, and media for the equipment to hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Forbes will soon get the chance to see the process from the other side: He deploys to Iraq sometime this summer.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to 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.
Wounded Warrior Brigade Top Enlisted Soldier Provides Hands-On Leadership
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, an airborne ranger and master parachutist, served nearly his entire 24-year career jumping out of planes. He earned parachute badges from Italy, Jordan, Norway, Korea, Germany and Honduras. His airborne career ended, though, when he was crushed under a 10-ton front loader in Afghanistan in 2005. Once stable, Hartless was taken to Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. He has since recovered, but in an ironic and unlikely career twist for an infantryman, Hartless' injuries have brought him back again to Walter Reed -- this time to apply his combat leadership skills to taking care of wounded warriors as the top noncommissioned officer in the Warrior Transition Brigade. The brigade stood up its headquarters and first company in a ceremony at the center today.
When Hartless was injured in Afghanistan, his femur was smashed in six places; a titanium rod now holds it in place. His pelvis was broken at the socket. All of his ribs were broken, and he suffered lung and liver damage. His left foot had literally exploded under the pressure, and his left arm was nearly pulled off.
Miraculously, the doctors were able to put Hartless back together, with all body parts still intact and functioning. He later called the care he received here "fantastic" and "unbelievable."
The two-time combat veteran now will lead a new group of NCOs, many hand-picked by the sergeant major of the army, tasked with improving soldier care at Walter Reed. In his leadership "rucksack," Hartless brings a hands-on approach that starts at the squad leader level.
"They will have a squad leader again," Hartless said of wounded warriors recovering here. "(Each squad leader) is going to know them. He's going to know their family. He's going to know what unit they are in. He's going to know the appointments they have. He's going to know whether his soldier needs help getting to his appointments."
A few months ago, at the time the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care, there were no squad leaders assigned to help lead the wounded soldiers, and the staff of platoon sergeants had as many as 50 patient soldiers each to care for.
"Fifty-to-one is horrible. (The platoon sergeant) is just trying to account for his people. What problems can he solve?" Hartless said.
When the staff of the new brigade is manned at its intended 166 soldiers in June, squad leaders will have only nine to 12 soldiers in their care.
Hartless said leadership at the squad leader level is critical because it allows for the face-to-face and hands-on communication needed to ensure proper soldier care. As an example, Hartless cited the practice of an infantry squad leader just after a combat encounter:
"An infantry squad leader -- once they've consolidate, they've pushed through the objective, ... that squad leader goes to every solder and puts his hands on him and feels him," Hartless said. "Why is he doing that? He's talking to him. How much ammo do you have left? How much water do you have left? He's getting a status report.
"But he's feeling him to see if he's bleeding. Because (the soldier's) adrenalin is running so high sometimes you have a wounded soldier and you don't know until you put your hands on him," he said.
Because squad leaders have that hands-on relationship, "that young private ... knows his squad leader cares for him personally," Hartless said.
Hartless, who hails from the one-stoplight town of Amherst, Va., just a little more than three hours south of the sprawling Walter Reed campus, said healing will be wounded soldiers' mission while at the center.
"To me a soldier's mission is healing while they are here. That's their mission. Just like they get a task or a mission in a regular unit -- we want them to heal,"" he said.
Hartless was serving as the garrison command sergeant major at Fort Polk, La., when the sergeant major of the army tapped him for this post. The infantryman said he had no angst about putting on the medical patch to take this assignment. But, it has been an adjustment, he conceded
"It's a different feeling. Acronyms are different here. CLS is not combat lifesaver, its common levels of support. I have to learn a different language as I go. I learn something every day, so it's good," Hartless said.
"(I have) no angst about the patch. The patch is just the history. It's the people that make the units," he said.
Hartless said his injuries, his familiarity with the care at the center, and his ability to empathize with soldiers looking at the end of their careers make him a good fit for the job. But, for the soft-spoken sergeant major who has spent his career down in the dirt with his troops, the "honor" is all his.
"It's quite an honor ... to be selected for this, to help take care of our injured soldiers. It's just an honor," Hartless said.
Hartless was injured when he was run over by an Afghan driving a 10-ton front end loader. As the command sergeant major of the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, he had just finished checking guard posts on his forward operation base and was rounding the corner of a row of metal storage units when hit. Officials never determined if the incident was intentional. The Afghan ran and left him for dead, he said.
"I am lucky to be alive. The hand of God reached to me and said it's not time to come home yet. He's let me go on another day here for a purpose," Hartless said.
His surgeon and physical therapist still work at the hospital.
"They put me back together. I feel it every day. I have no complaints because I have everything. Everything works," Hartless said. "I won't say I can run anymore. I jog. I'm really not supposed to run that much, but I do it anyway, I guess because I'm hard-headed -- an infantry guy. I can go back to an infantry brigade or battalion and function."
Hartless said it was a "hard thing to accept" when officials first suggested that he may have to medically retire due to his injuries.
"I didn't believe it. I knew I could heal. I knew I carry a rucksack again. I knew I could go with the boys out on patrol," he said. "In my heart I knew I could do it. In my mind I knew I could do it too. I pushed myself because I wanted to get back. I wanted to be with those troops again.
"Today I can go. I can deploy and fight and win," 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 25, 2007 – Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, an airborne ranger and master parachutist, served nearly his entire 24-year career jumping out of planes. He earned parachute badges from Italy, Jordan, Norway, Korea, Germany and Honduras. His airborne career ended, though, when he was crushed under a 10-ton front loader in Afghanistan in 2005. Once stable, Hartless was taken to Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. He has since recovered, but in an ironic and unlikely career twist for an infantryman, Hartless' injuries have brought him back again to Walter Reed -- this time to apply his combat leadership skills to taking care of wounded warriors as the top noncommissioned officer in the Warrior Transition Brigade. The brigade stood up its headquarters and first company in a ceremony at the center today.
When Hartless was injured in Afghanistan, his femur was smashed in six places; a titanium rod now holds it in place. His pelvis was broken at the socket. All of his ribs were broken, and he suffered lung and liver damage. His left foot had literally exploded under the pressure, and his left arm was nearly pulled off.
Miraculously, the doctors were able to put Hartless back together, with all body parts still intact and functioning. He later called the care he received here "fantastic" and "unbelievable."
The two-time combat veteran now will lead a new group of NCOs, many hand-picked by the sergeant major of the army, tasked with improving soldier care at Walter Reed. In his leadership "rucksack," Hartless brings a hands-on approach that starts at the squad leader level.
"They will have a squad leader again," Hartless said of wounded warriors recovering here. "(Each squad leader) is going to know them. He's going to know their family. He's going to know what unit they are in. He's going to know the appointments they have. He's going to know whether his soldier needs help getting to his appointments."
A few months ago, at the time the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care, there were no squad leaders assigned to help lead the wounded soldiers, and the staff of platoon sergeants had as many as 50 patient soldiers each to care for.
"Fifty-to-one is horrible. (The platoon sergeant) is just trying to account for his people. What problems can he solve?" Hartless said.
When the staff of the new brigade is manned at its intended 166 soldiers in June, squad leaders will have only nine to 12 soldiers in their care.
Hartless said leadership at the squad leader level is critical because it allows for the face-to-face and hands-on communication needed to ensure proper soldier care. As an example, Hartless cited the practice of an infantry squad leader just after a combat encounter:
"An infantry squad leader -- once they've consolidate, they've pushed through the objective, ... that squad leader goes to every solder and puts his hands on him and feels him," Hartless said. "Why is he doing that? He's talking to him. How much ammo do you have left? How much water do you have left? He's getting a status report.
"But he's feeling him to see if he's bleeding. Because (the soldier's) adrenalin is running so high sometimes you have a wounded soldier and you don't know until you put your hands on him," he said.
Because squad leaders have that hands-on relationship, "that young private ... knows his squad leader cares for him personally," Hartless said.
Hartless, who hails from the one-stoplight town of Amherst, Va., just a little more than three hours south of the sprawling Walter Reed campus, said healing will be wounded soldiers' mission while at the center.
"To me a soldier's mission is healing while they are here. That's their mission. Just like they get a task or a mission in a regular unit -- we want them to heal,"" he said.
Hartless was serving as the garrison command sergeant major at Fort Polk, La., when the sergeant major of the army tapped him for this post. The infantryman said he had no angst about putting on the medical patch to take this assignment. But, it has been an adjustment, he conceded
"It's a different feeling. Acronyms are different here. CLS is not combat lifesaver, its common levels of support. I have to learn a different language as I go. I learn something every day, so it's good," Hartless said.
"(I have) no angst about the patch. The patch is just the history. It's the people that make the units," he said.
Hartless said his injuries, his familiarity with the care at the center, and his ability to empathize with soldiers looking at the end of their careers make him a good fit for the job. But, for the soft-spoken sergeant major who has spent his career down in the dirt with his troops, the "honor" is all his.
"It's quite an honor ... to be selected for this, to help take care of our injured soldiers. It's just an honor," Hartless said.
Hartless was injured when he was run over by an Afghan driving a 10-ton front end loader. As the command sergeant major of the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, he had just finished checking guard posts on his forward operation base and was rounding the corner of a row of metal storage units when hit. Officials never determined if the incident was intentional. The Afghan ran and left him for dead, he said.
"I am lucky to be alive. The hand of God reached to me and said it's not time to come home yet. He's let me go on another day here for a purpose," Hartless said.
His surgeon and physical therapist still work at the hospital.
"They put me back together. I feel it every day. I have no complaints because I have everything. Everything works," Hartless said. "I won't say I can run anymore. I jog. I'm really not supposed to run that much, but I do it anyway, I guess because I'm hard-headed -- an infantry guy. I can go back to an infantry brigade or battalion and function."
Hartless said it was a "hard thing to accept" when officials first suggested that he may have to medically retire due to his injuries.
"I didn't believe it. I knew I could heal. I knew I carry a rucksack again. I knew I could go with the boys out on patrol," he said. "In my heart I knew I could do it. In my mind I knew I could do it too. I pushed myself because I wanted to get back. I wanted to be with those troops again.
"Today I can go. I can deploy and fight and win," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special Operations Command Observes 20th Anniversary Amid Growth
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – As it observes its 20th anniversary this week, U.S. Special Operations Command continues to face more demand for its forces than it can accommodate -- a challenge the command's deputy commander reported yesterday won't abate even with more special operators in the pipeline. SOCOM is slated to grow by about 6,300 members in fiscal 2008, boosting its strength to 54,000 military and civilian positions, Navy Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
This growth, nearly all within the reserve components, includes nearly 1,900 soldiers to make up an Army Special Forces battalion, three Ranger companies, and nearly 800 additional civil affairs, psychological operations and support troops. Naval Special Warfare will add about 400 members, and Air Force Special Operations Command will grow a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle squadron and establish a distributed common-ground system.
In addition, the new Marine Corps Special Operations Component established in 2006 will increase from its current 1,500 members by nearly 550, Olson reported.
This growth rate won't reduce the high stress on the current force or its current presence in Afghanistan or Iraq, he said. Rather, it will enable SOCOM to expand its presence in parts of the world where it's currently underrepresented.
Olson urged the senators to support the $6.2 billion fiscal 2008 budget request that boosts retention initiatives for senior enlisted operators and ensures current and incoming special operators have the equipment they need to do their jobs. "It's important to sustain a balanced force as we grow, so we must retain our experienced people as we train new accessions," he said.
The budget request also includes more aircraft, prepositioned ship- and land-based equipment, and precision-guided munitions. It also will provide more Special Operations Force Warrior Systems, with body armor, helmets, weapons, ammunition, night-vision optics, individual- and squad-level radios, and other items, which Olson said "optimize success while minimizing casualties."
As the command monitors the challenges of a growing force and aging equipment, it's continuing to demonstrate its capabilities confronting terrorism and helping nations around the world bolster their own defenses against terrorist intentions, he said.
Created by Congress to organize, train and equip special operations forces, SOCOM has paid big security dividends over the past two decades, but particularly during recent years. As its members support war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, they're also facing off against emerging terrorism in the Philippines, Colombia and other parts of the world through training and assistance programs, he said.
In operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, special operators conduct direct-action missions daily and capture or kill terrorists and violent insurgents nightly, Olson told the Senate committee.
But equally important, he said, are the command's indirect actions worldwide that are crucial to building a global environment that shuns terrorism and embraces stability and security.
"We know that we cannot kill or talk our way to victory," he said. "Our actions must demonstrate our values and be convincing locally, regionally and, ultimately, globally."
That makes it essential that U.S. forces develop meaningful relationships with coalition partners that provide a stepping stone toward building their capabilities and encouraging them to resolve threats within their own borders, 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 25, 2007 – As it observes its 20th anniversary this week, U.S. Special Operations Command continues to face more demand for its forces than it can accommodate -- a challenge the command's deputy commander reported yesterday won't abate even with more special operators in the pipeline. SOCOM is slated to grow by about 6,300 members in fiscal 2008, boosting its strength to 54,000 military and civilian positions, Navy Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
This growth, nearly all within the reserve components, includes nearly 1,900 soldiers to make up an Army Special Forces battalion, three Ranger companies, and nearly 800 additional civil affairs, psychological operations and support troops. Naval Special Warfare will add about 400 members, and Air Force Special Operations Command will grow a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle squadron and establish a distributed common-ground system.
In addition, the new Marine Corps Special Operations Component established in 2006 will increase from its current 1,500 members by nearly 550, Olson reported.
This growth rate won't reduce the high stress on the current force or its current presence in Afghanistan or Iraq, he said. Rather, it will enable SOCOM to expand its presence in parts of the world where it's currently underrepresented.
Olson urged the senators to support the $6.2 billion fiscal 2008 budget request that boosts retention initiatives for senior enlisted operators and ensures current and incoming special operators have the equipment they need to do their jobs. "It's important to sustain a balanced force as we grow, so we must retain our experienced people as we train new accessions," he said.
The budget request also includes more aircraft, prepositioned ship- and land-based equipment, and precision-guided munitions. It also will provide more Special Operations Force Warrior Systems, with body armor, helmets, weapons, ammunition, night-vision optics, individual- and squad-level radios, and other items, which Olson said "optimize success while minimizing casualties."
As the command monitors the challenges of a growing force and aging equipment, it's continuing to demonstrate its capabilities confronting terrorism and helping nations around the world bolster their own defenses against terrorist intentions, he said.
Created by Congress to organize, train and equip special operations forces, SOCOM has paid big security dividends over the past two decades, but particularly during recent years. As its members support war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, they're also facing off against emerging terrorism in the Philippines, Colombia and other parts of the world through training and assistance programs, he said.
In operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, special operators conduct direct-action missions daily and capture or kill terrorists and violent insurgents nightly, Olson told the Senate committee.
But equally important, he said, are the command's indirect actions worldwide that are crucial to building a global environment that shuns terrorism and embraces stability and security.
"We know that we cannot kill or talk our way to victory," he said. "Our actions must demonstrate our values and be convincing locally, regionally and, ultimately, globally."
That makes it essential that U.S. forces develop meaningful relationships with coalition partners that provide a stepping stone toward building their capabilities and encouraging them to resolve threats within their own borders, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates 'Not Surprised' by Russian Opposition to Missile Defense Plan
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe. "We've made some very far-reaching proposals, and I have no doubt that there's debate in Moscow about how to respond under the circumstances," the secretary said at a news conference here with German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.
The secretary stopped in Germany on his way back to Washington to brief German leaders on his talks with senior leaders in Moscow and Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week. In his meetings with the Poles and the Russians, Gates discussed the plan to base ground-based interceptors in Poland and radar assets in the Czech Republic.
Polish leaders said the plan would enhance their country's security. German leaders expressed their gratitude that U.S. officials were undertaking discussions on the plan with the Russians.
Jung said missile defense is a very important activity because it's a way of meeting the threat before the threat matures, a senior administration official in the meeting with the Germans reported. Gates noted that President Bush initiated the talks at the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Responding to a question about news reports on Russian opposition to the plan, Gates said, "It may take awhile for the Russians to consider what we said."
He noted that Russia's foreign minister did not sit in on the meetings, nor did the chief of the general staff sit in on several of the meetings.
During his meetings in Moscow, the secretary explained that the missile system would not be a threat to Russia and asked them to be a partner in its development. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia would form a working group of experts to address the technical details of the plan and Russian concerns.
"We've made a very forthcoming offer," Gates said. "We've invited them to come see our interceptors in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and to come see our radar in California. We even offered to collocate radar with them and share data."
The Russians have not yet responded to the invitation, he said.
The secretary said U.S. officials have been talking to the Russians about missile defense for several years, and he thinks it's important that the dialogue was initiated again over the last few weeks.
"I hope that they understand the intensification of this effort and the effort to try to (create) a potential partnership through the dialogue we've had in Moscow this week and at NATO last week," he said.
A senior administration official traveling with Gates told reporters on background that the secretary is not discouraged by the Russians' negative statements.
"In my experience, particularly in this kind of circumstance, when the Russians are on a wicket, they tend to have relatively uniform talking points," he said. "They tend to stick to those talking points until they've made the decision as a government to change their position. Then the talking points change, and they'll have a new set of talking points which they'll all use."
The secretary and his senior advisors did not anticipate getting a speedy response from the Russians, the official said. "It doesn't happen overnight," he stressed.
The defense officials went to Moscow to further the discussion, he said, and the Russians are now seriously looking at the proposals.
The Russians did agree, however, to have their experts sit down with U.S. experts and "work through some of the basic facts of the system," the official said.
U.S. officials hope to "ameliorate their concerns, through transparency measures or otherwise, so that they will understand what we believe to be the truth of the matter, which is that this is not a system directed against them. It's directed against Iran," he said.
U.S. leaders are going to "extraordinary lengths," he said, to brief both the Russians and European allies. The next step is to follow through on the invitations the secretary extended.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe. "We've made some very far-reaching proposals, and I have no doubt that there's debate in Moscow about how to respond under the circumstances," the secretary said at a news conference here with German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.
The secretary stopped in Germany on his way back to Washington to brief German leaders on his talks with senior leaders in Moscow and Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week. In his meetings with the Poles and the Russians, Gates discussed the plan to base ground-based interceptors in Poland and radar assets in the Czech Republic.
Polish leaders said the plan would enhance their country's security. German leaders expressed their gratitude that U.S. officials were undertaking discussions on the plan with the Russians.
Jung said missile defense is a very important activity because it's a way of meeting the threat before the threat matures, a senior administration official in the meeting with the Germans reported. Gates noted that President Bush initiated the talks at the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Responding to a question about news reports on Russian opposition to the plan, Gates said, "It may take awhile for the Russians to consider what we said."
He noted that Russia's foreign minister did not sit in on the meetings, nor did the chief of the general staff sit in on several of the meetings.
During his meetings in Moscow, the secretary explained that the missile system would not be a threat to Russia and asked them to be a partner in its development. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia would form a working group of experts to address the technical details of the plan and Russian concerns.
"We've made a very forthcoming offer," Gates said. "We've invited them to come see our interceptors in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and to come see our radar in California. We even offered to collocate radar with them and share data."
The Russians have not yet responded to the invitation, he said.
The secretary said U.S. officials have been talking to the Russians about missile defense for several years, and he thinks it's important that the dialogue was initiated again over the last few weeks.
"I hope that they understand the intensification of this effort and the effort to try to (create) a potential partnership through the dialogue we've had in Moscow this week and at NATO last week," he said.
A senior administration official traveling with Gates told reporters on background that the secretary is not discouraged by the Russians' negative statements.
"In my experience, particularly in this kind of circumstance, when the Russians are on a wicket, they tend to have relatively uniform talking points," he said. "They tend to stick to those talking points until they've made the decision as a government to change their position. Then the talking points change, and they'll have a new set of talking points which they'll all use."
The secretary and his senior advisors did not anticipate getting a speedy response from the Russians, the official said. "It doesn't happen overnight," he stressed.
The defense officials went to Moscow to further the discussion, he said, and the Russians are now seriously looking at the proposals.
The Russians did agree, however, to have their experts sit down with U.S. experts and "work through some of the basic facts of the system," the official said.
U.S. officials hope to "ameliorate their concerns, through transparency measures or otherwise, so that they will understand what we believe to be the truth of the matter, which is that this is not a system directed against them. It's directed against Iran," he said.
U.S. leaders are going to "extraordinary lengths," he said, to brief both the Russians and European allies. The next step is to follow through on the invitations the secretary extended.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Gates 'Not Surprised' by Russian Opposition to Missile Defense Plan
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe. "We've made some very far-reaching proposals, and I have no doubt that there's debate in Moscow about how to respond under the circumstances," the secretary said at a news conference here with German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.
The secretary stopped in Germany on his way back to Washington to brief German leaders on his talks with senior leaders in Moscow and Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week. In his meetings with the Poles and the Russians, Gates discussed the plan to base ground-based interceptors in Poland and radar assets in the Czech Republic.
Polish leaders said the plan would enhance their country's security. German leaders expressed their gratitude that U.S. officials were undertaking discussions on the plan with the Russians.
Jung said missile defense is a very important activity because it's a way of meeting the threat before the threat matures, a senior administration official in the meeting with the Germans reported. Gates noted that President Bush initiated the talks at the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Responding to a question about news reports on Russian opposition to the plan, Gates said, "It may take awhile for the Russians to consider what we said."
He noted that Russia's foreign minister did not sit in on the meetings, nor did the chief of the general staff sit in on several of the meetings.
During his meetings in Moscow, the secretary explained that the missile system would not be a threat to Russia and asked them to be a partner in its development. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia would form a working group of experts to address the technical details of the plan and Russian concerns.
"We've made a very forthcoming offer," Gates said. "We've invited them to come see our interceptors in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and to come see our radar in California. We even offered to collocate radar with them and share data."
The Russians have not yet responded to the invitation, he said.
The secretary said U.S. officials have been talking to the Russians about missile defense for several years, and he thinks it's important that the dialogue was initiated again over the last few weeks.
"I hope that they understand the intensification of this effort and the effort to try to (create) a potential partnership through the dialogue we've had in Moscow this week and at NATO last week," he said.
A senior administration official traveling with Gates told reporters on background that the secretary is not discouraged by the Russians' negative statements.
"In my experience, particularly in this kind of circumstance, when the Russians are on a wicket, they tend to have relatively uniform talking points," he said. "They tend to stick to those talking points until they've made the decision as a government to change their position. Then the talking points change, and they'll have a new set of talking points which they'll all use."
The secretary and his senior advisors did not anticipate getting a speedy response from the Russians, the official said. "It doesn't happen overnight," he stressed.
The defense officials went to Moscow to further the discussion, he said, and the Russians are now seriously looking at the proposals.
The Russians did agree, however, to have their experts sit down with U.S. experts and "work through some of the basic facts of the system," the official said.
U.S. officials hope to "ameliorate their concerns, through transparency measures or otherwise, so that they will understand what we believe to be the truth of the matter, which is that this is not a system directed against them. It's directed against Iran," he said.
U.S. leaders are going to "extraordinary lengths," he said, to brief both the Russians and European allies. The next step is to follow through on the invitations the secretary extended.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe. "We've made some very far-reaching proposals, and I have no doubt that there's debate in Moscow about how to respond under the circumstances," the secretary said at a news conference here with German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung.
The secretary stopped in Germany on his way back to Washington to brief German leaders on his talks with senior leaders in Moscow and Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week. In his meetings with the Poles and the Russians, Gates discussed the plan to base ground-based interceptors in Poland and radar assets in the Czech Republic.
Polish leaders said the plan would enhance their country's security. German leaders expressed their gratitude that U.S. officials were undertaking discussions on the plan with the Russians.
Jung said missile defense is a very important activity because it's a way of meeting the threat before the threat matures, a senior administration official in the meeting with the Germans reported. Gates noted that President Bush initiated the talks at the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Responding to a question about news reports on Russian opposition to the plan, Gates said, "It may take awhile for the Russians to consider what we said."
He noted that Russia's foreign minister did not sit in on the meetings, nor did the chief of the general staff sit in on several of the meetings.
During his meetings in Moscow, the secretary explained that the missile system would not be a threat to Russia and asked them to be a partner in its development. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia would form a working group of experts to address the technical details of the plan and Russian concerns.
"We've made a very forthcoming offer," Gates said. "We've invited them to come see our interceptors in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and to come see our radar in California. We even offered to collocate radar with them and share data."
The Russians have not yet responded to the invitation, he said.
The secretary said U.S. officials have been talking to the Russians about missile defense for several years, and he thinks it's important that the dialogue was initiated again over the last few weeks.
"I hope that they understand the intensification of this effort and the effort to try to (create) a potential partnership through the dialogue we've had in Moscow this week and at NATO last week," he said.
A senior administration official traveling with Gates told reporters on background that the secretary is not discouraged by the Russians' negative statements.
"In my experience, particularly in this kind of circumstance, when the Russians are on a wicket, they tend to have relatively uniform talking points," he said. "They tend to stick to those talking points until they've made the decision as a government to change their position. Then the talking points change, and they'll have a new set of talking points which they'll all use."
The secretary and his senior advisors did not anticipate getting a speedy response from the Russians, the official said. "It doesn't happen overnight," he stressed.
The defense officials went to Moscow to further the discussion, he said, and the Russians are now seriously looking at the proposals.
The Russians did agree, however, to have their experts sit down with U.S. experts and "work through some of the basic facts of the system," the official said.
U.S. officials hope to "ameliorate their concerns, through transparency measures or otherwise, so that they will understand what we believe to be the truth of the matter, which is that this is not a system directed against them. It's directed against Iran," he said.
U.S. leaders are going to "extraordinary lengths," he said, to brief both the Russians and European allies. The next step is to follow through on the invitations the secretary extended.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Civic, Business Leaders Visit USS Eisenhower on Ship's Last Day in Gulf
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf, sailors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can return to Norfolk, Va., proudly, knowing that they made a difference in the global war on terror, the ship's commander said. "I believe this crew understood its mission and has been more fulfilled than any previous deployment," Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd told 45 civic and business leaders visiting the carrier today. "They know that what they did made a difference and saved lives every day."
On its last day in the Arabian Gulf, the aircraft carrier hosted educators, entrepreneurs and civic leaders who were participating in the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. The group is traveling in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for a crash course in the capabilities of the U.S. military.
The nuclear-powered Nimitz-class "Ike" is part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which has been providing support to American and coalition ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since the end of October.
The carrier also has taken part in maritime operations in the region by maintaining open channels for commerce, allowing freedom of the seas, and dealing with issues like piracy and human trafficking, Cloyd said.
Strike group commander Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers told participants that the ship's 5,000 sailors have provided support from the air and sea to CENTCOM, in addition to having boots on the ground in places like the Horn of Africa.
The 61 aircraft on the carrier have flown more than 2,000 combat sorties, dropped more than 150,000 pounds of ordnance, and continuously provided close-air support to troops and shows of force during operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"As impressive as the ship is and as impressive as the aircraft are, it's the sailors -- the young men and women, America's sons and daughters -- who are the most impressive part of what we do here," Myers said.
He was talking about sailors like Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Anthony, a nuclear electrician who spent two years in training before taking his first assignment on the Eisenhower.
Anthony works on the carrier's two nuclear reactors that not only keep the ship moving in excess of 30 knots, they provide enough energy to keep the carrier in operation for 18 years without refueling. The reactors also provide the steam that catapults aircraft from its deck at nearly 170 miles per hour.
"Our job operating the reactors is critical," Anthony said. And while the separation from his family is difficult, he said it's a small sacrifice to make for the nation.
For Seaman Zack Schutze, who serves as an aviation boatswain's mate, being in such a remote area makes it easy to lose sight of the true impact the crew has in the war.
Schutze's job is to help man the circular booth high over the ship's deck to closely monitor and track each aircraft that the carrier launches and recovers. "With an average of 75 flight missions per day," he said, "our work has to have a big impact on operations."
The carrier is a national asset that has the capability to strategically and operationally effect what's going on in the region, said operations officer Navy Cmdr. Mike Baker. "We are 4.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory," he said. "And with 70 percent of the world covered in water, we can play a role in operations nearly everywhere."
Members of the crew repeatedly told their guests how much they enjoy their jobs and the positive impact they are having on the world.
One "Ike" catapult officer, who was temporarily reassigned from his duties as a pilot, told Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants that he enjoys his job just as much today as when he joined the Navy eight years ago. "This job is awesome," the "shooter" said. "I love it, and that will never change."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf, sailors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can return to Norfolk, Va., proudly, knowing that they made a difference in the global war on terror, the ship's commander said. "I believe this crew understood its mission and has been more fulfilled than any previous deployment," Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd told 45 civic and business leaders visiting the carrier today. "They know that what they did made a difference and saved lives every day."
On its last day in the Arabian Gulf, the aircraft carrier hosted educators, entrepreneurs and civic leaders who were participating in the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. The group is traveling in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for a crash course in the capabilities of the U.S. military.
The nuclear-powered Nimitz-class "Ike" is part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which has been providing support to American and coalition ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since the end of October.
The carrier also has taken part in maritime operations in the region by maintaining open channels for commerce, allowing freedom of the seas, and dealing with issues like piracy and human trafficking, Cloyd said.
Strike group commander Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers told participants that the ship's 5,000 sailors have provided support from the air and sea to CENTCOM, in addition to having boots on the ground in places like the Horn of Africa.
The 61 aircraft on the carrier have flown more than 2,000 combat sorties, dropped more than 150,000 pounds of ordnance, and continuously provided close-air support to troops and shows of force during operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"As impressive as the ship is and as impressive as the aircraft are, it's the sailors -- the young men and women, America's sons and daughters -- who are the most impressive part of what we do here," Myers said.
He was talking about sailors like Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Anthony, a nuclear electrician who spent two years in training before taking his first assignment on the Eisenhower.
Anthony works on the carrier's two nuclear reactors that not only keep the ship moving in excess of 30 knots, they provide enough energy to keep the carrier in operation for 18 years without refueling. The reactors also provide the steam that catapults aircraft from its deck at nearly 170 miles per hour.
"Our job operating the reactors is critical," Anthony said. And while the separation from his family is difficult, he said it's a small sacrifice to make for the nation.
For Seaman Zack Schutze, who serves as an aviation boatswain's mate, being in such a remote area makes it easy to lose sight of the true impact the crew has in the war.
Schutze's job is to help man the circular booth high over the ship's deck to closely monitor and track each aircraft that the carrier launches and recovers. "With an average of 75 flight missions per day," he said, "our work has to have a big impact on operations."
The carrier is a national asset that has the capability to strategically and operationally effect what's going on in the region, said operations officer Navy Cmdr. Mike Baker. "We are 4.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory," he said. "And with 70 percent of the world covered in water, we can play a role in operations nearly everywhere."
Members of the crew repeatedly told their guests how much they enjoy their jobs and the positive impact they are having on the world.
One "Ike" catapult officer, who was temporarily reassigned from his duties as a pilot, told Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants that he enjoys his job just as much today as when he joined the Navy eight years ago. "This job is awesome," the "shooter" said. "I love it, and that will never change."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
U.S. Commanders Continue to Watch North Korea, Push for Three-Year Tours
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The top U.S. commander in Korea urged Congress yesterday to help him introduce standard three-year rotational tours for military forces in South Korea over the next several years. Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the current "dysfunctional, one-year, war-zone rotational tour mechanism" has outlived its day.
Fifty-four years after the end of the Korean War, Bell said it's time to end the arrangement that needlessly adds to the already-high U.S. worldwide operational tempo. At the same time, Bell said, it handicaps readiness and engagement opportunities with South Korea.
"I'm abdicating three-year, normal accompanied tours as an objective and a goal that we should work toward in Korea, and I would appreciate your support as I work this initiative over the next several years," he told the panel.
Bell joined Navy Adm. Timothy Keating, who took the helm of U.S. Pacific Command in March, in updating the Senate committee about U.S. military operations in Korea in light of the fiscal 2008 defense budget request.
Both commanders reported a healthy U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance that has successfully deterred North Korean aggression since the war's end.
"Our mission in Korea has been a resounding success and serves as a model for military response to aggression, leading to peace, prosperity and democracy," Bell said.
Bell reported progress in moving U.S. troops to south of Seoul. This move, being paid for largely by the South Korean government, will improve troops' living and working conditions and increase their strategic and operational flexibility, he said.
The next milestone for the alliance will be in 2012, when the two countries transition operational command and control of Republic of Korea military forces in wartime to an independent ROK military command. Currently these forces fall under Combined Forces Command, which will be inactivated as a new U.S. independent warfighting command is established in Korea, Bell said.
Throughout this process, the United States "will retain clear national command over all of our forces and personnel," he said.
As these advances take shape, the commanders said they're continuing to watch North Korea closely to ensure it complies with promises made in February to abandon its nuclear programs.
North Korea's promises to shut down its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors into the country represent an assuring step forward, Keating told the committee. That promise was the outcome of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing that involved the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas.
"Six-party progress is, while not rapid, ... no less an important step toward providing peace and security on the peninsula," Keating said.
Bell expressed hope that North Korea will make good on its word, but acknowledged concerns about North Korea's long-term intentions. "We all remain hopeful that the progress made in the last round of Six-Party Talks will result in a denuclearized Korea," he said.
He expressed concern, however, over North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's "history of manipulating the international community in an attempt to shape the political and military environment to meet his objectives."
Bell cited North Korea's "highly provocative military actions this past year," including unprecedented missile firings and detonation of a nuclear device. These, he said, "present a continuing threat to international peace and security worldwide."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The top U.S. commander in Korea urged Congress yesterday to help him introduce standard three-year rotational tours for military forces in South Korea over the next several years. Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the current "dysfunctional, one-year, war-zone rotational tour mechanism" has outlived its day.
Fifty-four years after the end of the Korean War, Bell said it's time to end the arrangement that needlessly adds to the already-high U.S. worldwide operational tempo. At the same time, Bell said, it handicaps readiness and engagement opportunities with South Korea.
"I'm abdicating three-year, normal accompanied tours as an objective and a goal that we should work toward in Korea, and I would appreciate your support as I work this initiative over the next several years," he told the panel.
Bell joined Navy Adm. Timothy Keating, who took the helm of U.S. Pacific Command in March, in updating the Senate committee about U.S. military operations in Korea in light of the fiscal 2008 defense budget request.
Both commanders reported a healthy U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance that has successfully deterred North Korean aggression since the war's end.
"Our mission in Korea has been a resounding success and serves as a model for military response to aggression, leading to peace, prosperity and democracy," Bell said.
Bell reported progress in moving U.S. troops to south of Seoul. This move, being paid for largely by the South Korean government, will improve troops' living and working conditions and increase their strategic and operational flexibility, he said.
The next milestone for the alliance will be in 2012, when the two countries transition operational command and control of Republic of Korea military forces in wartime to an independent ROK military command. Currently these forces fall under Combined Forces Command, which will be inactivated as a new U.S. independent warfighting command is established in Korea, Bell said.
Throughout this process, the United States "will retain clear national command over all of our forces and personnel," he said.
As these advances take shape, the commanders said they're continuing to watch North Korea closely to ensure it complies with promises made in February to abandon its nuclear programs.
North Korea's promises to shut down its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors into the country represent an assuring step forward, Keating told the committee. That promise was the outcome of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing that involved the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas.
"Six-party progress is, while not rapid, ... no less an important step toward providing peace and security on the peninsula," Keating said.
Bell expressed hope that North Korea will make good on its word, but acknowledged concerns about North Korea's long-term intentions. "We all remain hopeful that the progress made in the last round of Six-Party Talks will result in a denuclearized Korea," he said.
He expressed concern, however, over North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's "history of manipulating the international community in an attempt to shape the political and military environment to meet his objectives."
Bell cited North Korea's "highly provocative military actions this past year," including unprecedented missile firings and detonation of a nuclear device. These, he said, "present a continuing threat to international peace and security worldwide."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Activates New Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.
Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.
The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.
The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.
Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.
The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.
"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.
The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.
The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.
"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."
Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.
The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.
Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.
The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.
"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."
Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.
Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.
"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."
The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.
"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.
Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.
The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.
The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.
Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.
The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.
"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.
The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.
The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.
"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."
Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.
The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.
Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.
The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.
"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."
Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.
Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.
"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."
The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.
"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Activates New Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.
Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.
The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.
The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.
Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.
The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.
"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.
The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.
The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.
"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."
Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.
The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.
Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.
The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.
"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."
Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.
Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.
"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."
The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.
"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers. Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.
Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.
The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.
The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.
Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.
The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.
"Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.
The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-soldiers in their care.
The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient soldier care.
"That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."
Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.
The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.
Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.
The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-soldiers.
"We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."
Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.
Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-soldiers interact.
"I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."
The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.
"They shouldn't be separate. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Why We Serve: Marine Sergeant Applies Childhood Experiences to Military Career
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – A childhood dream became reality when a missionary couple's daughter joined the U.S. Marine Corps four years ago. “I fell in love with the thought of being a Marine when I was 14 years old," Sgt. Paula Payne said.
Payne is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to participate in the "Why We Serve" outreach program to share their personal experiences with the American public. Program participants are traveling throughout the nation to speak to veterans organizations, schools and business groups.
The 23-year-old, who lived outside of the United States for the first 15 years of her life, said she realized at a young age that she needed to find a way to pay for her secondary education.
"Being missionaries, my parents didn't make a lot of money," Payne said. "Since going to college was important to me, I knew I had to find a way to pay for it."
After talking to her father about several options and doing a lot of research, Payne said, the natural choice for her was to join the Marine Corps to pay for schooling down the road; so she signed up for the Delayed Entry Program while still in high school.
Within seven months of being assigned to the 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.
While deployed, Payne was one of the first female Marines to man checkpoints in Operation Lioness. Up until that point, Iraqi women were passing through checkpoints without being searched due to cultural sensitivities. Payne said some were being used as "mules" to traffic drugs and weapons.
"The experience was great," the radio operator said. "That's when I realized being able to have contact with another culture was really awesome."
She said she was surprised that many of the Iraqis coming through the checkpoints seem to love Americans. "They let their kids out (of the cars) to come and see us," Payne said. "The kids always wanted to be held, and mothers wanted us to kiss their babies."
Payne said she was also surprised at how giving many of the Iraqis are. "They were always giving us fruit, baklava and candy," she said.
Mission work and military service may seem to be opposite ends of the spectrum, but Payne said they have much in common.
"My childhood up-bringing and the Marine Corps go hand-in-hand," she said. "Being a missionary kid and pastor's daughter, I was taught to care about others, be humble and self-sacrificing."
Payne said those are principles that play a large role in being a Marine.
Marines take care of their fellow troops, they care for the people they are trying to protect, and they are willing to lay down their lives for their country, she said.
"A lot of the values and morals I learned as a child really have carried over to the Marine Corps," Payne said. "I've been able to apply my childhood experience to my current job."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – A childhood dream became reality when a missionary couple's daughter joined the U.S. Marine Corps four years ago. “I fell in love with the thought of being a Marine when I was 14 years old," Sgt. Paula Payne said.
Payne is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to participate in the "Why We Serve" outreach program to share their personal experiences with the American public. Program participants are traveling throughout the nation to speak to veterans organizations, schools and business groups.
The 23-year-old, who lived outside of the United States for the first 15 years of her life, said she realized at a young age that she needed to find a way to pay for her secondary education.
"Being missionaries, my parents didn't make a lot of money," Payne said. "Since going to college was important to me, I knew I had to find a way to pay for it."
After talking to her father about several options and doing a lot of research, Payne said, the natural choice for her was to join the Marine Corps to pay for schooling down the road; so she signed up for the Delayed Entry Program while still in high school.
Within seven months of being assigned to the 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.
While deployed, Payne was one of the first female Marines to man checkpoints in Operation Lioness. Up until that point, Iraqi women were passing through checkpoints without being searched due to cultural sensitivities. Payne said some were being used as "mules" to traffic drugs and weapons.
"The experience was great," the radio operator said. "That's when I realized being able to have contact with another culture was really awesome."
She said she was surprised that many of the Iraqis coming through the checkpoints seem to love Americans. "They let their kids out (of the cars) to come and see us," Payne said. "The kids always wanted to be held, and mothers wanted us to kiss their babies."
Payne said she was also surprised at how giving many of the Iraqis are. "They were always giving us fruit, baklava and candy," she said.
Mission work and military service may seem to be opposite ends of the spectrum, but Payne said they have much in common.
"My childhood up-bringing and the Marine Corps go hand-in-hand," she said. "Being a missionary kid and pastor's daughter, I was taught to care about others, be humble and self-sacrificing."
Payne said those are principles that play a large role in being a Marine.
Marines take care of their fellow troops, they care for the people they are trying to protect, and they are willing to lay down their lives for their country, she said.
"A lot of the values and morals I learned as a child really have carried over to the Marine Corps," Payne said. "I've been able to apply my childhood experience to my current job."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Civilian Leaders Meet Sailors Working Aboard Navy Carrier in Gulf
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Members of the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference today walked, or catapulted, away from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with a greater appreciation for what sailors are doing for their nation and the global war on terror. Forty-five civic and business leaders who are traveling in the Central Command's area of responsibility were introduced to sailors manning the nuclear-powered, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the day before it headed back to its home port in Norfolk, Va., following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Sea.
Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants arrived to the carrier via Navy C-2A "Greyhound" cargo plane where they were "recovered" by one of four arrestor wires on the 1,092-foot deck. Each of the three cargo planes came to a jolting stop on the ship's deck resulting in applause and cheers from its passengers.
After a brief introduction to the ship's senior leaders, participants had lunch in the ship's aft mess decks with junior sailors from the 5,000-member crew.
Sailors were quizzed by the participants on their jobs, the reason they joined the Navy and how they felt about their mission in the global war on terror.
By climbing seemingly endless staircases, visitors were allowed the rare opportunity of touring the ship's bridge and primary flight control areas to see how the carrier's crew orchestrates the 70 plus daily missions performed by the "Ike."
The ship's "Air Boss" and his staff controlled launches, recoveries and the location of all aircraft within a 10-mile radius while explaining to the visitors the steps of the seamless operations onboard.
After watching the process from high above the carrier's deck, participants were allowed to go onto the ship's bridge where they stood mere feet away from the four catapults that launched F-18C "Hornets," F-18E "Super Hornets" and E-2C "Hawkeyes" onto training missions.
The participants watched in awe when they were allowed to stand by the arrestor wires as aircraft approached the 4.5-acre flight deck at full throttle until their tail hooks caught the wires to come to a complete stop within seconds of touching down.
Before leaving the Eisenhower, the ship's commander Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd presented the participants with a certificate naming them honorary "tailhookers" for their landing earlier on the ship's deck.
"I hope you leave us with a sense of how incredibly talented, inspiring and talented our young people are on the Eisenhower," he told the guests resulting in applause, whistling and cheering. "Their satisfaction and pride in a job well-done is the highest I've seen during my 28 years in the Navy."
The carrier strike group commander echoed his sentiments.
"They joined the service to make a difference," Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers said, "and that's exactly what they do each and every day."
Our sailors make a difference by launching aircraft and providing security in the region, Myers told the group. They truly believe in what they are doing, he said.
"The level of skill and capability of sailors is amazing," said JCOC participant Kellie Johnson, who is the president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises in Torrance, Calif. "It takes a certain kind of person to be in the Navy; I am in awe."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 25, 2007 – Members of the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference today walked, or catapulted, away from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with a greater appreciation for what sailors are doing for their nation and the global war on terror. Forty-five civic and business leaders who are traveling in the Central Command's area of responsibility were introduced to sailors manning the nuclear-powered, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the day before it headed back to its home port in Norfolk, Va., following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Sea.
Joint Civilian Orientation Conference participants arrived to the carrier via Navy C-2A "Greyhound" cargo plane where they were "recovered" by one of four arrestor wires on the 1,092-foot deck. Each of the three cargo planes came to a jolting stop on the ship's deck resulting in applause and cheers from its passengers.
After a brief introduction to the ship's senior leaders, participants had lunch in the ship's aft mess decks with junior sailors from the 5,000-member crew.
Sailors were quizzed by the participants on their jobs, the reason they joined the Navy and how they felt about their mission in the global war on terror.
By climbing seemingly endless staircases, visitors were allowed the rare opportunity of touring the ship's bridge and primary flight control areas to see how the carrier's crew orchestrates the 70 plus daily missions performed by the "Ike."
The ship's "Air Boss" and his staff controlled launches, recoveries and the location of all aircraft within a 10-mile radius while explaining to the visitors the steps of the seamless operations onboard.
After watching the process from high above the carrier's deck, participants were allowed to go onto the ship's bridge where they stood mere feet away from the four catapults that launched F-18C "Hornets," F-18E "Super Hornets" and E-2C "Hawkeyes" onto training missions.
The participants watched in awe when they were allowed to stand by the arrestor wires as aircraft approached the 4.5-acre flight deck at full throttle until their tail hooks caught the wires to come to a complete stop within seconds of touching down.
Before leaving the Eisenhower, the ship's commander Navy Capt. Dan Cloyd presented the participants with a certificate naming them honorary "tailhookers" for their landing earlier on the ship's deck.
"I hope you leave us with a sense of how incredibly talented, inspiring and talented our young people are on the Eisenhower," he told the guests resulting in applause, whistling and cheering. "Their satisfaction and pride in a job well-done is the highest I've seen during my 28 years in the Navy."
The carrier strike group commander echoed his sentiments.
"They joined the service to make a difference," Navy Rear Adm. Allen Myers said, "and that's exactly what they do each and every day."
Our sailors make a difference by launching aircraft and providing security in the region, Myers told the group. They truly believe in what they are doing, he said.
"The level of skill and capability of sailors is amazing," said JCOC participant Kellie Johnson, who is the president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises in Torrance, Calif. "It takes a certain kind of person to be in the Navy; I am in awe."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Two Cops, a Fed and a Civilian
Editor's Note: Three of the four are former military.
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added to state and local police officers, one federal law enforcement officer and a civilian police writer.
Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.
One reader/reviewer of Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.”
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau.
He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically. Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.
Special Agent Raymond Sherrard (ret.), of the United States Treasury Department, is the author of Encyclopedia of Federal Law Enforcement Patches and Federal Law Enforcement Patches: An Illustrated Reference Manual. He co-authored The Centurions Shield: Badges of the LAPD with retired LAPD Command Keith Bushey; and, co-authored Badges of the United States Marshals, with retired Deputy United States Marshal George Stumpf.
In 1951, William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department.
In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!
Police-Writers.com now hosts 503 police officers (representing 210 police departments) and their 1061 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. The website added to state and local police officers, one federal law enforcement officer and a civilian police writer.
Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.
One reader/reviewer of Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.”
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau.
He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically. Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.
Special Agent Raymond Sherrard (ret.), of the United States Treasury Department, is the author of Encyclopedia of Federal Law Enforcement Patches and Federal Law Enforcement Patches: An Illustrated Reference Manual. He co-authored The Centurions Shield: Badges of the LAPD with retired LAPD Command Keith Bushey; and, co-authored Badges of the United States Marshals, with retired Deputy United States Marshal George Stumpf.
In 1951, William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department.
In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!
Police-Writers.com now hosts 503 police officers (representing 210 police departments) and their 1061 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.
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