Editor's Note: Many of these technologies are adapted from military use or adapted to military use. Moreover, many of the law enforcement agencies are using these technologies for homeland security, all hazards as well as counterterrorism missions.
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, September 6, 2007
"City Looks at $40M Police Headquarters"
Waukegan News Sun (IL) (09/04/07); Peterson, Craig
The Waukegan, Ill., City Council is considering design plans for a new headquarters for its police. A five-floor building with communications, training, investigations, records, evidence processing, and office space is thought to cost around $40 million. A police headquarters outfitted with the modern crime-fighting devices is the most sophisticated and costly facility any municipal government will construct, architects have informed aldermen. While initially, plans had called for redoing the previous city hall facility or constructing on an adjacent location, Police Chief Bill Biang explained that seven architectural companies studied refurbishing the present facility and all said it was not a good idea. Biang added there is no room to expand horizontally, and the building cannot support adding floors to it. He also stated that acquiring land would counter the savings of redoing the facility. The council may use a referendum to pay for the new police headquarters. http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/
news/540363,5_1_WA04_WAUKEGANCOPS_S1.article
"A High-Tech Helping Hand for Soldiers"
Philadelphia Inquirer (09/04/07); Holcomb, Henry J.
The Wearable Intelligent Reporting Environment (WIRE), developed by Lockheed Martin, is designed to help soldiers in the field by recording their activity and turning speech it records into documents so soldiers do not have to write reports after a hard day on patrol. If approved, soldiers would wear a headset with an earphone and microphone designed to separate voices from gunfire and other noise. The headset is connected to a rugged but lightweight computer tucked into the soldier's combat vest. The system allows soldiers to dictate a report while in the field, all without taking their hands off their weapons or their eyes off of the action. The computer asks for responses that fill out forms designed for different situations and asks about words or situations it does not understand. The computer automatically creates a report and sends it to commanders, along with data from the soldier's GPS receiver. Data from multiple patrols can be analyzed immediately to fine-tune strategy and tactics. WIRE is designed to work with headsets and batteries already used by the military, and because the device does not have a video screen a single charge lasts as long as most patrols. WIRE also has significant potential for law enforcement applications. Crime analysis expert Robert Cheetham says fresh digital reports from the field would be extremely valuable to police commanders and could allow them to detect patterns and prevent future crimes. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20070904_
A_high-tech_helping_hand_for_soldiers.html
"GPS Technology Helps to Locate Police Dogs"
Cherry Hill Courier-Post (NJ) (09/04/07); Strupczewski, Leo
The Camden County, N.J., Sheriff's Department is one of the initial law enforcement agencies in the nation to obtain GPS technology that can help an officer locate his dog. The dog's collar contains the GPS device, and the dog's officer carries a hand-held device not much larger than a BlackBerry, to track the animal. If a dog gets lost, department members can locate him by finding a pawprint on the handler's screen and proceeding towards it. The Minnesota firm White Bear Technologies manufactures the Roam-EO technology, and contributed four units to the Camden Sheriff's Department's four canine divisions. Roam-EO offers the department real-time information, which is sent to an officer's hand-held unit. Each device is priced at $499, and there is an insurance fee for dogs of $4,500 to $6,000, although that price can increase if training is included. United States Police Canine Association executive director Russ Hess thinks the technology will become more popular as the systems become more advanced.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20070904/NEWS01/709040362/1006
"Police to Unveil New Communication Gear"
WTNH.com--Channel 8 (Conn.) (09/05/07); Latina, Jodi
First responders in Connecticut will have new technology in the near future to assist them in emergency events. On Wednesday, they are set to receive a communication system that helps links departments throughout Connecticut. It will be the initial state in the country to have the radio common channel erected. The system is intended to maintain open communication lines during an emergency. Currently, if a police officer in Enfield, for example, wishes to speak with an officer in Madison, they would have to use the phone. With a common radio frequency, the link could be immediate. The new system will also keep portable radios in sync. The technology, which is known as band, is priced at $1 million, and connects to current radio systems.
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=7027349&nav=3YeX
"Groves Police Get Anti-Gang Grant"
Mid County Chronicle (TX) (09/05/07); Kutac, Dennis
Authorities with the Groves, Texas, Police Department claim superior technology equipment is what they want to buy after getting a federal granted intended to help target gang violence and associated crimes. Sen. John Cornyn ( R) claims the $350,350 grant was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice's Anti-Gang Initiative and was dispensed by the Texas Office of the Attorney General. Groves Police Department Det. Steven Hinton noted the proposal the department actually presented for the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant totaled $84,489, which it requested earlier this year and from which it obtained around $80,000. Hinton explained the equipment the department wants to acquire includes thermal-imaging devices, binoculars, recorders, and transmitters. "Our department will be buying technology extremely advanced mainly for undercover work and surveillance," he stated. Groves City Marshal Jeff Wilmore pointed out that the grant will also enable the Groves Police Department to bring its Safe Streets Crime Unit and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force together to deal with gang-associated and personal crimes. Cornyn stated the Anti-Gang Initiative offers money to support new or enlarged anti-gang and enforcement plans under the current Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative.
http://www.midcountychronicle.com/news/2007/0905/Front_Page/001.html
"Sandy Springs, GA Police Department Selects SunGard's OSSI Public Safety Software"
WebWire (09/03/07)
SunGard HTE, a leading international provider of government information technologies, reports that the Sandy Springs, Ga., Police Department has signed a contract to implement the company's OSSI Public Safety Suite of software. The suite provides a fully integrated system that affords each agency real-time access to shared information, helping to improve response times, reduce costs, and increase officer safety. The Sandy Springs Police Department will implement the Records Management System and Mobile Computing components of the OSSI Public Safety Suite. Records Management System provides a comprehensive system to collect, store, and access information gathered by law enforcement personnel during daily activities. Mobile Computing Technology is a wireless application that provides access to information for officers in the field. Together, these components will help officers to stay connected with real-time data while in the field. http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=46613
"Lawmen on Target with CVTC Technology"
Calhoun Times (GA) (08/31/07); West, E.K.
The Northwest Georgia Enforcement Executives Association convened in August at Coosa Valley Technical College (CVTC) for the introduction of the new Computer LaserShot Technology in the Criminal Justice program. The innovative technology was given to the officers by CVTC Criminal Justice coordinator and instructor Tom Bojo. "This is an outstanding piece of equipment that can be used not only for laser shot simulation classroom purposes but law enforcement departments can reserve the simulator for training," he stated. LaserShot is a computer-simulation program that employs a simulated handgun and a laser-action screen. Numerous drills and situations--including vehicle chases and hostage scenarios--take place onscreen with various endings. LaserShot instruction is only done at CVTC's Gordon County campus as part of the Criminal Justice program. In addition, the program provides classrooms, crime-scene rooms, computer research facilities, and rescue maze capability. "Our technology capabilities give students hands on experience allowing them to use what they learn in the field," notes Bojo, which keeps officers interested and offers them ongoing feedback.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&
pnpID=722&NewsID=834262&CategoryID=3388&on=1
"Area Police Forces Add High-Tech Gear"
Valley News Dispatch (08/26/07); Biedka, Chuck
Harrison Township, Pa., law enforcement will soon begin utilizing a video enhancement system, while police in O'Hara will discover how to utilize a high-tech surveillance system that can be employed to investigate a variety of crimes, including drug trafficking. The video enhancement system can be utilized with the majority of video systems to upgrade the quality of images, such as those found on a firm's surveillance tapes. Meanwhile, the video surveillance system is small, easy to hide, and employs a camera that is motion activated. The system, which also records sounds, can be utilized inside or outdoors. O'Hara's surveillance system is the third advanced technological tool that the police department has acquired from the U.S. government. The department is also employing a thermal imaging camera. Harrison Police Chief Mike Klein noted his department will pursue a grant in 2008 to purchase the same surveillance system O'Hara is using. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_524172.html
"Oil City Police Go to Nab Speeders"
Oil City Derrick (PA) (08/30/07); Clark, Karen
The Oil City, Pa., Police Department has been employing the Electronic Non-Radar Device (ENRADD) since January, permitting officers to more aggressively pursue speeders. In addition, ENRADD makes it a lot harder for violators to figure out where police are probably waiting and watching. ENRADD--a wireless speed-detection device--enables police to operate a speed check almost anyplace, including on leading thoroughfares, bridges, and back streets. ENRADD has a pair of tripods that each have sensor units. Officers put the three-foot tripods on either side of the road. As cars drive between the sensors, their speed is determined and sent through a wireless radio connection to a display head situated in a patrol vehicle. Experts contend that ENRADD can save a police department $3,000 to $5,000 a car annually on gas and maintenance because police do not have to chase vehicles that are going too fast. http://www.thederrick.com/stories/08312007-5008.shtml
"Video Billboards Coming This Way"
Philadelphia Inquirer (08/21/07) P. E1; Slobodzian, Joseph A.
The Philadelphia region will soon erect digital billboards, which are being lauded by police for promoting public safety. ClearChannel Outdoor stated it would have eight 14-by-48 video billboards with advertising images or messages that would change every eight seconds on leading highways by the end of this year from Bucks County to Philadelphia and into Delaware County. The company attempted to install a couple of billboards on Aug. 20, only to be stopped by continuous rain. ClearChannel claims the billboards recently informed drivers in Minneapolis and St. Paul about the demise of the Interstate 35W bridge and offered optional routes. Separately, a missing girl from Minneapolis was located one day after digital billboards were utilized in an Amber Alert. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson supports the digital billboards, noting they are in the "community's best interests because they have the capability to deliver important emergency information, such as Amber Alerts or disaster-preparedness bulletins." Driver-safety organizations and environmentalists, however, contend that the billboards will endanger motorists and are an eyesore.
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20070821_
Video_billboards_coming_this_way.html
"Asotin County Sheriff Upgrades Tasers"
Lewiston Morning Tribune (ID) (08/21/07) P. 1D; Cole, David
Deputies in Asotin County, Idaho, are now carrying Tasers with newer technology, which are better at controlling dangerous suspects and are safer, authorities claim. In June, Asotin County Sheriff Ken Bancroft began carrying the new Taser X26 model, replacing the older Taser M26. The Taser X26 discharges a pair of small probes, which look like fish hooks that have been straightened. The probes can fly as far as 25 feet, penetrating the clothing of a suspect and going into the body, Bancroft explained. The Taser X26 costs $200 more than the M26, at $800 apiece. The sheriff's office bought 14 of the X26s, one for every field deputy and two for joint use by Asotin County Jail correctional deputies. The Taser X26 is shaped like a firearm, weighs less than the older Tasers, and documents the length of activation time. http://www.lmtribune.com
"Strategy Game Trains Cops and Firefighters"
PC World (08/23/07); McMillan, Robert
Graduate students from the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering are collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories on a real-time strategy game that allows police officers, fire fighters, and other first responders to practice emergency scenarios. The game, Ground Truth, is realistic because events in the game occur in real time, putting added pressure on first responders to act swiftly. Jim Pointer, the medical director of Alameda County's Emergency Medical Services Agency, recently completed an intense session of Ground Truth that called for him to oversee a city's response to a toxic chemical spill. During the scenario, he was responsible for managing traffic barriers, putting hazmat teams and police cars in position to respond to the spill, and managing medical collection points while keeping an eye out for toxic plumes. Pointer says the game is fun, educational, and has great promise. Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft III game provided inspiration for Ground Truth, which could eventually receive funding from private industry or even the Homeland Security Department. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136306-c,games/article.html
"Dallas PD Fights Crime With Video Surveillance"
Security Technology & Design (07/07) Vol. 17, No. 7, P. 52; Levin, Gregg
In early 2005, the Dallas Police Department launched a pilot project involving the installation of video surveillance cameras in the busy Deep Ellum area of the city. After just four months of operation, the project was credited with significantly reducing the number of crimes in the area, prompting the Police Department to consider expansion. With funding from the Meadows Foundation, bids were sought to install a wireless video surveillance system in Dallas' central business district with a goal of reducing crime in hot spots by 30 percent. In January, the new system was deployed, covering about 30 percent of the downtown area with round-the-clock monitoring and allowing operators to change the direction of the camera lenses remotely as well as allowing officers to redeploy cameras as needed to increase monitoring capabilities at special events or other downtown locations. The Police Department now plans to increase the number of cameras deployed around the city by threefold.
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/print/Security-Technology-
and-Design/Video-Surveillance/Dallas-PD-Fights-Crime-With-Video-Surveillance
/11804SIW2
"Riot Act"
Police Magazine (08/07) Vol. 31, No. 8, P. 34; Griffith, David
Since it was closed in 1996, the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville has hosted the annual Mock Prison Riot, which is one of the premier corrections and law enforcement training events in the world. The Mock Prison Riot, which is held each May, is planned and executed by the staff of the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLTEC) and the National Corrections and Law Enforcement Training and Technology Center (NCLETTC). Personnel from the two organizations act as leaders of the "rioters," who are mostly students from local colleges and high schools. In addition, OLTEC develops scenarios that allow law enforcement agencies that are participating in the Mock Prison Riot to practice putting down prison disturbances. Although the scenarios are choreographed to some extent, there are some surprises for the responders. In some of the scenarios, the prisoners give up quickly, while in others they put up a fight. Along with developing the riot scenarios, OLETC and NCLETTC work with the participating law enforcement agencies and the makers of the products that are on display at the Mock Prison Riot's Technology Showcase to provide training opportunities that involve new or improved products. Since it is held in an abandoned prison, the event offers a one-of-a-kind training opportunity for law enforcement agencies such as the Gwinnett County (Ga.) Sheriff's Office's Rapid Response Team. "We really can't train very well in our jail because it is occupied," said Major Carl Sims of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office. "And that's a problem because a cell offers a unique environment that's difficult to duplicate outside of a corrections facility." http://www.policemag.com/Articles/2007/08/Riot-Act.aspx
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Food Management Company to Receive Top Employer Support Award
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 5, 2007 - Army Staff Sgt. Lance Vaughan wasn't surprised when his company, Sodexho USA, stood behind him when he was called to active duty in the Florida National Guard shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, to protect ports in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. But when the company continued to show solid support for him and his military service during two subsequent deployments, Vaughan knew his employer had gone above and beyond what a typical employer might do.
Thanks to his nomination, Sodexho USA, with headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., will receive a 2007 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award next week. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition the U.S. government gives to employers for outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and reserves.
Sodexho USA is a leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States and Canada.
Vaughan, who served as kitchen manager at the Leesburg Regional Hospital in Florida, said his Sodexho USA managers went out of their way to let him know he wasn't a burden to the company when he was activated after Sept. 11. Throughout the call-up, he said, they kept him abreast of happenings within the company and assured him he'd have the same position available when he returned.
When Vaughn was called to active duty again between August and October 2004 to support recovery efforts following hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jean, which devastated southern Florida, Sodexho again showed its support.
His employer called his wife regularly to check on the family and see if they needed help. To ensure the deployment wasn't a financial burden, the company made up the difference between his military and civilian pay and helped with the family's bills.
Sodexho's support was again put to the test in July 2005, when Vaughan was deployed to Baghdad for an 18-month tour. Company employees continued to check on Vaughan's wife while he was away, sent care packages to him and his family the entire time he was deployed, and continued paying differential pay until he returned home.
Even after he left the company to start up his own catering business, Sodexho continued to support him. The company plans to pay for Vaughan's trip to Washington and related expenses next week so he can attend the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony.
Vaughan praised his company for showing that supporting the military is a lot more than a bumper-sticker slogan.
"I nominated Sodexho USA because they are a company that cares about their employees and stands behind the armed services and the men and women who are fighting for the USA," he said. "They made me proud to be an American and proud to work for a company like Sodexho."
Vaughan isn't alone in recognizing his company's support. He was among 38 employees who nominated Sodexho USA for the award.
Earlier this summer, the Maryland Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented Sodexho USA the Pro Patria Award for its support for its reserve and Guard employees. That award put the company in the running as Maryland's nominee for the national Freedom Award.
"It is an honor for Sodexho to receive the prestigious award," said Peri Bridger, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. "The greater honor, however, is to employ brave men and women who serve in our United States armed services. We know that without their dedication to our country, life as we know it would be much different."
Sodexho USA will be among 15 employers to receive the Freedom Award during a formal Sept. 12 ceremony here.
President Bush declared Sept. 9-15 as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week for 2007.
"During National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week, we recognize the vital contributions of the brave men and women who serve our great nation, and we pay tribute to the employers who support them," Bush said in a proclamation.
The courageous men and women in the reserve components deployed overseas "are fighting a new and unprecedented war, having answered the call to defend our freedom and way of life," Bush stated.
Bush said the commitment of employers is critical to reserve-component servicemembers' ability to serve.
"These employers have provided exceptional support to the men and women serving in our National Guard and Reserve and now, more than ever, we appreciate and thank them for doing much more for these employees than the law requires," agreed L. Gordon Sumner Jr., executive director of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Sept. 5, 2007 - Army Staff Sgt. Lance Vaughan wasn't surprised when his company, Sodexho USA, stood behind him when he was called to active duty in the Florida National Guard shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, to protect ports in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. But when the company continued to show solid support for him and his military service during two subsequent deployments, Vaughan knew his employer had gone above and beyond what a typical employer might do.
Thanks to his nomination, Sodexho USA, with headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., will receive a 2007 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award next week. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition the U.S. government gives to employers for outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and reserves.
Sodexho USA is a leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States and Canada.
Vaughan, who served as kitchen manager at the Leesburg Regional Hospital in Florida, said his Sodexho USA managers went out of their way to let him know he wasn't a burden to the company when he was activated after Sept. 11. Throughout the call-up, he said, they kept him abreast of happenings within the company and assured him he'd have the same position available when he returned.
When Vaughn was called to active duty again between August and October 2004 to support recovery efforts following hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jean, which devastated southern Florida, Sodexho again showed its support.
His employer called his wife regularly to check on the family and see if they needed help. To ensure the deployment wasn't a financial burden, the company made up the difference between his military and civilian pay and helped with the family's bills.
Sodexho's support was again put to the test in July 2005, when Vaughan was deployed to Baghdad for an 18-month tour. Company employees continued to check on Vaughan's wife while he was away, sent care packages to him and his family the entire time he was deployed, and continued paying differential pay until he returned home.
Even after he left the company to start up his own catering business, Sodexho continued to support him. The company plans to pay for Vaughan's trip to Washington and related expenses next week so he can attend the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony.
Vaughan praised his company for showing that supporting the military is a lot more than a bumper-sticker slogan.
"I nominated Sodexho USA because they are a company that cares about their employees and stands behind the armed services and the men and women who are fighting for the USA," he said. "They made me proud to be an American and proud to work for a company like Sodexho."
Vaughan isn't alone in recognizing his company's support. He was among 38 employees who nominated Sodexho USA for the award.
Earlier this summer, the Maryland Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented Sodexho USA the Pro Patria Award for its support for its reserve and Guard employees. That award put the company in the running as Maryland's nominee for the national Freedom Award.
"It is an honor for Sodexho to receive the prestigious award," said Peri Bridger, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. "The greater honor, however, is to employ brave men and women who serve in our United States armed services. We know that without their dedication to our country, life as we know it would be much different."
Sodexho USA will be among 15 employers to receive the Freedom Award during a formal Sept. 12 ceremony here.
President Bush declared Sept. 9-15 as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week for 2007.
"During National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week, we recognize the vital contributions of the brave men and women who serve our great nation, and we pay tribute to the employers who support them," Bush said in a proclamation.
The courageous men and women in the reserve components deployed overseas "are fighting a new and unprecedented war, having answered the call to defend our freedom and way of life," Bush stated.
Bush said the commitment of employers is critical to reserve-component servicemembers' ability to serve.
"These employers have provided exceptional support to the men and women serving in our National Guard and Reserve and now, more than ever, we appreciate and thank them for doing much more for these employees than the law requires," agreed L. Gordon Sumner Jr., executive director of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Georgia Group's Packages Keep Troops Cooking
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
, Sept. 5, 2007 - Care packages from one Georgia group are keeping troops in combat support hospitals cooking. "Our mission is to send support, smiles and care packages, as well as small appliances, ... to our combat support hospitals," said Meredith Kelly, chairman of "Operation Stars and Stripes."
The appliances go beyond mere coffee pots, though those have made their way from the Peach State to foreign shores as well. Operation Stars and Stripes has sent mini-refrigerators, microwave ovens and hot plates to give troops some flexibility when it comes to mealtime.
In addition to the support it offers the hospitals, the group sends smaller care packages of comfort items, cards and letters, Kelly said. More than 3,600 such packages have been sent since March 2003.
"Once we connect with a unit or individual, we send them what they need throughout their deployment," Kelly said.
In addition to its care package program, the all-volunteer group works to increase public awareness and understanding of hardships faced by active-duty personnel.
Operation Stars and Stripes is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
Kelly said she has high hopes for her group's affiliation with America Supports You.
"We hope that it will help to get more exposure for us nationwide," she said, adding that that exposure may help in securing donations to cover postage and fill the care packages as well.
"We are just a group of volunteer Americans who are proud of what our military is doing and feel that they should know that we support them and will not forget about them," Kelly said.
American Forces Press Service
, Sept. 5, 2007 - Care packages from one Georgia group are keeping troops in combat support hospitals cooking. "Our mission is to send support, smiles and care packages, as well as small appliances, ... to our combat support hospitals," said Meredith Kelly, chairman of "Operation Stars and Stripes."
The appliances go beyond mere coffee pots, though those have made their way from the Peach State to foreign shores as well. Operation Stars and Stripes has sent mini-refrigerators, microwave ovens and hot plates to give troops some flexibility when it comes to mealtime.
In addition to the support it offers the hospitals, the group sends smaller care packages of comfort items, cards and letters, Kelly said. More than 3,600 such packages have been sent since March 2003.
"Once we connect with a unit or individual, we send them what they need throughout their deployment," Kelly said.
In addition to its care package program, the all-volunteer group works to increase public awareness and understanding of hardships faced by active-duty personnel.
Operation Stars and Stripes is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
Kelly said she has high hopes for her group's affiliation with America Supports You.
"We hope that it will help to get more exposure for us nationwide," she said, adding that that exposure may help in securing donations to cover postage and fill the care packages as well.
"We are just a group of volunteer Americans who are proud of what our military is doing and feel that they should know that we support them and will not forget about them," Kelly said.
Airman Missing from WWII is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is 2nd Lt. Harold E. Hoskin, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Houlton, Maine. He will be buried Friday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Hoskin's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On Dec. 21, 1943, Hoskin was one of five crewmen on board a B-24D that departed Ladd Field in Fairbanks, Alaska, on a cold-weather test mission. The aircraft never returned to base and it was not located in subsequent search attempts. The following March, one of the crewmen, 1st Lt. Leon Crane, arrived at Ladd Field after spending more than two months in the Alaska wilderness. He said that the plane had crashed after it lost an engine, and Crane and another crewmember, Master Sgt. Richard L. Pompeo, parachuted from the aircraft before it crashed. Crane did not know what happened to Pompeo after they bailed out.
In October 1944, Crane assisted a recovery team in locating the crash. They recovered the remains of two of the crewmen, 1st Lt. James B. Sibert and Staff Sgt. Ralph S. Wenz. Hoskin's remains were not found and it was concluded that he probably parachuted out of the aircraft before it crashed.
In 2004, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received information from a National Park Service Historian regarding a possible WWII crash site in the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska. The historian turned over ashes believed to be the cremated remains of the crew, however, it was determined they contained no human remains. In 2006, a JPAC team excavated the site and recovered human remains and other non-biological material, including items worn by U.S. Army officers during WWII.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of Hoskin's remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
He is 2nd Lt. Harold E. Hoskin, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Houlton, Maine. He will be buried Friday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Hoskin's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On Dec. 21, 1943, Hoskin was one of five crewmen on board a B-24D that departed Ladd Field in Fairbanks, Alaska, on a cold-weather test mission. The aircraft never returned to base and it was not located in subsequent search attempts. The following March, one of the crewmen, 1st Lt. Leon Crane, arrived at Ladd Field after spending more than two months in the Alaska wilderness. He said that the plane had crashed after it lost an engine, and Crane and another crewmember, Master Sgt. Richard L. Pompeo, parachuted from the aircraft before it crashed. Crane did not know what happened to Pompeo after they bailed out.
In October 1944, Crane assisted a recovery team in locating the crash. They recovered the remains of two of the crewmen, 1st Lt. James B. Sibert and Staff Sgt. Ralph S. Wenz. Hoskin's remains were not found and it was concluded that he probably parachuted out of the aircraft before it crashed.
In 2004, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received information from a National Park Service Historian regarding a possible WWII crash site in the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska. The historian turned over ashes believed to be the cremated remains of the crew, however, it was determined they contained no human remains. In 2006, a JPAC team excavated the site and recovered human remains and other non-biological material, including items worn by U.S. Army officers during WWII.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of Hoskin's remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Patriotism Drives Army's Recruiting, Retention Success
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 5, 2007 - Enlistment and retention bonuses, educational benefits and other incentives are invaluable recruiting tools, but Army officials say old-fashioned patriotism is just as big a motivator in attracting soldiers to the force and encouraging them to stay. "There are a lot of patriots out there," said Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, during a media roundtable yesterday.
Despite low unemployment rates and a near-guarantee that they'll eventually deploy into combat, young men and women continue to hold up their right hands and volunteer to serve in the Army, he said.
As of July 30, the latest month for which statistics are available, almost 62,000 soldiers had entered active duty so far this fiscal year, and almost 21,500 have joined the Army Reserve. Bostick expressed confidence that the Army will meet its year-end goals of 80,000 active duty and 26,500 Army Reserve troops.
He praised the young men and women who enlist because "they want to do something that is bigger than themselves -- something for their nation that they can be proud of."
Many recognize they could make more money in the private sector, he said, but join the military seeking discipline, leadership skills and the opportunity to serve their country.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more evident than in the Army's sky-high retention rates, particularly among troops who have served in combat.
Army Brig. Gen. Michael T. Harrison, the 10th Mountain Division's deputy commanding general for support, told reporters yesterday that he's seen it firsthand among division members who have served in Afghanistan and currently are in Iraq.
By the end of July, the Fort Drum, N.Y., division already had met its retention goals for the fiscal year. "In every category -- we are talking initial-term soldiers, mid-term soldiers and career soldiers -- we have exceeded our objective by more than 100 percent," Harrison said.
The Army Reserve has had similar success, exceeding its retention goals for first-termers by 55 percent with two months left in the fiscal year, Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie, the Army Reserve's top noncommissioned officer, told American Forces Press Service today. Retention rates for career soldiers have also topped year-end goals.
"That's remarkable," Caffie said, citing equally impressive statistics among troops who have deployed to combat.
"If you look at the stats for soldiers who have been deployed in the Army Reserve, those retention rates are astronomical as well," he said. "We have done a remarkable job of retaining soldiers with combat experience, who have deployed into either Afghanistan or Iraq."
"In many cases, they stay because they are proud of the Army," Bostick said of troops both in the active and reserve components. "They feel like they are in the greatest Army on the face of the earth, with wonderful equipment, the best training, the best leadership."
Harrison agreed that being part of "a great institution" makes soldiers want to continue serving. But it goes beyond that, he said, to the relationships built and the personal gratification of service. "It is a sense of teamwork, a sense of wanting to be part of something honorable," he said. "We see that every single day. We have a bunch of proud soldiers here."
Like their active-duty counterparts, many Army Reservists re-up because they believe they're making a contribution of their country and the freedoms it guarantees its citizens, Caffie said.
"The freedom that one has in this country is unparalleled to anything else in the world. That's the reason a lot of these soldiers continue to serve today -- because they figure that one must be willing to pay to be free," he said. "They're great American patriots."
The leaders agreed that soldiers welcome retention bonuses, but don't base their decisions about service on them.
"Bonuses are not enough to make up for the challenges and demands that these soldiers and families face," Bostick said. Especially for troops who re-enlist in Iraq, "there is no amount of money that you can pay to someone that believes they are in a bad organization and in harm's way to the point where they feel their life is threatened," he said.
"This is a tough business. It's dangerous, and they realize it," Bostick said. "We pay bonuses to help encourage them to make a decision that they probably would make regardless."
At Fort Drum, Harrison said many soldiers re-enlist "without much consideration to a bonus."
"They will tell you it's important to remain part of a team that is doing something vital for this nation," he said. "And they are pretty proud of that."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 5, 2007 - Enlistment and retention bonuses, educational benefits and other incentives are invaluable recruiting tools, but Army officials say old-fashioned patriotism is just as big a motivator in attracting soldiers to the force and encouraging them to stay. "There are a lot of patriots out there," said Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, during a media roundtable yesterday.
Despite low unemployment rates and a near-guarantee that they'll eventually deploy into combat, young men and women continue to hold up their right hands and volunteer to serve in the Army, he said.
As of July 30, the latest month for which statistics are available, almost 62,000 soldiers had entered active duty so far this fiscal year, and almost 21,500 have joined the Army Reserve. Bostick expressed confidence that the Army will meet its year-end goals of 80,000 active duty and 26,500 Army Reserve troops.
He praised the young men and women who enlist because "they want to do something that is bigger than themselves -- something for their nation that they can be proud of."
Many recognize they could make more money in the private sector, he said, but join the military seeking discipline, leadership skills and the opportunity to serve their country.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more evident than in the Army's sky-high retention rates, particularly among troops who have served in combat.
Army Brig. Gen. Michael T. Harrison, the 10th Mountain Division's deputy commanding general for support, told reporters yesterday that he's seen it firsthand among division members who have served in Afghanistan and currently are in Iraq.
By the end of July, the Fort Drum, N.Y., division already had met its retention goals for the fiscal year. "In every category -- we are talking initial-term soldiers, mid-term soldiers and career soldiers -- we have exceeded our objective by more than 100 percent," Harrison said.
The Army Reserve has had similar success, exceeding its retention goals for first-termers by 55 percent with two months left in the fiscal year, Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie, the Army Reserve's top noncommissioned officer, told American Forces Press Service today. Retention rates for career soldiers have also topped year-end goals.
"That's remarkable," Caffie said, citing equally impressive statistics among troops who have deployed to combat.
"If you look at the stats for soldiers who have been deployed in the Army Reserve, those retention rates are astronomical as well," he said. "We have done a remarkable job of retaining soldiers with combat experience, who have deployed into either Afghanistan or Iraq."
"In many cases, they stay because they are proud of the Army," Bostick said of troops both in the active and reserve components. "They feel like they are in the greatest Army on the face of the earth, with wonderful equipment, the best training, the best leadership."
Harrison agreed that being part of "a great institution" makes soldiers want to continue serving. But it goes beyond that, he said, to the relationships built and the personal gratification of service. "It is a sense of teamwork, a sense of wanting to be part of something honorable," he said. "We see that every single day. We have a bunch of proud soldiers here."
Like their active-duty counterparts, many Army Reservists re-up because they believe they're making a contribution of their country and the freedoms it guarantees its citizens, Caffie said.
"The freedom that one has in this country is unparalleled to anything else in the world. That's the reason a lot of these soldiers continue to serve today -- because they figure that one must be willing to pay to be free," he said. "They're great American patriots."
The leaders agreed that soldiers welcome retention bonuses, but don't base their decisions about service on them.
"Bonuses are not enough to make up for the challenges and demands that these soldiers and families face," Bostick said. Especially for troops who re-enlist in Iraq, "there is no amount of money that you can pay to someone that believes they are in a bad organization and in harm's way to the point where they feel their life is threatened," he said.
"This is a tough business. It's dangerous, and they realize it," Bostick said. "We pay bonuses to help encourage them to make a decision that they probably would make regardless."
At Fort Drum, Harrison said many soldiers re-enlist "without much consideration to a bonus."
"They will tell you it's important to remain part of a team that is doing something vital for this nation," he said. "And they are pretty proud of that."
Nevada Guard Aids Search for Missing Pilot Fossett
By Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 5, 2007 - Searching in some of the most remote areas in the most mountainous state in the United States, Nevada National Guard members continue to seek the whereabouts of millionaire adventurer and pilot Steve Fossett today.
The Nevada Air National Guard launched a C-130 Hercules airplane equipped with "Scathe View" technology at about 8 a.m. today.
The Nevada Army Guard also dispatched a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to assist in the search, which encompasses several hundred square miles of northwestern Nevada and stretches into the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.
"The area we are looking in is about 600 square miles," wrote Air Force Capt. April Conway, the Nevada National Guard public affairs officer, via e-mail from the aircraft. "We are searching from about 75 miles west of Yerington to about 100 miles east of Yerington and south into Mammoth, Calif."
The Nevada National Guard C-130 also had flown last night, until 2 a.m. today. Conway said the Nevada Air Guard C-130 and the Army Guard UH-60 were the only aircraft in the region equipped to search at night.
A Nevada Army Guard observational helicopter equipped with forward-looking infrared radar also participated in the search yesterday. The system enables pilots to steer their vehicles at night and detect warm objects against a cold background even in complete darkness.
The Nevada Air Guard's Scathe View imagery system consists of a sensor mounted to a modified C-130. The turret is controlled by on-board imagery analysts working at a sensor control workstation. The analysts can link full-motion video to ground staff for review. The Scathe View equipment is manned by the Nevada Air Guard's 152nd Intelligence Squadron.
The aerial search yesterday included 14 aircraft and featured grid searches over more than 7,500 square miles, which is an area larger than Connecticut.
Other organizations assisting in the search and providing aircraft are the Nevada and California Civil Air Patrols and California and Nevada Highway Patrols.
According to wire reports, Fossett, 63, the first person to circle the world solo in a balloon, took off solo early Sept. 3 from the Flying M Ranch, a private airstrip owned by hotel magnate William Barron Hilton and located about 70 miles southeast of Reno near Yerington. The Bellanca Citabria Super Decathlon that he was flying is equipped with a locator that sends out a satellite signal after a rough landing, but no such signal has been received by aviation officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Fossett did not file a flight plan. "We believe he was looking for dry lake beds," Conway told the Washington Post. "It was just supposed to be an up-and-down trip."
Apparently, he was scouting out areas for a land-speed record attempt. A northern Nevada newspaper said Fossett has an application pending before the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for a permit in Nevada's rural, central Eureka County to attempt to break the land-speed record of 766.6 mph.
In addition to his aerial exploits, Fossett has swum the English Channel, participated in the Iditarod dog sled race and driven in the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race in France.
"He is an adventurer. He has been in an awful lot of scrapes in his life, and he probably has better chances than you and I of walking away from something that was potentially dangerous," Conway told the Los Angeles Times.
The weather in northern Nevada today was expected to remain calm with clear skies with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s.
Aircraft from the Nevada Army National Guard helped locate a lost hiker in Esmeralda County, Nev., on May 30 after receiving a call for assistance from state emergency management officials. The Nevada Air National Guard also recently helped in the search for three missing hikers missing on Mount Hood in Oregon in December.
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 5, 2007 - Searching in some of the most remote areas in the most mountainous state in the United States, Nevada National Guard members continue to seek the whereabouts of millionaire adventurer and pilot Steve Fossett today.
The Nevada Air National Guard launched a C-130 Hercules airplane equipped with "Scathe View" technology at about 8 a.m. today.
The Nevada Army Guard also dispatched a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to assist in the search, which encompasses several hundred square miles of northwestern Nevada and stretches into the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.
"The area we are looking in is about 600 square miles," wrote Air Force Capt. April Conway, the Nevada National Guard public affairs officer, via e-mail from the aircraft. "We are searching from about 75 miles west of Yerington to about 100 miles east of Yerington and south into Mammoth, Calif."
The Nevada National Guard C-130 also had flown last night, until 2 a.m. today. Conway said the Nevada Air Guard C-130 and the Army Guard UH-60 were the only aircraft in the region equipped to search at night.
A Nevada Army Guard observational helicopter equipped with forward-looking infrared radar also participated in the search yesterday. The system enables pilots to steer their vehicles at night and detect warm objects against a cold background even in complete darkness.
The Nevada Air Guard's Scathe View imagery system consists of a sensor mounted to a modified C-130. The turret is controlled by on-board imagery analysts working at a sensor control workstation. The analysts can link full-motion video to ground staff for review. The Scathe View equipment is manned by the Nevada Air Guard's 152nd Intelligence Squadron.
The aerial search yesterday included 14 aircraft and featured grid searches over more than 7,500 square miles, which is an area larger than Connecticut.
Other organizations assisting in the search and providing aircraft are the Nevada and California Civil Air Patrols and California and Nevada Highway Patrols.
According to wire reports, Fossett, 63, the first person to circle the world solo in a balloon, took off solo early Sept. 3 from the Flying M Ranch, a private airstrip owned by hotel magnate William Barron Hilton and located about 70 miles southeast of Reno near Yerington. The Bellanca Citabria Super Decathlon that he was flying is equipped with a locator that sends out a satellite signal after a rough landing, but no such signal has been received by aviation officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Fossett did not file a flight plan. "We believe he was looking for dry lake beds," Conway told the Washington Post. "It was just supposed to be an up-and-down trip."
Apparently, he was scouting out areas for a land-speed record attempt. A northern Nevada newspaper said Fossett has an application pending before the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for a permit in Nevada's rural, central Eureka County to attempt to break the land-speed record of 766.6 mph.
In addition to his aerial exploits, Fossett has swum the English Channel, participated in the Iditarod dog sled race and driven in the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race in France.
"He is an adventurer. He has been in an awful lot of scrapes in his life, and he probably has better chances than you and I of walking away from something that was potentially dangerous," Conway told the Los Angeles Times.
The weather in northern Nevada today was expected to remain calm with clear skies with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s.
Aircraft from the Nevada Army National Guard helped locate a lost hiker in Esmeralda County, Nev., on May 30 after receiving a call for assistance from state emergency management officials. The Nevada Air National Guard also recently helped in the search for three missing hikers missing on Mount Hood in Oregon in December.
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Afghan Cadets Intern with Army Corps of Engineers
By Master Sgt. Mark W. Rodgers, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - Four Afghan National Army cadets have finished a two-week internship program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here. The cadets are third-year students at the National Military Academy Afghanistan here. The academy, with more than 700 cadets, is modelled after the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The internship, which ended Aug. 30, was the brainchild of Army Maj. Richard Gash, a civil engineering professor at West Point. He worked at the Afghan academy this summer developing future academic courses. U.S. Military Academy cadets participate in a similar internship program with Army Corps of Engineer districts in the United States.
"We have cadets from West Point every summer," said Nova L. Robbins, program manager with the Afghan National Army. "We are going to turn it over to (the Afghan cadets) someday; why not mentor them?"
Afghan cadets are required to select from one military and one civilian discipline to study. "We had four choices: civil engineering, computer science, English and law," said Cadet Shafiq Mohammad. "We need many engineers, and this (to me) is the top class at the academy; this is why I chose engineering."
During their two-week internship, the cadets worked and interacted with numerous units. Cadets who participated in this inaugural internship program spent half of their annual month-long school break with the Corps of Engineers Afghan Engineer District. They were selected from 18 of their Afghan peers to learn about various aspects of engineering. Selection was based on academic performance and leadership potential.
The cadets selected represented the multi-ethnic diversity of Afghanistan, U.S. officials said.
The eight-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week schedule held the cadets to an aggressive program that challenged them to interact in every area. The cadets were paired into teams, with each team spending a week each working in the field and in an office environment. All assignments and hands-on training were designed around existing and future Afghan Engineer District construction projects for the Afghan National Army.
"The cadets had many questions, and you answered them", Afghan Col. Hamdullah Yousfzai, dean of education for the National Military Academy Afghanistan, said through a translator.
During their week in the field, cadets visited multiple construction project sites with Afghan Engineer District engineers and construction representatives. The cadets reviewed and compared plans for existing structures to stimulate thought and dialogue, officials said.
The office portion split the week between programs and project management, and engineering. Hands-on practical exercises required the cadets to prepare their own conceptual plan for an Afghan National Army dining facility expansion and upgrade. This was followed by participation in a review of their conceptual design, and walking them through a typical architectural design review.
In addition, the cadets reviewed contractor technical proposals and project scopes of work, assisted in preparing the scope of work for a new contractor, reviewed project design and building of the Afghan National Army dining facility, and were introduced to the operations and maintenance side of facility engineering.
"I think the cadets now understand how properly maintained facilities support their operational mission," said Jeffery B. Wheeler, operations and maintenance program manager for the Afghan National Army.
Getting the cadets to think about architecture from the customer's perspective was one of the challenges.
"I tried to break it down to things they would understand, giving them military terms they can relate to," said Chester Nakamura, architecture team leader. "You have an awesome responsibility designing things for people; ... now they have something to relate to."
(Army Master Sgt. Mark W. Rodgers is assigned to the Afghanistan Engineer District of the Army Corps of Engineers.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - Four Afghan National Army cadets have finished a two-week internship program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here. The cadets are third-year students at the National Military Academy Afghanistan here. The academy, with more than 700 cadets, is modelled after the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The internship, which ended Aug. 30, was the brainchild of Army Maj. Richard Gash, a civil engineering professor at West Point. He worked at the Afghan academy this summer developing future academic courses. U.S. Military Academy cadets participate in a similar internship program with Army Corps of Engineer districts in the United States.
"We have cadets from West Point every summer," said Nova L. Robbins, program manager with the Afghan National Army. "We are going to turn it over to (the Afghan cadets) someday; why not mentor them?"
Afghan cadets are required to select from one military and one civilian discipline to study. "We had four choices: civil engineering, computer science, English and law," said Cadet Shafiq Mohammad. "We need many engineers, and this (to me) is the top class at the academy; this is why I chose engineering."
During their two-week internship, the cadets worked and interacted with numerous units. Cadets who participated in this inaugural internship program spent half of their annual month-long school break with the Corps of Engineers Afghan Engineer District. They were selected from 18 of their Afghan peers to learn about various aspects of engineering. Selection was based on academic performance and leadership potential.
The cadets selected represented the multi-ethnic diversity of Afghanistan, U.S. officials said.
The eight-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week schedule held the cadets to an aggressive program that challenged them to interact in every area. The cadets were paired into teams, with each team spending a week each working in the field and in an office environment. All assignments and hands-on training were designed around existing and future Afghan Engineer District construction projects for the Afghan National Army.
"The cadets had many questions, and you answered them", Afghan Col. Hamdullah Yousfzai, dean of education for the National Military Academy Afghanistan, said through a translator.
During their week in the field, cadets visited multiple construction project sites with Afghan Engineer District engineers and construction representatives. The cadets reviewed and compared plans for existing structures to stimulate thought and dialogue, officials said.
The office portion split the week between programs and project management, and engineering. Hands-on practical exercises required the cadets to prepare their own conceptual plan for an Afghan National Army dining facility expansion and upgrade. This was followed by participation in a review of their conceptual design, and walking them through a typical architectural design review.
In addition, the cadets reviewed contractor technical proposals and project scopes of work, assisted in preparing the scope of work for a new contractor, reviewed project design and building of the Afghan National Army dining facility, and were introduced to the operations and maintenance side of facility engineering.
"I think the cadets now understand how properly maintained facilities support their operational mission," said Jeffery B. Wheeler, operations and maintenance program manager for the Afghan National Army.
Getting the cadets to think about architecture from the customer's perspective was one of the challenges.
"I tried to break it down to things they would understand, giving them military terms they can relate to," said Chester Nakamura, architecture team leader. "You have an awesome responsibility designing things for people; ... now they have something to relate to."
(Army Master Sgt. Mark W. Rodgers is assigned to the Afghanistan Engineer District of the Army Corps of Engineers.)
Group Gets Injured Troops Back in the Game
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - A Maryland-based group is out to show severely wounded servicemembers they've still got game through the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. "The idea for the program is to ... get these guys active as soon as possible while they're there in the hospital, so they can realize they can still be active with their disability," said Kirk Bauer, Disabled Sports USA's executive director.
The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, created in 2003, is a partnership between Disabled Sports USA and the Wounded Warrior Project. It offers more than 14 sports -- both winter and summer -- and 70 events yearly.
Sports include snow skiing, biking, water skiing, hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking, and a group of veterans recently earned their underwater diving certification.
Disabled Sports USA and the Wounded Warrior Project are both supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
With just a staff of five to work with the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, Bauer relies on Disabled Sports USA's chapters around the country.
"When (wounded veterans) go skiing, they go skiing with Challenge Aspen or Sun Valley Adaptive Skiing (Idaho) or Breckinridge Outdoor Education Center in Breckinridge, Colo.," Bauer said, citing some examples.
Though Disabled Sports USA's programs are available for any individual with a physical disability, the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project is only for veterans of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Bauer said.
"This particular program, because everything is paid for -- from their transportation to get them there, to hotels, the food, the adaptive equipment, everything -- we're limiting it those who were recently injured," he said. "These are folks that have lost limbs and basically had their life altered from their disability."
Servicemembers participating in the project usually are recovering at one of three major military hospitals: Walter Reed Army Medical Center here; Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Naval Medical Center San Diego. Bauer said the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., isn't included because sailors and Marines recovering there go to Walter Reed for rehabilitation.
The project also reaches out to those recovering from severe head trauma or spinal cord injuries who are being treated at one of several veterans hospitals specializing in care of those conditions, Bauer said.
"We try to find them were they are," he said. Some of those the group reaches out to are very easy to find. They're sitting at the recovering veterans' bedsides.
"We realize that when the ... warrior is severely injured, the entire family is impacted," Bauer said. "We provide all expenses paid for at least one family member to go with the wounded warrior and learn the sport and actually be a part of that person learning how to water ski, snow ski, whatever they're doing."
That helps eliminate the "deer-in-the-headlights" look he said he so often sees from family members as they try to figure out how to help their loved ones recover, he said.
More than 1,200 veterans and caretakers have benefited from the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. In a little over a month, that number will grow again. Another chapter in the Disabled Sports USA network, Team River Runner, is taking a group of veterans and their caretakers and heading for the blue waters of the Caribbean.
This is no vacation, though. With a schedule packed full of sea kayaking, camping, swimming and snorkeling there's very little chance these double leg amputees will be sipping drinks with little umbrellas.
"It's not going to be a resort," said Joe Mornini, Team River Runner's executive director. "It's going to be an adventure trip." And one that will help to build confidence and a support network, he added.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - A Maryland-based group is out to show severely wounded servicemembers they've still got game through the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. "The idea for the program is to ... get these guys active as soon as possible while they're there in the hospital, so they can realize they can still be active with their disability," said Kirk Bauer, Disabled Sports USA's executive director.
The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, created in 2003, is a partnership between Disabled Sports USA and the Wounded Warrior Project. It offers more than 14 sports -- both winter and summer -- and 70 events yearly.
Sports include snow skiing, biking, water skiing, hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking, and a group of veterans recently earned their underwater diving certification.
Disabled Sports USA and the Wounded Warrior Project are both supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
With just a staff of five to work with the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, Bauer relies on Disabled Sports USA's chapters around the country.
"When (wounded veterans) go skiing, they go skiing with Challenge Aspen or Sun Valley Adaptive Skiing (Idaho) or Breckinridge Outdoor Education Center in Breckinridge, Colo.," Bauer said, citing some examples.
Though Disabled Sports USA's programs are available for any individual with a physical disability, the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project is only for veterans of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Bauer said.
"This particular program, because everything is paid for -- from their transportation to get them there, to hotels, the food, the adaptive equipment, everything -- we're limiting it those who were recently injured," he said. "These are folks that have lost limbs and basically had their life altered from their disability."
Servicemembers participating in the project usually are recovering at one of three major military hospitals: Walter Reed Army Medical Center here; Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Naval Medical Center San Diego. Bauer said the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., isn't included because sailors and Marines recovering there go to Walter Reed for rehabilitation.
The project also reaches out to those recovering from severe head trauma or spinal cord injuries who are being treated at one of several veterans hospitals specializing in care of those conditions, Bauer said.
"We try to find them were they are," he said. Some of those the group reaches out to are very easy to find. They're sitting at the recovering veterans' bedsides.
"We realize that when the ... warrior is severely injured, the entire family is impacted," Bauer said. "We provide all expenses paid for at least one family member to go with the wounded warrior and learn the sport and actually be a part of that person learning how to water ski, snow ski, whatever they're doing."
That helps eliminate the "deer-in-the-headlights" look he said he so often sees from family members as they try to figure out how to help their loved ones recover, he said.
More than 1,200 veterans and caretakers have benefited from the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. In a little over a month, that number will grow again. Another chapter in the Disabled Sports USA network, Team River Runner, is taking a group of veterans and their caretakers and heading for the blue waters of the Caribbean.
This is no vacation, though. With a schedule packed full of sea kayaking, camping, swimming and snorkeling there's very little chance these double leg amputees will be sipping drinks with little umbrellas.
"It's not going to be a resort," said Joe Mornini, Team River Runner's executive director. "It's going to be an adventure trip." And one that will help to build confidence and a support network, he added.
Army Boat Supports Dive Teams Trying to Raise Russian Sub
By Spc. Morrene E. Randell, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - A light breeze rippled over the dark water of Providence Harbor as two divers sank below the water's surface, leaving behind a long trail of air hoses and the sound of their breathing through the radio. Usually a transport vessel, the U.S. Army Vessel New Orleans, Landing Craft Utility 2031, from the 824th Transportation Company (Heavy Boats) is rendering itself as a diving platform for Army and Navy divers attempting to salvage a sunken Russian submarine in Providence Harbor.
The New Orleans is an Army Reserve vessel manned by a crew of soldiers from 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). It made its way from its home mooring in Tampa, Fla., to Rhode Island on Aug. 15 to take part in the 40-day innovative readiness training mission, a program that allows Defense Department funding, personnel and equipment to support U.S. civilian projects that provide invaluable combat training that would apply to a unit's mission.
"It's nice, because it's an opportunity to get to work together with people we don't normally work with and understand and appreciate what they are doing," Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Tartaglia said. The crew "gets training that they can carry on either in their civilian life or in their military career," the New Orleans' vessel master said.
Most people don't know the Army even has boats, or for that matter, why the Army would need them. The New Orleans is one of 35 LCU-2000 series in service and has a crew of 15 to 17 enlisted personnel and two officers and has a berthing of seven staterooms, 17 bunks and one sickbay. Its galley facilities can accommodate a full crew and passengers for two weeks. The boat is 174 feet long and is powered by twin 1,250 horsepower engines that move it at speeds up to 14 knots.
"When there are large ships that can't come into some ports, we will go out to them," Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Clark Patton, chief engineer of the New Orleans, said. "We also transport materiel and men, as well as help the Navy transport their materiel when needed."
The LCU-2000 series serves the Army by transporting cargo and equipment all over the world, and it supports missions in harbors, inland waterways and the open ocean. The landing craft utility is a shallow-water landing craft capable of reaching beaches in four feet of water with a full load.
At the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 824th was dispatched to the Persian Gulf, where it served as a diving platform for divers who were clearing oil platforms of explosives. The Rhode Island mission is similar, but far less dangerous.
Beneath the New Orleans lies a Juliet 484 Russian submarine. Army and Navy divers are using the boat's ramp as a platform to survey the sub, which sank earlier this year.
"It sank this April after a particularly nasty nor'easter," Tartaglia explained.
The storm drove a massive wave into the harbor, and because the submarine was modified to include hatches that allow tourists onto the vessel, it was no longer watertight, he said.
Divers have removed the fore and aft visitor hatches and will replace them with dams. This will make the submarine watertight and allow the team to pump water out of one hatch while the other remains open allowing air to enter and causing it to become buoyant and float back to the surface.
"It's in shallow water. ... The deepest part is about 35 feet," Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William F. Stetson IV, one of the divers, said. "So it's easy to get down to." Stetson is with Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2 from Little Creek, Va.
The teams of divers have been surveying the sub to come up with the safest and most practical way to raise it. "We're in phase one of a two-part phase mission," Stetson said. "We've connected four wires and hydraulic cords to keep it stable and prevent it from going any further into the channel. (In the second phase), another team will come back and actually raise the sub."
As further insurance to stabilize the sub when it is raised in 2008, four 7,200 pound anchors called "dead men" have been buried in holes 10 feet deep and wide, and they have been attached to the submarine. The anchors also are being used to pull the submarine toward the pier with hopes it will slightly right itself and resurface.
"This is an excellent mission," Sgt. Kristopher Stribbling said. "To get the chance to come out here and dive on a Russian submarine is phenomenal," the Army diver added. "It's a very unique mission being a submarine, so it has all kinds of new knowledge to take back to the unit."
All parties involved agreed that the knowledge acquired from such a unique dive is invaluable. "You don't get to salvage a vessel like this very often," Stetson said.
But for the historians involved in the sub's recovery, it's not just about the salvage training. "We need to preserve it for historical value," Frank Lennon, of the Russian Submarine Museum, said.
Museum officials and locals of Providence aren't the only ones hopeful, however, that the recovery mission will succeed.
"When it comes up, I hope they find that they can restore it, so I can come back and visit it while it's above the water," Stetson said.
(Army Spc. Morrene E. Randell is assigned to the 204th Public Affairs Detachment.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - A light breeze rippled over the dark water of Providence Harbor as two divers sank below the water's surface, leaving behind a long trail of air hoses and the sound of their breathing through the radio. Usually a transport vessel, the U.S. Army Vessel New Orleans, Landing Craft Utility 2031, from the 824th Transportation Company (Heavy Boats) is rendering itself as a diving platform for Army and Navy divers attempting to salvage a sunken Russian submarine in Providence Harbor.
The New Orleans is an Army Reserve vessel manned by a crew of soldiers from 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). It made its way from its home mooring in Tampa, Fla., to Rhode Island on Aug. 15 to take part in the 40-day innovative readiness training mission, a program that allows Defense Department funding, personnel and equipment to support U.S. civilian projects that provide invaluable combat training that would apply to a unit's mission.
"It's nice, because it's an opportunity to get to work together with people we don't normally work with and understand and appreciate what they are doing," Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Tartaglia said. The crew "gets training that they can carry on either in their civilian life or in their military career," the New Orleans' vessel master said.
Most people don't know the Army even has boats, or for that matter, why the Army would need them. The New Orleans is one of 35 LCU-2000 series in service and has a crew of 15 to 17 enlisted personnel and two officers and has a berthing of seven staterooms, 17 bunks and one sickbay. Its galley facilities can accommodate a full crew and passengers for two weeks. The boat is 174 feet long and is powered by twin 1,250 horsepower engines that move it at speeds up to 14 knots.
"When there are large ships that can't come into some ports, we will go out to them," Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Clark Patton, chief engineer of the New Orleans, said. "We also transport materiel and men, as well as help the Navy transport their materiel when needed."
The LCU-2000 series serves the Army by transporting cargo and equipment all over the world, and it supports missions in harbors, inland waterways and the open ocean. The landing craft utility is a shallow-water landing craft capable of reaching beaches in four feet of water with a full load.
At the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 824th was dispatched to the Persian Gulf, where it served as a diving platform for divers who were clearing oil platforms of explosives. The Rhode Island mission is similar, but far less dangerous.
Beneath the New Orleans lies a Juliet 484 Russian submarine. Army and Navy divers are using the boat's ramp as a platform to survey the sub, which sank earlier this year.
"It sank this April after a particularly nasty nor'easter," Tartaglia explained.
The storm drove a massive wave into the harbor, and because the submarine was modified to include hatches that allow tourists onto the vessel, it was no longer watertight, he said.
Divers have removed the fore and aft visitor hatches and will replace them with dams. This will make the submarine watertight and allow the team to pump water out of one hatch while the other remains open allowing air to enter and causing it to become buoyant and float back to the surface.
"It's in shallow water. ... The deepest part is about 35 feet," Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William F. Stetson IV, one of the divers, said. "So it's easy to get down to." Stetson is with Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2 from Little Creek, Va.
The teams of divers have been surveying the sub to come up with the safest and most practical way to raise it. "We're in phase one of a two-part phase mission," Stetson said. "We've connected four wires and hydraulic cords to keep it stable and prevent it from going any further into the channel. (In the second phase), another team will come back and actually raise the sub."
As further insurance to stabilize the sub when it is raised in 2008, four 7,200 pound anchors called "dead men" have been buried in holes 10 feet deep and wide, and they have been attached to the submarine. The anchors also are being used to pull the submarine toward the pier with hopes it will slightly right itself and resurface.
"This is an excellent mission," Sgt. Kristopher Stribbling said. "To get the chance to come out here and dive on a Russian submarine is phenomenal," the Army diver added. "It's a very unique mission being a submarine, so it has all kinds of new knowledge to take back to the unit."
All parties involved agreed that the knowledge acquired from such a unique dive is invaluable. "You don't get to salvage a vessel like this very often," Stetson said.
But for the historians involved in the sub's recovery, it's not just about the salvage training. "We need to preserve it for historical value," Frank Lennon, of the Russian Submarine Museum, said.
Museum officials and locals of Providence aren't the only ones hopeful, however, that the recovery mission will succeed.
"When it comes up, I hope they find that they can restore it, so I can come back and visit it while it's above the water," Stetson said.
(Army Spc. Morrene E. Randell is assigned to the 204th Public Affairs Detachment.)
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
VA Center Greets Returning Reservists With Open Arms
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - When Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Timothy Stoeckle deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004, he never heard a word from his employer -- not a card, note or thank you. He eventually left that job and went to work for the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Delaware. Since taking that job, he has again gotten the call to serve, and the difference has been like night and day, Stoeckle said.
Cards, e-mails and care packages of support were constant during his most recent 120-day deployment to Afghanistan, he said. He was shown the same support when he was activated following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
"They always said, 'If you need anything, just ask,'" Stoeckle said. "It's just comforting to know that folks back home care about you."
As a way of saying thanks, Stoeckle nominated his employer for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, and the center was among 15 businesses and organizations selected to receive this year's award. The annual award honors businesses and organizations that provide exemplary support for their employees in the Guard or reserves.
Stoeckle said he wanted to thank his employer for its support of reservists who are doing their part to fight the war on terrorism. "I am very happy that my nomination went through," he said.
The biomedical engineering technician said his coworkers were especially supportive and that the center supports all its reservists in its practices and policies. In fact, the center has a history of supporting the troops and has received multiple Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Awards and a Delaware Pro Patria Award.
During Stoeckle's deployments, the center kept his benefits, including health, dental and life insurance, active. Officials there also provided military leave that he could combine with other leave he earned to help continue his salary while deployed.
Joanne MacKenzie, staff assistant to the center's director, said the center's leaders also feel it's important to support family members of deployed military members. "Most of the reservists have families back here who still need a lot of support. So we like to be here for them," she said.
MacKenzie said officials at the medical center feel the contributions they make are small compared to sacrifices of the servicemembers. MacKenzie especially recognizes the sacrifices. Her husband is retired from the Delaware National Guard and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, and she spent nine years in the Delaware Air National Guard.
"We don't really feel like we are doing anything special. They are certainly putting out an awful lot, much more than we are. They take such good care of us," she said. "It makes them feel like they are wanted, so they do want to come back. And hopefully they realize how much we appreciate them and how valued they are as employees."
Stoeckle is a member of the 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, in New Castle, Del. He said the constant support from his employer makes the transition back to civilian life easier.
"It's nice to have a place to come back to, an employer with open arms," he said.
The Secretary of Defense Freedom Award recognizes U.S. employers who rise above the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department agency, manages the award process. ESGR assists Guard and reserve members and their employers in understanding employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the act.
Wilmington VA Medical Center officials will accept the Freedom Award during a formal ceremony here Sept. 12.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - When Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Timothy Stoeckle deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004, he never heard a word from his employer -- not a card, note or thank you. He eventually left that job and went to work for the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Delaware. Since taking that job, he has again gotten the call to serve, and the difference has been like night and day, Stoeckle said.
Cards, e-mails and care packages of support were constant during his most recent 120-day deployment to Afghanistan, he said. He was shown the same support when he was activated following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
"They always said, 'If you need anything, just ask,'" Stoeckle said. "It's just comforting to know that folks back home care about you."
As a way of saying thanks, Stoeckle nominated his employer for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, and the center was among 15 businesses and organizations selected to receive this year's award. The annual award honors businesses and organizations that provide exemplary support for their employees in the Guard or reserves.
Stoeckle said he wanted to thank his employer for its support of reservists who are doing their part to fight the war on terrorism. "I am very happy that my nomination went through," he said.
The biomedical engineering technician said his coworkers were especially supportive and that the center supports all its reservists in its practices and policies. In fact, the center has a history of supporting the troops and has received multiple Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Awards and a Delaware Pro Patria Award.
During Stoeckle's deployments, the center kept his benefits, including health, dental and life insurance, active. Officials there also provided military leave that he could combine with other leave he earned to help continue his salary while deployed.
Joanne MacKenzie, staff assistant to the center's director, said the center's leaders also feel it's important to support family members of deployed military members. "Most of the reservists have families back here who still need a lot of support. So we like to be here for them," she said.
MacKenzie said officials at the medical center feel the contributions they make are small compared to sacrifices of the servicemembers. MacKenzie especially recognizes the sacrifices. Her husband is retired from the Delaware National Guard and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, and she spent nine years in the Delaware Air National Guard.
"We don't really feel like we are doing anything special. They are certainly putting out an awful lot, much more than we are. They take such good care of us," she said. "It makes them feel like they are wanted, so they do want to come back. And hopefully they realize how much we appreciate them and how valued they are as employees."
Stoeckle is a member of the 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, in New Castle, Del. He said the constant support from his employer makes the transition back to civilian life easier.
"It's nice to have a place to come back to, an employer with open arms," he said.
The Secretary of Defense Freedom Award recognizes U.S. employers who rise above the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department agency, manages the award process. ESGR assists Guard and reserve members and their employers in understanding employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the act.
Wilmington VA Medical Center officials will accept the Freedom Award during a formal ceremony here Sept. 12.
New Initiatives Raise Hopes for Army to Reach Recruiting Goals
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - The Army's new "quick-ship" bonus program is showing success in getting prospective recruits to enlist and is expected to help the Army make its end-of-year recruiting goal, the Army's recruiting chief told Pentagon reporters today. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, credited the $20,000 quick-ship bonus with helping to motivate would-be soldiers who were "on the fence" into joining the ranks.
The program was introduced in late July to provide a financial incentive for recruits willing to ship off quickly to basic training. In August alone, 200 recruits who were planning to ship in September went a month early.
Bostick said it's one of several recruiting initiatives the Army has put in place to ensure it meets its fiscal 2007 goals.
This year, for example, the average bonus was up to about $15,000, but some run as high as $40,000, the maximum allowed by Congress.
A new $15,000 bonus and a two-year Army College Fund contribution for soldiers taking the two-year enlistment option are gaining momentum, too, Bostick said. The combination, introduced in July, doubled the Army's two-year enlistments, he said.
Educational incentives like the Army College Fund, Montgomery G.I. Bill and college loan-repayment programs are important, Bostick said, because many recruits hope to further their education.
He called these incentives critical to the Army's effort to fill its ranks with high-quality recruits at a particularly difficult time. "This is the first time that we have had to recruit an Army into the all-volunteer force during protracted combat operations," he said. "So it is a bit more challenging."
Many prospective applicants are concerned about the war in Iraq, he said. That's reflected in the lowest interest among recruitment-age youth in joining the military than at any other time during the past two decades. Twenty years ago, 25 percent of 17-to-24-year-olds said they'd likely serve in the military during the next three to five years, Bostick said. Today, it's 15.7 percent.
Meanwhile, parents, coaches and other adult influencers concerned about the war are less likely to encourage military service, he said. Right now, 25 percent of mothers and 33 percent of fathers say they would recommend military service to their children. That's down from 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in 2004.
This is all occurring when unemployment is at historic lows, giving young people many career options.
"But we're not wringing our hands," Bostick said. "We are manning this Army. We are doing a pretty good job of it. I think we have a lot who are answering the call to duty."
As of July 30, 83,000 recruits had joined the active Army and Army Reserve. Nearly 62,000 of them went on active duty, bringing the Army about 1,000 troops ahead of its year-to-date recruiting goal. Nearly 21,500 recruits had joined the Army Reserve by the end of July, about 180 behind its year-to-date goal.
Bostick reported "a very good month" in August, but declined to reveal the Army's recruiting numbers until the Defense Department releases them next week.
He vowed to close any remaining gaps by Sept. 30 and meet the active Army's year-end goal of 80,000 recruits and Army Reserve's goal of 26,500.
The mission of manning the Army isn't just a challenge for the Army, he said. "This is a challenge for the nation. And if this nation wishes to remain free and enjoy the democracy that we have in this country, it will take soldiers that are willing to stand up and defend this country as they are in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 4, 2007 - The Army's new "quick-ship" bonus program is showing success in getting prospective recruits to enlist and is expected to help the Army make its end-of-year recruiting goal, the Army's recruiting chief told Pentagon reporters today. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, credited the $20,000 quick-ship bonus with helping to motivate would-be soldiers who were "on the fence" into joining the ranks.
The program was introduced in late July to provide a financial incentive for recruits willing to ship off quickly to basic training. In August alone, 200 recruits who were planning to ship in September went a month early.
Bostick said it's one of several recruiting initiatives the Army has put in place to ensure it meets its fiscal 2007 goals.
This year, for example, the average bonus was up to about $15,000, but some run as high as $40,000, the maximum allowed by Congress.
A new $15,000 bonus and a two-year Army College Fund contribution for soldiers taking the two-year enlistment option are gaining momentum, too, Bostick said. The combination, introduced in July, doubled the Army's two-year enlistments, he said.
Educational incentives like the Army College Fund, Montgomery G.I. Bill and college loan-repayment programs are important, Bostick said, because many recruits hope to further their education.
He called these incentives critical to the Army's effort to fill its ranks with high-quality recruits at a particularly difficult time. "This is the first time that we have had to recruit an Army into the all-volunteer force during protracted combat operations," he said. "So it is a bit more challenging."
Many prospective applicants are concerned about the war in Iraq, he said. That's reflected in the lowest interest among recruitment-age youth in joining the military than at any other time during the past two decades. Twenty years ago, 25 percent of 17-to-24-year-olds said they'd likely serve in the military during the next three to five years, Bostick said. Today, it's 15.7 percent.
Meanwhile, parents, coaches and other adult influencers concerned about the war are less likely to encourage military service, he said. Right now, 25 percent of mothers and 33 percent of fathers say they would recommend military service to their children. That's down from 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in 2004.
This is all occurring when unemployment is at historic lows, giving young people many career options.
"But we're not wringing our hands," Bostick said. "We are manning this Army. We are doing a pretty good job of it. I think we have a lot who are answering the call to duty."
As of July 30, 83,000 recruits had joined the active Army and Army Reserve. Nearly 62,000 of them went on active duty, bringing the Army about 1,000 troops ahead of its year-to-date recruiting goal. Nearly 21,500 recruits had joined the Army Reserve by the end of July, about 180 behind its year-to-date goal.
Bostick reported "a very good month" in August, but declined to reveal the Army's recruiting numbers until the Defense Department releases them next week.
He vowed to close any remaining gaps by Sept. 30 and meet the active Army's year-end goal of 80,000 recruits and Army Reserve's goal of 26,500.
The mission of manning the Army isn't just a challenge for the Army, he said. "This is a challenge for the nation. And if this nation wishes to remain free and enjoy the democracy that we have in this country, it will take soldiers that are willing to stand up and defend this country as they are in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world."
Monday, September 03, 2007
Operation Story to Donate Storybook Packages to Freedom Alliance/Hannity Freedom Concerts
Raleigh, NC, August 1, 2007: Operation Story has announced the donation of five storybook packages to the Hannity Freedom Concerts to be held this summer in locations around the country. The recipient of each storybook package will receive an 8x8 hardbound storybook, filled with their own military story or the story of a loved one. An Operation Story representative will assist the winner in compiling the story and photographs, then the book will be delivered to the recipient's door.
Freedom Concerts have already been held in Atlanta, Georgia and San Diego, California. Remaining dates are August 9 in Cincinnati, Ohio; August 14 in Dallas, Texas; and September 11 in Jackson, New Jersey.
Operation Story accepts donations to provide free storybooks detailing the stories of active duty soldiers, wounded warriors, and those killed in the War on Terror. For more information, visit www.operationstory.org or contact Jennifer Knight at 919-557-5313. The Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund honors the bravery and dedication of Americans in our armed forces who have sacrificed life or limb in the defense of our country by providing college scholarships to their children. For more information, visit www.freedomalliance.org.
Contact: Jennifer Knight
Operation Story
Phone 919 557 5313
Fax 919 552 7928 Post Office Box 174
Kipling, NC 27543
Freedom Concerts have already been held in Atlanta, Georgia and San Diego, California. Remaining dates are August 9 in Cincinnati, Ohio; August 14 in Dallas, Texas; and September 11 in Jackson, New Jersey.
Operation Story accepts donations to provide free storybooks detailing the stories of active duty soldiers, wounded warriors, and those killed in the War on Terror. For more information, visit www.operationstory.org or contact Jennifer Knight at 919-557-5313. The Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund honors the bravery and dedication of Americans in our armed forces who have sacrificed life or limb in the defense of our country by providing college scholarships to their children. For more information, visit www.freedomalliance.org.
Contact: Jennifer Knight
Operation Story
Phone 919 557 5313
Fax 919 552 7928 Post Office Box 174
Kipling, NC 27543
Operation Story Formed in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, NC, August 1, 2007: A passion for preserving the stories of our troops is the foundation of Operation Story, an organization recently founded by two Raleigh-area moms and businesswomen, Jennifer Knight and Kellie Stobie. "Telling our Nation's Story, One Hero at a Time" is their motto.
"Each member of our military has a unique story of their experiences. They are all heroes, and we want their families to have their stories documented," Kellie Stobie explains. With the assistance of an internet-based publishing system, troops can create their own hardbound books, or Operation Story will assist them in writing their story. Within three weeks, the hardbound, archival quality, library bound book will arrive at the recipient's home.
Operation Story offers a military discount of 15 percent to all current and former military members, and offers a free book to active duty families, injured soldiers, or families of soldiers killed in the War on Terror.
Operation Story has a special interest in providing tribute books to the families of servicemen/women killed in the War on Terror and in working with wounded warriors in telling their story of recovery.
For more information, contact Kellie Stobie at 727-992-8007, Jennifer Knight at 919-557-5313, or visit www.operationstory.org.
"Each member of our military has a unique story of their experiences. They are all heroes, and we want their families to have their stories documented," Kellie Stobie explains. With the assistance of an internet-based publishing system, troops can create their own hardbound books, or Operation Story will assist them in writing their story. Within three weeks, the hardbound, archival quality, library bound book will arrive at the recipient's home.
Operation Story offers a military discount of 15 percent to all current and former military members, and offers a free book to active duty families, injured soldiers, or families of soldiers killed in the War on Terror.
Operation Story has a special interest in providing tribute books to the families of servicemen/women killed in the War on Terror and in working with wounded warriors in telling their story of recovery.
For more information, contact Kellie Stobie at 727-992-8007, Jennifer Knight at 919-557-5313, or visit www.operationstory.org.
Military Books
Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing military servicemembers who have authored books. The website added three former servicemembers: James T. Born, Victor Sims and James Walker.
Prior to his law enforcement career, James T. Born was a member of the United States Navy. In 1967, James Born was deployed to Vietnam as a Boatswain’s Mate Third Class. He received a Bronze Star “while serving as Assistant Boat Captain with Mobile Support Team II, on a Heavy SEAL Support Craft (HSSC), operating in the MeKong Delta.”
James T. Born graduated from the Los Angeles Police Department academy in 1969. During his ten year career in law enforcement he served as a Los Angeles Police Officer and a Deputy Sheriff. The highest rank he attained in law enforcement was as a Sheriff’s Captain, Chief of the Detective Bureau. In 1978, James Born was licensed as a private investigator in California. And, in 1989, he was licensed as a private investigator in Nevada.
James Born is a District Court Certified Forensic and Fingerprint Expert and has taught Crime Scene Technology and Investigation to law enforcement officers in eleven states. Jim born is a recipient of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution “Law Enforcement Commendation Medal” the highest civilian law enforcement medal in the United States. He is a graduate of Los Angeles Pierce College and has further attended fours years of University instruction in his field of Criminal Justice Administration. James Born has graduated from 82 law enforcement training schools. He is also the author of Coping with Marital Infidelity: How to Catch your Spouse Cheating.
According to the description of Coping with Marital Infidelity, “If you are a victim or know someone who is a victim of marital infidelity (cheating mates), this unique "How to" book will grab held of your life in a way you could never dream of and give you the tools needed that will help you to cope with this problem. Coping with Marital Infidelity. The author has investigated thousands of such cases and has consulted with many thousands of other victims having the same problem, who couldn't afford to hire an investigator and needed advice.”
According to the Southern Oregon University Retirees Association Newsletter (Spring 2007 edition) Dr. Victor H. Sims “died on April 27, 2007. Victor Sims joined the University’s Department of Criminology in 1994 and retired in 2006. He had extensive experience in service and leadership positions, serving as a Company Commander in the U. S. Army Military Police Corps, a police officer in Berkeley, Phoenix, and Anchorage. In Nome, Alaska he served as chief of police.
He received his PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1982 and taught
at Stephen F. Austin State University, at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Lamar State University before coming to SOU as Associate Professor of Criminology. Vic’s scholarship included research on rural and small town policing. He helped the department connect with regional law enforcement agencies and brought a chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma (the Criminal Justice Honor Society) to SOU. He received an Elmo award for his leadership in motivating students to come to the University. During his life he was also a commercial pilot, a marathon runner and triathlete.” Victor Sims was also the author of Small Town and Rural Police.
James Harper Walker served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1956. He began his law enforcement career with the Willoughby Police Department (Ohio) where he served in patrol for two years. He then joined the Waite Hill Police Department (Ohio) were he served for eight years, attaining the rank of detective. He then became the Assistant Chief of Police for the Huron Road Police Department (Ohio). James Walker then moved into the private security field where he held a number of managerial and executive level positions. He has a BA in Business Administration and is the author of four books: Man in Blue; Bushytail the Squirrel; Rambling in Rhyme; and, the novel Inside your Local Police.
According to the book description of Inside your Local Police, “follow police Lieutenant James MacDonald (Mac) as he tries to solve The Claw Hammer murder case. While being constantly interrupted with assorted armed robbers, gang fights, gun fights and domestics.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 44 current or former military servicemembers and their 92 books.
Prior to his law enforcement career, James T. Born was a member of the United States Navy. In 1967, James Born was deployed to Vietnam as a Boatswain’s Mate Third Class. He received a Bronze Star “while serving as Assistant Boat Captain with Mobile Support Team II, on a Heavy SEAL Support Craft (HSSC), operating in the MeKong Delta.”
James T. Born graduated from the Los Angeles Police Department academy in 1969. During his ten year career in law enforcement he served as a Los Angeles Police Officer and a Deputy Sheriff. The highest rank he attained in law enforcement was as a Sheriff’s Captain, Chief of the Detective Bureau. In 1978, James Born was licensed as a private investigator in California. And, in 1989, he was licensed as a private investigator in Nevada.
James Born is a District Court Certified Forensic and Fingerprint Expert and has taught Crime Scene Technology and Investigation to law enforcement officers in eleven states. Jim born is a recipient of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution “Law Enforcement Commendation Medal” the highest civilian law enforcement medal in the United States. He is a graduate of Los Angeles Pierce College and has further attended fours years of University instruction in his field of Criminal Justice Administration. James Born has graduated from 82 law enforcement training schools. He is also the author of Coping with Marital Infidelity: How to Catch your Spouse Cheating.
According to the description of Coping with Marital Infidelity, “If you are a victim or know someone who is a victim of marital infidelity (cheating mates), this unique "How to" book will grab held of your life in a way you could never dream of and give you the tools needed that will help you to cope with this problem. Coping with Marital Infidelity. The author has investigated thousands of such cases and has consulted with many thousands of other victims having the same problem, who couldn't afford to hire an investigator and needed advice.”
According to the Southern Oregon University Retirees Association Newsletter (Spring 2007 edition) Dr. Victor H. Sims “died on April 27, 2007. Victor Sims joined the University’s Department of Criminology in 1994 and retired in 2006. He had extensive experience in service and leadership positions, serving as a Company Commander in the U. S. Army Military Police Corps, a police officer in Berkeley, Phoenix, and Anchorage. In Nome, Alaska he served as chief of police.
He received his PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1982 and taught
at Stephen F. Austin State University, at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Lamar State University before coming to SOU as Associate Professor of Criminology. Vic’s scholarship included research on rural and small town policing. He helped the department connect with regional law enforcement agencies and brought a chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma (the Criminal Justice Honor Society) to SOU. He received an Elmo award for his leadership in motivating students to come to the University. During his life he was also a commercial pilot, a marathon runner and triathlete.” Victor Sims was also the author of Small Town and Rural Police.
James Harper Walker served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1956. He began his law enforcement career with the Willoughby Police Department (Ohio) where he served in patrol for two years. He then joined the Waite Hill Police Department (Ohio) were he served for eight years, attaining the rank of detective. He then became the Assistant Chief of Police for the Huron Road Police Department (Ohio). James Walker then moved into the private security field where he held a number of managerial and executive level positions. He has a BA in Business Administration and is the author of four books: Man in Blue; Bushytail the Squirrel; Rambling in Rhyme; and, the novel Inside your Local Police.
According to the book description of Inside your Local Police, “follow police Lieutenant James MacDonald (Mac) as he tries to solve The Claw Hammer murder case. While being constantly interrupted with assorted armed robbers, gang fights, gun fights and domestics.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 44 current or former military servicemembers and their 92 books.
Chairman Urges Servicemembers to Honor Sacrifice of Fallen Comrades
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 2, 2007 - Sgt. 1st Class Rocky Herrera, Sgt. Cory Clark and Sgt. Bryce Howard are men to whom every American owes a debt that can't be repaid, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Marine Gen. Peter Pace visited servicemembers of Task Force Rugged – built around the Army's 36th Engineer Brigade. The task force lost the three soldiers to an improvised explosive device explosion on Aug. 28. Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the task force met with the chairman before a memorial service for the men.
Army Maj. (Chaplain) Bill Sayer asked the chairman what he thought of when confronted with such loss.
"I can tell you what is going through my head right now," Pace said. "For me, for 40 years (it's) Lance Cpl. Guido Farinaro, Lance Cpl. Chubby Hale, Lance Cpl. Mike Witt, Cpl. Whitey Travers, Staff Sgt. Freddy Williams, Cpl. Joe Arnold, Cpl. John Miller and others with names that live in my head and in my heart.
"For you today, the names of these three soldiers will forever be emblazoned in your heads and your hearts," he continued.
Pace said he is still on active duty to try to repay the sacrifice of the Marines who died following his orders in Vietnam in 1968-1969, and now he feels the same debt to a new generation of servicemembers.
"In my current position, I have to make damn sure that their sacrifice has been for a mission that is worthwhile and a mission that will be sustained," he said.
He told the young men and women that Americans will support the mission in Afghanistan and will continue to sustain the effort against terror.
But the chairman asked the servicemembers to go beyond the memorial service as a means to pay respects to their fallen friends.
"I commend to each of you the thought that those of us who go to memorial services, those of us who survive, take on an extra measure of responsibility for those fellow soldiers of ours who have been killed, whose families will now live without them, whose kids will live without them," Pace said.
"If you can all live your lives whichever way it takes you to the best of your ability, then I think we will have paid proper respect," he said. "For me there are names that I've recited and others. But there is also the 3,000-plus that have died in this conflict who I think about. Not in a maudlin way, but with enormous respect and renewed personal energy to do my job the best way I know how to properly pay respect to them."
All those who service should remember the sacrifices made, but understand that the sacrifice is worth it.
"Just remember, this country is going to be better, the people are going to be more free and their lives are going to be better because of what you are doing," Pace said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 2, 2007 - Sgt. 1st Class Rocky Herrera, Sgt. Cory Clark and Sgt. Bryce Howard are men to whom every American owes a debt that can't be repaid, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Marine Gen. Peter Pace visited servicemembers of Task Force Rugged – built around the Army's 36th Engineer Brigade. The task force lost the three soldiers to an improvised explosive device explosion on Aug. 28. Soldiers, sailors and airmen of the task force met with the chairman before a memorial service for the men.
Army Maj. (Chaplain) Bill Sayer asked the chairman what he thought of when confronted with such loss.
"I can tell you what is going through my head right now," Pace said. "For me, for 40 years (it's) Lance Cpl. Guido Farinaro, Lance Cpl. Chubby Hale, Lance Cpl. Mike Witt, Cpl. Whitey Travers, Staff Sgt. Freddy Williams, Cpl. Joe Arnold, Cpl. John Miller and others with names that live in my head and in my heart.
"For you today, the names of these three soldiers will forever be emblazoned in your heads and your hearts," he continued.
Pace said he is still on active duty to try to repay the sacrifice of the Marines who died following his orders in Vietnam in 1968-1969, and now he feels the same debt to a new generation of servicemembers.
"In my current position, I have to make damn sure that their sacrifice has been for a mission that is worthwhile and a mission that will be sustained," he said.
He told the young men and women that Americans will support the mission in Afghanistan and will continue to sustain the effort against terror.
But the chairman asked the servicemembers to go beyond the memorial service as a means to pay respects to their fallen friends.
"I commend to each of you the thought that those of us who go to memorial services, those of us who survive, take on an extra measure of responsibility for those fellow soldiers of ours who have been killed, whose families will now live without them, whose kids will live without them," Pace said.
"If you can all live your lives whichever way it takes you to the best of your ability, then I think we will have paid proper respect," he said. "For me there are names that I've recited and others. But there is also the 3,000-plus that have died in this conflict who I think about. Not in a maudlin way, but with enormous respect and renewed personal energy to do my job the best way I know how to properly pay respect to them."
All those who service should remember the sacrifices made, but understand that the sacrifice is worth it.
"Just remember, this country is going to be better, the people are going to be more free and their lives are going to be better because of what you are doing," Pace said.
GM to Receive Freedom Award for Support to Reservists
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 2, 2007 - The Defense Department is recognizing General Motors for its procedures and policies to support its mobilized reserve component employees. The company, the largest car maker in America, will receive the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award. A total of 15 companies of all sizes will receive the award at during a ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building here Sept. 12.
The company has about 20 reservists serving in Iraq and Afghanistan now, said Greg Martin, a GM spokesman here. Navy reservist Chris Shortridge nominated GM for the honor. Another GM employee, a soldier named Douglas Waite, also nominated GM for the award, but he is serving in Iraq and could not be reached for comment.
Shortridge, who works in GM's plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., was called up and served in Mosul, Iraq, with the Army's 4th Brigade Combat Team for nine months. He returned to Spring Hill in June. Shortridge is a first class petty officer who has been selected for promotion to chief petty officer. selectee Hewho says his job in civilian life is "to just build cars."
He Shortridge said GM's policies really helped his family out while he was deployed. He doesn't live near a military base, and has found it hard to find providers who accept the military's health care plan.
"Tricare is great if you are from around a military base, but if you are deployed from suburban America, it can be more of a pain than it's worth," he said in an interview. "The doctors here have no idea what Tricare is, and are often not set up to accept it."
GM continues its employees' health care insurance while they are deployed, allowing the families to continue with a familiar process.
"I was flying from Kuwait into Baghdad, and I hadn't heard from my wife, which was kind of strange," Shortridge said. "Turns out, my daughter had appendicitis and had to have an emergency operation. Because I had the same insurance, my wife was able to get her right into the hospital and there were no hassles, no headaches."
GM also makes up the difference between military pay and their regular wages for its workers called to the colors.
"We don't think it's right that one of our workers should lose financially for reserve duty," Martin said. "So we make up any difference between military pay and their civilian wages."
GM also guarantees reservists their job will be waiting for them when they return.
"It may sound trite, but it's the right thing to do," Martin said. "We try to match what we say with actions, and we do value our employees."
The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award recognizes U.S. employers that rise above the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department agency, manages the award process. ESGR assists Guard and Reserve members and their employers understand employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the act.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 2, 2007 - The Defense Department is recognizing General Motors for its procedures and policies to support its mobilized reserve component employees. The company, the largest car maker in America, will receive the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award. A total of 15 companies of all sizes will receive the award at during a ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building here Sept. 12.
The company has about 20 reservists serving in Iraq and Afghanistan now, said Greg Martin, a GM spokesman here. Navy reservist Chris Shortridge nominated GM for the honor. Another GM employee, a soldier named Douglas Waite, also nominated GM for the award, but he is serving in Iraq and could not be reached for comment.
Shortridge, who works in GM's plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., was called up and served in Mosul, Iraq, with the Army's 4th Brigade Combat Team for nine months. He returned to Spring Hill in June. Shortridge is a first class petty officer who has been selected for promotion to chief petty officer. selectee Hewho says his job in civilian life is "to just build cars."
He Shortridge said GM's policies really helped his family out while he was deployed. He doesn't live near a military base, and has found it hard to find providers who accept the military's health care plan.
"Tricare is great if you are from around a military base, but if you are deployed from suburban America, it can be more of a pain than it's worth," he said in an interview. "The doctors here have no idea what Tricare is, and are often not set up to accept it."
GM continues its employees' health care insurance while they are deployed, allowing the families to continue with a familiar process.
"I was flying from Kuwait into Baghdad, and I hadn't heard from my wife, which was kind of strange," Shortridge said. "Turns out, my daughter had appendicitis and had to have an emergency operation. Because I had the same insurance, my wife was able to get her right into the hospital and there were no hassles, no headaches."
GM also makes up the difference between military pay and their regular wages for its workers called to the colors.
"We don't think it's right that one of our workers should lose financially for reserve duty," Martin said. "So we make up any difference between military pay and their civilian wages."
GM also guarantees reservists their job will be waiting for them when they return.
"It may sound trite, but it's the right thing to do," Martin said. "We try to match what we say with actions, and we do value our employees."
The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award recognizes U.S. employers that rise above the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department agency, manages the award process. ESGR assists Guard and Reserve members and their employers understand employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the act.
Families Prepare for Stryker Brigade's Homecoming
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 31, 2007 - There's a sense of giddiness here as families prepare for their "Arrowhead Brigade" Strykers to return home after a 15-month deployment to Iraq. An advance party from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) is slated to arrive at neighboring McChord Air Force Base on Sept. 3, finalizing groundwork for almost 4,000 more troops to fly in beginning Sept. 11.
Jubilant and frequently tearful reunions will play out again and again over the next week to 10 days, as one plane after another touches down to bring the full brigade home.
Melissa Townsend, wife of Col. Steve Townsend, the brigade commander, reports that the families are ready and counting the days.
After a particularly challenging deployment – marred by 54 casualties and the announcement in April of a three-month extension – Townsend said families are on the edge of their seats waiting for the homecoming celebration to begin.
They've painted colorful welcome-home banners to decorate the route between McChord and Fort Lewis, as well as the Sheridan Gym, where families will reunite with their soldiers.
Earlier this week, the brigade's rear detachment and family support network sponsored the last of several redeployment seminars to help prepare families for the adjustments they'll go through during redeployment.
And to make sure its single soldiers feel welcome, too, several of the brigade wives got together last week to make more than 200 beds for troops whose barracks rooms have been vacant for more than a year. After they finished tucking in the corners and smoothing the sheets, the wives assembled care packages of toiletries and goodies to place in each room to greet the returning soldiers.
"You wouldn't think you'd be able to get so excited about making a bed," Townsend said. "But that's because it's tangible. It's an assurance that, yes, they are coming back."
Townsend called the welcome-home preparations a big relief after a long, lonely and, for many families, difficult summer as their loved ones led surge operations in and around Baghdad.
"It's a sign that there's light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "We can actually almost sigh."
Maj. Kyle Marsh, who returned from Iraq in May to serve as the brigade's rear detachment commander, said he's excited about the homecoming that's in store for his fellow Strykers.
As they step off the plane at McChord, the Fort Lewis audiovisual staff will beam live images to the families assembled at the Fort Lewis gym. Meanwhile, audio from the gym will blare over the airfield. "We'll have a camera at the bottom of the stairs and a speaker set up at the airfield so soldiers can hear everything going on at the gym," Marsh said.
The biggest thrill, he said, will be watching the soldiers reunite with their families. "Every soldier will be in tears. I know. I did this. They will be bawling," he said.
Marsh remembered his own experience reuniting with his family. "You come into the gym, you look around and you can't find them. And then you make eye contact," he said. "Your heart is beating a thousand miles an hour. It's absolutely awesome."
The emotion hits everyone who comes to welcome the troops home, said Darlene Pacheco, the brigade's full-time family assistance advisor. "Even if it's not your soldier coming back that day, you get caught up in the excitement," she said.
As the troops return, Fort Lewis is planning its big official homecoming celebration, slated for Oct. 11. That's when the brigade will form up and uncase the unit colors. Afterward, its members will be treated to a big barbecue, courtesy of the local community.
Townsend, the brigade commander, will send invitations to the brigade's wounded troops, recovering here and at other medical facilities around the country. "We've had a lot of wounded, a lot," said Marsh. "And he wants to give them a personal invitation to be a part of the welcome home."
"If the kids at Walter Reed (Army Medical Center in Washington) and amputees at Brooke (Army Medical Center in San Antonio) are ambulatory and able to move, they are going to get an invitation," he said. "We would love to have them there."
Marsh anticipated the emotion that will overcome the brigade when its wounded warriors join the troops they served with in Iraq. After the newly returned soldiers form up on the parade field, the commander of troops will turn around and tell Townsend, "Sir, the command is formed."
Townsend will respond, "No it's not, as we have several of our brothers who need to rejoin our formations."
At that point, the wounded troops will join the formation. "Maybe they'll go out in a wheelchair. Maybe they'll go out in a hospital bed," Marsh said. "The sergeant major said, 'Hey, if I have a kid who can't stand, I'll put him in a chair next to the formation and he can sit there."
"Talk about powerful," Marsh said. "That will be huge."
Family time and reintegrating back into the community will be the big focus for the troops until they take block leave during the holidays, Marsh said. Rear detachment soldiers will take care of the never-ending taskings to give the newly returned troops a chance to rejuvenate.
That's critical, Marsh said, because after they return from block leave, they'll be back to the same demanding training routine they left behind. "Once they come back in January, guess what?" he said. "We're right back at it again, getting ready for the next time we go back to Iraq."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 31, 2007 - There's a sense of giddiness here as families prepare for their "Arrowhead Brigade" Strykers to return home after a 15-month deployment to Iraq. An advance party from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) is slated to arrive at neighboring McChord Air Force Base on Sept. 3, finalizing groundwork for almost 4,000 more troops to fly in beginning Sept. 11.
Jubilant and frequently tearful reunions will play out again and again over the next week to 10 days, as one plane after another touches down to bring the full brigade home.
Melissa Townsend, wife of Col. Steve Townsend, the brigade commander, reports that the families are ready and counting the days.
After a particularly challenging deployment – marred by 54 casualties and the announcement in April of a three-month extension – Townsend said families are on the edge of their seats waiting for the homecoming celebration to begin.
They've painted colorful welcome-home banners to decorate the route between McChord and Fort Lewis, as well as the Sheridan Gym, where families will reunite with their soldiers.
Earlier this week, the brigade's rear detachment and family support network sponsored the last of several redeployment seminars to help prepare families for the adjustments they'll go through during redeployment.
And to make sure its single soldiers feel welcome, too, several of the brigade wives got together last week to make more than 200 beds for troops whose barracks rooms have been vacant for more than a year. After they finished tucking in the corners and smoothing the sheets, the wives assembled care packages of toiletries and goodies to place in each room to greet the returning soldiers.
"You wouldn't think you'd be able to get so excited about making a bed," Townsend said. "But that's because it's tangible. It's an assurance that, yes, they are coming back."
Townsend called the welcome-home preparations a big relief after a long, lonely and, for many families, difficult summer as their loved ones led surge operations in and around Baghdad.
"It's a sign that there's light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "We can actually almost sigh."
Maj. Kyle Marsh, who returned from Iraq in May to serve as the brigade's rear detachment commander, said he's excited about the homecoming that's in store for his fellow Strykers.
As they step off the plane at McChord, the Fort Lewis audiovisual staff will beam live images to the families assembled at the Fort Lewis gym. Meanwhile, audio from the gym will blare over the airfield. "We'll have a camera at the bottom of the stairs and a speaker set up at the airfield so soldiers can hear everything going on at the gym," Marsh said.
The biggest thrill, he said, will be watching the soldiers reunite with their families. "Every soldier will be in tears. I know. I did this. They will be bawling," he said.
Marsh remembered his own experience reuniting with his family. "You come into the gym, you look around and you can't find them. And then you make eye contact," he said. "Your heart is beating a thousand miles an hour. It's absolutely awesome."
The emotion hits everyone who comes to welcome the troops home, said Darlene Pacheco, the brigade's full-time family assistance advisor. "Even if it's not your soldier coming back that day, you get caught up in the excitement," she said.
As the troops return, Fort Lewis is planning its big official homecoming celebration, slated for Oct. 11. That's when the brigade will form up and uncase the unit colors. Afterward, its members will be treated to a big barbecue, courtesy of the local community.
Townsend, the brigade commander, will send invitations to the brigade's wounded troops, recovering here and at other medical facilities around the country. "We've had a lot of wounded, a lot," said Marsh. "And he wants to give them a personal invitation to be a part of the welcome home."
"If the kids at Walter Reed (Army Medical Center in Washington) and amputees at Brooke (Army Medical Center in San Antonio) are ambulatory and able to move, they are going to get an invitation," he said. "We would love to have them there."
Marsh anticipated the emotion that will overcome the brigade when its wounded warriors join the troops they served with in Iraq. After the newly returned soldiers form up on the parade field, the commander of troops will turn around and tell Townsend, "Sir, the command is formed."
Townsend will respond, "No it's not, as we have several of our brothers who need to rejoin our formations."
At that point, the wounded troops will join the formation. "Maybe they'll go out in a wheelchair. Maybe they'll go out in a hospital bed," Marsh said. "The sergeant major said, 'Hey, if I have a kid who can't stand, I'll put him in a chair next to the formation and he can sit there."
"Talk about powerful," Marsh said. "That will be huge."
Family time and reintegrating back into the community will be the big focus for the troops until they take block leave during the holidays, Marsh said. Rear detachment soldiers will take care of the never-ending taskings to give the newly returned troops a chance to rejuvenate.
That's critical, Marsh said, because after they return from block leave, they'll be back to the same demanding training routine they left behind. "Once they come back in January, guess what?" he said. "We're right back at it again, getting ready for the next time we go back to Iraq."
American Legion Recognizes Servicemembers' Volunteer Efforts
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 31, 2007 - Enlisted representatives from the five armed services were honored this week by the nation's largest wartime veterans' organization. The American Legion presented the Spirit of Service award to Army Sgt. Korey W. Chandler, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Gaurav R. Patel, Marine Corps Sgt. Matthew W. Stone, Air Force Airman 1st Class Robb K. Hulet, and Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class David B. Edelson on Aug. 28 during the organization's 89th National Convention here.
The award was presented for each of the recipient's volunteer service in their local communities, American Legion officials said. This is the eighth annual presentation of the award, which includes shaped, etched glass mounted on a marble base, as well as a one-year membership in the American Legion.
National Commander Paul A. Morin, who presented the awards to the servicemembers along with Gen. Charles C. Campbell, commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, explained the purpose of the award.
"As an organization of wartime veterans, we truly understand and cherish the concept of service to community, state and nation," Morin said. "These outstanding representatives of our armed forces demonstrate the very heart of every Legionnaire – a relentless commitment to serving their country and their fellow Americans."
To receive this recognition, the individual must be an outstanding military professional and be actively involved in volunteer projects in the community during off-duty hours.
"Volunteerism is at the heart of what the American Legion does, ... and it is this dedication to community volunteerism that keeps the nation's largest veterans organization growing," Morin said.
"We know about service to others. We also know that those in uniform today – America's newest veterans in this war against terrorism – often go out of their way to make a difference for others in the communities in which they live," he continued. "Today, Legionnaires honor these outstanding Americans who reflect the great spirit of service to others that the founders of our organization considered essential."
Morin said that the servicemembers being honored fit the bill and are representative of thousands of their peers who make up the finest fighting force in the world.
"Each of them has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving others, a spirit of service that deserves the highest recognition The American Legion can provide," he said.
The servicemembers were selected by their individual services to receive the award. The American Legion provided for accommodations, meals and travel during their time in Reno. They participated in the ceremonial opening of the convention, rode in the American Legion parade, attended the National Commander's Banquet as distinguished guests and, as the newest members of the American Legion, interacted with their fellow veterans of several generations.
Aug. 31, 2007 - Enlisted representatives from the five armed services were honored this week by the nation's largest wartime veterans' organization. The American Legion presented the Spirit of Service award to Army Sgt. Korey W. Chandler, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Gaurav R. Patel, Marine Corps Sgt. Matthew W. Stone, Air Force Airman 1st Class Robb K. Hulet, and Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class David B. Edelson on Aug. 28 during the organization's 89th National Convention here.
The award was presented for each of the recipient's volunteer service in their local communities, American Legion officials said. This is the eighth annual presentation of the award, which includes shaped, etched glass mounted on a marble base, as well as a one-year membership in the American Legion.
National Commander Paul A. Morin, who presented the awards to the servicemembers along with Gen. Charles C. Campbell, commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, explained the purpose of the award.
"As an organization of wartime veterans, we truly understand and cherish the concept of service to community, state and nation," Morin said. "These outstanding representatives of our armed forces demonstrate the very heart of every Legionnaire – a relentless commitment to serving their country and their fellow Americans."
To receive this recognition, the individual must be an outstanding military professional and be actively involved in volunteer projects in the community during off-duty hours.
"Volunteerism is at the heart of what the American Legion does, ... and it is this dedication to community volunteerism that keeps the nation's largest veterans organization growing," Morin said.
"We know about service to others. We also know that those in uniform today – America's newest veterans in this war against terrorism – often go out of their way to make a difference for others in the communities in which they live," he continued. "Today, Legionnaires honor these outstanding Americans who reflect the great spirit of service to others that the founders of our organization considered essential."
Morin said that the servicemembers being honored fit the bill and are representative of thousands of their peers who make up the finest fighting force in the world.
"Each of them has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving others, a spirit of service that deserves the highest recognition The American Legion can provide," he said.
The servicemembers were selected by their individual services to receive the award. The American Legion provided for accommodations, meals and travel during their time in Reno. They participated in the ceremonial opening of the convention, rode in the American Legion parade, attended the National Commander's Banquet as distinguished guests and, as the newest members of the American Legion, interacted with their fellow veterans of several generations.
Why We Serve: Air Force NCO Shares His View on Service
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 31, 2007 - A 17-year Air Force veteran who led vehicles more than 20,000 miles across Kuwait and Iraq during 18 missions -- rolling over streets often flanked with armed insurgents and littered with roadside bombs -- is sharing the message of his service with the American people. Tech. Sgt. Howard L. Watkins served as a convoy commander with the 70th Medium Truck Detachment based at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Through the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" speakers program, he carries the lessons of his military experience and shares them with the American public at speaking events across the country.
One night, a 155 mm homemade artillery round strapped to a propane tank detonated next to a civilian truck attached to Watkins' convoy. "That truck was completely engulfed in flames in 20 seconds," he recalled.
Watkins ran to the burning truck to rescue victims inside. He and a fellow airman found the truck driver, who suffered wounds to his head and torso in the blast, and moved him away from the truck. Mindful that his team was vulnerable to ambush while standing still, Watkins got the convoy moving again, calling for medical assistance for the injured driver on the radio while coordinating the vehicles to drive toward safety.
"One of the great things about my job when I deploy as a convoy commander is that I have a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment in what I do," he said. "When you go on deployment like this most recent one, you develop an immensely strong bond with the people that you're working with. You really are dependent on these people for your life."
The story of Watkins' first step into service begins like many others. His small hometown -- Seligman, Mo., which boasts a population under 1,000 -- presented few job opportunities. As a high school senior, Watkins' ambition stretched as far as graduation, but not much further. He lacked direction, he said.
"About a quarter of the way through my senior year, I knew I wanted to get out of the area. The military seemed like the best way to go," said Watkins, who decided to enlist in the Army and follow the footsteps of his father, who served in the 101st Airborne Division during the World War II.
"But when I went to the recruiting station in Joplin, Mo., of course they've got all the different branches of service next to each other," he said. "I got there right around lunch time, and both the Air Force and Army recruiter were going to eat at the same time.
"The Army recruiter just sort of looked at me and passed me by, whereas the Air Force recruiter was the one that actually stopped and talked to me," Watkins said. "I remember his name and everything. It was Tech. Sergeant Fitzner."
The decision to join the Air Force has worked out for Watkins. He was named Air Combat Command's transportation noncommissioned officer of the year for 2006. He has earned the Bronze Star Medal, three Air Force Commendation Medals and three Air Force Achievement Medals.
"I believe that everything happens for a reason," Watkins said about his decision to join the Air Force. "I was probably an easier sell to the Army recruiter," he joked, "if he hadn't been quite as hungry that day."
Watkins is one of eight servicemembers who have served overseas in the war on terrorism who are traveling throughout the United States to speak to community groups and businesses in the "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
The program was initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military, are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 31, 2007 - A 17-year Air Force veteran who led vehicles more than 20,000 miles across Kuwait and Iraq during 18 missions -- rolling over streets often flanked with armed insurgents and littered with roadside bombs -- is sharing the message of his service with the American people. Tech. Sgt. Howard L. Watkins served as a convoy commander with the 70th Medium Truck Detachment based at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Through the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" speakers program, he carries the lessons of his military experience and shares them with the American public at speaking events across the country.
One night, a 155 mm homemade artillery round strapped to a propane tank detonated next to a civilian truck attached to Watkins' convoy. "That truck was completely engulfed in flames in 20 seconds," he recalled.
Watkins ran to the burning truck to rescue victims inside. He and a fellow airman found the truck driver, who suffered wounds to his head and torso in the blast, and moved him away from the truck. Mindful that his team was vulnerable to ambush while standing still, Watkins got the convoy moving again, calling for medical assistance for the injured driver on the radio while coordinating the vehicles to drive toward safety.
"One of the great things about my job when I deploy as a convoy commander is that I have a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment in what I do," he said. "When you go on deployment like this most recent one, you develop an immensely strong bond with the people that you're working with. You really are dependent on these people for your life."
The story of Watkins' first step into service begins like many others. His small hometown -- Seligman, Mo., which boasts a population under 1,000 -- presented few job opportunities. As a high school senior, Watkins' ambition stretched as far as graduation, but not much further. He lacked direction, he said.
"About a quarter of the way through my senior year, I knew I wanted to get out of the area. The military seemed like the best way to go," said Watkins, who decided to enlist in the Army and follow the footsteps of his father, who served in the 101st Airborne Division during the World War II.
"But when I went to the recruiting station in Joplin, Mo., of course they've got all the different branches of service next to each other," he said. "I got there right around lunch time, and both the Air Force and Army recruiter were going to eat at the same time.
"The Army recruiter just sort of looked at me and passed me by, whereas the Air Force recruiter was the one that actually stopped and talked to me," Watkins said. "I remember his name and everything. It was Tech. Sergeant Fitzner."
The decision to join the Air Force has worked out for Watkins. He was named Air Combat Command's transportation noncommissioned officer of the year for 2006. He has earned the Bronze Star Medal, three Air Force Commendation Medals and three Air Force Achievement Medals.
"I believe that everything happens for a reason," Watkins said about his decision to join the Air Force. "I was probably an easier sell to the Army recruiter," he joked, "if he hadn't been quite as hungry that day."
Watkins is one of eight servicemembers who have served overseas in the war on terrorism who are traveling throughout the United States to speak to community groups and businesses in the "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
The program was initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military, are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
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