By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates finished up his second day in Latin America here today pledging continued support for what he called a "strong partnership" with Colombia. Gates met with the country's president and minister of defense to discuss shared interests and continued cooperation between the United States and Colombia, he said.
"It's been a productive visit -- an opportunity to discuss our shared security interests and a chance for me to witness undeniable progress in territorial control, human rights protection and democratic security," the secretary told the press.
Gates said the U.S. and Colombia have enjoyed a long-standing and cooperative defense and security relationship.
"Colombia is one of our most prominent allies. That fact is underscored by our partnership in combating narco-terrorism, curbing transnational crime and strengthening democratic institutions," Gates said.
Gates said that supporting Colombia enhances regional security, and thereby promotes stability and economic progress.
The defense secretary spent the afternoon getting a look at the top soldiers of the Colombian army and their capabilities. Flanked by Colombia's minister of defense and the commander of the army, the secretary was treated to a special demonstration by the army's Lanceros -- the equivalent to the U.S. military's special forces.
The demonstration featured soldiers rappelling down walls, swooping along ropes "Bat Man" style, rescuing mock hostages, paratroopers jumping from planes and helicopter teams conducting aerial extractions of troops from would-be enemy territory.
Located west of Bogota, the Tolemaida Air Base trains about 22,000 troops at a time and is the largest training installation south of Fort Hood, Texas, said an official speaking on background.
Gates was openly impressed with the military demonstration, and called the progress in Colombia one of the biggest surprises since his return to government service as the defense secretary.
"I think the turn-around in Colombia is one of the great success stories, in terms of establishing greater security, but also professionalizing the military, institutionalizing the rule of law, bringing people accused of wrongdoing to justice," Gates said.
"Ten years ago Colombia was on its way to becoming a failed state. And it's far from that today," he said.
Gates said that more U.S. support is needed to continue to the upward trend in the region.
"Columbia needs the continued support of the United States to consolidate the rule of law, social development, the reinsertion of the demobilized groups, public security and economic development," the secretary said. "I think the idea is to help them strengthen their own capabilities so they can then do these things on their own."
Gates said the proposed U.S.-Colombia trade promotion agreement will also help sustain these efforts for the future, and he pledged that "we will work hard to secure passage of this agreement."
Monday, October 08, 2007
Pentagon's CFC Charity Fair Kicks Off Season of Giving
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - The annual Defense Department Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair kicked off at the Pentagon yesterday to provide employees insight into some of the nonprofit organizations that benefit from their donations. The Combined Federal Campaign is an annual fundraising drive conducted by federal employees in their workplace each fall. The three-day fair offers Pentagon employees the opportunity to learn more about some of the charities, like the United Service Organizations, that benefit from their donations to the CFC.
"(We can) let people know that the USO is still out there and doing the wonderful services for our military as we did back in the earlier days of Bob Hope," said Margo Durham, with USO Headquarters.
She added that these kinds of charity fairs result in increased giving. It's also an opportunity to inform visitors about some of USO's lesser-known programs, Durham said. "Not only do we do entertainment, but we do family service items as well, like storybook readings," she said.
That program allows servicemembers to record themselves reading books to children at home. Recordings are sent home to families, reminding the children that Mom or Dad is thinking of them.
USO has a long, proud tradition of bringing a touch of home to servicemembers wherever they may be serving through programs like its USO airport lounges and USO tours. Durham said events like the Pentagon's are beneficial on multiple levels.
USO is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
Other group representatives agreed with Durham's assessment that the charity fair provides visibility and is an important function in which they need to be involved.
"Overall, we get about 90 percent of our budget from CFC donations," said Molly McAndrew, a representative for Community Health Charities of the national capital area. "Since this is the biggest fair, we find it extra important to make sure (we're) here."
Community Health Charities is an umbrella organization for more than 80 health-related charities in the national capital area.
Pentagon employees find the CFC fair helpful in deciding where to direct their charity dollars.
Veronica Hayes has worked in the building for nearly three years and attended the annual fair for the first time yesterday. She said the event was very informative as she prepared to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign.
"It is (helpful), especially when I was learning about the coffee being grown in different villages," she said after speaking to representatives from the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to help African villages grow coffee with little or no impact to the environment, especially primates.
Hayes is just one of the nearly 88,000 defense workers in the national capital area, said Lou Torchia, director of the Voluntary Campaign Management Office. That doesn't include the CFC overseas program, which, depending upon deployments, has a potential donor pool that's nearly 300,000 defense workers strong.
Officials hope these employees will help break the Defense Department's goal in the same fashion they did last year, Torchia said. "We shattered our goal of last year by almost $2.7 million," he said. "DoD's goal this year is $13.2 million. That's $200,000 more than last year, and (it's) our most aggressive goal."
Torchia said he has very little doubt that defense employees will meet or exceed this year's goal. "DoD in the national capital area stands heads above other federal agencies, with a participation rate historically around 60 percent, with the rest of the national average in the high 30s," he said.
The Defense Department as a whole reaches about 880,000 military and civilian employees annually and contributes somewhere between $80 and $100 million a year. The overall Office of Personnel Management fundraising total was just more than $270 million for 2006.
The national capital area's average per donor gift is around $320. Overseas the average donation is slightly less at $170. The difference can be traced, in part, to issues governing reservists' being able to make payroll deductions.
Even more important than the increase in the donation goal is the move from a four-digit charity identification code to a five-digit code.
"Many people carry a copy of their pledge cards in their wallets," Torchia said. "When CFC time comes around they pull them out, copy the codes and put them (away). That's not going to happen this year."
Torchia and his team are promoting the "Power of Five," a push to make sure donors know about the new, longer codes. "That's to make sure the actual pledge cards ... reflect that five-digit code," he said. "We don't want any (donations) misdirected." The roughly 90 nonprofit groups from the national capital region, about 30 each day, will provide information between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the apex of Corridors 1 and 2, near the relocated Hall of Heroes. The event will conclude tomorrow.
Yesterday's group of charities included the Pentagon Memorial Fund, the Jane Goodall Institute, Institute For Black Charities, Save the Bay, PetSmart Charities, Community Health Charities of the National Capital Area, and the United Service Organizations. Our Military Kids, another supporter of the America Supports You program, is participating today.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - The annual Defense Department Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair kicked off at the Pentagon yesterday to provide employees insight into some of the nonprofit organizations that benefit from their donations. The Combined Federal Campaign is an annual fundraising drive conducted by federal employees in their workplace each fall. The three-day fair offers Pentagon employees the opportunity to learn more about some of the charities, like the United Service Organizations, that benefit from their donations to the CFC.
"(We can) let people know that the USO is still out there and doing the wonderful services for our military as we did back in the earlier days of Bob Hope," said Margo Durham, with USO Headquarters.
She added that these kinds of charity fairs result in increased giving. It's also an opportunity to inform visitors about some of USO's lesser-known programs, Durham said. "Not only do we do entertainment, but we do family service items as well, like storybook readings," she said.
That program allows servicemembers to record themselves reading books to children at home. Recordings are sent home to families, reminding the children that Mom or Dad is thinking of them.
USO has a long, proud tradition of bringing a touch of home to servicemembers wherever they may be serving through programs like its USO airport lounges and USO tours. Durham said events like the Pentagon's are beneficial on multiple levels.
USO is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
Other group representatives agreed with Durham's assessment that the charity fair provides visibility and is an important function in which they need to be involved.
"Overall, we get about 90 percent of our budget from CFC donations," said Molly McAndrew, a representative for Community Health Charities of the national capital area. "Since this is the biggest fair, we find it extra important to make sure (we're) here."
Community Health Charities is an umbrella organization for more than 80 health-related charities in the national capital area.
Pentagon employees find the CFC fair helpful in deciding where to direct their charity dollars.
Veronica Hayes has worked in the building for nearly three years and attended the annual fair for the first time yesterday. She said the event was very informative as she prepared to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign.
"It is (helpful), especially when I was learning about the coffee being grown in different villages," she said after speaking to representatives from the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to help African villages grow coffee with little or no impact to the environment, especially primates.
Hayes is just one of the nearly 88,000 defense workers in the national capital area, said Lou Torchia, director of the Voluntary Campaign Management Office. That doesn't include the CFC overseas program, which, depending upon deployments, has a potential donor pool that's nearly 300,000 defense workers strong.
Officials hope these employees will help break the Defense Department's goal in the same fashion they did last year, Torchia said. "We shattered our goal of last year by almost $2.7 million," he said. "DoD's goal this year is $13.2 million. That's $200,000 more than last year, and (it's) our most aggressive goal."
Torchia said he has very little doubt that defense employees will meet or exceed this year's goal. "DoD in the national capital area stands heads above other federal agencies, with a participation rate historically around 60 percent, with the rest of the national average in the high 30s," he said.
The Defense Department as a whole reaches about 880,000 military and civilian employees annually and contributes somewhere between $80 and $100 million a year. The overall Office of Personnel Management fundraising total was just more than $270 million for 2006.
The national capital area's average per donor gift is around $320. Overseas the average donation is slightly less at $170. The difference can be traced, in part, to issues governing reservists' being able to make payroll deductions.
Even more important than the increase in the donation goal is the move from a four-digit charity identification code to a five-digit code.
"Many people carry a copy of their pledge cards in their wallets," Torchia said. "When CFC time comes around they pull them out, copy the codes and put them (away). That's not going to happen this year."
Torchia and his team are promoting the "Power of Five," a push to make sure donors know about the new, longer codes. "That's to make sure the actual pledge cards ... reflect that five-digit code," he said. "We don't want any (donations) misdirected." The roughly 90 nonprofit groups from the national capital region, about 30 each day, will provide information between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the apex of Corridors 1 and 2, near the relocated Hall of Heroes. The event will conclude tomorrow.
Yesterday's group of charities included the Pentagon Memorial Fund, the Jane Goodall Institute, Institute For Black Charities, Save the Bay, PetSmart Charities, Community Health Charities of the National Capital Area, and the United Service Organizations. Our Military Kids, another supporter of the America Supports You program, is participating today.
New Chairman Issues Guidance to Joint Staff
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Balancing global risk and stability in the Middle East, and resetting and reconstituting U.S. forces are vital missions for the U.S. military, according to guidance from the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To that end, the U.S. military must maintain its warfighting focus, and servicemembers must stay ahead of the accelerating speed of war, Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen said in his guidance to the Joint Staff issued Oct. 1.
Each chairman issues guidance to the Joint Staff upon taking office. The guidance is a roadmap and gives members of the staff an idea of the new chairman's thinking and his priorities.
Mullen said Joint Staff members must never lose their warfighting focus. "I expect the Joint Staff to stay ahead of the accelerating speed of war and to maintain a current, relevant operational view of our worldwide force composition, disposition and employment," he wrote.
Mullen's first priority is to develop a strategy to defend U.S. national interests in the Middle East. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the first concern, but the United States cannot ignore other threats in the region, he wrote in the guidance. "The increasingly hostile role being played by Iran; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Sunni-Shiia rivalries; the rise of radical jihadists and the resurgence of al Qaeda all threaten to tear at fragile seams and all bear directly on the security of the United States," he wrote.
The chairman wants to develop a comprehensive Middle East security strategy that will address long-term security in Iraq and Afghanistan and problems posed by Iran. He also wants to ensure that strategic plans for the region are sustainable and provide flexibility, and to work to improve international cooperation in the region.
Resetting and revitalizing the U.S. armed forces, particularly the Army and Marine Corps, are also priorities, Mullen wrote. The Joint Staff will determine the true health of U.S. ground forces "in terms of people, training, equipment and family support" to ensure the forces can maintain a long-term commitment and handle operations across the full-spectrum of warfare.
The U.S. military depends of the reserve components to fight current battles, and the Joint Staff must study how to preserve a "strategic reserve" capability outside the active component.
Balancing global strategic risk is a priority that impacts all others, Mullen said. "We must stay mindful of our many global security commitments and of the core warfighting capabilities, resources and partnerships required to conduct operations across the full spectrum of peace and conflict," he wrote. "A larger, longer view of risk assessment that helps us maintain a position of global leadership and preserves our freedom of action remains critical. I want the Joint Staff focused on rebalancing strategic risk."
Demands of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, though important, shouldn't dominate American military strategic thinking, Mullen said. "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will end one day," he said. "We must be ready for who -- and what -- comes after."
What that will be is impossible to predict, he said. But the military will need capabilities that capitalize on precision, speed and agility. "We may face state as well as non-state enemies, including some who may only appear in cyberspace," he said, adding that these foes may launch attacks on U.S. infrastructure or on America's computer systems and networks.
Whatever the enemy, the American people will expect the military "to maintain sufficient capability and capability to deter and, failing that, defeat all such military threats to their security and the security of our vital national interests."
Mullen tasked Joint Staff directorate leaders to use the guidance to write comprehensive plans to accomplish these priorities. He said he will update the guidance yearly and assess progress every six months.
"We serve in a critical and dangerous time," he wrote. "We represent the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who confront this danger and defend our national interests around the world. Your continued devotion to making sure our nation's leadership has at their disposal the best, most independent military advice ... will continue to be vital."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Balancing global risk and stability in the Middle East, and resetting and reconstituting U.S. forces are vital missions for the U.S. military, according to guidance from the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To that end, the U.S. military must maintain its warfighting focus, and servicemembers must stay ahead of the accelerating speed of war, Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen said in his guidance to the Joint Staff issued Oct. 1.
Each chairman issues guidance to the Joint Staff upon taking office. The guidance is a roadmap and gives members of the staff an idea of the new chairman's thinking and his priorities.
Mullen said Joint Staff members must never lose their warfighting focus. "I expect the Joint Staff to stay ahead of the accelerating speed of war and to maintain a current, relevant operational view of our worldwide force composition, disposition and employment," he wrote.
Mullen's first priority is to develop a strategy to defend U.S. national interests in the Middle East. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the first concern, but the United States cannot ignore other threats in the region, he wrote in the guidance. "The increasingly hostile role being played by Iran; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Sunni-Shiia rivalries; the rise of radical jihadists and the resurgence of al Qaeda all threaten to tear at fragile seams and all bear directly on the security of the United States," he wrote.
The chairman wants to develop a comprehensive Middle East security strategy that will address long-term security in Iraq and Afghanistan and problems posed by Iran. He also wants to ensure that strategic plans for the region are sustainable and provide flexibility, and to work to improve international cooperation in the region.
Resetting and revitalizing the U.S. armed forces, particularly the Army and Marine Corps, are also priorities, Mullen wrote. The Joint Staff will determine the true health of U.S. ground forces "in terms of people, training, equipment and family support" to ensure the forces can maintain a long-term commitment and handle operations across the full-spectrum of warfare.
The U.S. military depends of the reserve components to fight current battles, and the Joint Staff must study how to preserve a "strategic reserve" capability outside the active component.
Balancing global strategic risk is a priority that impacts all others, Mullen said. "We must stay mindful of our many global security commitments and of the core warfighting capabilities, resources and partnerships required to conduct operations across the full spectrum of peace and conflict," he wrote. "A larger, longer view of risk assessment that helps us maintain a position of global leadership and preserves our freedom of action remains critical. I want the Joint Staff focused on rebalancing strategic risk."
Demands of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, though important, shouldn't dominate American military strategic thinking, Mullen said. "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will end one day," he said. "We must be ready for who -- and what -- comes after."
What that will be is impossible to predict, he said. But the military will need capabilities that capitalize on precision, speed and agility. "We may face state as well as non-state enemies, including some who may only appear in cyberspace," he said, adding that these foes may launch attacks on U.S. infrastructure or on America's computer systems and networks.
Whatever the enemy, the American people will expect the military "to maintain sufficient capability and capability to deter and, failing that, defeat all such military threats to their security and the security of our vital national interests."
Mullen tasked Joint Staff directorate leaders to use the guidance to write comprehensive plans to accomplish these priorities. He said he will update the guidance yearly and assess progress every six months.
"We serve in a critical and dangerous time," he wrote. "We represent the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who confront this danger and defend our national interests around the world. Your continued devotion to making sure our nation's leadership has at their disposal the best, most independent military advice ... will continue to be vital."
New Navy Surgeon General Puts Patients, Families First
By David Mays
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Patients, not process, must always come first, the Navy's surgeon general said yesterday. "If I can keep my eye on the ball -- and that is healthcare, people, patients, families -- then I can always get the administrative or the process problems cared for and done," Vice Adm. Adam M. Robinson Jr. told online journalists and "bloggers" yesterday during a conference call from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Robinson, who commanded the Bethesda facility before he was promoted to oversee all of Navy medicine about a month ago, said he is committed to knocking down bureaucratic barriers that may get in the way of medical care.
"We can never lose sight of the fact that we take care of patients," he said. "We need to provide care for patients."
That care must be world class, he said, whether it is delivered in stateside military medical facilities or on the front lines.
"Force health protection is a fit and ready force," Robinson explained. "It's to deploy with the war fighters. It's there to care for the warfighters no matter what that care may be."
Besides treating trauma cases such as servicemembers wounded in combat, deployed military health care personnel are providing preventative medicine, obstetrics and gynecological treatment, pediatric infectious disease diagnosis, and other services, the admiral said. "There could be a variety of things that we may need to do at any given time," he said.
Providing medical services to veterans is also a top priority, the admiral said. "It is our honor and privilege, and it is our duty to care for them," he said.
One facility that has famously cared for millions of servicemembers, veterans and military families is Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the nation's capital. It is mandated to close in 2011 under the Base Realignment and Closure law, as is the National Naval Medical Center. A new facility to be built on the Bethesda campus will be known as the National Military Medical Center and will be staffed by Army, Navy and Air Force personnel.
"It takes more than any one single service to get the job done," Robinson said, noting that many military medical missions, such as the USNS Comfort, are already jointly staffed.
There's been major progress toward the new medical center in the past few weeks, the admiral explained, such as the standing up a joint task force to oversee the project. "There's now a unity of command that exists," he said.
Everyday health care, such as making medical appointments and filling prescriptions, is also important, the admiral said. To that end, the military is making an extra effort to recruit and retain key medical positions by offering attractive incentives such as bonuses. "In the military, we talk about recruiting an individual, and retaining a family," Robinson said. "That's important."
Professional development and personal enrichment are both required to keep talented medical personnel motivated to serve in the military on a long term basis. Even so, many staffers leave, he said, after their initial enlistment. "I think part of that is because of the war," Robinson said. "But I think most of that is because they don't see career paths that are open to them on the military side."
Fixing career-path problems is a top priority, the admiral said, but caring for servicemembers wounded in war is an even more urgent mission. "Once you're wounded, I can never guarantee you'll get back to the same," Robinson said. "But I can try my darnedest to make sure that you are as good as you can possibly be and then get you back into your communities so that you can become a productive, vibrant part of that community and help the United States understand exactly what the cost of freedom really is from a very personal point of view."
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Patients, not process, must always come first, the Navy's surgeon general said yesterday. "If I can keep my eye on the ball -- and that is healthcare, people, patients, families -- then I can always get the administrative or the process problems cared for and done," Vice Adm. Adam M. Robinson Jr. told online journalists and "bloggers" yesterday during a conference call from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Robinson, who commanded the Bethesda facility before he was promoted to oversee all of Navy medicine about a month ago, said he is committed to knocking down bureaucratic barriers that may get in the way of medical care.
"We can never lose sight of the fact that we take care of patients," he said. "We need to provide care for patients."
That care must be world class, he said, whether it is delivered in stateside military medical facilities or on the front lines.
"Force health protection is a fit and ready force," Robinson explained. "It's to deploy with the war fighters. It's there to care for the warfighters no matter what that care may be."
Besides treating trauma cases such as servicemembers wounded in combat, deployed military health care personnel are providing preventative medicine, obstetrics and gynecological treatment, pediatric infectious disease diagnosis, and other services, the admiral said. "There could be a variety of things that we may need to do at any given time," he said.
Providing medical services to veterans is also a top priority, the admiral said. "It is our honor and privilege, and it is our duty to care for them," he said.
One facility that has famously cared for millions of servicemembers, veterans and military families is Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the nation's capital. It is mandated to close in 2011 under the Base Realignment and Closure law, as is the National Naval Medical Center. A new facility to be built on the Bethesda campus will be known as the National Military Medical Center and will be staffed by Army, Navy and Air Force personnel.
"It takes more than any one single service to get the job done," Robinson said, noting that many military medical missions, such as the USNS Comfort, are already jointly staffed.
There's been major progress toward the new medical center in the past few weeks, the admiral explained, such as the standing up a joint task force to oversee the project. "There's now a unity of command that exists," he said.
Everyday health care, such as making medical appointments and filling prescriptions, is also important, the admiral said. To that end, the military is making an extra effort to recruit and retain key medical positions by offering attractive incentives such as bonuses. "In the military, we talk about recruiting an individual, and retaining a family," Robinson said. "That's important."
Professional development and personal enrichment are both required to keep talented medical personnel motivated to serve in the military on a long term basis. Even so, many staffers leave, he said, after their initial enlistment. "I think part of that is because of the war," Robinson said. "But I think most of that is because they don't see career paths that are open to them on the military side."
Fixing career-path problems is a top priority, the admiral said, but caring for servicemembers wounded in war is an even more urgent mission. "Once you're wounded, I can never guarantee you'll get back to the same," Robinson said. "But I can try my darnedest to make sure that you are as good as you can possibly be and then get you back into your communities so that you can become a productive, vibrant part of that community and help the United States understand exactly what the cost of freedom really is from a very personal point of view."
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Gates Signs Agreement for Funds for War Children
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today pledged U.S. funds to provide music education and other services to children displaced by the years of war here. Gates signed an agreement of intention to provide the funds after a meeting with Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe Velez here at Casa de Narino, the presidential palace.
The new $343,000 grant will allow the National Batuta Foundation and Colombia's Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation to expand to about 20 areas helping about 3,600 children along the remote areas of the Pacific Coast. The money will support children who were internally displaced and are at risk for recruitment by illegally armed groups or who are living in precarious neighborhoods, officials said. In addition, the children will receive psycho-social support including counseling and health education.
Uribe thanked Gates for his visit and for the United States' financial help for Colombian children.
"When a child embraces a musical instrument, that child will never hold a rifle against his neighbor," the president said.
The funds will come from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which also has other programs with the Colombian organizations.
Gates signed the agreement with Norma Poveda, the general manager of the National Batuta Foundation, and Sandra Alazate, the director of Colombia´s Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation.
This is the second stop on the defense secretary´s five-day, five-country trip to Latin America.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today pledged U.S. funds to provide music education and other services to children displaced by the years of war here. Gates signed an agreement of intention to provide the funds after a meeting with Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe Velez here at Casa de Narino, the presidential palace.
The new $343,000 grant will allow the National Batuta Foundation and Colombia's Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation to expand to about 20 areas helping about 3,600 children along the remote areas of the Pacific Coast. The money will support children who were internally displaced and are at risk for recruitment by illegally armed groups or who are living in precarious neighborhoods, officials said. In addition, the children will receive psycho-social support including counseling and health education.
Uribe thanked Gates for his visit and for the United States' financial help for Colombian children.
"When a child embraces a musical instrument, that child will never hold a rifle against his neighbor," the president said.
The funds will come from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which also has other programs with the Colombian organizations.
Gates signed the agreement with Norma Poveda, the general manager of the National Batuta Foundation, and Sandra Alazate, the director of Colombia´s Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation.
This is the second stop on the defense secretary´s five-day, five-country trip to Latin America.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Local Citizens Prove Critical in Confronting Violence in Eastern Afghanistan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Closer cooperation between coalition troops and Afghan security forces is helping stem violence that's been on the rise in eastern Afghanistan, the commander of an international task force operating there told Pentagon reporters today. But Army Col. Jonathan Ives, commander of Task Force Cincinnatus, also attributed many inroads being made to the Afghan people themselves. As they develop more confidence in their national security forces and in the coalition's commitment to their region, they're becoming partners in stabilizing the region, he said.
Ives cited Operation Naruz Hallah, a mission planned and led by the Afghan National Army to focus on threats that had been escalating in the isolated Kapisa province.
His own task force, with includes about 1,000 troops from the United States, New Zealand, South Korea and Turkey operating in Regional Command East under Combined Joint Task Force 82, had been working up a plan to address the threat when the Afghans approached them with their own plan in July. The Afghans shared the coalition's concern about escalating violence. Left unchecked, Ives said, it had the potential to affect Kabul and the international assistance community.
Opeation Naruz Hallah essentially involved positioning troops in the province's most-populated valleys to block positions and known exit routes used by foreign fighters and insurgents that established a support base there, Ives explained. The operation's goals were to:
-- Separate the enemy from the population;
-- Provide development to demonstrate coalition commitment to the region;
-- Establish an enduring presence with the Afghan National Army with coalition force partnering; and
-- Mentor the national police officers while providing them substations on a north-south route and the side valleys of the major population centers.
But in addition to confronting the enemy opposition, Ives said, it also encouraged closer cooperation between coalition forces and the Afghan police officers and army and won confidence from the Afghan people.
"The strength of Task Force Cincinnatus is not our strength of numbers of coalition forces, but our alliances," he said. "These included the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police officers and developing relationships in the valleys to promote the belief that the Afghans take the lead to help the Afghanistan -- to help Afghanistan and separate the populace from the enemy."
Ives called improved public support one of the biggest successes of the operation. "Many of the locals came forward to identify the enemy and their caches of arms to the Afghan National Army," he said. "This allowed the army to fulfill their commitment to the people and the president of Afghanistan to ensure and preserve every life when targeting the criminals and the insurgents."
These efforts, with support by the population, continue to provide leads on criminals throughout the local area, he said.
Ives pointed to development projects under way in Kapisa province as another big incentive in winning popular support for the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police officers and coalition. These projects, being conducted largely through the local provincial reconstruction team, encourage the population to step forward in identifying criminal and insurgent operatives and the improvised explosive devices they're starting to emplace, he said.
"We are continuing to reinforce with the locals that are there that if they will help us defeat the enemy and separate the enemy -- attack the Taliban in their strongholds where they are hiding and not in the villages, ... point those out and tell us where they are -- that we will continue the development," Ives said.
Development efforts range from building new schools and rebuilding schools that have been burned to rebuilding roads and repairing the damaged district center. Other projects aim to create employment through poultry farming and, for women, weaving.
"All these things we are bringing in there to help them are being well received by the elders that run and support the populace there," Ives said. "And they have been a great help in helping us identify the IEDs."
Collectively, they demonstrate coalition commitment to the region and build alliances critical to building Afghan's army and police forces and cracking down on violence, Ives said.
He called growing cooperation in the region another step forward toward stabilization of the region. "There's a lot of work to do," he conceded, but insisted that a peaceful Afghanistan is within reach.
"Together with the NATO and coalition partners and the support of the international community and Afghan people, we're going to overcome the devastation that this country has endured for 25 and 30 years," Ives said. "And we will overcome all these challenges and bring peace and stability and development to the future of Afghanistan."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Closer cooperation between coalition troops and Afghan security forces is helping stem violence that's been on the rise in eastern Afghanistan, the commander of an international task force operating there told Pentagon reporters today. But Army Col. Jonathan Ives, commander of Task Force Cincinnatus, also attributed many inroads being made to the Afghan people themselves. As they develop more confidence in their national security forces and in the coalition's commitment to their region, they're becoming partners in stabilizing the region, he said.
Ives cited Operation Naruz Hallah, a mission planned and led by the Afghan National Army to focus on threats that had been escalating in the isolated Kapisa province.
His own task force, with includes about 1,000 troops from the United States, New Zealand, South Korea and Turkey operating in Regional Command East under Combined Joint Task Force 82, had been working up a plan to address the threat when the Afghans approached them with their own plan in July. The Afghans shared the coalition's concern about escalating violence. Left unchecked, Ives said, it had the potential to affect Kabul and the international assistance community.
Opeation Naruz Hallah essentially involved positioning troops in the province's most-populated valleys to block positions and known exit routes used by foreign fighters and insurgents that established a support base there, Ives explained. The operation's goals were to:
-- Separate the enemy from the population;
-- Provide development to demonstrate coalition commitment to the region;
-- Establish an enduring presence with the Afghan National Army with coalition force partnering; and
-- Mentor the national police officers while providing them substations on a north-south route and the side valleys of the major population centers.
But in addition to confronting the enemy opposition, Ives said, it also encouraged closer cooperation between coalition forces and the Afghan police officers and army and won confidence from the Afghan people.
"The strength of Task Force Cincinnatus is not our strength of numbers of coalition forces, but our alliances," he said. "These included the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police officers and developing relationships in the valleys to promote the belief that the Afghans take the lead to help the Afghanistan -- to help Afghanistan and separate the populace from the enemy."
Ives called improved public support one of the biggest successes of the operation. "Many of the locals came forward to identify the enemy and their caches of arms to the Afghan National Army," he said. "This allowed the army to fulfill their commitment to the people and the president of Afghanistan to ensure and preserve every life when targeting the criminals and the insurgents."
These efforts, with support by the population, continue to provide leads on criminals throughout the local area, he said.
Ives pointed to development projects under way in Kapisa province as another big incentive in winning popular support for the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police officers and coalition. These projects, being conducted largely through the local provincial reconstruction team, encourage the population to step forward in identifying criminal and insurgent operatives and the improvised explosive devices they're starting to emplace, he said.
"We are continuing to reinforce with the locals that are there that if they will help us defeat the enemy and separate the enemy -- attack the Taliban in their strongholds where they are hiding and not in the villages, ... point those out and tell us where they are -- that we will continue the development," Ives said.
Development efforts range from building new schools and rebuilding schools that have been burned to rebuilding roads and repairing the damaged district center. Other projects aim to create employment through poultry farming and, for women, weaving.
"All these things we are bringing in there to help them are being well received by the elders that run and support the populace there," Ives said. "And they have been a great help in helping us identify the IEDs."
Collectively, they demonstrate coalition commitment to the region and build alliances critical to building Afghan's army and police forces and cracking down on violence, Ives said.
He called growing cooperation in the region another step forward toward stabilization of the region. "There's a lot of work to do," he conceded, but insisted that a peaceful Afghanistan is within reach.
"Together with the NATO and coalition partners and the support of the international community and Afghan people, we're going to overcome the devastation that this country has endured for 25 and 30 years," Ives said. "And we will overcome all these challenges and bring peace and stability and development to the future of Afghanistan."
U.S. Missile Defense System on Target, Generals Say
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The U.S. missile defense system intercepted a warhead during a test over the Pacific Ocean last week, boosting military officials' confidence in the program's ability to neutralize threats from missile-wielding nations like North Korea and Iran. During a news conference at the Pentagon today, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. "Trey" Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, and U.S. Northern Command Commander Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. discussed the successful Sept. 28 interception exercise. In a test designed to replicate a missile attack from North Korea, operators launched a warhead from Kodiak, Alaska. Land- and sea-based radars tracked the missile for 24 minutes before a 60-foot interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., flew for seven minutes and blasted the missile to bits.
"We think that this builds more and more confidence with respect to (the question), 'Does the system work?'" Obering said. "The answer is yes."
During the exercise, the target's trajectory was monitored by radar onboard an Aegis-class ship floating southwest of the missile launch site using SPY-1 radar, and a separate ship located farther south and equipped with fledgling X-band radar technology. The Upgraded Early Warning Radar at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., also tracked the target as it flew south from Alaska.
Obering showed reporters video footage of what he called a "textbook success." The montage displayed missile silos blooming open as the Orbital Boost Vehicle inceptor blasted off to meet the target. Infrared cameras captured the interceptor's high-speed technicolor collision with the missile.
Renuart noted that the exercise also demonstrated successful coordination at U.S. Northern Command, where authority to engage the defense system resides. Officials there received ample time and adequate information from radars tracking the target, he said.
"It ... allowed us to validate that the procedures we built up over time are, in fact, appropriate for the kinds of threats that this system is designed to defeat," he said. "So from the operational perspective, the soldiers in the field, the system, the command-and-control capability, the integration of those information systems, it was also a very positive event for us, as well."
Overall, the $100 billion program, which began in 1983 and has been tailored to offset North Korean and Iranian threats, has hit 30 of 39 missiles launched. The Sept. 28 exercise marks the system's sixth successful interception in the nine tests conducted since 2001.
Obering said he thinks this most recent success will help counter arguments made by NATO partners that the system is unproven.
"I think it helps us in a very real way because, as I have conversations with our European partners and allies and NATO partners in the past, one of the questions I do get asked is, 'Well, this system is not proven, (and) it doesn't work, right?'" he said. "And I think this goes a long (way) to answering that question."
Countering European criticism is strategically important as U.S. officials attempt to export the missile defense program to Poland and Czech Republic. Placing silos in these countries would help establish sound missile defense geometry against an Iranian threat, Obering said.
"It allows us to establish a track on those missiles, ... generate a fire control solution of what we call a weapons task plan, launch the interceptor, and then engage that missile with lethal velocity," he said. "You can't just go up there and kiss these things; you have to hit them hard enough to destroy them."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The U.S. missile defense system intercepted a warhead during a test over the Pacific Ocean last week, boosting military officials' confidence in the program's ability to neutralize threats from missile-wielding nations like North Korea and Iran. During a news conference at the Pentagon today, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. "Trey" Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, and U.S. Northern Command Commander Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. discussed the successful Sept. 28 interception exercise. In a test designed to replicate a missile attack from North Korea, operators launched a warhead from Kodiak, Alaska. Land- and sea-based radars tracked the missile for 24 minutes before a 60-foot interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., flew for seven minutes and blasted the missile to bits.
"We think that this builds more and more confidence with respect to (the question), 'Does the system work?'" Obering said. "The answer is yes."
During the exercise, the target's trajectory was monitored by radar onboard an Aegis-class ship floating southwest of the missile launch site using SPY-1 radar, and a separate ship located farther south and equipped with fledgling X-band radar technology. The Upgraded Early Warning Radar at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., also tracked the target as it flew south from Alaska.
Obering showed reporters video footage of what he called a "textbook success." The montage displayed missile silos blooming open as the Orbital Boost Vehicle inceptor blasted off to meet the target. Infrared cameras captured the interceptor's high-speed technicolor collision with the missile.
Renuart noted that the exercise also demonstrated successful coordination at U.S. Northern Command, where authority to engage the defense system resides. Officials there received ample time and adequate information from radars tracking the target, he said.
"It ... allowed us to validate that the procedures we built up over time are, in fact, appropriate for the kinds of threats that this system is designed to defeat," he said. "So from the operational perspective, the soldiers in the field, the system, the command-and-control capability, the integration of those information systems, it was also a very positive event for us, as well."
Overall, the $100 billion program, which began in 1983 and has been tailored to offset North Korean and Iranian threats, has hit 30 of 39 missiles launched. The Sept. 28 exercise marks the system's sixth successful interception in the nine tests conducted since 2001.
Obering said he thinks this most recent success will help counter arguments made by NATO partners that the system is unproven.
"I think it helps us in a very real way because, as I have conversations with our European partners and allies and NATO partners in the past, one of the questions I do get asked is, 'Well, this system is not proven, (and) it doesn't work, right?'" he said. "And I think this goes a long (way) to answering that question."
Countering European criticism is strategically important as U.S. officials attempt to export the missile defense program to Poland and Czech Republic. Placing silos in these countries would help establish sound missile defense geometry against an Iranian threat, Obering said.
"It allows us to establish a track on those missiles, ... generate a fire control solution of what we call a weapons task plan, launch the interceptor, and then engage that missile with lethal velocity," he said. "You can't just go up there and kiss these things; you have to hit them hard enough to destroy them."
Servicemen Missing From Vietnam War Are Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Capt. Warren R. Orr Jr., U.S. Army, of Kewanee, Ill.; and Airman 1st Class George W. Long, U.S. Air Force, of Medicine, Kan. Long was buried Sept. 30 in Medicine and Orr's burial is being set by his family.
On May 12, 1968, these men were part of a crew on a C-130 Hercules evacuating Vietnamese citizens from the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam. While taking off, the crew reported taking heavy enemy ground fire. A forward air controller flying in the area reported seeing the plane explode in mid-air soon after leaving the runway.
In 1985 and 1991, U.S. officials received remains and identification tags from sources claiming they belonged to men in this crew. Scientific analysis revealed they were not American remains, but it was believed the Vietnamese sources knew where the crash site was located.
In 1993, a joint/U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), traveled to Kham Duc and interviewed four local citizens concerning the incident. They led the team to the crash site, and turned over remains and identification tags they had recovered in 1983 while looking for scrap metal. During this visit, the team recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage at the site.
In 1994, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered remains, pieces of life-support equipment, crew-related gear and personal effects.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
They are Capt. Warren R. Orr Jr., U.S. Army, of Kewanee, Ill.; and Airman 1st Class George W. Long, U.S. Air Force, of Medicine, Kan. Long was buried Sept. 30 in Medicine and Orr's burial is being set by his family.
On May 12, 1968, these men were part of a crew on a C-130 Hercules evacuating Vietnamese citizens from the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam. While taking off, the crew reported taking heavy enemy ground fire. A forward air controller flying in the area reported seeing the plane explode in mid-air soon after leaving the runway.
In 1985 and 1991, U.S. officials received remains and identification tags from sources claiming they belonged to men in this crew. Scientific analysis revealed they were not American remains, but it was believed the Vietnamese sources knew where the crash site was located.
In 1993, a joint/U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), traveled to Kham Duc and interviewed four local citizens concerning the incident. They led the team to the crash site, and turned over remains and identification tags they had recovered in 1983 while looking for scrap metal. During this visit, the team recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage at the site.
In 1994, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered remains, pieces of life-support equipment, crew-related gear and personal effects.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Gates Praises El Salvador for Iraq Efforts
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met briefly with the Salvadoran president and minister of defense today discussing shared security interests in the region and the country's continued participation in peacekeeping operations worldwide. "The United States and El Salvador traditionally have enjoyed a close defense relationship. El Salvador plays an important role in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations worldwide," Gates said at a brief news conference after the meeting.
Gates praised El Salvador's participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom, calling the country "one of the most faithful coalition partners."
The secretary also expressed condolences to the families of the five Salvadorans who have been killed in Iraq. El Salvador has provided one battalion of troops for nine rotations. The most recent deployed in August.
Gates said the battalion has performed "admirably" with coalition forces.
Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca pledged continued support during the conference.
The leaders of the two countries also discussed opportunities for a closer security relationship, both bilaterally and multinational, Gates said.
"As I visit close allies in the region this week, I am reminded of our common perspective and shared approach to the challenges we face," the secretary said. "I look forward to our two nations working closely together to enrich our mutual understanding and to deepen our security relationship."
Gates left Washington today for a five-day, five-country Latin American trip. The secretary had a similar visit planned this summer but rescheduled after he was needed at policy meetings in preparation for a July 15 report to Congress on progress in Iraq.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met briefly with the Salvadoran president and minister of defense today discussing shared security interests in the region and the country's continued participation in peacekeeping operations worldwide. "The United States and El Salvador traditionally have enjoyed a close defense relationship. El Salvador plays an important role in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations worldwide," Gates said at a brief news conference after the meeting.
Gates praised El Salvador's participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom, calling the country "one of the most faithful coalition partners."
The secretary also expressed condolences to the families of the five Salvadorans who have been killed in Iraq. El Salvador has provided one battalion of troops for nine rotations. The most recent deployed in August.
Gates said the battalion has performed "admirably" with coalition forces.
Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca pledged continued support during the conference.
The leaders of the two countries also discussed opportunities for a closer security relationship, both bilaterally and multinational, Gates said.
"As I visit close allies in the region this week, I am reminded of our common perspective and shared approach to the challenges we face," the secretary said. "I look forward to our two nations working closely together to enrich our mutual understanding and to deepen our security relationship."
Gates left Washington today for a five-day, five-country Latin American trip. The secretary had a similar visit planned this summer but rescheduled after he was needed at policy meetings in preparation for a July 15 report to Congress on progress in Iraq.
Gates Launches Latin American Trip
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates set off today on a five-day, five-country Latin America trip with his first stop here this morning to meet with the country's president and other senior political and military officials. Gates had a similar visit planned this summer, but rescheduled after he was needed at policy meetings in preparation for a July 15 report to Congress on progress in Iraq.
The trip is a symbol of President Bush's interest in Latin America, a senior defense official told media members traveling with Gates.
"We hope to demonstrate our continuing interest in strengthening U.S. defense and security ties with our allies and partners in the hemisphere," the official said on the flight here.
The trip comes at a "unique moment in history" in which many countries in the region find themselves facing the same threats: transnational crime, drug and arms trafficking, and terrorism, the official said.
He said some countries lack adequate law enforcement and border security and suffer economically. "Politics, economics and security are all related, so, we find, in fact, there is a lot to discuss," the official said.
El Salvador is a member of the United Nations and an active participant in the Central American Security Commission, which seeks to promote regional arms control. The country has been a committed partner in the war on terrorism, and also has provided a battalion for service in Iraq.
Years of civil war had devastated the country, but in the past 15 years, political and military reforms have stabilized it, and free markets have reduced poverty by more than 30 percent.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates set off today on a five-day, five-country Latin America trip with his first stop here this morning to meet with the country's president and other senior political and military officials. Gates had a similar visit planned this summer, but rescheduled after he was needed at policy meetings in preparation for a July 15 report to Congress on progress in Iraq.
The trip is a symbol of President Bush's interest in Latin America, a senior defense official told media members traveling with Gates.
"We hope to demonstrate our continuing interest in strengthening U.S. defense and security ties with our allies and partners in the hemisphere," the official said on the flight here.
The trip comes at a "unique moment in history" in which many countries in the region find themselves facing the same threats: transnational crime, drug and arms trafficking, and terrorism, the official said.
He said some countries lack adequate law enforcement and border security and suffer economically. "Politics, economics and security are all related, so, we find, in fact, there is a lot to discuss," the official said.
El Salvador is a member of the United Nations and an active participant in the Central American Security Commission, which seeks to promote regional arms control. The country has been a committed partner in the war on terrorism, and also has provided a battalion for service in Iraq.
Years of civil war had devastated the country, but in the past 15 years, political and military reforms have stabilized it, and free markets have reduced poverty by more than 30 percent.
Group Helps Troops, Families Cope
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The stress of deployments, especially during war time, can take a toll on servicemembers and their families. A group of licensed mental health professionals in Southern California is helping to minimize that impact, however. "'The Soldiers Project' offers free, no-red-tape psychological counseling to any servicemember who has served in (Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom)," said Barbara Schochet, assistant director for the organization.
Currently the project serves Los Angeles and Orange Counties, but plans are to eventually expand its service area.
Despite the group's name, servicemembers from all branches of the military who have served in operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom are eligible to take advantage of the project's service. Servicemembers' family members and loved ones also are eligible for free counseling prior to and during deployment and after homecoming, Schochet said.
"We want to support the families while their loved one is away, and we want to help with reintegration and combat stress issues when they return," she said.
To maximize the effects of the services, all sessions are free and there is no limit to the number of sessions offered.
The counselors offering their time include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. They are required to attend training sessions to learn about post-traumatic stress disorder and what families endure when their servicemembers are gone.
The organization also has a group of speakers who can talk about the project and how to identify problems in patients, clients, schools, congregations or service groups, Schochet said.
The Soldiers Project 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.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The stress of deployments, especially during war time, can take a toll on servicemembers and their families. A group of licensed mental health professionals in Southern California is helping to minimize that impact, however. "'The Soldiers Project' offers free, no-red-tape psychological counseling to any servicemember who has served in (Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom)," said Barbara Schochet, assistant director for the organization.
Currently the project serves Los Angeles and Orange Counties, but plans are to eventually expand its service area.
Despite the group's name, servicemembers from all branches of the military who have served in operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom are eligible to take advantage of the project's service. Servicemembers' family members and loved ones also are eligible for free counseling prior to and during deployment and after homecoming, Schochet said.
"We want to support the families while their loved one is away, and we want to help with reintegration and combat stress issues when they return," she said.
To maximize the effects of the services, all sessions are free and there is no limit to the number of sessions offered.
The counselors offering their time include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. They are required to attend training sessions to learn about post-traumatic stress disorder and what families endure when their servicemembers are gone.
The organization also has a group of speakers who can talk about the project and how to identify problems in patients, clients, schools, congregations or service groups, Schochet said.
The Soldiers Project 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.
Military Books
October 2, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing servicemembers who have authored books. The website added four servicemembers who have written books.
Dr. James E. Guffey, Ph.D., is a retired from the United States Army Reserve at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Between 1973 and 1986, Dr. James Guffey was a police officer for the Oakland Police Department. In 2006, Dr. James Guffey joined the faculty of National University as an assistant professor. He is the author of Report Writing Fundamentals for Police and Correctional Officers.
According to the book description, Report Writing Fundamentals for Police & Correctional Officers “reviews the basics of proper grammar, covers the practical aspects of writing good reports, and includes sample forms and scenarios that allow users to apply what they have learned. This “how to” guide offers learners the chance to write four typical police reports and two typical corrections reports.”
Between 1971 and 1972, Robert Flournoy was a 1st Lieutenant, Artillery Forward Observer (A Co., 2/28 Infantry, 1st Cav) in Vietnam. He was discharged in 1973 at the rank of Captain. An author and artist living in Tennessee, he is the author of Just a Little Rain: ...Baby Boomers & Military Brats Reflect on Childhood, Baseball and War.
According to Robert Flournoy’s book description, “A nostalgic pause in middle-aged baby boomers lives, Just a Little Rain is a collection of the reflections of several men and a one remarkable woman who played on the sandlots of the 1950s and early 1960s, traveled the world in the face of the Cold War, many as military brats, and got down to the grim task of the Vietnam War before they realized that their childhoods had ended.”
Loren Christensen’s experience in law enforcement began in 1967 when he served in the army as a military policeman, stationed in both the United States and in Vietnam. In 1972, after leaving the military, he joined the Portland Police Bureau (Oregon). As a rookie he began teaching defensive tactics to other officers. As a police officer he has worked the training unit, the gang unit, dignitary body guarding, and all the precincts as a street officer. In his retirement, Loren Christensen is a prolific magazine and book writer, former editor of an award winning monthly newspaper called The Rap Sheet, a high-ranking martial artist and a teacher of martial arts to both law enforcement officials and the general public.
As an author of 32 books, Loren Christensen has received high praise for his easy-to-read, informative writing style from readers and book reviewers. He has authored books such as Deadly Force Encounters: What Cops Need To Know To Mentally And Physically Prepare For And Survive A Gunfight, Gangbangers: Understanding The Deadly Minds Of America's Street Gangs and Winning With American Kata: The New Breed of Competitors.
In 1970, Richard Valdemar began his law enforcement career as a military policeman in the United States Army; which included a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He retired at the rank of sergeant in 2004. During the last 20 years on the job, “he was assigned to Major Crimes Bureau. He was also cross-designated as an FBI agent for 10 years of his career when he served on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force. From 1995 until his retirement in 2004, Valdemar was a member of the California Prison Gang Task Force, helping prosecute members of the Mexican Mafia.” He is the author of Siege at Waco.
Dr. Bryan Vila, Ph.D. was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1964 to 1967. His military service included a tour in Vietnam. In 1969, Bryan Vila joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. By the time he left the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 1978, he had attained the rank of sergeant. He continued this law enforcement career for “six years as a police chief helping the emerging nations of Micronesia develop innovative law enforcement strategies, and two years in Washington, D.C., as a federal law enforcement officer.” Currently, “Bryan Vila, PhD, is a professor of criminal justice at WSU Spokane. Prior to joining WSU in July of 2005, he directed the Division of Crime Control and Prevention Research at the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice.”
Bryan Vila is the co-author of two books: Capital Punishment in the United States: A Documentary History and The Role of Police in American Society: A Documentary History. He is also the author of Tired Cops: The Importance of Managing Police Fatigue.
According to a reader of Tired Cops: The Importance of Managing Police Fatigue, “For many reasons discussed in this book, Dr. Vila espouses the theme, "good cops don't let tired cops hit the streets." He presents a well-written and documented book that encourages law enforcement officers at all levels to make proper sleep and rest as important in survival as training with firearms and the safe operation of vehicles.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 55 current or former military servicemembers and their 121 books.
Dr. James E. Guffey, Ph.D., is a retired from the United States Army Reserve at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Between 1973 and 1986, Dr. James Guffey was a police officer for the Oakland Police Department. In 2006, Dr. James Guffey joined the faculty of National University as an assistant professor. He is the author of Report Writing Fundamentals for Police and Correctional Officers.
According to the book description, Report Writing Fundamentals for Police & Correctional Officers “reviews the basics of proper grammar, covers the practical aspects of writing good reports, and includes sample forms and scenarios that allow users to apply what they have learned. This “how to” guide offers learners the chance to write four typical police reports and two typical corrections reports.”
Between 1971 and 1972, Robert Flournoy was a 1st Lieutenant, Artillery Forward Observer (A Co., 2/28 Infantry, 1st Cav) in Vietnam. He was discharged in 1973 at the rank of Captain. An author and artist living in Tennessee, he is the author of Just a Little Rain: ...Baby Boomers & Military Brats Reflect on Childhood, Baseball and War.
According to Robert Flournoy’s book description, “A nostalgic pause in middle-aged baby boomers lives, Just a Little Rain is a collection of the reflections of several men and a one remarkable woman who played on the sandlots of the 1950s and early 1960s, traveled the world in the face of the Cold War, many as military brats, and got down to the grim task of the Vietnam War before they realized that their childhoods had ended.”
Loren Christensen’s experience in law enforcement began in 1967 when he served in the army as a military policeman, stationed in both the United States and in Vietnam. In 1972, after leaving the military, he joined the Portland Police Bureau (Oregon). As a rookie he began teaching defensive tactics to other officers. As a police officer he has worked the training unit, the gang unit, dignitary body guarding, and all the precincts as a street officer. In his retirement, Loren Christensen is a prolific magazine and book writer, former editor of an award winning monthly newspaper called The Rap Sheet, a high-ranking martial artist and a teacher of martial arts to both law enforcement officials and the general public.
As an author of 32 books, Loren Christensen has received high praise for his easy-to-read, informative writing style from readers and book reviewers. He has authored books such as Deadly Force Encounters: What Cops Need To Know To Mentally And Physically Prepare For And Survive A Gunfight, Gangbangers: Understanding The Deadly Minds Of America's Street Gangs and Winning With American Kata: The New Breed of Competitors.
In 1970, Richard Valdemar began his law enforcement career as a military policeman in the United States Army; which included a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He retired at the rank of sergeant in 2004. During the last 20 years on the job, “he was assigned to Major Crimes Bureau. He was also cross-designated as an FBI agent for 10 years of his career when he served on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force. From 1995 until his retirement in 2004, Valdemar was a member of the California Prison Gang Task Force, helping prosecute members of the Mexican Mafia.” He is the author of Siege at Waco.
Dr. Bryan Vila, Ph.D. was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1964 to 1967. His military service included a tour in Vietnam. In 1969, Bryan Vila joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. By the time he left the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 1978, he had attained the rank of sergeant. He continued this law enforcement career for “six years as a police chief helping the emerging nations of Micronesia develop innovative law enforcement strategies, and two years in Washington, D.C., as a federal law enforcement officer.” Currently, “Bryan Vila, PhD, is a professor of criminal justice at WSU Spokane. Prior to joining WSU in July of 2005, he directed the Division of Crime Control and Prevention Research at the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice.”
Bryan Vila is the co-author of two books: Capital Punishment in the United States: A Documentary History and The Role of Police in American Society: A Documentary History. He is also the author of Tired Cops: The Importance of Managing Police Fatigue.
According to a reader of Tired Cops: The Importance of Managing Police Fatigue, “For many reasons discussed in this book, Dr. Vila espouses the theme, "good cops don't let tired cops hit the streets." He presents a well-written and documented book that encourages law enforcement officers at all levels to make proper sleep and rest as important in survival as training with firearms and the safe operation of vehicles.”
Military-Writers.com currently lists 55 current or former military servicemembers and their 121 books.
U.S. Africa Command Marks Startup of Initial Operations
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The new U.S. military organization responsible for operations across Africa marked the startup of its initial operations yesterday, according to a U.S. Africa Command news release. The command's leader, Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward, announced in the release that his organization has reached "initial operating capacity," to begin functioning as the Pentagon's newest regional headquarters.
Nominated by President Bush in July, Ward was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Sept. 28 as AFRICOM's first commander.
For now, AFRICOM will be co-located with U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Plans are for AFRICOM to be fully established as a separate unified command by Sept. 30, 2008. Plans are to eventually base the command's headquarters somewhere in Africa.
The new command eventually will be responsible for U.S. military relations with 53 African countries, according to the news release. AFRICOM will consolidate efforts previously conducted by EUCOM, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command.
AFRICOM currently has a core staff of 120 members that will grow during the coming year to become the new unified command's headquarters element, officials said.
The new command's headquarters structure will incorporate input from across the U.S. government. In addition to military members and Defense Department civilians, AFRICOM's roster will contain representatives from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Some regions of Africa have experienced decades of violence and civil strife. AFRICOM was created to work with Africans to bring peace and security to their continent, officials said.
Ward noted in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September that AFRICOM would seek to partner with African nations to assist them in solving pressing issues.
"I see the establishment of AFRICOM as a wonderful opportunity to efficiently and effectively apply the elements of U.S. national power in ways that help the Africans develop and implement their solutions to African concerns," Ward said in written response to questions raised by the senators.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 2, 2007 - The new U.S. military organization responsible for operations across Africa marked the startup of its initial operations yesterday, according to a U.S. Africa Command news release. The command's leader, Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward, announced in the release that his organization has reached "initial operating capacity," to begin functioning as the Pentagon's newest regional headquarters.
Nominated by President Bush in July, Ward was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Sept. 28 as AFRICOM's first commander.
For now, AFRICOM will be co-located with U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Plans are for AFRICOM to be fully established as a separate unified command by Sept. 30, 2008. Plans are to eventually base the command's headquarters somewhere in Africa.
The new command eventually will be responsible for U.S. military relations with 53 African countries, according to the news release. AFRICOM will consolidate efforts previously conducted by EUCOM, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command.
AFRICOM currently has a core staff of 120 members that will grow during the coming year to become the new unified command's headquarters element, officials said.
The new command's headquarters structure will incorporate input from across the U.S. government. In addition to military members and Defense Department civilians, AFRICOM's roster will contain representatives from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Some regions of Africa have experienced decades of violence and civil strife. AFRICOM was created to work with Africans to bring peace and security to their continent, officials said.
Ward noted in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September that AFRICOM would seek to partner with African nations to assist them in solving pressing issues.
"I see the establishment of AFRICOM as a wonderful opportunity to efficiently and effectively apply the elements of U.S. national power in ways that help the Africans develop and implement their solutions to African concerns," Ward said in written response to questions raised by the senators.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sheriff Deputy Books
Editor's Note: Two of the authors of former servicemembers.
October 1, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists over 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three Sheriff Deputies from Los Angeles County.
Charles A. Sennewald, CMC, CPP, CSC is an independent security management consultant. He has been the Director of Security for Broadway Department Store, Chief of Security for the Claremont Colleges and a deputy sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, Charles Sennewald is the founder and first president of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC), a graduate of the California State University at Los Angeles and the U.S. Army's Military Police School. Charles Sennewald is the author of six books: Effective Security Management; The Process of Investigation; Security Consulting; Shoplifters vs. Retailers: The Rights of Both; Shoplifting: Managing the Problem; and, The Last Volkswagen.
According to the book description of The Process of Investigation, it “is a book written to address the needs of the private investigator in the security field. Continuing in the tradition of its previous editions, this book covers essential topics which are often overlooked in works that concentrate on the public aspects of investigation. Investigative skills such as surveillance techniques, interviewing and interrogation, evidence, and confessions and written statements are all discussed, and supplemented with updated case studies and examples from the authors own experiences.”
James D. Whaley began his law enforcement career in 1967 as a deputy sheriff when he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In 1975, a little over a year after his graduation from law school, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1980, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent. James Whaley retired from the FBI in 1999. He continues to be active in law enforcement as a special consultant to the California Department of Corrections, Deadly Force Review Board and as an attorney in private practice. He is the co-author The Field Guide to Law Enforcement.
According to the description of The Field Guide to Law Enforcement, “it provides clear, concise, and up-to-date statements of the rules of law applicable to situations commonly encountered by police officers in the field. Rules are stated from the point of view of an officer on duty. Officers who familiarize themselves with the layout and contents of the Field Guide should have no difficulty understanding the rules and applying them to "street" situations. The Field Guide has been designed for easy reference.”
In 1970, Richard Valdemar began his law enforcement career as a military policeman in the United States Army; which included a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He retired at the rank of sergeant in 2004. During the last 20 years on the job, “he was assigned to Major Crimes Bureau. He was also cross-designated as an FBI agent for 10 years of his career when he served on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force. From 1995 until his retirement in 2004, Richard Valdemar was a member of the California Prison Gang Task Force, helping prosecute members of the Mexican Mafia.” He is the author of Siege at Waco.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 762 police officers (representing 347 police departments) and their 1643 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
October 1, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists over 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three Sheriff Deputies from Los Angeles County.
Charles A. Sennewald, CMC, CPP, CSC is an independent security management consultant. He has been the Director of Security for Broadway Department Store, Chief of Security for the Claremont Colleges and a deputy sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, Charles Sennewald is the founder and first president of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC), a graduate of the California State University at Los Angeles and the U.S. Army's Military Police School. Charles Sennewald is the author of six books: Effective Security Management; The Process of Investigation; Security Consulting; Shoplifters vs. Retailers: The Rights of Both; Shoplifting: Managing the Problem; and, The Last Volkswagen.
According to the book description of The Process of Investigation, it “is a book written to address the needs of the private investigator in the security field. Continuing in the tradition of its previous editions, this book covers essential topics which are often overlooked in works that concentrate on the public aspects of investigation. Investigative skills such as surveillance techniques, interviewing and interrogation, evidence, and confessions and written statements are all discussed, and supplemented with updated case studies and examples from the authors own experiences.”
James D. Whaley began his law enforcement career in 1967 as a deputy sheriff when he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In 1975, a little over a year after his graduation from law school, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1980, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent. James Whaley retired from the FBI in 1999. He continues to be active in law enforcement as a special consultant to the California Department of Corrections, Deadly Force Review Board and as an attorney in private practice. He is the co-author The Field Guide to Law Enforcement.
According to the description of The Field Guide to Law Enforcement, “it provides clear, concise, and up-to-date statements of the rules of law applicable to situations commonly encountered by police officers in the field. Rules are stated from the point of view of an officer on duty. Officers who familiarize themselves with the layout and contents of the Field Guide should have no difficulty understanding the rules and applying them to "street" situations. The Field Guide has been designed for easy reference.”
In 1970, Richard Valdemar began his law enforcement career as a military policeman in the United States Army; which included a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He retired at the rank of sergeant in 2004. During the last 20 years on the job, “he was assigned to Major Crimes Bureau. He was also cross-designated as an FBI agent for 10 years of his career when he served on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force. From 1995 until his retirement in 2004, Richard Valdemar was a member of the California Prison Gang Task Force, helping prosecute members of the Mexican Mafia.” He is the author of Siege at Waco.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 762 police officers (representing 347 police departments) and their 1643 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Free Web Site Keeps Military Families Connected
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Military families have a new tool to help them share everyday happenings with deployed loved ones thanks to a national troop-support group. CinCHouse.com started planning its Family Hub program after the success of its similar free Spouse Club Hub program, which family readiness groups use as a communication tool.
"We had a lot or families requesting to make Family Hubs, but (the Spouse Club Hubs) just weren't designed for that at the time, so we had to turn away a lot of families," said Amy Palmer, Operation Homefront's interim chief executive officer and vice president of operations and development.
Operation Homefront is CinCHouse.com's parent organization. Both are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
A little more than a week ago, CinCHouse.com was able to answer military families' calls for a family version of the Spouse Club Hubs. To date, 243 families have taken advantage of the new tool, which provides a quick method of keeping all family members informed.
The new Family Hubs, among other things, make it easier for families to exchange pictures, Palmer said. "They can't always send pictures because of the firewalls," she said. "(Now) they can upload those photos to the (Family Hub) Web site, and the servicemember can view them from a link."
Overall, Family Hub Web sites make it easier for families to share information, journals and important milestones with a deployed servicemember, Palmer said.
Thanks to the generosity of defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the Family Hub program is free to any military family, Meredith Leyva, founder of CinCHouse.com and Operation Homefront, said.
"Lockheed Martin and its employees are united in gratitude to our servicemembers and their families," said Jim Knotts, the company's director of corporate and community affairs. "We understand the challenges our troops and their families face. Many of our employees are former military. Many are reservists who have been activated for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and others ... serve in harm's way alongside our military customers.
"We know how much it means for servicemembers to stay connected with their families," he said in a CinCHouse.com news release.
The sites are password protected and operationally secure, and the program is set up with those who are less-than-computer-savvy in mind, Leyva said.
"The spouses saw (with the Spouse Club Hubs) how it takes 10 minutes for even the worst technophobes to set up a beautiful site, and the operational security makes families feel better about protecting sensitive information from the public," she said.
Family Hubs allow military families to register for a Web site and select a domain name at CinCHouse.com. They can begin building their Web sites by choosing from pre-designed graphics, adding photos and text, and creating photo and video galleries after receiving e-mail verification of eligibility and successful registration.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Military families have a new tool to help them share everyday happenings with deployed loved ones thanks to a national troop-support group. CinCHouse.com started planning its Family Hub program after the success of its similar free Spouse Club Hub program, which family readiness groups use as a communication tool.
"We had a lot or families requesting to make Family Hubs, but (the Spouse Club Hubs) just weren't designed for that at the time, so we had to turn away a lot of families," said Amy Palmer, Operation Homefront's interim chief executive officer and vice president of operations and development.
Operation Homefront is CinCHouse.com's parent organization. Both are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
A little more than a week ago, CinCHouse.com was able to answer military families' calls for a family version of the Spouse Club Hubs. To date, 243 families have taken advantage of the new tool, which provides a quick method of keeping all family members informed.
The new Family Hubs, among other things, make it easier for families to exchange pictures, Palmer said. "They can't always send pictures because of the firewalls," she said. "(Now) they can upload those photos to the (Family Hub) Web site, and the servicemember can view them from a link."
Overall, Family Hub Web sites make it easier for families to share information, journals and important milestones with a deployed servicemember, Palmer said.
Thanks to the generosity of defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the Family Hub program is free to any military family, Meredith Leyva, founder of CinCHouse.com and Operation Homefront, said.
"Lockheed Martin and its employees are united in gratitude to our servicemembers and their families," said Jim Knotts, the company's director of corporate and community affairs. "We understand the challenges our troops and their families face. Many of our employees are former military. Many are reservists who have been activated for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and others ... serve in harm's way alongside our military customers.
"We know how much it means for servicemembers to stay connected with their families," he said in a CinCHouse.com news release.
The sites are password protected and operationally secure, and the program is set up with those who are less-than-computer-savvy in mind, Leyva said.
"The spouses saw (with the Spouse Club Hubs) how it takes 10 minutes for even the worst technophobes to set up a beautiful site, and the operational security makes families feel better about protecting sensitive information from the public," she said.
Family Hubs allow military families to register for a Web site and select a domain name at CinCHouse.com. They can begin building their Web sites by choosing from pre-designed graphics, adding photos and text, and creating photo and video galleries after receiving e-mail verification of eligibility and successful registration.
New Chairman Thanks Troops, Families for Service, Sacrifice
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - The military's new top officer thanked troops and their families for their service and sacrifice, and he told them their efforts are "vital" to national security interests. "Whether you serve in Baghdad or Bagram, Kabul or Kuwait -- whether you find yourself at sea in the Pacific, flying support missions over Europe, on the ground in Africa, or working every day at stateside bases -- you are making a difference and so is every person in your family," Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen wrote in an open letter to servicemembers released today.
"Your service matters. And I do not take it for granted," he added.
Mullen, who served as the chief of naval operations before becoming chairman, acknowledged that fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq is placing great demands on the U.S. military, but he said achieving success on those fronts is vital to U.S. national security interests.
"I know the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking a toll on you and your families," Mullen wrote. "They are taking a toll on our equipment, our systems, and our ability to train as well. I worry, quite frankly, that they are taking a toll on our readiness for other threats in other places."
However, the admiral emphasized that the Afghan and Iraq conflicts "most certainly are important and constitute vital endeavors to the interests of the United States.
"To the degree the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contribute to or detract from a stable, secure Middle East, they bear a direct effect on the security of the United States. That is why my number-one priority will be developing a comprehensive strategy to defend our national interests in the region," Mullen wrote.
Today, Mullen succeeds Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The admiral wrote that he is honored to become the military's top officer, and he thanked U.S. servicemembers deployed worldwide in the fight against terrorism.
The world remains a dangerous place since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America, Mullen wrote, noting that hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemembers have been deployed to fight overseas-based terrorists, many more than once.
Yet, military members ably answered the call to duty and stood up to those dangers as they fought overseas terrorists, Mullen wrote.
"You have lost friends to them. You may even have lost some of yourself to them. The dangers of this new and uncertain era have hit you and the people you love squarely in the gut. I will not lose sight of that," Mullen vowed.
Yet, servicemembers should not lose sight of the need to continue serving as the war against terrorism continues, Mullen wrote.
"The enemies we face, from radical jihadists to regional powers with nuclear ambitions, directly and irrefutably threaten our vital national interests. They threaten our very way of life," the admiral pointed out.
America's military members are a strong shield against those who wish to do harm to the United States and its people, Mullen wrote.
"You are the sentinels of freedom," Mullen told servicemembers. "You signed up, took an oath, made a promise to defend something larger than yourselves. And then you went out and did it. I am grateful and honored, to be able to serve alongside you."
Mullen said his main duty as JCS chairman is to advise President Bush, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the National Security Council on issues of military readiness and capabilities.
Mullen also pledged to servicemembers that he'll serve as an advocate for what matters to them and their families. "I will not forget the impact my decisions have on you," he said.
America's military servicemembers "comprise a great generation of patriots," Mullen observed, many who are combat veterans with hard-won and valuable battlefield experience. "I will tap that experience. I want to make sure we learn from it," Mullen wrote.
He said the next item on his to-do list as JCS chairman is resetting, reconstituting and revitalizing America's armed forces, especially the Army and Marine Corps, which have performed the bulk of the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"I believe our ground forces are the center of gravity for the all-volunteer force and that we need to make sure that force is correctly shaped and sized, trained, and equipped to defend the nation," the admiral stated.
Mullen also plans to balance strategic risk in view of America's global security commitments, warfighting capabilities, resources and partnerships needed to conduct operations during peace and war.
"The demands of current operations, however great, should not dominate our training exercises, education curricula, and readiness programs," Mullen wrote. "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will one day end. We must be ready for who and what comes after."
And, everyone's help will be needed in the years ahead, Mullen pointed out.
"The speed of war, the pace of change, is too great for any of us to manage it alone," the admiral wrote. "I need your help, your ideas, and your input. Whenever I travel to the field and to the fleet, I expect you to tell me what's on your mind. Tell me what you think. I need your constant feedback. I can't succeed -- we can't succeed -- without it."
America's military members vowed to defend the United States when they entered the armed forces, observed Mullen, who then offered an additional, personal pledge to servicemembers.
"I will listen to you. I will learn from you. And, I will endeavor to lead always with your best interest at heart," Mullen wrote. "The way I see it, that is my job now."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - The military's new top officer thanked troops and their families for their service and sacrifice, and he told them their efforts are "vital" to national security interests. "Whether you serve in Baghdad or Bagram, Kabul or Kuwait -- whether you find yourself at sea in the Pacific, flying support missions over Europe, on the ground in Africa, or working every day at stateside bases -- you are making a difference and so is every person in your family," Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen wrote in an open letter to servicemembers released today.
"Your service matters. And I do not take it for granted," he added.
Mullen, who served as the chief of naval operations before becoming chairman, acknowledged that fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq is placing great demands on the U.S. military, but he said achieving success on those fronts is vital to U.S. national security interests.
"I know the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking a toll on you and your families," Mullen wrote. "They are taking a toll on our equipment, our systems, and our ability to train as well. I worry, quite frankly, that they are taking a toll on our readiness for other threats in other places."
However, the admiral emphasized that the Afghan and Iraq conflicts "most certainly are important and constitute vital endeavors to the interests of the United States.
"To the degree the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contribute to or detract from a stable, secure Middle East, they bear a direct effect on the security of the United States. That is why my number-one priority will be developing a comprehensive strategy to defend our national interests in the region," Mullen wrote.
Today, Mullen succeeds Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The admiral wrote that he is honored to become the military's top officer, and he thanked U.S. servicemembers deployed worldwide in the fight against terrorism.
The world remains a dangerous place since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America, Mullen wrote, noting that hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemembers have been deployed to fight overseas-based terrorists, many more than once.
Yet, military members ably answered the call to duty and stood up to those dangers as they fought overseas terrorists, Mullen wrote.
"You have lost friends to them. You may even have lost some of yourself to them. The dangers of this new and uncertain era have hit you and the people you love squarely in the gut. I will not lose sight of that," Mullen vowed.
Yet, servicemembers should not lose sight of the need to continue serving as the war against terrorism continues, Mullen wrote.
"The enemies we face, from radical jihadists to regional powers with nuclear ambitions, directly and irrefutably threaten our vital national interests. They threaten our very way of life," the admiral pointed out.
America's military members are a strong shield against those who wish to do harm to the United States and its people, Mullen wrote.
"You are the sentinels of freedom," Mullen told servicemembers. "You signed up, took an oath, made a promise to defend something larger than yourselves. And then you went out and did it. I am grateful and honored, to be able to serve alongside you."
Mullen said his main duty as JCS chairman is to advise President Bush, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the National Security Council on issues of military readiness and capabilities.
Mullen also pledged to servicemembers that he'll serve as an advocate for what matters to them and their families. "I will not forget the impact my decisions have on you," he said.
America's military servicemembers "comprise a great generation of patriots," Mullen observed, many who are combat veterans with hard-won and valuable battlefield experience. "I will tap that experience. I want to make sure we learn from it," Mullen wrote.
He said the next item on his to-do list as JCS chairman is resetting, reconstituting and revitalizing America's armed forces, especially the Army and Marine Corps, which have performed the bulk of the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"I believe our ground forces are the center of gravity for the all-volunteer force and that we need to make sure that force is correctly shaped and sized, trained, and equipped to defend the nation," the admiral stated.
Mullen also plans to balance strategic risk in view of America's global security commitments, warfighting capabilities, resources and partnerships needed to conduct operations during peace and war.
"The demands of current operations, however great, should not dominate our training exercises, education curricula, and readiness programs," Mullen wrote. "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will one day end. We must be ready for who and what comes after."
And, everyone's help will be needed in the years ahead, Mullen pointed out.
"The speed of war, the pace of change, is too great for any of us to manage it alone," the admiral wrote. "I need your help, your ideas, and your input. Whenever I travel to the field and to the fleet, I expect you to tell me what's on your mind. Tell me what you think. I need your constant feedback. I can't succeed -- we can't succeed -- without it."
America's military members vowed to defend the United States when they entered the armed forces, observed Mullen, who then offered an additional, personal pledge to servicemembers.
"I will listen to you. I will learn from you. And, I will endeavor to lead always with your best interest at heart," Mullen wrote. "The way I see it, that is my job now."
Mullen Becomes Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen took the helm today as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vowing to work to give servicemembers "clear direction, outstanding equipment and focused policies" to accomplish current missions and prepare for future ones. Mullen paused following his swearing-in ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., to honor members of the armed forces, particularly those "in harm's way spreading the promise of a brighter future."
"You are our greatest asset. Your bravery and your commitment are our nation's greatest gifts," Mullen said, addressing the 2.4 million active, Guard and reserve members of the armed forces. "You are true heroes who, understanding that your missions are demanding, dangerous and often deadly, still raise your right hand with a promise and an oath to continue building on the legacy of service endearing you to the people of this nation."
This support will be critical, Mullen said, as he, his vice chairman, Marine Gen. James "Hoss" Cartwright, and the service chiefs and combatant commanders work together to develop and execute a strategy that supports U.S. national interests in the Middle East.
Mullen promised to reset, reconstitute and revitalize the military, especially the ground forces, to confront this challenge, while balancing risks around the globe to prepare for the future. "Fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will one day end," he said. "We must be ready for who and what comes after. That's the promise we've made."
President Bush praised Mullen as the man to carry out that promise by carrying the torch passed by the retiring Marine Gen. Peter Pace.
Bush cited Mullen's broad talents and experience: serving on a destroyer during intense operations in Vietnam, commanding three ships, serving as commander of all U.S. naval forces in Europe then Joint Forces Command before becoming chief of naval operations.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates thanked Mullen for his "willingness yet again to answer your country's call."
As Mullen answers the call, Bush noted, he brings personal experience of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and an understanding of "what's at stake in the war on terror."
"He was on duty at the Pentagon when Flight 77 made its doomed plunge. He felt the plane slam into the building. He saw the carnage and devastation, and like all who worked there that terrible day, he still carries the pain and the loss," the president said. "Admiral Mullen was there when war reached America's shores, and he brings the talent, vision and judgment needed to help us fight and win that war."
Mullen recognizes the strength of the joint military in waging that war and believes "every member of our armed forces is, as he put it, 'part of one team and one fight,'" Bush said.
He called Mullen "a man of decency and honor" who "will bring judgment and candor to decisions that may mean the difference between life and death for young Americans who are serving our nation."
As Mullen begins his service as chairman, Bush said, he's fortunate to have the example set by Pace, "one of the most respected and accomplished military leaders I have ever known."
Pace praised his successor, noting that he and Mullen were midshipmen together at the U.S. Naval Academy and that Mullen introduced Pace to his future wife, Lynne.
"Mike Mullen is as fine an officer as this nation has ever produced," Pace said. "He has a keen intellect; he has the grit and the ability to speak his mind and to speak in a way that is clearly understood."
While acknowledging that he regrets relinquishing his post, Pace told Mullen he's "so proud that you are the one who will take on the responsibilities as 17th chairman."
Mullen thanked Pace for his leadership as chairman and said he is honored to follow him in carrying out the legacy of military service. "You led in a tough time, perhaps the toughest, and it's been a great honor serving with you," Mullen said. "I'm ready to take the watch, but I do not take it alone. With me is the supporting cast of over 2 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who also promised to serve."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen took the helm today as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vowing to work to give servicemembers "clear direction, outstanding equipment and focused policies" to accomplish current missions and prepare for future ones. Mullen paused following his swearing-in ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., to honor members of the armed forces, particularly those "in harm's way spreading the promise of a brighter future."
"You are our greatest asset. Your bravery and your commitment are our nation's greatest gifts," Mullen said, addressing the 2.4 million active, Guard and reserve members of the armed forces. "You are true heroes who, understanding that your missions are demanding, dangerous and often deadly, still raise your right hand with a promise and an oath to continue building on the legacy of service endearing you to the people of this nation."
This support will be critical, Mullen said, as he, his vice chairman, Marine Gen. James "Hoss" Cartwright, and the service chiefs and combatant commanders work together to develop and execute a strategy that supports U.S. national interests in the Middle East.
Mullen promised to reset, reconstitute and revitalize the military, especially the ground forces, to confront this challenge, while balancing risks around the globe to prepare for the future. "Fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will one day end," he said. "We must be ready for who and what comes after. That's the promise we've made."
President Bush praised Mullen as the man to carry out that promise by carrying the torch passed by the retiring Marine Gen. Peter Pace.
Bush cited Mullen's broad talents and experience: serving on a destroyer during intense operations in Vietnam, commanding three ships, serving as commander of all U.S. naval forces in Europe then Joint Forces Command before becoming chief of naval operations.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates thanked Mullen for his "willingness yet again to answer your country's call."
As Mullen answers the call, Bush noted, he brings personal experience of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and an understanding of "what's at stake in the war on terror."
"He was on duty at the Pentagon when Flight 77 made its doomed plunge. He felt the plane slam into the building. He saw the carnage and devastation, and like all who worked there that terrible day, he still carries the pain and the loss," the president said. "Admiral Mullen was there when war reached America's shores, and he brings the talent, vision and judgment needed to help us fight and win that war."
Mullen recognizes the strength of the joint military in waging that war and believes "every member of our armed forces is, as he put it, 'part of one team and one fight,'" Bush said.
He called Mullen "a man of decency and honor" who "will bring judgment and candor to decisions that may mean the difference between life and death for young Americans who are serving our nation."
As Mullen begins his service as chairman, Bush said, he's fortunate to have the example set by Pace, "one of the most respected and accomplished military leaders I have ever known."
Pace praised his successor, noting that he and Mullen were midshipmen together at the U.S. Naval Academy and that Mullen introduced Pace to his future wife, Lynne.
"Mike Mullen is as fine an officer as this nation has ever produced," Pace said. "He has a keen intellect; he has the grit and the ability to speak his mind and to speak in a way that is clearly understood."
While acknowledging that he regrets relinquishing his post, Pace told Mullen he's "so proud that you are the one who will take on the responsibilities as 17th chairman."
Mullen thanked Pace for his leadership as chairman and said he is honored to follow him in carrying out the legacy of military service. "You led in a tough time, perhaps the toughest, and it's been a great honor serving with you," Mullen said. "I'm ready to take the watch, but I do not take it alone. With me is the supporting cast of over 2 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who also promised to serve."
Lynne Pace Reflects on 40 Years' Service to Family, Country
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Nearly 40 years ago, Lynne Pace dedicated her life to her family. Little did she know at the time that her family ultimately would include the nation's 2.4 million servicemembers. Little did she know that the young Marine officer she married would go on to become the first Marine to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military's top ranking officer.
Today, Lynne and her husband, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, are retiring from military service. Their commitment to their extended family won't end with today's ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., however. They say their love for and dedication to the men and women who make up the armed forces will last a lifetime.
During the general's last news briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Pace "cut his teeth on the battlefields of Vietnam, made his way up through the ranks during the Cold War, and these past few years, has led our military in a very different, very complex war against jihadist terrorism."
Through it all, Gates noted, Pace has never once forgotten about the individual men and women who make up the United States armed forces. As Pace himself often points out, this includes the military families who "serve the country as well as anyone who's ever worn a uniform."
Through it all, Lynne has been at her husband's side, serving as his teammate and as an advocate for military families working to improve the military community they've chosen to live in.
"We've worked and grown together for 36 years," Lynne told American Forces Press Service. "I'm pretty old-fashioned, and he's an amazing guy. We're partners. We're a team."
In 1967, Lynne fell in love with Pete Pace while he was attending the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. The couple dated for four years before marrying in 1971, two years after Pace returned from Vietnam.
Lynne said she had learned little about the military growing up in Ellicott City, Md. Her husband's assignment here at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Street, she said, was her first experience with a military unit that "was like a big family."
While Pace attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Ga., the couple lived off base, where Lynne came to know her civilian neighbors rather than the military community. When Pace attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, Va., the couple lived on base, where Lynne became involved with the military wives group.
"Back then, the wives ran child care centers, so I got to know other moms," she recalled. "We'd work together to get the things we needed for the families."
Lynne said she's always tried to heed her husband's advice to grow where you are planted.
"I am not an extrovert," she said. "I am not one who will go out seeking people. But if you tell me I can't do something for my child, or if a friend of mine's child is having a hard time, I'll fight whatever it takes for the kids."
As her husband rose through the ranks, Lynne gradually learned about the role of a military spouse. "I had no clue what was expected of me at first," she said.
She said she knew she wanted to help her husband do his job and found that helping the families helped him in his role, as well.
When Pace deployed to Okinawa, Japan, and Lynne stayed behind, she learned to deal with cars breaking down, refrigerators needing repairs and other household problems. During the family's frequent moves to new duty stations, she learned to do things on her own and to ask for help when she needed it.
"The hardest thing is to learn to say, 'I can't do this,' and then ask somebody to help," she said.
"You're not alone," Lynne said she advises military spouses. "There are other military spouses out there to help you."
Overall, she said, military spouses need to be "adaptable, determined, independent and resourceful."
"Military spouses are thrown into environments where those kinds of things really do mean a lot," she added. "Every move is an adventure. Every challenge is a growth experience."
Lynne said the couple's son, Peter, and daughter, Tiffany Marie, benefited from growing up within the military community.
"In many ways they are more mature because military children are thrown into different environments every time they move," she explained. "They're more adaptable. They've been to places that a lot of people who grow up in the same town never have the opportunity to go to. In many ways, those are great advantages."
On the other hand, she noted, these benefits can be seen as disadvantages. "The schools change. You're recreating yourself every year or two or three. Many children move during high school, which is a very difficult time to move. Some children will go to three different high schools and that's really hard. You're always leaving your friends, and you're always making new friends. You learn and grow from that, but it's also hard to do."
Still, based on the number of children of military parents who choose to serve in the military, she said, "It can't be all that bad."
For Lynne, one of the rewards of military life was getting to meet people all over the world. "Living in Japan for two years, seeing a culture that's so different from ours, learning that deep down we're all the same -- we may have cultural differences, but we all love our children. We all love our country.
"It has been a huge growth experience for me," Lynne said. "The education I earned along the way has given me incredible confidence in my ability to go out and deal with presidents and queens and some pretty amazing people. The opportunities we've had to represent our country overseas have been incredible."
Military support for families has changed significantly since Lynne joined the community, she said. Today, family support groups and family readiness officers help families cope during deployments. Family support centers provide videoconference capabilities so families can make videos to send to their military members. Various groups organize pre- and post-deployment briefings for spouses, as well as picnics, movie nights and parties for children.
"The military has learned that if the families are happy, deployments are easier," she said. "If you can help the families take care of the problems that they have, then it makes it easier for the military members as well as the families at home."
She encouraged military commanders to take the time to thank military families for the sacrifices they're enduring so their military members can serve. "Without the spouses' support at home, they can't do it. The expression 'If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy' is true. Because the deployments are long and frequent; it's hard.
"I think everybody, military commanders, civilians -- we all need to thank these families. We're thanking our troops. We need to remember our families. If your next door neighbor is serving in the military, think about what can you do to say thanks. Watch the kids; give them a spa day; fix the car -- do something to say thanks,"
As Pace assumed more responsibilities, Lynne said, her role changed as well. "People expect more from you. They expect you to know the answers to everything, but in fact you don't," she said.
"But as his job changes, you have more access to people to get answers to questions you might not have been able to have two jobs ago or two ranks ago," she said. "People will listen to what you have to say because of who he is. If that's what it takes to get somebody to help, then that's OK. I don't believe rank equates to royalty, but I do believe that if his rank can help somebody, that's a good thing. Then I'll use it."
At times, being the chairman's wife can be a help or a hindrance, she said. "What I do (to help troops and families), I try to do really quietly. Who he is can help me do what I do. But because of who he is, a lot of people won't tell me what they need. But because of who he is, I have more access."
A couple of years ago, for example, some hospitalized troops told Lynne they needed computers. "I had a friend that asked me what he could do for the troops, so we were able to get computers," she said.
"There's a young man who wants to go to law school," she said, "so through people we've been fortunate to meet along the way, people who want to help have ensured money is available for him to pay tuition, room and board and books to go to law school after he's finished his medical care."
Over the years, Lynne has learned about organizations that help troops and their families. "If a family needs a place to stay, I know people to ask who can help them out," she said.
She knows who to contact when wounded troops arrive at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., without clothing or when families arrive at the hospital in June but don't leave until January and they didn't bring winter clothes with them.
"There are people out there who are willing to help," she said. "They'll ask me what they can do, and I'll tell them the families need coats or shoes, or the troops need DVD players or movies. These things seem small and unimportant, but they're not to the wounded and their families who are going through this."
Lynne said she believes all Americans have a responsibility to help servicemembers and their families in any way they can. "We're a country at war; we all need to do something," she said.
Lynne regularly visits troops at military medical centers in the Washington, D.C., area, throughout the states, and overseas when she travels with the chairman.
"Sometimes I drive home from the hospital sobbing the whole way home," she admitted. "Other times I'm thinking about the people I've talked to who want to do certain things. I try to stay positive. Every visit is different. But when you leave, you know it's the right thing to do. It doesn't take a lot to go hug somebody and thank them."
She described wounded troops' attitudes as "unbelievable -- their will to get better, to do something productive with their lives, and their desire to go back and finish the job and be with their buddies."
"The first time I went (to visit wounded troops in a hospital), I was just awestruck," she said. "Somebody asked, 'Where do we get these kids?' and the response was 'Hometown USA.' These are the sons and daughters of Americans out there who have taught them to help others so they can have a better life.
"I think that's what keeps me going," Lynne concluded. "They are just so positive. Yes, they have their bad days, but for the most part, they're looking at tomorrow. If I can help them do that, I want to."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Nearly 40 years ago, Lynne Pace dedicated her life to her family. Little did she know at the time that her family ultimately would include the nation's 2.4 million servicemembers. Little did she know that the young Marine officer she married would go on to become the first Marine to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military's top ranking officer.
Today, Lynne and her husband, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, are retiring from military service. Their commitment to their extended family won't end with today's ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., however. They say their love for and dedication to the men and women who make up the armed forces will last a lifetime.
During the general's last news briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Pace "cut his teeth on the battlefields of Vietnam, made his way up through the ranks during the Cold War, and these past few years, has led our military in a very different, very complex war against jihadist terrorism."
Through it all, Gates noted, Pace has never once forgotten about the individual men and women who make up the United States armed forces. As Pace himself often points out, this includes the military families who "serve the country as well as anyone who's ever worn a uniform."
Through it all, Lynne has been at her husband's side, serving as his teammate and as an advocate for military families working to improve the military community they've chosen to live in.
"We've worked and grown together for 36 years," Lynne told American Forces Press Service. "I'm pretty old-fashioned, and he's an amazing guy. We're partners. We're a team."
In 1967, Lynne fell in love with Pete Pace while he was attending the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. The couple dated for four years before marrying in 1971, two years after Pace returned from Vietnam.
Lynne said she had learned little about the military growing up in Ellicott City, Md. Her husband's assignment here at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Street, she said, was her first experience with a military unit that "was like a big family."
While Pace attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Ga., the couple lived off base, where Lynne came to know her civilian neighbors rather than the military community. When Pace attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, Va., the couple lived on base, where Lynne became involved with the military wives group.
"Back then, the wives ran child care centers, so I got to know other moms," she recalled. "We'd work together to get the things we needed for the families."
Lynne said she's always tried to heed her husband's advice to grow where you are planted.
"I am not an extrovert," she said. "I am not one who will go out seeking people. But if you tell me I can't do something for my child, or if a friend of mine's child is having a hard time, I'll fight whatever it takes for the kids."
As her husband rose through the ranks, Lynne gradually learned about the role of a military spouse. "I had no clue what was expected of me at first," she said.
She said she knew she wanted to help her husband do his job and found that helping the families helped him in his role, as well.
When Pace deployed to Okinawa, Japan, and Lynne stayed behind, she learned to deal with cars breaking down, refrigerators needing repairs and other household problems. During the family's frequent moves to new duty stations, she learned to do things on her own and to ask for help when she needed it.
"The hardest thing is to learn to say, 'I can't do this,' and then ask somebody to help," she said.
"You're not alone," Lynne said she advises military spouses. "There are other military spouses out there to help you."
Overall, she said, military spouses need to be "adaptable, determined, independent and resourceful."
"Military spouses are thrown into environments where those kinds of things really do mean a lot," she added. "Every move is an adventure. Every challenge is a growth experience."
Lynne said the couple's son, Peter, and daughter, Tiffany Marie, benefited from growing up within the military community.
"In many ways they are more mature because military children are thrown into different environments every time they move," she explained. "They're more adaptable. They've been to places that a lot of people who grow up in the same town never have the opportunity to go to. In many ways, those are great advantages."
On the other hand, she noted, these benefits can be seen as disadvantages. "The schools change. You're recreating yourself every year or two or three. Many children move during high school, which is a very difficult time to move. Some children will go to three different high schools and that's really hard. You're always leaving your friends, and you're always making new friends. You learn and grow from that, but it's also hard to do."
Still, based on the number of children of military parents who choose to serve in the military, she said, "It can't be all that bad."
For Lynne, one of the rewards of military life was getting to meet people all over the world. "Living in Japan for two years, seeing a culture that's so different from ours, learning that deep down we're all the same -- we may have cultural differences, but we all love our children. We all love our country.
"It has been a huge growth experience for me," Lynne said. "The education I earned along the way has given me incredible confidence in my ability to go out and deal with presidents and queens and some pretty amazing people. The opportunities we've had to represent our country overseas have been incredible."
Military support for families has changed significantly since Lynne joined the community, she said. Today, family support groups and family readiness officers help families cope during deployments. Family support centers provide videoconference capabilities so families can make videos to send to their military members. Various groups organize pre- and post-deployment briefings for spouses, as well as picnics, movie nights and parties for children.
"The military has learned that if the families are happy, deployments are easier," she said. "If you can help the families take care of the problems that they have, then it makes it easier for the military members as well as the families at home."
She encouraged military commanders to take the time to thank military families for the sacrifices they're enduring so their military members can serve. "Without the spouses' support at home, they can't do it. The expression 'If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy' is true. Because the deployments are long and frequent; it's hard.
"I think everybody, military commanders, civilians -- we all need to thank these families. We're thanking our troops. We need to remember our families. If your next door neighbor is serving in the military, think about what can you do to say thanks. Watch the kids; give them a spa day; fix the car -- do something to say thanks,"
As Pace assumed more responsibilities, Lynne said, her role changed as well. "People expect more from you. They expect you to know the answers to everything, but in fact you don't," she said.
"But as his job changes, you have more access to people to get answers to questions you might not have been able to have two jobs ago or two ranks ago," she said. "People will listen to what you have to say because of who he is. If that's what it takes to get somebody to help, then that's OK. I don't believe rank equates to royalty, but I do believe that if his rank can help somebody, that's a good thing. Then I'll use it."
At times, being the chairman's wife can be a help or a hindrance, she said. "What I do (to help troops and families), I try to do really quietly. Who he is can help me do what I do. But because of who he is, a lot of people won't tell me what they need. But because of who he is, I have more access."
A couple of years ago, for example, some hospitalized troops told Lynne they needed computers. "I had a friend that asked me what he could do for the troops, so we were able to get computers," she said.
"There's a young man who wants to go to law school," she said, "so through people we've been fortunate to meet along the way, people who want to help have ensured money is available for him to pay tuition, room and board and books to go to law school after he's finished his medical care."
Over the years, Lynne has learned about organizations that help troops and their families. "If a family needs a place to stay, I know people to ask who can help them out," she said.
She knows who to contact when wounded troops arrive at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., without clothing or when families arrive at the hospital in June but don't leave until January and they didn't bring winter clothes with them.
"There are people out there who are willing to help," she said. "They'll ask me what they can do, and I'll tell them the families need coats or shoes, or the troops need DVD players or movies. These things seem small and unimportant, but they're not to the wounded and their families who are going through this."
Lynne said she believes all Americans have a responsibility to help servicemembers and their families in any way they can. "We're a country at war; we all need to do something," she said.
Lynne regularly visits troops at military medical centers in the Washington, D.C., area, throughout the states, and overseas when she travels with the chairman.
"Sometimes I drive home from the hospital sobbing the whole way home," she admitted. "Other times I'm thinking about the people I've talked to who want to do certain things. I try to stay positive. Every visit is different. But when you leave, you know it's the right thing to do. It doesn't take a lot to go hug somebody and thank them."
She described wounded troops' attitudes as "unbelievable -- their will to get better, to do something productive with their lives, and their desire to go back and finish the job and be with their buddies."
"The first time I went (to visit wounded troops in a hospital), I was just awestruck," she said. "Somebody asked, 'Where do we get these kids?' and the response was 'Hometown USA.' These are the sons and daughters of Americans out there who have taught them to help others so they can have a better life.
"I think that's what keeps me going," Lynne concluded. "They are just so positive. Yes, they have their bad days, but for the most part, they're looking at tomorrow. If I can help them do that, I want to."
Pace Calls for Reasoned Discourse to Advance U.S. Democracy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Reasoned discourse allows American democracy to grow and flourish, but some people seem more intent on spewing personal venom than in finding solutions, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today as he retired from the Marine Corps after more than 40 years of service. Pace spoke at an armed forces hail and farewell ceremony as he turned the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff over to Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen.
The United States is well-served by divergent views and discussion that grows from those views. But the discussion must be civil and in a way "that allows people to argue on the merits of what they believe and to understand that what they believe is part of the answer," Pace said.
Americans must have the willingness to cooperate to find the right answers for challenging times, he said. "What worries me is that in some instances right now we have individuals who are more interested in making somebody else look bad than they are in finding the right solution," Pace said. "They are more interested in letting their personal venom come forward instead of talking about how do we get from where we are to where we need to be."
Americans have the right to object and to be heard, Pace said. U.S. servicemembers fighting in many corners of the world do so to guarantee their fellow countrymen those rights. "I can hear voices right now of folks out in the street who are exercising their right of free speech in this democracy to say what they want to say," Pace said. "And I take pride in knowing that the men and women on the parade deck in front of us are going to ensure that they continue to have that opportunity."
The dialogue on the war on terror is not about voting the country out of the war. "We have an enemy who has declared war on us. We are in a war," Pace said. "They want to stop us from living the way we want to live our lives.
"So the dialogue is not about are we in a war, but how and where and when to best fight that war to preserve our freedom and to preserve our way of life."
The United States will prevail in the war on terror, "there's no doubt about that," he said.
Pace recounted impressions he has had in his travels during his last 40 days as chairman, including a visit to the 4th Marine Division reunion. The Marine Corps activated the division in World War II and deactivated it in 1945. In 60 days of combat in the Pacific, the division fought at Guam, Saipan and Iwo Jima and suffered more than 18,000 casualties.
"They were decommissioned in November 1945, (which) happens to be the month I was born," Pace said. "Through an accident of birth, I was born in the United States of America. Through the incredible valor of the members of that Marine division and so many other Marine, Army and Air Force and Coast Guard and Navy units across the globe that fought during World War II, through their valor, I was born free."
In talking about going to his last NATO meeting, Pace said he sat in the conference room and looked at the 26 flags and nameplates on the table, many from countries once in the Warsaw Pact -- countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Poland. "And I thought to myself, how wonderful that we have NATO as an alliance, how sad that the newest countries had to crave for their freedom for so long, and how instructive that those who have most recently joined that table of freedom are the most energetic in trying to share that freedom with those around the globe who do not yet have it," he said.
He also spoke of seeing a screening of "The Kite Runner," the movie based on Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel about Afghanistan. "If we ever forget what it is that we're fighting against, just go see that movie," Pace said. "It will strengthen in you the understanding of the true nature of those who seek to dominate us."
The general recalled he and his wife, Lynne, visiting with families of the fallen. He said he couldn't ease their pain, "but I hope that in commemorating the lives of the fallen and in the way that we spend the rest of our lives, that we will pay respect to their sacrifice in a way that will give meaning to all that they fought for," he said.
Pace recalled a recent visit to Marines of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, on duty in Karmah, Iraq. It was the unit that 2nd Lt. Pace joined at the height of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968. Yesterday evening, the general had a reunion with men he had served with in that unit.
"It was a wonderful bookend for me to have seen those Marines in that platoon about two weeks ago and then last night at my house seeing the Marines from my platoon from Vietnam," Pace said. "Now, if you saw the guys from my platoon in Vietnam right now, you might think that they are middle-aged, sometimes a little bit overweight men.
"When I look at them, I see heroes, men who answered the call as those who serve today answer the call," he added.
Pace said that when he travels he hears the same question from American servicemembers: Do the American people still support us? "In the last 40 days, I've been with organizations like the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation that takes care of the children of the deceased; the Sentinels of Freedom, who help those who are severely wounded assimilate into productive lives in our community; the USO, that after decades has provided entertainment and has been a home to the troops overseas," he said. "The answer is a resounding yes, the American people, no matter what they believe about the ongoing conflict, believe in their troops."
He also talked about two other destinations he's visited in the past 40 days. The first was Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y., where he spoke to 1,700 young men who were "clear-eyed, smart, sharp, looking forward to taking over leadership positions in our country."
The second was a family wedding. "What struck me ... was that the clear expectation of everybody in the wedding party was one of great hope and optimism for the couple that was getting married, for the possibility of them having children, and the belief that this country would provide to them and their children and their grandchildren the same liberties and freedoms that we have enjoyed," he said. "I could not help think about what an incredible country where weddings and other ceremonies like that reflect on the pure optimism that rightly so pervades our nation."
Being able to participate in the processes of government – such as news conferences and testimony before Congress -- are privileges, Pace said. "I would be less than honest if I told you I looked forward to either one of those," he said. "They are not fun. But it is a privilege; it has been a privilege to participate as an American citizen, to know that the senior military leadership of the country gets called in front of the Congress of the United States to answer is an important part, a fundamental part of our freedom.
"There is no country in the world that is free that does not have a free press; said differently, you cannot be free unless you have a free press," he continued. "So the fact that sometimes questions are tough is tough because it's right for a democracy."
The general said he is sad to leave, not because he will miss the perks of being chairman, "I simply will miss putting on this uniform, going to work each day and trying to do the right thing for Pfc. Pace, wherever he or she may be serving," he said. "And I will miss being able to walk out and hug them and tell them I love them."
Pace said he owes a debt to Marines who died following his orders. "I made a promise about 38 years ago to that I would serve this country in whatever capacity I could for as long as I could and try to do it in a way that would pay respect to the sacrifice that they made following Second Lieutenant Peter Pace in combat," he said. "I am still in debt, but I leave today knowing that I have tried to fulfill that promise and in doing so have been led on an incredible journey."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2007 - Reasoned discourse allows American democracy to grow and flourish, but some people seem more intent on spewing personal venom than in finding solutions, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today as he retired from the Marine Corps after more than 40 years of service. Pace spoke at an armed forces hail and farewell ceremony as he turned the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff over to Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen.
The United States is well-served by divergent views and discussion that grows from those views. But the discussion must be civil and in a way "that allows people to argue on the merits of what they believe and to understand that what they believe is part of the answer," Pace said.
Americans must have the willingness to cooperate to find the right answers for challenging times, he said. "What worries me is that in some instances right now we have individuals who are more interested in making somebody else look bad than they are in finding the right solution," Pace said. "They are more interested in letting their personal venom come forward instead of talking about how do we get from where we are to where we need to be."
Americans have the right to object and to be heard, Pace said. U.S. servicemembers fighting in many corners of the world do so to guarantee their fellow countrymen those rights. "I can hear voices right now of folks out in the street who are exercising their right of free speech in this democracy to say what they want to say," Pace said. "And I take pride in knowing that the men and women on the parade deck in front of us are going to ensure that they continue to have that opportunity."
The dialogue on the war on terror is not about voting the country out of the war. "We have an enemy who has declared war on us. We are in a war," Pace said. "They want to stop us from living the way we want to live our lives.
"So the dialogue is not about are we in a war, but how and where and when to best fight that war to preserve our freedom and to preserve our way of life."
The United States will prevail in the war on terror, "there's no doubt about that," he said.
Pace recounted impressions he has had in his travels during his last 40 days as chairman, including a visit to the 4th Marine Division reunion. The Marine Corps activated the division in World War II and deactivated it in 1945. In 60 days of combat in the Pacific, the division fought at Guam, Saipan and Iwo Jima and suffered more than 18,000 casualties.
"They were decommissioned in November 1945, (which) happens to be the month I was born," Pace said. "Through an accident of birth, I was born in the United States of America. Through the incredible valor of the members of that Marine division and so many other Marine, Army and Air Force and Coast Guard and Navy units across the globe that fought during World War II, through their valor, I was born free."
In talking about going to his last NATO meeting, Pace said he sat in the conference room and looked at the 26 flags and nameplates on the table, many from countries once in the Warsaw Pact -- countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Poland. "And I thought to myself, how wonderful that we have NATO as an alliance, how sad that the newest countries had to crave for their freedom for so long, and how instructive that those who have most recently joined that table of freedom are the most energetic in trying to share that freedom with those around the globe who do not yet have it," he said.
He also spoke of seeing a screening of "The Kite Runner," the movie based on Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel about Afghanistan. "If we ever forget what it is that we're fighting against, just go see that movie," Pace said. "It will strengthen in you the understanding of the true nature of those who seek to dominate us."
The general recalled he and his wife, Lynne, visiting with families of the fallen. He said he couldn't ease their pain, "but I hope that in commemorating the lives of the fallen and in the way that we spend the rest of our lives, that we will pay respect to their sacrifice in a way that will give meaning to all that they fought for," he said.
Pace recalled a recent visit to Marines of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, on duty in Karmah, Iraq. It was the unit that 2nd Lt. Pace joined at the height of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968. Yesterday evening, the general had a reunion with men he had served with in that unit.
"It was a wonderful bookend for me to have seen those Marines in that platoon about two weeks ago and then last night at my house seeing the Marines from my platoon from Vietnam," Pace said. "Now, if you saw the guys from my platoon in Vietnam right now, you might think that they are middle-aged, sometimes a little bit overweight men.
"When I look at them, I see heroes, men who answered the call as those who serve today answer the call," he added.
Pace said that when he travels he hears the same question from American servicemembers: Do the American people still support us? "In the last 40 days, I've been with organizations like the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation that takes care of the children of the deceased; the Sentinels of Freedom, who help those who are severely wounded assimilate into productive lives in our community; the USO, that after decades has provided entertainment and has been a home to the troops overseas," he said. "The answer is a resounding yes, the American people, no matter what they believe about the ongoing conflict, believe in their troops."
He also talked about two other destinations he's visited in the past 40 days. The first was Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y., where he spoke to 1,700 young men who were "clear-eyed, smart, sharp, looking forward to taking over leadership positions in our country."
The second was a family wedding. "What struck me ... was that the clear expectation of everybody in the wedding party was one of great hope and optimism for the couple that was getting married, for the possibility of them having children, and the belief that this country would provide to them and their children and their grandchildren the same liberties and freedoms that we have enjoyed," he said. "I could not help think about what an incredible country where weddings and other ceremonies like that reflect on the pure optimism that rightly so pervades our nation."
Being able to participate in the processes of government – such as news conferences and testimony before Congress -- are privileges, Pace said. "I would be less than honest if I told you I looked forward to either one of those," he said. "They are not fun. But it is a privilege; it has been a privilege to participate as an American citizen, to know that the senior military leadership of the country gets called in front of the Congress of the United States to answer is an important part, a fundamental part of our freedom.
"There is no country in the world that is free that does not have a free press; said differently, you cannot be free unless you have a free press," he continued. "So the fact that sometimes questions are tough is tough because it's right for a democracy."
The general said he is sad to leave, not because he will miss the perks of being chairman, "I simply will miss putting on this uniform, going to work each day and trying to do the right thing for Pfc. Pace, wherever he or she may be serving," he said. "And I will miss being able to walk out and hug them and tell them I love them."
Pace said he owes a debt to Marines who died following his orders. "I made a promise about 38 years ago to that I would serve this country in whatever capacity I could for as long as I could and try to do it in a way that would pay respect to the sacrifice that they made following Second Lieutenant Peter Pace in combat," he said. "I am still in debt, but I leave today knowing that I have tried to fulfill that promise and in doing so have been led on an incredible journey."
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