By Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Jennings
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - As members of the Air National Guard's 181st Intelligence Wing and the Army National Guard's 519th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion made their way toward Hulman Field here, they had an idea what their mission was going to be during June's drill weekend. More than six inches of rain dumped into the Wabash Valley on the evening of June 6 and well into the morning of June 7, stranding motorists and pouring storm water into local residents' homes.
When the call for assistance came in, the Guard was ready to begin sandbag operations.
"There were several soldiers and airmen who made it in only to find out their homes were being flooded," said Air Force Maj. Jim Jensen, public affairs officer for 181st Intelligence Wing. "This is a disaster that is affecting us all, but we have a mission to support. Some stayed here to continue filling sand bags for others while their own homes were flooding. That says a lot about Indiana Guardsmen and how much they care about the community."
As of yesterday, more than 900 soldiers and airmen from across the state had been activated to fight the floods in southern Indiana.
When the governor of Indiana declared a state of emergency, drill weekend became a constant effort to lend a hand to a community in need. Sand bag operations began on base as local television crews were reporting the extent of the damage. Reports of families' and friends' homes being flooded trickled in throughout the morning.
Less than a mile from the base entrance, State Road 42 had collapsed under the weight of rushing flood waters. Airmen and soldiers on base could not see the devastation, but reports from other sources became enough to motivate them throughout the night.
"We filled more than 12,000 sand bags in 24 hours," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Anne Rice, who was leading the bagging efforts on base. "Even though many have been here throughout the night, our attitudes have been very positive. It's good to see the camaraderie within. We've got them ready to go wherever they are needed."
The two units, along with 138th Quartermaster Company of Brazil, Ind., offered support in the late evening of June 7, as they placed sand bags in low-lying areas surrounding Terre Haute Regional Hospital.
Thompson ditch in Terre Haute was overflowing in front of the hospital as the flood waters rushed into Rea Park and surrounding areas. Across the street, more than 50 Air and Army Guard personnel focused their attention on the main utility facilities supporting the hospital.
"We provided sand bags around their operational and back-up facilities," said Army Lt. Col. Kevin Vedder, commander of 519th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. "This was a successful joint operation, and everyone has been positive and motivated."
The Indiana Guard has sand bag machines prepositioned in Vincennes, Linton, Elnora and Terre Haute. About 200 soldiers from 38th Infantry Division have been moved to Elnora to assist with sandbagging operations.
Soldiers and airmen of the Indiana National Guard also opened armories in Martinsville, Greencastle, Brazil, Terre Haute, Bloomington and Danville to support local responders in their operations over the weekend.
"This is a situation where a community is in need of our support," Jensen said. "We are the Guard. Air and Army, it is our duty to support the needs of state agencies and provide our assets to the relief effort in any way we can."
Indiana National Guardsmen are providing drinking water in Hope, Saint Bernice, Paragon, Nineveh, Hymara and Columbus, Ind., and search-and-rescue and security operations in Bartholomew County. Guardsmen worked with local and state agencies to assist in the evacuation of more than 100 patients from the Columbus Regional Hospital.
Yesterday, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Indiana Army National Guard assisted the American Red Cross with the delivery of food to Worthington, Ind., a city that has been cut off by flood waters.
"We will continue to work to support our citizens in their time of need," said Army Brig. Gen. Margaret Washburn, of the Indiana National Guard. "Our soldiers and airmen will work tirelessly to support our local responders and communities throughout the flooding in southern Indiana."
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Jennings serves in the 181st Intelligence Wing Public Affairs Office.)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Gates Says Nuclear Mission Shortcomings Only Reason for AF Dismissals
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - If it were not for the serious decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today, he would not have felt the need to replace the Air Force leadership. Gates asked for and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley June 6 in the wake of an investigation that found problems with the focus, performance and effective leadership of the service's nuclear weapons program.
Speaking to airmen and Air Force civilians of Air Combat Command, Gates called the nuclear mission the Air Force's most sensitive one.
"The mere existence of weapons with such destructive power alters the international landscape – and rightfully brings much scrutiny to bear on how they are handled," Gates said.
Today, he recommended that Michael B. Donley be nominated to replace Wynne and that Gen. Norton A. Schwartz replace Moseley. White House officials announced today President Bush's intention to nominate Donley and to designate him as acting Air Force secretary.
Two instances highlighted the nuclear failures. In one, a B-52 crew unknowingly carried six nuclear weapons from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. In another incident, nose cones for Minuteman missiles mistakenly were delivered to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. More than a year elapsed before the error became known.
In light of these failures, Gates asked Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald to evaluate the system. He found three systemic problems.
"The Air Force does not have a clear, dedicated authority responsible for the nuclear enterprise who sets and maintains rigorous standards of operations," Gates said.
Second, he said, the failures that led to the nose-cone misshipment could have been prevented had existing controls been followed.
Finally, "the investigation confirmed a decline in Air Force nuclear expertise similar to findings in other, earlier reports," Gates said. In addition, the nuclear mission has not received adequate funding for years, he said.
Gates said the decisive action was needed because Air Force leadership allowed the service's focus to drift away from the nuclear mission. They also allowed performance standards to decline, and they did not identify these problems for correction, the secretary said.
"The Air Force's investigation into what went wrong did not get to the root causes, requiring my personal intervention," he said.
Gates has stressed accountability with all services. He encouraged all servicemembers to assess their jobs, take accountability for what they can and ensure that changes outside their purview receive the appropriate attention.
"The important thing is to have an open and respectful airing of views in good faith," Gates said. "When decisions are made, everyone – both civilian and military – must do his or her part to see them through to success," he said.
American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - If it were not for the serious decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today, he would not have felt the need to replace the Air Force leadership. Gates asked for and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley June 6 in the wake of an investigation that found problems with the focus, performance and effective leadership of the service's nuclear weapons program.
Speaking to airmen and Air Force civilians of Air Combat Command, Gates called the nuclear mission the Air Force's most sensitive one.
"The mere existence of weapons with such destructive power alters the international landscape – and rightfully brings much scrutiny to bear on how they are handled," Gates said.
Today, he recommended that Michael B. Donley be nominated to replace Wynne and that Gen. Norton A. Schwartz replace Moseley. White House officials announced today President Bush's intention to nominate Donley and to designate him as acting Air Force secretary.
Two instances highlighted the nuclear failures. In one, a B-52 crew unknowingly carried six nuclear weapons from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. In another incident, nose cones for Minuteman missiles mistakenly were delivered to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. More than a year elapsed before the error became known.
In light of these failures, Gates asked Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald to evaluate the system. He found three systemic problems.
"The Air Force does not have a clear, dedicated authority responsible for the nuclear enterprise who sets and maintains rigorous standards of operations," Gates said.
Second, he said, the failures that led to the nose-cone misshipment could have been prevented had existing controls been followed.
Finally, "the investigation confirmed a decline in Air Force nuclear expertise similar to findings in other, earlier reports," Gates said. In addition, the nuclear mission has not received adequate funding for years, he said.
Gates said the decisive action was needed because Air Force leadership allowed the service's focus to drift away from the nuclear mission. They also allowed performance standards to decline, and they did not identify these problems for correction, the secretary said.
"The Air Force's investigation into what went wrong did not get to the root causes, requiring my personal intervention," he said.
Gates has stressed accountability with all services. He encouraged all servicemembers to assess their jobs, take accountability for what they can and ensure that changes outside their purview receive the appropriate attention.
"The important thing is to have an open and respectful airing of views in good faith," Gates said. "When decisions are made, everyone – both civilian and military – must do his or her part to see them through to success," he said.
Soldier Missing In Action From Korean War Is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga. He will be buried on June 26 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Akins' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1950, Akins was a member of the Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist Divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Akins was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
In April 2007, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), acting through the intermediary of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, repatriated to the United States six boxes of human remains believed to be those of U.S. soldiers. The D.P.R.K. reported that the remains were excavated in November 2006 near Unsan in North Pyongan Province.
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 Akins' 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.
He is Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga. He will be buried on June 26 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Akins' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1950, Akins was a member of the Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist Divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Akins was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
In April 2007, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), acting through the intermediary of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, repatriated to the United States six boxes of human remains believed to be those of U.S. soldiers. The D.P.R.K. reported that the remains were excavated in November 2006 near Unsan in North Pyongan Province.
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 Akins' 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.
Air Guard, Harley-Davidson Join to Improve Processes
By Air Force Senior Airman Nathan Wallin
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - For a week in early May, Harley-Davidson and Air National Guard personnel pooled their knowledge on process improvement for the benefit of both organizations. About 20 ANG members from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, Illinois, Maine, Montana and Ohio gathered with Harley-Davidson personnel here May 5-9 to glean knowledge of process improvement.
The joint venture originated with a program called Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, AFSO 21 for short. The venture formed in 2006 to eliminate wasteful and unnecessary processes throughout the Air Force.
In November 2007, Col. Billy Asbell, director of the program for the Air National Guard, came to Milwaukee's 128th Air Refueling Wing to help with process improvements. Asbell and his team found many ways to eliminate wasted time from the aircraft inspection process, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in time spent. The team also shaved significant time off the process of painting the refueling booms on KC-135 tanker aircraft.
When Asbell and his AFSO 21 team sought diversion after the duty day, Lt. Col. Craig Plain, of the 128th, suggested a tour of the nearby Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory.
Plain is the director of flexible and emerging learning opportunities at Madison Area Technical College, an academic post with some relevance to process improvement. Since Harley-Davidson has a process improvement program of its own under the rubric of "Operational Excellence," the tour givers and the tour takers started comparing notes.
With ideas flying, the original purpose of the visit was soon forgotten.
"We never got to the tour," Asbell said. "It went real quickly from a tour to a meeting. We talked for about three hours."
The exchange of ideas led directly to this spring's joint military-civilian training event at Harley-Davidson University here. Besides Asbell and Plain, the instructional cadre included Linda Berry, an AFSO 21 instructor on Asbell's team.
In teaming up with the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer, the AFSO 21 team hoped to learn how managers in a leading civilian company improve work load, work flow and productivity of their business operations, and then to apply the best of those ideas to the Air National Guard.
Asbell estimated that about 10 percent of ANG members work with process improvement in their civilian jobs. "I want to find those people [and put them to work]," he said.
From Harley-Davidson's point of view, the benefits of sharing knowledge with the Air National Guard were well worth the effort.
"While what we do might be very different," Nelson said, "how we do it sometimes isn't as different as we might think. And why we need to do it is often very similar."
For the Harley-Davidson personnel, it was an opportunity to learn about the new Air Force system.
The AFSO 21 method examines the processes of any office or shop and breaks them down to a long list of individual steps using "value stream mapping," a procedure Asbell refers to as "mapping it out."
The individual steps are evaluated to figure out which ones are necessary to the job and which ones are not. The steps deemed unnecessary are promptly cut from the list. The product is a streamlined process that leads to better productivity.
And it doesn't matter if your collar is blue or white -- or even camouflage. Part of Air Force Smart Operations 21's appeal is its "one size fits all" approach. Whatever the job, an AFSO 21 specialist can help workers examine and analyze their operating procedures, uncover the wasteful and redundant parts of the job, and then create a new, more effective and time-saving way to get it done.
The Milwaukee training included military officers from specialties as diverse as finance and aircraft maintenance. "AFSO can work anywhere there's a process," Asbell said.
With AFSO 21, workers have direct input into improving the way things are done in their workplaces. By engaging their workers, managers see a greater enthusiasm for the project; and by going straight to their employees and asking for their suggestions, managers get a more precise and fuller picture of exactly how the job gets done in their shop.
"It's not a push, it's a pull," said Asbell. "This is an opportunity for everyone to change their environment and fix a broken process."
(Air Force Senior Airman Nathan Wallin serves with the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - For a week in early May, Harley-Davidson and Air National Guard personnel pooled their knowledge on process improvement for the benefit of both organizations. About 20 ANG members from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, Illinois, Maine, Montana and Ohio gathered with Harley-Davidson personnel here May 5-9 to glean knowledge of process improvement.
The joint venture originated with a program called Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, AFSO 21 for short. The venture formed in 2006 to eliminate wasteful and unnecessary processes throughout the Air Force.
In November 2007, Col. Billy Asbell, director of the program for the Air National Guard, came to Milwaukee's 128th Air Refueling Wing to help with process improvements. Asbell and his team found many ways to eliminate wasted time from the aircraft inspection process, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in time spent. The team also shaved significant time off the process of painting the refueling booms on KC-135 tanker aircraft.
When Asbell and his AFSO 21 team sought diversion after the duty day, Lt. Col. Craig Plain, of the 128th, suggested a tour of the nearby Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory.
Plain is the director of flexible and emerging learning opportunities at Madison Area Technical College, an academic post with some relevance to process improvement. Since Harley-Davidson has a process improvement program of its own under the rubric of "Operational Excellence," the tour givers and the tour takers started comparing notes.
With ideas flying, the original purpose of the visit was soon forgotten.
"We never got to the tour," Asbell said. "It went real quickly from a tour to a meeting. We talked for about three hours."
The exchange of ideas led directly to this spring's joint military-civilian training event at Harley-Davidson University here. Besides Asbell and Plain, the instructional cadre included Linda Berry, an AFSO 21 instructor on Asbell's team.
In teaming up with the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer, the AFSO 21 team hoped to learn how managers in a leading civilian company improve work load, work flow and productivity of their business operations, and then to apply the best of those ideas to the Air National Guard.
Asbell estimated that about 10 percent of ANG members work with process improvement in their civilian jobs. "I want to find those people [and put them to work]," he said.
From Harley-Davidson's point of view, the benefits of sharing knowledge with the Air National Guard were well worth the effort.
"While what we do might be very different," Nelson said, "how we do it sometimes isn't as different as we might think. And why we need to do it is often very similar."
For the Harley-Davidson personnel, it was an opportunity to learn about the new Air Force system.
The AFSO 21 method examines the processes of any office or shop and breaks them down to a long list of individual steps using "value stream mapping," a procedure Asbell refers to as "mapping it out."
The individual steps are evaluated to figure out which ones are necessary to the job and which ones are not. The steps deemed unnecessary are promptly cut from the list. The product is a streamlined process that leads to better productivity.
And it doesn't matter if your collar is blue or white -- or even camouflage. Part of Air Force Smart Operations 21's appeal is its "one size fits all" approach. Whatever the job, an AFSO 21 specialist can help workers examine and analyze their operating procedures, uncover the wasteful and redundant parts of the job, and then create a new, more effective and time-saving way to get it done.
The Milwaukee training included military officers from specialties as diverse as finance and aircraft maintenance. "AFSO can work anywhere there's a process," Asbell said.
With AFSO 21, workers have direct input into improving the way things are done in their workplaces. By engaging their workers, managers see a greater enthusiasm for the project; and by going straight to their employees and asking for their suggestions, managers get a more precise and fuller picture of exactly how the job gets done in their shop.
"It's not a push, it's a pull," said Asbell. "This is an opportunity for everyone to change their environment and fix a broken process."
(Air Force Senior Airman Nathan Wallin serves with the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing.)
Physical Evaluation Board Works to Deliver Fair Outcomes
By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - Col. Troy Lovett considers himself a myth buster of sorts. As president of the Physical Evaluation Board here, Lovett spends a considerable amount of time setting the record straight about the PEB process, which determines whether soldiers are fit or unfit for duty.
"Soldiers may hear something from a buddy or a blog and accept it as fact," he said. "There are a lot of myths out there about the system."
Since Physical Evaluation Boards deal with money and careers, the rumor mill may be inevitable, Lovett said, but he hopes one truth remains evident. "The reality is that we are all focused on making sure soldiers are treated fairly and receive their full due process," he said.
At Fort Sam Houston, a 16-person staff, skilled in medical and military matters, is dedicated to carrying out the PEB mission, which echoes Lovett's mandate: "provide a full and fair hearing to determine a soldier's physical fitness for continued military service."
The process starts with stacks of paperwork about the soldier's medical condition and duty performance, which represent years of service and considerable work by the soldier, his or her chain of command, and the medical staff providing treatment.
Prior to the PEB, soldiers must work with their PEB liaison officer to gather extensive documentation regarding their case, to include the results from a Medical Evaluation Board. The MEB, normally conducted at a military treatment facility, uses tests, exams and medical records to make a recommendation to the PEB about whether or not the soldier meets medical retention standards.
In turn, PEB members must weed through a massive amount of information, including MEB results, medical files, evaluations, counseling forms, commander's statement, and results from physical fitness tests. Their goal is to reach a decision about whether or not a soldier can continue service.
A soldier may be considered fit or unfit based on several criteria, the most critical being performance and how the soldier's medical condition affects his or her performance, Lovett explained.
"For performance, we look at whether or not a soldier can meet Army standards in their primary military occupational specialty," he said. "As for medical condition, we have to decide if the condition precludes a soldier from reasonably performing the duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating in his or her unit, at the present time."
Deployability is a factor considered in the equation, but it is not used as a sole basis for an unfit determination, Lovett said.
After review, a three-person board consisting of a president, a medical member and a personnel management officer, votes on each case, and the majority decision rules.
"We are making a determination if the soldier can continue to do his or her job," Lovett said. "If a soldier is considered unfit, we make a recommendation whether to separate or retire the soldier."
If a soldier is considered unfit, the PEB will recommend one of the following options: separate with severance pay, separate without benefits, place on the temporary disability retirement list, or grant permanent disability retirement. Soldiers placed on temporary disability retirement receive health benefits and some of their base pay, but are subject to periodic examinations to determine the long-term outcome. A soldier placed on permanent disability retirement is medically retired, which can follow 20 years of service or a 30 percent or higher disability rating, provided the rated condition is considered stable.
So far, in fiscal 2008, only 3 percent of soldiers considered by the Physical Evaluation Board here have been separated without benefits, 47 percent have been separated with severance pay, and 14 percent have been permanently retired, Lovett said.
The board also decides if a disability rating will be assigned as compensation for the loss of a military career. If a rating is given for an unfit condition, it is determined by criteria established by the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs schedule for rating disabilities, and it will range from 0 to 100 percent in increments of 10.
Disability ratings are one topic that stirs up the rumor mill, because the Army and VA often differ in their ratings, though they use the same rating schedule, Lovett said.
The reason, Lovett explained, is tied to the injury or health condition and whether it qualifies for an "unfit" rating.
"If someone breaks a leg in service but can continue to do their job," Lovett explained, "the VA may give a rating since it was a service-connected injury. But the Army may not, because we only rate conditions that prematurely end a soldier's career."
Lovett emphasized that each case is unique and is determined based on the specific factors and situation unique to each individual soldier.
Up to this point, the process is conducted informally, by paper only. However, once informed of the initial decision and rating, soldiers can request a formal board to plead their cases in front of the decision makers. The soldiers are afforded access to legal counsel to accompany them to the formal board. They are assisted by their PEB liaison officer or case manager throughout the process.
"We allow the soldiers to provide material evidence, documentation and statements from chain of command to substantiate their case," Lovett said.
Soldiers can appeal their formal board decision, as well, by non-concurring with the decision.
"Soldiers have multiple opportunities to voice their concerns with those who can do something about it," he said. "We work hard at doing the right thing."
The PEB then sends its recommendation to the Physical Disability Agency, which has the authority to approve recommendations, return the soldier's case to the PEB for reconsideration, or issue revised findings. The PDA also serves as the appellate authority when soldiers disagree with their PEB recommendations.
From start to finish, the PEB here is required to complete its process, including appeals, within 30 days from receipt and logging of the case. On average, the Texas PEB completes its work in about 20 days, Lovett said.
Lovett said he hopes to cut the time back even further to provide better service to soldiers and their families. But with 25 to 30 cases submitted a day, he and his staff have their work cut out for them.
Cases are submitted from throughout the Fort Sam Houston PEB's area of responsibility, which encompasses nine states stretching from the western border of Texas to the southernmost tip of Florida.
Out of the three Army PEBs worldwide, the Fort Sam Houston office handles about 40 percent of total cases submitted, averaging between 5,000 and 6,000 cases a year. For fiscal 2008, it's on pace to receive about 5,700 cases.
Despite the heavy workload, Lovett said, each is given equal attention.
"We understand what a soldier and their family are going through. A PEB is a significant and potentially life-altering event," he said.
The staff bends over backward for soldiers and their families, Lovett said. "We track down information for them and do whatever it takes to put the soldier up front," he said. "The bottom line is that we're here to help soldiers move on, whether it's on to civilian lives or back to the fighting force."
(Elaine Wilson works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 9, 2008 - Col. Troy Lovett considers himself a myth buster of sorts. As president of the Physical Evaluation Board here, Lovett spends a considerable amount of time setting the record straight about the PEB process, which determines whether soldiers are fit or unfit for duty.
"Soldiers may hear something from a buddy or a blog and accept it as fact," he said. "There are a lot of myths out there about the system."
Since Physical Evaluation Boards deal with money and careers, the rumor mill may be inevitable, Lovett said, but he hopes one truth remains evident. "The reality is that we are all focused on making sure soldiers are treated fairly and receive their full due process," he said.
At Fort Sam Houston, a 16-person staff, skilled in medical and military matters, is dedicated to carrying out the PEB mission, which echoes Lovett's mandate: "provide a full and fair hearing to determine a soldier's physical fitness for continued military service."
The process starts with stacks of paperwork about the soldier's medical condition and duty performance, which represent years of service and considerable work by the soldier, his or her chain of command, and the medical staff providing treatment.
Prior to the PEB, soldiers must work with their PEB liaison officer to gather extensive documentation regarding their case, to include the results from a Medical Evaluation Board. The MEB, normally conducted at a military treatment facility, uses tests, exams and medical records to make a recommendation to the PEB about whether or not the soldier meets medical retention standards.
In turn, PEB members must weed through a massive amount of information, including MEB results, medical files, evaluations, counseling forms, commander's statement, and results from physical fitness tests. Their goal is to reach a decision about whether or not a soldier can continue service.
A soldier may be considered fit or unfit based on several criteria, the most critical being performance and how the soldier's medical condition affects his or her performance, Lovett explained.
"For performance, we look at whether or not a soldier can meet Army standards in their primary military occupational specialty," he said. "As for medical condition, we have to decide if the condition precludes a soldier from reasonably performing the duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating in his or her unit, at the present time."
Deployability is a factor considered in the equation, but it is not used as a sole basis for an unfit determination, Lovett said.
After review, a three-person board consisting of a president, a medical member and a personnel management officer, votes on each case, and the majority decision rules.
"We are making a determination if the soldier can continue to do his or her job," Lovett said. "If a soldier is considered unfit, we make a recommendation whether to separate or retire the soldier."
If a soldier is considered unfit, the PEB will recommend one of the following options: separate with severance pay, separate without benefits, place on the temporary disability retirement list, or grant permanent disability retirement. Soldiers placed on temporary disability retirement receive health benefits and some of their base pay, but are subject to periodic examinations to determine the long-term outcome. A soldier placed on permanent disability retirement is medically retired, which can follow 20 years of service or a 30 percent or higher disability rating, provided the rated condition is considered stable.
So far, in fiscal 2008, only 3 percent of soldiers considered by the Physical Evaluation Board here have been separated without benefits, 47 percent have been separated with severance pay, and 14 percent have been permanently retired, Lovett said.
The board also decides if a disability rating will be assigned as compensation for the loss of a military career. If a rating is given for an unfit condition, it is determined by criteria established by the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs schedule for rating disabilities, and it will range from 0 to 100 percent in increments of 10.
Disability ratings are one topic that stirs up the rumor mill, because the Army and VA often differ in their ratings, though they use the same rating schedule, Lovett said.
The reason, Lovett explained, is tied to the injury or health condition and whether it qualifies for an "unfit" rating.
"If someone breaks a leg in service but can continue to do their job," Lovett explained, "the VA may give a rating since it was a service-connected injury. But the Army may not, because we only rate conditions that prematurely end a soldier's career."
Lovett emphasized that each case is unique and is determined based on the specific factors and situation unique to each individual soldier.
Up to this point, the process is conducted informally, by paper only. However, once informed of the initial decision and rating, soldiers can request a formal board to plead their cases in front of the decision makers. The soldiers are afforded access to legal counsel to accompany them to the formal board. They are assisted by their PEB liaison officer or case manager throughout the process.
"We allow the soldiers to provide material evidence, documentation and statements from chain of command to substantiate their case," Lovett said.
Soldiers can appeal their formal board decision, as well, by non-concurring with the decision.
"Soldiers have multiple opportunities to voice their concerns with those who can do something about it," he said. "We work hard at doing the right thing."
The PEB then sends its recommendation to the Physical Disability Agency, which has the authority to approve recommendations, return the soldier's case to the PEB for reconsideration, or issue revised findings. The PDA also serves as the appellate authority when soldiers disagree with their PEB recommendations.
From start to finish, the PEB here is required to complete its process, including appeals, within 30 days from receipt and logging of the case. On average, the Texas PEB completes its work in about 20 days, Lovett said.
Lovett said he hopes to cut the time back even further to provide better service to soldiers and their families. But with 25 to 30 cases submitted a day, he and his staff have their work cut out for them.
Cases are submitted from throughout the Fort Sam Houston PEB's area of responsibility, which encompasses nine states stretching from the western border of Texas to the southernmost tip of Florida.
Out of the three Army PEBs worldwide, the Fort Sam Houston office handles about 40 percent of total cases submitted, averaging between 5,000 and 6,000 cases a year. For fiscal 2008, it's on pace to receive about 5,700 cases.
Despite the heavy workload, Lovett said, each is given equal attention.
"We understand what a soldier and their family are going through. A PEB is a significant and potentially life-altering event," he said.
The staff bends over backward for soldiers and their families, Lovett said. "We track down information for them and do whatever it takes to put the soldier up front," he said. "The bottom line is that we're here to help soldiers move on, whether it's on to civilian lives or back to the fighting force."
(Elaine Wilson works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Monday, June 09, 2008
War and Criminal Justice
June 9, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added Lynn “Buck” Compton, an author who has served both in War and in our domestic criminal justice system.
Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton, after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and author.
In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days he was also a member of the ROTC program.
Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle of Bastogne.
As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War Two Victory Medal, for active duty during World War Two, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European, African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”
After war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School. During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.
During his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 1021 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2175 criminal justice books in 33 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. Finally, because of his service, Lynn “Buck” Compton was added to Military-Writers.com as well as LAPDAuthors.com.
Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton, after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and author.
In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days he was also a member of the ROTC program.
Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle of Bastogne.
As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War Two Victory Medal, for active duty during World War Two, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European, African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”
After war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School. During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.
During his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 1021 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2175 criminal justice books in 33 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. Finally, because of his service, Lynn “Buck” Compton was added to Military-Writers.com as well as LAPDAuthors.com.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Mullen Tells Senior Officers to Listen to Young Troops
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 7, 2008 - All ranks must work to together to change the military from a peacetime mentality to a war footing, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told graduates of the Army War College here today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also told the 339 graduates that he is concerned about gaps in U.S. military capabilities.
"In the Air Force, we have seen -- as recently as this week -- evidence of a serious decline in nuclear mission focus and performance, a decline which erodes our nation's ability to effectively deter and to defeat potential major adversaries," he said.
"I respect and admire the decisions by (Air Force) Secretary Michael Wynne and (Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael) Moseley to accept responsibility and accountability for this decline," he continued.
Their decision to shoulder responsibility was right and is "a lesson to us all about leadership, but so too should it serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency."
The gaps in professional expertise cannot persist, particularly when the military is called upon to engage around the globe, building allies' capacity, improving international and interagency cooperation, and fostering both security and stability through healthy vibrant deterrence, Mullen said.
"We can expect the counterinsurgency mission to continue, perhaps even grow, but we must also stay prepared for a range of military operations," he said. "We cannot sacrifice the future for the sake of the now."
The U.S. military must listen to battle-hardened young servicemembers, Mullen stressed, and the lieutenant colonels and colonels must listen. "(The troops) are out there making a difference, and they know it," Mullen said. "They also know, as you do, a few new things about how to wage irregular warfare in this new century."
In Iraq, American servicemembers are providing the stability the country needs. They are training Iraqi security forces and have made sacrifices to do so. That combat experience is invaluable, Mullen said. "They are wise beyond their years," he said. "War has a way of doing that. We owe them our attention and our time. We owe them the opportunity to think and to speak.
"Two weeks ago, I stood before the graduating class of the Naval Academy, and I told them to question you, their seniors, about the way we do things," he said. "Today, I urge you, in turn, to listen to them, your juniors. Learn what's on their minds; come to know their concerns. ... We need your help in bringing these issues to the forefront of a system that is mired in peacetime and must fundamentally change, one that puts our people at the center of the universe."
The chairman also called on a national discourse on defense. "Quite frankly, I don't believe our armed forces are as balanced as they need to be for that future," he said. "That's why I have so strongly argued for a renewed debate in this country about the level of defense spending."
He said he would like to see a thoughtful reevaluation of the threats America faces and the risks the country is willing to run. He suggested the country should invest roughly 4 percent of gross domestic product in national defense. "Whether we stay at that level or rise above it is, of course, for the American people to decide, but we ought to have that discussion," he said. "Maintaining a force that is correctly shaped, sized, trained and equipped so that we may adequately defend our nation is our most pressing long-term problem."
The military needs to be able to fight counterinsurgencies, but some regional threats also require conventional capabilities. The Navy has a power-projection mission that requires more than the 280 ships currently afloat.
In the Army and Marine Corps forces need to fill gaps. "There are young Marines who have never deployed aboard a Navy ship, and Army officers who have not been able to focus on their mission of providing artillery fire support," he said. "We must be able to fight with equal vigor the savage wars of peace and the fractured peace that could be major war in the future."
Mullen told the officers that they must have a more balanced view of the world. The War College class has 43 international fellows including officers from Egypt, Romania, Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Mongolia, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico. "These individuals have given you a glimpse of the world through their eyes," Mullen said.
He urged the students to stay in contact, saying this will help build relationships and broaden perspectives.
"We must understand intimately how others see the world -- our friends and our enemies -- and where we reside in that worldview," the chairman said. "We must read their books, speak their languages, understand their cultures, and learn their histories, so we can know who they are and where they are going."
Mullen also recalled his trip to the Pacific and Pakistan earlier this week. He said the trip illustrated the need for balance in the military and the need to address a range of missions. U.S. Pacific Command forces operate daily across the range of military activities from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief -- such as recent humanitarian missions supplying aid to China and Burma -- to counterterrorist operations and foreign internal defense -- such as operations under way in the Philippines. In addition, Pacific Command forces train and exercise with conventional forces in the Republic of Korea.
"U.S. forces worldwide must likewise be able to provide our civilian leaders a wide range of options for deterrence escalation and de-escalation and, wherever we can, a helping hand," Mullen said.
The War College graduation was held at 9 a.m. and the temperature already was climbing into the mid-90s. The audience turned programs into fans and sought shade from the sun that broke through the fog just in time for the ceremony. The graduation was on the parade ground that once saw the stamp of militia raised for the French and Indian War.
American Forces Press Service
June 7, 2008 - All ranks must work to together to change the military from a peacetime mentality to a war footing, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told graduates of the Army War College here today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also told the 339 graduates that he is concerned about gaps in U.S. military capabilities.
"In the Air Force, we have seen -- as recently as this week -- evidence of a serious decline in nuclear mission focus and performance, a decline which erodes our nation's ability to effectively deter and to defeat potential major adversaries," he said.
"I respect and admire the decisions by (Air Force) Secretary Michael Wynne and (Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael) Moseley to accept responsibility and accountability for this decline," he continued.
Their decision to shoulder responsibility was right and is "a lesson to us all about leadership, but so too should it serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency."
The gaps in professional expertise cannot persist, particularly when the military is called upon to engage around the globe, building allies' capacity, improving international and interagency cooperation, and fostering both security and stability through healthy vibrant deterrence, Mullen said.
"We can expect the counterinsurgency mission to continue, perhaps even grow, but we must also stay prepared for a range of military operations," he said. "We cannot sacrifice the future for the sake of the now."
The U.S. military must listen to battle-hardened young servicemembers, Mullen stressed, and the lieutenant colonels and colonels must listen. "(The troops) are out there making a difference, and they know it," Mullen said. "They also know, as you do, a few new things about how to wage irregular warfare in this new century."
In Iraq, American servicemembers are providing the stability the country needs. They are training Iraqi security forces and have made sacrifices to do so. That combat experience is invaluable, Mullen said. "They are wise beyond their years," he said. "War has a way of doing that. We owe them our attention and our time. We owe them the opportunity to think and to speak.
"Two weeks ago, I stood before the graduating class of the Naval Academy, and I told them to question you, their seniors, about the way we do things," he said. "Today, I urge you, in turn, to listen to them, your juniors. Learn what's on their minds; come to know their concerns. ... We need your help in bringing these issues to the forefront of a system that is mired in peacetime and must fundamentally change, one that puts our people at the center of the universe."
The chairman also called on a national discourse on defense. "Quite frankly, I don't believe our armed forces are as balanced as they need to be for that future," he said. "That's why I have so strongly argued for a renewed debate in this country about the level of defense spending."
He said he would like to see a thoughtful reevaluation of the threats America faces and the risks the country is willing to run. He suggested the country should invest roughly 4 percent of gross domestic product in national defense. "Whether we stay at that level or rise above it is, of course, for the American people to decide, but we ought to have that discussion," he said. "Maintaining a force that is correctly shaped, sized, trained and equipped so that we may adequately defend our nation is our most pressing long-term problem."
The military needs to be able to fight counterinsurgencies, but some regional threats also require conventional capabilities. The Navy has a power-projection mission that requires more than the 280 ships currently afloat.
In the Army and Marine Corps forces need to fill gaps. "There are young Marines who have never deployed aboard a Navy ship, and Army officers who have not been able to focus on their mission of providing artillery fire support," he said. "We must be able to fight with equal vigor the savage wars of peace and the fractured peace that could be major war in the future."
Mullen told the officers that they must have a more balanced view of the world. The War College class has 43 international fellows including officers from Egypt, Romania, Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Mongolia, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico. "These individuals have given you a glimpse of the world through their eyes," Mullen said.
He urged the students to stay in contact, saying this will help build relationships and broaden perspectives.
"We must understand intimately how others see the world -- our friends and our enemies -- and where we reside in that worldview," the chairman said. "We must read their books, speak their languages, understand their cultures, and learn their histories, so we can know who they are and where they are going."
Mullen also recalled his trip to the Pacific and Pakistan earlier this week. He said the trip illustrated the need for balance in the military and the need to address a range of missions. U.S. Pacific Command forces operate daily across the range of military activities from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief -- such as recent humanitarian missions supplying aid to China and Burma -- to counterterrorist operations and foreign internal defense -- such as operations under way in the Philippines. In addition, Pacific Command forces train and exercise with conventional forces in the Republic of Korea.
"U.S. forces worldwide must likewise be able to provide our civilian leaders a wide range of options for deterrence escalation and de-escalation and, wherever we can, a helping hand," Mullen said.
The War College graduation was held at 9 a.m. and the temperature already was climbing into the mid-90s. The audience turned programs into fans and sought shade from the sun that broke through the fog just in time for the ceremony. The graduation was on the parade ground that once saw the stamp of militia raised for the French and Indian War.
Gates to Travel to Air Force Bases as Show of Support
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will travel next week to Air Force bases in the United States, hoping to show his support for airmen in the wake of the resignations of the service's two top officials. Gates accepted the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley yesterday following an investigation revealing a decline in focus, performance and effective leadership in the Air Force's nuclear program.
Gates will leave June 9 for a two-day trip that will take him to Langley Air Force Base, Va., Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and possibly a third base, officials said.
During the trip, Gates will "reinforce the messages ... about the supreme importance of safeguarding our nuclear arsenal and its associated components, and how there is no room for error in this line of work, [while] at the same also conveying to airmen ... his support for their efforts in the global war on terror, and his commitment to work with them to improve the Air Force," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.
"[Airmen] shouldn't confuse issues he's had with their leadership with any lack of support for their effort in the war," Morrell said. "Fundamentally, this is an outreach to airmen. I don't think he wants them to be left with the impressions that he has any problems with the Air Force other than those identified ... with regards to the handling of nuclear components."
Morrell said the secretary has nominees in mind to replace Wynne and Moseley and hopes to announce his choices soon, most likely before he leaves on his trip. Gates has spoken to President Bush about his picks for the jobs, but it was not in the form of a formal recommendation, Morrell said.
A Pentagon official speaking on background said the secretary is strongly considering recommending Michael B. Donley, the director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Donley was sworn into his current job in 2005.
Wynne and Moseley will remain in their posts until new leaders are in place. Gates announced Wynne's and Moseley's resignations after the release of a report detailing the accidental shipment of four non-nuclear ballistic missile nose-cone assembly components rather than the intended helicopter batteries to Taiwan in August 2006.
After visiting the bases, Gates will travel on to Brussels, Belgium, on June 11 for a NATO defense ministers conference.
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will travel next week to Air Force bases in the United States, hoping to show his support for airmen in the wake of the resignations of the service's two top officials. Gates accepted the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley yesterday following an investigation revealing a decline in focus, performance and effective leadership in the Air Force's nuclear program.
Gates will leave June 9 for a two-day trip that will take him to Langley Air Force Base, Va., Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and possibly a third base, officials said.
During the trip, Gates will "reinforce the messages ... about the supreme importance of safeguarding our nuclear arsenal and its associated components, and how there is no room for error in this line of work, [while] at the same also conveying to airmen ... his support for their efforts in the global war on terror, and his commitment to work with them to improve the Air Force," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.
"[Airmen] shouldn't confuse issues he's had with their leadership with any lack of support for their effort in the war," Morrell said. "Fundamentally, this is an outreach to airmen. I don't think he wants them to be left with the impressions that he has any problems with the Air Force other than those identified ... with regards to the handling of nuclear components."
Morrell said the secretary has nominees in mind to replace Wynne and Moseley and hopes to announce his choices soon, most likely before he leaves on his trip. Gates has spoken to President Bush about his picks for the jobs, but it was not in the form of a formal recommendation, Morrell said.
A Pentagon official speaking on background said the secretary is strongly considering recommending Michael B. Donley, the director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Donley was sworn into his current job in 2005.
Wynne and Moseley will remain in their posts until new leaders are in place. Gates announced Wynne's and Moseley's resignations after the release of a report detailing the accidental shipment of four non-nuclear ballistic missile nose-cone assembly components rather than the intended helicopter batteries to Taiwan in August 2006.
After visiting the bases, Gates will travel on to Brussels, Belgium, on June 11 for a NATO defense ministers conference.
Military Looks to Synthetics, Conservation to Cut Fuel Bills
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - With fuel prices soaring and no apparent end in sight, the Defense Department is feeling the pinch in its pocketbook and is looking for ways to save through conservation and alternative fuels programs. The Defense Department is "probably the largest single user of petroleum products in the world," so rising energy costs are a major concern, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a questioner at the Asia Security Summit in Singapore earlier this week.
"Every time the price of oil goes up by $1 per barrel, it costs us about $130 million, and frankly, my credit card limit is getting narrow on that," Gates said.
Particularly in light of wartime operations, the impact is significant. Defense Energy Support Center statistics show that the military spent $12.6 billion on jet fuel, diesel and other fuels in 2007, with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan consuming $1.7 billion of that total.
Spiraling fuel costs in 2008 and their effect in fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, have forced department officials to return to Congress for additional funding to cover the shortfall. But the department is increasingly looking to other options, Gates told his Asian counterparts during the three-day security conference, citing efforts ranging from synthetic fuels initiatives to fuel reclaiming aimed at curbing fuel demand as well as costs.
Gates noted that the Air Force recently achieved milestones using synthetic fuels that cost significantly less than their petroleum counterparts. In March, a B-1B Lancer became the first Air Force aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using a 50/50 blend of synthetic and petroleum gases.
The fuel, derived from natural gas, is being tested as part of an ongoing Air Force program to help the environment and to use a fuel produced domestically.
Air Force officials previously have tested the fuel blend in the B-52 Stratofortress, the first aircraft to use the fuel, and the C-17 Globemaster III.
Meanwhile, engineers at Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tennessee wrapped up alternative fuel testing on the first fighter jet engine in May. The test used a synthetic blend in the engine for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
"The goal is to have every aircraft using synthetic fuel blends by 2011," Air Force Maj. Don Rhymer, of the Air Force Alternative Fuels Certification Office, told the Air Force News Agency. "By 2016, we hope at least 50 percent of this fuel will be produced domestically."
While experimenting with synthetic fuels, the Defense Department is exploring other fuel-saving options. "We are looking at ways to recapture used petroleum products and refine then, and we are looking at various conservation measures," Gates said at the Asia Security Summit.
Gates described some of the recovery efforts he witnessed during a May 1 visit to Red River Army Depot, Texas, during testimony later that month before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The depot contracts with a private company that retrieves gasoline, oil and other fluids in the Humvees, Stryker armored vehicles, tanks and other vehicles brought to the depot for maintenance, Gates told the senators. The company then refines and sells the fluids, with Red River Army Depot getting a share of the profits.
"So they make several million dollars back for the taxpayers simply by not throwing away these used fuel and petroleum products," Gates said.
Gates called this an example of how the Defense Department supports broader conservation efforts. "I think that we do have a contribution to make, but I would say that it is very much in a supporting role," he said at the Asia Security Summit.
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates of the Air Forces New Agency and Janaé Daniels of the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center contributed to this article.)
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - With fuel prices soaring and no apparent end in sight, the Defense Department is feeling the pinch in its pocketbook and is looking for ways to save through conservation and alternative fuels programs. The Defense Department is "probably the largest single user of petroleum products in the world," so rising energy costs are a major concern, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a questioner at the Asia Security Summit in Singapore earlier this week.
"Every time the price of oil goes up by $1 per barrel, it costs us about $130 million, and frankly, my credit card limit is getting narrow on that," Gates said.
Particularly in light of wartime operations, the impact is significant. Defense Energy Support Center statistics show that the military spent $12.6 billion on jet fuel, diesel and other fuels in 2007, with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan consuming $1.7 billion of that total.
Spiraling fuel costs in 2008 and their effect in fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, have forced department officials to return to Congress for additional funding to cover the shortfall. But the department is increasingly looking to other options, Gates told his Asian counterparts during the three-day security conference, citing efforts ranging from synthetic fuels initiatives to fuel reclaiming aimed at curbing fuel demand as well as costs.
Gates noted that the Air Force recently achieved milestones using synthetic fuels that cost significantly less than their petroleum counterparts. In March, a B-1B Lancer became the first Air Force aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using a 50/50 blend of synthetic and petroleum gases.
The fuel, derived from natural gas, is being tested as part of an ongoing Air Force program to help the environment and to use a fuel produced domestically.
Air Force officials previously have tested the fuel blend in the B-52 Stratofortress, the first aircraft to use the fuel, and the C-17 Globemaster III.
Meanwhile, engineers at Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tennessee wrapped up alternative fuel testing on the first fighter jet engine in May. The test used a synthetic blend in the engine for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
"The goal is to have every aircraft using synthetic fuel blends by 2011," Air Force Maj. Don Rhymer, of the Air Force Alternative Fuels Certification Office, told the Air Force News Agency. "By 2016, we hope at least 50 percent of this fuel will be produced domestically."
While experimenting with synthetic fuels, the Defense Department is exploring other fuel-saving options. "We are looking at ways to recapture used petroleum products and refine then, and we are looking at various conservation measures," Gates said at the Asia Security Summit.
Gates described some of the recovery efforts he witnessed during a May 1 visit to Red River Army Depot, Texas, during testimony later that month before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The depot contracts with a private company that retrieves gasoline, oil and other fluids in the Humvees, Stryker armored vehicles, tanks and other vehicles brought to the depot for maintenance, Gates told the senators. The company then refines and sells the fluids, with Red River Army Depot getting a share of the profits.
"So they make several million dollars back for the taxpayers simply by not throwing away these used fuel and petroleum products," Gates said.
Gates called this an example of how the Defense Department supports broader conservation efforts. "I think that we do have a contribution to make, but I would say that it is very much in a supporting role," he said at the Asia Security Summit.
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates of the Air Forces New Agency and Janaé Daniels of the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center contributed to this article.)
Saturday, June 07, 2008
USNS Mercy Mission Forms Partnerships, Provides Medical Help
by Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - Forming partnerships with host and partner nations while offering medical assistance are key elements provided during the Pacific Partnership 2008 deployment aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy, the ship's civil service master said yesterday. Since deploying May 1, Mercy has visited three provinces in the Philippines and is expected to visit four other countries.
"The planning of this mission began many, many months ago, and it began by the requests of the host nations to partner with them to provide humanitarian assistance and civil assistance," Navy Capt. James P. Rice, commanding officer of the medical treatment facility aboard Mercy, said in a teleconference with online journalists and bloggers.
Rice said many host-nation health care providers operate side by side with the Mercy staff.
"We have networked with the local health care system and the ministries of health to [ensure after-care is provided] to transition those patients into their health care system," Rice added.
During the deployment, Mercy also will visit Vietnam, East Timor and Micronesia, offering medical assistance, repairing infrastructures and providing donated medical equipment for the host nation's use.
"This is a full-service hospital with everything you would expect to find in a hospital back home," Rice said. "We have lots of capability to include medicine, pediatrics and surgery, as well as the ability to put people in the host nation and provide medical and dental care ashore."
Since their stop in the Philippines, Mercy's crew has seen more than 14,000 patients through medical and dental civil action programs ashore. Aboard Mercy, some 200 surgeries have been performed and 400 patients have been seen.
Civil service master Capt. Robert T. Wiley, commanding officer of Mercy, said many miracles have taken place aboard Mercy, such as a surgery that allowed a young boy with a crippling injury to walk.
"Six years ago, he was injured in a bomb explosion and his right leg was bent at the knee," Wiley said. "They did skin grafts and orthopedic surgery, and they got the leg to straighten."
He added that yesterday, in physical therapy aboard Mercy, the 14-year old boy walked for the first time with crutches.
Other miracles are being performed, such as 53 cleft lip palate surgeries performed by Operation Smile, or the 22-pound tumor recently removed from a Filipina woman, Wiley said. "In 2006, aboard Mercy, we took out a larger tumor, which was close to 30 or 40 pounds," he added.
The crew of Mercy is thrilled to participate in the Pacific Partnership 2008 mission, the ship's civil service master said.
"People who go to medical school and decide to wear the uniform are so excited about being here," he said. "This is their mission; they are at the tip of the spear and are extremely excited about this."
Accompanying the Mercy crew are doctors and dentists from Japan, Canada and Australia, but as the deployment continues, they will be welcoming medical practitioners from Chili, Portugal, Singapore and Indonesia. Nongovernmental organizations, such as Project HOPE also are accompanying the crew of Mercy.
"This is a great value to work together on a humanitarian basis, ... to prepare us to work together in a disaster situation where we already know each other and [will] be comfortable working together," Rice said.
Rice explained other capabilities Mercy also brings to the countries it visits.
"We have brought preventive medicine and environmental health providers on board to help with sanitation inspections and other public health preventative medicine programs," Rice said.
Mercy also has veterinarians aboard, performing important work on animals, which are a defining component of some host nations' economic stability, he added.
Construction battalion engineers round out the crew. They are actively engaged in a variety of projects ranging from repairing roofs and schools to replacing windows.
"All this will have an impact on their educational ability. By having a nice structure that will allow them to educate their children, there will be a long-term benefit," Rice said.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - Forming partnerships with host and partner nations while offering medical assistance are key elements provided during the Pacific Partnership 2008 deployment aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy, the ship's civil service master said yesterday. Since deploying May 1, Mercy has visited three provinces in the Philippines and is expected to visit four other countries.
"The planning of this mission began many, many months ago, and it began by the requests of the host nations to partner with them to provide humanitarian assistance and civil assistance," Navy Capt. James P. Rice, commanding officer of the medical treatment facility aboard Mercy, said in a teleconference with online journalists and bloggers.
Rice said many host-nation health care providers operate side by side with the Mercy staff.
"We have networked with the local health care system and the ministries of health to [ensure after-care is provided] to transition those patients into their health care system," Rice added.
During the deployment, Mercy also will visit Vietnam, East Timor and Micronesia, offering medical assistance, repairing infrastructures and providing donated medical equipment for the host nation's use.
"This is a full-service hospital with everything you would expect to find in a hospital back home," Rice said. "We have lots of capability to include medicine, pediatrics and surgery, as well as the ability to put people in the host nation and provide medical and dental care ashore."
Since their stop in the Philippines, Mercy's crew has seen more than 14,000 patients through medical and dental civil action programs ashore. Aboard Mercy, some 200 surgeries have been performed and 400 patients have been seen.
Civil service master Capt. Robert T. Wiley, commanding officer of Mercy, said many miracles have taken place aboard Mercy, such as a surgery that allowed a young boy with a crippling injury to walk.
"Six years ago, he was injured in a bomb explosion and his right leg was bent at the knee," Wiley said. "They did skin grafts and orthopedic surgery, and they got the leg to straighten."
He added that yesterday, in physical therapy aboard Mercy, the 14-year old boy walked for the first time with crutches.
Other miracles are being performed, such as 53 cleft lip palate surgeries performed by Operation Smile, or the 22-pound tumor recently removed from a Filipina woman, Wiley said. "In 2006, aboard Mercy, we took out a larger tumor, which was close to 30 or 40 pounds," he added.
The crew of Mercy is thrilled to participate in the Pacific Partnership 2008 mission, the ship's civil service master said.
"People who go to medical school and decide to wear the uniform are so excited about being here," he said. "This is their mission; they are at the tip of the spear and are extremely excited about this."
Accompanying the Mercy crew are doctors and dentists from Japan, Canada and Australia, but as the deployment continues, they will be welcoming medical practitioners from Chili, Portugal, Singapore and Indonesia. Nongovernmental organizations, such as Project HOPE also are accompanying the crew of Mercy.
"This is a great value to work together on a humanitarian basis, ... to prepare us to work together in a disaster situation where we already know each other and [will] be comfortable working together," Rice said.
Rice explained other capabilities Mercy also brings to the countries it visits.
"We have brought preventive medicine and environmental health providers on board to help with sanitation inspections and other public health preventative medicine programs," Rice said.
Mercy also has veterinarians aboard, performing important work on animals, which are a defining component of some host nations' economic stability, he added.
Construction battalion engineers round out the crew. They are actively engaged in a variety of projects ranging from repairing roofs and schools to replacing windows.
"All this will have an impact on their educational ability. By having a nice structure that will allow them to educate their children, there will be a long-term benefit," Rice said.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
NYPD Emergency Services Unit
Editor's Note: The guest is a Vietnam Vet.
June 5, 2008, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) On June 11, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature an interview with Retired NYPD Detective and former member of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, Alan Sheppard.
Program Date: June 11, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: NYPD Emergency Services Unit
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/06/12/The-Watering-Hole
About the Guest
In the late 1960s, Detective Alan Sheppard, NYPD (ret.), served two years with the United States Army. His service included deployment with the 101st Airborne Division to the Republic of South Vietnam. In 1969, Alan Sheppard joined the New York City Police Department. His first assignment was as a patrol officer in the 81st Precinct which is located in the north central area of the borough of Brooklyn. This neighborhood is known as "Bedford Stuyvesant." A small section along the southern border is referred to Stuyvesant Heights.
In 1974, Alan Sheppard was assigned the Emergency Service Unit. The Emergency Services Unit of the NYPD is nation’s largest permanent emergency response team with over 400 personnel. The “ESU” provides specialized equipment, expertise and support; “from auto accidents to building collapses to hostage situations, ESU officers are called on when the situation requires advanced equipment and expertise.” In 1985, Alan Sheppard was assigned to the NYPD Intelligence Division and given dual status with the United States Marshals. In 1988, he worked an undercover assignment and in 1989 he was assigned to the Major Case Squad. Detective Alan Sheppard, NYPD (ret.) is the author of E-Man: Life in the NYPD Emergency Services Unit.
According to Lieutenant Vernon Gebreth, NYPD (ret.), “Sheppard served in the NYPD during the urban warfare years and received his Baptism of Fire at the Williamsburg Siege. He was a decorated hero of the NYPD and member of the elite Emergency Services Unit (ESU). In his book, E-Man Al takes the reader on a non-stop roller coaster ride of emotions as he reveals life on the streets through the eyes of a combatant during the turbulent times and the work of the Emergency Services Unit—the same unit that the Police call when they need Help.”
According to one reader, Alan Sheppard’s book, “is a fast paced account of a true story about a cop who not only carried people from burning buildings and off of bridges high above the waters of NYC but also saved a fellow cop from sure death by shooting his killer dead. You will not be able to put this book down! I urge to read how some people don't imagine how to be a hero but actually become one.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
June 5, 2008, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) On June 11, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature an interview with Retired NYPD Detective and former member of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, Alan Sheppard.
Program Date: June 11, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: NYPD Emergency Services Unit
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/06/12/The-Watering-Hole
About the Guest
In the late 1960s, Detective Alan Sheppard, NYPD (ret.), served two years with the United States Army. His service included deployment with the 101st Airborne Division to the Republic of South Vietnam. In 1969, Alan Sheppard joined the New York City Police Department. His first assignment was as a patrol officer in the 81st Precinct which is located in the north central area of the borough of Brooklyn. This neighborhood is known as "Bedford Stuyvesant." A small section along the southern border is referred to Stuyvesant Heights.
In 1974, Alan Sheppard was assigned the Emergency Service Unit. The Emergency Services Unit of the NYPD is nation’s largest permanent emergency response team with over 400 personnel. The “ESU” provides specialized equipment, expertise and support; “from auto accidents to building collapses to hostage situations, ESU officers are called on when the situation requires advanced equipment and expertise.” In 1985, Alan Sheppard was assigned to the NYPD Intelligence Division and given dual status with the United States Marshals. In 1988, he worked an undercover assignment and in 1989 he was assigned to the Major Case Squad. Detective Alan Sheppard, NYPD (ret.) is the author of E-Man: Life in the NYPD Emergency Services Unit.
According to Lieutenant Vernon Gebreth, NYPD (ret.), “Sheppard served in the NYPD during the urban warfare years and received his Baptism of Fire at the Williamsburg Siege. He was a decorated hero of the NYPD and member of the elite Emergency Services Unit (ESU). In his book, E-Man Al takes the reader on a non-stop roller coaster ride of emotions as he reveals life on the streets through the eyes of a combatant during the turbulent times and the work of the Emergency Services Unit—the same unit that the Police call when they need Help.”
According to one reader, Alan Sheppard’s book, “is a fast paced account of a true story about a cop who not only carried people from burning buildings and off of bridges high above the waters of NYC but also saved a fellow cop from sure death by shooting his killer dead. You will not be able to put this book down! I urge to read how some people don't imagine how to be a hero but actually become one.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
New Computer Banner Balances Security, Privacy Considerations
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - A new notice on Defense Department computer screens ensures users understand that their e-mails are subject to monitoring, but also reinforces specific user privacy and confidentiality protections, the department's chief information officer said. The new language represents the first change since 1997 to the "notice and consent" banner that appears each time a user logs onto a Defense Department network or information system.
While clarifying the scope of the Defense Department's authorized monitoring of its networks and information systems, the revised language "absolutely preserves" user privacy and confidentiality guaranteed by law, according to John G. Grimes, assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration.
"These changes to the banner and user agreement language help clarify the user's understanding of the broad nature of DoD's authorized monitoring practices, while simultaneously reaffirming DoD's commitment to respecting and protecting important private and confidential communications that are guaranteed for its personnel," Grimes said.
Communications between Defense Department users and their attorneys, clergy or psychotherapists are considered "privileged" and protected from monitoring.
"Although DoD has a long history of respecting such privileged relationships, the previous banner language did not expressly identify this protection for the user," Grimes said. "For the first time ever, the DoD banner and user agreement now specifically addresses these important protections."
The new banner notifies users that their systems may be monitored for "penetration testing, COMSEC (communications security) monitoring, network defense, quality control, and employee misconduct, law enforcement and counterintelligence investigations."
It also includes a paragraph clarifying that passwords, access cards, encryption and biometric access controls are used to provide security for the benefit of the government – not to provide personal privacy to employees.
The notice also will appear on government BlackBerry devices and other personal digital assistants and personal electronic devices, although the wording will be shorter than on computers.
Grimes emphasized that monitoring activities covered by the new banner language have been in effect for "a long time," but were not specifically named in the 1997-era banner language.
The new verbiage spells out the policy in light of a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces decision. The court ruled that the previous banner warning did not state clearly enough that employees have only limited privacy rights when using government computer systems.
In that case, a servicemember received notice that she was required to undergo a random urinalysis test. She, in turn, e-mailed several other people, discussing her fear that her drug use would be detected and the steps she had taken to avoid detection, officials in Grimes' office explained. Investigators used those e-mails as evidence in a prosecution. The servicemember was convicted and sentenced, but an appellate court set aside the findings and sentence, because the banner did not clearly state that there was no right of privacy in e-mails.
The revised banner will ensure all users of government computer systems understand the limited privacy protections, officials said.
Defense Department officials said monitoring is critical in ensuring government systems aren't compromised by viruses or hackers, and to identify threats as early as possible. "In order to protect DoD information systems, DoD needs to be able to monitor all traffic flowing through and across DoD systems," an official said.
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - A new notice on Defense Department computer screens ensures users understand that their e-mails are subject to monitoring, but also reinforces specific user privacy and confidentiality protections, the department's chief information officer said. The new language represents the first change since 1997 to the "notice and consent" banner that appears each time a user logs onto a Defense Department network or information system.
While clarifying the scope of the Defense Department's authorized monitoring of its networks and information systems, the revised language "absolutely preserves" user privacy and confidentiality guaranteed by law, according to John G. Grimes, assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration.
"These changes to the banner and user agreement language help clarify the user's understanding of the broad nature of DoD's authorized monitoring practices, while simultaneously reaffirming DoD's commitment to respecting and protecting important private and confidential communications that are guaranteed for its personnel," Grimes said.
Communications between Defense Department users and their attorneys, clergy or psychotherapists are considered "privileged" and protected from monitoring.
"Although DoD has a long history of respecting such privileged relationships, the previous banner language did not expressly identify this protection for the user," Grimes said. "For the first time ever, the DoD banner and user agreement now specifically addresses these important protections."
The new banner notifies users that their systems may be monitored for "penetration testing, COMSEC (communications security) monitoring, network defense, quality control, and employee misconduct, law enforcement and counterintelligence investigations."
It also includes a paragraph clarifying that passwords, access cards, encryption and biometric access controls are used to provide security for the benefit of the government – not to provide personal privacy to employees.
The notice also will appear on government BlackBerry devices and other personal digital assistants and personal electronic devices, although the wording will be shorter than on computers.
Grimes emphasized that monitoring activities covered by the new banner language have been in effect for "a long time," but were not specifically named in the 1997-era banner language.
The new verbiage spells out the policy in light of a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces decision. The court ruled that the previous banner warning did not state clearly enough that employees have only limited privacy rights when using government computer systems.
In that case, a servicemember received notice that she was required to undergo a random urinalysis test. She, in turn, e-mailed several other people, discussing her fear that her drug use would be detected and the steps she had taken to avoid detection, officials in Grimes' office explained. Investigators used those e-mails as evidence in a prosecution. The servicemember was convicted and sentenced, but an appellate court set aside the findings and sentence, because the banner did not clearly state that there was no right of privacy in e-mails.
The revised banner will ensure all users of government computer systems understand the limited privacy protections, officials said.
Defense Department officials said monitoring is critical in ensuring government systems aren't compromised by viruses or hackers, and to identify threats as early as possible. "In order to protect DoD information systems, DoD needs to be able to monitor all traffic flowing through and across DoD systems," an official said.
Friday, June 06, 2008
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 6, 2008
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying an undefinitized, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc., of El Segundo, Calif., not to exceed $75,000,000. This undefinitized contract action will authorize Boeing to conduct additional Risk Reduction and System Definition (RR&SD) baseline efforts as well as adding two tasks. First, they will perform an Industrial Base Impact Study which assumes a Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT) Development and Production contract start date of 1 July 2008. The study will include the assumption of a start date 6 months thereafter through a total delay of 24 months. Second, they will develop system definition and design concepts and present the results in the form of an Interim Design Review (IDR) for two Government-provided alternative TSAT program requirements sets (TSAT "Digital Core" and 'TSAT-Lite"). The prime contractor for this effort is Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. At this time $37,500,000 has been obligated. HQMCSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-04-C-0022/P00046).
The Air Force is modifying an undefinitized, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with Lockheed Martin Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif., not to exceed $75,000,000. This undefinitized contract action will authorize Lockheed Martin to conduct additional Risk Reduction and System Definition (RR&SD) baseline efforts as well as adding two tasks. First, they will perform an Industrial Base Impact Study which assumes a Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT) Development and Production contract start date of 1 July 2008. The study will include the assumption of a start date 6 months thereafter through a total delay of 24 months. Second, they will develop system definition and design concepts and present the results in the form of an Interim Design Review (IDR) for two Government-provided alternative TSAT program requirements sets (TSAT "Digital Core" and "TSAT-Lite"). The prime contractor for this effort is effort is the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Approximately 33 percent of the work will performed by Lockheed Martin Corporation, Sunnyvale, California. The remaining 67 percent of the work will be performed by subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Missile Systems Corp, One Space Park, Redondo Beach, Calif., 90278. At this time $37,500,000 has been obligated. HQMCSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-04-C-0023/P00047).
The Air Force is modifying a firm-fixed-price contract with Raytheon Company, Missile Systems of Tucson, Ariz., for $44,820,181. This action will provide Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Air Intercept Missile (AIM) 120-C7 Software Tapes 18A/20. This effort supports foreign military sales to Greece and Taiwan. This action is a modification to the AMRAAM Production Lot 21 contract. At this time $17,362,439 has been obligated. 695ARSS, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-07-C-0055 P00010).
The Air Force is modifying a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract with Wyle Laboratories, Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., for an estimated $6,626,355. The Reliability Information Analysis Center will perform NAVAIR aviation readiness and resource analysis program lifecycle support. At this time no funds have been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (HC1047-05-D-4005, DO 0013, Modification 21).
Canadian Commercial Corporation of Ottawa, Canada, is being awarded a firm-fixed price contract for $5,699,233. This action will provide Manufactured by Pyrogenesis Canada Inc., Montreal, Canada for delivery and installation at Hurlburt Field, AFB, Florida. At this time $3,716,000 has been obligated. Specialized Contracting, HQ AFSOC/A7KQ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA0021-08-C-0002).
ARMY
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc., Houston, Texas, was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $33,381,645 firm-fixed price contract for the construction of a primary health care clinic. Work will be performed at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Feb. 14, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0024).
Benham Constructors, LLC, Oklahoma City, Okla., was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $31,379,729 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of a consolidated fuel, overhaul, repair and test facility. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Okla., and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Aug. 21, 2007, and three bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Tulsa, Okla., is the contracting activity (W912BV-08-C-2004).
Manhattan Construction, Falls Church, Va., was awarded on June 4, 2008, a $24,380,000 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of the museum support center. Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, Va., and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Dec. 14, 2007, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0032).
FN Manufacturing, LLC, Columbia, S.C., was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $16,079,649 firm-fixed price contract for M240B machine guns. Work will be performed in Columbia, S.C., and s expected to be completed by Dec. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Nov. 2, 2006, and five bids were received. U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, Rock Islands, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-07-D-0319).
Applied Energetics, Inc., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on June 4, 2008, a $9,280,801 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for the continued development and production of ten counter improved explosive devise systems plus spares, operator training and technical support for an overseas operational assessment. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by June 4, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on April 3, 2008. U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. is the contracting activity (W91CRB-08-C-0080).
The Air Force is modifying an undefinitized, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc., of El Segundo, Calif., not to exceed $75,000,000. This undefinitized contract action will authorize Boeing to conduct additional Risk Reduction and System Definition (RR&SD) baseline efforts as well as adding two tasks. First, they will perform an Industrial Base Impact Study which assumes a Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT) Development and Production contract start date of 1 July 2008. The study will include the assumption of a start date 6 months thereafter through a total delay of 24 months. Second, they will develop system definition and design concepts and present the results in the form of an Interim Design Review (IDR) for two Government-provided alternative TSAT program requirements sets (TSAT "Digital Core" and 'TSAT-Lite"). The prime contractor for this effort is Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. At this time $37,500,000 has been obligated. HQMCSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-04-C-0022/P00046).
The Air Force is modifying an undefinitized, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with Lockheed Martin Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif., not to exceed $75,000,000. This undefinitized contract action will authorize Lockheed Martin to conduct additional Risk Reduction and System Definition (RR&SD) baseline efforts as well as adding two tasks. First, they will perform an Industrial Base Impact Study which assumes a Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT) Development and Production contract start date of 1 July 2008. The study will include the assumption of a start date 6 months thereafter through a total delay of 24 months. Second, they will develop system definition and design concepts and present the results in the form of an Interim Design Review (IDR) for two Government-provided alternative TSAT program requirements sets (TSAT "Digital Core" and "TSAT-Lite"). The prime contractor for this effort is effort is the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Approximately 33 percent of the work will performed by Lockheed Martin Corporation, Sunnyvale, California. The remaining 67 percent of the work will be performed by subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Missile Systems Corp, One Space Park, Redondo Beach, Calif., 90278. At this time $37,500,000 has been obligated. HQMCSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-04-C-0023/P00047).
The Air Force is modifying a firm-fixed-price contract with Raytheon Company, Missile Systems of Tucson, Ariz., for $44,820,181. This action will provide Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Air Intercept Missile (AIM) 120-C7 Software Tapes 18A/20. This effort supports foreign military sales to Greece and Taiwan. This action is a modification to the AMRAAM Production Lot 21 contract. At this time $17,362,439 has been obligated. 695ARSS, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-07-C-0055 P00010).
The Air Force is modifying a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract with Wyle Laboratories, Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., for an estimated $6,626,355. The Reliability Information Analysis Center will perform NAVAIR aviation readiness and resource analysis program lifecycle support. At this time no funds have been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (HC1047-05-D-4005, DO 0013, Modification 21).
Canadian Commercial Corporation of Ottawa, Canada, is being awarded a firm-fixed price contract for $5,699,233. This action will provide Manufactured by Pyrogenesis Canada Inc., Montreal, Canada for delivery and installation at Hurlburt Field, AFB, Florida. At this time $3,716,000 has been obligated. Specialized Contracting, HQ AFSOC/A7KQ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA0021-08-C-0002).
ARMY
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc., Houston, Texas, was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $33,381,645 firm-fixed price contract for the construction of a primary health care clinic. Work will be performed at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Feb. 14, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0024).
Benham Constructors, LLC, Oklahoma City, Okla., was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $31,379,729 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of a consolidated fuel, overhaul, repair and test facility. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Okla., and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Aug. 21, 2007, and three bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Tulsa, Okla., is the contracting activity (W912BV-08-C-2004).
Manhattan Construction, Falls Church, Va., was awarded on June 4, 2008, a $24,380,000 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of the museum support center. Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, Va., and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Dec. 14, 2007, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0032).
FN Manufacturing, LLC, Columbia, S.C., was awarded on June 5, 2008, a $16,079,649 firm-fixed price contract for M240B machine guns. Work will be performed in Columbia, S.C., and s expected to be completed by Dec. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Nov. 2, 2006, and five bids were received. U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, Rock Islands, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-07-D-0319).
Applied Energetics, Inc., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on June 4, 2008, a $9,280,801 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for the continued development and production of ten counter improved explosive devise systems plus spares, operator training and technical support for an overseas operational assessment. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by June 4, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on April 3, 2008. U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. is the contracting activity (W91CRB-08-C-0080).
Assistance Center Provides Expertise for Humanitarian Missions Worldwide
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - A special organization within the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., works with the U.S. military's combatant commanders to assess worldwide nations' capabilities for surveillance of infections and how quickly they can respond to an outbreak. Part of USUHS's Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine develops interagency relationships across the federal government and with nongovernmental organizations, Army Col. (Dr.) Charles Beadling, the center's director, said in an interview on the "Dot Mil Docs" program on BlogTalkRadio.com.
"We provide reach-back expertise for the critical management of disasters and humanitarian assistance medicine around the world," Beadling said.
This week, the center has a team supporting U.S. Pacific Command with a conference on avian influenza and pandemic influenza prevention for the island nations in the South Pacific.
"Our team works with the combatant commander's medical staff to assist allied host nations with developing surveillance capabilities and response plans," Beadling explained.
The center is uniquely postured by being part of an academic center with access to subject-matter experts in many relevant specialties, especially public health, Beadling said. The center was created in 1999, through direct congressional action.
"We also augment the education of military medical officers here at the School of Medicine to specialize expertise, consultation and teaching," Beadling said. "This better prepares them for their future careers."
Since its creation, the center has reached around the globe offering its unique services.
"We have a team in Australia that's working with the island nations of the South Pacific to specifically look at their programs for education, prevention, surveillance and response," Beadling said.
In other parts of the world, the center is working not only on prevention or surveillance, but also on issues such as land mine victims' assistance efforts in the Central African country of Chad.
"Chad has a long history of warfare along its borders, and therefore has numerous unexploded remnants of war that are a hazard for the population, especially around water sources, lines of communication, [and] roads to market," Beadling explained.
Through the sponsorship of U.S. European Command, and now with the new U.S. Africa Command, the center has been working with government officials in Chad for the past three years to help to educate their de-mining organization in everything from first response to medical care for the population that may have been injured by exploded ordnance.
The center uses the Information Management System for Mine Action, a computer system that can be used to compare mine risk and mine activity around the world. "We can look at Chad to see how they compare to Yemen, Cambodia or the Balkans," Beadling said.
Through sponsorship by U.S. Central Command and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, the center also helps the Afghan government with consultation and expertise to assist in developing infrastructure for the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.
"Our program is designed to improve the health care infrastructure that is directly providing health care to that Afghan national security forces and their families," Beadling said.
In Latin America and the Caribbean Basin, the center pitches in through sponsorship by U.S. Southern Command. "[It's] one of our longest-running programs," Beadling noted. "We provide HIV/AIDS prevention assistance to the militaries of allied nations."
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - A special organization within the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., works with the U.S. military's combatant commanders to assess worldwide nations' capabilities for surveillance of infections and how quickly they can respond to an outbreak. Part of USUHS's Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine develops interagency relationships across the federal government and with nongovernmental organizations, Army Col. (Dr.) Charles Beadling, the center's director, said in an interview on the "Dot Mil Docs" program on BlogTalkRadio.com.
"We provide reach-back expertise for the critical management of disasters and humanitarian assistance medicine around the world," Beadling said.
This week, the center has a team supporting U.S. Pacific Command with a conference on avian influenza and pandemic influenza prevention for the island nations in the South Pacific.
"Our team works with the combatant commander's medical staff to assist allied host nations with developing surveillance capabilities and response plans," Beadling explained.
The center is uniquely postured by being part of an academic center with access to subject-matter experts in many relevant specialties, especially public health, Beadling said. The center was created in 1999, through direct congressional action.
"We also augment the education of military medical officers here at the School of Medicine to specialize expertise, consultation and teaching," Beadling said. "This better prepares them for their future careers."
Since its creation, the center has reached around the globe offering its unique services.
"We have a team in Australia that's working with the island nations of the South Pacific to specifically look at their programs for education, prevention, surveillance and response," Beadling said.
In other parts of the world, the center is working not only on prevention or surveillance, but also on issues such as land mine victims' assistance efforts in the Central African country of Chad.
"Chad has a long history of warfare along its borders, and therefore has numerous unexploded remnants of war that are a hazard for the population, especially around water sources, lines of communication, [and] roads to market," Beadling explained.
Through the sponsorship of U.S. European Command, and now with the new U.S. Africa Command, the center has been working with government officials in Chad for the past three years to help to educate their de-mining organization in everything from first response to medical care for the population that may have been injured by exploded ordnance.
The center uses the Information Management System for Mine Action, a computer system that can be used to compare mine risk and mine activity around the world. "We can look at Chad to see how they compare to Yemen, Cambodia or the Balkans," Beadling said.
Through sponsorship by U.S. Central Command and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, the center also helps the Afghan government with consultation and expertise to assist in developing infrastructure for the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.
"Our program is designed to improve the health care infrastructure that is directly providing health care to that Afghan national security forces and their families," Beadling said.
In Latin America and the Caribbean Basin, the center pitches in through sponsorship by U.S. Southern Command. "[It's] one of our longest-running programs," Beadling noted. "We provide HIV/AIDS prevention assistance to the militaries of allied nations."
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg works in the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
America Supports You: Distillery Raises Glass to Troops, Support Group
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - With symbolic glasses raised on high, Jim Beam distillery offered a toast to U.S. servicemembers and their families with a $175,000 donation to Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to the nation's troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home.
In supporting the organization, Jim Beam honors it as part of the brand's renewed top-down commitment to its own original values of true character, integrity and doing the right thing, Jim Beam officials said in a news release announcing the donation.
"Jim Beam is doing the right thing by helping us keep military families and wounded warriors from homelessness and to keep these families safe and secure," said Amy Palmer, executive vice president of operations and development for Operation Homefront. "We're so grateful for this donation, which will allow us to enhance our support of the brave men and women in uniform and their families who are experiencing hardships."
The admiration is mutual.
"We're so proud of Operation Homefront and all that they do, so we're putting it right on our bottle," said Fred Noe, seventh-generation Beam distiller and self-described Beam family ambassador. "A special limited-edition Operation Homefront label is going on more than 500,000 bottles of Jim Beam bourbon."
In addition, Jim Beam has partnered with the ABC Fine Wine and Spirits chain in Florida to celebrate America and support the nation's military families.
"Jim Beam has the heritage of the only distilled spirit indigenous to America," said Andy Abernathy, senior vice president, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits. "As the largest bourbon retailer in the state, we are thrilled we can show respect for our country while providing our customers with an opportunity for them to support Operation Homefront."
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $1 for every 750 milliliter bottle of Jim Beam White and Jim Beam Black sold between June 1 and July 6. Patrons also will have a chance to learn more about the military and Operation Homefront at ABC Fine Wine and Spirit stores throughout the Sunshine State.
Operation Homefront and military personnel will greet customers at various locations, which will have military vehicles, including Humvees and tanks, on display, through July 6.
Jim Beam also is inviting its customers of legal drinking age to support the troops by posting a toast on its "The Stuff Inside" Web site. Toasts will appear on the site until July 4. Of those submitted, best toast or toasts that capture the spirit of "the stuff inside" may be considered for use in Jim Beam advertising, officials said.
Bottles of Jim Beam featuring the limited edition Operation Homefront labels are on store shelves now and are estimated to be available until July 4.
Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2008 - With symbolic glasses raised on high, Jim Beam distillery offered a toast to U.S. servicemembers and their families with a $175,000 donation to Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to the nation's troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home.
In supporting the organization, Jim Beam honors it as part of the brand's renewed top-down commitment to its own original values of true character, integrity and doing the right thing, Jim Beam officials said in a news release announcing the donation.
"Jim Beam is doing the right thing by helping us keep military families and wounded warriors from homelessness and to keep these families safe and secure," said Amy Palmer, executive vice president of operations and development for Operation Homefront. "We're so grateful for this donation, which will allow us to enhance our support of the brave men and women in uniform and their families who are experiencing hardships."
The admiration is mutual.
"We're so proud of Operation Homefront and all that they do, so we're putting it right on our bottle," said Fred Noe, seventh-generation Beam distiller and self-described Beam family ambassador. "A special limited-edition Operation Homefront label is going on more than 500,000 bottles of Jim Beam bourbon."
In addition, Jim Beam has partnered with the ABC Fine Wine and Spirits chain in Florida to celebrate America and support the nation's military families.
"Jim Beam has the heritage of the only distilled spirit indigenous to America," said Andy Abernathy, senior vice president, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits. "As the largest bourbon retailer in the state, we are thrilled we can show respect for our country while providing our customers with an opportunity for them to support Operation Homefront."
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $1 for every 750 milliliter bottle of Jim Beam White and Jim Beam Black sold between June 1 and July 6. Patrons also will have a chance to learn more about the military and Operation Homefront at ABC Fine Wine and Spirit stores throughout the Sunshine State.
Operation Homefront and military personnel will greet customers at various locations, which will have military vehicles, including Humvees and tanks, on display, through July 6.
Jim Beam also is inviting its customers of legal drinking age to support the troops by posting a toast on its "The Stuff Inside" Web site. Toasts will appear on the site until July 4. Of those submitted, best toast or toasts that capture the spirit of "the stuff inside" may be considered for use in Jim Beam advertising, officials said.
Bottles of Jim Beam featuring the limited edition Operation Homefront labels are on store shelves now and are estimated to be available until July 4.
Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Troops Anxious for GI Bill Revision, Mullen Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 5, 2008 - At every "all-hands" meeting he's had with troops from Zamboanga in the Philippines to Baghdad to Fort Bragg, N.C., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gets questions about changes to the GI Bill. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he is delighted that Congress is considering changes that would allow servicemembers to transfer their education benefit to children or spouses. Defense leaders are following the debate in Congress closely and are waiting to see the specifics of the changes, Mullen said.
"From our standpoint, it is transferability first and a more robust benefit second," the nation's top military officer said during an interview aboard a C-40 aircraft bringing him back from meetings in Pakistan today.
The chairman said he believes the GI Bill is a sound investment for America in people who have proven their worth and loyalty to the country.
"All servicemembers worth anything want to improve themselves and many enlist specifically for the educational benefits," Mullen said. That was true when he was commissioned in 1968, and it is true today, he said.
The young men and women in the military today "are serving at a level I have never seen before," Mullen added. "This benefit would enhance them, enhance the U.S. military and enhance the country."
Under one proposal, servicemembers could transfer educational benefits to spouses or children. Currently, only servicemembers and veterans can use the benefit. The proposed legislation is attached to the emergency supplemental funding bill for war operations that is awaiting passage.
In a May 21 news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates considers transferability of GI Bill benefits to family members "absolutely imperative." However, Morrell said, Gates has concerns about how some proposals for GI Bill enhancement would affect the all-volunteer force if they became law.
Gates advocates offering enhanced benefits after six years of service -- rather than the two years in some proposals under consideration in Congress -- to reward servicemembers who opt to re-enlist at least once, Morrell said.
"We are not trying to keep people here forever, but we are trying to create a system in which troops see the benefit of making a career out of the military," Morrell said at the news conference. "We make an enormous investment in their careers and their futures, and we think it would be very damaging to the all-volunteer force if they were to leave prematurely."
That would create big problems to the military, particularly as it confronts the global war on terror, he said. "Now, more than ever, we need to hold on to our superbly trained, battle-tested troops," Morrell said. "They are the key to victory in this conflict."
American Forces Press Service
June 5, 2008 - At every "all-hands" meeting he's had with troops from Zamboanga in the Philippines to Baghdad to Fort Bragg, N.C., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gets questions about changes to the GI Bill. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he is delighted that Congress is considering changes that would allow servicemembers to transfer their education benefit to children or spouses. Defense leaders are following the debate in Congress closely and are waiting to see the specifics of the changes, Mullen said.
"From our standpoint, it is transferability first and a more robust benefit second," the nation's top military officer said during an interview aboard a C-40 aircraft bringing him back from meetings in Pakistan today.
The chairman said he believes the GI Bill is a sound investment for America in people who have proven their worth and loyalty to the country.
"All servicemembers worth anything want to improve themselves and many enlist specifically for the educational benefits," Mullen said. That was true when he was commissioned in 1968, and it is true today, he said.
The young men and women in the military today "are serving at a level I have never seen before," Mullen added. "This benefit would enhance them, enhance the U.S. military and enhance the country."
Under one proposal, servicemembers could transfer educational benefits to spouses or children. Currently, only servicemembers and veterans can use the benefit. The proposed legislation is attached to the emergency supplemental funding bill for war operations that is awaiting passage.
In a May 21 news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates considers transferability of GI Bill benefits to family members "absolutely imperative." However, Morrell said, Gates has concerns about how some proposals for GI Bill enhancement would affect the all-volunteer force if they became law.
Gates advocates offering enhanced benefits after six years of service -- rather than the two years in some proposals under consideration in Congress -- to reward servicemembers who opt to re-enlist at least once, Morrell said.
"We are not trying to keep people here forever, but we are trying to create a system in which troops see the benefit of making a career out of the military," Morrell said at the news conference. "We make an enormous investment in their careers and their futures, and we think it would be very damaging to the all-volunteer force if they were to leave prematurely."
That would create big problems to the military, particularly as it confronts the global war on terror, he said. "Now, more than ever, we need to hold on to our superbly trained, battle-tested troops," Morrell said. "They are the key to victory in this conflict."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
