Shooting Incident Likely Was Random, Pentagon Says

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2010 – An early morning shooting at the Pentagon’s exterior walls today likely was a random event, the director of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency said.

No one was injured, and the threat level at the Pentagon has not been increased as a result of what Steven E. Calvery called “an isolated event.”

At about 4:55 a.m., Calvery said, Pentagon officers said up to seven shots rang out from the area of the Pentagon’s south parking lot. Access was halted to the lot and all building entrances.

“Pentagon police, Virginia State Police and Arlington County Police conducted sweeps of the area, with no initial findings,” he said The reservation was declared safe and reopened at 5:40 a.m.”

A subsequent interior search revealed that bullets shattered exterior windows on the Pentagon’s third and fourth floors, but did not penetrate them, Calvery said. As a result, he added, Virginia State Police shut down portions of Interstate 395 and its high-occupancy vehicle lanes to look for any potential evidence.

The offices where the bullets struck are under renovation and were unoccupied, Calvery said.

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency is working jointly with officials from Arlington County and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Calvery said, adding that a crime-scene search was under way to determine whether more bullets struck the building.

The FBI is looking into the possibility of a connection to a similar incident at the National Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., over the weekend, Calvery said.

Law enforcement officers aren’t sure what type of weapon was used, and investigators had found no shell casings, Calvery said. No suspect description was available, and officials know of no specific threats, he added. Surveillance video is being reviewed for evidence, he said.

Meanwhile, Calvery told reporters, witness interviews continue, and the FBI is performing ballistics tests on the bullet fragments.

The Pentagon Force Protection Agency acted quickly, he noted.

“We took prompt action at immediately closing down the reservation [and] vehicular access, as well as access to the building pretty quickly once the shots were verified,” he said. During the 40-minute shutdown, officers swept the parking lot for clues. “We weren’t sure what was going on out there, and we wanted to make sure it was safe,” Calvery said.

Security recently was beefed up at the Pentagon’s Metro entrance, which Calvery said is a result of an after-action review from a March 4 shooting at the Pentagon.

“We made those changes and we think it provides a higher level of protection of people transiting in and out of the Pentagon,” he said.

Officials are evaluating whether more security measures are needed, Calvery said, but he expressed confidence in the protective posture that already was in place.

“I personally think our security is pretty robust at normal times,” he said.

An investigation into the incident continues.

Mullen: Nation Must Recognize Sacrifices of Troops, Families

By Fred W. Baker III

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2010 – Americans must recognize the sacrifices and struggles of today's troops and their families and work harder to reintegrate them into their communities, the nation’s top military officer said yesterday.

The past nine years of war and multiple combat deployments have stressed the force, leaving in their wake veterans and families who return home only to have to start putting their lives back together, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a USO Gala in Chicago.

"These years of battle have steeled them for an uncertain future, because when our men and women come home, the battle doesn't end," Mullen said. "Quite frankly, for many it's just the beginning."

Mullen told the audience that one of the reasons he and his wife travel the country speaking at local events is to keep America connected to its troops. He said that many Americans don't realize what the troops and families go through to serve in the military, nor do they realize the value they bring to their communities when they return home.

"We have to recognize our veterans and their families for what they are: not a burden, but an opportunity," he said. "They are talented, skilled leaders who have so much to offer and contribute to their communities, not only during their military service, but throughout their entire lives.

"I truly believe that today's returning warriors and their families are the next great generation," Mullen said.

Mullen hailed the efforts of the USO and other organizations who have mobilized to provide community-based support for veterans and families. Still, he said, more needs to be done.

"Even with all the generosity and good will, too many veterans and military families still struggle to receive all the support they need," he said.

Returning troops and veterans often struggle with physical and mental injuries, anxiety and depression, he said. Their family dynamics are changed by the challenges of post-traumatic stress.

Mullen said some veterans find it difficult to translate their military experience into viable jobs and careers, noting that the job search is made even more difficult during a struggling economy. The homelessness rates among today’s veterans are rising past those of Vietnam veterans, he said, and too many veterans consider suicide an option.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think about the pressures on these young men and women and the sacrifices of their families -- challenges that all of us must help them shoulder as they have already shouldered such burdens for us," the chairman said.

And it's not just the returning veterans who need community support, Mullen noted. The families of servicemembers killed in combat also need help. "Not a moment goes by that I don't think about the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice," he said.

The USO and communities play a vital role in tapping into the skills of veterans, the admiral said, mobilizing support for families and helping to build resilience against visible and invisible wounds of war.

He recalled his time aboard ship as a young naval officer, and said that at each port he would seek out the familiar USO sign.

"It seemed as though the USO was always there -- everywhere and anywhere," he said. "It felt as though the USO volunteers were not just serving us -- they were serving alongside us."

But for all of the comforts it provides to troops overseas, it is the connection at home that makes the group most valuable, Mullen said.

"It isn't just a taste of home that you provide. … It's a sense of appreciation," he said. "It's knowing that the people you fight for back home are fighting for you too."

Veteran Celebrates 100th Birthday

Marine Chief Warrant Officer Sam Domino is 100 years old, July 12, 2010. This Veteran’s life and career are notable in his dedication to the Marines, his country and his family.

In the Marine Corps, he served in two major conflicts, World War II and Korea, as well as stations throughout East Asia.

The son of Italian immigrants, Warrant Officer Domino was an exceptional athlete in his youth, lettering in baseball, football and track. His studies in agricultural engineering at university were interrupted when his father, a store keeper, lost everything in the great depression.

That’s when he joined the Marine Corps for his first tour of duty, earning less than $20 a month. He was to later re-enlist and make the Corps a career.

Domino was married for nearly 50 years to the love of his life, Anne. They had four children who gave them six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Proud to say he “loved the Corps,” he served as a valet to Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, in the early days of World War II. His tour of duty included service on the USS Augusta, a heavy artillery cruiser.

Domino served in Okinawa for five years during the occupation and sadly remembers the many marines who died there.

He spent a total of 27 years in the Marine Corps, retiring in the late 1950s. After leaving the Corps, he worked for the State of Florida Department of Transportation.

Domino loved to garden and tended his orange trees, vegetables and flowers until he reached 95 years of age.

His daughter, Madeline, enjoys looking through photos of his days training at Paris Island, his tours of duty to China, the Philippines, the Panama Canal, Australia and Japan.

About her dad, she says, “Dad is truly an amazing person and a great father and husband. He is always complimentary of my mother who followed him around the country on his U.S. assignments and reared the children, many times alone.

“As a father, dad always offered guidance to his children and instilled in us the virtues of faith in God, hard work, honesty and the value of an education. We are so blessed to have dad with us on this momentous occasion. We love you dad!”

A lifetime member of the Masons, Warrant Officer Domino was saluted on the NBC Today Show on July 12. The local Veterans Affairs Medical Center will celebrate his 100th birthday with a special party in his honor.

By Hans Petersen, VA Staff Writer

MCPON Celebrates Navy Birthday with Guantanamo Service Members

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leona Mynes, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Service members from all branches of the U.S. military and civilians celebrated the Navy's 235th birthday during an Oct. 16 ball at the Windjammer Ballroom at Naval Station Guantanamo (GTMO) Bay, Cuba.

More than 300 people attended the event, including guest speaker, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. West.

The celebration, themed "U.S. Navy Sailor–235 Years of Tradition," highlighted the history and heritage of U.S. Navy Sailors around the world.

"As we celebrate our Navy's birthday and look toward the future, we should take the time to look back at our impressive history and consider how it has shaped us into the Navy we are today," said West.

The Navy includes more than 430,000 active and reserve Sailors, more than 200,000 civilian employees, more than 3,700 functional aircraft and 288 deployable battle force ships.

"Throughout our long and illustrious history, we have experienced a continuum of changing times," said West. "The United States Navy has remained steadfast and ready, answering every call our nation has given. Here in GTMO, your service is simply outstanding and is essential to our maritime strategy.

West added that U.S. Navy presence is global, and the missions in which Sailors are involved remains constant.

"Today, America's Navy is very much a global force for good, on-station around the world, around the clock," said West.

87-Year-Old Veteran Volunteers 30 Hours a Week

Some know him as the "Popcorn Man." All know him as a friendly face they look forward to seeing.

At 87, Charles Wilson is a spry, cheerful World War II Veteran who arrives at 4:50 a.m. every morning to volunteer at his hometown VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Wilson has been a helping hand to VA patients and staff for the past 29 years.

In 1976, Wilson was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. After surgery, his doctors predicted that he would lose the use of his voice. "I wasn't supposed to be able to talk, but I surprised them," said Wilson.

The Veteran's successful recovery inspired him to start volunteering at the VA periodically, and he began working a regular 30-hour week in 1981.

"I wanted to give back because the VA did such a good job saving my life and it didn't cost me anything."

Just the Man for the Job

Working primarily as a patient escort, Wilson zips around on his Amigo electric cart delivering documents and snacks around the medical center. He often makes and delivers popcorn, earning him the nickname, "Popcorn Man."

Wilson enjoys his job and has fun driving the halls. "I get to go around and see all the pretty nurses" said Wilson with a chuckle. "It keeps my ego up."

His favorite part of the job is getting to see friendly, familiar faces around the VA. He also values the job as a good way to keep himself busy.

Patients and VA staff look forward to seeing Wilson's smiling face every day. Sometimes, he'll share some interesting tales about his time in World War II. He served in the U.S. Army field artillery in Germany and was just outside Berlin when German troops surrendered to the Allies.

"This Man is a Walking Miracle"

Wilson, nicknamed "The Popcorn Man," arrives at 4:50 a.m. daily to make fresh coffee and popcorn.

Carrie Seward, VA Voluntary Services Manager in Saginaw, calls Wilson a "walking miracle." In addition to his unexpected recovery from cancer, Wilson had two strokes, but went straight back to work once he recovered.

"Charlie comes to work in all weather. We get a good share of snow here, but he still makes it into work every morning," said Seward.

Wilson's six-hour daily schedule is not his only weekly commitment. He is an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1859 and is part of the Honor Guard for local military funerals.

Wilson, whose wife is deceased, lives on his own, completely independent. "I'm still in charge of all my housework — I do my own laundry," he stated with pride.

Last summer, Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a special commendation to Wilson when he reached 22,000 hours of volunteer time. He is now up to 23,500 and counting.

"If anyone is interested in volunteering at the VA, I'd tell them to check it out and be sensible. You've got to commit to it, but it's a good thing to do."

By Megan Tyson, VA Staff Writer

This Day in Naval History - Oct. 19

From the Navy News Service

1843 - Capt. Robert Stockton on Princeton, the first screw-propelled naval steamer, challenges British merchant ship Great Western to a race off New York, which Princeton won easily.

1915 - Submarine Base at New London, Conn is established.

1944 - Secretary of the Navy orders African-American women accepted into the Naval Reserve.

1987 - Iranian oil-drilling platform used for military purposes is destroyed.

"Rosie the Riveter" Turned Soldier Salutes Women Veterans at Cincinnati

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center celebrated Veterans Day this year with a special event saluting women Veterans from conflicts past and present.

The Cincinnati facility, where 99 staff members are women Veterans, hosted the special activities as a special tribute to those women who have served their county in times of war and peace.

At a dinner hosted by the medical center, the staff heard an inspiring address by Dr. Lynn Ashley, a World War II woman Veteran and educator, facilitator, and consultant, who praised the work of women Veterans and reflected on the vital work they do today in all areas of government service.

Dr. Ashley's career provides a unique perspective on the roles women Veterans have held throughout American history.

Hers is a colorful story, which begins 65 years ago:

Gas Mask Day

It was a Wednesday, gas mask day, at Carlsbad Army Air Corps Base in Carlsbad, N.M. The base teemed with new recruits and among them was Marilyn Haynes. Years later she would become Lynn Ashley, Ph.D, but in 1944, she was simply a 23-year-old clerk typist in the Women's Army Corps (WAC).

"Back then, we had gas mask day because the mindset was that we could be overrun by Japanese or Germans at any time," said Ashley. "We had to wear gas masks all day, no matter what we did."

That particular Wednesday was Ashley's lucky day. Because pilots and bombardiers stationed at the base were paid per flight, they were eager to take to the skies as often as possible, but they had to have observers in the plane to verify their flight. A captain asked Ashley if she would be his observer. She had never been on a plane before, and even better, she wouldn't have to wear a gas mask, so she immediately agreed.

Ashley was watching the cacti and the rocks whizzing past far below when the pilot noticed something was wrong with the bomb bay doors.

"He told me to take the controls while he checked the doors," said Ashley. "And he said, 'All you have to do is keep the wings level with the horizon.' I was looking at the mountains in front of me and thinking, 'How on earth am I going to do this?'"

What could she do but follow orders? Ten minutes later, the pilot returned to his seat, eyed the controls, and told a shaken Ashley she had only climbed 1,000 feet, so she "didn't do too badly."

From Rivets to Mission Logistics

Ashley, who had been working as a riveter at a Chicago defense plant the year before, enlisted in the WAC to support her brother's military service. Another reason for her enlistment had to do with the union moving into the plant and her being a bit, well, opinionated. "I was a little outspoken about it," she admitted. "And it looked like if I didn't leave, they'd ask me to. So I left and joined the Army. I thought it would get me overseas."

It got her as far as Georgia for six weeks of basic training, which included 238 hours of clerical training, learning about the organization of the Army along with touch typing, company records and reports, military discipline, personnel administration and finance.

After basic training, Ashley was assigned to the New Mexico airbase, where she was promoted to a corporal.

She worked "on the line" at the tarmac where aircraft pulled up for inspection and repair. It took Ashley 30 minutes to walk from her barracks to the office, bracing herself against the sandstorms that sometimes swept the airbase. Ashley's job was to figure out the mechanical logistics of missions, developing training schedules, determining which aircraft were available for exercises, and tracking the number of planes needed for each mission.

"You Just Did Your Job"

Looking back 65 years later, Ashley said she didn't experience any difficulties as a woman in the military. "It was just like working any place else. You just did your job and went home each evening," she said. "I was never aware of a lot of things that women in the military are going through now, being challenged physically, morally, and sexually."

Ashley is very involved in supporting today's military women. She's a member of an all-women's American Legion Post, assists deployed soldiers and their families in a military support group, and is on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.

"When I returned from war, I wasn't treated any differently as a Veteran, but you have to realize that there were hundreds and hundreds of us back then," said Ashley. "Now, some people don't realize there's a war going on and it's sad. It's my mission to do everything I can to try and educate people that we need to support the people who are over there."

By Stephanie Strauss, VA Staff Writer

NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic Contract Specialist Honored

From Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- A Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic contract specialist was recognized by two national groups for his assistance with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Contract Management Support (CMS) training program Oct. 8.

Charles Spicer received an award from NIB and the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind at their annual training conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.

NIB approached Spicer in 2009 when the organization discovered the need for a compatibility software adjustment while creating a training program to help the blind and visually impaired pursue careers in contract management.

"I advised NIB that Window-Eyes may be a solution to the problems," said Spicer. "I set up my laptop computer in our conference room and demonstrated how a blind person accesses and uses PD2 [Procurement Desktop Defense]."

When Spicer worked with the Army, he used a software program called Job Access With Speech (JAWS) with PD2, a contract writing software system, to perform his contract specialist duties. However, after a minor upgrade to PD2, JAWS no longer functioned with the PD2 system and he lost speech output.

Then, when Spicer began working with the Navy in 2009 and PD2 was accessed through the Citrix server, he again encountered the same compatibility issues. Using Window-Eyes, a screen-reading program that allows the user to hear what is on the screen by using key strokes, helped him gain access to the tools he needed to do his job.

Spicer's collaborations with NIB's CMS training program has allowed NIB to continue its mission to provide high-growth career opportunities in contract management for skilled blind and visually impaired professionals.

"Thanks to Charles' efforts getting screen-reading software installed on Navy central servers, NIB was able to provide a prototype example to the rest of the Department of Defense and the Army for eventual enterprise-wide approvals for assistive technology for the blind and visually impaired," said Douglas Goist, NIB CMS Assistive Technology coordinator.

Spicer's award coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is recognized in October to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.

Training Pilot Builds Reserve Skills for Logistic Support Representative Apprentices

By Lt. j.g. Michelle Tobias, Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) conducted a Logistics Support Representative (LSR) Apprentice training pilot Sept. 13-17 for 29 Navy Reserve Component (RC) Sailors.

The week-long logistics course, held at Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) San Diego, was created to make Selected Reservists (SELRES) "board ready" when they report to their assigned FISC location. Training SELRES as LSRs enables them to provide capability to their supported FISC during annual training periods or when needed.

The first of its kind training included information on the COMFISCS organization and its partner sites, as well as Logistics Support Center (LSC) operations, husbanding fundamentals, and the unique role of the worldwide FISC network of logistics professionals.

LSC program director Bill Cording spoke with the students about the future of the LSR program and how RC Sailors might support global logistics during future annual training periods and mobilizations.

Course participants received hands-on training on One Touch Support (OTS), a single integrated Web-based interface for the Navy's integrated supply system. Familiarity with OTS will prepare SELRES for work at an LSC during annual training (AT) periods or mobilization.

Students learned about the afloat supply departments during tours hosted by USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). This opportunity was a highlight for many students, particularly those who had never been aboard a ship.

"One of the most useful things was when we learned about each [supply] department's interaction with the LSR," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Alan Coburn.

The chance to see the fleet side of logistics support was an invaluable opportunity for them to better understand a ship's potential needs and limitations.

"We also learned about the storage capacity on the ship," said Logistics Specialist 1st Class Christopher Eastin. "It was really good to see the effect of a certain number of pallets on a small ship."

Tours of FISC San Diego and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) showed students what happens behind the scenes as goods and materials are received from vendors and prepared for delivery to the ships. Understanding the role an LSR plays between DLA and the ships on the waterfront was significant for the students, many of whom had never seen or worked with DLA during previous drill weekends or AT.

Training additional SELRES to step into the LSR role is of critical significance as global logistics grows in increasing importance around the globe. Students agreed that the course was a tremendous learning opportunity and demonstrated the concept of the reserves as a force multiplier.

"I wish I had [OTS] access and LSR training before I went to Jacksonville (Fla.) to assist with the Haiti relief efforts," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Felix Jordan

For more information about the pilot LSR Apprentice course or future LSR courses, please contact Lt. j.g. Michelle Tobias at michelle.tobias@navy.mil or Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Cliff Dumpit at clifford.dumpit@navy.mil.>

COMFISCS provides an array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy and Joint operational units across all warfare enterprises.

COMFISCS is responsible for facilitating best business practices and efficiencies across the seven FISCs headquartered in San Diego, Calif.; Norfolk, Va.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Yokosuka, Japan; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Bremerton (Puget Sound), Wash.; and Sigonella, Italy; and for optimizing the performance of base supply functions and standardizing levels of service across 11 regions and 70 Navy installations.

Comprised of more than 5,700 military and civilian logistics professionals, contractors and foreign nationals, COMFISCS operates as a single cohesive team providing global logistics services from 110 locations worldwide.

A component of the Naval Supply Systems Command, headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pa., COMFISCS is part of a worldwide logistics network of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel providing combat capability through logistics.

USA Cares Partners with Rock Star Comic Book Artist Dave Dorman for Project 52

RADCLIFF, KY- October 14, 2010-USA Cares is pleased to announce a partnership with #1 Star Wars artist and Eisner Award-winning illustrator Dave Dorman on Project 52, which is raising money for financially challenged post-9/11 military and their families.

Dorman, the son of USAF Lieutenant Colonel Jack Dorman, first announced his intention on his blog October 1, 2010, his 52nd birthday, to paint 52 paintings to "give back" to USA Cares' military families. "I know firsthand what it means to live the life of a family whose parent is an active duty military member. I want to ease the financial burden of those families who today are going through what I did," Dorman said. Said Dorman's Director of Social Media Jacob K. Young, "Through Project 52, we're seeing Dave Dorman capturing pivotal moments in our American history on canvas. These paintings will hang in the Smithsonian one day, and the crowd funding fans are the elites making this happen, five dollars at a time."

Dorman is "crowd funding" this passion project through http://www.indiegogo.com/Project-52. Donors are being asked to give the

following:

-Project 52 Supporter: $5 - Donor or the person of their choice will

be listed in the Project 52 fine art book.

-Dedicated Supporter: $25 - Donor may honor the special person or

soldier in their life with a two-line dedication in the Project 52 fine art book.

-Bronze Level Donor: $50 - Donor will receive a signed copy of the

Project 52 regular retail edition fine art book.

-Silver Level Donor: $100 - Donor will receive a signed, dedicated

copy of the Project 52 Limited Edition version of the fine art book.

-Gold Level Donor: $250 - Donor will receive a signed, numbered copy

of the Project 52 Limited Edition Lithograph on acid-free, archival paper. This can be personalized if they choose, as well as a signed copy of the Limited Edition fine art book.

-Platinum Level Donor: $1000 - The first 52 donors who give at the

Platinum Level will receive one of the actual Project 52 Paintings plus the fine art limited edition lithograph, autographed, as well as a signed, Limited Edition fine art hardcover book.

Dorman's goal is to raise $52,000, to enable him to complete the paintings, as well as cover production costs for printing the books and lithographs. Dorman is donating 50% of all book and lithograph sales to USA Cares. Dorman has already designated 20% of his new career retrospective art book, ROLLING

THUNDER: THE ART OF DAVE DORMAN.

About USA Cares

USA Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that helps post-9/11 military and their families with basic needs, assists veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families and works to prevent private military home foreclosures and evictions. In seven years, USA Cares has received over 24,000 requests and responded with more than $7 million in grants. Military families anywhere in America can apply for assistance through the USA Cares web site, http://www.usacares.org/ or by calling 1-800-773-0387.

About Dave Dorman

Dave Dorman is an Eisner award-winning illustrator who has been working as a professional artist since 1979.  He is best known for his photo-realistic renderings of action and fantasy subjects. For more information on Project 52 visithttp://www.indiegogo.com/Project-52 or contact Dorman's publicist: denise@writebrainmedia.com or call USA Cares at 1.800.773.0387. For more information on Dave Dorman visit http://www.davedorman.com/.

A Marine's Promise at Iwo Jima — 60 Years On

Troy Bowling, 83, arrives at work in the dark. The halls of the Lexington, KY, VA Medical Center are quiet at 5 a.m., but Bowling knows an army of volunteers, inpatients, and staff members will surge through the building once the sun rises. They'll need coffee, 200 cups' worth, so he wastes no time in busying himself at the coffeemaker.

A Purple Heart recipient and World War II Veteran, Bowling volunteers at the medical center five days a week. As the coffee brews, he unlocks the door of the Voluntary Service office, flips on the lights, switches on the computer, and begins to compile volunteer data, an integral task that keeps the Voluntary Service office organized and humming.

It's a full day, seven hours in all, filled with filing, processing new volunteers, and assembling packages of personal care items to make new hospital inpatients more comfortable. Sometimes Bowling travels to Veteran organizations to speak about volunteering and to recruit new volunteers for Lexington.

He is done by noon and leaves to visit his wife at a nursing home.

Sixty Years and 65,350 Hours

What keeps Bowling motivated to volunteer day after day? Without a pause, he replies, "It keeps me alive. It keeps my body moving and my mind operating. It's done more for me than anything in the world."

He's humble. Bowling has volunteered for the VA and other Veterans' organizations for nearly 60 years, racking up more than 65,350 volunteer hours. Sometimes people don't find out he's a Veteran or about his harrowing military experience for years since he simply shows up to work, day after day, and gives selflessly.

"Troy is a remarkable individual," said Greg Anderson, Chief of Voluntary Service at VA Lexington. "He's well-respected and loved. He is an icon at the hospital."

Anderson nominated Bowling for a prestigious prize, the George H. Seal Memorial Award, which is presented by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization. Bowling won. "His sense of dedication is truly exceptional," said Anderson. "I thought it would be a great way to honor someone who had served, who came close to losing his life."

Left for Dead, Another Chance at Life

Bowling joined the U.S. Marines at 17. At 19, he nearly died on the beach at Iwo Jima. Bowling, unconscious, was reported as killed in action. He had been shot in the chest and lost so much blood that he appeared lifeless. For hours, he lay bleeding on the sand until a combat photographer noticed him weakly stirring and called for a medical team to evacuate him to a landing craft.

Medics were treating Bowling's wounds on the ship when he heard faint cheers outside. Marines had taken control of Mt. Suribachi, celebrating their victory with a flag-raising that is now immortalized in the famous Joe Rosenthal photograph.

"I asked the chaplain to take me topside to see, and he did," said Bowling. "At that sight I knew that we were going to take that island. It was a great moment."

Representatives from the DAV came to visit Bowling as he recuperated in a VA hospital when he was back in the States. He saw how the organization was helping other Vets, so once he regained his strength, he asked how he could assist them.

Bowling meets with Voluntary Service staff. Photo by Earl Raglin, Lexington VAMC.

"You're Helping Somebody. Now That's a Great Feeling."

The DAV trained him to be a service officer and for the next 38 years, he helped Veterans and widows file claims for VA benefits. Later, he became involved with special recreation activities.

Bowling rose through the ranks to become the State Commander for the Kentucky DAV. "I've held probably every position in the state," Bowling laughs.

Bowling volunteered in these positions as he worked full-time for the United States Postal Service until his retirement almost 20 years ago. Since then, he's volunteered at VA Lexington in the Voluntary Service office.

"People still thank me after all these years," said Bowling. "I don't always remember their names, but they'll see me and holler at me. You realize you're helping somebody. Now that's a great feeling."

"We've had a steady stream of people who come in or call, all looking for Troy," said Anderson. "It's hard to imagine how many Vets he's helped in the claims process and how many volunteers he's recruited over the years.

"Probably no one else here is more respected," he added. "People know Troy is particularly committed to Veterans because he isn't receiving a salary. Volunteering is his way of paying back."

Sixty-five years ago, Bowling swore that if he survived Iwo Jima, he would dedicate himself to helping other Veterans. He still carries the bullet next to his spine, a physical testament to the promise that he keeps every day.

"I was saved for a reason," said Bowling.

By Stephanie Strauss, VA Staff Writer

"Forgotten Women" of Valley Forge

Book About “Forgotten Women” at Valley Forge Is Subject of Discussion

“Following the Drum” Is Story of Encampment During Winter of 1777-78

"Following the Drum: Women at the Valley Forge Encampment" (Potomac Books, 2009) is the untold story of the women – from those on society’s lowest rungs to the women of the upper class – who spent the winter of 1777-78 with the Continental Army at Valley Forge, Pa.

Author Nancy K. Loane will discuss and sign her book on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at noon in the Mary Pickford Theater on the third floor of the James Madison Building,

101 Independence Ave S.E., Washington, D.C.

The event, a Books & Beyond program sponsored by the Center for the Book, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Many of the camp women were soldiers’ wives who worked as the army’s washerwomen, nurses, cooks or seamstresses. Though these women’s written correspondence is scarce, author Loane uses sources such as issued military orders, pension depositions after the war and soldiers’ descriptions to bring these women to life.

Other women were part of the "numerous and splendid" audience who enjoyed the camp theater and had their portraits painted by Charles Willson Peale. They were not subject to the harsh conditions of camp life, and they came and went as they and their husbands, George Washington’s generals and advisers, saw fit.

Nancy K. Loane, who lives in Valley Forge, is a former seasonal ranger at the Valley Forge National Historical Park and has studied more than 500 Revolutionary War-era diaries, journals, letters, orderly books and records, many of them at the Library of Congress.

Her book is also the subject of a discussion on Facebook. The new Books & Beyond Book Club is available at www.facebook.com/booksandbeyond/. Here readers can discuss books, the authors of which have appeared or will appear in this series. The site also offers links to webcasts of these events and asks readers to talk about what they have seen and heard.

Since its creation by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (www.Read.gov/cfb/) has become a major national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages, nationally and internationally. The center provides leadership for 52 affiliated state centers for the book (including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nonprofit reading-promotion partners and plays a key role in the Library’s annual National Book Festival. It also oversees the Library’s Read.gov website and administers the Library’s Young Readers Center.

This Day in Naval History - Oct. 18

From the Navy News Service

1812 - U.S. sloop of war Wasp captures HM brig Frolic.

1859 - U.S. Marines reach Harper's Ferry, Va., and assault the arsenal seized by John Brown and his followers.

1867 - USS Ossippee and USS Resaca participate in the formal transfer of Alaska to U.S. authority at Sitka and remain to enforce law and order in new territory.

1944 - 3rd Fleet carrier aircraft attack Japanese ships in harbor and land forces around Manila.

1968 - In Operation Sea Lords, the Navy's three major operating forces in Vietnam (Task Forces 115, 116 and 117) are brought together for the first time to stop Vietcong infiltration deep into South Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

A National Capital Region flyover of Arlington National Cemetery occurs at 10:05 a.m. EDT with four FA-18's.

U.S-Turkish Alliance in Good Shape, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2010 – The U.S.-Turkey alliance is built on fundamental common interests, and the defense partnership between the two nations is as close as it has ever been, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Gates was the keynote speaker at the American Turkish Council Convention at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The United States and Turkey are allies that have fought together in Korea, Kosovo and Kabul, and remain allies even when they disagree, he said.

“Even as our views and approaches on some issues may differ, we are allies, we share fundamental interests in the region, and our goals remain the same: A respect for sovereignty and rule of law; economic growth and development; and enduring stability and security,” Gates said.

Turkey is a stalwart NATO ally and has 1,700 troops in Afghanistan. Gates thanked Turkey for leading the International Security Assistance Force in the past and for extending its command of the Kabul Regional Command for another year. Gates also complimented Turkey for its engagement with Iraq. He said Turkish leaders regularly work with Iraqis “to reinforce that nation’s emerging democracy, encouraging national reconciliation initiatives and working to rebuild defense and security ties with the Iraqi Security Forces.”

The secretary reaffirmed the U.S. pledge to confront the PKK -– a Kurdish terrorist group that has targeted Turkey, as well as its officials and military.

“In response to the rise in PKK terrorist attacks against Turkish military forces and civilians over the past year, the U.S. has increased its efforts to crack down on PKK criminal enterprises, enhanced its intelligence support, and reached out to our European allies to encourage them to freeze PKK assets in Europe,” he said.

Gates also touched upon the need for NATO reform, and urged all NATO nations to support the new strategic concept that heads of state will discuss and vote on at next month’s Lisbon Summit in Portugal.

The threats have changed over the years, Gates said, and NATO must change too. “Reflecting this strategic reality, NATO is now pursuing new missions far from its original geographic boundaries –- whether in the hills of the Hindu Kush or off the coast of Somalia,” the secretary said.

NATO is changing operationally, Gates said. However, like the Defense Department, he added, the alliance requires structural reform.

“The alliance has long had too many committees, too many headquarters and too much bureaucracy overseeing too few deployable and properly resourced military capabilities,” he said. “To some degree, the institutional reforms being pursued at NATO reflect many of the changes underway in our own Department of Defense -– all for the purpose of reducing overhead and shifting more resources to our fighting forces.”

Gates also wants the NATO allies to agree to take up the phased adaptive approach to missile defense. Rogue states, such as Iran, can launch missiles against NATO allies, he said.

“Two-and-a-half years ago in Bucharest, NATO’s heads of state and government recognized the need for an alliance-wide response to the threat of ballistic missiles in the hands of those who might seek to intimidate or harm NATO,” he said. “We resolved then to develop options that could extend coverage to all European allied territory and populations, a resolution echoed at subsequent high-level meetings.”

The phased adaptive approach, Gates said, offers a territorial missile defense system based on proven technologies that can be adapted to meet future dangers and protect a steadily increasing swath of NATO territory.

“As the threat from ballistic missiles grows, so will the scope and effectiveness of NATO’s defenses against them,” he said. “Our object is the fullest-possible coverage of NATO allies and, over time, to provide coverage for all of NATO.”

The first phase becomes operational next year, Gates said, with sea-based SM-3 interceptor missiles deployed to areas where the threat is greatest. The second phase, due in 2015, involves placing upgraded, ground-based SM-3s in Romania as well as at sea.

“Phases three and four will deploy even more advanced interceptors, including a second land-based interceptor site in Poland,” he said. “Overall, this approach provides the alliance with a great deal of flexibility to protect against the range of threats posed by ballistic missiles, and to adapt as new threats develop and old ones recede.”

Gates said he wants to keep the U.S.-Turkish relationship on track.

“The United States and Turkey have wisely remembered our friendship during times of agreement and disagreement, and it is incumbent for us to continue to do so,” he said. “There is too much at stake for us not to do so –- for our prosperity, for our security, and for the credibility of our alliance.”

General Officer Announcements

The chief of staff, Air Force announced today the following assignments:

Brig. Gen. Richard T. Devereaux, who has been selected for promotion to major general, commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Air Mobility Command, Fort Dix, N.J., to director, operational planning, policy and strategy, deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Brig. Gen. William J. Bender, director, warfighter systems integration, Office of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Air Mobility Command, Fort Dix, N.J.

Missing Vietnam War Soldiers Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Staff Sgt. Robert S. Griffith, of Hapeville, Ga., will be buried on Oct. 23 in Fairburn, Ga.  The group remains of the other two soldiers which could not be individually identified -- Army Staff Sgt. Melvin C. Dye, of Carleton, Mich., and Sgt. 1st Class Douglas J. Glover, of Cortland, N.Y., will be buried at a later date.  The men were aboard a UH-1H Iroquois helicopter on Feb. 19, 1968, when it was shot down by enemy fire in Laos.  They were involved in an attempt to extract a long-range reconnaissance patrol in the mountains of Attapu Province.  Three other American service members survived the crash and were rescued, but three Vietnamese Montagnards did not survive.

Several hours after the crash, a team was dispatched to survey the location and reported seeing remains of at least five people.  Enemy activity prevented remains recovery at that time.  The following month a second team was sent to the crash site but found no remains.

In 1995, a joint U.S.-Lao People’s Democratic Republic team traveled to the recorded grid coordinates for the crash site but found no evidence of a helicopter crash.  The team then surveyed a second location in the area where they found helicopter wreckage and human remains.  In 2006, a follow-on team was not able to resurvey the same site due to severe overgrowth and time constraints.  Another team excavated the location in late 2007 recovering human remains, wreckage and military-related equipment.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental x-rays in the identification of Griffith’s remains.

Since late 1973, the remains of 938 Americans killed in the Vietnam War have been accounted for and returned to their families with 1,708 service members still missing.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1169 or visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

Remarks by the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy at the 235th Anniversary Celebration

Battleship NORTH CAROLINA

Wilmington, NC

Thank you all so much. This is a catapult we’re on. And it keeps bending and buckling and I’m afraid that one of us is going to be catapulted off.  Thank you so much for that welcome. Thank you, particularly to our veterans who are here today. Thank you, Mike McIntyre, for that generous introduction.

I’m going to talk a little bit about what Congressman McIntyre has done for the Navy later. But I did have to share one story. He’s pretty proud of the fact that Mountain Dew started in his hometown. And we went down to the Pax [Patuxent] River Naval Air Station to watch the first flight – or the first supersonic flight – of the Navy’s Green Hornet F-18 that were flying on biofuels. And Congressman McIntyre went with us.

And the Navy gives me a wonderful ride. We’ve got a great aircraft. There’s only one design flaw and that is the cup holders are about that big. So if you don’t hold onto your drink when you take off, it’s going to get all over you. I reminded Congressman McIntyre of that as we headed out. And he very beautifully picked up his drink as we took off. On the way back, he and I both forgot. And I got to wear an entire glass of Mountain Dew to my next meeting which was at the White House.

So we were laughing about that today as we were taxiing out. And I had a glass of iced tea and was talking about it and everything. And we took off and I put it down too quick and poured the iced tea all over me.  So this is the Mike McIntyre memorial drink-spilling aircraft that we have in the U.S. Navy. I’m not flying with you anymore.

To everybody here, General Jensen, thank you for being here from Camp Lejeune, Captain Bragg, directors of the Battleship North Carolina Memorial, Dave Echevarria and the members of the Navy League here in Wilmington. Thank you for putting this on and thank you for this great weather. I just got back yesterday from a trip to six countries in eight days. And I flew back yesterday from Greenland. We stopped at Mons and Brussels and Belgium and Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. We got to go down and see the Sailors of the USS Taylor in La Coruña, Spain. It was the ship’s last port visit before coming home after six months at sea. And I spent the last day and-a-half of the trip in Greenland talking with them about security issues in the high north.

One thing that was an absolute constant in the Baltics and Greenland and NATO and at

SHAPE was the recognition of a need for more energy independence. That’s why one of the things I’m doing in the Navy is trying to make this a focus. Strategically, we buy too much energy from people who may not have our best interests at heart and tactically, getting a gallon of gasoline to our frontline unit costs too much, takes too long, and is too dangerous. The Army did a study, and found that for every 24 convoys we lose a Marine or a soldier.  We’ve got to change the way we use and produce energy. One of the things I do want to do is express my appreciation to Congressman McIntyre for is his service on both agriculture and armed services. He took the time to learn about the need for energy independence. We went to see it in action, as I told you, down in Patuxent River. And he’s been a strong supporter of what we’re trying to do in the Navy and what we’re trying to do with energy. As well as a strong supporter - as is the entire state of North Carolina - for all the bases, the installations that we have here.

Today is a particularly poignant day to be talking about the Navy. One decade ago, 10 years ago today, the USS COLE was attacked in the Gulf of Aden in Yemen as the world we lived in began to change. I want to take just a moment to recognize the sacrifice of those 17 Sailors aboard the COLE who were killed that day. As well as the service of the tens of thousands of Sailors and Marines around the world and in Afghanistan, Iraq, and those forward deployed and those who have worn the uniform of our country; those who have answered the call, those who have made the sacrifice for America.

More than anything else, holding this event on the anniversary of the COLE bombing reminds us of the need for constant readiness, constant preparedness. The Sailors on the COLE didn’t wake up that morning thinking they were going to war. But when war came, it came to them. They reacted with courage, they reacted with devotion to duty, and they reacted with loyalty to their shipmates. Those are the same traits that have been the hallmark of the United States Navy for 235 years.

The spirit of the men and women of the COLE is the very same shown by those who once walked these decks. And I can’t tell you how many memories coming to a ship like this brings back to me. I served on a World War II era Cruiser – it had the same teak decks, the smells, the sights. And I can feel the notion that generations of Sailors holystoned these decks – and I think of the people who served here – and the Sailors and the Marines who have walked the decks of every ship named NORTH CAROLINA since the beginning of our country.

The story of our Navy and the stories of those who have gone down to the sea in ships, since the birth of the republic, lives on in the steel of ships like this NORTH CAROLINA, and every ship we sail today. The first NORTH CAROLINA, which there was a model of coming in, was authorized by Congress in 1816 hard on the heels of the War of 1812 – it was a 100-gun wooden ship. That first NORTH CAROLINA was a result of the lessons that we learned in that war, the experience we gained from the construction, the battle records of those first six frigates.

That NORTH CAROLINA, like this one, was one of the most powerful ships of its kind, capable of standing toe- to-toe with any ship in the world. We saw the ironclad NORTH CAROLINA, and then at the beginning of the 20th century, the third NORTH CAROLINA. And one that spoke to the birth of a new Navy; a Navy more ready to engage the world and one ready and eager to develop and embrace new technologies.

The cruiser NORTH CAROLINA witnessed the birth of naval aviation, and in 1915 conducted the first ever underway demonstration of a steam catapult when it launched a Curtiss Model F into the bright blue skies off the coast of Pensacola.  And then came this NORTH CAROLINA. One of the last classes of ships built in

accordance with the limitations imposed between the two wars, authorized in ‘37 and commissioned in early ‘41 with war looming on the horizon.

This NORTH CAROLINA, exactly like its predecessors, incorporated the latest technologies and innovations of naval architecture. She was built with four main engine rooms to improve its watertight integrity. She was welded instead of riveted. She was one of the first ships equipped with the Navy’s newest technology – something called radar.

When the war finally came, NORTH CAROLOINA headed west. I realize that most of you know this story better than I do, but here’s the Cliffs Notes version: NORTH CAROLINA arrived in the Pacific four days after Midway and from that point she participated in virtually every major action of the Pacific.  Her campaign across the Pacific was the map of that war: Guadalcanal, the Solomons, the Gilberts, the Marshalls, Truk, Tinian, Saipan, Guam, Philippines, Okinawa. Over the course of that war she was attacked by enemy planes and kamikazes countless, countless times. She was hit by a torpedo that should’ve sunk her, but her crew and damage control parties saved her. She fired tens of thousands of rounds in support of Marines onshore. She ended the war anchored in Tokyo Bay proudly displaying 15 battle scars.

Today the name NORTH CAROLINA and the legacy that this ship earned lives on. Just two years ago, right here in Wilmington, we commissioned a new NORTH CAROLINA. This one, a Virginia-class submarine, bears all the history and actually some of the pieces of this ship and its forbearers. She and her crew are already living up to this namesake – to the honor of the name – and representing this city, this state, this nation, proudly and with distinction.

In 235 years the Navy has been in constant motion – just like the oceans we sail. In 235

years, we have led the United States and the world in technological innovation and the ability to meet and to overcome any challenge, any obstacle, and every fight that we have faced. In 235 years we have grown, we have adapted, and we have changed when necessary. We’ve done it to address the ever-shifting requirements of a fluid and complex world.  You can see in the history of the five ships named NORTH CAROLINA in the different propulsion forces they used: first wind, then coal, then oil and now nuclear. You can see it in the very service that each one has. When they were commissioned, the Navy and the nation didn’t know with certainty what the future would bring. Our nation didn’t know what conflicts or what conditions would be required of its ships 10 years or 20 years or 30 years in the future.

We had to build ships then and we have to build ships now that are flexible and able to do a lot of things. Ships like the submarine NORTH CAROLINA.

As Congressman McIntyre pointed out the destroyer GRAVELY is being commissioned here next month. And we have to trust the integrity, the ingenuity, and the creativity of the most important thing we have in the Navy, our Sailors, our Marines. We trust them to make sure that we continue to be the most formidable expeditionary fighting force the world has ever known.

I’ve been Secretary almost a year now. I’ve visited with tens of thousands of Sailors and Marines around the world on every ship and every submarine and every squadron and every MEF [Marine Expeditionary Force] and every mobile unit, every SEAL [Sea Air and Land] team and every SEABEE [Construction Battalion] battalion. I’ve seen the same devotion to duty and the readiness to give everything in service of our country. For that we owe them a huge debt.  We owe them our very existence. As our judge and minister said in his eloquent invocation, they are what allowed us to live the way we do.

Less than 1 percent of our country today serves in uniform. And it’s a fact that we don’t recognize enough and we don’t thank the people who are willing to do it enough. But on this occasion, the Navy’s birthday, we get to say thanks to all of those who have served, to all those who have made the Navy what it is, to their families who have supported them and sacrificed for them back home, and most importantly to those standing on the back of Poseidon - those Sailors and Marines today on station all around the world.

Thank you all, Wilmington, and Godspeed.

President Obama signs Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010

Written by: Christopher Lagan

Earlier today, President Obama signed into law the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. The signing of this bill gives the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Bob Papp, authorities to make changes and operate the Coast Guard to better serve the public.

“The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 provides us with authority to enhance the safety of U.S. ports and waterways, acquisition assistance to acquire state-of-the-art ships and aircraft to patrol America’s waters, and tools to promote individual readiness, including improvements to our family housing and child development centers,” said Adm. Papp  in an ALCOAST on the subject adding, “I am particularly pleased with the modernization authority—it will allow us to finish our organizational realignment and enhance our ability to meet the high demand for our services.”

Finishing organizational realignment of the service means using the best processes to ensure Coast Guard men and women have the training, tools, and leadership necessary to safely and successfully fulfill our missions of maritime safety, security and stewardship.

Additional authorities granted within the Act validate the Coast Guard’s decision to take control of the process to replace aging cutters and aircraft, providing our men and women in uniform with state of the art platforms to conduct Coast Guard missions.

Finally, and significantly, the Act bolsters the Coast Guard’s authorities when it comes to combating smugglers of people and narcotics attempting to violate U.S. territorial waters.

“I could not be more pleased with this Authorization Act and want to thank the Administration and Congress for their support,” said Papp. “The Act will help us remain always ready well into the future.”

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, October 18, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates delivers remarks at the American-Turkish Council's 29th Annual Conference on U.S. -Turkish Relations at 12:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.  For more information email atc@the-atc.org .

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has no public or media events on his schedule.

Today in the Department of Defense, Sunday, October 17, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.