Medical Service Corps Director Visits Naval Hospital Bremerton

By Douglas H Stutz, NHB PAO

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Rear Adm. Eleanor Valentin, Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command and Director, Navy Medical Service Corps visited Naval Hospital Bremerton and met with command leadership and staff during a whirlwind meet-and-greet tour on May 27.

"Everyone I have met is very positive. That's a direct reflection of the leadership," said Valentin, a Seattle, Wash. native, who is the first female director of Navy's Medical Service Corps (MSC) and 2010 recipient of the National Women of Color Technologist of the Year Award.

"NHB is very famous to us and is often held up as a model to emulate in Navy Medicine and if the surgeon general was here he would say the same," said Valentin, addressing the command after Morning Colors.

"This comes from my heart; you have all answered the call, and that call is greater than yourself. I am so proud of all of you. You serve with honor, courage, commitment, transparency and integrity. Thank you for your service."

The visit gave Rear Adm. Valentin the opportunity to hold an Admiral's Call to address NHB's approximately 50 Medical Service Corps officers. Topics touched upon included promotions, records, career advancement and service to the Navy, Navy Medicine, and the country.

"MSC officers ask what they need to do to be competitive for promotion," said Valentin. "Do I need to deploy? Do I need to be certified in my specialty field? Do I need joint military education? Those three are not requirements for promotion, but I can tell you that those who do get promoted do have them. Those qualifications indicate concern and care for our profession and show competitiveness in improving."

Valentin also pointed out that the MSC is truly a diverse corps by using an operational officer as an example. An MSC officer needs to be able to handle a number of roles if assigned to an expeditionary medical platform. "They need to know how to set up the operational center," she said. "They need to know how to track our people, how to track our patients, how to arrange supplies and logistics and how to establish communications. Whether it's just-in-time training or timely instruction, our MSC officers will have the qualifications needed for the job."

The Medical Service Corps is comprised of three basic specialties covering 31 sub-specialties. The Clinical Care specialties include Audiology, Clinical Psychology, Dietetics/Food Management, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatry, and Social Work. The Health Care Science specialty field encompasses Aerospace Experimental Psychology, Aerospace Physiology, Biochemistry, Entomology, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Medical Technology, Microbiology, Physiology, Radiation Health, and Research Psychology. Health Care Administration specialties consists of Education and Training Management, Financial Management, Fleet Marine Force, General Health Care Administration, Health Care Facilities Planning, Information Management, Manpower Systems Analysis, Medical Logistics Management, Operations Research, Patient Administration, and Plans, Operations and Medical Intelligence.

Face of Defense: War Veteran Hangs Up Wings at Age 90

By U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman

23rd Wing Public Affairs

VALDOSTA, Ga. , May 29, 2011 – More than 70 years of flying experience came to a close after one last flight in a Piper Saratoga aircraft in Valdosta, Ga.

While retired Air Force Col. Clarence Parker has been a pilot for the majority of his life, the now 90-year-old has decided to hang up his wings and start a new chapter in his life with one last flight on May 20, 2011.

"I have decided that seven decades of flying was a great run," Parker said. "I wanted to stop on my own terms, and not when the doctors or my health dictated it."

Parker started his aviation career when he was just 20 years old. In 1940, he wanted to join the U.S. Army Air Corps, but his application was put on hold. Then he decided to earn his private pilot's license as a civilian instead.

A year later, Parker was called to action.

"I had just landed from a flight when someone ran up and told me the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor," he recalled. "Within 48 hours of the attack, I was contacted by the U.S. Army Air Corps and instructed to go to San Antonio."

From that day forward, Colonel Parker's career took many twists and turns. He flew more than 35 different aircraft, ranging from the P-40 Warhawk to the B-52 Stratofortress. He has flown in three different wars and several combat missions: World War II, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Dorothy Lee Parker, the colonel's wife, remembers many of the bases they both visited during their 69 years of marriage.

"We have been all over the world," she said. "When you're married to a pilot, you always seem to come second because the aircraft and the mission are always first. Despite that, I always enjoy traveling with him, and he's going to miss flying like hell."

He served his country from 1942 until 1971, ending his career as the wing commander at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Even after the colonel retired, he continued to fly as a civilian for 30 more years.

"He has been flying the entire time we have been married," Dorothy said with laughter. "After nearly 70 years of marriage, I finally get to be his main focus."

Parker shared a few words of advice before leaving the flying to the pilots of later generations.

"Aviation is not only a challenge but an opportunity for young people," he said. "I encourage all pilots to approach flying with vigor and determination, and enjoy the rewards of your hard work."

Once Parker parts ways with flying, he said he and and his wife plan to continue visiting family as well as traveling around the U.S. and Europe.

USO Sponsors Fleet Week "Reverse Care Package" Event Aboard Iwo Jima

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis J. Kuykendall, USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Public Affairs

NEW YORK (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines onboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) participated in a care package event during fleet week on the flight deck May 26.

Service members worked together with United Service Organizations (USO) volunteers to make care packages and distribute them to other ships participating in fleet week. The event is referred to as "Fleet Week Reverse Care Package Party."

The special care package event was sponsored by USO, Pepsi Corporation, Gatorade and the NFL, who work hand-in-hand to provide care packages to service members all over the world.

"It was a chance to give back to fellow shipmates and other service members," said Yeoman Seaman Derrick Miles. "I wanted them to be rewarded because I know what they go through and they deserve it."

"Pepsi Co. has a long standing relationship with USO," said Greg Ordway, Pepsi Co. director of brand development, "and this year in particular we felt the need to support our sea services and show our appreciation."

"This event brought me up close and personal with USO and I saw the degree to which they help us out," said Miles. "We really do need them. Sometimes we're overseas and they can make the difference."

More than 3,000 care packages were filled with drink mix packets, chips, gum, towels, water bottles and other snacks to be handed out to service members. "We got a lot of work done and helped make a lot of packages" said Miles. "It was a great opportunity to network and help our shipmates."

While some service members worked to make the care packages, others enjoyed a barbeque with music & entertainment, interactive games, raffle giveaways, and the chance to make their own care packages.

Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates is traveling.

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

Face of Defense: Shooting Survivor Inspires Others

By Micah Garbarino

72nd Air Base Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., May 27, 2011 – "Control your breathing, lie still, play dead."

During the most devastating moment of her life, Air Force Staff Sgt. Deondra Parks couldn't believe her brain was behaving so rationally.

"So this is what a massacre is like?" she asked herself as a madman with a shotgun wreaked havoc around her.

Parks, a 72nd Security Forces Squadron member, experienced danger and witnessed death during a deployment in Iraq, but nothing prepared her for the night of April 20, 2010. At a bookstore and coffee shop in Wichita Falls, Texas, she wasn’t a target for being a police officer or an airman, but for being African-American.

After changing duty stations for the fourth time in almost five years, Parks applied for retraining as an aerospace medical technician in 2009. She was accepted, and her training began April 6, 2010, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

The night of the shooting, she and two classmates moved a study session from the base library to a coffee shop in town.

"We had a big test on the airway the next day,” Parks said. “I'd been [there] before, so I suggested it. I'd always been totally comfortable there."

Air Force Staff Sgts. Jade Henderson and Tanya Jesser were sitting with Parks at a table in the bookstore's coffee shop when it happened.

"I wasn't really paying attention to him when he came in," Parks said. "Then I felt someone next to me. I looked up into his eyes. I thought he was going to try and start a conversation, but his eyes were vacant, totally checked out, like there was no one there."

Then, 22-year-old Ross William Muehlberger said, "Hey [racial slur], it’s Hitler's birthday." He lifted a shotgun and fired right at Henderson's head, who was sitting across the table from Parks. The first shot grazed her; the second shot did not.

"I thought he shot her twice in the head," Parks said. "I found out later that she put her hand up, which saved her life."

Jesser dove under a table. The shooter was standing between Parks and the door.

"I got up and ran," she said. "I was tripping over tables and chairs. I just wanted to get behind the bookshelves. I heard another shot and felt something graze past my face and hair. Then I dove to the floor."

Parks said she laid there trying to control her breathing. From the training she received as a member of security forces, she thought if she played dead the shooter would ignore her. Instead, he stood over her and fired point-blank into her lower leg, shattering her bones.

"I didn't scream," Parks said. "I didn't move. I forced myself to be still so he wouldn't want to shoot me again, like a dead animal. About 20 seconds after he shot me, I heard someone scream, 'He's gone.'"

Parks screamed for Henderson and dragged herself until she could look her in the eyes. Some people came to help them and waited with them until police and ambulances arrived. They were transported by helicopter to a hospital in Dallas.

Muehlberger continued his rampage through Wichita Falls, killing 23-year-old Iraq war veteran Timothy Donley before going to a house and shooting himself dead.

From the moment Parks went into her first surgery after the shooting until now, she said she knows the Air Force has been looking out for her. She woke up in the emergency room and first saw now-retired Air Force Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, commander of the Air Education and Training Command.

"The first thing he asked was, 'Is there anything I can do for you?' and he assured me that my family was on the way,” she said.

Parks asked him not to take her training slot away. “He told me to focus on getting better and said when I was ready, I may return to training."

The recovery care coordinator here, retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. John Wood, did everything he could to assist Parks' family when her mother, sister and brother came to stay with her in Dallas for two weeks.

"In a sense, he was like a father," said Parks, who, along with Henderson, stayed at the Fisher House in Dallas while they were recovering.

"I never had to worry about setting anything up," she said. "It really proved me right. I always knew that when I joined the Air Force, if I put my all into it, they'd have my back."

Parks focused on her recovery, which took its toll. After four surgeries in less than a year, she felt like giving up. She didn't want to do rehabilitation anymore and was tired of the struggle, she said.

However, Parks had to work at regaining her strength if she wanted to maintain the physical standards required to stay in the Air Force and avoid a forced medical separation.

"Then I realized that anyone can quit, but not giving up when everyone else would understand shows true strength," Parks said.

Her leaders encouraged her to continue on. She went from a wheelchair to a walker to crutches and was told she would be out of commission for three months. But Air Force Lt. Col. Troy Roberts, her squadron commander, asked her to begin coming in every day for as long as she could stand it, even if it was only to answer phones.

"At first, I wasn't really happy about it, but now I'm so glad he asked me to do it," Parks said. "I needed to be around people, and without them I wouldn't be as far along as I am."

Roberts said what he saw Parks go through would have sent most people into a physical, mental, spiritual and career tailspin.

"Sergeant Parks has fought through and triumphed over multiple surgeries and hours of painful physical therapy," Roberts said. "She reached out to sources for strength such as wingmen, friends and family. She is one of the most resilient airmen I know."

The gunshot wound wasn't the only trauma Parks suffered last April. She has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and is receiving treatment.

"I was never bitter, because I knew what could have happened that night, but didn't; I'm still alive," Parks said. "Putting all my trust in God, I don't carry a burden around day to day. Jade and I talked about forgiveness when we were at the Fisher House. Jade told me, 'His hate was not stronger than God's love for us.' Forgiving him was the first step in our recovery."

The trauma of the shooting, however, still haunts her. She has terrible nightmares, and when she enters a business or a restaurant, she plays out in her head what she would do if a shooting occurred "as if I were already shot," she said.

Parks said she’s learning to deal with these issues. She credits her leaders at the 72nd Security Forces Squadron for their proactive response. Roberts and Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Melissa Garrett, the squadron’s first sergeant, contacted the 72nd Medical Group and had a mental health professional contact Parks within days of the shooting.

Parks said she hopes other service members will seek help for post-traumatic stress rather than suppressing it. "The therapy is awesome," she said.

Although she's willing to share her story with other airmen who are looking for inspiration to continue through struggles, she doesn't want to always be known as "the girl who got shot."

"I am not going to let this control the rest of my life," Parks said.

Lorenz kept his word, and Parks will return to aerospace medical service apprentice technical training in June. Her goal, she said, is to retire from the Air Force as a chief master sergeant.

"The injuries she suffered could have negatively affected her Air Force career, but Sergeant Parks is back on track," Roberts said. "If you think you have a reason to quit, come talk to Sergeant Parks. You will come away with a new perspective."

Service Members Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Donisha Burns, Fleet Week New York Public Affairs

NEW YORK (NNS) -- More than 3,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen "invaded" New York City May 25th as part of this year's Fleet Week New York. The annual celebration, in its 24th year, celebrates the sea services and offers an opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet the men and women who have volunteered to serve their country and protect the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.

In addition to one-on-one interactions with the Sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines, ships of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard were pier-side in Manhattan and Staten Island and open to the general public for tours. The ship tours, which attract more than 2,000 people daily during Fleet Week, give guests a first-hand look at the vessels used by the U.S. maritime services.

"We run over here every year," said New Jersey native Peter Obrien who was visiting USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), May 27. "We love Fleet Week, I'm a former Navy third class." Iwo, with the USCGC Tampa (WMEC 902) and USCGC Willow (WLB 202), was at Pier 88 on the west side of Manhattan for this year's celebration.

But events like Fleet Week don't happen in a vacuum and it takes numerous organizations' support and work to make it happen.

"It's our job to go above and beyond to make sure the service members are comfortable," said Patrice Simmons, a volunteer with the United Services Organization supporting Fleet Week this year. "Fleet Week is the biggest event we host and we have to meet the servicemember's expectations."

Servicemembers participated in a number of events throughout the New York City area, including a re-enlistment at ground zero, studio audiences for live television shows, and numerous live concerts, as well as a kick-off party at the Hard-Rock Cafe hosted by Morale Welfare and Recreation.

"People love to see Sailors in whites," said Mary Borree, MWR director from Naval Weapons Station Earl, New Jersey. "They take pictures, some even clap and salute," she added.

For more information on Fleet Week 2011 events, visit www.fleetweeknewyork.com or find Fleet Week New York on Facebook.

Memorial Day Observance

As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, Monday, May 30, 2011

Mr. President, veterans, active service members, families, welcome.  For many Americans, Memorial Day is a welcome respite from work: an extra day to spend at the beach or finish errands.  But we must never forget that it is foremost an occasion to reflect, remember, and to honor the brave men and women who have fought and died for us.  Each year we set aside a single day to reflect on the service of our armed forces in generations past and present – a day where me must also honor the sacrifices of military family members, who in recent years have borne the brunt of repeated deployments, long partings, and the fear of receiving the knock on the door with the worst of all possible news.

But I urge all Americans to remember that, just as each and every day the troops now serving faithfully pursue their mission to protect us, so each and every day they deserve our recognition, our respect, and our conscious gratitude.  Every soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coastguardsmen wearing the uniform today enlisted or reenlisted knowing they would serve in time of war.  As Thucydides put it, “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”

As I come to the end of my time in this post, I know this will be my final opportunity to stand and speak in this hallowed place and pay tribute to the fallen.  It is up to us to be worthy of their sacrifice – in the decisions we make, the priorities we set, the support we provide to troops, veterans, and their families. 

For the rest of my life, I will keep these brave patriots and their loved ones in my heart and in my prayers – as I know does their Commander-in-Chief, who has so steadfastly supported those bearing the brunt of the fight.  I have been honored to work with President Obama for the past two and half years and to see the deep seriousness and thoughtfulness with which he weighs the security of nation and the safety of the men and women who serve.  Throughout, he has never shrunk from the tough decisions, the heavy burdens, and the true responsibilities of command.

It is my privilege and my honor to introduce the President of the United States.

Rolling Thunder

As Prepared for Delivery by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Washington, D.C., Sunday, May 29, 2011

Thank you Chairman Mullen.  Thank you Artie and the whole leadership team at Rolling Thunder.  And thank you to all who have come on this Ride for Freedom, from the bottom of my heart.  This is truly a sight to behold.  But your journey here today is only one part of the relentless work of Rolling Thunder members for the past 24 years.

You have made sure that no effort is spared to bring closure to the families of men and women who have been killed or gone missing in action while defending our country.  You have performed countless acts of service on behalf of veterans and active duty members of the armed services, including those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Above all, you have helped ensure that the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform – and their families – are recognized, honored, and never forgotten.  Men and women like the wounded warriors and gold star mothers that are honored guests here today.

For most Americans, Memorial Day weekend is a respite from work.  But for those of us gathered here, it is an affirmation of our commitment to remember those heroes who have fought and died or been captured in defense of our nation – not just this weekend, but every day of our lives.  We have a sacred obligation to those who have borne that heavy burden in the past.  The men and women now protecting us on the front lines gain comfort knowing that today, if they are missing or captured we will not rest until they are accounted for and welcome home to the honor they deserve – even if conflicts recede into history.

This is my final Memorial Day serving as Secretary of Defense, every day of it spent in a time of war.  I have had – and will have – no greater honor in my life than to serve and to lead our men and women in the armed forces.  I will always keep them in my heart and my prayers, as long as I live.  They will join the likes of veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, as a heroic generation that battled in faraway lands to preserve the freedom and security of this great nation.  Generations represented by the thousands of veterans gathered here today, who well know the sacrifices that go hand in hand with this essential duty.

The American people can never repay the debt they owe to those who have fought and served, and to their family members who have stood strong at home.  Your work – and the sound of your bikes – reminds them of the costs incurred, the blood spilt, and the enduring need to maintain a strong military in a dangerous world.

Thank you and may God bless you all.

NSWC Panama City Engineer Recognized

From Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (NNS) -- A Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City, Fla., engineer received the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) 2010 Technology Advancement Medal during the 2011 Joint Engineer Education and Training Conference and Expo, in Grapevine, Texas, May 25.

Alan Canfield, NSWC Panama City counter improvised explosive device (C-IED) program manager, received the annual award that honors initiative in advancement of existing engineering and related technology. Canfield was nominated for his work in the development, fielding and sustainment of the Panama City Mine Roller System.

"I sincerely appreciate the distinction of this award," Canfield said. "It would not have been possible without years of hard work by many U.S. Marine Corps and Navy active-duty and civilian personnel, and our dedicated industry partners."

In the summer 2006, the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command Program Manager for Engineer Systems asked Canfield to provide a solution to the emerging use of pressure plate IEDs against U.S. Marine Corps and Coalition forces in Iraq. Canfield and his team began research, development, test and evaluation efforts to prototype a mine roller, a pressure plate IED-defeat system used to prevent or reduce the effects of IEDs on combat personnel and vehicles.

The team delivered their first prototype 90 days later. As of October 2010, the mine roller team has delivered more than 1,000 C-IED mine rollers.

"Alan's team met a pressing combat related need by U.S. forces serving not only overseas, but directly in harm's way," said SAME Panama City Post President Bryan Muller, who nominated Canfield for the award. "While many engineering projects like infrastructure or facilities can take years to develop, this was a great case of looking at a problem for an effective solution that was both quick to deploy and low in cost."

Chairman’s Corner: Memorial Day 2011

By Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2011 – As our Nation marks the 150th anniversary of the first year of the Civil War, this weekend we observe Memorial Day, a tradition that originated following the toll that terrible conflict levied upon our Nation.

Originally known as Decoration Day for the flowers placed upon the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers, this holiday, more than any other, reminds us of those who gave up their future so that we could have ours.

Today, another generation of America’s sons and daughters is fighting for us. Sadly in this decade of war, we have lost some tremendous young men and women who are deeply missed by their loved ones and those with whom they served. In the truest sense, they have rendered a sacrifice that we, the living, can never fully repay.

One thing we can do, however, is reach out to those for whom they cared the most -- their families. So as we commemorate our Nation’s fallen heroes this weekend, I ask every American to please join me in honoring their sacrifice by supporting the families of the fallen as well as our wounded warriors and their families who have also sacrificed so much.

We must never forget them -- not just today, but every day.

National Guard Helps Storm-Damaged Communities

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 – More than 3,400 men and women of the National Guard are on the ground in seven states helping communities damaged by deadly tornadoes and floods, Army Maj. Gen. David L. Harris said today.

Harris, director of domestic operations and force development for the National Guard Bureau, spoke in a joint interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.

The states include Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, Harris said.

Guardsmen are working with local and state officials, police and emergency responders in Joplin, Mo., he said, where a powerful tornado struck May 22, causing at least 125 deaths, more than 750 injuries and damage to homes and businesses.

The National Guard soldiers there are working in the life-saving phase, which Harris said lasts 72 to 96 hours before they transition to the recovery phase.

Soldiers are searching debris for survivors, working with local law enforcement to provide security, going house to house doing “wellness checks” of people who have no power, water or gas.

“We know that there are many still unaccounted for and our hearts go out to the community,” Harris said. “It just couldn’t be any harder than not knowing the status of a loved one.”

In Joplin, he added, the roof was torn off the National Guard Armory.

The armory is without power and gas, “but we’re still using it to help in the response,” Harris said, “providing temporary communications out of that position. So it’s still a part of the community and still working quite aggressively.”

It’s been a while “since we’ve had this type of and this much damage at once,” he added. “ … I’m sure this is catching a lot of people off guard.”

Earlier this year the guard supported Texas during a severe outbreak of wildfires, Harris said.

Three mobile air fire-fighting systems -- C-130s with devices inside to disperse fire retardant -- spent a month there to get the fires under control.

“I think at one point they said all but two counties in Texas had something on fire,” the general said.

The guard also helped in eight states recently flooded by an overflowing Mississippi River.

North Dakota still has soldiers watching levees and [working on] temporary dams and sandbagging operations there,” Harris said.

South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois all had fairly significant flood responses this year, he added.

In Missouri, the guard was involved in evacuating people from flood zones along the Mississippi and working the levees there, and helping with flooding in Tennessee and Kentucky.

In Louisiana, where the Mississippi begins flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, 1,100 soldiers are working with the Army Corps of Engineers to check levees, doing regular inspections and repairs, Harris said.

Those who manage the National Guard soldiers are staying vigilant through the spring, the general said.

“With record amounts of winter snowfall in the north and the west, everybody is watching the rivers and hoping that we don’t get rain on top of a good thaw because that would make the situation worse,” he said, noting that hurricane season quickly follows spring.

“We go from floods to wildfires to hurricanes to snow and ice, Harris said. “We get a short break and then we start again.”

Gravely Completes Final Contract Trials

From Program Executive Office Ships Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- USS Gravely (DDG 107) successfully completed Final Contract Trials in Norfolk, Va., May 19.

The trial, run by the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), is part of a series of post-delivery test and trials during which the ship and its major systems are exercised, tested and corrected as required.

INSURV officials closely monitored the testing of the ship's main propulsion & auxiliary systems, Aegis Combat System, communication and navigation systems, and habitability. Successful demonstrations of the ship's full power, steering, anchoring, anti-aircraft warfare (AAW), ship's self defense, and anti-surface warfare (ASW) capabilities were accomplished.

"The crew of Gravely has worked extremely hard to successfully complete this key shipbuilding milestone as assessed by INSURV," said Capt. Pete Lyle, DDG 51 Class Shipbuilding program manager for the Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "The Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Doug Kunzman has thoroughly trained his crew and deftly instilled their ownership of Gravely. INSURV has confirmed that this ship is prepared to execute her mission."

Gravely was commissioned last year in Wilmington, N.C. The ship is named for Vice Adm. Samuel Lee Gravely, the first African-American to command a warship and to attain flag rank, among many other achievements.

Gravely is a guided-missile destroyer designed to operate in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments. The ship is equipped with the Navy's Aegis Combat System, the world's foremost integrated naval weapon system. The class provides outstanding combat capability and survivability characteristics while minimizing procurement and lifetime support costs due to the program's maturity. The DDG 51 program continues to reinforce affordability and efficiency, with a commitment to deliver ships at the highest possible quality.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships, an affiliated PEO of the Naval Sea Systems Command, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all major surface combatants, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs managed by PEO Ships are benefiting from serial production efficiencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.

Today in the Department of Defense, Saturday, May 28, 2011

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

This Day in Naval History - May 27

By Navy News Service

1813 - American joint operations against Fort George, Canada.

1919 - Navy NC-4 completes trans-Atlantic flight from Newfoundland to Lisbon, Portugal.

Phoenix Express Training Broadens Medical Capabilities

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Edward Vasquez, Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East

SOUDA BAY, Crete (NNS) -- The U.S., Royal Morocco and Mauritania naval forces sharpened their essential skills in basic combat first aid training presented May 25, during Phoenix Express 2011 (PE-11), a multi-national maritime exercise designed to enhance regional maritime partnerships.

"What we are doing here today is basic first aid training," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class David Openshaw, lead medical instructor and Utah National Guard member. "Most of the countries that come here already have their own style of training. All we want to do is broaden their understanding and show them what we do."

The medical training will continue through the entire course of PE-11, a three-week evolution divided into in-port and underway training phases, and will include practical, as well as classroom, training.

"This is great training," said Cmdr. John Quigley, Medical Corps, PE-11 senior medical officer and Reserve component member from 6th Fleet Reserve Det. 802, out of Navy Operational Support Center Atlanta. "We are here giving all of our multinational partners a broader understanding of basic first aid so that when we are working together we will all have the same knowledge."

The training covered basic first aid, specifically the "ABCs" – how to check an airway, breathing and circulation – as well as how to apply tourniquets and how to stop a sucking chest wound.

"This training has been very good," said Royal Moroccan Navy Maj. Afkir Said, a MIO unit team leader. "We are here to learn, and this training will help our troops."

Maritime and land forces from 13 countries are participating in the international military partnering exercise, which commenced at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Center in Souda Bay May 23. The exercise will culminate with a six-day underway portion in the Mediterranean Sea. PE-11 is a unique training opportunity designed to enhance each country's ability to work together and to deter illicit trafficking at sea.

U.S. units participating in PE-11 will include USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49), USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29), and Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning ship USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016) and fleet replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn (T-AO 198). They are joined by Royal Morocco navy frigate Hassan II, along with two MIO boarding teams. Additional U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa staff personnel will also participate alongside other international naval forces in this exercise.

Navy, Columbia Sign NROTC Agreement

From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

NEW YORK (NNS) -- The Secretary of the Navy and the president of Columbia University signed an agreement May 26, at a ceremony on board USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) formalizing their intention to reinstate Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) programs at Columbia.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger signed the agreement aboard USS Iwo Jima, which is docked in New York for the Navy's annual Fleet Week activities.

The Department of the Navy and Columbia University announced the agreement April 21, after Columbia's University Senate passed a resolution to explore increasing the University's relationship with the Armed Forces, including programs like Reserve Officer Training Corps. This is the first time in 40 years the program will be in place at Columbia.

Under the agreement, the NROTC program will have an office on Columbia's campus and active duty Navy and Marine Corps officers will meet with Columbia NROTC midshipmen during routinely scheduled office hours. Navy and Marine Corps-option midshipmen will participate in NROTC through a unit hosted at SUNY Maritime College in Throgs Neck, N.Y.

The NROTC program develops young men and women morally, mentally, and physically, and instills in them the highest ideals of honor, courage, and commitment. The program educates and trains young men and women for leadership positions in an increasingly technical Navy and Marine Corps.

Guard Aids Search, Rescue Operation in Oklahoma

From an Oklahoma National Guard News Release

PIEDMONT, Okla., May 26, 2011 – Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 63rd Civil Support Team were called here early today to assist with a search-and-rescue operation involving a 3-year-old boy.

The boy’s home was destroyed by a tornado that hit the nearby Falcon Lake housing addition yesterday at about 5 p.m.

“These are the types of missions we train for year round,” Army Lt. Col. Hiram Tabler, commander of the 63rd CST, said. “We will be here providing whatever support the local officials need until the mission is complete.”

Canadian County officials, who were first on scene, secured the area in preparation for search-and-rescue efforts. The 63rd CST set up a communications center to keep track of personnel taking part in the operation.

“The National Guard did an excellent job setting up communications equipment for communication between the different teams being sent out,” Jim Keck, manager for the search and rescue, said. “We don’t usually have this type of support.

“We have trained with the Oklahoma National Guard in the past so they were a great asset to us today,” he added.

Also assisting with the search and rescue were the Oklahoma Army National Guard, Pottawatomie County emergency services, Canadian County emergency services, Piedmont County emergency services, the city of Antler and the local police and sheriff’s departments. Search and rescue dogs also were on site.

Assisting with search and rescue efforts from the air members of Detachment 1, Company A, 1st Battalion, 114th Aviation, of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s counterdrug team. They flew an OH-58 “Kiowa” helicopter, which uses a forward-looking infrared camera system.

Oklahoma Guardsmen had not found the missing boy as of 3 p.m., officials said, but rescue efforts are ongoing.

Memorial Day message from the Adjutant General of Wisconsin

As our nation prepares to observe Memorial Day and remember those who died in service to our nation, it is important for us to remember as well. The Wisconsin National Guard has a proud legacy of service to our nation in times of conflict. It includes the famed "Iron Brigade" - those damn "Black Hats" - who fought with valor in the Civil War. It includes the rich heritage of the Red Arrow Division with service in WW I, WWII and most recently with the Brigade in Iraq. It includes the 115th Fighter Wing and the 128th Air Refueling Wing, who have deployed continually since Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In fact, every unit in the Wisconsin National Guard has deployed forces in support of the global war on terror - many more than once.

Our legacy as citizens willing to serve as Soldiers and Airmen and answer our nation's call is not risk free. Our formations count many who have died in service to our nation - many who gave the last full measure as President Lincoln so eloquently spoke in July of 1863. Today's service is no different. Nine soldiers of the Wisconsin National Guard have paid the ultimate price in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let us remember our fallen comrades and keep faith with their families.

Thank you for your continued selfless service. On this Memorial Day, let us remember all of our comrades, the men and women who died defending our great nation. It is right that we remember.

Sincerely,

Donald P. Dunbar

Brigadier General (WI)

Wisconsin National Guard

The Adjutant General

Mullen Notes Importance of Remembrance in Memorial Day Message

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 – In his Memorial Day message, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reflected on the true meaning of the holiday: to remember fallen comrades and their families.

Here is the text of the chairman’s video message:

For many people, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, but for millions of American families it holds a much deeper meaning. It is that day we set aside solemnly to remember the brave who did not make it home, to celebrate their courage, mourn their loss, and appreciate what they did to make this country a safer place. Sadly, more than 6,000 names have been added to that roll call in the last 10 years. Please take a moment to remember them and their families. Thank you.

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Visits First Overseas Port

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Timothy Walter, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

PORTSMOUTH, England (NNS) -- The Norfolk, Va.-based USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) anchored off the coast of Portsmouth, England, May 26, marking the first ever overseas port call for the nation's newest Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

Nearly 5,000 Sailors of George H.W. Bush and embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight will spend several days visiting the historic port and the capital city of London, as well as participating in the various tours offered to the crew through the ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program.

"Portsmouth is the first of many port visits for this proud ship," said George H.W. Bush Command Master Chief (SW) David Colton. "The crew is excited to get immersed in English culture, try the local food, and go to London."

Colton said the expectations are high for the crew as they show the Navy's newest aircraft carrier to a foreign nation, and he remained confident in their ability to represent their country and their ship.

"I expect that every George H.W. Bush Sailor will be great ambassadors and their conduct ashore will be exceptional," he said.

The scheduled port call follows George H.W. Bush's participation in the eight-day, multi-national military exercise Saxon Warrior 11, which was hosted by the U.K.-based Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST).

The guided missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103), assigned to the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, also arrived in Portsmouth for its first foreign port call. Both ships departed Norfolk, Va., May 11 on their first combat deployment.

Service Members Reenlist at World Trade Center Site During Fleet Week

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class W. B. Swoboda, Fleet Week New York Public Affairs

NEW YORK (NNS) -- Marking a significant milestone in their careers at the most symbolic of places, 12 Sailors and five Coast Guardsmen reenlisted at the site of the World Trade Center on May 26.

The group met inside Gate 7 on the southwest side of Ground Zero, where together they raised their hands and swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert Parker, commander, Atlantic Area led a group of five Coast Guardsmen and Rear Adm. Herman Shelanski, commander, Carrier Strike Group 10 led a group of 12 Sailors in reciting their oaths, calling it an opportunity for enlisted service men and women to remind themselves why they serve their country.

"I have done a couple hundred of these, but it's kind of an emotional event here," Parker said. "I can't think of a better place to have yet another restart to what are the fine careers of these folks that are coming up through our services."

The ground zero reenlistment was especially meaningful for Marine Science Technician 2nd Class Heather Clark, who serves aboard U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York from Fayetteville, N.C.

"It is a real honor to reenlist here at ground zero," Clark said. "I originally enlisted in the Coast Guard after 9/11, wanted to join something that is larger than myself and I really wanted to help people."

Service members in town for Fleet Week had the opportunity to reenlist at some of the city's most popular attractions. By far, the World Trade Center site got the biggest response, explained Michael Hurley of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, who manages the World Trade Center site and said he receives a number of requests to host military promotion and reenlistment ceremonies.

"We had an extremely high level of interest in this location," Hurley said. "So many want to recommit to their service here, at a place significant to all Americans."

After repeating the oath, Engineman 2nd Class Edward Cooper, stationed on board USS John L. Hall (FFG 32), from Anderson, S.C. Had a chance to take in the sights of the construction going on all around and congratulate the other Sailors who had reenlisted alongside him.

"It is an amazing experience, everything that happened here on 9/11 – it's just an amazing feeling it just gives you chills," Cooper said. "Reenlisting here at ground zero is an outstanding feeling, there's nothing like it."

Services are participating in the 24th Fleet Week New York, which takes place May 25 - June 1. Fleet Week has been New York City's celebration of the sea services since 1984. It is an unparalleled opportunity for citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, as well as see first-hand, all the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.

Today in the Department of Defense, Friday, May 27, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates delivers a commencement address at 10 a.m. EDT at the U.S. Naval Academy, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.  Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will also speak.

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

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey delivers remarks at 1 p.m. EDT at the 2011 TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va.  Media interested in attending should contact Lt. Col. Alayne Conway at 703-693-4961.