NAS Oceana Promotes Motorcycle Safety

By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Indra Bosko, Naval Air Station Oceana Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- The 3rd annual Motorcycle Rodeo and Safety Fair was held aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana June 10, to encourage riders to be safe, wear the right gear and have fun when they ride their motorcycles.

The prevailing message to the attendees was, "Don't get picked on."

"Motorcyclists feel like they get picked on because they get inspected the most," said Donald Borkoski, from the Naval Safety Center, an organization that develops traffic safety policies for the U.S. Navy.

Compared to drivers, Sailors are constantly getting inspected on wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) as they ride through the front gates of a military installation, Borkoski said.

"The reason why you get picked on is (because) about 10 percent of all the Sailors and Marines that own vehicles drive motorcycles," said Borkoski. "That is why we need to keep you safe."

The one-day event featured guest speakers and activities including riding contests, demonstrations from safety experts and a bike show. The rodeo also included booths from various motorcycle vendors, non-profit organizations and the local fire department.

"We are hosting the motorcycle rodeo to inform riders to stay safe, give the options for safety equipment and places to ride," said Dave Ruhl, NAS Oceana Safety department.

During the motorcycle rodeo Sailors were encouraged to sign up for motorcycle safety courses. Naval Safety Center offers various levels of motorcycle safety training classes for military members.

"Motorcyclists are expected to get trained," said Borkoski. "The Basic Rider Course (BRC) offers the fundamentals on how to ride a motorcycle. The rodeo educates Sailors so that they know what to do if someone else does something stupid. These kids don't have mom and dad around, so we have to help them out."

Taking the motorcycle safety training classes is part of the rodeo's safety campaign to help bikers prevent future fatalities.

"We can't afford to lose trained people," said Borkoski "Some of the most ambitious people are motorcycle riders."

NAS Oceana Commanding Officer Capt. Jim Webb noted the loss of two Sailors from Oceana during the past year due to motorcycle accidents.

"So what do those Sailors have in common?" asked Webb. "They weren't drinking and driving, they just weren't very experienced and in both cases, had not taken the Basic Rider Course."

Experts at the event said since the Motorcycle Rodeo and Safety Fair was first introduced three years ago, safety programs such as the motorcycle rodeo as well as other motorcycle training programs have significantly influenced the reduction in motorcycle accidents.

"Since we started getting more involved in the motorcycle program, in one year's time we have cut fatalities in half," said Borkoski. "We went from 36 fatalities per year to 13 or 14 per year," said Borkoski. "Over the last two years, all the motorcyclists who don't have training are part of the fatalities. So the training is working."

Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class Bruce Yates, Training Support Center Hampton Roads, praised the rider courses at the Naval Safety Center.

"I've been through all the courses," said Yates, 39. "I think the training is a good idea because they teach older motorcyclists like me how to ride."

Younger Sailors such as Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Dustin Meeker from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN75), said the courses trained him to learn the proper techniques in bike riding.

"I learned a lot about control from stopping to slowing down," said Meeker. "The way the classes help Sailors is that they build you up from the basics, and by the time you leave, it is muscle memory."

Other factors of concern also include the fact that the rise in motorcycle sales in Hampton Roads comes more from military members than civilians, said Borkoski.

"When the gas prices go up, we find more Sailors riding motorcycles; even those returning from overseas," said Borkoski. "That's why we want them to get training."

Virginia State Police troopers entertained the audience with safety demonstrations and gave tips on proper bike riding and handling.

Quoting the Virginia State Police motto of "Ride Smart, Arrive Alive," Senior Trooper Ross Thompson said that out of all the reasons why Sailors get into a motorcycle accident, "riding too fast is the main reason."

In another effort to save lives, the chief operating officer of Richmond Ambulance Authority, Rob Lawrence, introduced the Rider Alert program which provides free identification cards and stickers for motorcyclists.

The cards are meant to inform and aid first responders to provide better treatment for bikers in case of an emergency or accident. Riders were also advised to put their command's contact information on the card and were given a demonstration on how to properly place the Rider Alert card inside their helmets.

"That way we can inform your next of kin or command," said Lawrence. "We hope there will be a military version of the card."

Gates Calls for Superb Military, Not Hollow Force

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2011 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he’d rather have a smaller “superbly capable” military than a hollow force.

Gates told the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee today that even as the department looks for savings there has to be an admission that reductions will increase risks. It was the secretary’s last appearance before Congress before his retirement June 30.

“This process must be about identifying options for the president and for you, the Congress, to ensure that the nation consciously acknowledges and accepts additional risk in exchange for reduced investment in the military,” Gates said. “Above all, if we are to avoid a hollowing effect, this process must address force structure, with the overarching goal to preserve a U.S. military capable of meeting crucial national-security priorities even if fiscal pressure requires reductions in that force’s size.”

But, he said, if force structure is reduced the consequences are that a smaller military -- no matter how superb -- “will be able to go fewer places and be able to do fewer things.”

Even as the Defense Department looks for efficiencies and cuts, the world remains a dangerous place, the secretary said, and those looking for savings would do well to remember that.

“Our military must remain strong and agile enough to face a diverse range of threats -- from nonstate actors attempting to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction and sophisticated missiles, to the more traditional threats of other states both building up their conventional forces and developing new capabilities that target our traditional strategies,” he said.

Gates discussed areas that will be studied for savings. The first is the planned future reductions in the size of the ground forces, the second is the proposed reforms and savings to the TRICARE military health plan program for working-age retirees, and the third is the budget and the strategy choices required to meet the savings targets recently laid out by President Barack Obama.

In 2006, one of the secretary’s first acts was to increase the size of the Army and Marines. He said at the time, and maintains today, that the ground forces were being stretched by the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the surge into Iraq threatened to break the forces. The Army grew by 65,000 to 547,000 and the Marines by 27,000 to 202,000. He further authorized the Army a temporary increase of 22,000, which will end in fiscal 2013.

“The objective was to reduce stress on the force, limit and eventually end the practice of stop-loss, and to increase troops’ home-station dwell time,” he said. “This has worked. And I can tell you that those stop-lossed in the Army is now over. There are no Army soldiers stop-lossed.”

Army and Marine Corps leaders believe that by fiscal 2015, they can begin drawing down end strength with minimal risk -- reducing Army active-duty end strength by 27,000 and the Marine Corps by somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000.

“These projections assume that the number of troops in Afghanistan will be significantly reduced by the end of 2014 in accordance with the president’s and NATO’s strategy,” the secretary said. “If our assumptions prove incorrect, there's plenty of time to adjust the size and schedule of this change.”

Reforming TRICARE is another priority for the department, Gates said. DOD health care costs have climbed from $19 billion in fiscal 2001 to $52.5 billion in fiscal 2012. The fiscal 2012 budget calls for modest increases to TRICARE enrollment fees for working-age retirees, which later would be indexed to national health expenditures. “All six members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have strongly endorsed these and other cost-saving TRICARE reforms in a letter to the Congress,” Gates said.

This must happen because the current TRICARE arrangement cannot be sustained, he said. “If allowed to continue, the Department of Defense risks the fate of other corporate and government bureaucracies that were ultimately crippled by personnel costs, and in particular their retiree benefit packages,” he said. He urged the senators to approve the change.

The president called on DOD to find $400 billion in savings. An earlier effort netted $100 billion in savings over five years. “The goal was and is to sustain the U.S. military's size and strength over the long term by reinvesting efficiency savings in force structure and other key combat capabilities,” Gates said.

He called the results mixed saying the services did a good job of locating savings and making tough choices, with defense agencies doing less well. “I believe there are more savings to be found by culling more overhead and better accounting for, and thus better managing the funds and people we have,” he said. “But one thing is quite clear. The efficiencies efforts the department has undertaken will not come close to meeting the $400 billion in savings laid out by the president.”

Meeting those goals will require real cuts and real choices, Gates said.

“Here I would leave you with a word of caution,” the secretary said. “We must not repeat the mistakes of the past, where budget targets were met mostly by taking a percentage off the top of everything, the simplest and most politically expedient approach, both inside the Pentagon and outside of it.”

He called that approach salami-slicing and while it maintains force structure on paper, it results in hollowing out the force from a lack of proper training, maintenance of equipment and manpower. “That’s what happened in the 1970s, a disastrous period for our military, and to a lesser extent during the late 1990s,” he said.

Gates has launched a comprehensive review to ensure that future spending decisions “are focused on priorities, strategy and risks and are not simply a math and accounting exercise.”

The secretary wants congressional support for a leaner, more efficient Pentagon and continued sustainable, robust investments in troops and future capabilities.

“Our troops have done more than their part; now it’s time for us in Washington to do ours,” he said.

All together now: 32nd Brigade assembles for annual training

By Staff Sgt. Andy Poquette

Wisconsin Army National Guard

For the first time in nearly eight years, the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) is conducting annual training as a whole brigade this month at Fort McCoy.

The 32nd, which includes units ranging from engineers and infantry to military intelligence and medics, has deployed in part or in total to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2005 and 2010. Some of those deployments have required Soldiers to perform missions other than what they normally train for, such as convoy escort, base security or detainee operations.

"We haven't been able to be together as an entire brigade since 2003," said Col. Martin D. Seifer, 32nd IBCT commander. "When I took command, I promised we would do our mission, and we are training to function as an IBCT that performs full spectrum operations. We plan for the most difficult mission, and adjust as necessary."

Seifer, who took command of the Red Arrow Brigade in July of 2010, stressed that with the brigade coming home from a long deployment and several changes in personnel across the nearly 3,200-Soldier-strong brigade, training together as a brigade was an important step.

"It means a lot to an individual Soldier because you raise your hand and take an oath to fulfill a specific job," Seifer explained. "Infantry wants to be infantry, engineers want to be engineers. It's a great feeling to be able to do what you signed up to do."

Pfc. Tonlithed Vang, a signal systems support specialist with Company C, Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB), agreed.

"This is my second annual training," said Vang, "but this is the first time I've been able to do my job. I'm cross-training with other positions and learning new equipment. It makes me more confident in my mission."

Master Sgt. James S. Fowler, also of Company C, BSTB, explained the difficulty of training on the BSTB's unique equipment.

"You can't set up this equipment on a drill weekend," Fowler said. "There simply isn't enough space. Out here we can set up our satellite trailers and our line-of-sight systems. Every system we employ requires a mix of jobs to be able to properly set up. This is the first time we've been able to do so."

Fowler, a recent transfer from the Nevada National Guard, has served in the Army National Guard for 19 years and said that he has seen the shift in the past few years to a more focused, Soldier-caring leadership plan.

"The leadership of the Guard since 2001 has become more administrative, more focused on planning," Fowler said. "It seems like they are asking, 'What will be best for our Soldiers?' when they develop the training plan."

The 32nd IBCT will be spending the better part of the month at Fort McCoy conducting training in everything from warrior tasks and squad weapon systems to field artillery missions.

"This is the first time that the 120th [Field Artillery Battalion] will be able to put steel on target since 2005," Seifer observed. "Everyone is excited about being able to do their mission."

Today in the Department of Defense, Thursday, June 16, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates has no public or media events on his schedule.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn is traveling.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen delivers remarks at 7:30 p.m. EDT at the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Stand Up for Heroes event in the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact Rene Bardorf at 703-881-6994.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will be the keynote speaker at 8 a.m. EDT at the 2011 Navy Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Forum at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, Va.  Media interested in attending should contact Cmdr. Charlie Brown, CNO’s public affairs officer at 703-692-5307.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will deliver remarks at 9 a.m. EDT at the “Active in the Arctic” seminar in room SD-562, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact Cmdr. Charlie Brown, CNO’s public affairs officer at 703-692-5307.

Commanding General for Regional Command Southwest, Maj. Gen. John Toolan Jr., will brief the media live from Afghanistan at 10:30 a.m. EDT in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973) to provide an update on current operations.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the River Entrance only.  Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Please call 703-697-5131 for escort into the building.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead will deliver remarks at 11 a.m. EDT on “A Global Navy in a Time of Change” at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1800 K Street N.W., Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact Cmdr. Charlie Brown, CNO’s public affairs officer at 703-692-5307.

This Day in Naval History - June 15

From the Navy News Service

1944 - Fifth Fleet lands Marines on Saipan, under the cover of naval gunfire, in conquest of Marianas.

1963 - Launching of combat store ship, Mars (AFS 1), first of new class of underway replenishment ships.

1991 - Two battle groups and amphibious ships evacuate dependents and Air Force personnel from Clark Air Force Base after Mount Pinatubo erupts in Philippines.

TSC Great Lakes Honor Vietnam Brown Water Navy

By James F. Antonucci, Training Support Center Great Lakes Public Affairs

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- More than two dozen brownwater Navy Sailors, who comprised the River Patrol Boat Force Veterans Association (RPBF/VA) reunion, visited the Training Support Center (TSC), Great Lakes June 9.

The Navy Military Training (NMT) history and naval heritage lesson on the Brown-Water Navy of Vietnam was provided by the organization aboard the USS Cole Barracks (BEQ-6301) to more than 400 students.

Capt. Peter R. Lintner, commanding officer for TSC commented about the visit with, "It was an eye opening discussion for our Sailors. The members spoke of their experiences, how they got into the Brown-Water Navy and they fielded questions from the audience. They did a marvelous job speaking about camaraderie, getting to know your shipmates, the fact that you can be ordered any place at any time and the very real impact of taking live fire."

Members of the RFBF/VA had been assigned to a vessels like the Patrol Boat, River (PBR); a thirty-one foot, fiberglass Uniflight boat propelled by two General Motors marine diesel engines powering two Jacuzzi jet pumps.

In December 1965, the United States Navy formed the Brown-Water Navy in Vietnam and continued their duties up until 1970, when the Navy stood down the last of its Brown-Water Navy units and turned over the boats to the South Vietnamese Government.

Comments made by members of the group described the heroics and brutalities of war. Individuals like Mr. James Woods, an Engineman 3rd Class in Vietnam, described how he was wounded early in his PBR tour in Vietnam, but managed to return to his unit after he recovered.

Fire Controlman Seaman Corey Farrar said, "It was interesting to learn the difference between the generations of the Navy, and it was cool to actually speak with the Vietnam vets and hear what they went through."

"I will take their example of camaraderie to my ship. They are great role models," he said.

The descriptions provided by Richard J. Cragg, a former Lt. and Senior Patrol Officer, outlined how he planned patrols for his unit, River Section 532 (RS 32) in My Tho, Vietnam and its ten PBRs. He reminisced over his tour patrolling the Cua Dia River in Jan. of 1967, and reflected on how RS 532, as part of Task Force 116 during Operation Game Warden, was designated to patrol the rivers of Vietnam, primarily the Mekong and its tributaries.

As an excellent example of a dedication to duty, their orations and descriptions of the actions and equipment brought to mind more recent events with the renewed effort on the Navy's Special Warfare (SPECWAR) Riverine Forces. Yet it may never be possible to fully appreciate the efforts and sacrifices put forth by these special Sailors of the brown water Navy.

Fire Controlman Seaman Diego Ortega commented, "I learned about people who enlisted to get out of going to Vietnam but ended up there anyway. They did their best while they were there and showed the true meaning of a sailor."

Lintner finished by saying, "These former Sailors spoke reverently about lost shipmates, good times and the worst of times. Our Sailors soaked it up; with one student commenting, 'Boy, we thought we had it bad, this is nothing.'"

Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes is the only training command located within the same vicinity as Recruit Training and is the home of five learning sites operated independently. The command supports 85% of the Surface Navy School and averages 13,500 Student throughputs per year.

Face of Defense: Soldier Gives Gift of Life

By Rachel Parks

III Corps and Fort Hood Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas, June 15, 2011 – Army Spc. Christopher Sutton enjoys helping people. It’s something that comes naturally to him whether it’s at his job, in his free time or while volunteering.

In that spirit of giving, Sutton took part in a bone marrow donor drive while stationed with the 89th Military Police Brigade about four years ago, and he was entered into the Defense Department bone marrow donor database.

“Two months ago, they called me out of the blue,” Sutton said. “I just happened to have the same number.”

Now working as a cadre member of the Warrior Transition Brigade Headquarters, Sutton was stunned when he was told he was a match to someone who would benefit from a bone marrow donation.

A donor coordinator from the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Center contacted Sutton to ask if he would donate blood to verify a positive match.

“They said chances were slim that I could even be a match,” he said. But in a few short weeks, Sutton was contacted again with the official word. He was a match and his bone marrow donation could save a life.

Sutton said he wanted to help, but was concerned about the marrow-extraction process. “I was definitely thinking they were going to shove a huge needle in me and it was going to hurt,” he said. “I’ve heard that is one of the most-painful things ever.”

Ultimately, Sutton decided the pain would be worth the possibility of having a positive impact on someone’s life.

“I was trying to make excuses at first, but after that I was just like, ‘OK it’s got to be done,’” he said.

Although he was willing to donate, Sutton had work considerations as well. At the time of the coordination, the WTB was preparing for a Warrior Transition Command Inspector General inspection. Sutton, who played a vital role in the inspection preparation process, was reluctant to leave before the inspection was over.

“They had to have the donation soon because [the recipient] was getting worse,” he said. “They waited for the inspection that we had, because I needed to be there for that, and they flew me out the day after the inspection was over.”

Although Sutton was expecting a painful bone marrow extraction process, he was able to donate through a less-invasive method. Instead of requiring surgery to harvest bone marrow from his hip, Sutton donated peripheral blood stem cells.

“Basically it’s five days of injections of this medicine called filgrastim,” he explained. “It tells your body to produce more stem cells. On the sixth day, you go in and they do the draw.”

Sutton spent more than four hours donating peripheral blood stem cells during the procedure. He said he’d definitely donate again.

Sutton is humble when discussing his donation.

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but it was everyone else’s outlook on it,” he said. “Everywhere I went, people said it was amazing and it made me feel really good.”

Soldiers who work with Sutton each day say they’re proud of him, but not surprised by his willingness to donate to someone he doesn’t know.

Army Capt. Rica Banks, the WTB’s personnel officer, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 David Garcia, a brigade human resources technician, said that’s just the way Sutton is.

Garcia also served as a source of information for Sutton as the donation process unfolded.

“When we were in Hawaii a few years ago, my wife actually got contacted [to be a bone marrow donor],” Garcia said. “Unfortunately, the lady passed away before all that could happen. After that, she convinced me to become a donor.

“You never know when it’s going to be you, or someone close to you,” he added.

Banks agreed.

“It’s a very easy thing to do,” Banks said, “but unless you’ve had a situation where you’ve had to receive, you might not understand how important it is or how one simple little thing can change the life of someone else.”

Sutton was honored in front of the brigade for his donation. “Everyone recognized what a big deal this is for him,” Banks said.

Sutton said it was an easy decision to make.

“I definitely recommend people get signed up, it’s great to help someone.”

Baltic Operations 2011 Tests Interoperability

From Commander Carrier Strike Group 8 Public Affairs

USS MOUNT WHITNEY, At Sea (NNS) -- Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, visited ships participating in the serial phase of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2011, June 7-13.

Rear Adm. Clifford Sharpe, commander CSG 8, is in operational control of units participating in BALTOPS 2011, and his staff developed the scenario for the exercise.

Traveling by helicopter or rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) from USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), Sharpe visited 20 ships from 11 different European nations. During each visit, he met with commanding officers and crew members, toured the ship, and received a brief about its capabilities and missions.

Ensuring multinational interoperability is one of the key objectives of BALTOPS 2011. While visiting each vessel, Sharpe asked officers for their comments and input on the exercise.

"Our objective is to meet the needs of all participants," said Sharpe. "These visits provide a way for commanders to let me know how my staff can help them achieve their training and operational goals."

In addition to visiting USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), and USNS John T. Bobo, Sharpe visited ships from Denmark, France, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, and Russia. His tour included an oiler, a squadron of minesweepers, a landing ship, corvettes, destroyers, frigates, and patrol boats. He also witnessed several gunnery exercises and a mine countermeasures demonstration.

Accompanying Sharpe were members of his staff and an interpreter when needed.

BALTOPS 2011 is a multinational exercise focusing on ensuring peace and security in the Baltic Region. Maritime operations continue until June 17, when the ships return to Kiel, Germany.

Guantanamo Oil Spill Response Team Refines Skills

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW) Bill Mesta, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Sailors and civilians attached to Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba's, Port Operations and Public Works departments conducted an oil spill response drill in the bay June 14.

The drill, conducted quarterly, refines boom boat and skimmer operators' skills and ensures NS Guantanamo Bay maintains its oil spill response capability.

"The oil response drill included simulating an oil spill in the 'industrial area' of the naval station's harbor," said Lt. Thomas Ware, NS Guantanamo Bay port operations officer. "The drill focused on mechanical sweeping on the surface of the water and transferring oil from the skimmer to a vacuum truck."

This drill was conducted differently than it has been in the past, said Ware. Military members and civilian contractors participated in the evolution, allowing military to get a grasp of oil spill response procedures.

"Previously, the contractor has conducted oil spill response drills utilizing only contracted personnel," said Ware. "Going forward, [we have] created a spirit of cooperation for drills between civilian and military who are assigned to the port operations department."

Future oil spill response drills will expand, and are scheduled to include participation from NS Guantanamo Bay's fire department and activation of its Emergency Operations Center, said Ware.

Guam Military Children Entertained, Informed by Sesame Street Characters

By Airman 1st Class Whitney Tucker, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas Public Affairs

GUAM (NNS) -- Sesame Street television show characters visited Andersen Air Force Base and U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) June 9-10, to perform for military members and their families.

The USO teamed with Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization that produces Sesame Street, to bring the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families to the Asia-Pacific region.

"It's a fantastic partnership," said Lonnie Cooper, USO tour manager. "It's a natural thing. Sesame Street has an instant credibility with children and their families and the USO has credibility with the military. When you put those two things together for this kind of program for military families, it is just unprecedented and it's been a real success for us."

Audiences at the shows were introduced to a new character, Katie, a military child relocating to a new home. With the support of Elmo and other Sesame Street "celebrity" friends, Katie is able to open up about her apprehension and excitement as she deals with the challenges of adjusting to a new environment and making new friends.

The new show also features a 25-minute, high-energy character performance with special giveaways and vital outreach materials for those who attend.

"It's a way for military children to learn how to cope with issues that affect them," Cooper said. "Who better to discuss it with, than characters they have come to trust like Elmo, Cookie Monster or Rosita?"

Staff Sgt. Whitney Rogers, 36th Force Support Squadron, said Sesame Street characters help children feel empowered and they encourage children to be themselves.

"This show is good for military kids because it lets them know they're not alone," she said. "In this lifestyle, kids move around a lot. They're going to make friends and lose friends, but this show teaches them that you never have to forget the people you meet and to remember that new friends are just around the corner."

Navy spouse Dot Ramirez said the show hit close to home for her family.

"We loved the show," she said. "In 11 weeks we're leaving, so [my daughter] can totally relate. We're starting to pack up and head to a new duty station."

For Master-at-Arms 1st Class (SW) Jermaine Glover, of NBG Security, the thrill of the show was being able to share a piece of his childhood with his sons.

"Last year it was a ball, so I made sure I had to come out a second time," Glover said. "[For our kids] to see what we saw back in the day, which was Sesame Street, and for them to see it and experience it was amazing."

Since its inception four years ago, The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families has logged more than 61,200 miles to 90 bases in 33 different states and nine countries. This summer alone the tour will perform more than 120 shows, touching the lives of countless children and military members alike.

"We know family is the core of getting not only our service members through their hardship, but keeping every family unit together," said Leigh Leilani Graham, USO Guam director. "I think it helps the parents just as much as it does the children."

Veteran Says Counseling Group Saved Her Life

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2011 – A combat veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress told an audience here today that without the help offered by one nonprofit organization, she wouldn’t be alive.

Jennifer Crane, a 28-year-old Army veteran who deployed to Afghanistan in 2003, said Give an Hour, founded by clinical psychologist Barbara Van Dahlen, offered the free counseling she needed to get her life back.

Give an Hour was among several organizations that participated in a press conference and panel discussion focusing on support for veterans. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave the keynote address at the event held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.

In describing her challenges, Crane said she got more than she bargained for after deciding to join the Army at 17.

“My first day of basic training was Sept. 11, 2001,” she said. “I was sitting with a platoon of strangers as the towers fell that day, and my drill sergeants said we were all going to war. They were absolutely right.”

In Afghanistan, Crane said, she saw combat and developed chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.

“It will be eight years this October since I came home, but the experiences still live inside me like it was yesterday,” she said. “It’s still difficult for me to talk about.”

After she returned from Afghanistan, Crane said, she didn’t know where to turn, and for a time was part of the “large percentage of the homeless population” who are veterans.

“It took years of agony before I was able to find help,” she said, adding that there probably are thousands “of people out there just like me who are suffering, and who need the help.”

Crane said the needs of veterans include health care, a support system, a home, an education, employment and society’s acceptance.

“Our vets are struggling to maintain these simple necessities,” she said. “If we cannot come together and find a solution … we will be doing our country a great disservice.”

It wasn’t until she found Give an Hour, Crane said, that she felt hope for her future.

Give an Hour is an association of mental health professionals who offer free counseling for service members, veterans, their families and unmarried partners. With more than 5,600 providers ranged across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam, the organization’s officials estimate members have provided around 40,000 hours of free service.

“The birth of my daughter in 2008 left me in complete shambles,” Crane said. “My [post-traumatic stress disorder] was stronger than ever.”

Without the counselor she found through Give an Hour, “I don’t think I could stand here talking with you today,” she said. “I no longer feel broken … instead, I feel whole.”

While every day is still a struggle, Crane said, “The generosity of my therapist, my community, and the love of my family has given me the faith in society that I so desperately needed.”

Sometimes all people need is to feel someone cares, Crane said, which is why she shared her story at today’s event.

“My community did not have the tools to help me when I came home,” she said. “But sitting here today, you are all proof that we are changing history by banding together.”

Crane urged nonprofit members in the audience to continue their support, and added, “If you’re a veteran, a service member, family of a service member or even friend of a service member, seek the help you need.”

For veterans and their families dealing with the after effects of war, she said, “It can only get better from here.”

Crane said she is now married to her best friend, and is “a fully capable mother” of her 3-year-old daughter.

“I can now manage my condition, and have hope for a better tomorrow,” she said.

Some scars are invisible, and everyone has them, Crane said.

“It is what we choose to do with them that makes the difference,” she concluded.

Mullen Discusses Afghanistan, Iraq, ‘Don’t Ask’ on Letterman

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2011 – America’s top military officer explained what members of the U.S. military have gone through during 10 years of war to the audience of the “Late Show with David Letterman” last night.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told celebrity host David Letterman that the American people need to know what their armed forces are doing and the sacrifices service members and their families are making.

“We’re in our tenth year of war,” the chairman said. “We’ve had almost 2 million men and women serve in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some of them have seen horrors we can’t even imagine.”

These soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen have deployed repeatedly. “Some of our big units, which would be a brigade of 4,000 or 5,000 soldiers, have deployed for a year at a time -- four, five, six times,” he said. And then the units are home for a year.

This has caused enormous stress, Mullen said. “We’ve lost upwards of 6,000 individuals, very special people who sacrifice their lives,” he said. “We’ve had tens of thousands physically wounded, lost limbs. We’ve had tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands suffer the invisible wounds of traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress.”

The military makes up less than 1 percent of the total U.S. population, the chairman said. He wants America to do right by this generation of veterans.

“They’re looking for jobs. They come back to a GI bill that's very good. They want to go to school,” he said. “There’s a sea of goodwill out there that wants to make a difference in their lives. And so I’ve worked hard to try to focus on that. We’re only 1 percent of the population, and yet they’ve marched off to war and done what America has asked. They’ve done it as well if not better than ever in our history. And I’m very proud of them. We should, from my perspective, work hard to repay that debt.”

The chairman wants the American people to understand the circumstances of service members and their families. “What I am trying to do is bring voice to their sacrifice, and a level of awareness to Americans of what they’ve been through,” he said. “These are the best young men and women I’ve ever served with.”

Mullen also discussed Afghanistan, Iraq and the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal with Letterman.

The chairman said defense leaders are focused on transition in Afghanistan. After surging 30,000 additional troops into the country, coalition forces now are looking at transitioning security responsibility to Afghan forces. Next month, the transition begins in seven areas of the country.

“We’ll meet here over the course of the next several weeks with the president to determine [which] troops will start to come out next month,” Mullen said. “We don’t know what the pace is or the number.”

The transition will be complete in 2014, the chairman said.

The United States still has 48,000 troops in Iraq, down from almost 200,000 a few years ago. All American troops will be out of the country by the end of the year under the current agreement with Iraq, he said. “Whether the Iraqis will ask us for some kind of small footprint in the future is to be determined here in the next few months,” he said.

The chairman is optimistic about Iraq’s future. “From what I have seen … [Iraqi leaders] seem to be focusing on their country as opposed to their individual parties in their country or the kind of sectarian split that has been so bad for them in the past,” he said. “I’m actually encouraged. I think economically they will be in pretty good shape. They’ve got a lot of oil and they will, I think, move forward in the next several years to make that a viable part of their future. So I’m actually optimistic.”

Mullen explained his position on repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law. “I testified in front of Congress a year ago February that I personally couldn’t reconcile an institution like the military, which values integrity in everything that we do, yet asking people to come to work every single day and lie about who they are,” he said. “That is how I felt then. That’s how I feel now. The law has been changed. We’re right now in the middle of conducting training prior to certification. Certification will take place … certainly in the next couple of months.”

Africans Training Africans in Cameroon

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary A. Prill, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

DOUALA, Cameroon (NNS) -- The Senegalese military contributed a mobile training team in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2011 in Cameroon, June 10.

For the first time in APS history, Senegal contributed a three-man team to teach a five-day visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) course to Cameroonian, Congolese and Gabonese students.

"APS has grown," said Capt. Lawrence Rollo, maritime affairs officer for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa. "We have more hubs focused on more training with international and multinational exercises at sea. In the future, we hope that this continues to grow and more African partners will step up as training teams for APS."

In the past, all APS training was conducted by country trainers from nations outside of Africa. Trainers have consisted of teams from Brazil, Italy and the United States.

"APS is a program of partnership among African nations and other friends. It helps create fraternity, solidarity and cooperation among these African states," said Senegalese instructor Raphael Toudji. "Already the communication is easier; we have shed the language barrier we had when working with many non-African partners. Additionally, our countries are becoming more aware that we truly have the same adversaries. They are not our neighbors' militaries, but the illegal actors in our region."

One of the most significant impacts of having African nations teaching other African nations is the relationship reinforcement the two countries receive.

"We need to reinforce these relationships of cooperation against the traffickers and pirates. The increase of sharing intelligence and training among our nations ensures that the bad actors who are trying to take advantage of us will not prevail," Toudji explained.

APS is a multinational security cooperation initiative, currently comprised of 34 nations and sponsored by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa. It is aimed at improving maritime safety and security in Africa while building lasting relationships.

APS brings together an international team of expert trainers in a variety of military capabilities, and a handful of civilian fields. It focuses on addressing maritime professionals, maritime infrastructure, maritime domain awareness and response capabilities while simultaneously fostering regional and comprehensive approach.

Innovation, Flexibility Core of Army Success, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2011 – Innovation, dynamism and flexibility must remain the hallmarks of the U.S. Army, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Gates spoke during a Pentagon ceremony honoring soldiers on the 236th birthday of the Army.

Gates, who recently returned from visiting service members in Afghanistan, praised the spirit of innovation in the Army. The lesson of history is that leaders must encourage such thinking.

As an example, the secretary cited the experiences of D-Day in 1944.

“One of the most deadly obstacles U.S. soldiers faced as they pressed inland from the beaches of France were hedgerows so thick and tough that allied tanks would ride, not through, but right on top of them, losing traction and exposing their vulnerable underbellies to German fire,” he said.

Army Sgt. Curtis G. Culin, a cavalry non commissioned officer with the 2nd Armored Division, “had the brilliant idea of fashioning iron bars, scavenged from German anti-landing craft fortifications, into tank-mounted hedgerow cutters,” Gates said.

Following the successful demonstration of the cutters, Army logisticians built and mounted the equipment on nearly 300 Sherman tanks.

“The rest of the story is Operation Cobra, the U.S. Army’s successful advance through France,” he said. “That victory was a demonstration of the great and abiding strengths of our Army -- exceptional adaptability at all levels in the face of unpredictable circumstances, and the great trust and reliance placed in the ingenuity of soldiers of all ranks.”

The same spirit of innovation and flexibility pervades the Army today, Gates said. “The ground wars following 9/11 placed even heavier responsibilities on young leaders,” he said. “From the earliest days in Iraq and Afghanistan, our soldiers downrange have been adjusting and improvising in response to the complex and evolving challenges on the ground -- often using new technologies to share real-time tactical lessons with their comrades.”

The missions required soldiers to be scholars, teachers, policemen, farmers, bankers, engineers, social workers and warriors -- “often all at the same time,” the secretary said. “And they have always risen to the challenge.”

This spirit allowed the department to pull Iraq back from the brink of chaos in 2007 and, over the past year, to roll back the Taliban from their strongholds in Afghanistan, he said.

Gates also thanked Army families for their steadfast support of their soldiers and each other.

The service’s challenge is to learn the right lessons from the past decade of war, Gates said. “This doesn’t mean assuming the next war will be similar to the last -- a common and dangerous mistake -- but rather making sure the diverse experiences and agility of today’s young soldiers are institutionalized, so our Army stands at the ready for conflicts both foreseen and unforeseeable.”

The Army must avoid a garrison mentality -- one that stifles innovation and is wedded to ironclad procedures. The service must embrace “the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of younger officers and [noncommissioned officers] so central to our success in combat,” he said.