Panetta Urges Leaders to Make Tough Choices

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 – National security, and even democracy itself, depends on leaders who can demonstrate statesmanship by making tough choices that will see the country through the current economic crisis, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said tonight.

The secretary spoke here during an annual event hosted by the nonprofit Stimson Center, which honors a notable leader each year whose career embodies pragmatism and idealism.

“I’ve often said … that we govern our democracy either through leadership or crisis, and if leadership is not there, then we let crisis drive policy in this country,” Panetta said. “Today I worry that in many ways we have lost the trust of the American people in our system of government, because they are not seeing the dedication, the hard work, the sense of sacrifice that is important to our democracy.”

Honoring Panetta tonight were an array of statesmen and celebrities.

Former President Bill Clinton, for whom Panetta served for three years as White House chief of staff, appeared in a video message. He thanked Panetta “for always being honest and straightforward with me … and for always being there for America and for all of us.”

Another video message featured actor and director Clint Eastwood, a neighbor of Panetta’s in Carmel, Calif., who was mayor of Carmel when Panetta was a member of Congress.

Speaking in person to laud the defense secretary were Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; William Perry, defense secretary for three years during the Clinton administration; and several others.

Accepting the honors, Panetta offered a tribute of his own.

“I could not do any of the jobs that I’ve been involved with in this town without the support of my family, and so let me pay tribute to them -- in particular, Sylvia,” the secretary said.

Next year Panetta and his wife will celebrate 50 years of marriage, and he called their proudest achievement their three sons and six grandchildren.

“All of us have a responsibility to help govern this country,” Panetta said.

That is what America’s forefathers intended when they established the country and the remarkable system of three separate but equal branches of government, each a check and balance on the other, he added.

“It is a wonderful formula for ensuring that power is never centralized in any one branch of government, but it also happens to be a perfect formula for gridlock,” the secretary said.

The key to breaking that gridlock rests with people who are willing to exercise leadership, find compromises and make sacrifices to find answers, Panetta said.

“That is at the very core of what our democracy is all about, and that is what is missing right now -- that need to work together to be able to make those sacrifices, to find those compromises, to take the risks that are inherent in leadership,” he added.

In the absence of leadership, Panetta said, the nation is governed by crisis, burdening citizens with bad government and bad policy.

The secretary said he’s been railing against the threat of budget sequestration because something is wrong when a country has to fall back on that sort of meat-ax mechanism of fiscal management.

Next week, Panetta said, the nation will mark the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a young boy in Monterey, Calif., during the war years, the secretary recalled, he felt the fear and uncertainty of those times.

“One of the great leaders of that era was Henry Stimson,” Panetta said, “ … and his words, I think, are always worth recalling: ‘The man who tries to work for the good, believing in its eventual victory, while he may suffer setback and even disaster, will never know defeat. The only deadly sin I know is cynicism.’”

It is a profound honor, the secretary said, to now be associated with that legacy.

“From this evening, I draw even more determination to fight against that kind of cynical view that somehow America is in decline and that we can’t overcome the crises that confront us.”

Panetta said he wishes American leaders today would take to heart “the inspiration of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in battle for this country.”

Earlier today, he said, he visited wounded service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., as he often does. Their attitude, he told the audience, belies their war injuries.

“You talk to these kids and they have great spirit, they have great hope, they’re proud of the service that they gave this country, and they really believe that life is there and that they’re going to make the most of it,” he said.

“Now, dammit, if there are men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line in order to be able to defend this country, then surely there have to be elected leaders who are willing to make the tough choices that are important to solving the problems in this country,” Panetta added, to applause from the audience.

The fundamental strength of the United States “lies in the spirit of the American people, in the spirit of those [wounded warriors],” he said.

“If we can draw on that spirit, then I think the leadership of this country can ultimately make that American dream that my immigrant parents were all about -- that dream of giving our children a better life, much better,” the secretary said. “That’s what all of us have to be about.”

Overseas Navy Families To See School Meal Price Increase In January

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Monique K. Hilley, Commander, Navy Installations Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Beginning Jan. 3, students headed back to school at Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) after the holidays will face an increase in student meal prices mandated by The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (Public Law 111-296).

Students participating in the DoD Student Meal Program that pay full price for their lunches will begin paying 35 cents more per meal. The new prices will be $2.40 for elementary students and $2.55 for secondary students.

The January 2012 school meal cost increase marks the first time in more than seven years that prices have risen. The last price increase was ten cents per meal in 2004.

Households qualifying for the Free and Reduced Meal Program will not be impacted by the meal cost increases. The cost of a reduced-price meal will remain unchanged at 40 cents per meal through school year 2013-2014.

The DoD Student Meal Program is an overseas school program authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act. It will remain a subsidized, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-approved and nutritious option for Navy families with school-age children.

"The Public Law requires a review and adjustment to student meal prices. This law, plus the fact that meal prices have not kept pace with the increased costs to provide meals during the past seven years, have led to an increase in prices," said Charles S. Clymer Jr., program manager for Child and Youth Programs for Commander, Navy Installations Command Headquarters' Fleet and Family Readiness.

"Just like everything else, the cost of quality food, labor and equipment increase each year, and this increase will help ensure school food authorities have funding available to support serving nutritious meals to all students," said Clymer.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, signed into law by President Barack Obama Dec. 13, 2010, mandates changes to school lunch and breakfast programs nationwide with a focus of improving child nutrition.

The legislation authorizes funding and sets policy for USDA's core child nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

For more information on DoD meal programs, families are encouraged to contact their local school's Navy Liaison School Officer.

Arlington National Cemetery Breaks Ground for Columbarium

By J.D. Leipold
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 – Arlington National Cemetery began its first major construction project in nearly eight years today with a ground-breaking ceremony for a 20,000-niche columbarium that will extend the life of the cemetery’s inurnment space to 2024.

A columbarium is a structure that holds urns containing cremated remains.

Construction on the cemetery’s ninth columbarium begins in January, with completion expected in June 2013, said Army Col. Victoria Bruzese, the cemetery’s chief engineer. The new structure will dwarf the previous eight columbariums, she added, the largest of which contains 8,000 niches and the smallest 3,000.

"This will be 540 feet long, 116 feet wide, and at its highest elevation about 11 feet tall," Bruzese said following the ground-breaking. "We'll have more than 20,000 niches, which gives us the ability to have three to four inurnments within each niche -- service member, spouse, children -- so we're looking at more than 60,000 inurnments, so that's significant."

The new columbarium will be almost the length of two football fields.

Kathryn Condon, executive director of the Army National Cemeteries Program, told the audience of mostly cemetery grounds-keepers and staff workers that construction of the new columbarium would "extend the life of our inurnment space out to 2024."

Officials also plan to expand the cemetery’s grounds on two sides by another 70 acres. That will further extend the cemetery's ability to handle inurnments, burials and possibly mausoleums out to the 2050s, Bruzese said. She noted the biggest challenge to overcome will be the lack of attention paid to the infrastructure over the years.

"There are two expansion opportunities here on the horizon -- our Millennium Project, which is a 30-acre combination of land we acquired from Fort Myer and the National Park Service, and already existing [cemetery] land that will increase our in-ground and niche burial capability," Bruzese said. The second expansion includes a 40-acre plot that's now occupied by the Navy Annex on the cemetery’s south side.

Bruzese said she requested the chief engineer position at the cemetery following a deployment to Afghanistan. One reason she cited was that her father and her grandfather are inurned there.

"But when I heard about the challenges going on here, I wanted to be part of the solution," she said. "I think that's what you'll find with anybody who's on the staff here. … They want to be part of the solution in returning the dignity and honor not only to the cemetery, but [also] to the veterans who lie here."

Pentagon Official Lauds Military Logistics System

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 30, 2011 – The military’s logistics system has performed “extremely well” on the front end of supporting warfighters these past 10 years, a senior Defense Department official said today.

“The department’s logistics system is actually performing extremely well for what it is designed to do, which is supporting forces engaged in combat,” said Alan F. Estevez, assistant secretary of defense for logistics and materiel readiness.

Estevez praised the defense logistics system during the 2011 Defense Logistics Conference which featured corporate sponsors such as IBM, Northrop Gruman, Honeywell and Rockwell Collins.

“If you look at what we have done in sustaining and redeploying our forces in Iraq, [and] in surging and sustaining our forces in Afghanistan -- all that going on simultaneously -- we’ve done a magnificent job,” he said.

Estevez noted people tend to look at logistics as the behind-the-scenes “tail” in the department.

“We really can’t look at logistics as ‘tail’ from the perspective of the Department of Defense,” he said. “That combat power that’s on the ground today in Afghanistan, putting the hurt on the Taliban, is there because of a logistics system that is capable of putting it into a landlocked country.

“And [it’s capable of] sustaining it there and doing likewise in another war,” Estevez continued. “Plus, [it is] capable of doing things like Haiti relief, tsunami relief, and earthquake relief across the globe.

“So I’d submit to you that logistics is not ‘tail,’” he added. “It’s not a back-end function inside the Department of Defense.”

Estevez cited the efficiency of the defense logistic system in Iraq. “In the next month we’ll be out of Iraq,” he said. “Your logistics system has just done a phenomenal job in posturing the force.”

A year or so ago, Estevez noted, the U.S. had about 500 bases in Iraq. Today, there are six bases operating in Iraq, aside from sites that will be used for the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, and the State Department.

Estevez compared the amount of U.S. equipment and forces in Iraq prior to the drawdown with the country’s current figures.

“Over the last year, since September of 2010, as we embarked on Operation New Dawn, there were about 2.15 million pieces of equipment in Iraq,” he said. “Today, there’s about 346,000 pieces in Iraq.”

“Not all of that will be coming out,” he added. “Some of that will remain in Iraq. It is no longer usable for U.S. forces, and on the other hand, it is usable for Iraqi forces.”

Today, there are about 13,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, with nearly 800 departing each day, compared to 46,000 troops as recently as midsummer of this year, Estevez said.

The assistant secretary noted as U.S. forces have drawn down, they’ve helped build up Iraqi capabilities, with about $400 million worth of gear, so they are capable of sustaining themselves.

“On the backside of that, we’ve saved $700 million by not having to haul that stuff out of Iraq and back home where we, the U.S. military, have no use for it,” he said.

However, unit duty gear comes back with the units, Estevez said.

Meanwhile, the Defense and State departments are working closely in a “whole-of-government” approach to sustain Iraqi capabilities, he said.

Holidays Apart From Family Can Lead to Increased Stress

By Dr. Vladimir Nacev, DCoE clinical psychologist

Holidays are often a wonderful time for families to gather, reconnect and celebrate. But for families experiencing a military separation, holidays can be yet another reminder that a deployed family member is not at home to share in the festivities. The November DCoE webinar, “Holidays Apart From Family: Coping with Increased Stress,” provided ways deployed parents can connect with their children and discussed approaches to help individuals manage stress during the holiday season.

Deployed service members may experience a range of feelings while away during the holidays—loneliness, depression, homesickness, frustration, stress or guilt. Sometimes they may find it necessary to temporarily distance themselves from their own family because hearing about holiday festivities may be too painful. Additionally, some service members may find it emotionally uncomfortable to be around their buddies and choose to isolate themselves. However, being around others and socializing with friends and family are important steps for maintaining your well-being and future reintegration.

Non-deployed family members face similar challenges during this time such as experiencing higher levels of stress. During the webinar, I emphasized the importance of continuing family traditions associated with the holidays and the idea of incorporating new ones deployed family members can take part in. Maintaining consistency and structure helps everyone who is affected by the separation, particularly families with younger children. If you’re a deployed parent, you might try these ideas:

 ■Write your child a brief letter about all the different ways they’re loved and appreciated, consider several letters to be read on different days

■Create a holiday ornament with your child’s name on it
■Record a reading of a favorite holiday book or story and send it to your child, which can be part of a holiday or year-round bedtime routine
■Stay in touch through email, Skype or social media as often as possible to communicate and participate in some of the holiday activities in real time, remotely

Holidays are like a coin; happy times on one side and stressful times on the other. To cope and enjoy the holidays I encourage you to take time out for yourself. When you are rested and free of stress, it actually helps those around you. Here are a few ideas:

 ■Engage in activities to help recharge your batteries and reduce stress such as exercising, going to the movies, shopping with family or friends, or getting a massage

■Consider doing something fun as a family for your service member, like assembling a care package containing their favorite goodies and pictures or mementos from home
■Get involved in volunteer opportunities in your community as this can be emotionally and spiritually rewarding

We also need to remember to have realistic expectations and understand that no holiday celebration is perfect—we should stay focused on what’s really important to us and why the season is meaningful. The constant barrage of holiday advertising can make us forget what the holiday season is really about and negatively impact our stress levels.

Dealing with a deployment at any time of the year poses difficulties. Talk with others about feelings of loneliness or missing a family member. Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution to successfully manage your stress. The webinar highlighted resources that service members and their families can reach out to for support including: DCoE Outreach Center; Military OneSource; Military Homefront; Military Families Near and Far; Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program; and FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress™).

For more information and resources, both the audio and slide presentation from the November webinar are on the DCoE website.

Pacific Fleet's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics Visits Frank Cable

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Gabrielle Blake, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

POLARIS POINT, Guam (NNS) -- The deputy chief of staff for logistics, Commander Pacific Fleet visited the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), Nov. 30.

Rear Adm. Glenn Robillard's primary focus for the visit was to familiarize himself with the various logistic commands on Guam. This included Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka Detachment Marianas, Defense Depot Distribution Guam, Marianas and Andersen Air Force Base logistics personnel and leadership.

Frank Cable's supply officer, Cmdr. Philipe Grandjean, said the visit offered Robillard a chance to see the result of Military Sealift Command's (MSC) integration into Frank Cable's crew.

"This visit was an excellent first exposure for him to our unique hybrid supply operations which combine the effort of both civilian service mariners (MSC) and Navy personnel to provide logistic support."

While on board, Robillard met and had lunch with local Supply Corps officers and shared his views about current Pacific Fleet issues that are relevant to this part of the area of responsibility. He also visited at some of the supply spaces, such as the ship's store and the vending machine area.

"Rear Adm. Robillard was able to see the firsthand work and dedication of USS Frank Cable's crew," said Grandjean.

Frank Cable conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

Face of Defense: How to Raise Kids ‘Scream Free’

By Kris Gonzalez
Fort Bragg Public Affairs

FORT BRAGG, N.C., Nov. 30, 2011 – Growing up is hard to do -- especially for grown-ups, according to Hal Runkel, founder of the ScreamFree Institute.

And turning up the volume doesn’t make it any easier, said Runkel, as he spoke to Fort Bragg community members Nov. 16-17, as part of two, 90-minute seminars designed to help military families grow strong.

Runkel is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of the book, “ScreamFree Parenting.” He said he teaches parenting strategies based on the notion that parenting is not about kids -- it’s about parents.

“If it was about kids, then we’d call it kidding,” he joked.

“What parenting isn’t about is controlling kids,” Runkel continued. “The greatest thing parents can do for their kids is to learn how to control -- themselves.”

Runkel described his answer to the complaint he most-often hears from parents around the world: “My kids don’t listen.”

“They listen,” he said. “They hear every word you say. They just don’t obey you. And you don’t know what to do about that. You think, ‘If they heard me, they would do it, so, I need to speak louder so they can hear me.’”

Yelling doesn’t work, and neither does shutting down, which Runkel said, is another form of screaming, only it’s on the inside, but it causes just as much resentment.

“Our definition of screaming is pretty broad,” he said. “It’s any time you let the anxieties of the moment override your thinking; it’s that knee-jerk reaction.”

Runkel uses humor, first-hand accounts and real-life scenarios to help teach parents how to calm their emotional reactions to their children’s behavior.

“ScreamFree Parenting isn’t just about raising children without raising your voice,” said Vanessa Vazquez, a child advocate trainer with Fort Bragg’s Family Advocacy Program. “It’s a revolutionary approach to parenting that focuses on self-control, relationship building and self-care.”

Vazquez was one of about 20 Fort Bragg professionals and trainers who participated in a separate, two-day, train-the-trainer course taught by Runkel. The purpose of the training, she said, was for post family advocacy professionals and trainers to be able to implement the skills they learned with individuals, couples and groups in counseling or in crisis and to gain the ability to teach monthly ScreamFree parenting workshops to parents here beginning in January.

Each monthly, 10-hour workshop provides a forum for parents to not only learn parenting tips, but also to meet other parents and learn from their experiences, Vazquez said.

Participants who attend the workshops will receive workbooks and a DVD to help implement ScreamFree Parenting techniques at home.

Charles Pennington, a family advocacy program specialist, said he thinks the workshop will offer a great opportunity for new fathers to become more involved with their kids, and to help take the load off of moms.

Runkel said he thinks the workshop will be fantastic for any military leader or potential leader to attend, because it can equip them to better coach and mentor fellow service members as well as to provide some valuable skills about stress and anger control when handling conflicts with others.

Naval Academy Spreads Holiday Spirit in Annapolis

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexia Riveracorrea, U.S. Naval Academy Public Affairs

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- The Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen, faculty and staff gathered with representatives from the City of Annapolis and the Salvation Army in Bancroft Hall Nov. 29 for the 21st annual Giving Tree lighting ceremony.

Coordinated by the Midshipmen of 6th Company, the Giving Tree is set up in the rotunda of Bancroft Hall each year and decorated with paper angels, each with the name of an underprivileged child in the local community.

Midshipmen, faculty and staff have the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to hundreds of children by selecting an angel on the tree and purchasing gifts for the children represented by the angel ornaments. Last year, the Academy provided 600 gifts for children. This year, the number of paper ornaments on the tree increased to 1,000.

Each angel includes the age, gender and wish list of the child, giving the purchaser a good idea of what to buy.

"In 21 years of doing the Giving Tree program at the Academy, this is the 14th year that 6th company has been working in conjunction with the Salvation Army," said Midshipman 1st Class Kristen Tellar, event coordinator. "The Midshipmen love to participate and look forward to this event every year. I'm just so honored to be able to work with 6th Company for such a great cause."

After choosing a paper angel, the donor purchases a gift for that child and places it unwrapped under the tree. All of the donations will be picked up by the Salvation Army Dec. 12. The gifts are wrapped and distributed to the children Dec. 22, just in time for Christmas.

"It is certainly a great project because it allows us to give back to the community," said Tellar. "There are children in Annapolis who, if it weren't for projects like the Giving Tree, wouldn't have a Christmas. The happiness and joy we bring to the children represent the true holiday spirit of the season."

"The event is important to the Midshipmen and the community," said Midshipman 2nd Class Ricky Rodriguez.

"The city of Annapolis gives so much to the brigade," he said. "They support us in many ways, and to be able to do this and bring smiles to the children of the community - it's an honor for us to be a part of."

Mortuary Family Call Center Opens at Dover

Air Force News Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 – The Air Force recently moved its mortuary affairs call center responsibilities from a temporary call center here to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Trained experts will continue to answer calls from the toll-free number 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, to meet the needs of family members.

“We established this call center to answer questions and address potential concerns for families of fallen service members," said Brig. Gen. Eden Murrie, the director of Air Force Services. "It was important that we were prepared and did this right.”

The call center was established following the announcement of results of a year-long investigation of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center in Dover, the point of entry for the remains of U.S. service members who are killed or die overseas.

Investigators found no evidence that anyone intentionally mishandled remains, but the investigation concluded the mortuary staff failed to maintain accountability while processing portions of remains for three service members.

In setting up the Dover call center, the Air Force “ensured there were sufficient phone lines and expertly trained staff so a caller would immediately talk with a person who was able to answer any questions they had,” Murrie said.

Since the call center's establishment on Nov. 8, he said, only eight calls were received from concerned relatives of service members and others from the general public.

"We are committed to keeping this important communication channel open,” Murrie said. “And it makes sense, given the small number of calls, that we transition the function to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center."

The Air Force is committed to ensuring the mission of AFMAO is carried out with reverence, dignity, honor and respect for the fallen and to providing care, service and support for the families, he said.

Families of fallen service members may contact the Air Force toll free at 1-855-637-2583 or email at dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil if they have questions about the investigation or Air Force mortuary operations.

For more information, media should contact Air Force Public Affairs at 703-695-0640 or after hours at (202) 528-4929.

USS Carl Vinson Strike Group Departs for Deployment

From Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 departed Naval Air Station North Island, Nov. 30, for a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific and U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) deployed with Vinson as part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, along with the embarked CVW 17 that includes the "Fighting Redcocks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, the "Sunliners" of VFA 81, the "Stingers" of VFA 113, the "First of the Fleet" of VFA 25, the "Garudas" of Electronic Attack Squadron 134, the "Tigertails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125 and the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 15.

The mission of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group will focus on maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts, which help establish conditions for regional stability.

The Carl Vinson CSG will help provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within U.S. 3rd Fleet's 50-million square mile area of responsibility in the eastern Pacific, as well as supporting the nation's maritime strategy when forward deployed.

Caregiver Confronts Husband’s Combat-related Rage

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 30, 2011 – When her soldier husband was injured in Iraq, Catrina Tomsich gave up everything to be with him. She shut down her business, left a support network of friends and uprooted their 5-year-old son, Brayden, to move here to help him recover.

She did so without hesitation, but not without fear.

Her concerns didn’t center on her husband’s recovery -- his injuries weren’t life threatening -- or their uncertain future, but on her own safety and that of her son’s.

Catrina’s husband, Army Sgt. John Tomsich, had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder since 2005. The noncommissioned officer maintained a stoic front for his troops, but barely could contain his rage at home.

“For five years I heard, ‘I hate you; I don’t love you anymore’ every day,” she told American Forces Press Service. “That can definitely take an emotional toll on someone.”

Catrina first noticed a change in her husband after his 2005 deployment in Kosovo, his first since he joined the Army in 1998. He was there during a period of political tension, he recalled, and was out shopping one day with several of his leaders when hostilities broke out around them. Weapons were fired, he said, but no one was seriously injured. They wound up cornered in a hotel, uncertain of what would occur overnight.

“That’s where the anger started,” Tomsich said, “but I didn’t talk about it to anyone.” Noncommissioned officers couldn’t discuss their problems with anger or depression, he believed at the time, or the troops under them would question the integrity of their leadership. Instead, he said, “You try and fight it and not tell anyone you have problems.”

Tomsich returned home after an 18-month tour in 2006 only to deploy again in 2009, this time to Iraq. Although an infantryman by trade, he was pulled to serve on detainee guard duty. About six months into his deployment, he suffered a spinal injury to his neck while on duty that caused him to lose the use of his right arm.

The doctors weren’t equipped to treat him in Iraq, so Tomsich was sent to Brooke Army Medical Center here in April 2010.

Catrina drove from Houston to see her husband every weekend, but she soon realized he needed full-time care after he developed a stomach illness that required surgery. That’s when she shut down the financial education business she had started in 2007, packed up her house and son, and moved here to care for him.

But she did so with trepidation. While he was physically improving and recovering the use of his arm, his PTSD was growing worse. “The anger was awful,” she said. “He was snapping on every little thing. Anything would make him upset and angry.”

“I was even abusive to her in my dreams,” he added. One night, he recalled, he kept yelling at her in his sleep to “Stand down!”

The years of anger and rage were wearing on Catrina. In short, “Our marriage was on the rocks,” she said.

Tomsich had evaded mental health care for years, and dismissed his wife’s urging get help. But after a particularly bad episode one weekend, Catrina took matters into her own hands. “He had so much anger and rage,” she said, “and that weekend our son saw it, and was crying and scared of Daddy.

“I wasn’t about to let that happen anymore. I put my foot down.”

Catrina marched into a trailer where she knew behavioral health specialists worked, and demanded to speak to a counselor. “I had no idea what I was doing,” she said. Yet, a week later, Tomsich was placed in counseling.

Tomsich underwent in-depth psychological testing and evaluation, and was diagnosed with severe PTSD.

Concerned about being perceived as weak, he was resistant to treatment -- a combination of counseling and medication -- but a counselor gave him the “verbal kick in the butt” he needed, he said. She told him she had problems too and the first step to healing was to open up about them. “She told me, ‘Just tell me your issues and we’ll work from there’” he said. “It got worse at first, but then slowly started to get better.”

Catrina noticed a marked improvement over time. Her husband is still not where he was when they got married, she said, but “he’s 100 times better than in 2005.”

Tomsich and his wife now share their story with others to encourage them to seek the help they need without fear of career repercussions. Catrina even has taken women to seek help for their husbands as she did nearly two years ago.

As for Tomsich, “I tell [soldiers], if they don’t seek help, I’m going to have their wives tell on them like mine did,” he joked.

Catrina said she’s seen marriages break under the pressure of a spouse’s physical and emotional wounds. It’s a path she knows she could have taken during her years of emotional abuse.

“But I believe you should never give up,” she said. “Women come and tell me, ‘He’s not the man he used to be.’ I tell them, ‘Never give up.’ If I had, we wouldn’t be here together now.

“No matter what we’re given in life, we can choose how we deal with it,” she added. “And I’m going to choose to have a positive attitude.”

Tomsich will medically retire in January, and the couple plans to move to North Carolina to be near family. Catrina said she and her mother are starting a nonprofit organization called Operation Tranquility that will offer retreats to wounded warriors and Gold Star families.

“Being here for the past two years really inspired me,” she said. “Seeing the changes in my family … I want to help others achieve the same things.”

DCoE Staff Gives Thanks During the Holidays

By Robyn Mincher, DCoE Strategic Communications

Our staff at Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) celebrated Thanksgiving in many ways. Some traveled out of town to be with friends and family, some stayed local to cook for those who couldn’t be with family, and a few enjoyed some much-deserved peace and solitude.

No matter where or how we spent the holiday, all of us are definitely thankful for one major thing: the chance to share with you – our readers! This month we introduced new resources for prevention, resilience and treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health concerns.

We talked about new gizmos and gadgets from National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2), like the PE Coach mobile app. Although it isn’t released to the public yet, it will help providers treat psychological health concerns of service members through prolonged exposure and help users self-monitor their behavior. We also blogged about the new T2 Technology Enhancement Center, a state-of-the-art usability lab that tests technology products to make sure they’re easy for service members to use.

Military children received a big “thank you!” (and a few high fives from their favorite characters from Sesame Street and The Electric Company) at the Sesame Workshop Military Family Event Nov. 5. New resources that encourage families to connect and communicate with each other, and have fun, were unveiled at the event. For an overview of the new website Military Families Near and Far and Feel Electric! mobile app, we provided 10 ways families can create, communicate and stay connected. Like our page on Facebook to check out our picture album of the event.

We appreciate the sacrifices our military families make, especially during holidays apart from loved ones. Our November webinar discussed how to cope with stress and stay connected during the holidays. Dr. Vladimir Nacev, DCoE, Resilience and Prevention directorate, was joined by Mary Campise, Defense Department, Office of Military Community and Family Policy, and Maggie MacFarland Phillips, Fort Hood Health Promotion. They discussed ways to mitigate emotional stress during the holidays and how families can connect despite being apart.

On Veterans Day, we thanked those who served our nation in a blog post by Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, DCoE director. In the post, he shared his thoughts on what the holiday means:

“When I think of Veterans Day, I think of service—service to country, service to my fellow sailors and Marines, as well as my colleagues throughout the military.”

Veterans Day was a topic in a DoDLive bloggers roundtable on Nov. 8, where Real Warriors Campaign Army veteran Maj. Ed Pulido was joined by Dr. Mark Bates, DCoE, Resilience and Prevention directorate director, and Army Maj. Todd Yosick, Resilience and Prevention directorate deputy director, to share information and resources available for those experiencing psychological and physical wounds of war.

While another Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is right around the corner, DCoE continues to appreciate our readers – and will continue supporting service members, veterans, families and providers during this holiday season.

Now it’s your turn - what are you thankful for?

USS Miami Sailors' Children to Receive 'Operation Gratitude' Gift Boxes

By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Military children will receive gift boxes from the non-profit organization Operation Gratitude at a local community center in Groton, Nov. 30.

USS Miami (SSN 755) Family Readiness Group President Christy Thomas, a mother of two, and several other Miami spouses have spearheaded an endeavor to have more than 150 children of the deployed Sailors be recognized during National Military Family Appreciation Month.

In addition to receiving Operation Gratitude gift boxes, Miami Ombudsman April Holtmeyer, also a mother of two, held a potluck during the scheduled event to recognize the sacrifice all of the Miami spouses and their children.

"In conjunction with the Operation Gratitude gift boxes we are also hosting a 'We are Thankful potluck dinner' for many of the wives married to Sailors serving aboard USS Miami and their children," said Holtmeyer.

Thomas and other Miami spouses first contacted the organization when the submarine deployed to inquire if the children of deployed Miami Sailors could receive gift boxes. Since the organization is accustomed to working with military personnel assigned to shore and sea units who regularly receive mail, the challenges of working with submarines whose operations prevent regular mail shipments were immense.

"When we contacted Operation Gratitude, it looked like an impossible task because their organization is set up to send boxes to the deployed Sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines and their children during the deployment," said Thomas. "They are not set up to send gift boxes to submarines."

Holtmeyer also assisted with the Operation Gratitude endeavor and was impressed with their ability to adapt.

"The organization was shocked that in a world of iPhones we go long periods of time without hearing from our service members. They stepped up to the challenge to overcome logistics to deliver their boxes to us," said Holtmeyer.

"It was quite a surreal experience to finally get a yes by the organization to help our smallest heroes feel appreciated," said Holtmeyer.

Thomas added with nearly 50 percent of the 134-member crew aboard Miami are married and have children, the support for their loved ones give new meaning for the deployed fathers.

"The kids are the heroes in their dads' eyes because they have thrived in their daily lives while they have been gone," said Thomas.

Holtmeyer said the gift boxes donated by Operation Gratitude and the potluck is just one example of the tight bonds the wives have formed through the deployments.

"We are a family. Often we don't have family that is close by," said Thomas. "We help each other out, and while I don't have any sisters, these other wives are like the sisters I never had."

According to their website, Operation Gratitude sends 100,000 care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. service members deployed and to their children left behind as well as Wounded Warriors recuperating in transition units.

Transition Benefits: Oceana Offers ERB/PTS Transition Course

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Antonio Turretto Ramos, Naval Air Station Oceana Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) recently began offering a course for Sailors separating from the Navy via Perform to Serve (PTS) or Enlisted Retention Board (ERB) called ERB/PTS Transition Tool Kit.

Two workshops have already been held with the next one to take place Dec. 5 at the Oceana FFSC classroom.

Brian Scott, FFSC employment educator, said the ERB/PTS Transition Tool Kit program draws from a number of the services FFSC offers to offer resources and help meet the needs of Sailors in their transition.

"Knowing ERB results were coming out, we wanted to have the commands be able to provide the service members that are being separated a resource that they can say 'hey these guys are ready for you, go ask them your questions,' and for everything career-related to financial, to relocation, counseling, everything they would need," said Scott.

Scott said the program will be offered every month. The ERB/PTS Transition Tool Kit program is an informational overview of resources offered by FFSC. The intent of the program is to make it possible for service members to schedule appointments for specific one-on-one counseling to aid in their separation from the Navy.

"This is the first time I have attended an FFSC course here at Oceana and I just think that it's a fantastic tool," said Navy Counselor 1st Class Jose Cano of Fleet Composite Squadron (VFC) 12.

Cano attended the class Nov. 18. In his job at VFC-12, he supports Sailors who have been affected by PTS and appreciates how it could benefit Sailors affected by ERB as well. He said the class points Sailors to a wealth of additional sources of information.

"I am very grateful to Fleet and Family Support Center for bringing this together for us," said Cano.

Scott said the class is a resource he and the rest of the staff of Oceana FFSC are proud to offer to Sailors as a way of showing appreciation for their service as they transition out of the Navy.

He said their goal is to have helped Sailors "with getting their next job, making their move back wherever they need to go to, and dealing with their finances."

NAS Oceana Executive Officer Capt. Bob Geis encourages Sailors to attend the workshop.

"PTS and the ERB are products of an almost perfect storm of unprecedented retention rates and historic high recruiting," said Geis. "We are very fortunate to have an FFSC at NAS Oceana that had the foresight to create a targeted program to help Sailors who weren't planning on leaving the Navy."

Currently the pilot program is offered through January. Oceana FFSC encourages commands to send Sailors separating under ERB or PTS.

"Ultimately it's getting the services that we offer on a day-to-day basis and really focusing on those who are being separating," said Scott.

Future scheduled program dates:

Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Jan. 6, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Call FFSC Oceana at 757-433-2912 for additional information.

U.S. Commander Condemns Attacks on Kosovo Force

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – A senior U.S. military leader in Europe condemned recent violence against NATO troops in Kosovo just as a Wisconsin Army National Guard unit prepares to take command of the 15th rotation of peacekeeping forces there.

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, visited Pristina, Kosovo, today to assess the situation a day after attacks by Serb demonstrators wounded more than two dozen NATO Kosovo Force members. No U.S. troops were wounded in the clashes.

The attacks occurred after the KFOR troops removed blockades that had shut off a main road in northern Kosovo.

“The use of violence against KFOR troops is unacceptable,” Locklear said in a statement released today. “We urge all parties to exercise restraint and cooperate fully with all international actors on the ground to ensure freedom of movement without delay.”

Locklear reiterated NATO’s mandate in Kosovo under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244: to help maintain a safe and secure environment. This, he said, includes ensuring freedom of movement.

KFOR entered Kosovo in June 1999 under the U.N. mandate in the face of mounting ethnic conflict between Federal Republic of Yugoslavia military forces and Kosovo Liberation Army members. At the height of the mission, 39 nations were contributing about 50,000 troops to the mission.

About 180 members of the Wisconsin National Guard’s 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade are now preparing to assume authority for the next KFOR rotation in December. They will serve as the brigade headquarters unit for Multinational Battle Group East, also known as Task Force Falcon. In that role, the 157th will oversee operations for the entire Multinational Battle Group East.

The group includes National Guard and Reserve soldiers from Wisconsin, Mississippi, Georgia, Nebraska, Vermont, North Dakota, New Jersey, Wyoming, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. It also includes international forces from Armenia, Greece, Poland, Turkey, Romania and the Ukraine.

To prepare for the mission, the KFOR 15 troops trained in realistic scenarios at Camp Atterbury, Ind., and most recently, at U.S. Army Europe’s Joint Multinational Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

“It’s a three-pronged mission,” Army Col. Jeffrey Liethen, the KFOR 15 commander, said during training at the Camp Atterbury Joint Training Center in October. “We monitor the pulse of the populace, so to speak, keeping track of the feelings and opinions of the people. We also act as third responders to demonstrations and riots, and maintain freedom of movement for other KFOR forces.”

Observer-controllers at both training sites strived to make the training as realistic as possible, he said, based on tactics, techniques and procedures taking place on the ground.

“Early on in our training, the focus was on a relatively steady state and calm environment in Kosovo,” Liethen said earlier this month at Hohenfels.

“Things have drastically changed,” he said. “It’s very obvious that the training program here at Hohenfels has been modified to replicate what is actually going on in Kosovo right now so that will definitely be a help in us conducting our mission.”

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Visits Naval Forces in Europe and Africa

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Oleksiak, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Adm. Mark Ferguson, vice chief of naval operations (VCNO), visited the Naval Support Activity (NSA) in Naples, Italy, Nov. 28, marking the final stop in a series of visits that included U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Africa Command visit over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Other stops included NSA Rota, Spain; NSA Souda Bay, Greece; and Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. During his visits, Ferguson met with senior leadership receiving briefs on current operations and base infrastructure. Accompanied by Chief of Naval Personnel and Navy Total Force Fleet Master Chief Scott Benning, VCNO also held all-hands calls with service members and answered questions at each location.

While in Rota, Ferguson met with Capt. Scott Kraverath, commanding officer of Naval Station Rota, to discuss the plans for stationing four Aegis ships in support of ballistic missile defense there. They also discussed improving the installation to support the ships' crews and their families. "It's important for me to get over here and see the requirements to get [this base ready for the ships' arrival]," said Ferguson.

In Djibouti, VCNO toured Camp Lemonnier and met with Commander, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Rear Adm. Mike Franken, and the base commander, Capt. Scott Hurst. He presented five awards and conducted one reenlistment before an all hands call, and then enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day meal with Sailors.

In Souda Bay, he toured the guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) and conducted a reenlistment for six Sailors prior to conducting an all hands call. Samuel B. Roberts' most recent deployment took her along the east coast of Africa in support of Africa Partnership Station 2011, an international security cooperation initiative aimed at strengthening global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities in order to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.

"The Navy's never been more relevant, and we see that in our Sailors across the globe...be they in the western Pacific, doing counter drug operations off South America, operating in Africa Partnership Station, or in the Middle East," said Ferguson. "They're performing extraordinarily well and in demand, contributing greatly to the national strategy and defense of the nation."

Ferguson's visit to Naples included meetings with senior leaders from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, to discuss strategic issues within the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

He wrapped up the visit with one final all-hands call, where he thanked, not just the service members, but their families for all they do.

"I thank all of you for your leadership, for what you do every day and your service to the nation," said Ferguson. "I've been very impressed with the leadership, your attitudes, the facilities that you have, and I think this is a great place to serve. It's been a pleasure to be here, and I'd like to thank you and your families [for what you do]."

Benning answered Sailors' questions about perform-to-serve and the enlisted retention board. He also praised Sailors for their ability to accomplish a variety of tasks outside of their assigned ratings.

"We train across many spectrums and we prepare [ourselves], and honestly it's what the other [military] services love about our individual augmentee Sailors," said Benning. "[Our Sailors] can do more than one thing, and they can do more than one thing at one time, and that makes [our Sailors] a real commodity that they very much desire."

Sailors who attended the all-hands call appreciated the answers they received.

"The answers they gave us were very straight forward and up front," said Hospitalman Nathan Sichone. "I am confident that [Ferguson] will continue to get the job done and represent the Sailors to the best of his ability and meet the needs of the Navy."

This was Ferguson's first visit to Djibouti, Naples, Rota, and Souda Bay, as the vice chief of naval operations.