Program Supports Ready Reserve Soldiers, Families

By Megan Doyle
Army National Guard

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 30, 2012 – The Army Reserve, the Army Human Resources Command and the Army National Guard have joined to provide Individual Ready Reserve soldiers and their families a way to connect with the military community.

By affiliating Individual Ready Reserve soldiers and their families with a local reserve-component unit, the IRR Affiliation Program creates a support network intended to improve readiness and encourage soldiers with valuable skills to continue their service, officials said.

After the Army Reserve initiated the program, Army Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr., director of the Army National Guard, recognized its value and committed the Army Guard as a partner, bringing connections to hundreds of units through armories and family programs in communities nationwide.

“[The IRR Affiliation Program] is a total support network, and the [Army National Guard] wanted to be a part of it to ensure that soldiers and their families are connected to the Army family,” said John Schmidt, a program lead from the Army Guard’s personnel policy division.

A pilot program in several states determined the IRR Affiliation Program’s potential benefits, as well as the impact on each unit's full-time staff and necessary changes to regulations, policies and systems. The five-month test connected more than 4,000 Individual Ready Reserve soldiers with local Army National Guard units.

The pilot program revealed that the program required minimal additional work for states, units, and local commands, because it provides access to networks and resources that already are in place, officials said.

“Most Guard units have a support network already built,” explained Gregory Heffner, a program lead. “The program is simply about maintaining a connection -- it is more of a referral program. If a soldier has an issue, hopefully, they will pick up the phone.”

Army Guard officials announced Jan. 26 that the IRR Affiliation Program will expand nationwide and encouraged all states and territories to participate.

“The director of the Army National Guard recognized that these soldiers are an important part of the Army family,” Schmidt said. “From when the soldier joins the Army on the first day to their eight year re-up, we are going to keep them in touch with the Army family.”

Through the program, soldiers can establish and maintain communications with their affiliated unit, which will be within 50 miles or 90 minutes of travel from their home of record. Soldiers and their families can participate in unit activities and access information and services such as medical readiness resources, employment programs, career counseling, state government and Veterans Affairs information, and family readiness services.

Affiliated soldiers continue to be assigned to Human Resources Command and are not assigned to the National Guard or the Army Reserve, officials said. Individual Ready Reserve soldiers may still receive orders to muster from Human Resources Command, they added, but are not required to participate in any activities, including training, with their affiliated unit.

Also, officials said, soldiers are not required to maintain contact with their affiliated unit. Soldiers who choose not to participate in any events will be required to acknowledge their awareness of the program, their affiliation with a reserve-component unit and their understanding that resources and support always will be available to them while assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve.

“The intent is to have every armory participating, and the expansion of the program will ensure that each soldier has access to a local community,” Heffner said. “We want them to be able to walk into their local armory and ask questions.”

The IRR Affiliation Program connects soldiers with the Army family, and “is their first stop to gain access to services that are their privilege and their right,” Schmidt said.

Bounty Hunters Maintainers Keep Lincoln's Jets in the Air

By Lt. Mitch Cole, Strike Fighter Squadron 2 Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- The Sailors of the maintenance department of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2, have kept the squadron's jets in full mission capable status throughout the deployment which paid off as they flew training operations in the Arabian Gulf Jan. 28, said the saquadron's mainenance officer.

VFA-2, the "Bounty Hunters," is one of nine squadrons in Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), which as a whole is preparing for flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).

"During the transit, VFA-2's maintenance team continued to groom the jets for operations in any area of responsibility to support major combat operations by maintaining their assets in full mission capable status," said Lt. Cmdr. Rich Silva, the squadron's maintenance officer.

After the transit to the 5th Fleet AOR, CVW-2 began a full cycle of flight days. The maintenance team met new challenges with full back-to-back fly days, which put a lot of stress on the aircraft. Despite the demands, VFA-2's maintenance team worked hard to keep the aircraft in flying condition.

"The entire maintenance department really stepped up providing quick turnarounds between flights to address maintenance issues discovered in flight," said Senior Chief Aviation Machinist's Mate Richard Landweer, the Bounty Hunters' Maintenance Control Leading Chief Petty Officer.

Lincoln and CVW-2 are part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ALCSG), which also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9 its ships including guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). ALCSG is deployed to the 5th Fleet AOR conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of OEF.

Flournoy Discusses State of World as She Leaves Office

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – The day Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden was also a long and tense day for Michele Flournoy, the undersecretary of defense for policy.

She was at the White House on May 2 helping then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates make calls to foreign civilian and military leaders. She was among the first to know that the joint special operations mission deep in Pakistan had been successful.

Late that night after President Barack Obama’s announcement that justice had caught up with the 9-11 planner, Flournoy walked out of the White House. “I didn’t know that people had spontaneously gathered outside,” she said. “I could hear them singing but not identify it at first. Then I recognized the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ It was an incredible moment.”

Flournoy will leave office this week after serving during three years of incredible change for the department and the world. The president has nominated James Miller, the current principle deputy at the office, to succeed her.

When Flournoy came into office there were still more than 100,000 troops in Iraq and violence was growing in Afghanistan. There was a plan in place to end U.S. involvement in Iraq and a question mark about what to do in Afghanistan.

The bin Laden raid marked a high point for the world in the war on terrorists. Flournoy credits President Barack Obama’s leadership for being key to success. “This was not a slam dunk in terms of an easy judgment call,” she said. “This was something that frankly he had some very senior advisors telling him not to do. He took a calculated risk, but at the end of the day it was an extremely strong decision, and one that meant a lot symbolically in the fight against al-Qaida.”

Flournoy is happy with the progress made against this deadly terror group, but “it’s a project we’re not finished with yet,” she said. “We should be particularly grateful for the contributions of our special operations and intelligence forces.”

The U.S. military left Iraq at the end of 2011, and after a surge of 33,000 American troops into Afghanistan, there is enough progress that a drawdown has begun there.

Some talking heads have said the U.S. military is now in decline, a premise with which Flournoy strongly disagrees. “This is not a military in decline,” she said. “It’s hard to remember a time when the U.S. had more capability, more professional expertise, more people who were battle-tested at the pinnacle of their profession of arms.”

It is only natural, she said, that as one war ends and another draws down that military officials are contemplating a smaller force. “We grew the force to accommodate these two large ground wars,” Flournoy said. “It’s only expected you would examine this drawdown over time.”

Flournoy cited two of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s guidelines for the new defense strategy. The first was at the end of the process, America would still have the most powerful military in the world. “Second, he said he wanted to learn the lessons of previous drawdowns,” she said.

Previous drawdowns resulted in a hollow force -- meaning typically too much force structure and sacrifices to training, modernization and readiness. “So the force looks good on paper, but it’s not what the country really needs,” she said. “We’ve looked that risk in the eye and we’re doing everything we can to be mindful and avoid a hollow force this time.”

Many service members see the policy position as one that doesn’t have any impact on their lives; however, “policy first and foremost really affects where we focus our attention as an instrument of national policy,” the undersecretary said. “It affects where we’re going in Afghanistan and what we commit to there, [and] our broader global sense of priorities.”

Obama announced a new defense strategy earlier this month that talks about re-balancing the U.S. military to put greater emphasis on Asia. “That, long term, is going to affect the lives of service members as more and more of them will be asked to serve in Asia in support of building partner capacity there, enhancing deterrence, reassuring allies and so forth,” Flournoy said.

Asia is becoming more important to America, she said, noting Asian markets and suppliers drive the U.S. economy. “With the end of the war in Iraq, we have more ‘bandwidth’ to focus on the future. Obviously we will do what we need to to prevail in Afghanistan, but as we think more and more about the future we see both the challenges and opportunities arising out of Asia.”

The rise of China and India as world powers reinforces the trend, but the United States must cultivate other nations in Southeast Asia, Flournoy said. Also important, she noted, is the continued and deep alliances with Japan and South Korea.

“The United States is a Pacific power and has always played a unique role in underwriting the security under which all that dynamism and economic growth has been based,” Flournoy said.

But could Asia remain stable without the United States? “It’s hard to imagine that with so much competition and periods of great tension and even conflict,” she said. “It is something that even countries that are not our allies -- like China and other countries in the region -- all tend to acknowledge that the United States plays a stabilizing influence and they don’t want us to leave.”

The Middle East and Central Asia remain areas of turmoil, but Flournoy feels good about the responsible conclusion in Iraq. “We’ve set Iraq up to be a stable and sovereign and self-reliant country,” she said, “and we’ve set ourselves up to have a very robust security relationship with them going forward.

“And I think we’ve turned around the strategy in Afghanistan,” she continued. “I think there has been a lot of progress there. For the first time in five years, violence is down in Afghanistan.” For the first time in years, the United States has “a shot” at achieving its goals, she added.

The NATO operation to protect civilians in Libya from Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is a good model for the future, Flournoy noted. The U.S. military played a limited role focused on the unique capabilities that the American military possesses, such as air-to-air refueling; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets; and command–and-control infrastructure.

The United States had important interests, but they were not vital in the country. Other nations had far more at stake. “I actually think this is an interesting model for the future, particularly as we have greater success in building partner and allied capacity and others are capable of stepping in to take a leadership role,” she said.

The actions over Libya and in Afghanistan prove that NATO is an active and vibrant alliance, Flournoy noted. “The question for NATO is as these economic pressures increase on our European allies, how are they going to manage their own defense enterprise? How are they going to keep investing in defense capabilities that enable them to keep contributing to the future?”

NATO needs to take stock of the assets within the alliance and find a smarter and cheaper way to provide capabilities. “How do we leverage each others’ strengths?” she asked. “How do we mitigate the shortfalls that we experience? We need to put our minds together to ensure the sum of the contributions is greater than the ‘eaches.’”

Flournoy saw increased emphasis on cybersecurity and expects operations in cyberspace to become more important in the years to come. Her office gets involved because the domain is so new, and experts are puzzling over what constitutes an attack. What constitutes an act of war? What is an appropriate response?

This past year saw the Arab Awakening and Flournoy sees it as both a challenge and an opportunity. “It’s a number of countries trying to embrace the ideals that have defined the United States since its founding -- democracy, rule of law, open dialogue, a vibrant public square,” she said.

“The challenge comes because this is happening in areas where the societies have really been oppressed so there haven’t been conditions for the development of political parties, free and fair elections and debate and so forth,” she said.

Right now, some of the parties best positioned to exploit the opportunities “are not the most representative or most democratic,” she said. “Long term, I think this will prove to be a positive development in this part of the world.”

After three years of a frenetic pace, Flournoy will take some time to get re-acquainted with her family. But she will miss the job, she said.

“I’ve had the good fortune to work with two extraordinary secretaries of defense, a wonderful team of military counterparts and the chance to interact with the extraordinary men and women who service in uniform,” she said. “In my trips to Afghanistan and Iraq and other operational areas, I was just consistently bowled over by the quality of the people and their dedication to the mission.”

Recovery Mission to Begin This Spring in North Korea

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Members of the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command are preparing for their first mission to North Korea in seven years to search for remains of missing U.S. Korean War veterans, a defense official reported.

The mission, expected to begin this spring, will bring together U.S. and North Korean military members for the humanitarian mission, said Air Force Maj. Carie Parker, a spokeswoman for the Defense Department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office here.

U.S. teams will work in two areas in North Korea: Unsan County, about 60 miles north of Pyongyang, and near the Chosin/Jangjin Reservoir, where more than 2,000 soldiers and Marines are believed to be missing, Parker said.

Of approximately 83,000 Americans missing from all conflicts, 7,967 are from the Korean War, she said. Of those MIAs, 5,500 are believed to be in North Korea.

U.S. specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Command had conducted operations in North Korea for 10 years, recovering remains believed to be more than 225 servicemen since 1996. However, the United States halted those operations in 2005 due to increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

U.S. and North Korean officials agreed following three days of talks in Bangkok last October to resume the recovery missions, Parker said.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Robert J. Newberry led the U.S. negotiating team, which included representatives from DOD, the State Department, U.S. Pacific Command and United Nations Command-Korea.

Their agreement with the North Koreans includes details on logistics and other issues to ensure effective, safe operations for U.S. recovery teams operating in North Korea, Parker said.

Based on this plan, North Korean soldiers are expected to begin preparing the two sites that will serve as base camps for the operations.

A small advanced team from JPAC will then travel to North Korea to assess the sites, evaluate the conditions and determine what other preparations are needed before a full recovery team deploys there, probably in the late spring timeframe.

The recovery is considered a humanitarian mission, and North Korean military will assist with logistics, support and security, Parker said.

“They understand the importance of this mission,” she said, emphasizing that the mission is not tied to any other issues between the two countries.

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command has the sole mission of achieving the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts, command officials explained.

In support of that mission, the command sends teams that include forensic anthropologists, forensic archeologists and scientific directors to potential crash and burial sites around the world.

Once remains or other personal artifacts such as dogtags are repatriated to JPAC’s headquarters in Hawaii, experts at the command’s Central Identification Laboratory -- the world’s largest forensic anthropology lab -- use the most advanced science available to match them to a specific missing service member. Among the tools they use is mitochondrial DNA, which includes unique signatures from the maternal line and helps the JPAC staff make identifications once not considered possible.

These capabilities, plus support provided by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Rockville, Md., has enabled JPAC to identify 94 missing service members from Vietnam, Korea and World War II since January 2011, Parker reported.

Of those, 44 were from the Korean War, including five who were accounted for this month.

One, to be buried today with full military honors in Somerton, Pa., is Army Pfc. George A. Porter. The 21-year-old Philadelphian went missing Feb. 11, 1950, when he and his Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion comrades were supporting South Korean forces in a major offensive near Hoengsong, South Korea.

Porter and more than 100 men were taken prisoner when Chinese forces attacked in what has become known as the Hoengsong Massacre. He was never accounted for following the war, officials said.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of human remains believed to be those of 200 and 400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the remains were recovered in Suan

County. That, officials said, was the location of the Suan Mining and Bean camps, where Porter was believed to have been held.

A metal identification tag bearing Porter’s name was included among the remains, they reported.

Scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence and mitochondrial DNA that matched that of Porter’s sister and nephew to make an official identification. DOD announced the identification Jan. 23.

Other previously missing Korean War veterans accounted for this month were:

• Army Pfc. Frank P. Jennings. He was lost near Jeon-Gog, South Korea, on April 25, 1951, while serving with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. Jennings was accounted for on Jan. 18.

• Army Sgt. 1st Class Edris A. Viers. He was lost near Pongam-ni, South Korea, on Aug. 12, 1950, while serving with Battery A, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team. Viers was accounted for on Jan. 17.

• Army Cpl. William R. Sluss. He was serving with Service Battery, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, near Kuni-ri, North Korea, when he was captured by enemy forces in late November 1950. Sluss died at POW Camp 5 in April 1951 and was accounted for on Jan. 17.

• Army Cpl. Chester J. Roper. The Battery A, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, soldier was captured by enemy forces on Dec. 1, 1950, near Somindong, North Korea, and died in early 1951 in POW Camp 5 at Pyoktong. He was accounted for on Jan. 4.

USS James E. Williams Flexes Undersea Warfare Capabilities

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel J. Meshel, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs

USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS, At Sea (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) is participating in an integrated anti-submarine course (IAC) to certify Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2) during an ongoing composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) with the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, Jan. 26.

IAC is a series of exercises designed to effectively integrate all the surface and air assets involved in protecting aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in a strike group setting. The successful completion of the exercises will certify DESRON 2 for the squadron's upcoming deployment.

"For our strike group, the high-value unit is the [Enterprise]," said Sonar Technician Chief George H. Hudson, USS James E. Williams leading sonar technician. "Whenever the carrier is engaged in operations, we position other units around the ship to protect it from attack."

"The Enterprise is a mobile air force and the cornerstone of our Navy," said Ensign Bryan D. Crosby, USS James E. Williams anti-submarine officer. "If we are incapable of protecting the Enterprise, which has hundreds of assets on board and thousands of people, then our forward presence is hindered."

Anti-submarine warfare encompasses a wide-range of tactical responses to potential undersea threats necessary in neutralizing hostile submarines, mines, and other dangers to protect high-value units and freedom of the seas.

"Submarines can block choke points and make commercial shipping near impossible," said Crosby. "They can also lay mines and render once navigable waters hostile."

Submarine stalking; engagements; and emergency maneuvers and evasions, are a few of the scenarios within IAC. These exercises provide an opportunity for participating ships to flex their warfare capabilities through an integrated perspective.

"Integration is always a challenge," said Crosby. "We all work for the strike group commander. He delegates his powers to a lot of other people. And it takes a lot of other intelligent people to get the job done."

Destroyers can be sent to operate autonomously by directive of the strike group commander. They can be designated a search and attack unit responsible for breaking away from the strike group for early detection of submarines.

Using combat acoustics, which is simply sound in water, destroyers are capable of detecting and analyzing surface and undersea contacts using sound, navigation and ranging (SONAR). These contacts can vary from marine animals to submarines.

"We man watches 24 hours a day," said Hudson. "We keep a surface picture of contacts that we actively track on our screens."

Hudson and Crosby also act as evaluators who are responsible for tactically employing SONAR to find threats. When a threat is found they place the ship or ships in their control into the most opportune environment to prosecute the threat.

"At any given time one ship can be in tactical control of several different ships and aircraft," said Crosby. "You're trying to utilize your assets to the utmost of their ability and extent."

While the goal of the exercise is to grant DESRON 2 operational certification, the exercise affords all vessels of the strike group to not only refine established skills, but to learn from any mistakes so they can operate at peak performance when deployed.

"We have 11 carriers," said Crosby. "We always want to keep 11 carriers so that we can be anywhere in the world in a moment's notice and deter any foreign aggression against friendly forces."

For news regarding USS Enterprise or the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, visit www.enterprise.navy.mil or the USS Enterprise Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USS.Enterprise.CVN.65 and follow us on Twitter @TheCVN65.

Family Matters Blog: Taking Care of Pets While Deployed

By Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Although the wars are drawing down, the deployment schedules for our men and women in uniform aren’t easing up. Troops continue to meet multiple operational needs, such as theater security exercises with partner nations, Navy ship cruises and other training requirements.

Many military pet parents struggle with what to do with their forever friend when serving our nation away from home. It can be tough to stay focused on the mission at hand if family affairs aren’t in order.

Enter our partners in the nonprofit sector. For the past several years, many organizations have stepped up to the plate, providing foster pet services to our deploying troops.

“Military members have a hundred things to worry about when deployment or training comes up. The last thing they should have to worry about is the care of their pets while they’re away,” said Alisa Johnson, a Marine Corps officer and president of Dogs on Deployment, a nonprofit organization matching service members needing a foster pet family with volunteers who have agreed to take in their animals.

Alisa and her husband, Shawn, a Navy officer, observed the challenges military families face when it comes to pet care, which led to the creation of this service.

“We’re especially concerned with those military members that may live on one coast, while all their family lives on another, limiting those that they can rely on in their times of need,” Alisa said.

Since they launched the organization in June, more than 140 families have volunteered to be “boarders” and 20 dogs have been placed in temporary foster care.

Along with national organizations helping troops -- including Dogs on Deployment and Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet -- many local animal shelters are answering the call of duty and creating programs in their communities to help deployed service members with pet care.

The Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pets of Patriots program provides pet care assistance to military personnel deploying on short notice due to war. Families living on Oahu can sign up to be foster parents, while military pet owners provide food and medical care while away from their duty station. The society assists with the written agreements, provides sample forms and helps find suitable volunteers.

Additionally, the San Diego County Humane Society offered a low-cost seminar in December for military families to provide information on pet resources for relocation and deployment.

If you need a home for your pet while deployed, check with your local animal shelter to see if they might have a military pet outreach program, contact a national foster military pet organization or see if your command has a spouse communication network to seek temporary pet parents. The military in our own community can act as our second family, helping to provide resources for our furry friends.

(Guest blogger Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly, of U.S. Pacific Command, is the owner of Hawaii Military Pets, which provides pet resources for military families. She’s offered to share her pet-related knowledge in a series of blogs for Family Matters.)

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Holds Annual Suicide Awareness Training

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Doolin, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) held its annual suicide awareness training, Jan. 22-23.

NAVCENT leadership, chaplains and medical personnel shared firsthand accounts, showed videos, conducted role playing, and held a 3-kilometer run/walk to educate military personnel and civilians of the signs and steps to assist a friend, family member, or shipmate contemplating suicide.

Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, began the training by sharing personal accounts of how suicide can impact individuals.

"It [suicide] creates a whole lot of different kinds of emotions," said Fox. "Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem. I don't care what your problem is, suicide is not the answer."

Fox emphasized the importance of shipmates helping shipmates.

"I've flown probably more than 100 sorties in combat, and every single time I've launched and gone across the beach, I've always had a wingman. We need wingmen; we need to look at each other with the attitude that each person that is here is more than just another Sailor, somebody that's passing in the crowd, that each one of you is irreplaceable, each one of you is valuable."

Lt. Laurie Steurer, a social worker assigned to the Mental Health Department of Naval Branch Health Clinic, Bahrain, talked about resiliency, and gave tips on physical and mental fitness. She advised Sailors against worrying about what you can't control; rather to exercise, have a positive outlook, have a sense of humor, be religious or spiritual, see the good in a situation, ask for help, enjoy life, get enough sleep and eat well.

Lt. Clayton Jones, a Navy chaplain assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50, talked about stress, and how to deal with demands of the military lifestyle.

"So you deploy, well so does everybody else. So you move, so does everybody else. And so we grow indifferent to the amount of stress, and how it impacts people. Why, because we're all doing it. But we need not to do that. We need to realize that our [military] lifestyle's extremely stressful, and there are going to be times when we need help," said Jones. "If you notice someone is not doing well, you should take the initiative and talk to him or her."

Jones talked about the need to take personal accountability.

"If there's too much weight on your shoulders, get some help," said Jones. "It really is no big deal anymore. There's not that stigma attached to it."

Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Stall-Ryan, NAVCENT Fleet/Force Deputy Chaplain, spoke about the Navy's suicide program, ACT, which stands for ask, care and treat. He emphasized the need to be involved in other people's lives and the need to ask that big question: 'Are you thinking of hurting yourself?'

"We need to have the courage to ask that tough question. And that's not just for the people we like, but also for the people we don't like," said Stall-Ryan.

"The training was pretty good," said Yeoman 1st Class (SW/AW) Andre McClain. "You need to know what your Sailors are doing. You need to get into their lives; you need to ask what's going on. I'm a true believer in that."

The training impressed Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Paulina Castro.

"It was good training," said Castro. "I liked that there was a lot of heart-felt stories and relatable material. That was, I think, the biggest takeaway. It was different from every other suicide training I've been to."

Wisconsin National Guard member to compete in upcoming CBS hit series 'The Amazing Race'

Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
Wisconsin National Guard

For some fans of CBS's "The Amazing Race," deciding which couple to cheer for may be a little easier when the 20th season of the hit series premieres Sunday, Feb. 19 - especially for Wisconsin citizens and patriotic viewers across the country.

Madison native Maj. Dave Brown, Jr., an officer in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and his wife, Rachel, will be one of 11 couples competing against each other in a trek around the world for the ultimate prize of supreme bragging rights and one million dollars.

"Both Rachel and I have been avid fans of the show for quite some time," Dave said.

The reality show, which has garnered eight Emmy Awards, will pit the teams against many physical and mental challenges over the course of about 25 days.

Although viewers will have to "stay tuned" to see how the couple fairs in the show, Dave does credit his 16 years of service in the Wisconsin Army National Guard - including a recent year-long deployment to Iraq - for his preparation and execution throughout the challenge.

"I truly feel my involvement in the military best prepared me for a competition such as 'The Amazing Race,'" he said, "whether it be attention to detail, leadership style and abilities, or who I am as a person."

When asked how the Race equates to military training, Dave associated the two in three ways.

"It's as physically demanding as air assault school, as mentally draining and as academically involved as flight school, and as sleep depriving as SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) school," he said.

The major enlisted into the Arizona National Guard in 1996 as an artillery forward observer while attending Arizona State University. He graduated in three years with a bachelors in Political Science. He then transferred to the Wisconsin Guard's 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in 2000 and earned an officer commission in 2002. Dave has also served as a military intelligence officer, a Black Hawk pilot with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, and an executive officer for Recruiting and Retention Command. He is currently assigned to the ROTC detachment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an assistant professor of military science.

During his allotted two-week rest and relaxation leave from his deployment to Iraq, Dave visited with his wife in Sydney, Australia. Rachel took that opportunity to pitch the idea of applying for the show. They agreed, filled out the applications and she mailed them in as soon as she returned to their home in Madison.

Maj. Dave Brown, Jr., and his wife, Rachel, are set to compete in the CBS reality series "The Amazing Race" which premieres Feb. 19.

The cast of the CBS hit series "The Amazing Race" in its 20th season - which premieres Feb. 19.

"Within a matter of a week or two, casting contacted her and requested a video," Dave said.

A fellow Soldier took a one-minute video at the end of one of Dave's flying mission in Iraq. It wasn't the fanciest audition video, but it got the job done. Rachel compiled the video with one of her own and sent it in. Dave returned from deployment in June 2011. He and Rachel had interviews with CBS and the show began filming in the fall.

The rest of the story is yet to be seen.

Growing up, Dave was an avid wrestler and participated in basketball, football, baseball and track where he gained an appreciation for competing, something he shares today - along with his wife.

"I not only strive for victory, but I expect it for myself," Dave said. "I am competitive in all aspects of my life, whether it be personally or professionally. That's one aspect that interested both Rachel and I, both being competitive and people who are in constant pursuit of a challenge."

There wasn't much time to train for the competition. Dave added some weight, in the form of a ruck sack, to his normal physical training. As a couple, Dave and Rachel watched and discussed episodes and specific challenges like they'd done periodically on Sundays since they met.

"While viewing previous seasons we talked through specific challenges in more detail in consideration of our individual strengths and weaknesses," he said.

Whether Dave and Rachel are the first couple to arrive at the final checkpoint or not, it's sure to have been the adventure of a lifetime. And according to Dave, it also seems as if there was no lack of effort or motivation for them to compete.

"I truly felt that I was not only representing myself, my spouse and my son, but I was also cognizant of being a representative of the Wisconsin National Guard and the Army as a whole," Dave said. "The overwhelming pride of representing the men and women of the military in the best light possible ... that was definitely in the forefront of our minds."

Navy Advances Electrical Protection for Shipboard Sailors

From Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Sailors aboard U.S. Navy ships soon will have new protective clothing for low voltage maintenance work, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced, Jan 26.

A new type of coverall featuring flame resistant fabric and accompanying safety equipment will provide Sailors greater comfort and protection against arc flashes. Sailors will be able to use the coveralls like standard shipboard coveralls while conducting initial voltage verification checks, fuse removal, authorized energized work, or when an electrical circuit breaker is installed or removed.

"The new electrical safety coveralls are designed for initial voltage verification or approved work on energized equipment, and are designed to protect Sailors from inherent heat, excessive pressure," said Khosrow Moniri, NAVSEA electrical systems technical warrant holder.

Sailors can expect to use the coveralls and associated equipment such as a face shield by late spring, on board naval ships with electrical systems between 300 and 1,000 volts, such as Arleigh Burke destroyers.

The clothing compliments existing heavier and bulkier coveralls designed for high voltage verification checks on board naval ships with electrical systems greater than 1,000 volts, such as aircraft carriers.

The low- and high-voltage coveralls are rated at 12-calorie and 40-calorie (per centimeter squared). NAVSEA determined that these ratings adequately provide the required amount of thermal energy protection based on National Fire Protection Association and U.S. naval warship design criteria. The calorie/cm-squared rating represents a value of the energy necessary to pass through any given fabric to cause a 50 percent probability of a second or third degree burn.

Both types of coveralls protect Sailors against arc flashes, which occur when an electrical current passes through air gaps between ungrounded conductors or between conductors and grounded components. Use of electrical systems on board U.S. Navy ships is increasing rapidly. Accordingly, the probability of arc flashes increases as well. The blast or explosion that results from arc flash may be fatal or cause major injuries such as burns, the loss of eyesight and hearing.

"While arc flashes don't happen often, this new safety equipment represents a significant advancement in how we protect our Sailors," said Moniri.

Surface Warfare Officers School Hosts the Ship Material Readiness Course Board of Visitors

From Surface Warfare Officer School Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) is hosting a Board of Visitors (BOV) for the Senior Officer Ship Material Readiness Course (SOSMRC) in Newport, R.I. Jan. 25-27.

An annual event until the previous SOSMRC curriculum was disestablished, this is the first BOV since 1995. SWOS Commanding Officer Capt. Neil Parrott welcomed the advisory group as the meeting kicked off.

"We reestablished the SOSMRC based on the recommendation of the Surface Warfare Enterprise and the first course of the new curriculum convened in January 2010," said Parrott. "This five-week course for prospective surface ship commanding officers and executive officers is designed to improve their knowledge of material readiness requirements and improve the material condition of the fleet, two things that are vital to success during an afloat command tour."

"We are constantly improving the course and ensuring that we are teaching the most current topics to the future commanding officers of our ships," said Capt. Glenn Zeiders, SWOS department director for SOSMRC. "SOSMRC is the only course in the command pipeline to provide training on improving ship material readiness, and the BOV gives us an opportunity to brief flag stakeholders on current SOSMRC curriculum, focus areas, initiatives, statistics and metrics, measures of effectiveness, and resource requirements or shortfalls. It is a key part of validating and improving our curriculum, and we appreciate the time of so many experts from the surface Navy."

Over the course of three days, the BOV advisory group, comprised of 10 captains and commanders from commands throughout the Navy, will receive briefings on the SOSMRC curriculum and prepared recommendations for the BOV principals group consisting of seven flag officer stakeholders. Chaired by Vice Adm. Richard Hunt, commander, Naval Surface Force, the principals group will convene Jan. 27. Hunt emphasized the importance of upholding and refining a strong professional development curriculum.

"We must instill a culture of ownership, and re-establish rigor in the maintenance and material readiness process," said Hunt. "That starts with ensuring every member of the crew, from the commanding officer to the youngest Sailor on the deckplate, has a thorough knowledge of their ship's equipment and that they can repair and maintain that equipment throughout the ship's service life."

The SOSMRC BOV is slated to become a biennial event in the future.

To find out more about the SOSMRC or other courses of instruction at SWOS, visit http://www1.netc.navy.mil/swos/. You can also reach SWOS through Facebook, Twitter, and SWONET.

Madison Fighter Wing Airmen continue to perform at an 'Outstanding' level

Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
115th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The 115th Fighter Wing is known in Wisconsin for their patriotic flyovers, but they continue to be known across the nation for sheer excellence.

For the third time in six years, the 115th has been recognized with the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) - solidifying the fighter wing as one of the best Air National Guard units in the country.

"This highlights that we are one of the premier units in the nation," said Brig. Gen. Joseph Brandemuehl, 115th FW commander. "It speaks to the professionalism and dedication of each and every Airman in this organization."

This includes personnel like Airman 1st Class Patrick Soderlund, of De Pere, Wis., who was recently recognized as the top Airman in the state. He's been with the unit for three years and credits his success to the culture that resonates everywhere within the fighter wing.

"I've been mentored through a culture of 'lead by example' - working with very driven Airmen, peers and supervisors, who go out of their way to help with tasks and understanding information," Soderlund said. "It's an honor and a privilege to be part of a unit that performs and operates at the level we do."

Brandemuehl emphasized the AFOUA is a collective effort of the more than 1,000 Airmen that come together, train together and execute together to keep the fighter wing running as safely and efficiently as ever before.

"These Airmen will never cease to amaze you with their performance, and they are the best in the nation," he said. "The commitment and professionalism of these individuals are really what this award is highlighting."

Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, said he was extremely pleased but not surprised with the award.

"This award continues to validate the professionalism and dedication our Airmen of the 115th Fighter Wing display each and every day," Dunbar said. "It is gratifying that the Air Force recognizes what I see on a regular basis - the continuation of a 60-year legacy of excellence at the 115th."

The fighter wing's motto is "Dedicated to Excellence." Those words hold true to the legacy that continues to be written as this is the 115th's seventh AFOUA in unit history. Previous awards have come in 1980, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2005 and 2009.

This award - which recognizes the Wing's achievements from Nov 1, 2009 through Oct. 31, 2011 - speaks to the overall, and well-rounded, success of the Wing and its members. The Wing has made a significant impact on the state, nation and even across the globe during this timeframe.

Some of those accomplishment include executing 4,740 sorties equating to more than 7,000 flight hours, deploying more than 200 Airmen to 18 different countries around the globe in support of numerous U.S. led and supported contingency operations, deploying medics to Nicaragua to treat more than 6,200 patients as part of a humanitarian mission and lessening the carbon footprint in Wisconsin by embracing innovating design and technology in the realm of environmental stewardship.

There are countless other accomplishments the Airmen of the 115th have previously and continue to achieve across the spectrum of all operations on base - from logistics and personnel to mission support and operations.

Inspiring Airmen to continue performing at such a high tempo and culture of excellence could be considered difficult. Brandemuehl sees it a different way.

"I don't think it's one thing we do to motivate - I think it's the organization itself that motivates the individuals to maintain that legacy of excellence," Brandemuehl said. "These Airmen just expect that they have to live up to that high standard."

Pentagon Observance Honors Civil Rights Leader’s Impact

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

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta led the Pentagon in honoring the “lasting impact” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during its 27th annual observance here today.

“Dr. King’s dream was America’s dream, and as he put it, the dream was about taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by our founding fathers,” Panetta said.

“The simple power of Dr. King’s message resonates across generations,” he said. “It changed my whole life in public service.”

Panetta said as the son of Italian immigrants he had his own experiences with discrimination.

“Enough to know,” he said, “that unless we provide equality to all, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, disability, sexual orientation, … none of us can truly be free.”

Panetta shared some background of his own career during the civil rights movement.

“As many of you know, my own career in public service began at the height of the civil rights movement,” he said. “I was a young legislative assistant in the United States Senate working for California Senator Tom Kuchel, who was very much involved in drafting civil rights legislation.

“I had the opportunity to work on some of the landmark civil rights legislation at that time,” he noted. “I also, at a signing ceremony at the White House with then-President Lyndon Johnson, had a chance to meet Dr. King.”

The defense secretary also spoke about his time serving as director for the U.S. Office for Civil Rights in the early 1970s.

“It was an office that was responsible for enforcing civil rights law, particularly with regards to achieving equal education for all children,” he recalled. “You can imagine this was a tough time.”

Panetta called this time tough for him “politically” due to being in an administration “not that dedicated to strong civil rights enforcement.”

“Ultimately, it cost me my job,” he said. “But it taught me a great deal about where that line is between your conscience, and what’s right and what, sometimes, you’re told to do by others that may not meet the requirements of your conscience.”

Panetta also pointed to highlights in his career, such as casting his vote for a day to commemorate King’s legacy, and fighting “to preserve the progress made that had been made by protecting our national commitment to affirmative action.”

Panetta cited the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that had barred gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military as removing one of the last “barriers” to allowing everyone to serve the nation.

“[It] ensured that today’s military more closely reflects the society that we are obligated to defend,” he said.

“We can now more proudly say, out of many, we are one,” Panetta added. “So regardless of background, regardless of perspective, every man and every woman at DOD has answered the call to serve.”

The keynote speaker, Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, a leader in the civil rights movement, is the last living person present during King’s final hours before he was assassinated.

Kyles often referred to a quote from Harlem Renaissance writer, Langston Hughes, in encouraging others to hold onto their dreams like King did.

“‘Hold fast to your dream for if dreams die you’re like broken-winged birds who cannot fly,’” he quoted Hughes as saying. “Hold fast to your dreams.

“Dreamers, they’re not bound by glass ceilings or brick walls, they don’t go down that road at all,” he added.

“All of us have dreams, [but] some of us have lost our dreams,” the pastor said. “I encourage you to recapture your dream. It’s yours. Nobody has a right to take your dream. It is your dream.”

Panetta lauded King for his “boundless impact” and noted the importance of commemorating the civil rights leader.

“Martin Luther King Day is a chance to ensure that our children and every generation that follows knows Dr. King’s story of courage, strength, dedication, and that all of them can hopefully follow the great example that he set,” the secretary said. “That, I think, in many ways, is the test of life which is whether or not we make a difference.

“Though much has been achieved, Dr. King’s own words remind us that we can never sit still,” he continued. “We have to continue to press ahead to fight each day to make sure we achieve that American dream.

“May God bless our nation and may God bless Dr. King’s enduring hope for a better future,” he said.

Face of Defense: Marine Sets Lego World Record

By Marine Corps Cpl. Aaron Diamant
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz., Jan. 26, 2012 – While many have a hobby, few have the drive and dedication to turn that hobby into a world record. But Marine Corps Capt. Kyle Ugone not only has that drive, but also the certificate declaring him as the Guinness world record holder for the most completed Lego sets in a private collection, with an astonishing 1,091 sets.

While his record officially stands at 1,091, Ugone actually has 1,251 sets. But some did not count toward the record because they are reproductions or don’t have the original instructions, Ugone explained.

His vast collection started small and at a young age, but has grown in size and number, including one set that contains more than 5,000 individual pieces.

"I got my first set as a gift when I was 5 years old," Ugone said. "It's a windmill, and I still have it today. From there, I kept getting more and more sets."

Rooms in his Yuma home look as if they belong in a Lego Land theme park, containing hundreds of completed Lego sets separated by genre, such as space, trains, castles and “Star Wars” sets, displayed on tables and shelves.

Lego is a line of construction toys consisting of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, mini-figures and various other parts.

Lego bricks can be assembled and connected in many ways to form vehicles, buildings, and even working robots. Anything constructed can be taken apart to make other objects.

The toys originated in the 1940s in Denmark and have achieved international appeal, with an extensive subculture that supports Lego-themed movies, games, video games, competitions and five amusement parks.

It wasn't until 2009, when Ugone was talking to other Lego enthusiasts online, that he decided to go for the world record.

"I was talking to a guy who said he wanted to build every set Lego has ever made," Ugone said. There are more than 5,000 sets, he added, some of which are extremely rare and others available only in certain areas.

Ugone contacted officials at the Guinness Book of World Records and found that no such record existed. He was told he would need at least 500 sets to claim a record.

"At the time, I had about 600 to 700 sets, but I wanted more," Ugone said. "So I spent a lot of time scouring the Internet to purchase more sets and build them."

After a Lego expert visited Ugone's home to verify his plethora of building-block masterpieces, 1,091 of his 1,251 sets were authenticated for the record, earning him the title as the man with the most.

Now, Ugone is slowly taking the sets apart for storage to regain some of the square footage in his home. He’s taking a break from collecting Lego sets, planning instead to focus more of his attention on restoring a classic muscle car.