Experts Testify on DOD Missile Defense System

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2012 – Technical challenges remain for the complex ballistic missile defense system designed to protect the United States and its allies, but the capability is crucial to the nation’s defense posture, experts told a congressional panel this week.

Bradley H. Roberts, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy, Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, director of the Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency, and other experts testified March 6 before the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces.

Since 1999, the United States has invested more than $90 billion in missile defense. The fiscal 2013 budget request for missile defense is $7.75 billion.

Roberts said the missile defense strategy balances the need to defend the homeland with the need to address regional threats overseas to U.S. forces, allies and partners, and he described the plan to bolster both.

“We live in an era of missile proliferation, we project power forward globally, [and] we have security commitments in regions where missiles are proliferating,” he told the panel. “We must protect our forces, we must protect our allies, [and] they must participate in protecting themselves. To not do that calls into question the very foundation of our security role in the international environment today.”

New capabilities have emerged over the past 10 to 15 years that now are available to bolster regional missile defense, Roberts said. “So we’ve put in place a program to ramp up these regional defense capabilities over the years ahead … in partnership with allies,” he added. “They are not along for a free ride. We’ve given them many opportunities to strengthen their own self-defense, and many are rising to this challenge.”

The United States has missile defense cooperative programs with the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Israel, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and many other nations.

Roberts said the two-stage plan for bolstering homeland defense includes strengthening the ground-based midcourse defense system, or GDM, and in the next decade, shifting to a land-based standard missile called SM-3 Block 2B as a complementary second layer of the system. GDM is an element of the ballistic missile defense system made up of ground-based interceptors and ground systems components.

Defense strategy calls for ground-based interceptors to be enhanced over the next 10 years, Roberts said. When SM-3 2B missiles become available around 2020, he told the panel, those will be added to the system to provide a second layer of protection on the ground in the United States.

“For regional defense, we now have two layers of protection,” he added. “The homeland deserves the same. Depth and redundancy are better than reliance on a single system.”

Such ground- and sea-based interceptor missiles destroy an incoming missile using a direct collision, called “hit-to-kill” technology, or an explosive-blast-fragmentation warhead.

O'Reilly told the panel that the Missile Defense Agency’s top priority is to protect the homeland from the growing threat of intercontinental ballistic missile attacks from Iran, North Korea, Syria and other nations.

“We have made significant progress in enhancing our current homeland defense over the past year,” he added. Progress includes activating a forward-based transportable radar in Turkey and an upgraded early warning radar at Thule, Greenland, to track intercontinental ballistic missiles from the Middle East.

The agency has also upgraded three ground-based interceptors, or GBIs, activated a second command-and-control node -- part of the command, control, battle management and communications network that links the warfighter to sensors and interceptor missiles -- and completed the newest missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska.

“Further enhancement of our homeland defense is paced by the resolution of a technical issue identified in the last GBI flight test and the need for a successful intercept with the newest version of the GBI exo-atmospheric kill vehicle by the end of this year,” O’Reilly said.

A successful nonintercept GBI flight test this summer, he added, will confirm that the problem is resolved.

This year, O’Reilly told the panel, ballistic missile defense capability will be built into five more Aegis ships, three SM-3 Block 1B flight tests will demonstrate resolution of the previous test-flight failure, and materiel release is planned for a second terminal high-altitude area defense, or THAAD, battery for area defense, space-based sensors and sea-based capabilities.

The agency’s 2013 budget will deliver a third THAAD battery and three more Aegis ballistic missile defense upgrades, for a total of 32 BMD-capable ships, he said.

“This year and in 2013,” the general said, “we will conduct the largest, most complex, integrated layered regional missile defense tests in history by simultaneously engaging up to five crews and ballistic missile targets with Aegis, THAAD and Patriot interceptor systems, a forward-based [transportable] radar, and a command-and-control system operated by soldiers, sailors and airmen from multiple combatant commands.”

An important part of the ballistic missile defense system that’s under development is the Precision Tracking Space System, or PTSS, a space-based constellation of satellites that will for the first time be able to track a missile over its entire flight.

“There is no sensor that can fill the function of tracking a missile over its entire flight from space and the broad field of views that we need to cover an entire theater, where we could see missiles simultaneously launched,” O’Reilly said.

“The combination of [ground-based midcourse defense], SM-3 2B, PTSS and other programs,” the general said, “will provide effective and adaptable missile defense for our homeland to counter the uncertainty of ICBM capability from today’s regional threats for decades into the future.”

Active-duty Downsizing Should Benefit Reserve Forces, Board Says

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2012 – A policy board plans to ask Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta to highlight service in the reserve forces as a good option for outgoing active-duty members during downsizing.

In its first official action with broader membership and a direct line to the secretary, the Reserve Forces Policy Board yesterday agreed to send eight recommendations to Panetta to encourage National Guard and reserve service for people leaving active duty. The fiscal 2013 defense budget request calls for the military to reduce its end strength by 5.5 percent in the next five years.

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold L. Punaro, who chairs the board, said a force reduction letter the secretary sent to the services last month included 12 objectives in the drawdown, but did not mention the National Guard and reserves.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Anita Gallentine, a reserve mobilization augmentee who heads the board’s continuum of service subcommittee, said the Defense Department should learn from past drawdown mistakes that discouraged active duty members from joining the reserve components. In the post-Cold War drawdown, she said, programs helped service members become civilian teachers and police officers and offered bonuses for troops to leave active duty, but they had to pay the bonuses back if they entered the Guard and reserves.

Gallentine noted that the reserve forces now are more of an operational force than their traditional status as a strategic reserve, and other members of the 20-member board spoke of the need to preserve those operational capabilities and training investments.

Gallentine said the military pay and personnel system does not allow for an easy transition into the reserve forces, and noted that many benefits are not portable. Past efforts in the Defense Department to improve continuum of service, she added, have “buckled under their own weight.”

“We believe that there is a lot of work that needs to be done in those over-arching areas,” she said, adding that reserve centers should offer more widespread support for reservists, modeled after active-duty deployment centers.

The board also agreed to send these recommendations to the secretary regarding homeland defense:

-- Policy changes to accelerate the use of Guard and reserve forces to respond to disasters;

-- Guidance that training exercises can be used to support disaster relief and other missions, such as when the National Guard pre-positioned forces leading up to Hurricane Irene in 2010;

-- Guidance that will allow state leaders better predictability for calling up forces under Title 32, which has been used 13 times in the past nine years;

-- Increase from 75 to 90 percent the amount the Federal Emergency Management Agency would reimburse states for National Guard disaster relief operations;

-- Give consistency to protections and benefits states give National Guard members.

Also, the board requested that Congress change the law on the Defense Department’s disaster reimbursement fund for states to stipulate it is for domestic use only. “If we don’t limit it to domestic use, it becomes a State Department get-well fund,” he said.

West Virginia National Guard members rescue stranded citizen after tornado

By Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Debra Richardson

West Virginia National Guard

KIAHSVILLE, W.Va. (3/8/12) - On the evening of March 2, Janet Lynn Porterfield – a resident from here - was doing something most of the state was doing: watching the development of a tornado on TV.

But unlike most of the state, as she watched the hook of the tornado begin to develop on the television screen, she began heard the roar of the tornado as it approached her house.

“I told my nephew to grab the kids and I ran into the bedroom, pulled a mattress off the bed, and pulled it over top us as we crouched underneath the stairs,” Porterfield said.

The tornado hovered over Porterfield’s house for a mere minute and -- in the first few seconds of the aftermath -- it appeared that nothing had been damaged.

“I walked to front door and my mouth dropped open,” Porterfield said. “All the beautiful, strong trees were gone. Even in the dark, I knew the tornado had wiped out the entire valley.”

The tin roof was stripped from the house and one of the bedroom walls was carried away like feathers on the wind. After the wind subsided, the rain began and as the night drew on, the rain turned into snow.

“It was the worst minute of my life,” Porterfield said. “I wondered

 whether March was going to come in as a lamb or a lion and on the second day, it came in roaring.”

The following morning, Porterfield’s nephew began the long hike out of the devastated valley with his wife and two children to seek help. Porterfield, suffering from arthritis, was unable to make the trek. She remained in her home without food, water or power.

“A few department of highway guys told us that an elderly woman was stranded in her house,” said Army Spc. Shaun Olds, a heavy equipment operator with the 821st Engineer Company, West Virginia National Guard.

After two days of clearing trees out of the road, Olds was able to drive humvee all the way down to the house to pick up Porterfield and bring her to safety.

“She was very excited when she saw the humvee,” Olds said. “She thanked us repeatedly but we were just glad to see she was okay and in good spirits.”

Porterfield and her nephew are currently in the process of acquiring materials to rebuild the roof. While the task of cleaning up the downed trees and strewn materials is overwhelming, Porterfield keeps a smile on her face as she cleans up the yard, one artifact after another.

“There’s nothing left to do but smile and get on with the work,” she said.

New Career Paths Open to Sailors Impacted by ERB

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SCW/SW) Terrina Weatherspoon, Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- An instructor at the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., is preparing himself for a successful transition to civilian life as one of the approximately 3,000 Sailors who have been affected by the Enlisted Retention Board (ERB) and will be separated from the Navy before the end of June.

Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Eric Sandlin was notified by his chain of command in October that he was not being retained.

"I was very angry with the Navy at first," said Sandlin. "I did not think the ERB would affect me. I had given my best to the Navy for eight years and I was a dual-warfare qualified Sailor. I thought only Sailors who were performing badly would be separated."

The ERB became necessary when unprecedented retention and low attrition rates across the Navy resulted in a requirement to rebalance the force. The purpose of the board was to reduce over-manning in ratings projected to be more than 103 percent manned in FY-12. In all, Sailors from 31 overmanned ratings were affected.

"Having to tell one of my best Sailors that he was not being retained was one of the hardest things I have ever done as a chief," said Chief Machinist's Mate Robert Inigo, the Engineering and Weapons Division leading chief petty officer for the Academy. "I felt powerless."

However, Inigo quickly realized that he wasn't powerless.

"The first thing we did was immediately set up a Career Development Board," said Inigo. "In this board, we sat down and discussed all of the resources available to Sandlin. A great tool on the Navy Personnel Command (NPC) website is the Navy Transition Assistance Handbook, which covers all of the benefits and employment opportunities, and has a great pre-separation checklist."

After the Career Development Board, Sandlin said he felt prepared and immediately signed up for the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which he said is a must for anyone transitioning out.

"Military One Source was another great resource," said Sandlin. "There were also job fairs set up. I finally decided that [I would apply] with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) because of the information I obtained from an MSC representative at a Fleet and Family Support Center job seminar."

Sandlin also said he logged on to the website of Challenger, Gray and Christmas and was able to get extensive help with his resumé.

"Sandlin has built up several great resumes specifically prepared for different possible employers," said Inigo. "He has applied for several jobs and is waiting to hear back from these employers. Overall, career-wise, he has several options, and we will support and encourage him in whichever career he chooses."

"I feel like my chain-of-command has really helped me prepare for my separation by feeding me information on what to expect, providing many of the resources I've talked about, and allowing me the time to pursue my goals toward a career transition," said Sandlin. "I really couldn't have done it without the resources offered by the Navy, and a command willing to take the time to help me explore them."

Sandlin's advice to other Sailors that are facing separation is simple. He advises them to look at all the resources available. However, he knows this can be overwhelming on your own.

"The last thing anyone getting separated wants to hear is, 'the resources are there, and it is up to you to seek them out,'" said Sandlin. "What they really need is a person in their chain of command to spend some one-on-one time helping them through the process; someone to lift their spirits and help them through by providing support, not just a web address."

Sandlin said he believes that with the help of a good chain of command every transitioning Sailor can be successful.

"I am a good Sailor," said Sandlin. "That will never change. What has changed is my career path, and I can't wait to follow it."

Face of Defense: Guard Soldier Becomes Women's Advocate

By Army Sgt. Jesse Houk
Illinois National Guard

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 8, 2012 – Deployments can change a soldier’s life, but the prospect of a deployment may have saved the life of one central Illinois soldier.

For Army Sgt. Kristina R. Melton, a member of the Illinois National Guard’s 1344th Transportation Company in East St. Louis, no field manual could have prepared her for what she learned during a health examination as she prepared for a mobilization with the 1644th Transportation Company in Rock Falls. She had cervical pre-cancer cells.

"When the doctor told me I was going to miss the deployment, I was hurt," Melton said. "I was upset. I thought, 'Great, my husband is going to deploy without me again, and I am going to be stuck at home.' So it was really sad, and I was bawling."

Melton's husband, Army Sgt. Chris Melton, also with the 1344th Transportation Company, planned to deploy with her by joining the 1644th, but decided against it in light of the diagnosis.

"It was a blessing in disguise," he said. "If Kristina wouldn't have been set to deploy, it would have been months before she would have had her checkup, and her medical condition could have gotten worse."

Although the condition is serious, the Meltons said, they have not allowed it to control their future.

"We are planning on having another child, so once we do that, she plans on having the hysterectomy and then the cervical cancer issue won't be an issue anymore," Chris said.

In addition to having another child, Kristina said, she expects to retire from the Illinois Army National Guard. She noted that treating her condition and having a hysterectomy have quick recovery periods and would not affect her career as some other health issues might.

"I think it speaks a lot to her character and the kind of person she is," said Army Capt. Matthew P. Wood, the 1344th’s company commander. "She knows that she has some things going on in her life that are outside the Army, but she knows that she can overcome those and that they are only temporary. The pride that she has and the things that she wants to do for the military are going to last a lot longer than that."

Melton said her goal is to get the word out about cervical cancer awareness and women's health issues.

"It happens, and I prefer for most women to understand that it can happen to them no matter what age they are," Kristina said.

With the number of women in the military increasing over the past half century, women's health has become increasingly relevant. Although soldiers learn occupational safety and mission safety at a high level, she said, she would like to be a reminder of how much health safety should be stressed.

"There are women out there that don't get their Pap smears done when they should, and they're missing out on stuff like this," Kristina said. "If this isn't caught, then there's not a lot the doctors can do. It is life-threatening. It can kill you if you go untreated."

Melton said she hoped other military women can look to her as someone who has benefitted from preventive health tests and find the courage to do the same.

"The dangers of not being checked out are much worse than the discomforts of having the examinations," she said.