CPPD Hosts Virginia Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

By Susan Henson, Center for Personal and Professional Development Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Virginia's secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security visited the Center for Personal and Professional Development Aug. 9.

Terrie Suit met with CPPD leadership and toured the command to gain an understanding of CPPD's role in developing Sailors who think critically, act responsibly and lead proactively.

The tour included a stop at the Virtual Education Center (VEC) for a brief on the center's capabilities and education services it provides to Sailors worldwide.

Suit was appointed as assistant to the governor for commonwealth preparedness in January 2010 by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. The Commonwealth reorganized some positions the following year, which resulted in Suit appointment

"It is a great honor to host such a distinguished visitor at CPPD," said CPPD Commanding Officer Capt. John Newcomer. "Secretary Suit's visit is a great opportunity to explain our work to provide Sailors the tools they need to lead with courage, respect and trust, and mentor future leaders to do the same. Part of that development is through voluntary education, and the VEC's work is essential to assisting Sailors navigate through the waters of completing higher education requirements for a degree."

The daughter of a career U.S. Army officer and wife of a now-retired Navy senior chief, Suit is familiar with the demands of military life and related challenges of earning a college degree. She has earned an Associate degree from Tidewater Community College and Bachelor's degree in political science from Old Dominion University.

Suit's tour included stops at the Training directorate, which creates, maintains and has oversight for personal and professional course curricula; the Voluntary Education (VOLED) directorate, which is responsible for the Navy's VOLED program; and VOLED's Virtual Education Center (VEC), which provides virtual education assistance and counseling to Sailors and veterans.

Julie Gifford, regional military liaison, accompanied her the tour of CPPD.

At the end of her visit, Suit said she was excited to see the progress of the Navy College Program.

"Governor McDonnell wants to ensure Virginia is supporting our service members as they pursue education and professional development for their Navy career as well as their eventual transition to civilian life," she said. "Julie and I will be proactively identifying future opportunities for Virginia to work together in support of Navy College and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Thank you for all that you are doing here."

In addition to VOLED, CPPD is responsible for providing a wide range of personal and professional development courses and materials, including General Military Training, Navy instructor training, alcohol and drug awareness program training, suicide prevention, Bearings classes, and Personal Responsibility and Values Education and Training (PREVENT) classes. CPPD's leadership training is delivered multiple times throughout a Sailor's career via command-delivered enlisted leadership training material and officer leadership courses in a schoolhouse setting.

Pacom Works to Advance U.S.-India Strategic Partnership

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii, Aug. 14, 2012 – As U.S. Pacific Command strives to build stronger alliances and partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region, one of its big focuses is on taking the military-to-military relationship with India to the next level.

The new defense strategic guidance announced in January resets U.S. priorities toward the region, specifically calling for investments in a long-term strategic partnership with India “to support its ability to service as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the broader Indian Ocean region.”

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, who took command of Pacom in March, is using that guidance as his marching orders as he implements the expanded Asia-Pacific strategy.

“We hope to partner with [India] to share the strategic landscape as it applies to how we apply security to the globe that allows prosperity and peace, freedom of movement and … prosperity in the world,” he told American Forces Press Service.

India’s strategic location between West Asia and the Middle East, and its ascent across economic, military, diplomatic and informational fronts makes it an influential leader in the region, said Army Col. Michael Albaneze, director of Locklear’s India strategic focus group.

The group of six military and civilian experts, one of three “mini think tanks” within the Pacom staff, advises Locklear and his senior staff on a broad range of issues that shape India’s strategic environment, and ways to advance the U.S.-India strategic partnership, Albaneze explained.

It’s a partnership that’s been slow in forming, he conceded. For the past half-century, India has been a leader in the nonaligned movement, and it has an official policy of being “strategically autonomous.”

That said, Albaneze recognized signs of India’s willingness to engage increasingly with the United States as it rises on the world stage. The two countries had their first strategic dialogue in 2010, with two more since then, the most recent in June.

Without a long history of cooperation, Albaneze noted a “maturing process” that could, over time, evolve into a more typical relationship characterized by routine engagement across the board. “We are not quite there yet, but there is a lot of effort in trying to move in that direction,” he said, adding that the relationship is continuing to deepen.

One high point is the exercise program. India partners with the United States in dozens of military exercises every year as it builds an increasingly strong military. Its navy is one of the world’s largest, and its army deploys routinely for peacekeeping operations, Albaneze noted.

Most of the exercises tend to be at the component level. The annual Exercise Malabar involves the U.S. and Indian navies, with several international observers during its latest iteration, in April. The U.S. and Indian armies train together through Yudh Abhyas exercises, frequently weaving humanitarian assistance and disaster response scenarios into the engagements.

The two countries’ air forces train together through Cope India exercises, and the Indian air force participated for the first time in the U.S.-sponsored Red Flag exercise in 2008. Although India has no marine corps, U.S. Marines train with an Indian army brigade that specializes in amphibious operations during Exercise Shatrujeet.

“Those are just the major mil-mil engagements,” Albaneze said, noting a broad array of other military-to-military engagements and exchanges at U.S. and Indian military training centers and schoolhouses.

Both the United States and India hope to increase the complexity of the exercise program over time, he said, and to elevate them into joint engagements that involve more than just one service.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta underscored during his visit to India in June, just ahead of the 2012 U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, that a “close partnership with America will be key to meeting India's own stated aims of a modern and effective defense force.”

“We have built a strong foundation,” the secretary said. “But for this relationship to truly provide security for this region and for the world, we will need to deepen our defense and security cooperation.”

That, Panetta said, extends to closer collaboration in sharing defense technology and developing future systems. Despite India’s decision not to buy a U.S. advanced jet fighter, U.S. defense sales to India have grown to more than $8 billion with the potential to increase more.

The secretary recognized legal restrictions that have hampered some sales, and vowed to work to eliminate as many hurdles as possible.

“The United States is firmly committed to providing the best defense technology possible to India,” he told Indian leaders in Delhi, while recognizing India’s ambitions to advance its own defense industry. “We are both leaders in technology development and we can do incredible work together,” Panetta said.

Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter followed up that visit in July, encouraging India to move forward in engaging with the United States across the spectrum, from dialogue to exercises to defense trade and research cooperation.

“We want to develop a joint vision for U.S.-India defense cooperation,” Carter said. “We want to knock down any remaining bureaucratic barriers in our defense relationship, and strip away the impediments. And we want to set big goals to achieve.”

Recognizing the many mutual and converging interests the United States and India share, Albaneze said he’s hopeful about their future prospects.

“I am an optimist on the relationship,” he said. “Every time there is a hiccup, I just think that it’s part of our getting to learn more and more about each other, and how we interact.

“Sometimes it’s two steps forward and one step back,” Albaneze continued. “But at the end of the day, we still made a step forward -- and that is really what we are trying to do in the region.”

USS George Washington Holds Change of Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Marissa Beasley, USS George Washington public affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) held a change of command ceremony Aug.11.

Capt. Gregory J. Fenton relieved Capt. David A. Lausman to become George Washington's 11th commanding officer.

 "We stood on this same stage 40 months and 2 days ago," said Lausman. "Since then, we have both watched from different vantage points -- you the crew have excelled in both operational deployments and maintenance, and answering our country's call for tasking as the Flagship of our Navy's permanently, forward-deployed naval force."

 Lausman assumed command of George Washington in April 2009 and has completed four Selected Restricted Availabilities; an emergency sortie in response to the March 2011 Japan tsunami and distressed civilian-nuclear power plant; and has conducted four patrols in the 7th Fleet area of operations while hosting numerous senior government officials, defense and military leaders, and heads of industry from more than 13 Western Pacific countries.

 "George Washington could never hope to maintain the operational tempo or excellence without support," said Lausman. "Support is vital to our success in maintenance, operational deployments and engagements with our vital maritime partners throughout the Western Pacific."

Guest speaker Rear Adm. J.R. Haley, Task Force Seven Zero commander, addressed those in attendance during the ceremony, welcoming Fenton to the George Washington family.

"The test of leadership is not how well a unit responds under optimum conditions; the test of leadership is how a team responds in adversity," said Haley. "George Washington responded superbly at every corner where she encountered obstacles, impediments, and unplanned events."

 Fenton has served as executive officer of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and commanded USS Denver (LPD 9). His most recent assignment was chief of staff for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

"We must simultaneously safely operate our ship while preparing for sequential maintenance periods," said Fenton. "We must continue to aggressively identify and correct all discrepancies, train for operations and for personal professional development. I am proud to be your commanding officer and am excited about joining you for the ride."

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to a reception and cake cutting in the ship's hangar bay to celebrate the change of command.

George Washington is currently pier side in Yokosuka, Japan making preparations to return to sea.

Farragut Sailors Visit Tallinn, Estonia

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class A.J. Jones, USS Farragut Public Affairs

TALLINN, Estonia (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) departed Tallinn, Estonia, following a three-day port visit, Aug. 11.

During the visit, Sailors participated in community engagement projects and experienced Estonia's rich culture.

"We were excited about Farragut's visit," said Michelle Schohn, public affairs officer for the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn. "It shows a tangible demonstration of the United States' commitment to Estonia, which is vitally important to the Estonian people."

Sailors from Farragut visited the Tondi School for Special Needs Children to interact with the students and staff, as well as restore an iron fence that surrounds the property.

"It felt really good to come out and support these kids," said Seaman Nicholas Tonello. "Visiting Tallinn was fantastic, but to be able to interact with the Estonian people on such a personal level was a real treat."

Sailors also provided shipboard tours for an Estonian youth baseball team sponsored by the U.S. Embassy to Estonia, as well as Estonian and Russian schoolchildren. The tours gave the children a chance to explore the ship with Farragut Sailors while learning about the Sailors' jobs and the U.S. Navy.

Farragut also hosted a shipboard reception during the visit for distinguished guests and foreign dignitaries, including the prime minister of Estonia, defense minister of Estonia and the U.S. charg� d'affairs to Estonia, as well as other military and civilian officials representing their countries.

"The interaction that our armed forces have had with the Estonian army and navy has been extraordinary over the past twenty years," said Cmdr. Glen Quast, commanding officer of Farragut. "The relationship that has developed over this long period has made our visit special, and I look forward to operating with the Estonian navy in the future."

Farragut is on a scheduled deployment in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

Virginia Teen’s ‘Operation Hawkeye’ Pays Tribute to 30 Fallen Troops

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – One of the most tragic moments of the war in Afghanistan has inspired an American teenager to honor the memory of 30 fallen service members and to help their families -- by shooting hoops.

Will Thomas, a 13-year-old boy from McLean, Va., has spearheaded “Operation Hawkeye” in an effort to raise money to help the families of fallen special operators -- particularly, 30 American troops killed in an Aug. 6, 2011, CH-47 Chinook helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of eight Afghan forces and a military working dog.

U.S. investigators concluded that a Taliban insurgent fired a rocket-propelled grenade that brought down the chopper as it attempted to land in Afghanistan’s Wardak province.

Will recalled hearing about the crash from his father.

“I was just outside shooting baskets with my dad … when it happened. … “I was just thinking ‘Wow, that’s a horrible loss.’”

Struck by the great loss of life, the 8th grader felt a strong urge to do something to help the grieving families’ healing process, in part because one of those left a widow is a fellow Mclean native whose husband, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jonas B. Kelsall, was killed in the crash.

“My dad and I were talking, and I said ‘I’d really like to do something about this,’” the teenager said. “He [asked], ‘Well what would you like to do?’ and we thought about it.”

His father suggested shooting baskets, he said, because that’s what they were doing when they got the news. “So we just thought if there was a way we could work that into help, that would be great,” Will said.

He didn’t have to go far to start Operation Hawkeye, shooting baskets in his driveway in exchange for donations to the families.  Will didn’t stop until he had raised nearly $50,000 for the Navy SEAL Foundation.

He didn’t have to do anything special to prepare for his task, he said, but he admitted with a laugh he was plenty sore afterward, having shot 20,317 baskets. “I shoot a lot, but, obviously, it was more than I usually do,” he said.

He named his effort Operation Hawkeye after the loyal pet of one of the victims. “There was a dog of one of the fallen soldiers from Aug. 6,” he said. “At the soldier’s funeral, the dog refused to leave the casket. So when I saw the article about it, I thought that would be a cool name for it.”

Will has set this year’s Operation Hawkeye goal at $310,000, an amount he hopes to raise from donations and pledges. “There were 31 members of the team that fell – 30 members and one highly trained dog. So we just added the zeroes to it, because it was a significant number.”

With success from his last fundraiser, Will said he feels encouraged and intends to continue to raise money in honor of the fallen troops “as long as people are willing to donate.”

Family Matters Blog: Sailor Offers Tips for Moving With Pets

By Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly

American Forces Press Service

Guest blogger Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly is the owner of Hawaii Military Pets, a volunteer online resource for military families in Hawaii. The blog and Facebook page provide information on moving with pets in the military, boarding information and pet policies in state and federal governments. She partners with nonprofits that specialize in service members and their companion animals, such as Dogs on Deployment and Pets for Patriots.

As my military family prepares to move to San Diego next year after almost seven years of Hawaii duty, we are dealing with what many military families endure – how to find a rental that allows our big, goofy well-behaved boxer dogs.

Our society loves pets, with most Americans owning at least one. According to the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent of all households have pets, but owners struggle to find affordable and safe rental properties. The National Council on Pet Population and Research found that moving is the most common reason owners give up their dogs, and the third most common reason they give up their cats.

Some of the hardships faced by families with animals are restrictive pet policies, which occur in privatized military housing, off-base rentals and city and state governments. These policies also prevent some pet owners from obtaining insurance when purchasing a home. It’s unfortunate that irresponsible pet owners have caused property owners, rental companies and even city and state governments to adopt such policies, but there are resources to help military families overcome the challenge.

If you’re not ready to buy a home, but determined to find a rental where you can keep your pets, here are some tips to help ensure all members of the family can stay under one roof:

-- Check with other military families to find out what’s worked for them. “I have two large dogs, and I started looking early, not because I want to choose a place early, but because sometimes you notice patterns in which rental management companies are more pet friendly. I’ll contact people that say, “no pets” but then offer a larger pet deposit if it’s a house I really like,” said Kristen McDeeLite, a military spouse stationed in Hawaii.

--As soon as you know the location of your next duty station, start looking online. A great resource is the Automatic Housing Referral Network. Sponsored by the Defense Department, this free service lists off-base rentals, privatized military housing, temporary lodging, military-shared rentals, and allows property owners to list their homes for rent. On the listing, there is a paw print next to each rental and information on banned breeds as well as weight, size and numeric limits.

--Contact your sponsor, the base family service center and a local animal shelter. Your sponsor may have a newcomer’s packet with housing information. Talk to families already living there and ask them for recommendations. See if local shelters have a housing pet program or other referral services.

--Call properties that state “no pets” and find out why. Perhaps you can build a rapport with the property owner and better understand their negative experiences. Maybe your family can help them overcome the negative stereotypes caused by irresponsible pet owners.

--Demonstrate to your landlord that you consider your pet a cherished, lifetime, indoor family member. Offer to bring your freshly groomed, well-behaved pet to an “interview” with the property owner and have letters of reference from previous landlords, neighbors, obedience instructors and your veterinarian attesting to the good behavior of your pet(s). Have all veterinarian records handy and offer to sign a pet addendum making you personally liable for damage to property and injury to others.

Moving is rarely a smooth, stress-free process. But preparing early, putting aside savings and planning smartly will help alleviate some of the hassle and help ensure your furry family member arrives at your next duty station happy and healthy.

U.S. Hopes Egyptian Civilian, Military Leaders Work Together

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – U.S. defense officials were expecting Egypt’s new president to name his own defense team and hope civilian and military leaders can work together to address the country’s problems, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi announced yesterday that the head of military intelligence, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, would replace Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi as defense minister and leader of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The council effectively led Egypt after last year’s fall of President Hosni Mubarak until Morsi took office in June.

Morsi is the first democratically elected leader in Egypt’s history.

The president also replaced army chief of staff Gen. Sami Hafez Anan and the leaders of the navy, air force and air defense branch.

“It’s important for both the military and civilians leaders in Egypt to work together to address the economic and security challenges facing that country,” Little said. “We had expected President Morsi to coordinate changes in the military leadership. The United States and the Department of Defense, in particular, look forward to continuing a very close relationship with the [Supreme Council of the Armed Forces].”

U.S. officials know General Sisi, Little said. “He comes from within the ranks of the SCAF, and we believe we will be able to continue the strong partnership that we have with Egypt,” he added.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has not spoken to the new defense minister, “but looks forward to doing so at the earliest possible moment,” Little said.

Egyptian officials said the 76-year old Tantawi retired, but would continue to serve as a presidential advisor.

Army Athlete Finishes 32nd in Olympic Modern Pentathlon

By Tim Hipps

Army Installation Management Command

LONDON  – Spc. Dennis Bowsher of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program finished 32nd here Aug. 11 in the Olympic men’s modern pentathlon, a five-sport event.

Bowsher tallied 5,324 points in the daylong competition that featured epee one-touch fencing, 200-meter freestyle swimming, horseback show jumping and cross-country running combined with laser-pistol shooting.

“I didn’t have the best of days today, but looking back, there are no regrets,” said Bowsher, 29, a native of Dallas who is stationed at Fort Carson, Colo. “I’m taking everything positive out of it. I really enjoyed my experience. … I didn’t win a medal today, but I was here to at least have a chance at a medal. Only 36 people in the world can say that.”

David Svoboda of the Czech Republic won the event with an Olympic record 5,928 points. China’s Zhongrong Cao (5,904) took the silver medal, and Hungary’s Adam Marosi (5,836) claimed the bronze.

Svoboda began the day with an Olympic record 1,024 points in fencing, with 26 victories and nine defeats against the field of 35 other competitors.

Bowsher had nine victories and 23 defeats in fencing, which left him in 34th place with 688 points after the first event.

“I think I was just a little late with my reactions,” Bowsher said. “I was fighting, but just a little too late, and people would hit me first before I hit them. Something I might change next time is fencing with the French grip, as opposed to the pistol grip. It just seems like the style in fencing now.

“The goal going in was to go .500 in the fence,” he continued, “but it’s one of those things where you try to take some risks and maybe they work in your favor, and then the downside is that they don’t and you have a lot of touches that go against you.”

Bowsher gained some ground with the 18th-best performance in the pool by swimming the 200-meter freestyle in 2 minutes, 5.15 seconds, his best time of the season, which was good for 1,300 points. He left the Olympic Aquatics Centre in 30th place.

“It was only a couple tenths off my personal best, so I’m happy with it,” Bowsher said. “Of course, I wanted to get a [personal] best time, but I’m happy with that one.”

Modern pentathletes get 20 minutes to acquaint themselves with an unfamiliar horse they ride over 12 barriers in the show jumping event. Bowsher posted the 29th best ride of the day aboard Vito for 1,076 points, leaving him in 31st place for the final combined event of running and shooting.

Vito initially refused the first jump on the course, which startled Bowsher, who quickly recovered.

“In warm-up, he would almost gain energy to the jump,” Bowsher said. “So it was like ‘no leg’ -- I didn’t give him any leg in warm-up. I just assumed that he was just going to be exactly the same out here. Looking back, maybe I could have corrected it quickly enough with a little bit better reaction, but we were sluggish to that first jump.

“Afterwards,” he added, “it was, ‘Oh, you’re going to play that game? I’m going to spur the heck out of you to get you over the rest of the jumps.’”

Bowsher could not help but hear the hush come over the crowd at Greenwich Park as Vito refused the first obstacle.

“I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is jump one, and all these people are watching me.’ But we were able to get it around the rest of the time.”

The hills outside the stadium somewhat drained Bowsher on the run, but he remained consistent and posted the 30th fastest time in the combined event.

“The run was OK,” he said. “The hills were a little bit more taxing than I thought they would be, but it was a beautiful course. I haven’t talked with my coach yet about my splits, but I think it was OK.”

Bowsher did, however, lose some time on the shooting range.

“The first and third shoots were not very good,” he said. “I may have been shooting a little bit too fast, because the shots were just outside of the black. I wasn’t missing way off, but just off the target.”

All in all, Bowsher said, he will take this performance and soldier on.

“I have no regrets,” he reiterated. “Experience-wise, I’m looking forward to doing it again in four years. Today wasn’t the best of days, but after nine years of doing this sport and having WCAP support me, it’s not the end goal, it’s a journey.”

Bowsher re-enlisted July 16 during a WCAP Olympic Media Day event with Lt. Gen. Mike Ferriter, commander of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command and the Army’s assistant chief of staff for installation management.

“I thought it was pretty cool,” Bowsher said of getting re-enlisted by a three-star general. “It’s an awesome memory that I’m going to have and an awesome experience that’s a part of my life – just another wonderful thing that WCAP has given me.”

Now that the 2012 London Games are history, Bowsher looks forward to training toward Rio de Janeiro, site of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

“This is really the cream of the crop of our sport, because everyone had to qualify to get here,” he said. “I knew it was going to be tough coming in. It just didn’t go my way today. … I really look forward to training for the next four years.”

Reliant Mermaid 2012 Kicks Off

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- The Navy will participate in the regularly scheduled Exercise Reliant Mermaid in the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 13-16.

Reliant Mermaid, in its 11th iteration, is an annual search and rescue exercise designed to increase interoperability by developing individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.

Training with other military forces enhances our mutual awareness and maritime capability of our partners. Reliant Mermaid helps create an environment that promotes maritime safety and security in the region, and interoperability among participating nations.

U.S. 6th Fleet units scheduled to participate in the exercise are guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 109), and a P-3 aircraft from Patrol Squadron 9 out of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Reliant Mermaid is a regularly scheduled exercise and is not associated with, or a reaction to any real world events.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a full range of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation missions in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Vice Chief Visits Ike

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nathanael Miller, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

USS EISENHOWER, At Sea (NNS) -- Adm. Mark Ferguson, vice chief of naval operations (VCNO), visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)(Ike) for a two-day visit highlighted by an all hands call and meetings with leadership, Aug. 12-13.

As part of the visit, the VCNO, and Navy Total Force/Manpower, Personnel, Education, and Training (MPT&E) Fleet Master Chief, Fleet Master Chief (SW/AW/SCW) Scott A. Benning, took time to thank Sailors for their efforts in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and extended a "thank you" to those Sailors' families back home.

"You are critical to our nation's security and make a difference daily," Ferguson told Ike Sailors. "The importance of what you do to help protect America cannot be overstated. I know how very hard you work, and I recognize the stress that puts on you and your families - thank you for your dedication and sacrifice."

VCNO and Benning both imparted to the Sailors the importance of adaptability and flexibility required in today's global environment. They emphasized that the Navy was changing to meet new demands and that force structure, manning, training and retention would align accordingly to ensure continual readiness.

"The future Navy will be smaller and leaner, but will remain flexible and technologically advanced," said Ferguson. "Today's Navy has never been more relevant or in demand and, I expect that will not change."

Benning echoed these sentiments.

"Today's Sailors are the best trained and most dedicated men and women to wear the uniform of our Navy," Benning said. "Everywhere I go around the world, I'm in awe of the Sailors in our Navy today. They are dedicated, devoted and determined to get the job done under any circumstances."

Ferguson and Benning also had the opportunity to observe several facets of carrier life and engage with Sailors that operate in work environments such as the flight deck, reactor spaces, mess decks and Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD). Additionally, VCNO reenlisted nine Sailors as part of an all hands call.

During the all hands call, the two addressed topics such as fleet-wide total force initiatives, deployment lengths, enlisted retention board (ERB), perform to serve (PTS) and best practices for the Navy family to navigate through day-to-day challenges of military life.

Ferguson said he "does not foresee another ERB in the future." Both he and Benning explained that the Navy is already seeing the positive results of ERB through greater advancement totals and higher perform to serve (PTS) quotas.

Benning spoke about the Navy's focus on improving afloat manning through voluntary and, in some cases, involuntary detailing tools to match Sailors with needed skills to priority jobs at sea.

"Now more than ever, we need highly trained and motivated Sailors in our sea-going jobs," Benning said. "That's where we fight, and that's where we protect against threats coming to our shores. It's also where Sailors will define their careers and set themselves up for success."

VCNO discussed the fact that operational commitments and the need for carrier presence in the world had stretched some deployments, but Navy leadership was keeping a close eye on deployment length and operational tempo.

"The average deployment for an aircraft carrier and embarked carrier air wing, because of the high demand, is a little over 8 months," said Ferguson. "In the future, we expect that number to go back down to around 7 to 8. I do not see 9 month deployments as our new norm, however the world does get a vote. Our Navy must be flexible and prepared to meet the needs of the nation."

Sailors on IKE were appreciative that VCNO and Fleet Benning took the time to thank them and inform them about the present and future outlook of the U.S. Navy.

Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class (SW) Tabatha Chadmon felt honored that the vice chief of naval operations was her reenlisting officer.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Chadmon. "This is my second reenlistment, and it's great to have it done by an admiral."

Chadmon was also grateful Ferguson came personally to talk about some of the future changes the Navy is going through to meet world challenges.

"It means a lot," said Chadmon. "It's the vice chief of naval operations coming out to explain this personally rather than just let us hear it through the news. It shows the necessity of it all. It shows that our presence is needed and that we're here to do a job."

Eisenhower and embarked Carrier Air Wing 7 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, conducting maritime security operation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

VP-62 Receives Safety Award

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christian Eskelund, Patrol Squadron 62 Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Patrol Squadron (VP) 62 received the Chief of Naval Operations Naval Aviation Safety Award, also known as the 'Safety S,' for 2011, during a presentation Aug. 13.

 The award was issued in recognition of performance related to quality contributions to the Naval Aviation Safety Program including control of aviation related mishaps, application of safety programs, timely reporting of hazards, and submission of suggestions for improvements pertaining to all appropriate related issues, such as maintenance and various subjective criteria.

 The award was presented to VP-62 by Capt. Eric S. Wiese commodore of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.

 "This award represents the culmination of 32 years of accident free flying and 100,000 hours of Class A mishap free flying," said Cmdr. Jerry Dearie, VP-62's commanding officer.

 VP-62 safety officer, Lt. Cmdr. Mark Monturo said, "During all of the 1305 hours flown by VP-62 crews in 2011, the squadron sustained zero mishaps, zero injuries and zero loss of workdays, fostering a command climate of safety.

 Squadrons who win this award receive engraved plaques and citations for permanent display, and are entitled to paint a prominent green "S" on their aircraft until the next year's selections are made.

Forest Service Requests More Aircraft for Firefighting Operations

American Forces Press Service

CHEYENNE, Wyo.  – More forest fires in the western United States have prompted the U.S. Forest Service to call in two additional C-130s equipped with the Mobile Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS.

Those aircraft, expected to be operating by tomorrow, will come from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing here, officials said.

"This has been an interesting fire season for us. Our operations have waxed and waned since we were activated June 25," said Air Force Col. Jerry Champlin, 153rd Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Our aircraft are heavily engaged, and having two additional MAFFS will definitely help."

Under the modified request for assistance received Aug. 11, the 153rd Airlift Wing's two C-130s will join Air Force Reserve Command C-130s from the 302nd Airlift Wing operating from Boise Air Terminal in Idaho. A C-130 from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing and another from the North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing will operate from McClellan Air Tanker Base in Sacramento, Calif.

This year's MAFFS operations have dropped more gallons of fire retardant than during the last nine fire seasons, officials said.

MAFFS is a joint Defense Department and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the Forest Service’s needs. MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the Forest Service that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, the system can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

Soldier Finishes 43rd in Olympic 50-kilometer Race Walk

By Gary Sheftick

Army News Service

LONDON  – Army Staff Sgt. John Nunn finished 43rd in the Olympic 50-kilometer race walk Aug. 11 with a personal-best time of 4 hours, 3 minutes, 28 seconds.

Nunn, 34, a two-time Olympian in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, progressively worked his way forward in the field of 63 competitors after passing the five-kilometer mark in 59th place. While other fatigued walkers dropped from the race, Nunn surged back and gained nine positions during the final 10 kilometers.

“There were guys dropping right and left around me,” said Nunn, 34, a native of Evansville, Ind., who is stationed at Chula Vista, Calif. “So I thought, ‘Well, this is good. We can keep [passing] some people.”

Russia’s Sergey Kirdyapkin eclipsed the Olympic 50k record by more than a minute and won the gold medal with a time of 3:35:59. Australia’s Jarred Talent took the silver in 3:36:53. China’s Tianfeng Si claimed the bronze in 3:37:16.

Race walking was one of the few Olympic events that could be attended without an expensive ticket, and thousands of spectators lined the course. Bleachers at the start/finish line required a ticket, but a throng of fans swarmed the Mall in St. James Park.

The course was a two-kilometer loop that began near the Marlborough House, passed the front gate of Buckingham Palace, and went up the slight grade of Constitution Hill before turning back toward Admiralty Arch.

The 25-lap course began taking its toll on several of the race walkers about two-thirds of the way through the race, which covered just over 31 miles.

“I don’t know when it is -- probably about 30 or 35k -- your vision starts to go,” Nunn said. “At least for me, the outer area starts to get blurry, and you just get tunnel vision.”

Nunn said he forced himself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other as his mind played tricks on him. The sounds of the crowd faded away and he focused on the race, taking it one kilometer at a time.

Eight walkers were disqualified from the race, and four others did not finish the event, which was contested in hot and sunny conditions.

“The 50k is absolutely the most grueling track and field event there is,” Nunn said.

Nunn has been training for the 50k for less than nine months. He has been race walking for almost 20 years, but until this past year, always has competed in the 20k. He competed at the 2004 Olympics, finishing 26th in the 20k race walk in Athens, Greece. He failed, however, to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.

This time around, he decided to try the 50k. Nunn compared himself to veteran 5k and 10k runners who have moved up to compete in marathons.

“Eventually, you reach a point where you just don’t have the speed to stay with the quick guys, and you move up to the marathon because you can get the distance and the speed,” he said.

Nunn won the 50k Olympic Trial with a time of 4:04:41. He went on to compete in the 20k event at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., where he dropped out because of a nagging hamstring.

In the middle of the Olympic 50k race in London, Nunn said, his right hamstring began to bother him when he applied a sponge to his leg.

“I was taking sponges,” he said, “and when the water hit the back of my right leg, the leg cramped. … Eventually, the water got off and the muscle relaxed.”

His hamstring was pain-free for the remainder of the race, until the last lap, when he said it began to cramp again.

“I’m glad it was only 50k and not 52, because it would have been a hard push the last lap,” Nunn said.

Nunn said the aftereffects of the race would linger well into the night.

“I won’t go to sleep tonight probably until 2 or 3, because the neurons and everything -- the muscles -- just keep twitching involuntarily,” he said. “So you can lay back and just watch your legs, and they keep firing everywhere. It’s so frustrating, because you’re trying to relax, and your body just won’t.”

Nunn said many Americans poke fun at race walking and don’t realize the sport’s level of difficulty. He said if they just tried it, they would sing a different tune.

“I mean, it is an absolutely grueling event,” he said. “It is very, very hard to get the feel for it, to understand, and your body is in a lot of pain.”

To prove the point in London, on two different occasions, Nunn invited NBC correspondents to try to race walk. The network aired a piece the night of Aug. 10, in which Nunn attempted to teach an announcer how to race walk.

“He was trying to do it and he was having a hard time,” Nunn said, adding that he was just glad the NBC guys gave it a try.

On an NBC “Today” segment that aired July 30, six co-hosts of the program tried to learn race walking.

Nunn and his Olympic teammate, Maria Michta, spent a couple of hours teaching Al Roker, Matt Lauer, Ryan Seacrest, Savannah Guthrie, Natalie Morales and Meredith Vieira how to race walk.

“I find this very difficult,” co-host Lauer said.

NBC producers said they selected race walking as a sport to showcase because they thought it would be fun, interesting and unfamiliar to most Americans.

In race walking, one foot must remain in contact with the ground at all times. The second rule is the front leg must remain straight when it touches the ground and stay that way until the body passes over it.

Nunn and Michta huddled with the “Today” staff and explained the rules. After some demonstration, they had the co-hosts try it.

“On your right, your arms kind of flail a little bit,” Nunn said to Seacrest. “You can bring it in.”

Then the NBC talent joined Nunn for a partial lap around the track.

“We went about 90 yards, that’s it,” Nunn told the group. “Look how hard you’re breathing. Not to make you feel bad, but that was our warm-up pace.”

At the end of the segment, the six stars raced each other in a competition, won by Roker, and some of the broadcasters gave up and stopped. Nunn awarded Roker a golden sneaker for finishing first.

A couple of days later, Seacrest reportedly complained his shins “were on fire” after attempting the race walk.

Nunn said race walking involves muscles that are not used very often by most people, including other athletes. But he plans to continue the sport as long as he can.

He will take a year off from the Army World Class Athlete Program and go back to school, but said he would then like to come back and resume training for the world championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He has the support of his mother and 8-year-old daughter, Ella. They joined him in London to watch the race walk.

“Hopefully, I can make 2016,” Nunn said.

North Korea Remains Key Focus for Pacific Command

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii – Nearly six decades after an armistice agreement established a cease-fire that ended the Korean War, maintaining the fragile peace there and ensuring South Korean and U.S. troops are prepared to respond to aggression remains a top priority for U.S. Pacific Command.

North Korea looms as the most pressing trouble spot in Pacom’s vast area of responsibility that spans half the globe, Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, the Pacom commander, told American Forces Press Service.

Locklear expressed concern about tenuous, unstable conditions stemming from North Korea’s new, relatively untested leader, Kim Jong Un, and North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

“If there is anything that keeps me awake at night, it’s that particular situation,” the admiral said. “We have to ensure that we maintain as much of a stable environment on the Korean peninsula as we can.”

Toward that end, Locklear relies heavily on the leadership of Army Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of Combined Forces Korea and U.S. Forces Korea, to ensure that South Korean and U.S. forces remain strong.

Traveling to South Korea to meet with Thurman and South Korean leaders shortly after assuming the top U.S. military post in the Asia-Pacific region in March, Locklear emphasized the importance of the U.S.-South Korean alliance in deterring aggression and maintaining security and stability.

Locklear offered assurance of the “unwaverable” U.S. commitment to the alliance.

Although tensions on the peninsula have ebbed and flowed since the signing of the armistice, North Korean provocations, coupled with uncertainty as the new leader took power, have remained relatively high in recent years, noted William McKinney, director of Locklear’s North Korea strategic focus group. The group of military and civilian experts, one of three “mini think tanks” within the Pacom staff, advises Locklear and his senior staff on the North Korean threat and plans for a U.S.-South Korean military response, if required.

McKinney, a retired foreign area officer who spent 15 years of his military service in South Korea, plus three years as the civilian U.S. representative for the Korea Energy Development Organization, expressed disappointment about the difficult stalemate that continues to characterize the peninsula.

“We’ve been [in] sort of [a] treading-water situation for quite some time with North Korea,” he told American Forces Press Service at the Pacom headquarters here.

There’s a common saying within McKinney’s strategic focus group. “We had to build a fence across the peninsula to fence out North Korea,” he said. “But regrettably, that has also fenced us out from North Korea. It was never intended to be a lasting division.”

Ultimately, McKinney said, the United States would love a unified Korean peninsula -- but only, he emphasized, if it had “a democratically elected, free market-based government for all of the Korean people.”

In a perfect world, that unified Korea would be an ally to the United States and a source of regional stability, he added.

While acknowledging that it’s still too soon to know the impact of Kim’s leadership, McKinney admitted that some of the initial signs are worrisome.

A missile test conducted just months after he came to power defied North Korea’s agreement to a moratorium on missile testing in exchange for 240,000 tons of U.S. food aid. North Korea also has yet to return to the Six-Party Talks with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea aimed at getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

A nuclear-free Korean peninsula is critical, McKinney explained, because a nuclear-armed North Korea would upset the balance of power in the region. Making it particularly troubling, he said, is concern that a weak, even rogue North Korean state is ill-prepared to handle the challenges and responsibilities of possessing nuclear weapons.

The balance-of-power issue has dogged the Korean peninsula for the past 100 years as Japan, China and Russia all fought to control it, McKinney noted. And during that timeframe, the peninsula has been a primary battleground for four of the five wars in the Pacific: the Sino-Japanese War of 1894; the Russia-Japanese War of 1905; World War II; and the Korean War. At the signing of the Korean conflict’s armistice agreement on July 27, 1953, the United States had lost 37,000 military lives and suffered 92,000 wounded. And what happens on the Korean peninsula today remains critically important to the United States, McKinney said.

That’s not only because of the U.S. alliance with South Korea, he said, but also because the destabilizing balance-of-power situation hasn’t gone away and continues to affect the entire region.

McKinney said he’s been impressed by the growing professionalism of South Korea’s military, which has been operating side by side with 28,500 U.S. troops there to maintain the peace.

“Over the years, there is no question that the [South Korean] forces have strengthened themselves and become a more professional military -- a military that has modern weaponry, knows how to use it and that has operated for the last 25 years or more in a combined command with the United States,” he said. “They have become, in all senses, a much more modern, professional military than they were 60 years ago.”

As South Korea prepares to assume wartime operational control of its forces from the United States in 2015 and the United States focuses on rebalancing its military to the Asia-Pacific region, McKinney said, he doesn’t expect many force-posture changes on the Korean peninsula.

“From the standpoint of balance, the United States has really never left the Korean peninsula,” he said. “We have never lessened the importance of our forces on the Korean peninsula [or] our commitment … to the alliance.”

But Locklear made clear while visiting South Korea that North Korea’s government has important decisions to make.

“Should the North Korean leadership choose to start abiding by its international obligations, to cease provocations, this would be a preferred path,” he told reporters in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

“But if further provocations is the path that they would continue to pursue,” he continued, “then the challenge for us is to ensure that our alliance remains strong, that we work closely together to monitor and share information, and that we have the proper procedures in place … [so] the security of the alliance is ensured.”