Mortgage Investors Corporation Involvement with Veterans Airlift Command

The Mortgage Investors Corporation is well known for their involvement with the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC). In fact, MIC recently made a $200,000 donation to VAC, a non-profit veteran support agency. By providing service to the VAC, they are supporting America's troops by allowing our troops to be able to get a mortgage when they return from their tour of duty in addition to other financial services. Founded in 1938 by Veterans, it is the ideal choice for others serving our country. The MIC corporate headquarters is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, and it is also state licensed and VA approved in more than 20 states.

Providing Veterans with excellent service is the number one goal of the MIC. Serving those who have fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the MIC has a vision of being the number one lender for all members of the VA in current times. When they have the capacity, they also assist those who have served in other military operations. According to their website, the MIC has "resulted in more than 350,000 satisfied Veterans and over $43 billion dollars in Veterans' mortgage refinancing in the last 15 years alone." Their dedication to the VAC helps strengthen family stability in the country thus helping form bonds in communities and neighborhoods.

Perks of using MIC are that they come to the homes of Veterans to conduct business. They also take care of other tedious aspects when it comes to purchasing or selling a home. The MIC wants to make the experience as pleasurable and pain-free as possible. They show their thanks to our Veterans by serving them in the same dedicated manner that those Veterans have to serve our country.

With 75 years of service, the MIC continues to exemplify their dedication to the service men and women of our country. Giving back to the VAC shows the appreciation felt and the understanding that these Veterans need excellent service in terms of settling back in to daily life after a tour. The MIC offers a convenient service that allows Veterans to feel comfortable while taking care of important home and family matters.

Helping out an unsheltered individual with a meal is an obvious-enough move, and this is relatively easy to find. It's more difficult to find assistance with long-term responsibilities like mortgages and credit ratings, which are difficult enough to navigate without additional challenges cropping up from the outset.

A good example of a company working to help correct this deficiency is the Mortgage Investors Corporation. They specialize in assisting veterans with the refinancing of homes. This is a very specific thing to assist with, but it is also a source of critical scarcity. Refinancing appropriately can have a major impact on anyone's long-term financial situation, but this isn't the sort of thing you can find assistance for per-se. Having a dedicated organization for veterans to turn to means that they can find dedicated help immediately, securing a more stable financial future for themselves an their families.

Many organizations shy away from this sort of long-term assistance because it doesn't have quite the same cachet as pulling someone off the street and finding them a job. However, the impact is just as pronounced, if not moreso, insofar as the number of lives it can touch. Finances are a defining factor in quality of life, so assistance with their long-term organization can completely change one's life.

As the plight of veterans comes to light more, and more people come to understand how much more important long-term assistance can be, it's nearly certain that more organizations will follow the example of MIC and their peers. Providing financial assistance in the form of collective bargaining and investment will never be as glamorous as rescuing someone at the end of their rope. However, it is still very deep and meaningful assistance that cannot be ignored. "Refinancing" doesn't sound like something that can be heroic. It sounds like a boring, grown-up responsibility that no one will explain in high school. Nevertheless, for those with families, it can secure a brighter financial future, the impact of which can be felt for generations, and assistance can be deeply heartfelt.

Cutlass Express Boosts Maritime Interoperability in East Africa

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2013 – A maritime exercise underway in East Africa is helping regional partners build capability and an ability to work together to better confront piracy, illegal fishing and other transnational challenges, reported Navy Capt. Guy Jackson, the exercise director.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Charles H. Johnson guides a practice illegal fishing scenario during the preparatory phase of Cutlass Express 2013 on a Seychelles Coast Guard base, Nov. 8, 2013. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Luis R. Chavez Jr.   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Cutlass Express 2013 kicked off yesterday, with the maritime forces of 13 nations and several international organizations participating in the week-long exercise, Jackson told American Forces Press Service during a telephone interview from Seychelles.

The exercise is in its third year, one of four Africa-focused regional “Express” series exercises led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. 6th Fleet and in support of U.S. Africa Command’s theater engagement.

All are part of Africom’s efforts to improve the quality of military-to-military engagements across the African continent and help African partners increase their capacity to provide their own security.

Last month during a virtual news conference, Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez, the Africom commander, reported “major progress” in maritime security along Africa’s East Coast, thanks largely to more robust multinational cooperation.

About 300 participants in Cutlass Express 2013 hope to build on that progress during operations at four naval hubs: Port Victoria, Seychelles; Mombasa, Kenya; Djibouti; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Initially training in port, with a two-day at-sea phase to begin Nov. 14, they will focus on improving cooperation, tactical expertise and information-sharing practices, Jackson said.

The participants will exercise boarding procedures and techniques, medical casualty care, radio communication and information-sharing techniques during scenarios designed to mirror real-world operations to counter piracy and illicit trafficking, as well as actions to deter illegal fishing, Jackson said.

The training has become increasingly advanced each year since the first Cutlass Express exercise in 2011, which focused primarily on partnership building, he said. “Now we are moving forward with more formalized training and with more resources around the exercise and scenario development,” he said. “So it is becoming more sophisticated, with a goal of getting the teams better trained.”

One of the big challenges, Jackson explained, will be to ensure seamless operations among the four maritime operating centers involved in the exercise. “We want to make sure there is a good handoff across those areas, because illegal fishing and piracy can move very fluidly across those areas,” he said. “So we really want to make sure we have helped to enhance the coordination, cooperation and interoperability in that area.”

Following the “underway” portion of the exercise, the participants will spend a day assessing the operations and identifying lessons learned that can be applied to future operations.

“For me, this is about sharing best practices and enhancing interoperability,” Jackson said. “There are a lot of great skills out here, and we are seeing some very well-qualified folks working to help bring everyone to the same level of expertise. That ensures we are stronger as one team, able to work together across each of the locations.”

Speaking during an opening ceremony yesterday in Seychelles, Jackson described the impact of exercises such as Cutlass Express 2013 on regional security.

“We want to continue to make the waters off East Africa a safer place, and that’s what you’re here to do,” he told participants. “Cutlass Express is designed to enhance maritime security capabilities, improve information sharing and strengthen the bonds of each and every participating nation, so we can all work together for the long term.”

Participants in Cutlass Express 2013 hail from Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Comoros, Yemen, the Netherlands, Denmark and the United States. The exercise also includes representatives from the Eastern Africa Standby Force, NATO and the European Union Naval Force

Centcom Strives to Preserve, Share Combat Trauma Lessons

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2013 – U.S. Central Command is working to ensure the lessons learned and experience gained in combat medicine during the past 12 years of conflict in its area of responsibility are preserved so they can be adapted for future missions anywhere in the world.

The Centcom surgeon’s office developed the Joint Theater Trauma System in the mid-2000s to improve the level of care provided to wounded warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The system, which addresses combat care from the point of the injury through increasing levels of care and into rehabilitation, is credited with some of the most sweeping advances ever made in military medicine.

Calling the medical professionals who promoted them “the heroes of this conflict from a medical standpoint,” Air Force Col. (Dr.) Mark Mavity, Centcom’s command surgeon, said he is committed to ensuring those gains aren’t lost as combat operations wind down in Afghanistan.

“As we move forward, the challenge is now to take those lessons and be able to sustain those and move those forward in preparation for the next conflict,” he said. “So as the JTTS gets smaller in the theater, we are working through those issues to ensure we can ramp it back up to its potential when and if we would need to.”

The success of that effort will extend far beyond Centcom’s area of responsibility, Mavity said.

“This is a capability we tested and developed in Centcom, but it is absolutely applicable to any theater of operations that we could find ourselves engaged in as a U.S. military,” he said. “That drives us to work hard to make sure the experience we have gained in this single theater are distributed and that the knowledge gained is available to the Military Health System, regardless of the theater.”

The JTTS provides a proven model for projecting “this very low-supply but high-demand capability of trauma specialists and pre-hospital care specialists,” Mavity said. “We have got to get this captured, all the way from ‘How do we execute a joint trauma system in a deployed environment?’ to the very individual tactics, techniques and procedures in the medical level of execution.

“What’s important,” he continued, “is that we make sure we understand the process, we capture that, and then we build the pieces into our deployment machinery such that we can replicate this same capability with the same kinds of skills mixes and insert them, no matter where this military is asked to go fight in the future. That way, when we go establish another theater of operations somewhere, we will be able to capture those lessons as we plug the same capabilities with the same kinds of experts from trauma surgeons down to forward-based operational medical folks.”

But Centcom isn’t waiting for the end of combat operations in Afghanistan to begin its outreach. While remaining focused on the ongoing wartime military medical mission, the command’s medical staff already is at work helping counterparts at the U.S. Pacific Command develop a model of the Joint Theater Trauma System relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.

“The objectives are the same, but the practice environment is very different,” said Air Force Col. (Dr.) Jeffrey Bailey, director of the Joint Trauma System, who recently returned from Afghanistan, where he served as the Joint Theater Trauma System director.

A Pacom working group dedicated to the project interfaces closely with its Centcom counterparts “and is pretty far down the road” in developing its own model, Bailey reported.

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Welsh: Air Force Will Resist ‘Requirements Drift’ in New Bomber

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2013 – The Air Force’s long-range strike bomber program continues to ramp up, and senior leaders are determined that the platform will come in on budget and on time, the service’s top officer told the Defense Writers Group today.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the group that any change to the requirements for the long-range strike bomber program must go through him.

“And I don’t intend to approve anything until I am absolutely convinced that it makes sense to change the requirement,” he added.

The bomber program is needed, Welsh said, noting that the newest B-52 Stratofortress entered the Air Force fleet in the early 1960s. The last B-1B Lancer bomber was delivered to the Air Force in 1988, and the last B-2 Ghost stealth bomber entered the inventory in 2000.

“The important thing is we need a bomber fleet in case -- God forbid -- we have to conduct a large-scale campaign,” Welsh said. “We need a sufficiently sized bomber fleet to do that.”

Current plans call for the new aircraft to enter the inventory in 10 years. The Air Force is spending $440 million on the program this year, but that cost will rise to $1 billion next year. This increase enables the Air Force to plan how to integrate the bomber and its systems, Welsh said.

The aircraft’s operational capabilities will remain secret.

“Cost is an independent variable on this playing field, because we have to field this platform,” Welsh said.

At a cost of $550 million per aircraft, he added, “we can field a meaningful platform that will be effective in the future warfight.”

The bomber will not feature a leap in technology, the general said, but it’s going to be a very capable machine.

“What we don’t want to do is reach into some level of technology that is impractical,” he added. “That’s where prices start getting out of control.”

The Air Force must resist “requirements drift,” Welsh said, and it will not keep adding to the requirements base for a platform without proven technology.

“We are not going to go there,” he told reporters.

Yokota Airmen Showcase Low-Cost, Low Altitude Airdrop at Cope South 14

by Captain Raymond Geoffroy
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

11/12/2013 - BANGABANDHU AIR BASE, Bangladesh -- U.S. Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, demonstrated Low-Cost, Low Altitude airdrop techniques to Bangladeshi Airmen, during a subject-matter expert exchange at Bangabandhu Air Base, Bangladesh, Nov. 9 through 13, 2013.

The exchange, a key part of exercise Cope South, was designed to show Bangladeshi Airmen an effective and safe way to deliver supplies in a during disasters and contingencies.

LCLA utilizes readily available resources and repurposed personnel parachutes to build supply pallets at a fraction of the cost of other airdrop bundles. These pallets are dropped at low altitude, which improves drop accuracy.

"This is, bar-none, the best suited airdrop technique for reliable airdrop in humanitarian aid and disaster relief situations," said Lt. Col. Jeff Menasco, 36th Airlift Squadron commander. "It's safe, it's accurate, it's affordable and it's sustainable; we're very happy to share this method with our Bangladeshi counterparts and further enhance their robust capabilities."

This year's Cope South focuses on conducting tactical airlift operations in order to better respond to regional disasters and features several SME events to discuss tactics, techniques and procedures. For Airmen conducting the exchanges, the opportunity to trade experience is rewarding and enjoyable.

"The Bangladeshis have a lot of airdrop experience and are very enthusiastic about what they do, so we can relate really well," said Staff Sgt. Dmitri Sokgobenzon, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. "It's really fun to explain something to someone who really wants to learn."

Sokgobenzon added that demonstrating LCLA to fellow loadmasters is particularly exciting because of the bundle's unique properties.

"The cool part about LCLA for a loadmaster is we play a bigger role in the airdrop itself than we would with other types of drops," Sokgobenzon said. "Also is easy to rig and easy to drop, which makes it really easy to describe to other loadmasters."
Cope South complements a number of other cooperative activities designed to strengthen partnership between the United States and Bangladesh.

"Through exchanges like these we are building a lasting partnership with the Bangladeshis and strengthening our overall capabilities," Menasco said. "This is what Cope South is all about, bringing Airmen together to learn and bond through direct engagement."

Sheppard graduates Air Force's first RPA avionic maintainers

by Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson
82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

11/12/2013 - SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Sheppard graduated the Air Force's first group of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Avionics Systems apprentice's Nov. 7, during a cermeony here.

The group of newly trained students is stepping into a career field that's seen an increasing amount of importance in the Air Force mission, which recently reached its two million hours of flight Oct. 22.

"I can't wait, I really want to get on that flight line," said Columbia, S.C. native, Airman 1st Class Adryen Reed, a 365th Training Squadron graduate.

The aircraft, which provide enhanced mission capability while keeping service members out of harm's way, will soon have its first batch of formally trained Airmen. Before the course itself came into existence, avionic maintainers had to learn through on the job training. With the first class of graduates, the avionic technicians are formally trained to ensure the electronic systems on RPAs are functioning correctly, and are ready to meet the mission objective of global readiness.

As Reed prepares to move on to Creech Air Force Base, Nev., he is proud of his new career and the role it will play in defending America.

"I'm very happy," he said. "Taking care of it means the people we're defending aren't getting hurt over there."

As the Airmen received their diplomas and pinned on their coveted occupational badges, there were a mixture of emotions for attendant and attendee alike.

"Everyday bought new challenges, but they (students) overcame them all," said Tech. Sgt. Richard Ashley, RPA and F-22 Raptor element chief.

For Airman 1st Class Austin Catey, a 365th TRS student from Lincoln, Ill., he looks forward to the impact he will have on the aircraft itself.

"I feel important because what I do matters," he said. "I like watching them take off and knowing I'm the reason why."

Teaching the course for the first time presented challenges as well for the instructors.

"It was overwhelming at first," said Staff Sgt. Stan Dunahoo, primary RPA avionics course instructor.

Regardless of the initial difficulty of being an instructor for the Air Force's first RPA avionics class, Dunahoo knew he wanted the job from the moment he took it.

"I had pride from day one, I jumped at the opportunity," he said. "To be a part of that is amazing."

Dunahoo looked forward to the challenges his job offered and impacting other Airmen's lives in a positive manner.

"UAV's are the future," he said. "To be one of the pioneers teaching the course is a good experience."

When the graduation ended and each Airman filed out, having overcome one set of challenges, they face an entirely new one of going into a career field where the sky is literally the limit.

U.S. Air Force, Pacific partners hone tactical flying skills, enhance interoperability

by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson
Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs

11/8/2013 - OHAKEA, New Zealand -- More than 70 United States Air Force Airmen joined representatives from four nations on a deployment to Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea Nov. 7 to participate in a three-week tactical flying exercise, Kiwi Flag.

The Airmen will work side-by-side with members of the RNZAF, Republic of Singapore Air Force, French Armed Forces of New Caledonia, and Royal Australian Air Force during the New Zealand-hosted exercise, scheduled to run through Nov. 27.

"New Zealand's unique landscape provides a multitude of opportunities to practice tactical-flying operations over an array of varied terrain -- that equates to a higher learning curve and the ability to enhance our interoperability with the other participants," said U.S. Air Force's 517th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Phillip Shea. "The more exposure we have to different geographic environments, the better prepared we are to respond to a host of contingencies in a unified manner."

Shea is assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, as the director of operations for the 517th Airlift Squadron. He hails from Winthrop Harbor, Ill.

The 517th EAS, comprising Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and JBER, will conduct flying operations using the C-17 Globemaster III platform. Kiwi Flag operations will support Exercise Southern Katipo which is a field training exercise held on New Zealand's South Island. Southern Katipo hosts nine countries involved in air, land and maritime operations.

The C-17's flexibility provides the capability to perform strategic and tactical airlift; transport troops and cargo; in addition to supporting medical evacuation and airdrop duties.

The RNZAF's air fleet doesn't maintain airframes similar in size to the C-17's bulk, which provides yet further opportunities for learning and sharing subject-matter expertise. This difference also yields some challenges such as airfield and runway incompatibilities in addition to the standard cultural differences, which can be found when visiting a foreign country.

"Those are welcome challenges," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Gabriel Wetlesen, a C-17 pilot and flight commander for the United States' second airlift mission of the exercise. "[The challenges] all represent opportunities to enhance my pilot skills and further my ability to respond to real-world incidents."

Wetlesen is assigned as the 517th Readiness Flight commander at JBER and is also a certified C-17 instructor pilot, a skill he shares with RNZAF's Flight Lt. Tim Pevreal. Pevreal is currently assigned to the RNZAF Central Flying School where he is earning his instructor-pilot certification.

The aspiring instructor, who assumed liaison officer duties onboard the C-17 for Wetlesen's mission, said he expected the flight to be mutually beneficial as he geared up for the sortie.

"I'll be there to help with New Zealand-specific protocols and any translations or verbiage which might occur due to the dialogue differences," Pevreal said. "I'm excited to join the mission; this will be my first flight on this airframe so I expect to have a good subject-matter exchange with the aircrew. Any chance to share information and get better at working as a team is a win-win for all."

Kiwi Flag is a multilateral RZNAF-sponsored tactical airlift exercise conducted in New Zealand. Air assets from the USAF, RNZAF, RAAF, RSAF and FAFNC will participate. Air operations will be conducted out of RNZAF Base Ohakea, New Zealand. Kiwi Flag personnel will provide air support to Exercise Southern Katipo, New Zealand Defence Force's largest-ever multilateral joint force amphibious exercise with eight other nations participating: United States Army and Marines, Australia, Canada, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

Honor and Camaraderie: Chaplain receives knighthood and continues to serve

by Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson
82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

11/12/2013 - SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- He may not wear medieval armor while on horseback wielding a man-sized sword, but he does live by a code of honor as a knight.

Through dedication and motivation, Chaplain Maj. David Kruse, 82nd Training Wing, has achieved knighthood through the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during a ceremony in Ft. Worth, Texas, Oct. 25, 2013.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Catholic organization that recognizes and promotes priests who have exemplified high standards of religious dedication and work ethic. As a Catholic chaplain in the military, Kruse is already among a chosen few. According to the Archdiocese for Military Services, the supervising body for Catholic chaplains, Catholics make up 25 percent of the military, while only eight percent of military chaplains are Catholic themselves.

Kruse described the ceremony as a somber and eye-opening moment.

"It was a very riveting and spiritual experience," he said.

During the ceremony, each candidate approached the presiding Grand Master and was tapped on the shoulder with a sword. As the concluding rite began with the uttered sentence of "blessed be the name of the Lord," each candidate was accepted in an elite brotherhood. Characterized as an honor for Kruse, it is a motivating factor for the faith he preaches and the service members he provides for.

"My role is to defend the faith through my contribution to church and society," he said. "It's an honor."

While Kruse holds pride in his accomplishment, he looks toward those he preaches to as his motivation and beacon of support.

"My success can only be measured through the community in which I serve," he said.

Kruse initially joined the military as a chaplain because he felt it was a profession that he was fated to do. He noted that oftentimes throughout multiple deployments and moving to new locations, the one constant for many service members was the church and the faith they adhered to.

"I felt I was being called," he said. "I felt I could best serve by being that stability."

As a chaplain, Kruse wants to allow others to better themselves through their faith, so they can become better individuals overall.

"It's our (chaplains) responsibility to provide opportunities for people to practice and grow with their faith," he said.

Although Kruse focuses on the religion of those he preaches to, he also makes sure that his members are ready to complete the Air Force mission through spiritual preparation.
"If they (service members) have a foundation then they can focus on the mission that's been entrusted to them," he said.

The priest to the Airmen here might not be seen any time soon riding around base on horseback in shining armor, but he will be ready to take on the spiritual needs of the Airmen and their families, as a knight defends the realm.

Innovation streamlines AMC requirements process

by Katherine Kebisek
Air Mobility Command Chief Information Office

11/12/2013 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Air Mobility Command officials recently introduced an innovative tool that is transforming the command's process for gathering and prioritizing Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) requirements, and will soon be expanded to include other requirements.

The Enterprise Requirements Evaluation Tool, or ERET, streamlines the C4I requirements process giving senior leaders the information they need to make decisions on the command's C4I investments, ultimately providing Airmen the capabilities they need to accomplish the mission. The tool, developed collaboratively by personnel in three headquarters AMC directorates, was built completely within existing resources; it simply took some creativity to bring it to life.

When a program or platform needs to be modified or upgraded - for example, information technology or aircraft - personnel submit a requirement to the capability's designated Requirements and Planning Council (R&PC). R&PCs gather requirements from across the command then prioritize them based on areas such as mission criticality, risk and available funding. Once "racked and stacked," senior leaders make the final determination on which requirements will receive investment funding.

The ERET, a simple tool built using SharePoint, walks personnel through the process of submitting C4I requirements by having them answer a series of questions by selecting responses from a drop-down menu. The tool then calculates a score for the requirement, allowing it to be objectively prioritized against other requirements. One of the most valuable features of ERET is that it provides a repository of requirement information so users can reference and update past requirements rather than research and submit the information every year.

Prior to ERET, the command used a manual, paper-based checks-and-balances process to gather and assess its C4I requirements. While it got the job done, there were several areas for improvement.

"[The process] wasn't widely visible to everybody, and a lot of people didn't really understand it," said Jan Van Horn, AMC Command and Control Systems Functional Manager, AMC Directorate of Operations. This lack of understanding, he said, often resulted in personnel providing insufficient information on requirements which made it difficult to effectively prioritize them. Sometimes requirements didn't even move forward because of missing information.
Additionally, with the variety of mission needs, it was often difficult to rack and stack requirements against each other.

"The problem with comparing requirements is that they're so different," said Baxter Swift, Chief Information Office Support consultant, AMC Directorate of Communications and Information. "How do you compare an aircraft requirement to an IT requirement to a training requirement ... they're all important but so incomparable."

Swift, Van Horn and others knew there had to be a better way to conduct this process. Their goal was to develop a tool that would somehow provide information and a score for each requirement, allowing them to be objectively racked and stacked. And the tool had to be simple, otherwise personnel would be reluctant to use it.

The team began by determining what criteria would be used to score requirements. They studied the Air Mobility Master Plan to understand and incorporate the strategic direction of the command, then worked with AMC's Strategic Planning division to determine capability gaps within the command's four mission areas: airlift, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation and mission support.

"With such varying requirements, the only way to really compare them is against the strategic direction of the organization and see what [the requirement] contributes to that," said Swift. "We went through and identified all of the capability gaps for all the [mission areas] ... and that was a big score contributor. If a requirement was going to fill a capability gap then it would typically score better than one that would not."

"It's very important for our senior leaders to be able to link requirements to the gaps and the focus areas," said Teri Alesch, requirements analyst, AMC Directorate of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs. "It's often a matter of explaining [the requirement] better and that's what ERET helps us do." Alesch further clarified that ERET informs decision makers but it does not make the decision; it simply provides a solid, objective starting point where military judgment can then be applied.

Since ERET has only been used in one requirements cycle so far, it's too early to determine metrics for how much time the tool will save. However, the team has already noticed such significant improvements in the process that the AMC Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs recently directed them to expand the tool to all R&PCs for the next cycle.

"We saved [decision makers] a lot of time and gave them, I think, more confidence in the product that came out of it," said Van Horn. He noted one general officer level "rack and stack" meeting that traditionally took at least 90 minutes was finished in less than 20 minutes because of the solid presentation, scores, and information provided for the prioritized requirements.

"I think this year there will be a lot more time savings for those of us working at the Requirements Working Group action officer levels because when the call for requirements goes out, so will the link for ERET," said Heidi Kukowski, operations analyst, AMC Directorate of Operations. "We can pull inputs from last year and it will just be a re-verification."

Kukowski added that a huge benefit for stakeholders is that ERET provides them insight into the requirements process, allowing them to understand how to get their requirement visibility, and why it did or didn't rank.

As the team helps the AMC R&PCs adapt and implement ERET, they also hope to share the tool with other MAJCOMs. Swift said he recently gave permissions to a counterpart at a System Program Office who was able to test out the tool and adjust it to fit his mission. The two shared lessons learned and questions, ultimately improving both of their processes.

"Anybody that works in requirements probably struggles with how to compare one requirement to the next ... at the end of the day it's always going to come back to money. What this tool is really trying to do is learn as much about a requirement as possible so if I have one more dollar to spend I can put it in the right place to get the most value for the organization," said Swift. "That's what everybody wants to do: invest wisely so they're building for the future."

Mail early to ensure packages reach loved ones over holidays

By David Vergun
Army News Service

WASHINGTON (11/12/13) - With the holidays coming up fast, now is the time to consider mailing early, especially to loved ones overseas, said Peter Graeve, a retired Soldier who is now with the Military Postal Service Agency.

Despite the popularity of sending cards via the Internet and chatting on social media, Soldiers really like to receive something they can put in their hands, he said. "It's one of those traditions that's still with us. They still appreciate getting letters and packages."

Graeve said the volume of letters and packages increases this time of year due to gifts being sent by spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, family and friends. But he said in addition to that, care packages seem to be especially popular.

Care packages include things like chocolates, soap and toothbrushes. "Even though they have it over there, the Soldiers really seem to appreciate receiving the items anyway," he said.

Although there are fewer Soldiers in remote areas of Afghanistan and other countries, there are still some in outposts that don't have Internet access, he said. These Soldiers especially look forward to mail call.

Getting your package there on time

To get mail to a Soldier by Christmas at APO/FPO/DPO AE 090-092, 094-098, 340, or 962-966, the latest a package can be sent to arrive on time is Dec. 17 - that means senders have to pay for Express mail. To send them earlier - and pay less - senders can put them in the mail by Dec. 10, and pay for either 1st Class or Priority mail.

Priority mail to APO/FPO/DPO AE 093 must be sent by Dec. 3.

The deadline for Parcel Post to all locations mentioned is Nov. 12.

The deadline for SAM parcels for all locations mentioned is Nov. 26. SAM parcels are paid at the Parcel Post postage rate with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.

The deadline for PAL for all locations mentioned is Dec. 3. PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface rate of postage.

All classes of mail addressed to FPO/APO addresses must use the nine-digit ZIP code to ensure delivery. Mail not addressed correctly will be returned to the sender as undeliverable.

It is recommended that customers check with their local civilian or military post office for information on size restrictions and the possible need for customs declaration forms.

Restrictions

As a reminder, some items cannot be mailed. Examples include switchblade knives, pornography, controlled substances, and explosive or incendiary devices. If in doubt as to what can or cannot be sent through the mail, contact your local civilian or military post office.

Some other tips include choosing a box with enough room for cushioning material around the contents, and ensuring that old labels and markings on used boxes are covered.

Senders should also be sure to use adequate tape to seal their packages, and reinforce the seams with two-inch wide tape. Use clear or brown packaging tape, reinforced packing tape or paper tape.

As a final note, customers are cautioned that packages must not be mailed in boxes that have markings related to any type of hazardous material, such as bleach, alcohol, or cleaning fluids. Parcels found by the U.S. Postal Service with such markings or labels on the outside of the box will not be processed.

States focus on deployment health to improve readiness and resilience

ARLINGTON, Va. (11/12/13) - For 376 years, the National Guard has proudly served both our local communities and our nation at home and around the world." In 2012/2013 alone, states mobilized and responded to domestic floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes, and deployed overseas in support of training foreign allies, humanitarian relief and combat operations.

"The past decade has created the most capable and battle-tested National Guard units and seasoned leadership in history" said Col. Jill Faris, deputy surgeon general, Army National Guard." "Given the experience of our Soldiers, and several states responding to CONUS (domestic) and OCONUS (overseas) deployments throughout the year, we have to get in front of health risks and mitigate any challenges our Soldiers face during deployment and redeployment."

To improve access to care and strengthen ready and operational units across the Guard, the Army has developed the Deployment Health Assessment Program (DHAP), a preventive tool that provides early identification and care for emerging physical and behavioral health conditions during the deployment cycle." Each assessment addresses health issues and injuries such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, environmental exposures and combat-related injuries."

"The DHAP provides Soldiers and Army civilians the chance to discuss a wide range of physical and behavioral concerns in a private and confidential setting with a trained health care provider" said Maj. Traci Willie, program executive officer for the Army National Guard, DHAP. "DHAP is a vital tool for each Soldier who receives orders to deploy, and also a valuable way for commanders to champion medical readiness within their units and across states and U.S. territory."

As a critical tool of the Army’s Ready and Resilient Campaign (R2C), DODI 6490.03 mandates DHAP execution for all OCONUS deployments greater than 30 days to locations not supported by a fixed U.S. Military Treatment Facility (MTF)." Additionally, DHAP assessments may be required based on environmental risks and commander’s discretion for all other deployments (OCONUS) less than 30 days, OCONUS deployments with fixed U.S. MTFs, or CONUS deployments).

"To maintain a strong force and maintain operational commitments at home and abroad, we must invest and take action to protect the physical and behavioral health of our Soldiers." The DHAP provides Soldiers a gateway to care and gives commanders the ability to reduce non-deployable status across their unit and get care for those Soldiers that need it the most" Faris said."

The three DHAP assessments are completed in the following order during the deployment cycle:

•Pre-DHA (Pre-Deployment Health Assessment, DD Form 2795) is taken within 120 days of deployment and revalidated within 60 days

•PDHA (Post-Deployment Health Assessment, DD Form 2796) is taken during redeployment

•PDHRA (Post -Deployment Health Reassessment, DD Form 2900) is taken 90-180 days after deployment

The DHAP execution takes place at the unit level. It is the responsibility of unit commanders to take measures to provide a healthy and supportive environment for all deployed and redeployed Soldiers/Army civilians to openly and honestly participate in the DHAP within the specific time frames for each assessment.

Marines Provide Disaster Response in Philippines

By Marine Staff Sgt. Kenneth Lewis
III Marine Expeditionary Force

Okinawa, Nov. 11, 2013 – About 90 U.S. Marines and sailors are on the ground in the Philippines providing humanitarian assistance and disaster support in the wake of one of the most devastating typhoons on record.

Marines board a KC-130J Hercules aircraft Nov. 10, 2013, at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, moments before departing for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission to the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David N. Hersey   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed U.S. Pacific Command to provide manpower and assets at the request of the Philippines government following Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines Nov. 8.

Members of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade deployed yesterday from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, with two KC-130J Hercules aircraft from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, reported Marine Col. John M. Peck, the 3rd MEB chief of staff.
A forward command element and humanitarian assistance survey team also is deploying to the Philippines from Okinawa to provide an initial assessment on the support required. Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, deputy commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the commanding general of the 3rd MEB, will lead that team.

The initial focus of U.S. relief efforts includes surface and airborne maritime search and rescue, medium-heavy helicopter lift support, fixed-wing lift support and logistics enablers.

This includes requests for the Marine Corps’ KC-130 cargo aircraft and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The MV-22 provides a unique capability and is ideal in this type of operation, officials noted. With its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, it can operate in austere environments. Its ability to convert quickly to fixed-wing configuration gives it greatly increased speed and range over traditional rotary wing aircraft, they said.

Super Typhoon Haiyan has impacted more than 4.2 million people across 36 provinces in the Philippines, according to the Philippine government’s national disaster risk reduction and management council. More details about casualties and damage are expected in the coming days as transportation and communications systems are repaired.

Since 1990, the U.S. government has responded to more than 40 disasters in the Philippines at the request of that country’s government, ranging from volcanic eruptions to drought and population displacement.