Hagel Meets With Senior Saudi Officials

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with senior Saudi officials during a visit to Saudi Arabia today, Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog said in a statement.

Woog’s statement reads as follows:

“This evening, Secretary Hagel visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to meet with the Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“Secretary Hagel and the Crown Prince, who serves as the Minister of Defense, agreed that the United States and Saudi Arabia are firmly committed to their strong defense relationship and discussed the mutual goal of achieving security and stability in the region.

“Secretary Hagel conveyed that the United States is fully committed to its security partnership with Saudi Arabia and seeks to deepen its cooperation even further. They discussed Iran, in the context of the recently concluded Joint Action Plan with the P5+1. Secretary Hagel underscored the United States commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and maintaining a strong American defense presence in the region.

“Secretary Hagel also discussed the proposals he announced at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, in particular to hold a U.S.-GCC Defense Ministerial meeting in the region within the next six months.

“Prior to his meeting with the Crown Prince, Secretary Hagel met with Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Salman bin Sultan. They discussed a number of regional issues including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Secretary Hagel invited him to visit the United States early next year to meet with senior U.S. military leaders.”

Also, according to a senior U.S. defense official traveling with Hagel, the Crown Prince conveyed to Hagel that his second Gulf tour and second visit to Saudi Arabia comes at just the right time, noting that he is leaving tomorrow for Kuwait to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council Ministers meeting and will convey their discussions.

Hagel was told his assurances are well received and that the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia is as strong as ever, the senior official said.

Hagel’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the senior official said, came at the personal direction of President Barack Obama to convey that the United States will continue planning for all options to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon, in the event Iran fails to live up to its commitments.

For Hagel, this trip is second step in a series of engagements with Gulf partners to increase regional cooperation, the first being Hagel's meeting with GCC Defense Ministers at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, the senior defense official said.

The United States is planning that the U.S.-Defense Ministers meeting in the region within the next six months will be the third step, the senior defense official said.

Airman Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, has been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Air Force Col. Francis J. McGouldrick Jr. of New Haven, Conn., will be buried Dec. 13, at Arlington National Cemetery.  On Dec. 13, 1968, McGouldrick was on a night strike mission when his B-57E Canberra aircraft collided with another aircraft over Savannakhet Province, Laos.  McGouldrick was never seen again and was listed as missing in action.

After the war in July 1978, a military review board amended his official status from missing in action to presumed killed in action.

Between 1993 and 2004, joint U.S/Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) teams attempted to locate the crash site with no success.  On April 8, 2007, a joint team located a possible crash site near the village of Keng Keuk, Laos.

From October 2011 to May 2012, joint U.S./L.P.D.R. teams excavated the site three times and recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage consistence with a B-57E aircraft.

In the identification of McGouldrick, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as mitochondrial DNA – which matched McGouldrick’s great nephew and niece.

Today there are 1,644 American service members that are still unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. 

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

DOD officials order disability board results review

By Janis El Shabazz, Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Some Airmen who met a medical or physical disability evaluation board between Sept. 11, 2001 and April 30, 2012 prior to separating from the Air Force may be eligible for re-evaluation, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

When defense officials learned some diagnoses had been changed during board processing between 2001 and 2012, the secretary of defense called for a department-wide review of mental health diagnoses for members who met evaluation boards between the affected dates.

The Air Force review identified 250 eligible Airmen whose mental health diagnoses changed during the disability evaluation process. A mass mail-out effort to ensure those Airmen were aware of the opportunity to be re-evaluated elicited 31 responses.

To ensure all eligible Airmen receive and respond to the notification letter, the under secretary of defense has requested a second mailing be initiated by Dec. 31, with a required media engagement to precede the mail out.

Service members who have received a notification letter are encouraged to respond as stated in the letter. For information concerning the Department of Defense Physical Disability Board of Review, go to the PDBR website at http://www.health.mil/PDBR. or email PDBR at PDBRPA@afncr.af.mil.

The Last Jump: A Novel of World War Two

The December 14, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation former US Army Specialist 5 John E. Nevola, the author of The Last Jump: A Novel of World War II.

Program Date:  December 14, 2013

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC

Topic: The Last Jump: A Novel of World War Two

Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2013/12/14/the-last-jump-a-novel-of-world-war-two

About the Guest

Specialist 5 John E. Nevola, USA served from 1966 to 1968.  During his military service he was assigned to the U.S. Army Meteorological Command, Yuma Proving Ground - Yuma, Arizona.  John E. Nevola “makes his literary debut with The Last Jump, a historical novel based on United States airborne operations in Europe during World War II. The study of this conflict has been the author’s lifelong passion and he weaves a compelling tale of courage and sacrifice set in a historically accurate backdrop in an extraordinary time in American history.

A retired Information Technology executive, John E. Nevola has been widely published in business magazines with numerous articles on disaster recovery and terrorism. He authored a column for a post newspaper while serving in the United States Army and is a member of the Military Writer’s Society of America.

John E. Nevola was born in New York City and is a graduate of Cardinal Hayes High School and the College of Aeronautics. He resides in Mount Olive, New Jersey with his wife of 45 years. They have four children and six grandchildren. A portion of the proceeds from The Last Jump are donated to charity to assist the families of the fallen.

According to the book description of The Last Jump: A Novel of World War II, it “is a war story, a mystery, a love tale, and a tribute to the people who won World War II. Fact and fiction intermix seamlessly to unravel a secret passionately guarded by four aging soldiers. The reader is transported back in time to an imperfect America, with all is incredible virtues and vexing shortcomings, struggling with racial and gender issues while fighting for its very survival. It was a time when Americans stood shoulder to shoulder to free the world from tyranny. It celebrates the spirit and courage of ordinary citizens pitted against the militaristic regimes of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. It was a time when the sons of presidents and senators served, fought, suffered and died alongside average Americans and famous celebrities.

About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

           

About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen from the Archive: http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/last_jump_world_war_two.html

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA

editor@police-writers.com

909.599.7530

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/187589881442850

Hagel Addresses Iran, Pay, Women in Combat

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 6, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ended his talk with troops here today as he usually does, offering to answer questions or listen to any advice they can offer.

The service members and civilian mariners aboard the USS Ponce Hagel spoke with today didn’t offer advice, but they did ask about Iran, women in combat, and pay and benefits.

The six-month interim agreement with Iran the State Department announced in November, Hagel said, is intended to allow space and time for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and other issues.

Hagel said as secretary of defense and as a former senator, he believes the agreement represents an opportunity “to probe in great detail the possibilities of getting to a higher ground … and see, in fact, if the Iranians are serious about following through” on their pledge to halt pursuit of nuclear weapons.

During that six-month period, he added, “We will keep the same kind of strong assets, [and we will conduct] the same exercises” as usual.

“We understand, clearly, the dangers that Iran represents and has represented,” he said. “ … This is not an exercise based in folly. This is very clear-eyed, real engagement. Whether we can get to where we hope we can get to in six months, I don’t know. We’ll see.”

Hagel offered a quick seminar in response to a question on pay and benefits.

With a continuing resolution controlling government spending through Jan. 15, no defense budget, and the likelihood of an additional $52 billion sequestration cut in defense funding next fiscal year, he said, Pentagon planners are challenged to map out the next five years.

“Always, you protect your people,” he said. “ … This institution completely, absolutely relies on you.”

The United States has a tremendous advantage in cutting-edge technology, he said, but it’s useless without capable, committed people to use it.

“We are reviewing pay, compensation, retirement … every aspect of our budget,” Hagel said.

The secretary assured the troops that he and other defense leaders “begin every decision process … first focusing on taking care of our people.”

Hagel’s next questioner asked the secretary’s opinion of women in combat. Given that three Marine women graduated from the Corps’ enlisted infantry training in November, a male Marine asked, “Will we see full integration within the infantry battalions? And what is your personal opinion on this?”

Hagel termed the women’s achievement “tremendous,” and said women Marines, soldiers, airmen and sailors should be given more opportunities for jobs, promotions and command positions.

The female troops he has spoken with don’t want the standards lowered for them, the secretary said. “And if women can and want to serve in any of … the combat areas and they can meet those standards, they should be allowed to serve.”

The services are evolving through the process of opening combat arms to women, he said, and are on track with the effort.

“I’m personally strongly supportive of it,” Hagel said. “ … I’m very proud of these women who are stepping forward and who want to do more things, and are doing more things.”

The secretary is scheduled to deliver a speech here tomorrow during the Manama Dialogue, and will travel to Qatar later this week.