Face of Defense: Injury, Loss Lead Soldier to Help Others

By Army Staff Sgt. Taikeila Chancey

U.S. Army Central

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C., March 12, 2014 – Army Sgt. 1st Class Perry Taylor suffered serious back injuries when his convoy struck a roadside bomb in Iraq. Last year, the Campbell, Ala., native lost his mother to diabetes, due in large part, he said, to poor eating habits.

Taylor, 45, chose physical training over surgery to recover from his injury, and he vowed to maintain a strict diet to improve his overall health. Now, Taylor has turned his dedication into a passion for helping others.

"When I see a person who is overweight and struggling, if asked, I will go above and beyond the call of duty to help them, because I see my mom in them,” he said. “I don't ever want anyone to go through that pain, if I can help it.”

According to the Gallup research firm, the U.S. adult obesity rate increased in 2013 to 27.2 percent, up from 26.2 percent in 2012, and is on pace to surpass all annual average obesity rates since the company began keeping statistics in 2008. In 2013, South Carolina, home of U.S. Army Central, ranked as the seventh-most obese state in the United States.

With an ever-growing population suffering from obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, excessive weight gain and heart disease, the need to be healthier has never been greater. Soldiers are required to maintain a certain level of physical fitness, but when Monday-through-Friday physical training alone is not enough, they can look for a different approach to meet or exceed the Army standard. Working with a personal trainer like Taylor is one of the most popular approaches.

Maj. David Riley, U.S. Army Central’s personnel plans officer, has attended Taylor’s lunchtime workout session for a month.

“I have noticed a significant change in my body tone, as well as my overall health,” Riley said. “I feel that allowing Sergeant 1st Class Taylor the chance to change my life has been very effective and motivating.”

Taylor -- a 24-year infantryman, newlywed, father and combat veteran -- has trained more than 200 soldiers and has written fitness plans to assist many in meeting or exceeding Army standards. His motto, he said, is "Let me change your life."

Taylor added that his own life changed during two deployments.

While deployed in 2001 during the initial invasion of Iraq, Taylor said, he and other soldiers were hit with a depleted uranium shell while they were attempting to seize Baghdad International Airport. “I was nearly paralyzed on my left side for a period of time, requiring steroid shots and physical therapy,” he said.

During another deployment to Iraq in 2007, he suffered his back injury.

“I was informed by doctors that my back had a 25 percent chance of healing on its own without surgery,” Taylor said. “I chose not to have the surgery and immediately put more effort into living healthy and being physically fit."

While visiting with injured soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., Taylor said, he has seen many of them overcoming incredible odds and injuries.

“My point here is no matter how far gone you think you may be, there is always hope and a healthy solution if you are determined,” he said. “I tell everyone not to let an injury hold them back. There is almost always a way.”

Taylor not only became a personal trainer, but also is certified in a variety of fitness regimens. He said he always is available for a soldier who needs a helping hand in becoming healthier. Army Staff Sgt. Alicia Lance, who recently gave birth, is a recent first-time attendee of Taylor’s lunchtime training session.

“I joined the class not only to get back in shape, but for my overall physical health. I’m happy I decided to join and feel assured I will get just what I came here for,” she said.

“I love helping people and having the ability to help them change their lives,” Taylor said. “Being able to see the increase in their self-confidence and overall health makes me incredibly happy."

KMC educators strengthen children's imagination

by Airman 1st Class Holly Mansfield
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

3/11/2014 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  -- Kicking off its 17th year, more than 45 million students, educators and parents celebrated Read Across America in schools stateside and on military installations overseas. Read Across America week ran from March 3-7 at Kaiserslautern Military Community schools and Child Development Centers.

Using hands-on activities, children learned the power of reading and how it affects the over-all learning process.

"Read Across America is always held around March 2 to celebrate the week of Dr. Seuss' birthday," said Pam Garrett, Ramstein Elementary School teacher. "All week the school has different themes for the children to dress up for and have different activities to go with our theme of 'Sink Your Teeth Into Good Books All Year Long.'"

Throughout the week, people from around the community volunteered at elementary schools and CDCs to read and organize activities for students.

"We are so fortunate to have a lot of volunteers, from older students to spouses and military members, coming out to read to children and help set up different activities," said Garrett.

Cheryl Woodruf, Ramstein Elementary School second-grade teacher, invited a special guest of her own to read to her class.

"Ms. Woodruf and her second-grade class were very kind to invite me. I appreciate it very much and they selected the book for me to read," said Sharon Gorenc, wife of Gen. Frank Gorenc, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander. "I really enjoy Dr. Seuss but I admit I had to practice reading the book first because, as you know, Dr. Seuss likes to put a lot of tongue twisters in his stories."

With different themes for each day, such as, wear green Monday and Cat in the Hat Thursday, children at Ramstein Elementary School used hands-on techniques to celebrate the week. Each class throughout the school also does activities such as making their own green eggs and ham.

"I think experiencing a book takes it to a whole other level," said Gorenc. "Hands-on activities do just that and actually eating green eggs and ham can make the story come alive. It makes a great impact on children, captures their imagination and fosters even more love of reading."

Using different techniques to grasp a child's attention in a story is a characteristic that some praise Dr. Seuss for accomplishing. Having different words, some made up, that rhyme to keep the story going can grasp a child's imagination so it can grow.

"What I think makes Dr. Seuss so unique is that he has a lot of rhythm and rhyming in his stories," said Gorenc. "He's very poetic so it makes it fun to read. He also throws in a lot of crazy characters and words that I think make it capture a child's imagination."

For a former teacher, like Gorenc, showing children the power of a good education is a way of life.

"It's really important to instill in young people a love of learning and reading at an early age because that's when you can start building their confidence in learning," said Gorenc. "I don't teach anymore but it's who I am and what I wanted to do. I used my skills with my own children and still work with my granddaughters."

Gorenc believes building a bond between children and the person teaching them during the celebration week is just the beginning.

"Read Across America is wonderful but I think that it's a start," said Gorenc. "I believe that you should celebrate reading every week. If you can set aside reading time with your children, then make it fun and sneak in a little bit of learning and confidence building."

Through Read Across America week, KMC educators showed children that reading and promoting education is for all ages at all times of the year.

AF undersecretary: Budget uncertainty worries Airmen

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service / Published March 11, 2014

Airmen are worried about budgetary uncertainty, and service leaders pledge to be transparent about priorities and programs available as the service moves forward, Air Force Undersecretary Eric Fanning said here March 11.

Speaking to the Defense Writers Group, Fanning told reporters he has heard from quite a few Airmen about their concerns about the force.

"The main thing I promised is to continue to be transparent and to try and make decisions to get us to whatever the new normal is as quickly as possible," he said. "This has not been easy, because we still don't know what that is going to be."

None of the services can really plan beyond fiscal year 2015 because of the specter of sequestration spending cuts the following year. The Budget Control Act of 2011 is still the law of the land. While Congress passed a law giving some relief from sequestration in fiscal 2014 and 2015, the law will go back into full effect in fiscal 2016.

If full sequestration is triggered, the Air Force will have to reduce the number of Airmen further, and in a much steeper manner, Fanning said.

"We've made proposals on force structure and making the Air Force smaller, but we have to see what Congress will approve," he said. "Certainly, there is a lot of angst out there for what the future holds."

Some Airmen have complained that the service appears to value equipment more than people, Fanning said.

"I read a lot of these blogs too," he said. "There are a lot of Airmen who understand that part of our commitment to them is if we're going to send them into harm's way, we're going to send them with the best equipment and the readiest that we can."

The service must balance among capacity, capability and readiness, Fanning told the defense writers, noting that spending money on Airmen only makes sense if those Airmen are ready and equipped to fight the nation's battles.

"I think (Airmen) understand the decisions we are making in terms of investing in the technology that sets the Air Force apart and gives them the edge in a fight," he said.

Air Force leaders are still committed to giving Airmen the time to adjust to whatever decision comes forth, Fanning said.

"We are still committed to using voluntary programs to the maximum extent possible before we will do anything in an involuntary way," he said.

The air fleet is getting older and smaller by the year, he said, so the service must invest in next-generation platforms.

"We've been fighting a war in two theaters where we owned the airspace in a way that we won't in other types of conflicts that are more contested," Fanning said.

In the fiscal 2015 budget request, the service focuses specifically on capability over capacity.

"That's why you see the Air Force aggressively trying to get rid of its older fleets and older infrastructure," he said. As this continues, he added, the Air Force’s advantage in tactical airpower and in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets will increase.

"These are two areas where we will see significant advancement," Fanning said.

The undersecretary said he also expects improvements across the board from investments in space and cyber technology.

"We cannot, in this environment, afford to invest in all the recapitalization and all the platforms we want to," Fanning said. But amid all the budget issues the U.S. Air Force is still the most potent air arm in the world, he said, and it must be ready to fight today and in the future.

"That balance between the fight today and the fight tomorrow is a struggle that we are going to be dealing with for a long time because of these budget numbers," Fanning said. "But we still are, by far, the best Air Force in the world -- even in any of the scenarios we project out over 10 years. The issue is with the budget you have, and you stack that up against the missions you are assigned. That's the metric I use."

‘Transition GPS’ Helps Troops Re-enter Civilian World

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2014 – Feedback on “Transition GPS,” which prepares service members to enter the civilian workforce, indicates it improves on the program it replaced, director of the Defense Department’s Transition to Veterans Program office said here yesterday.

Transition GPS -- for goals, plans and success -- is a redesigned, weeklong curriculum that replaces the Transition Assistance Program with a more in-depth approach that is a “significant improvement,” Susan S. Kelly said.

Participating service members give high marks to the Transition GPS program, she noted.

“We have received very positive reviews from the service members,” Kelly said. “They’re telling us they’ll use the content to prepare for transition, use it after they separate, [and] they know how to access resources they’re going to need before and after they separate. That’s a very positive outcome for the program so far.”

Kelly emphasized the need for service members not only to take the full weeklong course, but also to get started early in Transition GPS before they begin the separation process.

“Every service member, whether they’re completing their first tour of duty or they’re separating as a four-star general, will separate from active duty,” she added. “So the best plan for everyone is to start early, because this is your exit strategy.”

The redesigned program stems from the Veterans Opportunities to Work -- or VOW -- to Hire Heroes Act, she said.

Congress mandated the core part of Transition GPS for all active-duty, Guard and Reserve service members. From there, DOD created a mandatory policy for service members to meet career-readiness standards before they leave military service, Kelly added.

The redesign of the old Transition Assistance Program began with “a very large and successful partnership” with the Labor, Veterans Affairs and Education departments; the Office of Personnel Management; and the Small Business Administration. The agencies jointly decided what service members need to prepare for re-entering civilian life, Kelly said.

In Transition GPS, Kelly said, service members can choose personal goals. “We give them the training, skills and information … to be able to navigate multiple systems very successfully,” she added.

The mandatory eight-hour core curriculum includes training in pre-separation counseling, a Veterans Affairs benefits briefing and a Labor Department employment workshop, Kelly explained.

For those who attend the full five-day curriculum, various modules help service members match their military training with prospective civilian jobs.

Transition GPS also offers three additional two-day tracks to service members, which concentrate on meeting goals such as going to a college or university on the Post-9/11 GI Bill; technical training schools to obtain certifications, licenses and apprenticeships; and an entrepreneur track for those who want to start a business, she said.

While the core curriculum is available now at military installations, the full Transition GPS program is expected to be in place at the end of the year at facilities around the world, Kelly said. The entire program also is available online, she noted.

“For service members facing imminent transition, the entire Transition GPS curriculum is available online, with 24/7 access,” she said. All of the curriculum’s modules are posted on Joint Knowledge Online for service members to move at their own speed to complete the training, and they can return to the site as veterans for a refresher, she added.

“By hosting it in JKO, DOD is sending a message that preparing for separation is a training expectation of all service members,” Kelly said.

While Transition GPS helps service members ease back into civilian life and gives them the tools for seeking jobs, pursuing education and managing day-to-day issues such as finances, the program doesn’t end there, Kelly said. To make sure Transition GPS is meeting its goals, she explained, DOD will follow up on its former students as they begin careers, continue their education or start businesses.

“We’re looking at several long-term outcomes,” Kelly said. DOD is committed to setting up the infrastructure to collect data, which will begin as soon as the program’s information technology is in place, she noted.

“My advice to any service member is three words,” Kelly said. “Get started now.”

CNO talks Compensation: Pay, BAH, and Tuition Assistance

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Julianne Metzger, Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert sat down this week to film another episode of "Conversation with a Shipmate" discussing aspects of Navy's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal.

The Department of the Navy released its proposed $148 billion budget for fiscal year 2015 (FY15), March 4. The budget is part of the $495.6 billion defense budget President Barack Obama submitted to Congress the same day.

"Compensation is about half of our budget. We'd like to keep it to one half," said Greenert. "The idea is to limit the growth, not take out."

Navy Sailors' and Civilians' compensation would not be directly cut, but rather the rate of growth would slow from roughly 3% to 1% in pay and slow for Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) raises, Greenert said.

In 2013 alone, BAH rates overall were raised 3.8%, depending on geographic location. In the FY15 budget new BAH rates will take into account the current 5% out of pocket expense along with a proposed 1% change to renter's insurance.

Inserting these changes incrementally and as members PCS, assures members who have made long-term commitments in the form of a lease or contract are not penalized if the area's housing costs decrease, said Greenert.

He went on to highlight that members will not see changes in their next pay check if they remain in their current duty station and that changes will be gradual if Sailors are moving to new duty stations.

Three components are included in the BAH computation: median current market rent; average utilities (including electricity, heat, and water/sewer) and average renter's insurance.

The new budget proposes that BAH does not include the average renter's insurance since some members choose not to make that purchase, said Greenert.

Continuing to speak on compensation, the conversation turned toward retirement.

"There is no plan, today, to change retirement," Greenert said. There is a commission studying it, and heavy media coverage about the proposed ideas will continue, Greenert said.

"Anybody who is wearing a uniform today- that retirement system will be grandfathered which means: today's retirement system is their retirement system," Greenert said.

If and when new options become available service members may have the option of transitioning to a new system. However, they will not be forced to accept a different retirement system than the one that was in effect during their service, Greenert said.

Greenert was asked about the projected FY15 budget that slated Tuition Assistance to 75% Navy funded, 25% funded by the Sailor. Greenert challenged this proposed change and said it needs rethinking and that there will be more to follow on this issue.

"That's very important to me to have an educated force, I want [Sailors] to get the right education," said Greenert. "So they get something that is useful while they're in the military and when they leave the military and that enhances their life."

In FY14 Tuition Assistance remains 100% funded by the Navy and Greenert hopes to keep it that way.

"The bottom line is I want our kids to have the best education they can get," said Greenert.

This year's budget submission prioritizes funding for forward presence and continues to make critical investments in people and future capabilities. The additional investments proposed will be for retaining Sailors through the Quality of Service initiative.

The Navy seeks to reduce manning gaps at sea and improve the sea-to-shore flow of personnel to increase job satisfaction for Sailors.

"Every penny that the Navy gets out of compensation reform, will go into areas to improve the quality of service and work," Greenert said.

Minot AFB rescues two stranded Mont. motorists

by Senior Airman Stephanie Sauberan
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

3/11/2014 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.  -- Members of the 54th Helicopter Squadron responded to a search and rescue request involving two men trapped in the bed of their truck in Savage, Mont., when an ice flow caused the river to overrun its banks, March 10.

At approximately midnight the crew received a phone call from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center requesting a hoist equipped aircraft to respond to the scene.

Rescue workers from the local area had responded to the scene but were unable to get to the stranded people due to the large chunks of ice in the water. Additionally, the situation was further compounded by an ice flow upstream on the verge of breaking free.

The Minot Air Force based aircrew who responded to the scene had just concluded a night vision goggle flight and was preparing to turn over their duties for the night and return to base when the call came in.

"Two Security Forces members walked into our squadron and told us that there had been a request for a search and rescue," said Capt. Matthew Sutliff, 91st Missile Wing chief of flight safety. "My co-pilot and two flight engineers jumped into their flight suits, and we responded to the scene."

As Sutliff confirmed the request, his flight engineer readied the aircraft double checking fuels supplies, conducting pre-flight checks and ensuring the safety of the hoist to be used in the rescue efforts.

"Kudos to our maintenance guys," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Fifield, 54th HS enlisted aircrew member. "I ran to the hangar in my pajamas and slippers after we got the call that said we were going to do this. They didn't even think twice about it. They dropped what they were doing and started prepping the aircraft, while I ran upstairs to put my gear on. By the time I got back to tell them to tow it outside they already had it on the pad and were fueling it."

As the aircraft was being prepared for flight 1st Lt. Kyle Nelson, 54th HS co-pilot, was running mission planning, drawing the lines on the map for the flight course and determining flight time and refueling locations.

"I have only been flying for six months out of the training environment," said Nelson. "This was my first search and rescue mission, but I didn't really think about that ... I just focused on what needed to get done."

The planning process before takeoff took approximately one hour from the time that the call was received. Once the crew was in the air it took them just under an hour to reach the sight.

"It felt like laying out our plans took an eternity on the ground, but once we did step into our aircraft, it was reassuring to know that we were properly prepared to complete the mission and confront any complications that might arise," said Sutliff.

Upon arriving on scene, the crew was greeted by the sight of two individuals stranded in the center of the flood waters, standing in the bed of their truck as frigid water rushed by threatening to sweep away their vehicle and engulf them.

"The most important part of missions like this is to plan for the unexpected," said Sutliff. "Snags will inevitably arise, but it is up to us as a team to find fast solutions and overcome them without compromising the mission."

Sutliff initiated the first hover, holding the aircraft in place and fighting against the winds and over the rushing water as Fifield leaned out of the aircraft, holding himself in place as he began to lower the hoist.

"My co-pilot and I had to be careful to fix our vision on a stable object in order to stay in position, at the same time Tech. Sgt. Fifield was giving me direction and also instructing the first survivor on how to use the hoist," said Sutliff.

The first hoist was conducted from approximately 65 feet above the rushing waters and took just under 25 minutes. At this point, both men had been stranded 510 yards from shore for approximately five hours.

"It sounds weird, but you just focus on your training - focus on what you have to do," said Staff Sgt. Michael Wright, 54th HS enlisted aircrew member. "You can't let anything else get in the way of completing the mission."

After the first survivor was secured in the aircraft, rescue of the second individual began. Sutliff relinquished control of the helicopter to his co-pilot as Wright took over for Fifield.

The enlisted aircrew members were constantly scanning the aircraft as well as the condition of the survivors, ensuring that they were a safe distance from the aircraft during the lift, and that they were able to safely board. With Wright's assistance, Nelson was able to lift the second man to safety.

The team transported both survivors to the nearby Sidney Richland Municipal Airport where emergency responders were standing by.

"It was amazing," said Fifield. "I couldn't sleep for a long time after landing knowing that we had been able to save the lives of those two men.

The rescue effort was a success due to a solid, unified team, said Sutliff. It was a testament to their near countless hours of training.

"When we were called into action my team was able to successfully come together to complete the mission and save lives," said Sutliff. "I couldn't be more proud of what they were able to do, and of the fact that we put our training to use and made a real difference in the lives of these two men."