By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team is using its May 6 game against the New York Mets to say thank you to the nation's troops. The team has declared May 6 "Military Appreciation Day," and is providing free game tickets to all holders of a valid military identification card.
The Diamondbacks also are providing a way for fans to e-mail messages of support to servicemembers. People can voice their appreciation by going to amerciasupportsyou@dbacks.com.
America Supports You is a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad. A link to the Diamondbacks e-mail page also is available through www.americasupportsyou.mil.
Troops also can send messages home using the same e-mail address, said Tara Trzinski, the Diamondbacks' senior coordinator for community affairs.
"It's a unique shout-out program," she said. "This incorporates our fans that aren't at the game, including the fans that may be serving overseas."
The messages will be read on the air during the game, which will air live at 4:40 p.m. EDT on network carriers in the United States as well as Armed Forces Network. If live coverage of the game is bumped for continuing coverage of the NBA playoffs, Trzinski said, it will air on a delayed basis.
The Diamondbacks also will host a drive for Packages From Home, Phoenix-based America Supports You home-front group, throughout the teams' six-game homestand beginning tomorrow.
Fans can bring canned food goods, personal and hygiene supplies and recreational items to any Diamondbacks game leading up to Military Appreciation Day and drop it off at the designated locations on the plaza. All items will be sent to troops overseas.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Five Missing WWII Airmen are Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are 1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs, of Teague, Texas; 1st Lt. William L. Pearce, of San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner, of Kingston, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Russell W. Abendschoen of York, Pa.; and Staff Sgt. George G. Herbst of Brooklyn, N.Y.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. Pearce was buried April 27 in Louisville, Ky.; Herbst will be buried June 8 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.; Biggs will be buried June 9 in Teague, Texas; Abendschoen's funeral is June 13 at Arlington; and Yenner will be buried July 30 at Arlington.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
On Sept. 21, 1944, a C-47A Skytrain crewed by these airmen was delivering Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden." Soon after departing the drop zone, the plane crashed and there were no survivors. The Germans opened the dikes in the region where the plane crashed and flooded the area before any remains could be recovered.
When Dutch citizens returned to their homes in Arnhem the next year, they recovered remains from the Skytrain's wreckage and buried them in a nearby cemetery. A U.S. Army graves registration team later disinterred the remains which were reburied as group remains in 1950 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Kentucky.
In 1994, a Dutch citizen located more human remains and other crew-related materials at a site associated with this C-47 crash. They were eventually turned over to U.S. officials.
Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains of these five men. The remains that could not be attributed to a specific individual have been buried with the first set of group remains at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are 1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs, of Teague, Texas; 1st Lt. William L. Pearce, of San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner, of Kingston, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Russell W. Abendschoen of York, Pa.; and Staff Sgt. George G. Herbst of Brooklyn, N.Y.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. Pearce was buried April 27 in Louisville, Ky.; Herbst will be buried June 8 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.; Biggs will be buried June 9 in Teague, Texas; Abendschoen's funeral is June 13 at Arlington; and Yenner will be buried July 30 at Arlington.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
On Sept. 21, 1944, a C-47A Skytrain crewed by these airmen was delivering Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden." Soon after departing the drop zone, the plane crashed and there were no survivors. The Germans opened the dikes in the region where the plane crashed and flooded the area before any remains could be recovered.
When Dutch citizens returned to their homes in Arnhem the next year, they recovered remains from the Skytrain's wreckage and buried them in a nearby cemetery. A U.S. Army graves registration team later disinterred the remains which were reburied as group remains in 1950 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Kentucky.
In 1994, a Dutch citizen located more human remains and other crew-related materials at a site associated with this C-47 crash. They were eventually turned over to U.S. officials.
Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains of these five men. The remains that could not be attributed to a specific individual have been buried with the first set of group remains at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates Puts Punch Behind Fixing Wounded Warrior Care
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today put some punch behind implementing changes in wounded warrior care by announcing an oversight committee chaired by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England that will ensure recommendations by his Independent Review Group are implemented. The group's findings and recommendations were presented in a 129-page report to the Defense Department April 19, and Gates met with the group today.
Flanked by the group's co-chairs, former Army secretaries Togo D. West Jr. and John O. Marsh Jr., Gates said the oversight group will ensure the recommendations of the IRG, the president's Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors, and the Interagency Task Force are promptly and properly integrated, implemented, coordinated and resourced. Other members of the group attended the briefing, along with a handful of senior Defense Department civilian officials.
"Apart from the war, this department and I have no higher priority" than to ensure wounded servicemembers have the best care and facilities and ample assistance navigating the next step in their lives, Gates said.
"That is what we intend to give them," he said.
Senior military and civilian officials will make up the oversight committee, including all of the service chiefs or vice chiefs, the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and senior civilian leadership from the department's personnel and readiness and health affairs functions, Gates said.
The committee will meet weekly.
Defense Department Health Affairs and the Army have already begun implementing changes recommended by the nine-member panel charged with assessing care for servicemembers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. The group held public meetings, established a hotline to receive comments and visited 10 military medical centers across the country.
"Though we perceive ourselves as a nation that is grateful, (that) is honored by the service of its wounded veterans and servicemembers ... our review suggests that our servicemembers and their families have not always seen it that way," said West.
West said the group found that inpatient care was "excellent" but that problems began when the servicemember was transferred to outpatient care.
Among the recommendations were more caseworkers and better training, more physicians to coordinate patient care, and an improvement of attitude in general, said West.
Also, West said, the Base Realignment and Closure and A76 cost-comparison processes at Walter Reed caused uncertainty among the personnel at the center. He called for a review to examine how the processes affect medical centers.
The group, however, did not recommend that the aging D.C. hospital campus be taken off of the BRAC list, but instead recommended that the process be expedited and preparations be made faster at the National Naval Medical Center and at Fort Belvoir, Va., to receive those functions.
The report also calls for establishing a center of excellence that focuses on traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.
The medical evaluation process is "lengthy and segmented" and needs to be consolidated into one process involving all related departments, the report recommends.
"For those in the departments who understand how it works, it all seems logical," West said. "For vulnerable servicemembers and their families, it seems a contradictory mass of sequential reviews, of several sequential decisions, compounded by confusing regulations at a time when they are most vulnerable and least able to follow them."
Marsh said a breakdown in the system of reporting complaints caused reports of substandard care not to be heard quickly enough. The group recommended establishing an oversight system to field complaints and elevate them to senior leadership.
Army officials said the service has resolved, or is resolving, 24 of the 26 findings of the review group. The remaining two findings require efforts by the Defense or Veterans Affairs departments, they said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today put some punch behind implementing changes in wounded warrior care by announcing an oversight committee chaired by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England that will ensure recommendations by his Independent Review Group are implemented. The group's findings and recommendations were presented in a 129-page report to the Defense Department April 19, and Gates met with the group today.
Flanked by the group's co-chairs, former Army secretaries Togo D. West Jr. and John O. Marsh Jr., Gates said the oversight group will ensure the recommendations of the IRG, the president's Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors, and the Interagency Task Force are promptly and properly integrated, implemented, coordinated and resourced. Other members of the group attended the briefing, along with a handful of senior Defense Department civilian officials.
"Apart from the war, this department and I have no higher priority" than to ensure wounded servicemembers have the best care and facilities and ample assistance navigating the next step in their lives, Gates said.
"That is what we intend to give them," he said.
Senior military and civilian officials will make up the oversight committee, including all of the service chiefs or vice chiefs, the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and senior civilian leadership from the department's personnel and readiness and health affairs functions, Gates said.
The committee will meet weekly.
Defense Department Health Affairs and the Army have already begun implementing changes recommended by the nine-member panel charged with assessing care for servicemembers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. The group held public meetings, established a hotline to receive comments and visited 10 military medical centers across the country.
"Though we perceive ourselves as a nation that is grateful, (that) is honored by the service of its wounded veterans and servicemembers ... our review suggests that our servicemembers and their families have not always seen it that way," said West.
West said the group found that inpatient care was "excellent" but that problems began when the servicemember was transferred to outpatient care.
Among the recommendations were more caseworkers and better training, more physicians to coordinate patient care, and an improvement of attitude in general, said West.
Also, West said, the Base Realignment and Closure and A76 cost-comparison processes at Walter Reed caused uncertainty among the personnel at the center. He called for a review to examine how the processes affect medical centers.
The group, however, did not recommend that the aging D.C. hospital campus be taken off of the BRAC list, but instead recommended that the process be expedited and preparations be made faster at the National Naval Medical Center and at Fort Belvoir, Va., to receive those functions.
The report also calls for establishing a center of excellence that focuses on traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.
The medical evaluation process is "lengthy and segmented" and needs to be consolidated into one process involving all related departments, the report recommends.
"For those in the departments who understand how it works, it all seems logical," West said. "For vulnerable servicemembers and their families, it seems a contradictory mass of sequential reviews, of several sequential decisions, compounded by confusing regulations at a time when they are most vulnerable and least able to follow them."
Marsh said a breakdown in the system of reporting complaints caused reports of substandard care not to be heard quickly enough. The group recommended establishing an oversight system to field complaints and elevate them to senior leadership.
Army officials said the service has resolved, or is resolving, 24 of the 26 findings of the review group. The remaining two findings require efforts by the Defense or Veterans Affairs departments, they said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
NASCAR Honors 'Why We Serve' Troops at Talladega
By Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Kirk
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – A soldier, a sailor, an airman and a Marine received expressions of thanks over and over again from members of the crowd at Talladega Superspeedway during the Aaron's 499 yesterday. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Olson, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Virginia Mayo, Air Force Tech Sgt. Robert Jubie and Marine Sgt. Noah Tretter attended the race as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" program. Under the auspices of the program, troops travel on a speaker's circuit across the country telling their personal experiences from Iraq and Afghanistan.
All four servicemembers were nominated by their respective commands to be a part of the "Why We Serve" program and share their own personal stories with the country.
For all the time they have given overseas and for sharing their stories, NASCAR decided to give a little back to this group, starting with a few laps around the Superspeedway in the pace car, then moving on to a special introduction to the drivers and the race's Grand Marshal, comedian Jeff Foxworthy.
"This was my first NASCAR event," Mayo said. "The people have been so great. NASCAR fans seem to be the heartbeat of America, and I think I am quickly going to become a part of the NASCAR nation."
NASCAR has been a member of the America Supports You program since the beginning of the program. America Supports You recognizes the support of American individuals, groups and organizations for military men and women, and it communicates that support to troops at home and abroad.
NASCAR has been working to help raise awareness about the organizations' efforts by including signs at tracks, airing public service announcements on Nextel Vision and placing decals on race cars.
Jubie said the thanks he received from NASCAR and the race fans meant a lot to him.
"It really makes me feel appreciated," Jubie said. "I wish more people would be this way."
Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Olson was very humble about his experience with the NASCAR fans.
"It's a little awkward," he said. "I don't really consider myself a hero. There are way better people they could take photos with. I was just over there doing my job."
Olson added that the Why We Serve program allows the servicemembers to tell a part of the story that doesn't make it into news reports.
"I like being able to talk about the good stuff," said Olson. "In my unit, we were a tight knit group. Morale was good, and we supported each other. We got care packages from home and if we saw someone didn't, we shared. You don't see that side of it."
Trotter said that receiving support from Americans is very important to the troops.
"I know when I put the uniform on that people are going to stop me. I stop, shake hands, listen to their stories and smile," Trotter said. "We couldn't do what we do without the support of the people."
(Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Kirk is assigned to Navy Recruiting District Atlanta.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – A soldier, a sailor, an airman and a Marine received expressions of thanks over and over again from members of the crowd at Talladega Superspeedway during the Aaron's 499 yesterday. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Olson, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Virginia Mayo, Air Force Tech Sgt. Robert Jubie and Marine Sgt. Noah Tretter attended the race as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" program. Under the auspices of the program, troops travel on a speaker's circuit across the country telling their personal experiences from Iraq and Afghanistan.
All four servicemembers were nominated by their respective commands to be a part of the "Why We Serve" program and share their own personal stories with the country.
For all the time they have given overseas and for sharing their stories, NASCAR decided to give a little back to this group, starting with a few laps around the Superspeedway in the pace car, then moving on to a special introduction to the drivers and the race's Grand Marshal, comedian Jeff Foxworthy.
"This was my first NASCAR event," Mayo said. "The people have been so great. NASCAR fans seem to be the heartbeat of America, and I think I am quickly going to become a part of the NASCAR nation."
NASCAR has been a member of the America Supports You program since the beginning of the program. America Supports You recognizes the support of American individuals, groups and organizations for military men and women, and it communicates that support to troops at home and abroad.
NASCAR has been working to help raise awareness about the organizations' efforts by including signs at tracks, airing public service announcements on Nextel Vision and placing decals on race cars.
Jubie said the thanks he received from NASCAR and the race fans meant a lot to him.
"It really makes me feel appreciated," Jubie said. "I wish more people would be this way."
Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Olson was very humble about his experience with the NASCAR fans.
"It's a little awkward," he said. "I don't really consider myself a hero. There are way better people they could take photos with. I was just over there doing my job."
Olson added that the Why We Serve program allows the servicemembers to tell a part of the story that doesn't make it into news reports.
"I like being able to talk about the good stuff," said Olson. "In my unit, we were a tight knit group. Morale was good, and we supported each other. We got care packages from home and if we saw someone didn't, we shared. You don't see that side of it."
Trotter said that receiving support from Americans is very important to the troops.
"I know when I put the uniform on that people are going to stop me. I stop, shake hands, listen to their stories and smile," Trotter said. "We couldn't do what we do without the support of the people."
(Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Kirk is assigned to Navy Recruiting District Atlanta.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
'EchoTaps' Musicians to Honor Veterans
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – Hundreds of musicians from across the country will pay tribute to the nation's fallen heroes on Armed Forces Day, May 19, in an event called "EchoTaps." The first EchoTaps was held in 2005, when nearly 700 brass players from 30 states gathered in upstate New York to perform the military bugle call "Taps." Buglers performed a continuous cascading version of "Taps" over a 42.2-mile path between the Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira and Bath, N.Y.
Later at the Bath location, the players performed "Taps" en masse. The project involved 2,200 volunteers and attracted national media coverage.
This year, a national program is being planned that will stage EchoTaps at each of the 123 national cemeteries across the United States. Organizers at each location will perform a tribute based on the number of buglers, from 10 to 1,000.
Volunteers playing horns of all types will render a cascade of "Taps" at 11 a.m. local time at each site on May 19, beginning at American Battle Monuments Commission sites in the Philippines, North Africa and then throughout Europe.
A variety of programs will follow at national cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, National Park Service cemeteries, and participating state veterans cemeteries across America, beginning on the East Coast and concluding in Honolulu.
EchoTaps is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Bugles Across America. The purpose of the program is to raise awareness of national cemeteries and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the VA Voluntary Service program, which uses volunteers to help provide services to veterans.
EchoTaps also is aimed at increasing the number of buglers available for military burial services, volunteerism, and exposure of the VA Voluntary Service program.
As an example of events planned, the Military Salute Project is coordinating the event at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. The Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad and the Minnesota State Band will take part.
Tribute to the Troops, a nonprofit group based in Center City, Minn., also is slated to participate. The group organizes an annual motorcycle ride and concert to raise funds for America's fallen heroes and their families and also donates proceeds to charities benefiting those who still serve, such as Fisher House and the Wounded Warriors Hospital Fund.
Tribute to the Troops is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that highlights what American individuals and corporations are doing to support military members, veterans and their families.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 1, 2007 – Hundreds of musicians from across the country will pay tribute to the nation's fallen heroes on Armed Forces Day, May 19, in an event called "EchoTaps." The first EchoTaps was held in 2005, when nearly 700 brass players from 30 states gathered in upstate New York to perform the military bugle call "Taps." Buglers performed a continuous cascading version of "Taps" over a 42.2-mile path between the Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira and Bath, N.Y.
Later at the Bath location, the players performed "Taps" en masse. The project involved 2,200 volunteers and attracted national media coverage.
This year, a national program is being planned that will stage EchoTaps at each of the 123 national cemeteries across the United States. Organizers at each location will perform a tribute based on the number of buglers, from 10 to 1,000.
Volunteers playing horns of all types will render a cascade of "Taps" at 11 a.m. local time at each site on May 19, beginning at American Battle Monuments Commission sites in the Philippines, North Africa and then throughout Europe.
A variety of programs will follow at national cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, National Park Service cemeteries, and participating state veterans cemeteries across America, beginning on the East Coast and concluding in Honolulu.
EchoTaps is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Bugles Across America. The purpose of the program is to raise awareness of national cemeteries and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the VA Voluntary Service program, which uses volunteers to help provide services to veterans.
EchoTaps also is aimed at increasing the number of buglers available for military burial services, volunteerism, and exposure of the VA Voluntary Service program.
As an example of events planned, the Military Salute Project is coordinating the event at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. The Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad and the Minnesota State Band will take part.
Tribute to the Troops, a nonprofit group based in Center City, Minn., also is slated to participate. The group organizes an annual motorcycle ride and concert to raise funds for America's fallen heroes and their families and also donates proceeds to charities benefiting those who still serve, such as Fisher House and the Wounded Warriors Hospital Fund.
Tribute to the Troops is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that highlights what American individuals and corporations are doing to support military members, veterans and their families.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Golfers Tee Off for Fisher House
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – More than 240 golfers, including 10 injured servicemembers, hit the links at Lansdowne Golf Club in Lansdowne, Va., yesterday for the 4th Annual Fisher House Golf Classic fundraiser. The Fisher House Foundation supports America's servicemembers and their families by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, according to the organization's Web site.
The foundation also is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
"The first year we had a goal of raising $100,000," Jim Weiskopf, the vice president for communications of the Fisher House Foundation, said. "Yesterday it was announced before the event concluded that we had raised $583,000."
The net proceeds of this year's event are designated for the construction of a 16,800-square-foot, 21-suite Fisher House at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The facility will be one of four Level 1 polytrauma centers operated by the VA. Each is staffed to provide long-term rehabilitation to servicemembers with traumatic brain injuries.
The annual event began four years ago and has raised more than $1 million in support of the Fisher House Foundation.
For the servicemembers, the highlight of the day was a golf clinic that Ken Peck, a double amputee and former professional golfer, held for them. Peck, a golf instructor with the National Amputee Golf Association, said he was pleased to participate in the event to benefit the Fisher House Foundation and the veterans.
"I'm out here to kind of help some of the vets learn how to swing a little bit more ... and just show them that golf is a great game that you can play despite (having an amputation)," he said. "Golf is the most accessible sport. We don't have the running; we don't have the jumping; but we can still play the game when we stabilize ourselves and swing and hit."
Army Staff Sgt. John Shannon, a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Here, was just as excited to get back to the sport he loved as Peck was to be mentoring him. The former sniper suffered a traumatic brain injury and the loss of his left eye while serving in Iraq.
"(This is) giving me an opportunity to do something I used to be pretty good at and see if I can get it back a little bit," Shannon said. "It's just a tremendous amount of fun. I don't know how to say thank you to the people that have us out here, but it's a wonderful opportunity to come out here."
Though he hasn't played golf in four years, he said it's just a matter of rediscovering his swing. Focusing on that keeps him from focusing on other -- not so pleasant -- things, he said.
"It certainly makes you forget everything else you're dealing with, which is what it's about," Shannon said.
(Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Molly Burgess of American Forces Press Service contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – More than 240 golfers, including 10 injured servicemembers, hit the links at Lansdowne Golf Club in Lansdowne, Va., yesterday for the 4th Annual Fisher House Golf Classic fundraiser. The Fisher House Foundation supports America's servicemembers and their families by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, according to the organization's Web site.
The foundation also is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
"The first year we had a goal of raising $100,000," Jim Weiskopf, the vice president for communications of the Fisher House Foundation, said. "Yesterday it was announced before the event concluded that we had raised $583,000."
The net proceeds of this year's event are designated for the construction of a 16,800-square-foot, 21-suite Fisher House at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The facility will be one of four Level 1 polytrauma centers operated by the VA. Each is staffed to provide long-term rehabilitation to servicemembers with traumatic brain injuries.
The annual event began four years ago and has raised more than $1 million in support of the Fisher House Foundation.
For the servicemembers, the highlight of the day was a golf clinic that Ken Peck, a double amputee and former professional golfer, held for them. Peck, a golf instructor with the National Amputee Golf Association, said he was pleased to participate in the event to benefit the Fisher House Foundation and the veterans.
"I'm out here to kind of help some of the vets learn how to swing a little bit more ... and just show them that golf is a great game that you can play despite (having an amputation)," he said. "Golf is the most accessible sport. We don't have the running; we don't have the jumping; but we can still play the game when we stabilize ourselves and swing and hit."
Army Staff Sgt. John Shannon, a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Here, was just as excited to get back to the sport he loved as Peck was to be mentoring him. The former sniper suffered a traumatic brain injury and the loss of his left eye while serving in Iraq.
"(This is) giving me an opportunity to do something I used to be pretty good at and see if I can get it back a little bit," Shannon said. "It's just a tremendous amount of fun. I don't know how to say thank you to the people that have us out here, but it's a wonderful opportunity to come out here."
Though he hasn't played golf in four years, he said it's just a matter of rediscovering his swing. Focusing on that keeps him from focusing on other -- not so pleasant -- things, he said.
"It certainly makes you forget everything else you're dealing with, which is what it's about," Shannon said.
(Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Molly Burgess of American Forces Press Service contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Wereth 11 Remembered in Ceremony
By Steven Hoover
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – During the early stages of World War II's Battle of the Bulge, 11 black U.S. soldiers assigned to the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion were tortured and executed by German SS officers. Though they have been gone for many years, their spirits live on in this tiny village located in eastern Belgium. Local townspeople, along with U.S. soldiers and family members based in Belgium and Germany, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony April 28, commemorating men known as the Wereth 11. The ceremony was preceded with a procession led by a color guard from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Germany.
"What happened on Dec. 17, 1944, should never be forgotten," said Brig. Gen. Dennis L. Via, commander of 5th Signal Command, in Mannheim, Germany, who served as the event's keynote speaker. "However, we are not here today to focus on the crime and the pain; we are here today to focus on the heroic lives of these 11 Americans."
But to help focus on their lives, some historical background is necessary. The following is a combination of several accounts of what occurred here 62 years ago.
After being reactivated in the regular Army as a 155 mm howitzer battalion just a year before their deployment, the 333rd Field Artillery soldiers spent their first six months in combat supporting the 2nd Infantry Division and 7th Corps, while holding the front line against German troops. When the Battle of the Bulge began, the unit was located near St. Vith, Belgium.
During the second day of the fight -- the Germans last major counteroffensive of World War II -- 11 members of the Headquarters and Service Battery became separated from their unit while evading German armor and infantry units.
While searching for food and shelter, the men spotted a farm owned by Matthias Langer, who offered the soldiers part of his family's meager rations.
At dawn, after receiving a tip, a group of Nazi SS stopped in front of the Langer house. After surrendering, the soldiers were forced to sit in the cold and mud while their fate was decided. Marched to a cow pasture behind the house, they were tortured and later shot or bayoneted to death.
In the morning, villagers saw the bodies of the men in a ditch. Since they were afraid that the Germans might return, they didn't touch the dead Americans. The bodies remained covered by snowfall until mid-February 1945 when villagers directed a U.S. Army graves registration unit to the scene.
Unlike similar war crimes, the slaying of these men wasn't well documented or prosecuted. After an investigation proved fruitless and didn't turn up any positive identification of those whom committed the murders, the investigation was closed.
As a private gesture from the Langer family, a son, Herman, erected a small cross with the names of the slain soldiers in the corner of the pasture, and for more than 60 years has maintained a vigil.
But the memorial and the town of Wereth remained basically obscure. The site was not listed in any guides or maps to the Battle of the Bulge battlefield. Even people searching for it had trouble finding it in the small community.
However, in 2001, three Belgians, including Adda Rikken, president of the U.S. Wereth Memorial Committee, began raising funds to create a more fitting memorial to the Americans.
"We knew that we wanted to create a much nicer memorial for these soldiers, but at that time our organization was very small and didn't have much money," Rikken said. "It took some time, but we eventually raised enough money to purchase more of the land that surrounded the original monument. Now we have a nice dedication to those heroic men."
The dedication of the updated memorial was held May 23, 2004. Besides monuments placed by Wereth citizens, there is a plaque from the Delaware Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, honoring the 11 soldiers.
Road signs now mark the memorial, and the Belgium Tourist Bureau notes it in its Battle of the Bulge brochures.
The soldiers in attendance of this year's ceremony were primarily members of The ROCKS, Inc. European Officers Chapter, a non-profit organization of U.S. active-duty, reserve, retired and former commissioned officers. The organization formed in December 1974 to provide professional and social interaction to strengthen the officer corps.
In 2001, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, Chièvres, Belgium, adopted the graves of seven men from the Wereth 11 who rest in Belgium's Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Adoption certificates for the graves of Staff Sgt. Thomas Forte; Spc. James Stewart; Pfcs. George Davis, George Moten,and Due Turner; and Pvts. Curtis Adam and Nathaniel Moss -- along with a history of the Wereth 11 -- are located in garrison headquarters on Caserne Daumerie.
The remains of the other four soldiers, Cpl. Mager Bradley, Spc. William Pritchett, Pfc. James Leatherwood and Pvt. Robert Green, were returned to family.
"These brave soldiers ... did not have an opportunity to see the world that they aimed to create," Via said. "Yet, because of their actions, we enjoy the world they envisioned, the world they fought for. These men were brothers, sons and fathers. They served because, like us, they believed in the values we hold dear -- freedom, justice, liberty. They believed in the greater good. For this, we are thankful for their service."
Via added his thanks to the people of Wereth, especially Rikken and Langer, for keeping the memory of the soldiers alive after all these years.
(Steven Hoover is assigned to the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Army Garrison Benelux.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – During the early stages of World War II's Battle of the Bulge, 11 black U.S. soldiers assigned to the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion were tortured and executed by German SS officers. Though they have been gone for many years, their spirits live on in this tiny village located in eastern Belgium. Local townspeople, along with U.S. soldiers and family members based in Belgium and Germany, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony April 28, commemorating men known as the Wereth 11. The ceremony was preceded with a procession led by a color guard from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Germany.
"What happened on Dec. 17, 1944, should never be forgotten," said Brig. Gen. Dennis L. Via, commander of 5th Signal Command, in Mannheim, Germany, who served as the event's keynote speaker. "However, we are not here today to focus on the crime and the pain; we are here today to focus on the heroic lives of these 11 Americans."
But to help focus on their lives, some historical background is necessary. The following is a combination of several accounts of what occurred here 62 years ago.
After being reactivated in the regular Army as a 155 mm howitzer battalion just a year before their deployment, the 333rd Field Artillery soldiers spent their first six months in combat supporting the 2nd Infantry Division and 7th Corps, while holding the front line against German troops. When the Battle of the Bulge began, the unit was located near St. Vith, Belgium.
During the second day of the fight -- the Germans last major counteroffensive of World War II -- 11 members of the Headquarters and Service Battery became separated from their unit while evading German armor and infantry units.
While searching for food and shelter, the men spotted a farm owned by Matthias Langer, who offered the soldiers part of his family's meager rations.
At dawn, after receiving a tip, a group of Nazi SS stopped in front of the Langer house. After surrendering, the soldiers were forced to sit in the cold and mud while their fate was decided. Marched to a cow pasture behind the house, they were tortured and later shot or bayoneted to death.
In the morning, villagers saw the bodies of the men in a ditch. Since they were afraid that the Germans might return, they didn't touch the dead Americans. The bodies remained covered by snowfall until mid-February 1945 when villagers directed a U.S. Army graves registration unit to the scene.
Unlike similar war crimes, the slaying of these men wasn't well documented or prosecuted. After an investigation proved fruitless and didn't turn up any positive identification of those whom committed the murders, the investigation was closed.
As a private gesture from the Langer family, a son, Herman, erected a small cross with the names of the slain soldiers in the corner of the pasture, and for more than 60 years has maintained a vigil.
But the memorial and the town of Wereth remained basically obscure. The site was not listed in any guides or maps to the Battle of the Bulge battlefield. Even people searching for it had trouble finding it in the small community.
However, in 2001, three Belgians, including Adda Rikken, president of the U.S. Wereth Memorial Committee, began raising funds to create a more fitting memorial to the Americans.
"We knew that we wanted to create a much nicer memorial for these soldiers, but at that time our organization was very small and didn't have much money," Rikken said. "It took some time, but we eventually raised enough money to purchase more of the land that surrounded the original monument. Now we have a nice dedication to those heroic men."
The dedication of the updated memorial was held May 23, 2004. Besides monuments placed by Wereth citizens, there is a plaque from the Delaware Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, honoring the 11 soldiers.
Road signs now mark the memorial, and the Belgium Tourist Bureau notes it in its Battle of the Bulge brochures.
The soldiers in attendance of this year's ceremony were primarily members of The ROCKS, Inc. European Officers Chapter, a non-profit organization of U.S. active-duty, reserve, retired and former commissioned officers. The organization formed in December 1974 to provide professional and social interaction to strengthen the officer corps.
In 2001, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, Chièvres, Belgium, adopted the graves of seven men from the Wereth 11 who rest in Belgium's Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. Adoption certificates for the graves of Staff Sgt. Thomas Forte; Spc. James Stewart; Pfcs. George Davis, George Moten,and Due Turner; and Pvts. Curtis Adam and Nathaniel Moss -- along with a history of the Wereth 11 -- are located in garrison headquarters on Caserne Daumerie.
The remains of the other four soldiers, Cpl. Mager Bradley, Spc. William Pritchett, Pfc. James Leatherwood and Pvt. Robert Green, were returned to family.
"These brave soldiers ... did not have an opportunity to see the world that they aimed to create," Via said. "Yet, because of their actions, we enjoy the world they envisioned, the world they fought for. These men were brothers, sons and fathers. They served because, like us, they believed in the values we hold dear -- freedom, justice, liberty. They believed in the greater good. For this, we are thankful for their service."
Via added his thanks to the people of Wereth, especially Rikken and Langer, for keeping the memory of the soldiers alive after all these years.
(Steven Hoover is assigned to the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Army Garrison Benelux.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
U.S., Japanese Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to Force Realignment
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – U.S. and Japanese defense and diplomatic leaders today reaffirmed their commitment to realigning U.S. forces in Japan. Speaking to reporters here after a meeting of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said that the plan, which was finalized in the 2006 "two-plus-two" meeting, as it's called, is on track.
"Last year, we finalized a realignment roadmap to complete the most comprehensive set of adjustments to the American military posture in the region in more than a generation," Gates said. "Our Japanese partners assured us this week that they remain committed to the May 2006 realignment roadmap, as well as the broader alliance transformation agenda, as are we."
The realignment plan, signed last year by then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Fukushiro Nukaga, who was Japan's minister of state for defense, includes moving 8,000 U.S. Marines from the Japanese island of Okinawa to Guam, moving two U.S. air bases in Japan from urban to rural areas, and realigning the Japan Self-Defense Forces to complement the U.S. realignments.
Through a translator, Kyuma said that during today's meeting, the four leaders agreed that the realignment "will be implemented steadfastly." The leaders also agreed to enhance both nations' missile defense capabilities and strengthen information sharing, he said.
"We reaffirmed the importance of both countries working together toward alliance transformation, for not only the security of Japan, but also for peace and stability of the region as a whole," Kyuma said. "Building on this momentum, we are determined to step up our efforts to advance forces realignment and other related issues."
North Korea's 2006 missile and nuclear tests were a reminder of the potential threats Japan and the U.S. face and underscored today's meeting, Gates said. "In this context, our cooperation validated the previous investments we have made and the approaches we have taken to modernize and strengthen our alliance, while reminding us of the work that remains to be done," he said.
The four leaders also discussed the importance of strengthening ties to other countries, such as Australia, and achieving broader cooperation between Japan and NATO, Gates said. Aso noted that today's meeting also provided an opportunity for the U.S. leaders to reaffirm their commitment to defending Japan and deterring possible threats.
Rice said that this is the fourth such meeting she has attended, noting that they are useful "because they reflect the deep significance that the United States attaches to this important alliance, one that plays a vital role in the security and prosperity of Northeast Asia and, increasingly, in global security."
The two countries have made significant progress in fielding ballistic missile defense, Rice said, and the U.S. is committed to continued cooperation in the area of deterrence. "As I said in Tokyo last October, the United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range of deterrence and security commitments to Japan," she said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – U.S. and Japanese defense and diplomatic leaders today reaffirmed their commitment to realigning U.S. forces in Japan. Speaking to reporters here after a meeting of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said that the plan, which was finalized in the 2006 "two-plus-two" meeting, as it's called, is on track.
"Last year, we finalized a realignment roadmap to complete the most comprehensive set of adjustments to the American military posture in the region in more than a generation," Gates said. "Our Japanese partners assured us this week that they remain committed to the May 2006 realignment roadmap, as well as the broader alliance transformation agenda, as are we."
The realignment plan, signed last year by then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Fukushiro Nukaga, who was Japan's minister of state for defense, includes moving 8,000 U.S. Marines from the Japanese island of Okinawa to Guam, moving two U.S. air bases in Japan from urban to rural areas, and realigning the Japan Self-Defense Forces to complement the U.S. realignments.
Through a translator, Kyuma said that during today's meeting, the four leaders agreed that the realignment "will be implemented steadfastly." The leaders also agreed to enhance both nations' missile defense capabilities and strengthen information sharing, he said.
"We reaffirmed the importance of both countries working together toward alliance transformation, for not only the security of Japan, but also for peace and stability of the region as a whole," Kyuma said. "Building on this momentum, we are determined to step up our efforts to advance forces realignment and other related issues."
North Korea's 2006 missile and nuclear tests were a reminder of the potential threats Japan and the U.S. face and underscored today's meeting, Gates said. "In this context, our cooperation validated the previous investments we have made and the approaches we have taken to modernize and strengthen our alliance, while reminding us of the work that remains to be done," he said.
The four leaders also discussed the importance of strengthening ties to other countries, such as Australia, and achieving broader cooperation between Japan and NATO, Gates said. Aso noted that today's meeting also provided an opportunity for the U.S. leaders to reaffirm their commitment to defending Japan and deterring possible threats.
Rice said that this is the fourth such meeting she has attended, noting that they are useful "because they reflect the deep significance that the United States attaches to this important alliance, one that plays a vital role in the security and prosperity of Northeast Asia and, increasingly, in global security."
The two countries have made significant progress in fielding ballistic missile defense, Rice said, and the U.S. is committed to continued cooperation in the area of deterrence. "As I said in Tokyo last October, the United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range of deterrence and security commitments to Japan," she said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
New Concept Ensures Latest Technology Reach Warfighters Quickly
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – The F-22A Raptor fighter and RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle had barely finished their maiden flights and begun serving in the terror war when engineers, developers and testers here were already at work to improve on the capabilities of those aircraft. That concept, referred to as "incremental development," is moving the latest technology to the field in support of warfighters as soon as it's ready while next-generation evolutions are being developed.
"Our goal is to create the very, very best weapons systems we can and, once we ensure that they are safe and reliable, to get them to operators as quickly as we can," said Air Force Col. Chris Cook, commander of the 412th Operations Group.
Cook said the incremental development concept reminds him of a famous Gen. George S. Patton quote: "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."
"It puts capability into the warfighter hands as quickly as possible," Cook said. "It may not put the final solution in their hands, but it puts capability."
Two of the Air Force Flight Test Center's highest-visibility programs exemplify this effort.
When the Raptor, a fifth-generation fighter jet, left Langley Air Force Base, Va., in February for its first real-world deployment to the Middle East, Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Daetz, operations officer for the 411th Flight Test Squadron, was wowed by its power, maneuverability and stealth.
"This is a revolutionary airplane. It's a big leap from anything that we've ever had before," Daetz said. "But we're not finished with this airplane yet."
A chart in Daetz' office spells out four major incremental changes planned for the Raptor through 2014 that will make it more lethal and more precise in its targeting. Other advances on the avionics front will give crews unprecedented situational awareness.
"This plane is really in its infancy," Daetz said. "It will be around for decades and, to be honest, we probably haven't even thought yet about some of the capabilities it will eventually have."
Likewise for the Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial system that's providing wartime commanders unprecedented high-resolution, near-real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery. "It's like an electronic vacuum cleaner," Cook said.
The next-generation Global Hawk, already being tested here, will feature a bigger payload, larger wingspan and new generator able to provide more electrical output, explained Air Force Lt. Col. Andy Thurling, commander of the 452nd Flight Test Squadron. Among other improvements planned past 2010 for the Global Hawk are an enhanced sensor package and signal intelligence capability and improved communications and data links, he said.
While development testing continues, both the Raptor and Global Hawk are earning their stripes in the combat theater. Global Hawk has flown more than 2,200 combat hours and more than 100 missions in support of the war on terror.
By developing the new aircraft incrementally, developers say they're able to get the best new technologies to the field quickly to support the war on terror as they continue to improve them. Equally important, Cook said, is that it doesn't lock developers into systems that will be obsolete before they ever reach the field. "It lets us take advantage of maturing technologies and emerging technology as we develop the system," he said.
"If we have critical design review today and said, 'OK, that's it. The design is locked, and we are going to build it,'" it's going to be outdated when it's fielded, he said. "If, for example, it takes 15 years to build (the system), the computers and displays in that system are going to be what's on your desk right now," he said. "And what you have on your desk right now is not going to be acceptable to you 15 years from now."
Developing systems incrementally also ensures they can be adapted as they are built to fit current and sometimes-changing warfighter requirements, he said.
"And so incremental development allows us to take advantage of those emerging technologies and the developing and evolving technology as the timeline moves to the right," he said. "That way, we're able to fold and melt those capabilities into the system."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – The F-22A Raptor fighter and RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle had barely finished their maiden flights and begun serving in the terror war when engineers, developers and testers here were already at work to improve on the capabilities of those aircraft. That concept, referred to as "incremental development," is moving the latest technology to the field in support of warfighters as soon as it's ready while next-generation evolutions are being developed.
"Our goal is to create the very, very best weapons systems we can and, once we ensure that they are safe and reliable, to get them to operators as quickly as we can," said Air Force Col. Chris Cook, commander of the 412th Operations Group.
Cook said the incremental development concept reminds him of a famous Gen. George S. Patton quote: "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."
"It puts capability into the warfighter hands as quickly as possible," Cook said. "It may not put the final solution in their hands, but it puts capability."
Two of the Air Force Flight Test Center's highest-visibility programs exemplify this effort.
When the Raptor, a fifth-generation fighter jet, left Langley Air Force Base, Va., in February for its first real-world deployment to the Middle East, Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Daetz, operations officer for the 411th Flight Test Squadron, was wowed by its power, maneuverability and stealth.
"This is a revolutionary airplane. It's a big leap from anything that we've ever had before," Daetz said. "But we're not finished with this airplane yet."
A chart in Daetz' office spells out four major incremental changes planned for the Raptor through 2014 that will make it more lethal and more precise in its targeting. Other advances on the avionics front will give crews unprecedented situational awareness.
"This plane is really in its infancy," Daetz said. "It will be around for decades and, to be honest, we probably haven't even thought yet about some of the capabilities it will eventually have."
Likewise for the Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial system that's providing wartime commanders unprecedented high-resolution, near-real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery. "It's like an electronic vacuum cleaner," Cook said.
The next-generation Global Hawk, already being tested here, will feature a bigger payload, larger wingspan and new generator able to provide more electrical output, explained Air Force Lt. Col. Andy Thurling, commander of the 452nd Flight Test Squadron. Among other improvements planned past 2010 for the Global Hawk are an enhanced sensor package and signal intelligence capability and improved communications and data links, he said.
While development testing continues, both the Raptor and Global Hawk are earning their stripes in the combat theater. Global Hawk has flown more than 2,200 combat hours and more than 100 missions in support of the war on terror.
By developing the new aircraft incrementally, developers say they're able to get the best new technologies to the field quickly to support the war on terror as they continue to improve them. Equally important, Cook said, is that it doesn't lock developers into systems that will be obsolete before they ever reach the field. "It lets us take advantage of maturing technologies and emerging technology as we develop the system," he said.
"If we have critical design review today and said, 'OK, that's it. The design is locked, and we are going to build it,'" it's going to be outdated when it's fielded, he said. "If, for example, it takes 15 years to build (the system), the computers and displays in that system are going to be what's on your desk right now," he said. "And what you have on your desk right now is not going to be acceptable to you 15 years from now."
Developing systems incrementally also ensures they can be adapted as they are built to fit current and sometimes-changing warfighter requirements, he said.
"And so incremental development allows us to take advantage of those emerging technologies and the developing and evolving technology as the timeline moves to the right," he said. "That way, we're able to fold and melt those capabilities into the system."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Month of May Dedicated to Appreciating Servicemembers
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – In an effort to draw attention to the personal sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces and their families, Congress has designated May as National Military Appreciation Month. The congressional resolution, passed in 2004, states that the House and Senate "support the goals and objectives of a National Military Appreciation Month." It urges the president to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States, localities, organizations and media to annually observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
The months of May and June host a number of other patriotic commemorations, including Victory in Europe Day, Military Spouse Day, Loyalty Day, Armed Forces Week, Memorial Day, Flag Day and the observance of the Navy and Army birthdays.
A group of National Military Appreciation Month volunteers have been working for nine years to establish a month dedicated to the nation's active duty personnel including National Guard and Reserve troops, in addition to retirees and veterans. They are encouraging communities throughout the nation to participate in commemorative events.
"Our military has played a major role in the development of our country chronicled through their unbending honor, their dedication to duty and their love of country," the National Military Appreciation Month Web site states. "Federal, state and local governments and private sector entities are invited to participate in this special month and to encourage everyone to sponsor and participate in programs."
The Web site encourages citizens to draw attention and express appreciation to military families across the nation by engaging schools, civic organizations and businesses to organize events like visiting veterans hospitals, making trips to military memorials and museums, and decorating with patriotic themes.
The Defense Department is taking part in the month-long celebration with America Supports You, a DoD program highlighting the support of grassroots groups and corporate partners to the armed forces, co-hosting events throughout the nation.
The program will take part in events like the McDonald's Air & Sea Show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; the Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; and several NASCAR and Professional Golfers' Association events across the nation.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – In an effort to draw attention to the personal sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces and their families, Congress has designated May as National Military Appreciation Month. The congressional resolution, passed in 2004, states that the House and Senate "support the goals and objectives of a National Military Appreciation Month." It urges the president to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States, localities, organizations and media to annually observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
The months of May and June host a number of other patriotic commemorations, including Victory in Europe Day, Military Spouse Day, Loyalty Day, Armed Forces Week, Memorial Day, Flag Day and the observance of the Navy and Army birthdays.
A group of National Military Appreciation Month volunteers have been working for nine years to establish a month dedicated to the nation's active duty personnel including National Guard and Reserve troops, in addition to retirees and veterans. They are encouraging communities throughout the nation to participate in commemorative events.
"Our military has played a major role in the development of our country chronicled through their unbending honor, their dedication to duty and their love of country," the National Military Appreciation Month Web site states. "Federal, state and local governments and private sector entities are invited to participate in this special month and to encourage everyone to sponsor and participate in programs."
The Web site encourages citizens to draw attention and express appreciation to military families across the nation by engaging schools, civic organizations and businesses to organize events like visiting veterans hospitals, making trips to military memorials and museums, and decorating with patriotic themes.
The Defense Department is taking part in the month-long celebration with America Supports You, a DoD program highlighting the support of grassroots groups and corporate partners to the armed forces, co-hosting events throughout the nation.
The program will take part in events like the McDonald's Air & Sea Show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; the Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; and several NASCAR and Professional Golfers' Association events across the nation.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
U.S., Republic of Montenegro Sign Status of Forces Agreement
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – America's top diplomat and the president of the Republic of Montenegro today signed a status of forces agreement between the two countries during a ceremony at the U.S. State Department here. "The United States welcomes Montenegro as a friend and a partner, a partner in the increasing stability in the Balkans," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, with Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic at her side.
The United States and Montenegro, a country located in southeastern Europe, also are strengthening their bilateral military ties through the agreement, Rice added.
A status of forces agreement defines the legal status of U.S. military members and their property in the territory of another nation. Such agreements delineate rights and responsibilities between the U.S. and host governments regarding criminal and civil jurisdiction, tax and customs matters, entry and exit of personal property, and resolving damage claims. The United States maintains SOFAs with many nations worldwide.
"The status of forces agreement that President Vujanovic and I will sign establishes a basis for United States military personnel to operate in Montenegro for mutually agreed activities," Rice said before signing the document.
The agreement will enable the armed forces of the United States and Montenegro "to hold regular exchanges, training exercises and (engage in) other types of cooperation," Rice pointed out.
Vujanovic hailed the agreement as a symbol of his country's growing relationship with the United States.
"This signing of this agreement is a confirmation of the friendship between Montenegro and the United States and a major step towards enhancement of these relations," Vujanovic said through an interpreter.
The Montenegrin president also thanked the U.S. government and its citizens "for the assistance they have provided to Montenegro in building democratic institutions, in affirming democratic values, and in reforming our economy."
Montenegro's neighbor Serbia signed a status of forces agreement with the United States on Sept. 7, 2006.
Montenegro is about the size of Connecticut with a population of 630,000 citizens. During the Cold War, it was a satellite republic of then-Warsaw Pact member Yugoslavia. Montenegro adopted its constitution on Oct. 12, 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Montenegro undertook political partnership with Serbia until 1996, when Montenegro established its own economic system and adopted the Deutsch mark (since replaced by the Euro) as the national currency. Montenegro and Serbia reached a new cooperative agreement in 2002. Montenegrins voted for independence through a nationwide referendum on May 21, 2006.
Montenegro declared independence on June 3, 2006. The United Nations voted to admit Montenegro as a new member state on June 28, 2006. The United States established formal diplomatic relations with Montenegro on Aug. 15, 2006, and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld traveled there to meet with the country's leaders in September.
The United States maintains an embassy in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital city. Montenegro has a robust tourism industry, particularly along its coastline on the Adriatic Sea.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – America's top diplomat and the president of the Republic of Montenegro today signed a status of forces agreement between the two countries during a ceremony at the U.S. State Department here. "The United States welcomes Montenegro as a friend and a partner, a partner in the increasing stability in the Balkans," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, with Montenegro's President Filip Vujanovic at her side.
The United States and Montenegro, a country located in southeastern Europe, also are strengthening their bilateral military ties through the agreement, Rice added.
A status of forces agreement defines the legal status of U.S. military members and their property in the territory of another nation. Such agreements delineate rights and responsibilities between the U.S. and host governments regarding criminal and civil jurisdiction, tax and customs matters, entry and exit of personal property, and resolving damage claims. The United States maintains SOFAs with many nations worldwide.
"The status of forces agreement that President Vujanovic and I will sign establishes a basis for United States military personnel to operate in Montenegro for mutually agreed activities," Rice said before signing the document.
The agreement will enable the armed forces of the United States and Montenegro "to hold regular exchanges, training exercises and (engage in) other types of cooperation," Rice pointed out.
Vujanovic hailed the agreement as a symbol of his country's growing relationship with the United States.
"This signing of this agreement is a confirmation of the friendship between Montenegro and the United States and a major step towards enhancement of these relations," Vujanovic said through an interpreter.
The Montenegrin president also thanked the U.S. government and its citizens "for the assistance they have provided to Montenegro in building democratic institutions, in affirming democratic values, and in reforming our economy."
Montenegro's neighbor Serbia signed a status of forces agreement with the United States on Sept. 7, 2006.
Montenegro is about the size of Connecticut with a population of 630,000 citizens. During the Cold War, it was a satellite republic of then-Warsaw Pact member Yugoslavia. Montenegro adopted its constitution on Oct. 12, 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Montenegro undertook political partnership with Serbia until 1996, when Montenegro established its own economic system and adopted the Deutsch mark (since replaced by the Euro) as the national currency. Montenegro and Serbia reached a new cooperative agreement in 2002. Montenegrins voted for independence through a nationwide referendum on May 21, 2006.
Montenegro declared independence on June 3, 2006. The United Nations voted to admit Montenegro as a new member state on June 28, 2006. The United States established formal diplomatic relations with Montenegro on Aug. 15, 2006, and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld traveled there to meet with the country's leaders in September.
The United States maintains an embassy in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital city. Montenegro has a robust tourism industry, particularly along its coastline on the Adriatic Sea.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
NFL, eKnowledge Tackle College Entrance Exams
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – The Montgomery G.I. bill pays servicemembers' and their dependents' tuition at institutes of higher learning, but it doesn't help them gain admission to school. To give college-bound members of military families a leg-up, eKnowledge Corporation, which supplies interactive test-preparation products for college entrance exams, teamed with a group of NFL players and donated $6.9 million worth of multimedia SAT/ACT preparation materials to servicemembers and their families in 2006. In 2007, the partnership will boost its commitment to $10 million.
"I learned that (some) kids who served on active duty and combat zones were taking the SAT and ACT exams and they weren't scoring very well," Charlie Beall, CEO of eKnowledge and a former Marine infantry officer, said in an interview.
"The principal reason is because they were trying to take these college entrance exams without thorough preparation," he said.
SAT and ACT exam scores often weigh heavily in college admission judgments and can tip the scales toward an applicant's acceptance or rejection. To prepare for the critical exam, prospective students have several options, Beall said.
"You can pay $30 and try to study from a 3-inch thick manual, which is an extremely difficult thing to do, or you can enroll in a classroom test-preparation program for about $1,000," he said.
A third option is to take DVD- & CD-based premium test preparation courses like eKnowledge's, which costs $300, or other similar products with price tags that reach upwards of $600. "Virtually none of these military kids were using premium test preparation products because they couldn't afford them," Beall said.
"The vast majority of our military servicemembers serve several years, then transition back into civilian life," he said. "We demonstrate our value for the sacrifice they make for our country by supporting them in that transition."
Servicemembers interested in receiving free eKnowledge products can complete an online request form at www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil by following the link to "Donation: VSG/NFL Players." Requests can also be made by calling eKnowledge at 951-256-4076 or via e-mail at support@eknowledge.com.
When seven NFL players - Mark Anderson, Chicago Bears; Jon Bradley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Scott Young, Philadelphia Eagles; Garrick Jones, Atlanta Falcons; Corey Williams, Green Bay Packers; Jason Radar, Miami Dolphins; and Ahmaad Galloway, San Diego Chargers -- heard about eKnowledge's plan to donate study materials, they jumped at the chance to support servicemembers and their families. The players were unavailable for comment because of team commitments during the NFL "draft season."
After donating 48,000 test preparation CDs & DVDs, eKnowledge and the NFL received about 20,000 notes from satisfied test-takers, thanking the partnership for its contribution. One thank you note was sent from a servicemember stationed in Africa.
"As a military parent residing in Kenya, I truly appreciate the opportunity to obtain these products for my daughter who attends the international school here," Air Force Maj. Douglas McClain wrote. "This program will guarantee that she has current material to prepare for the SAT and ACT. Thanks from an Air Force Major who is trying to serve his country and also take care of his family."
Beall said servicemembers and their dependents can receive test prep materials no matter "where they are on the globe" -- from Baghdad's International Zone to a ship floating in the Pacific Ocean.
"One of the wonderful things about our products is that because they're multimedia (and) Web-based, we can send a DVD to a military servicemember anywhere in the world," he said. "It allows the person to study at their own pace on their own time."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – The Montgomery G.I. bill pays servicemembers' and their dependents' tuition at institutes of higher learning, but it doesn't help them gain admission to school. To give college-bound members of military families a leg-up, eKnowledge Corporation, which supplies interactive test-preparation products for college entrance exams, teamed with a group of NFL players and donated $6.9 million worth of multimedia SAT/ACT preparation materials to servicemembers and their families in 2006. In 2007, the partnership will boost its commitment to $10 million.
"I learned that (some) kids who served on active duty and combat zones were taking the SAT and ACT exams and they weren't scoring very well," Charlie Beall, CEO of eKnowledge and a former Marine infantry officer, said in an interview.
"The principal reason is because they were trying to take these college entrance exams without thorough preparation," he said.
SAT and ACT exam scores often weigh heavily in college admission judgments and can tip the scales toward an applicant's acceptance or rejection. To prepare for the critical exam, prospective students have several options, Beall said.
"You can pay $30 and try to study from a 3-inch thick manual, which is an extremely difficult thing to do, or you can enroll in a classroom test-preparation program for about $1,000," he said.
A third option is to take DVD- & CD-based premium test preparation courses like eKnowledge's, which costs $300, or other similar products with price tags that reach upwards of $600. "Virtually none of these military kids were using premium test preparation products because they couldn't afford them," Beall said.
"The vast majority of our military servicemembers serve several years, then transition back into civilian life," he said. "We demonstrate our value for the sacrifice they make for our country by supporting them in that transition."
Servicemembers interested in receiving free eKnowledge products can complete an online request form at www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil by following the link to "Donation: VSG/NFL Players." Requests can also be made by calling eKnowledge at 951-256-4076 or via e-mail at support@eknowledge.com.
When seven NFL players - Mark Anderson, Chicago Bears; Jon Bradley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Scott Young, Philadelphia Eagles; Garrick Jones, Atlanta Falcons; Corey Williams, Green Bay Packers; Jason Radar, Miami Dolphins; and Ahmaad Galloway, San Diego Chargers -- heard about eKnowledge's plan to donate study materials, they jumped at the chance to support servicemembers and their families. The players were unavailable for comment because of team commitments during the NFL "draft season."
After donating 48,000 test preparation CDs & DVDs, eKnowledge and the NFL received about 20,000 notes from satisfied test-takers, thanking the partnership for its contribution. One thank you note was sent from a servicemember stationed in Africa.
"As a military parent residing in Kenya, I truly appreciate the opportunity to obtain these products for my daughter who attends the international school here," Air Force Maj. Douglas McClain wrote. "This program will guarantee that she has current material to prepare for the SAT and ACT. Thanks from an Air Force Major who is trying to serve his country and also take care of his family."
Beall said servicemembers and their dependents can receive test prep materials no matter "where they are on the globe" -- from Baghdad's International Zone to a ship floating in the Pacific Ocean.
"One of the wonderful things about our products is that because they're multimedia (and) Web-based, we can send a DVD to a military servicemember anywhere in the world," he said. "It allows the person to study at their own pace on their own time."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Civilian Leaders Impressed With Servicemembers' Role Overseas
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – After traveling nearly 18,000 miles to see the young men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Southwest Asia, members of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference 73 have come away from the experience with a heightened respect for those who are serving the nation. The 45 participants were civic and business leaders from around the country who covered their own expenses to join in the Defense Department's oldest public affairs program by visiting servicemembers from each branch to learn more about the military's role in operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
The weeklong tour began at the military's headquarters at the Pentagon before moving on to Djibouti, Bahrain, Kuwait and other bases in Southwest Asia, including a visit to the USS Dwight. D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf.
"I hope that this trip will expand the way you view liberty and freedom," said JCOC co-host Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, at the start of the trip. "(The war on terror) is not just a military solution; it's broader than that. It's also an economic, intelligence and coalition solution."
During their whirlwind trip, participants heard from both the most senior military leaders at each location and individual troops who are carrying out the nation's mission. They had the chance to fire weapons, ride in Humvees, land on a naval aircraft carrier, and experience a little of the training servicemembers go through in preparation for deployments.
They were also given briefings on how the United States is working with allies to bring security and stability to countries in an effort to help build economic and governmental independence.
The majority of the trip's participants had little to no previous interaction with the U.S. military, and while they are leaders from a variety of backgrounds -- finance, sports, entertainment, political, academic and business industries -- they all said they wanted a better context of the nation's role in the Middle East.
"The knowledge one gains from being an alert reader from media and books doesn't compare with the immersion experience we've had over the past week," said Ann Brownwell Sloane, who is the chief executive officer and owner of Sloane and Hinshaw, Inc., a company that provides planning, administrative and counseling services to U.S. and overseas grant-making foundations and individual philanthropists. "I wish everyone could have this experience," she said.
Sloane said she feels that most Americans haven't taken on any burden of this war. "I find it dismaying that people will walk away from their television sets because they aren't connecting with the messages of the leadership on our role (in the Middle East)," she said.
JCOC participant John Turner, an associate with the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, said the trip has given him a different perspective on the U.S. military's role in the region.
"I am impressed with the way information has been integrated into the modern military," he said. "It also makes me understand the agenda of the governments in the region a little better."
Turner works with major media companies in the Middle East and Europe. Through an International Affairs Fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations, he has also worked with the State Department on economic, political and educational reform in the Middle East.
"We have gotten a lot of context from this trip," Turner said. "Now when we read these stories in the media, we'll better understand the peripheral and cultural impacts on the area."
The U.S. military has been using the research from JCOC participant Amy Coen's organization, Population Action International, in its leadership schools to better understand the impact of age, poverty levels and education on urbanization and civil conflict between nations.
Coen said she wanted to participate in the trip to gain more insight into how the military is working with societies to develop better governance, security and growth strategies in underdeveloped countries.
"I think the military understands the importance of developing friendships to create environments for positive change," she said.
Coen said she was deeply touched by the bravery, commitment and patriotism of soldiers on the ground. "I had no idea how hard this job was and miserable it is, in terms of heat and fear," she said after going through a convoy exercise where soldiers train on detecting improvised explosive devices. "To have to daily go through these physical and psychological demands; I'm utterly impressed with our military."
Other trip participants were equally affected by the dedication of the young men and women serving so far from home. Many formed personal friendships with troops and were moved to tears when interacting with them on an individual basis.
Wal-mart Foundation Community Program Development Manager Kathleen Cox has worked on numerous military outreach programs since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to communicate her company's dedication and support of the U.S. military. However, she said she didn't realize how much the trip would touch her on a personal level.
Although she came on the trip armed with hundreds of phone cards to pass out to all troops with whom she interacted, she also had the opportunity to interact with National Guard troops from near her hometown of Bentonville, Ark.
"They were so thankful for the phone cards, but the words of thanks and hugs from us meant so much more to them," she said. "Even though we weren't able to see each and every soldier, I hope the message will get to others about how much we appreciate what they're doing over here."
Oklahoma Secretary of State Susan Savage said she was in awe throughout the trip.
"It never dawned on me that my visit could boost the morale of these troops," she said. "This was the best experience."
Whenever Savage would learn that servicemembers in an area were from her home state, she would take the time to seek them out and get information so that she could get in touch with their families once she got back home.
"You guys are inspirational. It's great to come out here and learn what you are doing so far from home," Savage told Army Spc. Dustin Ackerman, a Tulsa, Okla., native, when she met him on a training range in Kuwait.
Ackerman also had the opportunity to interact with the President of Fat Brain Toy Company, John Batcher. The soldier had recently placed an order for kites from the company to be shipped to Kuwait. When he saw Batcher's name on the list of visitors to the area, he left a letter for Batcher telling him who he was. Batcher worked with leaders in the area to meet Ackerman. He and the soldier flew one of the kites together on the training range.
"This has made my year right here," Ackerman said after meeting Batcher and Savage.
"That's what JCOC is all about," Batcher said. "It's to make soldiers feel good and let them know we support them."
Batcher also took down the names of soldiers' children throughout the trip so he could send them toys from his company as a show of appreciation for their service to the nation.
The JCOC trip has other participants brainstorming on what they can do to show support for America's men and women in the armed forces.
Kelli Johnson, president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises, an engineering and manufacturing firm in Torrance, Calif., said that she and other participants are planning to come together to do something "meaningful" in support of the nation's military.
"It's our obligation," she said. "We're not exactly sure what that is at the moment, but how can we say, 'We're here for you and support you' but then go back home and do nothing?"
"I am so incredibly impressed with this entire trip," Johnson said. "I am humbled, inspired and proud of our troops. They make me proud to be an American."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – After traveling nearly 18,000 miles to see the young men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Southwest Asia, members of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference 73 have come away from the experience with a heightened respect for those who are serving the nation. The 45 participants were civic and business leaders from around the country who covered their own expenses to join in the Defense Department's oldest public affairs program by visiting servicemembers from each branch to learn more about the military's role in operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
The weeklong tour began at the military's headquarters at the Pentagon before moving on to Djibouti, Bahrain, Kuwait and other bases in Southwest Asia, including a visit to the USS Dwight. D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf.
"I hope that this trip will expand the way you view liberty and freedom," said JCOC co-host Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, at the start of the trip. "(The war on terror) is not just a military solution; it's broader than that. It's also an economic, intelligence and coalition solution."
During their whirlwind trip, participants heard from both the most senior military leaders at each location and individual troops who are carrying out the nation's mission. They had the chance to fire weapons, ride in Humvees, land on a naval aircraft carrier, and experience a little of the training servicemembers go through in preparation for deployments.
They were also given briefings on how the United States is working with allies to bring security and stability to countries in an effort to help build economic and governmental independence.
The majority of the trip's participants had little to no previous interaction with the U.S. military, and while they are leaders from a variety of backgrounds -- finance, sports, entertainment, political, academic and business industries -- they all said they wanted a better context of the nation's role in the Middle East.
"The knowledge one gains from being an alert reader from media and books doesn't compare with the immersion experience we've had over the past week," said Ann Brownwell Sloane, who is the chief executive officer and owner of Sloane and Hinshaw, Inc., a company that provides planning, administrative and counseling services to U.S. and overseas grant-making foundations and individual philanthropists. "I wish everyone could have this experience," she said.
Sloane said she feels that most Americans haven't taken on any burden of this war. "I find it dismaying that people will walk away from their television sets because they aren't connecting with the messages of the leadership on our role (in the Middle East)," she said.
JCOC participant John Turner, an associate with the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, said the trip has given him a different perspective on the U.S. military's role in the region.
"I am impressed with the way information has been integrated into the modern military," he said. "It also makes me understand the agenda of the governments in the region a little better."
Turner works with major media companies in the Middle East and Europe. Through an International Affairs Fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations, he has also worked with the State Department on economic, political and educational reform in the Middle East.
"We have gotten a lot of context from this trip," Turner said. "Now when we read these stories in the media, we'll better understand the peripheral and cultural impacts on the area."
The U.S. military has been using the research from JCOC participant Amy Coen's organization, Population Action International, in its leadership schools to better understand the impact of age, poverty levels and education on urbanization and civil conflict between nations.
Coen said she wanted to participate in the trip to gain more insight into how the military is working with societies to develop better governance, security and growth strategies in underdeveloped countries.
"I think the military understands the importance of developing friendships to create environments for positive change," she said.
Coen said she was deeply touched by the bravery, commitment and patriotism of soldiers on the ground. "I had no idea how hard this job was and miserable it is, in terms of heat and fear," she said after going through a convoy exercise where soldiers train on detecting improvised explosive devices. "To have to daily go through these physical and psychological demands; I'm utterly impressed with our military."
Other trip participants were equally affected by the dedication of the young men and women serving so far from home. Many formed personal friendships with troops and were moved to tears when interacting with them on an individual basis.
Wal-mart Foundation Community Program Development Manager Kathleen Cox has worked on numerous military outreach programs since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to communicate her company's dedication and support of the U.S. military. However, she said she didn't realize how much the trip would touch her on a personal level.
Although she came on the trip armed with hundreds of phone cards to pass out to all troops with whom she interacted, she also had the opportunity to interact with National Guard troops from near her hometown of Bentonville, Ark.
"They were so thankful for the phone cards, but the words of thanks and hugs from us meant so much more to them," she said. "Even though we weren't able to see each and every soldier, I hope the message will get to others about how much we appreciate what they're doing over here."
Oklahoma Secretary of State Susan Savage said she was in awe throughout the trip.
"It never dawned on me that my visit could boost the morale of these troops," she said. "This was the best experience."
Whenever Savage would learn that servicemembers in an area were from her home state, she would take the time to seek them out and get information so that she could get in touch with their families once she got back home.
"You guys are inspirational. It's great to come out here and learn what you are doing so far from home," Savage told Army Spc. Dustin Ackerman, a Tulsa, Okla., native, when she met him on a training range in Kuwait.
Ackerman also had the opportunity to interact with the President of Fat Brain Toy Company, John Batcher. The soldier had recently placed an order for kites from the company to be shipped to Kuwait. When he saw Batcher's name on the list of visitors to the area, he left a letter for Batcher telling him who he was. Batcher worked with leaders in the area to meet Ackerman. He and the soldier flew one of the kites together on the training range.
"This has made my year right here," Ackerman said after meeting Batcher and Savage.
"That's what JCOC is all about," Batcher said. "It's to make soldiers feel good and let them know we support them."
Batcher also took down the names of soldiers' children throughout the trip so he could send them toys from his company as a show of appreciation for their service to the nation.
The JCOC trip has other participants brainstorming on what they can do to show support for America's men and women in the armed forces.
Kelli Johnson, president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises, an engineering and manufacturing firm in Torrance, Calif., said that she and other participants are planning to come together to do something "meaningful" in support of the nation's military.
"It's our obligation," she said. "We're not exactly sure what that is at the moment, but how can we say, 'We're here for you and support you' but then go back home and do nothing?"
"I am so incredibly impressed with this entire trip," Johnson said. "I am humbled, inspired and proud of our troops. They make me proud to be an American."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Heidelberg Soldiers Taste Test New MREs
By Juan R. Melendez Jr.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Soldiers here recently tested two new rations being fielded for servicemembers this year: an on-the-go compact ration based on pocket sandwiches, and a kind of kitchen-in-a-box that prepares hot meals for 18 people with just the pull of a tab. Representatives of the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center at Natick, Mass., visited the Heidelberg garrison dining facility on April 27, presenting new rations and the latest improved versions of Meals, Ready to Eat.
"All of our rations are warfighter recommended, warfighter tested and warfighter approved," said Department of Defense combat feeding program integrator Kathy-Lynn Evangelos.
The stars of the demonstration were the compact First Strike Ration and the Unitized Group Ration-Express, a portable, easy way to prepare a hot meal in the field without kitchen equipment.
The First Strike Ration is a small package meant to substitute for three MREs. It has fewer calories (about 3,000 versus the three MREs' 3,900) but is more compact. Better yet, it needs no water for preparation other than that which is added to the beverage mix.
The meals themselves are in the form of pocket sandwiches, to be eaten by hand with minimum fuss. Evangelos calls it the "assault ration."
"This is great for soldiers on the go," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Danley, 5th Corps' senior food service sergeant, who was at the dining facility to render a professional opinion.
"For scouts, space is always a problem," said Danley, who once supported a reconnaissance unit in Hawaii. They have to be as self-contained as possible, he added, "because when they move out of the (forward operating base) they don't come back." Typically, soldiers get ready by field-stripping their MREs for minimum bulk by removing unwanted items.
Danley foresees crews loading up on the First Strike Rations and perhaps one of the group rations before they move out. A busy soldier on the move, he said, can just reach into his FSR pack, pull out and eat the meal, and "no problem."
When things calm down enough to allow a more leisurely meal, the troops can pull out the Unitized Group Ration-Express, or as Evangelos calls it, the "kitchen in a carton."
The UGR-E packs into a surprisingly compact carton. To heat the meal, a soldier merely opens the box, then, without removing anything, pulls a tab that releases a salt water solution that reacts chemically to heat the four trays of food in about 35 minutes.
That releases a cloud of steam and some hydrogen gas. "Naturally," Evangelos said, "you aren't going to be doing this in an enclosed area."
The box contains everything needed for 18 meals, including trays, a trash bag and serving utensils.
"I think some of these are going to end up back at the dining facility," Heidelberg garrison food service officer Christopher B. Jenkins said admiringly, as he hefted one of the hard plastic serving spoons.
"This is great," Jenkins said about the UGR-E concept. "No cooks, no kitchen equipment, and it tastes good."
"I hope this doesn't mean we're out of a job," he added with a grin.
Jenkins knows from personal experience how hard it can be to get hot meals to soldiers in the field. While at Fort Drum, N.Y., he supported the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, but when the troops went to the field, food would end up going to waste "because they were always moving."
Also being presented at the Heidelberg demonstration were 13 new MRE items, which included items approved up to fiscal year 2009. Every year, three to five items in the 24-menu MRE range are changed.
"Variety is very important to the warfighter," Evangelos said, adding that soldiers get bored eating the same thing day in and day out, so it's important to give them choices.
Danley gave a thumbs-up to the new MREs he tasted at the presentation, and looked forward to their being fielded.
It wasn't just U.S. soldiers who tried the MREs. Czech Sgt. 1st Class Tomas Teterka, assigned to the NATO element on Patton Barracks, said he particularly liked "the one with beef."
His countryman, Sgt. Peter Polansky, didn't join in the tasting, but has eaten American MREs in field exercises. "They're certainly better than ours," he said.
(Juan R. Melendez Jr. is assigned to USAG Heidelberg Public Affairs.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Soldiers here recently tested two new rations being fielded for servicemembers this year: an on-the-go compact ration based on pocket sandwiches, and a kind of kitchen-in-a-box that prepares hot meals for 18 people with just the pull of a tab. Representatives of the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center at Natick, Mass., visited the Heidelberg garrison dining facility on April 27, presenting new rations and the latest improved versions of Meals, Ready to Eat.
"All of our rations are warfighter recommended, warfighter tested and warfighter approved," said Department of Defense combat feeding program integrator Kathy-Lynn Evangelos.
The stars of the demonstration were the compact First Strike Ration and the Unitized Group Ration-Express, a portable, easy way to prepare a hot meal in the field without kitchen equipment.
The First Strike Ration is a small package meant to substitute for three MREs. It has fewer calories (about 3,000 versus the three MREs' 3,900) but is more compact. Better yet, it needs no water for preparation other than that which is added to the beverage mix.
The meals themselves are in the form of pocket sandwiches, to be eaten by hand with minimum fuss. Evangelos calls it the "assault ration."
"This is great for soldiers on the go," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Danley, 5th Corps' senior food service sergeant, who was at the dining facility to render a professional opinion.
"For scouts, space is always a problem," said Danley, who once supported a reconnaissance unit in Hawaii. They have to be as self-contained as possible, he added, "because when they move out of the (forward operating base) they don't come back." Typically, soldiers get ready by field-stripping their MREs for minimum bulk by removing unwanted items.
Danley foresees crews loading up on the First Strike Rations and perhaps one of the group rations before they move out. A busy soldier on the move, he said, can just reach into his FSR pack, pull out and eat the meal, and "no problem."
When things calm down enough to allow a more leisurely meal, the troops can pull out the Unitized Group Ration-Express, or as Evangelos calls it, the "kitchen in a carton."
The UGR-E packs into a surprisingly compact carton. To heat the meal, a soldier merely opens the box, then, without removing anything, pulls a tab that releases a salt water solution that reacts chemically to heat the four trays of food in about 35 minutes.
That releases a cloud of steam and some hydrogen gas. "Naturally," Evangelos said, "you aren't going to be doing this in an enclosed area."
The box contains everything needed for 18 meals, including trays, a trash bag and serving utensils.
"I think some of these are going to end up back at the dining facility," Heidelberg garrison food service officer Christopher B. Jenkins said admiringly, as he hefted one of the hard plastic serving spoons.
"This is great," Jenkins said about the UGR-E concept. "No cooks, no kitchen equipment, and it tastes good."
"I hope this doesn't mean we're out of a job," he added with a grin.
Jenkins knows from personal experience how hard it can be to get hot meals to soldiers in the field. While at Fort Drum, N.Y., he supported the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, but when the troops went to the field, food would end up going to waste "because they were always moving."
Also being presented at the Heidelberg demonstration were 13 new MRE items, which included items approved up to fiscal year 2009. Every year, three to five items in the 24-menu MRE range are changed.
"Variety is very important to the warfighter," Evangelos said, adding that soldiers get bored eating the same thing day in and day out, so it's important to give them choices.
Danley gave a thumbs-up to the new MREs he tasted at the presentation, and looked forward to their being fielded.
It wasn't just U.S. soldiers who tried the MREs. Czech Sgt. 1st Class Tomas Teterka, assigned to the NATO element on Patton Barracks, said he particularly liked "the one with beef."
His countryman, Sgt. Peter Polansky, didn't join in the tasting, but has eaten American MREs in field exercises. "They're certainly better than ours," he said.
(Juan R. Melendez Jr. is assigned to USAG Heidelberg Public Affairs.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Three Army Wives Find Ways to Cope with Deployments
By Megan Han
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Being an Army wife can be difficult. Being an Army wife at the 10th Mountain Division's Fort Drum can be even more challenging, since the 10th is one of the Army's most deployed divisions. Of the three brigades at Fort Drum, one can usually assume that two are deployed simultaneously while the other is vigorously training and planning for an impending deployment.
Being an Army wife is a job in itself. Deployments prove challenging and Army wives meet the task of holding the family together, standing by their husbands, and managing the myriad routine responsibilities of everyday living, such as home and auto maintenance.
Most Army wives will tell you that it's friends, family, faith and fun that gets them through the multiple deployments. Roanne Speedie, for example, has found a fun and creative diversion to help her through deployments.
Speedie is a quilter, and her craft has helped her get through the seven deployments that she and her husband Rick, a soldier with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry regiment, have endured during their 13 years of marriage.
Speedie first became interested in quilting when she was in college, dabbled in it when she and Rick moved to Fort Polk, La., but her hobby really took off when they arrived at Fort Drum in November 2002. Rick has deployed twice since then, so she feels fortunate to have such a close-knit group of friends in the Fort Drum quilt guild.
"Rick came home from work one day and said 'Captain Oscar's wife is a quilter and belongs to a quilt group on post; you should give her a call,'" Speedie said. "Once I got past the 'How the heck did that conversation start?' reaction, I was excited about meeting some other quilters."
Speedie went on to say the "quilt guild here on post is made up of ladies that are spouses of active-duty soldiers, active-duty soldiers - yep, we have a couple of those -- retirees from the military, and Defense Department civilian employees."
The quilters represent a wide age range and skill level, but they enjoy getting together to quilt, share quilting advice and talk about child care, deployments and their spouses.
"Some of us jokingly call it our monthly therapy session," Speedie said. "It's the one time a month that some of the ladies have just to themselves, for their own enjoyment. It also gives us a way to give back to the Fort Drum community while doing something we love. And, while you're busy with your project, you aren't constantly thinking, 'Is he all right?'"
Carrie Murray turns to her faith for guidance and strength throughout deployments. Murray's husband, Larry, is a soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, and they have weathered five deployments in the 14 years they have been married. Three of those deployments have been with units out of Fort Drum.
"Reading my Bible daily helps immensely. I feel like God is talking to me during my devotions," Murray explained.
The Murrays have two children, so Carrie also fills her time planning activities for their kids and keeps Larry informed of their many goings-on by sending him weekly e-mails. She said that "helps me feel like he isn't so far away... he is able to know exactly what we are doing here and he stays connected."
Along with planning activities to get through the deployment, Murray also helps her children focus on the fun things they will get to do when Larry comes home. They have even developed a new word in their vocabulary: 'whendaddycomeshome.'
"That's all one word because it's now a word in our house," she said.
Murray and her children pray together for Larry as well. She feels that is one of the best ways for her to show support for her children while their dad is away.
"We pray for Larry's safety daily," she said. "Prayer is amazing, because you can do it. Worrying is an idle activity, while prayer is an active activity."
Some wives go home to be with their friends and families during deployments. Leigh Niven is one such wife. She moved back to Chicago, Ill., when her husband deployed in March 2006.
Niven and her husband, Brian, a soldier with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, are currently experiencing their second deployment since being assigned to Fort Drum in February 2004.
Brian and Leigh quickly learned what life would be like as a married couple in the Army at Fort Drum.
"I realized very quickly what life would be like with an Army man. Five days after we married, Brian left for his first tour to Iraq," Niven said.
"We have been married for three years (now)," she said. "Two of those years, Brian was deployed. The year he was home was full of training and courses around the country. We have spent a total of approximately six to seven months together."
Niven said she feels fortunate to be with her family and have so many friends from home close by. Yet she finds her greatest support from Fort Drum friends, with whom she is in frequent contact.
"The best support I've received is from my fellow Army wives," she said. "There is no one else in the world who can understand the pain and stresses of these deployments. Whenever I need to vent, cry, complain, I just call one of my Army wife friends. I know I can always count on them."
Although all Army wives handle deployments differently, they all have one thing in common. Each wife said she has her own individual way of keeping busy and facing each day with her head up, ready to take on the challenge.
Niven summed it up well by saying, "I have learned how to deal with emotional pain and stress in ways that I never knew I could. To be an Army wife is something really special. This job is not for just anyone. Army wives are one of a kind."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Being an Army wife can be difficult. Being an Army wife at the 10th Mountain Division's Fort Drum can be even more challenging, since the 10th is one of the Army's most deployed divisions. Of the three brigades at Fort Drum, one can usually assume that two are deployed simultaneously while the other is vigorously training and planning for an impending deployment.
Being an Army wife is a job in itself. Deployments prove challenging and Army wives meet the task of holding the family together, standing by their husbands, and managing the myriad routine responsibilities of everyday living, such as home and auto maintenance.
Most Army wives will tell you that it's friends, family, faith and fun that gets them through the multiple deployments. Roanne Speedie, for example, has found a fun and creative diversion to help her through deployments.
Speedie is a quilter, and her craft has helped her get through the seven deployments that she and her husband Rick, a soldier with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry regiment, have endured during their 13 years of marriage.
Speedie first became interested in quilting when she was in college, dabbled in it when she and Rick moved to Fort Polk, La., but her hobby really took off when they arrived at Fort Drum in November 2002. Rick has deployed twice since then, so she feels fortunate to have such a close-knit group of friends in the Fort Drum quilt guild.
"Rick came home from work one day and said 'Captain Oscar's wife is a quilter and belongs to a quilt group on post; you should give her a call,'" Speedie said. "Once I got past the 'How the heck did that conversation start?' reaction, I was excited about meeting some other quilters."
Speedie went on to say the "quilt guild here on post is made up of ladies that are spouses of active-duty soldiers, active-duty soldiers - yep, we have a couple of those -- retirees from the military, and Defense Department civilian employees."
The quilters represent a wide age range and skill level, but they enjoy getting together to quilt, share quilting advice and talk about child care, deployments and their spouses.
"Some of us jokingly call it our monthly therapy session," Speedie said. "It's the one time a month that some of the ladies have just to themselves, for their own enjoyment. It also gives us a way to give back to the Fort Drum community while doing something we love. And, while you're busy with your project, you aren't constantly thinking, 'Is he all right?'"
Carrie Murray turns to her faith for guidance and strength throughout deployments. Murray's husband, Larry, is a soldier with the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, and they have weathered five deployments in the 14 years they have been married. Three of those deployments have been with units out of Fort Drum.
"Reading my Bible daily helps immensely. I feel like God is talking to me during my devotions," Murray explained.
The Murrays have two children, so Carrie also fills her time planning activities for their kids and keeps Larry informed of their many goings-on by sending him weekly e-mails. She said that "helps me feel like he isn't so far away... he is able to know exactly what we are doing here and he stays connected."
Along with planning activities to get through the deployment, Murray also helps her children focus on the fun things they will get to do when Larry comes home. They have even developed a new word in their vocabulary: 'whendaddycomeshome.'
"That's all one word because it's now a word in our house," she said.
Murray and her children pray together for Larry as well. She feels that is one of the best ways for her to show support for her children while their dad is away.
"We pray for Larry's safety daily," she said. "Prayer is amazing, because you can do it. Worrying is an idle activity, while prayer is an active activity."
Some wives go home to be with their friends and families during deployments. Leigh Niven is one such wife. She moved back to Chicago, Ill., when her husband deployed in March 2006.
Niven and her husband, Brian, a soldier with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, are currently experiencing their second deployment since being assigned to Fort Drum in February 2004.
Brian and Leigh quickly learned what life would be like as a married couple in the Army at Fort Drum.
"I realized very quickly what life would be like with an Army man. Five days after we married, Brian left for his first tour to Iraq," Niven said.
"We have been married for three years (now)," she said. "Two of those years, Brian was deployed. The year he was home was full of training and courses around the country. We have spent a total of approximately six to seven months together."
Niven said she feels fortunate to be with her family and have so many friends from home close by. Yet she finds her greatest support from Fort Drum friends, with whom she is in frequent contact.
"The best support I've received is from my fellow Army wives," she said. "There is no one else in the world who can understand the pain and stresses of these deployments. Whenever I need to vent, cry, complain, I just call one of my Army wife friends. I know I can always count on them."
Although all Army wives handle deployments differently, they all have one thing in common. Each wife said she has her own individual way of keeping busy and facing each day with her head up, ready to take on the challenge.
Niven summed it up well by saying, "I have learned how to deal with emotional pain and stress in ways that I never knew I could. To be an Army wife is something really special. This job is not for just anyone. Army wives are one of a kind."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Exercise Tests Hurricane-Response Plans in Northeastern U.S.
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – National Guard members today commenced a hurricane emergency preparedness and response exercise involving five states in the northeastern United States, a National Guard Bureau spokesman said. Code-named HURREX, the 11-day, command-post exercise involves Guard members from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, National Guard spokesman Emanuel Pacheco told American Forces Press Service today. The exercise, he said, is part of the larger Operation Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge 2007, which also starts today.
"This exercise is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the National Guard as the first military responder to any state crisis," Pacheco said.
A major focus of Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge 2007 is to test crisis-response coordination between federally controlled military forces and National Guard units, which come under the command of state governors, Peter F. Verga, acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, said during an April 25 interview.
HURREX also tests Guard units' interaction and coordination capabilities with federal disaster-management organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Air National Guard Maj. Philip Nizoloski said today during a phone interview from Quonset State Airport, R.I. Operation Vigilant Guard is the Guard's contribution to the Ardent Sentry and HURREX exercises, he said.
The exercise scenario involves a fictitious Category 3 storm, "Hurricane Yvette," hitting Newport, R.I., Nizoloski said. The tabletop exercise will gauge the effectiveness of state, local and federal agencies' planning and coordinated response to such a catastrophe, he said.
"We're training the command staff and subordinate leaders basically to successfully plan, coordinate and synchronize (disaster relief) efforts during an emergency," Nizoloski explained. HURREX is slated to end May 10.
The hurricane season begins June 1, Nizoloski said, noting the National Guard and its partners are "doing everything we can to prepare."
This year's Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge exercise is the biggest yet, Verga pointed out. The hurricane scenario is one among 15 during the overall exercise, he said, which also includes a nuclear-weapon-explosion scenario involving the deployment of more than 2,000 active-duty troops and almost 1,000 Guard members to Camp Atterbury and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Indiana.
The Indiana portion of the exercise will test emergency-response capabilities involving the fictitious detonation of a 10-kiloton nuclear device in an urban area, Verga said.
"National Guard soldiers ... will always be the first military forces to respond to an emergency because of their proximity, (and) will then be reinforced by the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives consequence-management response force in the active-duty force," Verga explained.
The Indiana sites provide "a very realistic environment that'll allow the soldiers to operate in an urban environment and see how they'll have to respond to that kind of emergency," Verga said.
Another scenario held off the Alaskan coast will feature a maritime situation, he said.
"There will be a ship with a 'suspicious cargo' that's going to need to be intercepted," Verga said. The Canadian navy will participate in that scenario and some other simulated incidents during the two-weeklong exercise, he added.
An air-defense exercise will feature Canadian military participation as well, Verga said. Canada's armed forces partner with the North American Aerospace Defense Command in the defense of North America.
Fighting the global war against terrorism is the U.S. military's main mission, but being ready to respond to potential homeland contingencies also is important, Verga said. "We also have to be prepared, at all times, to respond to an emergency at home," he said.
The exercise, directed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is slated to end May 18. It is co-sponsored by U.S. Northern Command and also includes participation by the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Department of Homeland Security.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – National Guard members today commenced a hurricane emergency preparedness and response exercise involving five states in the northeastern United States, a National Guard Bureau spokesman said. Code-named HURREX, the 11-day, command-post exercise involves Guard members from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, National Guard spokesman Emanuel Pacheco told American Forces Press Service today. The exercise, he said, is part of the larger Operation Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge 2007, which also starts today.
"This exercise is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the National Guard as the first military responder to any state crisis," Pacheco said.
A major focus of Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge 2007 is to test crisis-response coordination between federally controlled military forces and National Guard units, which come under the command of state governors, Peter F. Verga, acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, said during an April 25 interview.
HURREX also tests Guard units' interaction and coordination capabilities with federal disaster-management organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Air National Guard Maj. Philip Nizoloski said today during a phone interview from Quonset State Airport, R.I. Operation Vigilant Guard is the Guard's contribution to the Ardent Sentry and HURREX exercises, he said.
The exercise scenario involves a fictitious Category 3 storm, "Hurricane Yvette," hitting Newport, R.I., Nizoloski said. The tabletop exercise will gauge the effectiveness of state, local and federal agencies' planning and coordinated response to such a catastrophe, he said.
"We're training the command staff and subordinate leaders basically to successfully plan, coordinate and synchronize (disaster relief) efforts during an emergency," Nizoloski explained. HURREX is slated to end May 10.
The hurricane season begins June 1, Nizoloski said, noting the National Guard and its partners are "doing everything we can to prepare."
This year's Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge exercise is the biggest yet, Verga pointed out. The hurricane scenario is one among 15 during the overall exercise, he said, which also includes a nuclear-weapon-explosion scenario involving the deployment of more than 2,000 active-duty troops and almost 1,000 Guard members to Camp Atterbury and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Indiana.
The Indiana portion of the exercise will test emergency-response capabilities involving the fictitious detonation of a 10-kiloton nuclear device in an urban area, Verga said.
"National Guard soldiers ... will always be the first military forces to respond to an emergency because of their proximity, (and) will then be reinforced by the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives consequence-management response force in the active-duty force," Verga explained.
The Indiana sites provide "a very realistic environment that'll allow the soldiers to operate in an urban environment and see how they'll have to respond to that kind of emergency," Verga said.
Another scenario held off the Alaskan coast will feature a maritime situation, he said.
"There will be a ship with a 'suspicious cargo' that's going to need to be intercepted," Verga said. The Canadian navy will participate in that scenario and some other simulated incidents during the two-weeklong exercise, he added.
An air-defense exercise will feature Canadian military participation as well, Verga said. Canada's armed forces partner with the North American Aerospace Defense Command in the defense of North America.
Fighting the global war against terrorism is the U.S. military's main mission, but being ready to respond to potential homeland contingencies also is important, Verga said. "We also have to be prepared, at all times, to respond to an emergency at home," he said.
The exercise, directed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is slated to end May 18. It is co-sponsored by U.S. Northern Command and also includes participation by the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Department of Homeland Security.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Utah Group Working to Win Hearts, Minds
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – "Operation Give" is working to help the military win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. "Our philosophy is that we want to be part of a solution, a solution of helping the soldiers build a bridge and build that bond with the people," Paul Holton, the group's founder, said. "Winning the hearts and minds is a difficult task."
Operation Give is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
The group was founded in fall 2003 while Holton, a chief warrant officer in the Utah National Guard, was serving as an interrogator in Baghdad.
Holton was out in the city when he heard a young girl crying. He said his heart went out to the scared child and he gave her a small toy.
"I wanted to relive that experience, being able to give to the children and let them know that there is hope," Holton said.
So he began asking friends and family to send small toys for the servicemembers to hand out to the children.
"It kind of went from there to the point where we had thousands and thousands of boxes of stuff that people had sent us," Holton said. "We were getting just ... inundated with items (from) people who wanted to participate in the war in a positive way," he added.
The Utah-based operation has continued to grow and has since shipped more than 55 semi-truck loads of donated items, Holton said. Each of those trucks holds a little more than 1,000 large boxes of goods that have been distributed to thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan, he added.
While Operation Give's main focus is providing needed items for the Iraqi and Afghan people, during the holidays, it focuses on the troops. As part of its "Operation Christmas Stocking," the group collects goodies to send to servicemembers. "This is the one time we reach out for them and send them foot powder or candy or whatever it is," Holton said.
Holton said he wants his group to be part of a long-term solution. To accomplish this, Operation Give is broadening its scope so it can help the military win hearts and minds wherever it's active in the world.
"Our main focus is actually to create jobs (and) industries with these people so that we set them up, perhaps with a way to earn a living," Holton said. "We think that if they have money to provide for their families, they won't turn to al Qaeda.
He said Operation Give is working with corporations around the world to make use of excess goods stored in warehouses. Those unused and overstocked items can be used to help future entrepreneurs set up shop and earn a living and reconnect with the world economy.
"We're going to, with this stuff, build a new hope, a new future for them," he said.
The contacts Holton's group has made as a member of America Supports You may just help him accomplish this goal.
"I've been exposed to other groups and ... people wanting to do similar things," he said. "We've really pooled our resources in many ways. We've helped them (and) they've helped us.
"Collectively we've created this synergy, this movement to let the soldiers know that we care about them; that we haven't forgotten about them, that we're here for them," he said. "I think that's actually the most important thing, is that they know that we're here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – "Operation Give" is working to help the military win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. "Our philosophy is that we want to be part of a solution, a solution of helping the soldiers build a bridge and build that bond with the people," Paul Holton, the group's founder, said. "Winning the hearts and minds is a difficult task."
Operation Give is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
The group was founded in fall 2003 while Holton, a chief warrant officer in the Utah National Guard, was serving as an interrogator in Baghdad.
Holton was out in the city when he heard a young girl crying. He said his heart went out to the scared child and he gave her a small toy.
"I wanted to relive that experience, being able to give to the children and let them know that there is hope," Holton said.
So he began asking friends and family to send small toys for the servicemembers to hand out to the children.
"It kind of went from there to the point where we had thousands and thousands of boxes of stuff that people had sent us," Holton said. "We were getting just ... inundated with items (from) people who wanted to participate in the war in a positive way," he added.
The Utah-based operation has continued to grow and has since shipped more than 55 semi-truck loads of donated items, Holton said. Each of those trucks holds a little more than 1,000 large boxes of goods that have been distributed to thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan, he added.
While Operation Give's main focus is providing needed items for the Iraqi and Afghan people, during the holidays, it focuses on the troops. As part of its "Operation Christmas Stocking," the group collects goodies to send to servicemembers. "This is the one time we reach out for them and send them foot powder or candy or whatever it is," Holton said.
Holton said he wants his group to be part of a long-term solution. To accomplish this, Operation Give is broadening its scope so it can help the military win hearts and minds wherever it's active in the world.
"Our main focus is actually to create jobs (and) industries with these people so that we set them up, perhaps with a way to earn a living," Holton said. "We think that if they have money to provide for their families, they won't turn to al Qaeda.
He said Operation Give is working with corporations around the world to make use of excess goods stored in warehouses. Those unused and overstocked items can be used to help future entrepreneurs set up shop and earn a living and reconnect with the world economy.
"We're going to, with this stuff, build a new hope, a new future for them," he said.
The contacts Holton's group has made as a member of America Supports You may just help him accomplish this goal.
"I've been exposed to other groups and ... people wanting to do similar things," he said. "We've really pooled our resources in many ways. We've helped them (and) they've helped us.
"Collectively we've created this synergy, this movement to let the soldiers know that we care about them; that we haven't forgotten about them, that we're here for them," he said. "I think that's actually the most important thing, is that they know that we're here."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Wounded Troops, Supporters Ride Bicycles 110 Miles
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Nathan Potts was one of about 50 seriously wounded servicemembers who went for a two-day, 110-mile bike ride this weekend, just to show they could. "The ride proves that I can still do something. I'm not going to waste away to nothing," Potts, 33, said. "It gets you out here with other people that have similar problems. It gives you the idea: 'Well shoot, if they can do it, I can do it as well.'"
About 200 supporters also made the 2007 Face of America Bike Ride from Gettysburg, Pa., to the National Naval Medical Center, at Bethesda, Md. World T.E.A.M. Sports, a nonprofit organization, sponsored the two-day event. The acronym stands for The Exceptional Athlete Matters.
Marine Gen. Bob Magnum, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, and his wife, Rose, were among those who came out to show their support for the riders.
"These young men and women saw a challenge and took it on just as if they were completely fit and whole," Magnum said. "They proved that they can do what able-bodied men and women won't even attempt, and they did it with a smile."
World T.E.A.M. Sports teams up people with and without disabilities. The group has created teams and events all over the world, including a bike ride the length of Vietnam with veterans from both sides of the Vietnam War and a 2002 bike ride from Ground Zero in New York to the Pentagon.
"Two years ago, we decided we wanted to do something for the guys who were severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Chris Carrigg, the group's executive director. "Everyone we talked to said what we were doing was crazy. They said the guys could never make it. It was bad for their self-esteem if they couldn't make it."
Last year's ride was a success for the 11 wounded troops and 125 supporters who took part, Carrigg said. "They finished the whole 110 miles, a very tough ride," he said. "There were a lot of hills through Maryland and Pennsylvania. They had a tremendous experience."
This year, World T.E.A.M. Sports flew in riders from all over the country, Carrigg said. Brooke Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, sent a team, as did the Marine Corps. Servicemembers who've been discharged in the past few years also signed up.
"The support system is incredible inside Walter Reed or National Naval," Carrigg said, "but when they go off on their own, the support system is not as great. What we do is a nice bridge from that nice, safe, supportive cocoon, to the outside world and assimilating back into society successfully."
All servicemembers, with and without disability, participate in the ride free of charge, he said. Civilians paid $50 and raised $500 from sponsors. American Airlines donated free trips. One of the group's board members, Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind person to climb Mt. Everest, rode in a tandem sidecar during the ride.
"It becomes a family affair," Carrigg said. "The bonding is really what happens in a positive way."
"The message we want to send to these guys is, 'You've lost a leg; you've lost an arm; or you're blinded. You can still be active. You can still be on the team. You can still be part of the fun and the camaraderie,'" Carrigg said.
Potts got that message loud and clear when he took part in last year's ride.
As an Army combat medic, Potts served with 6th Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and spent 11 months in Iraq. Thirty days before he was due to come home, he was riding in a Humvee that hit an improvised explosive device. Getting out of the vehicle, Potts triggered a second IED that took off his right leg below the knee.
After spending 10 months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Potts went home to Konawa, Okla., a small town about 70 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, where he bought a 117-acre farm.
Last year, Potts rode a handcycle in the 2006 Face of America ride. This year, World T.E.A.M. Sports paid for his flight to Gettysburg so he could take part again.
"I'm in a lot worse shape than I was last year," Potts said halfway through the ride during an overnight stop in Frederick, Md. "I left Walter Reed in November, and I haven't done much since. They had the facilities for me to work out.
"Back home," he said, "I watch the cows grow. I live in such a rural community, I have to drive an hour and a half to the city to be able to get any type of facilities for me to use."
Potts said he has no complaints about the care he received from the military or at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Oklahoma City, where he said he gets priority care.
"About a month ago, I set up an indoor trainer and rode my bike for about 30 minutes for two weeks, and then I quit," he said. "I got tired of it. That's all the training I got for this."
At the end of the second day, after nearly 14 hours of pedaling and 110 miles, Nathan Potts and his cohorts arrived at the National Naval Medical Center.
"I knew I could do it," Potts said. "It's just one of those things. You've just got to put your mind to it and do it."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Nathan Potts was one of about 50 seriously wounded servicemembers who went for a two-day, 110-mile bike ride this weekend, just to show they could. "The ride proves that I can still do something. I'm not going to waste away to nothing," Potts, 33, said. "It gets you out here with other people that have similar problems. It gives you the idea: 'Well shoot, if they can do it, I can do it as well.'"
About 200 supporters also made the 2007 Face of America Bike Ride from Gettysburg, Pa., to the National Naval Medical Center, at Bethesda, Md. World T.E.A.M. Sports, a nonprofit organization, sponsored the two-day event. The acronym stands for The Exceptional Athlete Matters.
Marine Gen. Bob Magnum, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, and his wife, Rose, were among those who came out to show their support for the riders.
"These young men and women saw a challenge and took it on just as if they were completely fit and whole," Magnum said. "They proved that they can do what able-bodied men and women won't even attempt, and they did it with a smile."
World T.E.A.M. Sports teams up people with and without disabilities. The group has created teams and events all over the world, including a bike ride the length of Vietnam with veterans from both sides of the Vietnam War and a 2002 bike ride from Ground Zero in New York to the Pentagon.
"Two years ago, we decided we wanted to do something for the guys who were severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Chris Carrigg, the group's executive director. "Everyone we talked to said what we were doing was crazy. They said the guys could never make it. It was bad for their self-esteem if they couldn't make it."
Last year's ride was a success for the 11 wounded troops and 125 supporters who took part, Carrigg said. "They finished the whole 110 miles, a very tough ride," he said. "There were a lot of hills through Maryland and Pennsylvania. They had a tremendous experience."
This year, World T.E.A.M. Sports flew in riders from all over the country, Carrigg said. Brooke Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, sent a team, as did the Marine Corps. Servicemembers who've been discharged in the past few years also signed up.
"The support system is incredible inside Walter Reed or National Naval," Carrigg said, "but when they go off on their own, the support system is not as great. What we do is a nice bridge from that nice, safe, supportive cocoon, to the outside world and assimilating back into society successfully."
All servicemembers, with and without disability, participate in the ride free of charge, he said. Civilians paid $50 and raised $500 from sponsors. American Airlines donated free trips. One of the group's board members, Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind person to climb Mt. Everest, rode in a tandem sidecar during the ride.
"It becomes a family affair," Carrigg said. "The bonding is really what happens in a positive way."
"The message we want to send to these guys is, 'You've lost a leg; you've lost an arm; or you're blinded. You can still be active. You can still be on the team. You can still be part of the fun and the camaraderie,'" Carrigg said.
Potts got that message loud and clear when he took part in last year's ride.
As an Army combat medic, Potts served with 6th Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and spent 11 months in Iraq. Thirty days before he was due to come home, he was riding in a Humvee that hit an improvised explosive device. Getting out of the vehicle, Potts triggered a second IED that took off his right leg below the knee.
After spending 10 months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Potts went home to Konawa, Okla., a small town about 70 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, where he bought a 117-acre farm.
Last year, Potts rode a handcycle in the 2006 Face of America ride. This year, World T.E.A.M. Sports paid for his flight to Gettysburg so he could take part again.
"I'm in a lot worse shape than I was last year," Potts said halfway through the ride during an overnight stop in Frederick, Md. "I left Walter Reed in November, and I haven't done much since. They had the facilities for me to work out.
"Back home," he said, "I watch the cows grow. I live in such a rural community, I have to drive an hour and a half to the city to be able to get any type of facilities for me to use."
Potts said he has no complaints about the care he received from the military or at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Oklahoma City, where he said he gets priority care.
"About a month ago, I set up an indoor trainer and rode my bike for about 30 minutes for two weeks, and then I quit," he said. "I got tired of it. That's all the training I got for this."
At the end of the second day, after nearly 14 hours of pedaling and 110 miles, Nathan Potts and his cohorts arrived at the National Naval Medical Center.
"I knew I could do it," Potts said. "It's just one of those things. You've just got to put your mind to it and do it."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Soldier Missing in Action from the Korean War is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Cpl. Pastor Balanon Jr., U.S. Army, of San Francisco, Calif. He will be buried May 3 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Balanon's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In late October 1950, Balanon was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Calvary Regiment, then engaging enemy forces south of Unsan, North Korea, near a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. Chinese communist forces attacked the 8th Regiment's positions on Nov. 1, 1950, forcing a withdrawal to the south where they were surrounded by the enemy. The remaining survivors in the 3rd Battalion attempted to escape a few days later, but Balanon was declared missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of Unsan County.
In 2001, a joint U.S.-North Korean team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), excavated a burial site in Kujang County, south of Unsan County. A North Korean citizen living near the site told the team that the remains were relocated to Kujang after they were discovered elsewhere during a construction project. The battle area was about one kilometer north of the secondary burial site.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in Balanon's identification.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
He is Cpl. Pastor Balanon Jr., U.S. Army, of San Francisco, Calif. He will be buried May 3 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Balanon's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In late October 1950, Balanon was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Calvary Regiment, then engaging enemy forces south of Unsan, North Korea, near a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. Chinese communist forces attacked the 8th Regiment's positions on Nov. 1, 1950, forcing a withdrawal to the south where they were surrounded by the enemy. The remaining survivors in the 3rd Battalion attempted to escape a few days later, but Balanon was declared missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of Unsan County.
In 2001, a joint U.S.-North Korean team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), excavated a burial site in Kujang County, south of Unsan County. A North Korean citizen living near the site told the team that the remains were relocated to Kujang after they were discovered elsewhere during a construction project. The battle area was about one kilometer north of the secondary burial site.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in Balanon's identification.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
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