Naval Base San Diego Hosts Boxing Camp

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erin Oberholtzer, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Dozens of Sailors from the local area participated in the All-Navy Boxing Mini-camp Sept. 11 and 12 at the Admiral Prout Field House aboard Naval Base San Diego.

The camp was open to all active duty male and female boxers, with the top boxers getting invited to the All-Navy Boxing Training Camp at Point Hueneme, Calif.

Thirty-two Sailors attended the first day to demonstrate their skills in the ring, with the qualifying 20 to return for tryouts Sept. 12.

The boxers went through an arduous two-day camp, where they constantly trained and sparred with other boxing hopefuls to see if they had what it takes to earn a spot on the coveted All-Navy Boxing Team.

"It takes more than being able to take a hit to be a good boxer," said Kevin Ludwig, Morale, Welfare and Recreation athletic manager and boxing coordinator. "Being a boxer means being able to roll with the punches both physically and mentally and being able to get back up when you're knocked down."

The camp emphasizes team camaraderie, encouraging participants to give their all, while teaching them good sportsmanship.

Coach Steve Carbajal, a 30-year boxing veteran, admits that not everyone is cut out to be a boxer.

"Being a boxer teaches discipline, commitment and dedication. It takes a different breed of person to step into that ring and take a beating; you have to be tough," said Carbajal.

Coaches are looking for Sailors to be able to pace themselves and follow directions.

"Not everyone knows what it takes to become a long-term boxer," said Ludwig. "Having the discipline to maintain your weight class and to continuously train is hard, and it takes a lot of direction and self motivation."

The camp gave the boxers an opportunity to see how they matched with other fighters, as well as the chance to gain valuable training with positive feedback from the coaches. For some, it was their first step toward being part of the All-Navy Boxing Team.

"I've been boxing on and off for a few years now, this is my second time coming out for the camp," said Master-at-arms Seaman Rhonda McGee, from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. "I've always wanted to box even when I was a kid so I saw this as a great opportunity to follow an interest."

After watching two days of three-minute sparring matches, coaches choose 12 boxers to attend the seven and a half week-long camp to eventually compete in the Armed Forces Boxing Championships from April 18-24 in Port Hueneme.

Donley Calls for Fiscally Improved Air Force

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2010 – The Air Force’s top civilian today urged the service’s leaders to make tough decisions now, as economic recovery continues to put defense spending under increasing pressure.

In his State of the Air Force address at the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in National Harbor, Md., Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley stressed good fiscal stewardship despite new requirements on the service.

“Last year, we noted that our Air Force has reached an inflection point at which critical changes in the strategic environment, resources and technology are combining to re-shape our future,” Donley said in his prepared remarks at the convention.

New requirements for missile defense, cyber and space defense and modernizing the Air Force’s aging fleet are challenging the budget, he said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged Donley and all the services and agencies within the Defense Department to do more with less.

But fiscal reform is nothing new to the Air Force, Donley added.

“For several years, we have pushed ourselves to reduce and consolidate personnel, financial management and other functional communities to introduce new technology and ways of doing business,” he said, noting the growth in Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capabilities.

“We all know these changes have sometimes been painful,” he added. “But we all know that the introduction of new technology to substitute for manpower will need to continue.”

Donley also called on Air Force leaders to improve their acquisition practices.

“As we continue to strengthen our acquisition work force, our ongoing tasks are to be better negotiators, to know our internal business imperatives, to understand our contracts, to know our industrial base and to respect that every dollar is an Air Force dollar [and] every dollar is a taxpayer dollar,” the secretary said.

Other changes are on the horizon. Donley noted that the Air Force is looking to streamline its organization and command structure to be more efficient.

“The technology, resource and strategic dynamics in this environment make it imperative that we keep the pressure on ourselves, for we have yet more work to do in the immediate years ahead,” Donley said.

The years ahead include weapons and material readiness, Donley said. A review, he noted, is under way to find trade space within the requirements generation, depot maintenance and supply-chain processes impacting availability and cost.

Donley also noted the need to advance long-range strike capabilities, calling ISR, electronic warfare, communications and other weapons a “critical” national capability.

Although the Air Force bomber program was designed as a nuclear deterrent, leaders recognize the program is under way from a conventional war perspective, he said.

“We are confident that a modern long-range strike platform not only has been, but should remain, a critical tool in the nation’s arsenal,” he said, citing the success of bomber jets in past conventional missions. “Their ability to range the planet with operational flexibility have proven their value time and again.”

However, no successes could be had without a competent force, he said.

“Our underlying strength is in the integrity, excellence and selfless service that our airmen bring to the fight every day,” Donley said. “It’s our airmen who will translate their organizations, doctrine, training and equipment into combat power.”

Leadership changes for Wisconsin Guard's most diverse brigade

By Spc. Alyson Berzinski
112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

"It is a privilege to wear this uniform, an honor to wear the patch, and it is a gift to command the 64th Troop Command," Col. Darrell Feucht, the outgoing commander of the 64th Troop Command, said in an emotional speech during a change of command ceremony Sept. 12 in Madison.

Feucht, a Columbus resident, formally transferred control of the 64th Troop Command to Col. Paul Russell of Sun Prairie.

Feucht assumed command of the 64th in August 2007 and immediately began instilling his philosophy to "provide fully capable Soldiers and units ready to deploy for any mission, anywhere, at any time, to support community, state and federal missions."

"The Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers of the 64th Troop Command are some of the most professional people I've had the privilege of working with," Feucht added.

Under his three years of leadership, the 64th TC has deployed the majority of its Soldiers and units in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and two state activations for flood relief. The 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment is presently deployed to Iraq.

The 64th Troop Command consists of nearly 1,700 Soldiers belonging to three battalions and 18 units, to include aviation, sustainment and support, personnel, Army band, transportation, maintenance, public affairs, rear area operations command and medical units. Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, described the 64th Troop Command as "the most diverse brigade" in the state.

Feucht has completed more than 26 years of military service and will continue his career as Wisconsin's Joint Staff logistics commander. In July Feucht was identified as the team leader for the Wisconsin National Guard's 2012 Agribusiness Development Team mission to Afghanistan. He also plans to continue his civilian career as the manager of facilities and contingency planning at Great Lakes Education Loan Services, and spend more time with his high school-aged twin sons, Andrew and Mitchell.

"People will forget what you said and what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel," Feucht stated in his remarks to the incoming commander.

Russell, the incoming commander, enlisted into the Wisconsin Army National Guard in 1982 and was a M60 tank driver and mechanic with Company A, 1st Battalion, 632nd Armor. Russell received his commission in 1985 through the Reserve Officer Training Course at Ripon College and transferred to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry where he served as weapons platoon leader, executive officer and company commander.

"I cannot think of a more sacred privilege than leading American Soldiers," Russell said durin the ceremony." I am nothing short of impressed by the quality of leadership and professionalism I have seen with the Soldiers in this command. I will work harder than anyone to ensure we accomplish our mission, communicate effectively, and provide the leadership you and your families deserve."

Russell deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 where he served with the Combined Joint 7 Division as chief of training for the Afghanistan National Police. Upon his return he resumed his position as the Counterdrug Program Manager and also served on the Joint Staff before assuming command of the 64th Troop Command.

Russell expressed his goals of expanding the 64th Troop Command's relationship with other services, such as the Navy and Marine Corps, when they make the move to the new armed forces reserve center next summer. He also included other goals, such as the readiness of the Soldiers, their families, and their employers.

"I am looking forward to the challenge of standing up the 64th into the primary domestic operations task force to provide even better support to the citizens of Wisconsin and our nation," Russell said.

"Col. Russell, the guidon is yours to lead, and you're a great choice for the job," Feucht said to Russell in his closing remarks.

Russell is a graduate of Merrill High School, Merrill, and holds a bachelor of science in Education from UW-Oshkosh, an MBA from Tourou University International and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy and Policy from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

Sheridan VA develops mental health counseling program for women veterans

SHERIDAN -- Audrey Bocock was a pre-med major at the University of Hawaii but the need to serve her country after 9/11 put those plans on hold.

She joined the Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq in 2004. Nothing in her past prepared her for what was to come in the war zone.

"I went through a lot in Iraq," Bocock said recently.

While Bocock was on duty, a mortar shell exploded nearby, knocking her around in the Guard shack and ultimately causing a long-term traumatic brain injury that would go undiagnosed for a number of years. Meanwhile, Bocock remained committed to completing her tour in Iraq.

"I didn't want to leave my soldiers, I didn't want to leave my unit," Bocock said. "I had a very strong sense of loyalty and duty. I knew if I left I'd be treated like crap by my unit."

Bocock had been home on a two-week leave before the explosion and already was shocked by how much the deployment had changed her.

"It was like being on another planet," Bocock said. "I was afraid to go home. It was easier being in a combat zone."

A short time after the explosion, Bocock's convoy was hit by enemy fire and her hip was shattered. Still, Bocock remained in Iraq after surgery, treating the pain with ibuprofen. But upon re-evaluation by another doctor, Bocock was quickly flown to Hawaii where she was given an 80 percent chance of walking again.

After additional surgeries, Bocock spent an extended amount of time recovering from her hip injury before returning to her studies and continuing to serve in the Army National Guard with a non-deployable unit. Bocock balanced college courses and a job while adjusting to civilian life, but it wasn't long before she felt herself spiraling out of control.

"I did a lot of pretending I was OK, but everything came crashing down on me," Bocock said. "It was crazy unbearable."

At that time Bocock went through a series of Veterans Affairs counseling programs depending on where she was living. From Reno, Nev., to Palo Alto, Calif., Bocock reached out for help, but even some of the VA's most extensive mental health therapy programs weren't effective.

"They said my traumas were too extensive," Bocock said.

Finally, Bocock moved to Colorado to be closer to family so they could help her. It was there on the way to a Wal-Mart one night to buy antifreeze to try to commit suicide that one simple promise to her former counselor in Reno saved her life. Bocock used her cell phone to call the VA's 1-800 emergency crisis number and shared that she was planning to commit suicide.

"I had hit my ultimate rock bottom," Bocock said. "I had absolutely no hope at all."

Authorities traced Bocock's call, found her and quickly took her to the Denver VA where she was placed on suicide watch.

New hope

Just a few hundred miles away a new program at the Sheridan VA was taking shape. With more than 4,000 women veterans in Wyoming, and an increasing need to meet that demographic nationwide, the Sheridan VA was crafting a curriculum for a program that would become a life-changing experience for women with some of the most serious military-related traumas.

"We're trying to lay the groundwork for the women coming home from Afganistan today," said Judy Myers, the Sheridan VA's women's veterans program manager.

With more than 1.8 million women veterans across the country, the VA is ramping up efforts to reach a rapidly expanding population. Nationwide, only about 16 percent of veterans access VA services, but as these women come home some of their challenges and needs are difficult and unique.

"Females are the fastest-growing population going into the military," Myer said. "They're being used in every venue in the military."

As these women return from combat zones, some have experienced military sexual abuse, some have lingering effects of war injuries and some suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

To address some of the most severely impacted women, VA officials created a program called Cognitive Process Therapy, or CPT Cohort. The first CPT Cohort began June 7 with 13 women from around the country. Bocock participated in the Sheridan VA's first CPT Cohort program.

"We just built them up and showed them they could do it," Myer said. "They found a lot of healing here."

For seven weeks, counselors, therapists and doctors worked one-on-one with the women to help them address all of their physical and mental health needs. From horse therapy to group sessions, the women spent time bonding and healing together.

"I saw a lot of positive growth," Myers said. "I saw a transformation take place before my eyes. They wanted life to be normal and they found some of that just by being together."

After weeks of therapy, self-discovery and bonding, the women left the Sheridan VA transformed.

"They left here with smiles on their face and felt they had finally, finally been heard and validated," Myer said. "It was amazing to see these women blossom and come into their own."

Ten women have already signed up for the next session, which begins in the spring.

Home for healing

When Bocock arrived in Sheridan she figured it was too late for help. But with extended time at the VA from January to late July, her walls and barriers came down.

"I hated everybody, but I loved them at the same time," Bocock said. "It was a very odd place to be."

In a wheelchair because of her hip injury, Bocock worked with doctors, counselors and therapists to rebuild her body, mind and spirit. For several months she focused on herself and her needs in order to bring herself back from the brink of self-destruction.

"Sheridan was the best thing that happened to me," Bocock said. "They came up and surrounded me and saw I needed help."

Living with women experiencing the same level of trauma helped Bocock realize she wasn't alone. Talking about struggles and problems with them became a form of therapy.

"I had never met anybody who had been through what I had," Bocock said. "My psychological trauma is pretty severe."

Now just more than a month out of the program, Bocock carries hope for her future. Determined to one day leave her wheelchair behind and return to her college course work, Bocock is eager to meet her challenges.

"I may have to take it one class at a time, but I'm going to give it my damnedest," said Bocock, who has returned to Colorado.

In the meantime, she works with her horses on a daily basis and takes time each day to heal her body, mind and heart -- something she says is now possible because of the CPT Cohort program.

"They came up beside me and walked with me so I wasn't alone," Bocock said. "They stood by me through all of my s---. Overall, it's been hell but its been well worth it and I'm so glad I wasn't alone."

Sheridan VA hopes to build women's inpatient facility

GILLETTE -- The Sheridan Veterans Administration is hoping to build a 15-bed inpatient facility to better meet the needs of women facing military-related mental health issues.

"It's really just a vision for us," said Jackie Van Mark, media relations specialist for the Sheridan VA. "It's just a dream of ours right now. We've already proven there's a need."

The Sheridan VA completed its first Cognitive Process Therapy program, or CPT Cohort, in July. Thirteen women participated in Sheridan's initial program.

"We feel we could provide a real healing environment through a women's facility," Van Mark said.

The proposed facility, already being called Harmony House, would focus on the needs of women facing serious mental health issues -- from post-traumatic stress disorder to military sexual abuse trauma. Sheridan VA officials say such intense therapeutic help and healing is currently only available in a few VA hospitals nationwide.

Van Mark said the work on behalf of women veterans will continue regardless of whether funding can be pulled together for a new facility.

"We're still here to provide services to men and women," Van Mark said. "We're still going to build our women veterans programs."

For more information, contact the Women Veterans Clinic at (307) 673-3694.

-- Kim Phagan-Hansel

Preventing Aviation Mishaps through Improved Spatial Awareness

Dr. Frederick Patterson, Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (NAMRL) researcher and spatial disorientation expert, has been at the leading edge of a paradigm shift in the understanding of aviation spatial awareness and spatial disorientation. Leveraging new discoveries on the mechanisms of spatial awareness, NAMRL has developed novel, cutting-edge multimedia training techniques for prevention of spatial disorientation-related aviation mishaps.

Several of these new techniques have been incorporated into training and curriculum models requested by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and the Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI) for use in aircrew physiology and survival training. The request followed the release of a recent Office of the Secretary of Defense study which stated that “80 percent of the U.S. military’s 320 rotorcraft crashes during the last decade have been caused by degraded visual conditions.”

NSTI is a component of the Naval Operational Medicine Institute based in Pensacola, Fla. NSTA consists of a headquarters element and eight Aviation Survival Training Centers located at Patuxent River, Md.; Norfolk, Va.; Cherry Point, N.C.; Jacksonville and Pensacola, Fla.; Miramar and Lemoore, Cal.; and Whidbey Island, Wash.

Dr. Patterson proposed a brownout training model to the NSTI team of directors tasked with reviewing the concepts that define NAMRL’s innovative approach to training. NSTI representatives unanimously accepted the new approach, launching a new direction for spatial disorientation/spatial awareness training.

According to NAMRL Scientific Director Dr. Richard Arnold, when asked about the significance of this decision, “The decision marks a fundamental change and improvement with regard to how spatial and situational awareness teaching methods will be incorporated and presented to the fleet through the Navy and Marine Corps’ aeromedical safety programs. Acceptance of this new direction toward recognizing and preventing cognitive threats such as spatial disorientation validates the research concepts NAMRL has been working on, in earnest, for the past three years.”

According to NAMRL researchers, the end result of this effort should be significant improvements in cockpit design that will lead to greater human/machine compatibility, decrease pilot workload, and improved margins of flight safety. The new training techniques will be incorporated into the NSTI training curricula in 2011.

The Naval Medical Research Center is a premier research organization with a vision: World-class, operationally relevant health and medical research solutions – anytime, anywhere! Research focuses on finding solutions to both traditional battlefield medical problems, such as bleeding, traumatic brain injury, combat stress, and naturally occurring infectious diseases, as well as to health problems associated with non-conventional weapons, including thermobaric blast, biological agents, and radiation.

General Officer Announcement

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general, I Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis, Wash. Scaparrotti most recently served as commanding general, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Pakistan Flood Aid Tops 5 Million Pounds

From a U.S. Central Command News Release

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 13, 2010 – U.S. military aircraft supporting Pakistan's flood relief efforts achieved a significant milestone Sept. 11, exceeding 5 million pounds of relief supplies delivered since U.S. military relief flight operations in Pakistan began Aug. 5.

To date, U.S. military helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, working in close partnership with the Pakistan military, have transported more than 5.4 million pounds of relief supplies and rescued more than 13,000 people, delivering much-needed aid and providing transport to people who urgently need emergency assistance.

The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 16th Combat Aviation Brigade are providing 30 helicopters to support relief operations. Eighteen U.S. helicopters are operating out of Ghazi Air Base in northern Pakistan, eight are operating out of Pano Aqil Air Base in southern Pakistan, and four helicopters are at Chaklala Air Base being prepared for follow-on missions.

Meanwhile, U.S. military C-130 and C-17 cargo aircraft also have been providing airlift support to Pakistan. The C-17, the second-largest aircraft in the Air Force inventory, has the capacity to carry 90,000 pounds of supplies. Together with Marine Corps and Air Force C-130s, these aircraft have delivered more than 2 million pounds of relief supplies to multiple locations throughout the country, including Skardu, Quetta, Jacobabad, Sharea Faisal and Gilgit.

U.S. flood relief support to Pakistan is being provided through a whole-of-government, interagency response. Relief efforts are being coordinated through the U.S. Embassy here, in full consultation with the Pakistan government, including Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority and other agencies.

Continuing Promise 2010 Brings Veterinary Aid to Guatemala

By By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zane Ecklund,
USS IWO JIMA Public Affairs

PUERTO SANTO TOMAS, Guatemala (NNS) -- U.S. Army Soldiers and civilian volunteers from 'World Vets,' currently embarked on board the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), brought veterinary assistance to the people of Guatemala Sept 4-13.

Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10) veterinary mission's goal is to improve the Guatemalan people's quality of life while serving as ambassadors for the United States.

Capt. Rebecca Carden, a veterinarian from South Plains Veterinary Services, Fort Sam Houston, emphasizes the importance of eliminating diseases capable of being transmitted between humans and animals.

"The Continuing Promise 2010 mission is to improve people's outlook and way of life, and improving their food animals is another way of doing that," said Carden. "The Continuing Promise 2010 mission shows a compassionate side of the military, a mission like this helps develop relationships internationally."

Elsa and Kirsten Swenson, sisters participating in the mission, view their participation as a chance to see the world and help those who live in it.

"We wanted to travel internationally together, and the Continuing Promise mission provided the opportunity at the right time," said Elsa Swenson.

"I think it's nice we can provide services for people," said Kirsten Swenson.

"We're improving animals' lives and health, educating farmers and improving public health by reducing the risk of transmissible diseases such as rabies and parasites in food animals," said Elsa Swenson.

Dr. Jenny McDougle, a veterinarian, sees the Continuing Promise mission as a unique opportunity to learn and teach.

"It gives us [veterinary professionals] a chance to see other country's level of veterinary care, vaccines, and parasite and infectious disease prevention," said McDougle.

CP10 is a humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) mission. The assigned medical and engineering staff embarked on board Iwo Jima will work with partner nation's teams to provide medical, dental, veterinary, and engineering assistance to eight different nations to improve mutual understanding of current medical issues.

Nimitz Remembers 9/11, Dedicates World Trade Center Donation

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Scott A. McCall, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Public Affairs

USS NIMITZ, At Sea (NNS) -- Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) held a remembrance ceremony to honor the men and women who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"Nine years ago this morning violence was visited upon our nation. It took us by surprise and it shook us to our core," said Rear Adm. Robert Girrier, Commander Nimitz Carrier Strike Group 11. "We all remember, each in our own way, what we were doing, where we were and what our reaction was."

The memorial featured a bell ceremony were Nimitz' Chief Petty Officer selects read the events of that day followed by a bell toll.

"Surprise, shock, despair, our lives changed…but not for long. From that moment we pulled together as a nation, as a country, swiftly responding on scene locally at first then globally forward," said Girrier. "A call to act so quick essentially part of our American heritage not defeated, not downcast, not terrorized and that fight continues today."

Since 2001, Nimitz has deployed five times, totaling 32 months, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Nimitz completed an eight month Western Pacific deployment March 26 in support of OEF.

While Nimitz supported OEF during that 2009-2010 Western Pacific deployment, the residents of Breezy Point, N.Y., who lost 29 people during the terrorist attacks, donated three I-beams from the World Trade Center to the military through an organization called the Sons and Daughters of America.

One beam was donated to an infantry museum at Fort Benning, Ga., another is at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan and the third was donated to the crew aboard Nimitz. Mr. Brian Quinn, the father of former Nimitz crew member Ship's Serviceman 3rd Class Brian Quinn Jr., and a leader of the Sons and Daughters of America, was instrumental in donating the beam to Nimitz. All the remaining beams form a monument in Breezy Point that faces toward Manhattan in the city of New York.

Nimitz Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Monger presented the beam to the crew during the ceremony.

"Today, we gather around a symbol of sacrifice given with gratitude in appreciation for your steadfast devotion to duty," said Monger. "I'm especially proud of all I have seen in the lives of you, our Nimitz-barbwire team. With unswerving devotion, you have met every challenge and prevailed.

"I dedicate this symbol of sacrifice with appreciation to the steadfast devotion to duty of all United States service members, active and reserve, in the battle against terrorism," said Monger. "On behalf of the men and women of the USS Nimitz, I accept this gift with the utmost pride and honor.

"And [I] thank the town of Breezy Point for your unwavering support of our mission. Your gift has found a home aboard USS Nimitz," said Monger. "It will be displayed with pride, a symbol of sacrifice and perseverance in the fight for freedom from tyranny. May we never forget the dangers of the world we live in and always remember the sacrifice of our comrades."

After the ceremony, Culinary Specialist Seaman Garrett Davis appreciated the donation of the I-beam by the residents of Breezy Point.

"I think them donating [the I-beam] to the military, to the ship is unbelievable," said Davis.

Girrier believes that leaning forward and continuing the fight brings hope and faith to the world by defending democracy and basic human rights.

"We don't blink. We stand the line," said Girrier. "We take the fight forward and we exercise it continuously, while deployed, at our homeport exercising and training at this very moment perfecting our blue water operations while we maintain our systems and equipment keeping our ships and aircraft battle ready."

Pacific Partnership 2010 Ends With Many Firsts

By Pacific Partnership 2010 Public Affairs

RABAUL, Papua New Guinea (NNS) -- The fifth in a series of annual U.S. Pacific Fleet-sponsored deployments to the Western Pacific region, Pacific Partnership 2010 (PP10) built upon previous missions with numerous innovations designed to enhance the partnership and provide assistance to remote areas.

This year's effort saw an increase in the number of ships from other countries participating, brought aboard large numbers of non-governmental organization (NGO) volunteers, and creatively used helicopters and landing craft to insert medical and dental teams to set up health care clinics in remote locations, a key priority for several of the U.S. Ambassadors involved with the mission. Additionally, PP10 greatly expanded the scope of Pacific Partnership engineering projects by using advance fly-in teams of U.S. Navy Seabees.

Combined, the Pacific Partnership 2010 team – made up of professionals from all four U.S. military services, 10 partner nations, seven embarked NGOs, and 10 supporting NGOs – treated 109,754 patients, performed 859 surgeries, issued 60,883 glasses, completed 22 engineering projects, participated in 86 community service projects (COMSERV), and treated more than 2,800 veterinary patients.

"It is fitting that we bring Pacific Partnership 2010 to a close here in Rabaul, as the sight of Tavurvur smoldering above the harbor and the ash covering our boots every day are visible reminders of the importance of this mission and of preparing in the calm of a nice sunny day like today to respond in the dark days of crisis following a natural disaster," said Pacific Partnership 2010 Mission Commander, Capt. Lisa M. Franchetti, at the mission's closing ceremony, referring to the twin volcanic eruptions of Tavurvur and Vulcan that destroyed the capital city of Rabaul in 1994.

The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), operated by a crew of 65 civilian mariners visited four of the six PP10 countries. Mercy provided extensive surgical capabilities and, combined with her "Band-Aid" utility boats and two embarked MH-60S helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 Detachment 4, supported a large cadre of medical and engineering professionals moving to and from their work sites ashore each day.

Several ships from other nations joined Mercy during Pacific Partnership 2010. While in Vietnam and Cambodia, Mercy operated with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ship JDS Kunisaki (LST 4003), which hosted an embarked medical team and Japanese NGOs. Medical professionals from Kunisaki joined with those from Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) Mercy at medical and dental civic action programs (MED/DENCAPs), while her Sailors enjoyed participating in COMSERVs alongside personnel from Mercy.

During the Indonesia phase of PP10, conducted as a disaster relief exercise which lasted 22 days and visited three separate areas, MERCY was joined by KRI Dr Soeharso, Indonesia's hospital ship, RSS Endeavour, with its own embarked medical team, as well as two Royal Australian Navy heavy landing craft (LCHs) which provided logistic support to Mercy and her teams. In addition to moving supplies to and from the shore, HMAS Labuan (L128) and HMAS Tarakan (L129) were used in a new and innovative way: as afloat staging bases for distant MED/DENCAP teams. Each ship embarked 21 medical and dental providers, veterinarians, assistants, and translators. The vessels transported medical teams to remote areas, where they would work ashore during the day and come back to the ships each night to sleep on the open vehicle decks on cots with mosquito netting. This unique concept significantly expanded the reach of the Pacific Partnership 2010 mission to 13,000 patients seen on remote islands and villages that have very little access to professional medical care. After demonstrating the success of this effort in Indonesia, the Australian ships were called upon to support two similar teams during the mission to Timor-Leste, visiting the isolated Oecussi enclave and the distant coastal town of Lautem.

Unique to this year's mission was the addition of two additional stops supported by other ships under the Pacific Partnership umbrella. While Mercy provided care in Indonesia, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) visited Palau, providing medical services and enhanced COMSERV projects to that island nation. Then on Aug. 24, over 60 people from Mercy, including Destroyer Squadron 21 staff, Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1 Seabees, MTF Mercy, and the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band transferred to HMAS Tobruk (L50) and set off for the final mission port of 2010: Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. This transfer marked the first time that a partner nation's vessel was utilized as a flagship for a Pacific Partnership mission. Tobruk, which embarked additional Australian Defence Force personnel and members of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force on the way to Rabaul, was joined in Papua New Guinea by USS Vandegrift (FFG 48).

Throughout the mission, Pacific Partnership 2010 coordinated with host nation officials and U.S. embassy teams to identify the areas that would benefit most from assistance. Often, these areas were very isolated. Using a combination of cargo aircraft, helicopters, landing craft, and good old-fashioned driving, Pacific Partnership 2010's medical teams were able to successfully reach these remote locations. In a key example of partnership, an USMC C-130 landed a MED/DENCAP team onto a dirt runway in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, 320 miles from where Mercy was anchored.

"Landing in Ratanakiri, I knew that this mission was unique," said Lt. Cmdr. Sandy Kimmer, physician officer in charge of the Cambodian MED/DENCAPs in Ratanakiri and Kampong Cham. "We lived and worked alongside the RCAF (Royal Cambodian Armed Forces) and other Cambodian physicians, allowing for host nation referrals and continuity of patient care. This fostered relationships and helped to build the capacity of the Cambodian medical system."

Cambodia also benefited from the unwavering commitment of the RCAF engineers, U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 and Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, and Australian engineers from the Second Combat Engineer Regiment based in Queensland, who drilled three water wells that are now bringing clean and safe water to local communities.

Despite the environmental challenges faced in Southeast Asia, the engineers were able to use their unique skills to complete useful engineering projects and, perhaps more importantly, build the capacity of the host-nation engineers to complete similar projects on their own in the future.

"Having to stand in the smoldering heat is challenging enough for anyone visiting any of these countries. Now, imagine having to work under these conditions in many cases outdoors, and the times you may find yourself indoors there is no air conditioning," said ACB 1 Commanding Officer, Capt. Scott R. Lister. "That's exactly the endurance and commitment every single engineer – from host nation military engineers and civilian volunteers to Australian Sappers - brought to the sites to help transform clinics, schools, and laboratories that serve beyond their intended uses as many of these facilities are used by their communities on a much larger scale than their name leads you to believe."

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week celebrating the completion of repairs to a health clinic that had been damaged by fire at the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) Vudal campus, UNRE's Vice Chancellor, Professor Phillip Siaguru, summarized what Pacific Partnership represents.

"Pacific Partnership 2010 has truly changed my childhood impression of soldiers and armies, and I am sure many others of my age or older…who also had the impressions that soldiers cannot take up saws and hammers or needles and medicines…only guns," said Siaguru.

"(These efforts) will leave a lasting impression on East New Britain, certainly this University and indeed, for me personally, I also know the army can play soccer, volleyball, and yes, they have a jazz band and can play music and dance as well as pose for a photograph with my daughter."

Siaguru's observations were echoed in Timor-Leste, where the Pacific Partnership 2010 team was augmented by soldiers from the Timor-Leste Defence Force, or F-FDTL. Using Pacific Partnership 2010 as an opportunity to participate and to learn the mechanics of setting up and running a MED/DENCAP, the Australian Defence Cooperation Program is working with the F-FDTL to plan and run their own MED/DENCAP later this year.

As Pacific Partnership 2010 comes to a successful conclusion, preparations are already well underway to build on the relationships and achievements of the previous five missions. Planners, host and partner nation representatives, and NGO leaders will meet in San Diego later this month to refine plans for Pacific Partnership 2011.

"The formative stage of Pacific Partnership 2011 has already begun, and I wish everyone who will participate in that mission much success, as they will be part of something really special," said Franchetti.

"I am very proud of the PP10 team and all that we have accomplished during our deployment this year. It was incredibly rewarding to watch this diverse group of individuals come together to support a common goal – to bring assistance to those in need," said Franchetti. "Their infectious enthusiasm and creativity enabled us to reach out and build relationships and skills that will be sustained long into the future, ensuring a more effective response to a natural disaster in the region. I am already a bit envious of those who will have the chance to be involved with PP11 – it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Essex ARG Begins Exercise Valiant Shield 2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Casey H. Kyhl, USS Essex (LHD 2) Public Affairs

USS ESSEX, At Sea (NNS) -- The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) will participate in the integrated joint training exercise, Valiant Shield 2010 (VS10), Sept. 12-21 off the coast of Palau and ending in Guam.

"The main purpose of Valiant Shield is to take a large number of forces and seamlessly combine them together to complete a goal," said Capt. Richard Clemmons, commander of Destroyer Squadron 31 and the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group sea combat commander for VS10. "Smooth integration with other services means real-time maritime power."

"Joint interoperability is crucial for everything from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to armed conflict," said Clemmons. "Completing this exercise successfully will further prepare us for any contingency that may occur. We are committed to maintaining regional stability and positioned to respond when needed."

The exercise is designed to enable real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces' ability to locate, track and engage units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace in response to a range of missions.

"Valiant Shield will be an extremely valuable training experience for all involved," said Capt. Mark E. Weber, commander, Amphibious Task Group 76.4. "Without regular training, important skills can dull. Being able to work with other U.S. forces will help us keep our sharp edge."

Assets from the forward-deployed George Washington Carrier Strike Group, Essex ARG and 13th Air Force Expeditionary Wing will participate along with other air, surface and subsurface components from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

Because U.S. forces may be called to conduct any number of operations with little notice, VS10 will include training to enhance command and control, maritime interdiction, defensive counter-air, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence surveillance, reconnaissance and personnel recovery.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), with more than 2,200 Marines assigned, is composed of a command element, ground combat element, aviation combat element and logistics combat element. These elements are the striking arm of the Essex ARG and enable amphibious operations from the sea and power projection ashore.

"The 31st MEU does not operate without Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11, and PHIBRON 11 doesn't operate without us," said Marine Corps Col. Andrew MacMannis, 31st MEU commanding officer and commander of the landing forces. "This is a great chance for our team to work together and do what we do best."

The 31st MEU will employ AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft and CH-53E Sea Stallion, CH-46E Sea Knight, AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey helicopters to execute various air operations.

"This exercise required a huge amount of planning and coordination," said Capt. Troy L. Hart, Essex's commanding officer. "Multiple ship classes, different missions, three service branches - Valiant Shield represents what the U.S. military is capable of in the Pacific."

Upon completion of VS10, the permanently forward-deployed Essex ARG, along with the 31st MEU will continue on patrol in the Western Pacific region.

The Essex ARG is led by Commander, PHIBRON 11 and is also composed of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) and the dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49).

Afloat College Program Delivers Schoolhouse to Sailors

By Lt. Jacquelyn R. Bengfort, USS Shoup (DDG 86) Public Affairs

USS SHOUP, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard USS Shoup (DDG 86) took advantage of free college courses while at sea in July and August 2010 through the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE).

"This was my first college class ever," said Culinary Specialist Seaman Lakia Mitchell, a native of Jacksonville, Fla. "I'm going to take an English course next; I'll take every course I can."

Through NCPACE, Sailors can earn college credits while on active duty at sea for only the cost of books. Civilian instructors embark on ships for six to eight weeks and teach a variety of courses, which are chosen based on Sailors' interests and needs.

During the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group's recently completed composite training unit exercise, several Sailors participated in a general psychology class taught by Dr. Pamela Smilo of San Diego.

In order to accommodate Sailors' hectic schedules, the course was taught twice a day.

"There are definitely challenges," said Smilo. "You can't teach a class during a fire drill. But there are also benefits, like small class sizes, which many students use to their advantage."

Shoup is currently deployed as part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.

For more information about the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, visit http://www.facebook.com//usslincoln.

Navy Officers, Chiefs Honor Patriot's Day With 11-Mile Run

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eva-Marie Ramsaran, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Junior officers, chief petty officers (CPOs) and CPO selects attached to the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force and Navy Information Operations Command participated in an 11-mile run honoring Patriot's Day, Sept. 11, at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif.

For the fifth consecutive year, both commands paid homage to the lives that were lost nine years ago by running 11 miles.

"We challenge the chief selects to run 11 miles in commemoration of all those who have fallen during Sept. 11," said Maritime Expeditionary Security Group 1 Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Jacob E. Grgurich. "This is a great tribute to remember that tragic day when nearly 3,000 souls were lost."

This journey helps the newly selected chiefs instill in their minds that together they can accomplish anything and allows them to reflect on the sacrifices of others on 9/11.

"Sept. 11 is the most significant attack on the U.S. since Pearl Harbor," said Chief Electrician's Mate (Select) (EXW/SW) Joshua Jones, attached to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 1. "It impacted everyone's lives, and it changed our posture in terms of defense."

According to Jones, people forget things like Patriot's Day, and that's when they start to get complacent.

"It's better to be reminded of those that made sacrifices and were lost, including firefighters, police officers and civilian personnel," said Jones.

Both commands' service members stayed committed to the run by motivating each other with cadences and running in formation.

"The pain we endured doesn't compare to what the lives that were taken went through on 9/11," said Jones.

"It was a great honor to participate in this run, and I encourage other people to come out and join us as the years go by," said Grgurich.

Nine junior officers, 57 chiefs and 19 chief selects completed the run together.

First Lady Marks 9/11 With Service to Veterans

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 11, 2010 – First Lady Michelle Obama marked the ninth anniversary of 9/11 today with service to America’s veterans.

The first lady pitched in alongside a group of about 150 volunteers, including veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, to help in renovating a loading dock for residents of the Vinson Hall Retirement Community here. About 95 percent of the community’s 180 residents are veterans, some with service dating back to World War II.

Mission Serve, a civilian-military initiative, helped to organize the community service project at the center in honor of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, helped to launch this initiative a year ago with an aim to bring together civilian and military communities through service and volunteerism.

The volunteers, many of them college students from George Washington University, gave a resounding cheer when Obama arrived at the center, nestled in a tree-lined suburb of the natgion’s capital. She greeted the volunteers, many with a big smile and a high five, before jumping in to work with them.

“We’re always honored when the first lady joins us,” said Ross Cohen, director of Mission Serve and an Afghanistan veteran. “It’s a profound statement to turn a tragedy into a force for good.”

Doing her part to serve, Obama grabbed a paint roller and began coating a brick wall of the loading dock with broad strokes of white paint. She chatted with another volunteer, unconcerned with the paint splattering white flecks on her black slacks and purple sneakers. She then moved on to paint pipes bright orange to make them more visible.

The first lady climbed a ladder to reach closer to the ceiling while a volunteer, Brian Hawthorne, held the ladder still. “Use two hands,” another volunteer called out to him. He laughed and gripped tighter.

Hawthorne is a two-time Iraq war veteran and Army reservist with the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion in College Park, Md. He’s also a graduate student at George Washington University, and helped to coordinate the participation of a group of GWU student volunteers.

“It’s great to see the collaboration between veterans and nonveterans here,” said Hawthorne, a combat medic and civil affairs team sergeant.

While painting, Obama asked Hawthorne about his service, he said, and about other community service projects his student organization is involved in. “We’re really excited to have her here,” he said.

Fellow GWU student Scott Disney agreed. “It’s pretty awesome she’s here,” he said. “I never imagined she was coming when I was told about this project.” Disney also is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008.

Just behind the first lady, Marie Tillman, the widow of Scott Tillman, an Army Ranger who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004, freshened up a faded-out wall with white paint. Tillman is the founder of the Pat Tillman foundation, which provides educational resources for veterans.

“It’s wonderful that we can make Sept. 11 into a service day,” she said. “And having the first lady here brings a lot to this effort.”

The first lady reluctantly relinquished her paint brush after speaking with several volunteers. Before heading out, she moved to a shaded area under a pine tree to chat with some of the community’s residents, including Navy veterans of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway.

Retired Navy Cmdr. Verner Utke-Ramsing said he was thrilled to meet the first lady. The 91-year-old served from 1941 to 1960, having commanded a submarine and a destroyer during his service. He also served in World War II and was part of the Battle of Midway, he said.

Ramsing praised the volunteers who were pitching in to help his community’s residents, particularly the veterans of the current wars. “They’re doing a wonderful job,” he said of the nation’s servicemembers. “I’m so very proud of our young people.”

He also marveled at today’s project. “It’s beautiful -- veterans helping veterans,” he said.

In a statement issued yesterday, the first lady said the spirit of selflessness and service in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy is what inspired the first National Day of Service and Remembrance last year.

“On this day all Americans can honor the brave men and women who lost and risked their lives by serving others in their community,” she wrote in the statement. “On the anniversary of this tragic day in our history, I hope you will join me in honoring all those who put the needs of others before their own by serving in your community.”

Seal Beach Receives Third SECNAV Safety Award

By Gregg Smith, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Public Affairs

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif., was awarded the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Safety and Excellence Award Sept. 8.

The annual award recognizes Navy and Marine Corps bases, ships and squadrons for their quality occupational safety and health programs.

The command was considered the safest Navy and Marine Corps base in the small industrial category. This is Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach's SECNAV safety award.

"Our full-time safety staff deserves a great deal of credit for their outstanding efforts," said Capt. Terry Auberry, the base's commanding officer. "But safety is an all-hands effort, and all personnel have again shown that we remain safety-focused 24/7."

Award criteria included mishap trend analysis, safety inspections, and special or unique safety initiatives above and beyond those already required by stringent Navy safety regulations.

Weapons station personnel have started innovative programs ranging from regular safety meetings and training, weekly command-level tracking of safety deficiencies, a monthly newsletter addressing safety tips and topics, vehicle and pedestrian traffic improvements and a concentrated effort to correct safety-related deficiencies.

"An award nomination is only as strong as its people," said Safety Installation Program Manager James Olinger. "People are only as strong as their willingness for change, and change is what the naval weapons station has accomplished."

The command is also involved in the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration's Voluntary Protection Program, which recognizes worksites and businesses that demonstrate continuing excellence in areas of health and safety, reducing mishaps and lost work days due to injuries. Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach is preparing to apply for star status within the program, which is the highest rating possible.

"The unique safety culture here at Seal Beach stems from our Voluntary Protection Program," said Marlo Valdez, a base safety specialist. "As a direct result, our Sailors and employees have a proactive mindset rather than being reactive when it comes to safety."

The awards will be presented during a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., in October 2010. The command also earned the right to fly the SECNAV's safety flag for the next year.

September 11 Memorial Ceremony Held in Coronado

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elena Pence, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- A 9/11 memorial day remembrance ceremony was held at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado's U.S. Navy/U.S. Coast Guard Vietnam Unit Memorial Monument, Council International Sport Military Field Sept. 10 in San Diego.

The ceremony observed the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, and honored those who lost their lives and loved ones that tragic day in 2001.

Chief petty officer (CPO) selectees were given the honor of arranging and conducting the event.

"Today was about honoring those men and women who lost their lives on 9/11," said Chief Logistics Specialist (AW) (Select) Mario Siqueiros, who was instrumental in putting the memorial ceremony together. "There were a few times in the ceremony where it was hard for me because it brought back memories from that day. I am deeply honored to have been a part of this year's remembrance ceremony."

Cmdr. Dwayne Burbridge, commanding officer of Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, expressed his appreciation to the CPO selectees for hosting the ceremony.

"The program was very well put together. I appreciate the time and effort each chief select put into the ceremony. I lost a family friend on 9/11, and it is humbling to know he will not be forgotten," said Burbridge.

There were 2,792 people killed as American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Center towers, 40 passengers and crew died when United Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania, and 184 perished as American Flight 77 flew into the Pentagon. These numbers do not reflect the rescue workers who lost their lives that day, or military lives lost in support of the war on terrorism.

Spanish Village, Remembers 50th Anniversary of "Skymaster" Rescue

By Lt. Ben Tisdale, Naval Station Rota, Spain, Public Affairs

GRANADA, Spain (NNS) -- The U.S. ambassador to Spain and commander, U.S. Naval Activities Spain participated in a celebration Sept. 2 in Jerez del Marquesado, Spain, recognizing the rescuers of a U.S. Navy plane crash from 1960 in the Sierra Nevada.

The incident occurred March 8, 1960 near this small town in Southern Spain. Carrying U.S. service members from Naval Support Activities Naples to Naval Station Rota, the DC-4 "Skymaster" collided with a Sierra Nevada peak and crashed at 7,600 ft. above sea-level on the edge of a cliff in the snow.

The inhabitants of the mountain town quickly went to the aid of the stranded crew and passengers five decades ago. Antonio Lorente, a citizen from Jérez, was one of the first to arrive at the crash site.

"It was worth it," said Lorente, who spent the first night in the plane awaiting assistance. "We did not know what happened, but that it was only necessary to help human beings."

There were no deaths resulting from the plane crash. Many attribute this to the local inhabitants providing their assistance as quickly as possible during a severe blizzard.

"This event shows the extraordinary side of human nature," said U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Alan D. Solomont during his speech. "Without regard to their own lives...they did what had to be done to save lives."

Lt. Deb Neuhaus, Naval Station Rota air terminal officer, located some of the survivors prior to the ceremony months ago to help the city invite them to participate in the ceremony.

"The highlight of attending this trip was to see the survivors interact with their rescuers. It was emotional, and you could feel the mutual respect, understanding, and admiration," said Neuhaus. "The townspeople of Jerez del Marquesado enveloped the survivors with hospitality beyond their wildest imaginations."

Two of the survivors from the plane crash were able to attend: James Frank Zaio, and Francis John Rup. Zaio was a Seaman at the time of the crash and was on-board the plane as a member of the Naples' basketball team. Rupp, known as "Frank," was an Aircraft Maintenance 2nd Class Petty Officer assigned to the VF-102 Diamondbacks, flying from his carrier USS Forrestal (AVT 59) via Naples, to Rota to repair an aircraft.

"Every month or so I remember that fateful day," said Zaio. "I have had a void in my life for not being able to meet the people who saved my life, so this is wonderful to thank all of you for what you did for us."

As part of the nearly week-long celebration, Capt. Bill Mosk, commander, U.S. Naval Activities Spain (COMNAVACTS), gave his remarks Sept. 4 for the opening of a hiking path called "el Sendero Solidario el Avión," in English the "Path of Solidarity to the Aircraft," which saw nearly 200 participants walk the four-hour hike to see the crash site first-hand along the same route rescuers from Jérez used to help the crew and passengers.

"After living in Spain for two years, I think I have a pretty good idea of what motivated them," said Mosk. "A sense of courage, a sense of urgency and finally a sense of duty."

Families at Pentagon Memorial Reflect on Lost Loved Ones

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2010 – Rebecca Dolan is a busy 24-year-old, a recent college graduate pursuing a journalism career here in the nation’s capital. But on this day, as she has each year on Sept. 11, Dolan paused to return to the site at the Pentagon where terrorists stole the lives of her father and 183 others.

“It’s easy to get occupied in your everyday life,” said Dolan, whose father, Navy Capt. Robert E. Dolan, worked in the building. “Coming here is a grounding experience for me. Everyone coming together is a reminder of hope for the future.”

Dolan was among some 200 family members of those killed in the 9/11 attacks who attended a closed service held this morning to coincide with the time and location that the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the south side of the Pentagon at 9:34 a.m., nine years ago. Under a cloudless blue sky and with a fall chill in the air – much like the paradoxically beautiful weather of Sept. 11, 2001 – men, women and children gathered around 184 cantilevered benches bearing the name plates of their loved ones.

“This is a great accomplishment,” said Jim Laychak, president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, which raised $25 million to build the two-acre memorial, dedicated on Sept. 11, 2008. Like others with the fund, which chose the design for the memorial, Laychak suffered a personal loss: his brother, David Laychak, an Army civilian, was killed in the attack.

“We all worked together to accomplish something great out of a terrible event,” he said. “Instead of walking around remembering smoke and flames, families can sit on benches and reflect on their loved ones.”

Families did just that, some wearing T-shirts and buttons bearing the faces of fallen loved ones, others in mournful black. They strolled through walkways arranged by the ages of the victims, from 3-year-old Dana Falkenberg at the south end to 71-year-old John D. Yamnicky at the north. People were silent or spoke softly as they milled about under young maple trees and around the benches, each with a lighted pool underneath, while an Army brass band played quietly in the background.

President Barack Obama took to the dais at 9:34 a.m., flanked by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Each spoke of the sacrifices of the victims, their families and the troops who have endured nine years of war in the aftermath. Afterward, they formed a receiving line, shaking hands with the family members and posing for pictures.

“Look, guys, I got a picture of Papa with President Obama!” a woman told her children.

Later, the families gathered under a nearby canopy for refreshments, many sharing memories of that day, first of the disbelief, then of the person left behind.

In Dolan’s case, she didn’t know her father had recently returned to the building after working in an annexed office during Pentagon renovations. So when the teachers at her nearby high school announced that they saw smoke billowing from the direction of the Pentagon, she wasn’t immediately alarmed.

For Laychak, who lived only a couple miles from the Pentagon, he was convinced his brother would escape unharmed and walk to his home. “I kept watching for him to walk up the street,” he said.

For Barbara Cobb, of Hilton Head, S.C., the tragedy underscored her faith. Cobb lost her sister, Edna Stephens, an Army budget analyst who was soon to retire after 34 years of civil service, in the attack. After waiting all day to hear from her sister, Cobb said, she was reminded of a startling vision she’d had the day before of a faceless man in a white robe setting a place at an ornate table. Cobb said she felt that she should call her sister that day, but decided to put it off.

“I’ll say this to everybody: when it comes to your loved ones, anything that comes across your mind and heart to do for them, do it then, because you may not have a tomorrow,” she said. “Edna didn’t have a tomorrow.”

Obama: Honor 9/11 Victims by Staying True to U.S. Values

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2010 – President Barack Obama this morning paid tribute to the 184 people who died in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon nine years ago today, saying America honors their sacrifice by holding firm to the nation’s ideals of unity and tolerance.

“The perpetrators of this evil act didn’t simply attack America; they attacked the very idea of America itself – all that we stand for and represent in the world,” Obama told some 200 family members of 9/11 victims gathered at the Pentagon Memorial. “And so the highest honor we can pay those we lost -- indeed, our greatest weapon in this ongoing war -- is to do what our adversaries fear the most: to stay true to who we are as Americans, to renew our sense of common purpose, to say that we define the character of our country and we will not let the acts of some small band of murderers who slaughter the innocent and cower in caves distort who we are.”

Obama spoke at 9:34 a.m. at the same time and place that the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon, and under strikingly similar weather conditions: a cool, September morning under a bright blue sky with the sun rising brightly over the Pentagon roof to the south side of the building.

Standing alongside Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Obama called the Sept. 11 anniversary a reflection, unity and renewal.

“We gather to remember, at this sacred hour, on hallowed ground – at places where we feel such grief and where our healing goes on,” he said.

While it’s natural to dwell on the images of carnage from the attacks and the final moments of the victims’ lives, Obama told the families, “these memorials and your presence today remind us to remember the fullness of their time on Earth.

“They were fathers and mothers raising their families, brothers and sisters pursuing their dreams, sons and daughters [with] their whole lives before them,” he said. “They were civilians and servicemembers.”

Obama noted that the victims – nearly 3,000 from the attacks on the Pentagon, at the World Trade Center in New York and aboard a hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania – were of all races and faiths. “They were Americans and people from far corners of the world,” he said. “And they were snatched from us senselessly and much too soon. But they lived well, and they live on through you.”

The legacy of the 9/11 victims should be preserved by a renewed sense of common purpose among Americans, and a conviction to not give in to an enemy that wants to divide the nation, the president said.

“As Americans, we are not and never will be at war with Islam,” Obama said. “It wasn’t a religion that attacked us on that September day. It was al-Qaida – a sorry band of men which perverts religion. And just as we condemn intolerance and extremism abroad, so will we stay true to our traditions here at home as a diverse and tolerant nation.”

In the past nine years, the United States has persevered, going on the offensive to quash al-Qaida in Afghanistan, where the attacks were planned, Obama said. “They may seek to strike fear in us, but they are no match for our resilience,” he said.

“They may seek to exploit our freedoms, but we will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or hunker down behind walls of suspicion and mistrust,” Obama said. “Today we declare once more that we will never hand them that victory. As Americans, we will keep alive the virtues and values that make us who we are and who we must always be.”

Guatemalan's Welcome CP10, Iwo Jima's Mobile Medical Team

By Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Mavis Tillman, Continuing Promise 2010 Public Affairs

PUERTO SANTO TOMAS, Guatemala (NNS) -- A medical team comprised of joint forces and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), currently embarked aboard the multipurpose amphibious ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), is managing a medical site at Puerto Barrios Elementary School in Guatemala Sept. 3-10.

Puerto Barrios residents line up behind gates surrounding the school to receive medical services that include surgical screening, optometry, adult and pediatric care, women's health education and dental services.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., translators and volunteers from the local communities assist and interpret for the medical team to screen patients and send them to be diagnosed and treated.

"The staff sees an average of 660 patients a day and fills about 200 prescriptions daily," said Cmdr. Cyrus Rad, site leader, Medical Site 1. "Many patients come in with multiple complaints and others with multiple diagnosis, they all are taken care of before they exit."

As word of free medical care spreads throughout the communities, hundreds of local Guatemalans continue to line up around the site and take advantage of the free medical care. Because of the large number of patients, it is a common occurrence for doctors, volunteers and translators to work through lunch breaks and maximize the number of locals treated.

"Each medical site has its purpose, but medical site one is the largest of the three sites with a one stop shop," said Hospitalman Dana Scott, Fleet Surgical Team 2, embarked on Iwo Jima. "It's busy because of its location in the center of the town."

Patients aren't the only ones who are benefiting from the experience. Service members and volunteers are able to pull away something more by helping those in need.

"I love helping in anyway possible, especially when it comes to the kids," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Carrie McKinley, from Iwo Jima. "I was able to interact with and keep a lot of the kids occupied while their parents were getting treated. It was an awesome experience."

Iwo Jima is currently anchored off the coast of Puerto Santo Thomass, Guatemala, and will continue to bring medical relief to a number of South and Central American countries as part of Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10).

CP10 is a humanitarian civic assistance mission, delivering medical, dental, veterinary, engineering, subject matter expert exchange and disaster response cooperation to host nations to include Haiti, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname and Guyana.