WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2010 – President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta in a Nov. 16 White House ceremony, officials announced yesterday.
The 25-year-old noncommissioned officer -- who will be the first living soldier since the Vietnam War to receive the nation’s top military honor -- learned of his selection in a Sept. 9 phone call from Obama.
Giunta was a 22-year-old rifle team leader serving in Afghanistan’s KorengalValley with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, when insurgents attacked his squad the night of Oct. 25, 2007. When approaching insurgents formed an L-shaped ambush, splitting Giunta’s squad into two groups, Giunta braved enemy fire to pull a squad member back to cover.
He later saved another soldier while trying to connect with the other half of his squad. He saw two insurgents carrying off the second squad member and recovered him while shooting and killing one enemy fighter and wounding and driving off others.
Giunta administered medical aid to the wounded soldier while the remainder of his squad caught up with them and secured the area. Despite Giunta’s efforts, the soldier died the next day during surgery.
Giunta enlisted in the Army in November 2003 and has completed two combat tours of Afghanistan, totaling 27 months. His wife, Jennifer, and his parents, Steven and Rosemary Giunta, will join him at the ceremony.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2010 – The Philippine government has asked for assistance after Typhoon Megi struck the island nation yesterday with sustained winds of 140 mph, Defense Department officials said here today.
Philippine officials announced that the storm killed at least 13 people, with thousands driven from their homes and more than 3 million left without power.
“The Philippines has submitted a formal request for assistance,” said Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan. “They’ve indicated a need for fixed-wing aircraft as well as heavy-lift helicopters.”
The U.S. Agency for International Development has sent a team to the Philippines to assess the damage and coordinate what U.S. assets might be needed. “We do have capabilities in the region that can be called upon if necessary,” Lapan said.
Officials said the effort will not draw resources or aircraft from the on-going humanitarian mission to aid flood victims in Pakistan.
The typhoon passed over the island and is on course for southern China and Vietnam and is regaining whatever strength it lost over the Philippines. Officials in China have ordered the evacuation of at least 140,000 people from a coastal area in the storm’s path.
The most recent report from the JointTyphoonWarningCenter said the storm has sustained winds of 115 mph with gusts up to about 145 mph, and waves at 34 feet. Officials said they expect sustained wind speeds to rise to more than 130 mph today, with gusts of more than 160 mph.
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the following Department of Defense Senior Executive Service appointments and reassignments.
John B. Allen has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy director, naval warfare, director, Operational Test & Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Allen previously served as senior associate, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, N.M.
Sajeel Ahmed has been assigned as director, Facilities Services Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.Ahmed previously served as program manager, Pentagon Renovation/Construction Program Office, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.
James Bexfield has been assigned as director, Joint Analytic Support Division, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Bexfield previously served as director, Study and Analytical Support Division, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Richard Burke has been assigned as deputy director, cost assessment, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Burke previously served as deputy director (resources analysis), Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Scott Comes has been assigned as deputy director, program evaluation, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Comes previously served as deputy director (strategic, C4 and ISR programs), Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Eric Coulter has been assigned as deputy director, force structure and risk analysis, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Coulter previously served as deputy director, strategic assessment and irregular warfare, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Malcolm Ewell has been assigned as director, force structure assessments, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Ewell previously served as director, Analytic Integration Division, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Krystyna Kolesar has been assigned as director, Force and Infrastructure Analysis Division, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.Kolesar previously served as director, Force and Infrastructure Cost Analysis Division, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Washington, D.C.
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.
Canadian Army Maj. Gen. Stuart Beare, deputy commanding general for police, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, will brief the media live from Afghanistan at 10 a.m. EDT, Oct 21, in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973) to provide an update on current operations.Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the River Entrance only.Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.Please call 703-697-5131 for escort into the building.
KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -- USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) and USS Georgia (SSGN 729) homeported in Kings Bay, Ga., and USS Maine (SSBN 741) and USS Ohio (SSGN 726) homeported in Bangor, Wash., are the initial four submarines that have been selected to integrate female officers into their crews.
The blue and gold crews of the four submarines will each be assigned three female officers.
Two of the women will be submarine officers, and the third female officer will be a warfare qualified supply officer.
They will be assigned to their first submarine duty station after completing training, which consists of nuclear power school, prototype training and the Submarine Officer Basic Course. They are expected to report to their assigned submarines beginning December 2011.
By Chief Mass Communications Specialist (SW) Bill Mesta, Naval StationGuantanamoBay Public Affairs
NAVAL STATIONGUANTANAMOBAY (NNS) -- Golfers residing at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba had the opportunity to improve their golf game when a professional golfer visited the base to provide lessons Oct. 14-18.
To help the base residents improve their golf game, GuantanamoBay's Moral Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office brought Jon Fine, Professional Golf Association (PGA) golf professional, to visit the base for four days beginning Oct. 14.
Fine said he came to GTMO to give free golf lessons to service members and their families stationed on the island. This was his first visit to the naval station.
"It is always exciting to try and teach someone who has never hit a golf ball before and get them to elevate the ball," said Fine.
Fine has been playing golf for 34 years and is currently the manager at the Naval Station Mayport, Fla. golf course.
Fine gave golf lessons, lead a chipping contest and played in a 'beat the pro' tournament with base residents.
"The winners of the chipping contest played nine holes with me," said Fine. "I enjoyed the golf here immensely and as far as giving the lessons, I love to teach. I love to try and help people out."
Fine complimented the naval station on how the golfing facilities were set up more like a service than a business ultimately benefiting the GTMO community.
"If people can pick up the game of golf and recreate out here at the course as opposed to less than positive activities that is a good thing," said Fine.
"To me golf is very much like life," said Fine. "You have good days and you have bad days. Sometimes you feel like breaking every club in your bag. While other days you want to rejoice and think that the game is the most incredible thing that you have ever done in your life."
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ridge Leoni USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Public Affairs
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) celebrated the 33rd anniversary of IKE's commissioning while kicking off the Planned Incremental Availability (PIA), Oct. 18.
IKE, the second Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, is currently docked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for scheduled maintenance and modernization.
IKE's Commanding Officer, Capt. Marcus Hitchcock, shared the history of IKE's official start in the United Stated Navy while addressing the crew and NNSY workers in the ship's hangar bay.
"Today we are celebrating IKE's commissioning which happened on this day in 1977," said Hitchcock. "IKE was commissioned on Pier 12 at Norfolk Naval Station, by the Honorable Harold Brown, then Secretary of Defense, and Mamie Eisenhower, the ship's sponsor and wife of President Eisenhower was in attendance."
While celebrating the anniversary of IKE's commissioning, Hitchcock and the crew took the opportunity to celebrate the beginning of PIA.
"I know we are going to do the best we can during this project," said Hitchcock. "Our shared values during PIA are teamwork, energy, dedication, respect and most importantly integrity; this is how we will get through this project smoothly and on time."
Chrystal Brady, NNSY's Project Superintendent for IKE's PIA, also spoke of the significance of the team concept during the availability.
"We have all pulled together very well so far in the set up of PIA," said Brady. "This will be the largest PIA ever done in a six-month availability and calls for teamwork and diligence to make the due date in April."
On July 28 of this year, IKE returned home to Norfolk Naval Station wrapping up the second of two nearly back-to-back deployments within a seventeen-month period. Hitchcock stated that IKE has earned this overhaul period.
1824 - U.S. schooner Porpoise captures four pirate ships off Cuba.
1944 - 7th Fleet lands more than 60,000 Army troops on Leyte, Philippines, while Japanese aircraft attack.
1952 - Task Force 77 establishes Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) Hunter/Killer Teams of two ECM-equipped aircraft and an armed escort of four Skyraiders and four Corsairs.
1967 - Operation Coronado VII began in Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
1983 - Due to political strife, USS Independence (CV 62) is ordered to Grenada.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2010 – An early morning shooting at the Pentagon’s exterior walls today likely was a random event, the director of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency said.
No one was injured, and the threat level at the Pentagon has not been increased as a result of what Steven E. Calvery called “an isolated event.”
At about , Calvery said, Pentagon officers said up to seven shots rang out from the area of the Pentagon’s south parking lot. Access was halted to the lot and all building entrances.
“Pentagon police, Virginia State Police and Arlington County Police conducted sweeps of the area, with no initial findings,” he said The reservation was declared safe and reopened at 5:40 a.m.”
A subsequent interior search revealed that bullets shattered exterior windows on the Pentagon’s third and fourth floors, but did not penetrate them, Calvery said. As a result, he added, Virginia State Police shut down portions of Interstate 395 and its high-occupancy vehicle lanes to look for any potential evidence.
The offices where the bullets struck are under renovation and were unoccupied, Calvery said.
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency is working jointly with officials from ArlingtonCounty and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Calvery said, adding that a crime-scene search was under way to determine whether more bullets struck the building.
The FBI is looking into the possibility of a connection to a similar incident at the National Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., over the weekend, Calvery said.
Law enforcement officers aren’t sure what type of weapon was used, and investigators had found no shell casings, Calvery said. No suspect description was available, and officials know of no specific threats, he added. Surveillance video is being reviewed for evidence, he said.
Meanwhile, Calvery told reporters, witness interviews continue, and the FBI is performing ballistics tests on the bullet fragments.
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency acted quickly, he noted.
“We took prompt action at immediately closing down the reservation [and] vehicular access, as well as access to the building pretty quickly once the shots were verified,” he said. During the 40-minute shutdown, officers swept the parking lot for clues. “We weren’t sure what was going on out there, and we wanted to make sure it was safe,” Calvery said.
Security recently was beefed up at the Pentagon’s Metro entrance, which Calvery said is a result of an after-action review from a March 4 shooting at the Pentagon.
“We made those changes and we think it provides a higher level of protection of people transiting in and out of the Pentagon,” he said.
Officials are evaluating whether more security measures are needed, Calvery said, but he expressed confidence in the protective posture that already was in place.
“I personally think our security is pretty robust at normal times,” he said.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2010 – Americans must recognize the sacrifices and struggles of today's troops and their families and work harder to reintegrate them into their communities, the nation’s top military officer said yesterday.
The past nine years of war and multiple combat deployments have stressed the force, leaving in their wake veterans and families who return home only to have to start putting their lives back together, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a USO Gala in Chicago.
"These years of battle have steeled them for an uncertain future, because when our men and women come home, the battle doesn't end," Mullen said. "Quite frankly, for many it's just the beginning."
Mullen told the audience that one of the reasons he and his wife travel the country speaking at local events is to keep America connected to its troops. He said that many Americans don't realize what the troops and families go through to serve in the military, nor do they realize the value they bring to their communities when they return home.
"We have to recognize our veterans and their families for what they are: not a burden, but an opportunity," he said. "They are talented, skilled leaders who have so much to offer and contribute to their communities, not only during their military service, but throughout their entire lives.
"I truly believe that today's returning warriors and their families are the next great generation," Mullen said.
Mullen hailed the efforts of the USO and other organizations who have mobilized to provide community-based support for veterans and families. Still, he said, more needs to be done.
"Even with all the generosity and good will, too many veterans and military families still struggle to receive all the support they need," he said.
Returning troops and veterans often struggle with physical and mental injuries, anxiety and depression, he said. Their family dynamics are changed by the challenges of post-traumatic stress.
Mullen said some veterans find it difficult to translate their military experience into viable jobs and careers, noting that the job search is made even more difficult during a struggling economy. The homelessness rates among today’s veterans are rising past those of Vietnam veterans, he said, and too many veterans consider suicide an option.
"Not a day goes by that I don't think about the pressures on these young men and women and the sacrifices of their families -- challenges that all of us must help them shoulder as they have already shouldered such burdens for us," the chairman said.
And it's not just the returning veterans who need community support, Mullen noted. The families of servicemembers killed in combat also need help. "Not a moment goes by that I don't think about the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice," he said.
The USO and communities play a vital role in tapping into the skills of veterans, the admiral said, mobilizing support for families and helping to build resilience against visible and invisible wounds of war.
He recalled his time aboard ship as a young naval officer, and said that at each port he would seek out the familiar USO sign.
"It seemed as though the USO was always there -- everywhere and anywhere," he said. "It felt as though the USO volunteers were not just serving us -- they were serving alongside us."
But for all of the comforts it provides to troops overseas, it is the connection at home that makes the group most valuable, Mullen said.
"It isn't just a taste of home that you provide. … It's a sense of appreciation," he said. "It's knowing that the people you fight for back home are fighting for you too."
Marine Chief Warrant Officer Sam Domino is 100 years old, July 12, 2010. This Veteran’s life and career are notable in his dedication to the Marines, his country and his family.
In the Marine Corps, he served in two major conflicts, World War II and Korea, as well as stations throughout East Asia.
The son of Italian immigrants, Warrant Officer Domino was an exceptional athlete in his youth, lettering in baseball, football and track. His studies in agricultural engineering at university were interrupted when his father, a store keeper, lost everything in the great depression.
That’s when he joined the Marine Corps for his first tour of duty, earning less than $20 a month. He was to later re-enlist and make the Corps a career.
Domino was married for nearly 50 years to the love of his life, Anne. They had four children who gave them six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Proud to say he “loved the Corps,” he served as a valet to Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, in the early days of World War II. His tour of duty included service on the USS Augusta, a heavy artillery cruiser.
Domino served in Okinawa for five years during the occupation and sadly remembers the many marines who died there.
He spent a total of 27 years in the Marine Corps, retiring in the late 1950s. After leaving the Corps, he worked for the State of Florida Department of Transportation.
Domino loved to garden and tended his orange trees, vegetables and flowers until he reached 95 years of age.
His daughter, Madeline, enjoys looking through photos of his days training at ParisIsland, his tours of duty to China, the Philippines, the Panama Canal, Australia and Japan.
About her dad, she says, “Dad is truly an amazing person and a great father and husband. He is always complimentary of my mother who followed him around the country on his U.S. assignments and reared the children, many times alone.
“As a father, dad always offered guidance to his children and instilled in us the virtues of faith in God, hard work, honesty and the value of an education. We are so blessed to have dad with us on this momentous occasion. We love you dad!”
A lifetime member of the Masons, Warrant Officer Domino was saluted on the NBC Today Show on July 12. The local VeteransAffairsMedicalCenter will celebrate his 100th birthday with a special party in his honor.
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leona Mynes, Naval StationGuantanamoBay Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Service members from all branches of the U.S. military and civilians celebrated the Navy's 235th birthday during an Oct. 16 ball at the Windjammer Ballroom at Naval Station Guantanamo (GTMO) Bay, Cuba.
More than 300 people attended the event, including guest speaker, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. West.
The celebration, themed "U.S. Navy Sailor–235 Years of Tradition," highlighted the history and heritage of U.S. Navy Sailors around the world.
"As we celebrate our Navy's birthday and look toward the future, we should take the time to look back at our impressive history and consider how it has shaped us into the Navy we are today," said West.
The Navy includes more than 430,000 active and reserve Sailors, more than 200,000 civilian employees, more than 3,700 functional aircraft and 288 deployable battle force ships.
"Throughout our long and illustrious history, we have experienced a continuum of changing times," said West. "The United States Navy has remained steadfast and ready, answering every call our nation has given. Here in GTMO, your service is simply outstanding and is essential to our maritime strategy.
West added that U.S. Navy presence is global, and the missions in which Sailors are involved remains constant.
"Today, America's Navy is very much a global force for good, on-station around the world, around the clock," said West.
Some know him as the "PopcornMan." All know him as a friendly face they look forward to seeing.
At 87, Charles Wilson is a spry, cheerful World War II Veteran who arrives at every morning to volunteer at his hometown VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Wilson has been a helping hand to VA patients and staff for the past 29 years.
In 1976, Wilson was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. After surgery, his doctors predicted that he would lose the use of his voice. "I wasn't supposed to be able to talk, but I surprised them," said Wilson.
The Veteran's successful recovery inspired him to start volunteering at the VA periodically, and he began working a regular 30-hour week in 1981.
"I wanted to give back because the VA did such a good job saving my life and it didn't cost me anything."
Just the Man for the Job
Working primarily as a patient escort, Wilson zips around on his Amigo electric cart delivering documents and snacks around the medical center. He often makes and delivers popcorn, earning him the nickname, "PopcornMan."
Wilson enjoys his job and has fun driving the halls. "I get to go around and see all the pretty nurses" said Wilson with a chuckle. "It keeps my ego up."
His favorite part of the job is getting to see friendly, familiar faces around the VA. He also values the job as a good way to keep himself busy.
Patients and VA staff look forward to seeing Wilson's smiling face every day. Sometimes, he'll share some interesting tales about his time in World War II. He served in the U.S. Army field artillery in Germany and was just outside Berlin when German troops surrendered to the Allies.
"This Man is a Walking Miracle"
Wilson, nicknamed "The Popcorn Man," arrives at daily to make fresh coffee and popcorn.
Carrie Seward, VA Voluntary Services Manager in Saginaw, calls Wilson a "walking miracle." In addition to his unexpected recovery from cancer, Wilson had two strokes, but went straight back to work once he recovered.
"Charlie comes to work in all weather. We get a good share of snow here, but he still makes it into work every morning," said Seward.
Wilson's six-hour daily schedule is not his only weekly commitment. He is an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1859 and is part of the Honor Guard for local military funerals.
Wilson, whose wife is deceased, lives on his own, completely independent. "I'm still in charge of all my housework — I do my own laundry," he stated with pride.
Last summer, Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a special commendation to Wilson when he reached 22,000 hours of volunteer time. He is now up to 23,500 and counting.
"If anyone is interested in volunteering at the VA, I'd tell them to check it out and be sensible. You've got to commit to it, but it's a good thing to do."
1843 - Capt. Robert Stockton on Princeton, the first screw-propelled naval steamer, challenges British merchant ship Great Western to a race off New York, which Princeton won easily.
1915 - Submarine Base at New London, Conn is established.
1944 - Secretary of the Navy orders African-American women accepted into the Naval Reserve.
1987 - Iranian oil-drilling platform used for military purposes is destroyed.
The Cincinnati VA Medical Center celebrated Veterans Day this year with a special event saluting women Veterans from conflicts past and present.
The Cincinnati facility, where 99 staff members are women Veterans, hosted the special activities as a special tribute to those women who have served their county in times of war and peace.
At a dinner hosted by the medical center, the staff heard an inspiring address by Dr. Lynn Ashley, a World War II woman Veteran and educator, facilitator, and consultant, who praised the work of women Veterans and reflected on the vital work they do today in all areas of government service.
Dr. Ashley's career provides a unique perspective on the roles women Veterans have held throughout American history.
Hers is a colorful story, which begins 65 years ago:
Gas Mask Day
It was a Wednesday, gas mask day, at Carlsbad Army Air Corps Base in Carlsbad, N.M. The base teemed with new recruits and among them was Marilyn Haynes. Years later she would become Lynn Ashley, Ph.D, but in 1944, she was simply a 23-year-old clerk typist in the Women's Army Corps (WAC).
"Back then, we had gas mask day because the mindset was that we could be overrun by Japanese or Germans at any time," said Ashley. "We had to wear gas masks all day, no matter what we did."
That particular Wednesday was Ashley's lucky day. Because pilots and bombardiers stationed at the base were paid per flight, they were eager to take to the skies as often as possible, but they had to have observers in the plane to verify their flight. A captain asked Ashley if she would be his observer. She had never been on a plane before, and even better, she wouldn't have to wear a gas mask, so she immediately agreed.
Ashley was watching the cacti and the rocks whizzing past far below when the pilot noticed something was wrong with the bomb bay doors.
"He told me to take the controls while he checked the doors," said Ashley. "And he said, 'All you have to do is keep the wings level with the horizon.' I was looking at the mountains in front of me and thinking, 'How on earth am I going to do this?'"
What could she do but follow orders? Ten minutes later, the pilot returned to his seat, eyed the controls, and told a shaken Ashley she had only climbed 1,000 feet, so she "didn't do too badly."
From Rivets to Mission Logistics
Ashley, who had been working as a riveter at a Chicago defense plant the year before, enlisted in the WAC to support her brother's military service. Another reason for her enlistment had to do with the union moving into the plant and her being a bit, well, opinionated. "I was a little outspoken about it," she admitted. "And it looked like if I didn't leave, they'd ask me to. So I left and joined the Army. I thought it would get me overseas."
It got her as far as Georgia for six weeks of basic training, which included 238 hours of clerical training, learning about the organization of the Army along with touch typing, company records and reports, military discipline, personnel administration and finance.
After basic training, Ashley was assigned to the New Mexico airbase, where she was promoted to a corporal.
She worked "on the line" at the tarmac where aircraft pulled up for inspection and repair. It took Ashley 30 minutes to walk from her barracks to the office, bracing herself against the sandstorms that sometimes swept the airbase. Ashley's job was to figure out the mechanical logistics of missions, developing training schedules, determining which aircraft were available for exercises, and tracking the number of planes needed for each mission.
"You Just Did Your Job"
Looking back 65 years later, Ashley said she didn't experience any difficulties as a woman in the military. "It was just like working any place else. You just did your job and went home each evening," she said. "I was never aware of a lot of things that women in the military are going through now, being challenged physically, morally, and sexually."
Ashley is very involved in supporting today's military women. She's a member of an all-women's American Legion Post, assists deployed soldiers and their families in a military support group, and is on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
"When I returned from war, I wasn't treated any differently as a Veteran, but you have to realize that there were hundreds and hundreds of us back then," said Ashley. "Now, some people don't realize there's a war going on and it's sad. It's my mission to do everything I can to try and educate people that we need to support the people who are over there."
From Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- A Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic contract specialist was recognized by two national groups for his assistance with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Contract Management Support (CMS) training program Oct. 8.
Charles Spicer received an award from NIB and the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind at their annual training conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.
NIB approached Spicer in 2009 when the organization discovered the need for a compatibility software adjustment while creating a training program to help the blind and visually impaired pursue careers in contract management.
"I advised NIB that Window-Eyes may be a solution to the problems," said Spicer. "I set up my laptop computer in our conference room and demonstrated how a blind person accesses and uses PD2 [Procurement Desktop Defense]."
When Spicer worked with the Army, he used a software program called Job Access With Speech (JAWS) with PD2, a contract writing software system, to perform his contract specialist duties. However, after a minor upgrade to PD2, JAWS no longer functioned with the PD2 system and he lost speech output.
Then, when Spicer began working with the Navy in 2009 and PD2 was accessed through the Citrix server, he again encountered the same compatibility issues. Using Window-Eyes, a screen-reading program that allows the user to hear what is on the screen by using key strokes, helped him gain access to the tools he needed to do his job.
Spicer's collaborations with NIB's CMS training program has allowed NIB to continue its mission to provide high-growth career opportunities in contract management for skilled blind and visually impaired professionals.
"Thanks to Charles' efforts getting screen-reading software installed on Navy central servers, NIB was able to provide a prototype example to the rest of the Department of Defense and the Army for eventual enterprise-wide approvals for assistive technology for the blind and visually impaired," said Douglas Goist, NIB CMS Assistive Technology coordinator.
Spicer's award coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is recognized in October to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.
By Lt. j.g. Michelle Tobias, Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) conducted a Logistics Support Representative (LSR) Apprentice training pilot Sept. 13-17 for 29 Navy Reserve Component (RC) Sailors.
The week-long logistics course, held at Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) San Diego, was created to make Selected Reservists (SELRES) "board ready" when they report to their assigned FISC location. Training SELRES as LSRs enables them to provide capability to their supported FISC during annual training periods or when needed.
The first of its kind training included information on the COMFISCS organization and its partner sites, as well as Logistics Support Center (LSC) operations, husbanding fundamentals, and the unique role of the worldwide FISC network of logistics professionals.
LSC program director Bill Cording spoke with the students about the future of the LSR program and how RC Sailors might support global logistics during future annual training periods and mobilizations.
Course participants received hands-on training on One Touch Support (OTS), a single integrated Web-based interface for the Navy's integrated supply system. Familiarity with OTS will prepare SELRES for work at an LSC during annual training (AT) periods or mobilization.
Students learned about the afloat supply departments during tours hosted by USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). This opportunity was a highlight for many students, particularly those who had never been aboard a ship.
"One of the most useful things was when we learned about each [supply] department's interaction with the LSR," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Alan Coburn.
The chance to see the fleet side of logistics support was an invaluable opportunity for them to better understand a ship's potential needs and limitations.
"We also learned about the storage capacity on the ship," said Logistics Specialist 1st Class Christopher Eastin. "It was really good to see the effect of a certain number of pallets on a small ship."
Tours of FISC San Diego and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) showed students what happens behind the scenes as goods and materials are received from vendors and prepared for delivery to the ships. Understanding the role an LSR plays between DLA and the ships on the waterfront was significant for the students, many of whom had never seen or worked with DLA during previous drill weekends or AT.
Training additional SELRES to step into the LSR role is of critical significance as global logistics grows in increasing importance around the globe. Students agreed that the course was a tremendous learning opportunity and demonstrated the concept of the reserves as a force multiplier.
"I wish I had [OTS] access and LSR training before I went to Jacksonville (Fla.) to assist with the Haiti relief efforts," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Felix Jordan
For more information about the pilot LSR Apprentice course or future LSR courses, please contact Lt. j.g. Michelle Tobias at michelle.tobias@navy.mil or Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Cliff Dumpit at clifford.dumpit@navy.mil.>
COMFISCS provides an array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy and Joint operational units across all warfare enterprises.
COMFISCS is responsible for facilitating best business practices and efficiencies across the seven FISCs headquartered in San Diego, Calif.; Norfolk, Va.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Yokosuka, Japan; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Bremerton (Puget Sound), Wash.; and Sigonella, Italy; and for optimizing the performance of base supply functions and standardizing levels of service across 11 regions and 70 Navy installations.
Comprised of more than 5,700 military and civilian logistics professionals, contractors and foreign nationals, COMFISCS operates as a single cohesive team providing global logistics services from 110 locations worldwide.
A component of the Naval Supply Systems Command, headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pa., COMFISCS is part of a worldwide logistics network of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel providing combat capability through logistics.
RADCLIFF, KY- October 14, 2010-USA Cares is pleased to announce a partnership with #1 Star Wars artist and Eisner Award-winning illustrator Dave Dorman on Project 52, which is raising money for financially challenged post-9/11 military and their families.
Dorman, the son of USAF Lieutenant Colonel Jack Dorman, first announced his intention on his blog October 1, 2010, his 52nd birthday, to paint 52 paintings to "give back" to USA Cares' military families. "I know firsthand what it means to live the life of a family whose parent is an active duty military member. I want to ease the financial burden of those families who today are going through what I did," Dorman said. Said Dorman's Director of Social Media Jacob K. Young, "Through Project 52, we're seeing Dave Dorman capturing pivotal moments in our American history on canvas. These paintings will hang in the Smithsonian one day, and the crowd funding fans are the elites making this happen, five dollars at a time."
Dorman is "crowd funding" this passion project through http://www.indiegogo.com/Project-52. Donors are being asked to give the
following:
-Project 52 Supporter: $5 - Donor or the person of their choice will
be listed in the Project 52 fine art book.
-Dedicated Supporter: $25 - Donor may honor the special person or
soldier in their life with a two-line dedication in the Project 52 fine art book.
-Bronze Level Donor: $50 - Donor will receive a signed copy of the
Project 52 regular retail edition fine art book.
-Silver Level Donor: $100 - Donor will receive a signed, dedicated
copy of the Project 52 Limited Edition version of the fine art book.
-Gold Level Donor: $250 - Donor will receive a signed, numbered copy
of the Project 52 Limited Edition Lithograph on acid-free, archival paper. This can be personalized if they choose, as well as a signed copy of the Limited Edition fine art book.
-Platinum Level Donor: $1000 - The first 52 donors who give at the
Platinum Level will receive one of the actual Project 52 Paintings plus the fine art limited edition lithograph, autographed, as well as a signed, Limited Edition fine art hardcover book.
Dorman's goal is to raise $52,000, to enable him to complete the paintings, as well as cover production costs for printing the books and lithographs. Dorman is donating 50% of all book and lithograph sales to USA Cares. Dorman has already designated 20% of his new career retrospective art book, ROLLING
THUNDER: THE ART OF DAVE DORMAN.
About USA Cares
USA Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that helps post-9/11 military and their families with basic needs, assists veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families and works to prevent private military home foreclosures and evictions. In seven years, USA Cares has received over 24,000 requests and responded with more than $7 million in grants. Military families anywhere in America can apply for assistance through the USA Cares web site, http://www.usacares.org/ or by calling 1-800-773-0387.
About Dave Dorman
Dave Dorman is an Eisner award-winning illustrator who has been working as a professional artist since 1979.He is best known for his photo-realistic renderings of action and fantasy subjects. For more information on Project 52 visithttp://www.indiegogo.com/Project-52 or contact Dorman's publicist: denise@writebrainmedia.com or call USA Cares at 1.800.773.0387. For more information on Dave Dorman visit http://www.davedorman.com/.
Troy Bowling, 83, arrives at work in the dark. The halls of the Lexington, KY, VA Medical Center are quiet at , but Bowling knows an army of volunteers, inpatients, and staff members will surge through the building once the sun rises. They'll need coffee, 200 cups' worth, so he wastes no time in busying himself at the coffeemaker.
A Purple Heart recipient and World War II Veteran, Bowling volunteers at the medical center five days a week. As the coffee brews, he unlocks the door of the Voluntary Service office, flips on the lights, switches on the computer, and begins to compile volunteer data, an integral task that keeps the Voluntary Service office organized and humming.
It's a full day, seven hours in all, filled with filing, processing new volunteers, and assembling packages of personal care items to make new hospital inpatients more comfortable. Sometimes Bowling travels to Veteran organizations to speak about volunteering and to recruit new volunteers for Lexington.
He is done by and leaves to visit his wife at a nursing home.
Sixty Years and 65,350 Hours
What keeps Bowling motivated to volunteer day after day? Without a pause, he replies, "It keeps me alive. It keeps my body moving and my mind operating. It's done more for me than anything in the world."
He's humble. Bowling has volunteered for the VA and other Veterans' organizations for nearly 60 years, racking up more than 65,350 volunteer hours. Sometimes people don't find out he's a Veteran or about his harrowing military experience for years since he simply shows up to work, day after day, and gives selflessly.
"Troy is a remarkable individual," said Greg Anderson, Chief of Voluntary Service at VA Lexington. "He's well-respected and loved. He is an icon at the hospital."
Anderson nominated Bowling for a prestigious prize, the George H. Seal Memorial Award, which is presented by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization. Bowling won. "His sense of dedication is truly exceptional," said Anderson. "I thought it would be a great way to honor someone who had served, who came close to losing his life."
Left for Dead, Another Chance at Life
Bowling joined the U.S. Marines at 17. At 19, he nearly died on the beach at Iwo Jima. Bowling, unconscious, was reported as killed in action. He had been shot in the chest and lost so much blood that he appeared lifeless. For hours, he lay bleeding on the sand until a combat photographer noticed him weakly stirring and called for a medical team to evacuate him to a landing craft.
Medics were treating Bowling's wounds on the ship when he heard faint cheers outside. Marines had taken control of Mt.Suribachi, celebrating their victory with a flag-raising that is now immortalized in the famous Joe Rosenthal photograph.
"I asked the chaplain to take me topside to see, and he did," said Bowling. "At that sight I knew that we were going to take that island. It was a great moment."
Representatives from the DAV came to visit Bowling as he recuperated in a VA hospital when he was back in the States. He saw how the organization was helping other Vets, so once he regained his strength, he asked how he could assist them.
Bowling meets with Voluntary Service staff. Photo by Earl Raglin, Lexington VAMC.
"You're Helping Somebody. Now That's a Great Feeling."
The DAV trained him to be a service officer and for the next 38 years, he helped Veterans and widows file claims for VA benefits. Later, he became involved with special recreation activities.
Bowling rose through the ranks to become the State Commander for the Kentucky DAV. "I've held probably every position in the state," Bowling laughs.
Bowling volunteered in these positions as he worked full-time for the United States Postal Service until his retirement almost 20 years ago. Since then, he's volunteered at VA Lexington in the Voluntary Service office.
"People still thank me after all these years," said Bowling. "I don't always remember their names, but they'll see me and holler at me. You realize you're helping somebody. Now that's a great feeling."
"We've had a steady stream of people who come in or call, all looking for Troy," said Anderson. "It's hard to imagine how many Vets he's helped in the claims process and how many volunteers he's recruited over the years.
"Probably no one else here is more respected," he added. "People know Troy is particularly committed to Veterans because he isn't receiving a salary. Volunteering is his way of paying back."
Sixty-five years ago, Bowling swore that if he survived Iwo Jima, he would dedicate himself to helping other Veterans. He still carries the bullet next to his spine, a physical testament to the promise that he keeps every day.
Book About “Forgotten Women” at Valley Forge Is Subject of Discussion
“Following the Drum” Is Story of Encampment During Winter of 1777-78
"Following the Drum: Women at the Valley Forge Encampment" (Potomac Books, 2009) is the untold story of the women – from those on society’s lowest rungs to the women of the upper class – who spent the winter of 1777-78 with the Continental Army at Valley Forge, Pa.
Author Nancy K. Loane will discuss and sign her book on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at in the Mary Pickford Theater on the third floor of the JamesMadisonBuilding, 101 Independence Ave S.E., Washington, D.C.The event, a Books & Beyond program sponsored by the Center for the Book, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.
Many of the camp women were soldiers’ wives who worked as the army’s washerwomen, nurses, cooks or seamstresses. Though these women’s written correspondence is scarce, author Loane uses sources such as issued military orders, pension depositions after the war and soldiers’ descriptions to bring these women to life.
Other women were part of the "numerous and splendid" audience who enjoyed the camp theater and had their portraits painted by Charles Willson Peale. They were not subject to the harsh conditions of camp life, and they came and went as they and their husbands, George Washington’s generals and advisers, saw fit.
Nancy K. Loane, who lives in Valley Forge, is a former seasonal ranger at the Valley ForgeNationalHistoricalPark and has studied more than 500 Revolutionary War-era diaries, journals, letters, orderly books and records, many of them at the Library of Congress.
Her book is also the subject of a discussion on Facebook. The new Books & Beyond Book Club is available at www.facebook.com/booksandbeyond/. Here readers can discuss books, the authors of which have appeared or will appear in this series. The site also offers links to webcasts of these events and asks readers to talk about what they have seen and heard.
Since its creation by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (www.Read.gov/cfb/) has become a major national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages, nationally and internationally. The center provides leadership for 52 affiliated state centers for the book (including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nonprofit reading-promotion partners and plays a key role in the Library’s annual National Book Festival. It also oversees the Library’s Read.gov website and administers the Library’s YoungReadersCenter.
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