Gold Star Mother Offers Inspiration, Hope

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky., Nov. 29, 2010 – Just seven months after her 23-year-old son was killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq, and with three months left before her husband returns from his deployment to Afghanistan, Sheila Patton isn’t facing the holidays feeling sorry for herself.

Instead, she’s found a calling: helping to bring inspiration and hope to families of fallen soldiers at this post that’s suffered a heavy toll in combat losses since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Patton, the wife of Army Command Sgt. Major Gregory Patton, command sergeant major for the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, feels the pain of her son’s death as if it had happened yesterday.

Army Staff Sgt. James R. “Jimmy” Patton, died April 18 during a combat mission in Tikrit, Iraq. The 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment soldier, based at Fort Benning, Ga., was serving his seventh overseas deployment since 9/11 that had included two previous tours to Iraq and four deployments to Afghanistan.

His mother learned of his death when a casualty assistance officer drove up to her in-laws’ home in Indiana while she was visiting to celebrate her father’s birthday.

Patton had every reason to feel alone at the time. Her children were at home near Fort Campbell and her daughter-in-law was with family in her native Ecuador, still unaware of Jimmy’s death. Her husband, who deployed to Afghanistan just two months earlier, had flown to Iraq to accompany his son’s body to Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Yet from the moment the notification officials delivered the heart-wrenching news, Patton said, she felt embraced by the Fort Campbell community. It continued as the family made plans to lay Jimmy to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, and after the senior Patton left just a week after the funeral to rejoin his fellow “Rakkasan Battalion” soldiers in Afghanistan’s Khost province.

“The support I have been given through the Fort Campbell community has been absolutely amazing,” she said. “They have been phenomenal in rallying to support my family. It’s been an absolutely heart-warming experience.”

Patton said she cries for her son every day and still feels the devastation of his loss. But she has also developed a sense of peace about his death that’s helped her cope and begin healing.

“I am a proud momma of a soldier who died fighting for his country and doing what he loved doing,” she said. “If he had to die before us that is the only way we could ever have accepted his death: to smile and be proud and honored that God thought enough of my son to make him a hero.”

Patton said she comforts herself “knowing God took my son for a bigger mission, because his mission on Earth was complete.”

Meanwhile, Patton has found a new mission as well: reaching out to other families struggling with their own losses as senior advisor to Fort Campbell’s Survivor Outreach Services program. The program is part of the Army’s effort to help and stay connected with families of the fallen.

As a Gold Star Mother and wife of a soldier serving in harm’s way, Patton recognizes she’s in a unique position to comfort families of the fallen. “I have been where they are, and I can share what they are feeling because I am going through what they are going through, almost simultaneously,” she said.

Patton shared her story as keynote speaker at a recent candlelight vigil honoring Fort Campbell’s fallen. As the crowd began to disperse, one mother who was having a particularly difficult time dealing with her own son’s combat death approached Patton. “You have given me hope,” she told Patton. “I just want you to know that.”

Patton said she’s not quite sure where she gets the strength to carry out what she’s come to see as a personal calling. “I guess God and Jimmy have given me the strength to do this,” she said. “Jimmy has a bigger mission in heaven, and I think this is my mission on Earth, to be able to share his story and offer hope to other families.

“If I can give one person hope that they can look at the loss of their soldier in a different light,” she added, “then that is one person I have helped.”

Flournoy: NATO Action Must Follow Lisbon Vision

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2010 – Agreements reached at the Nov. 19-20 NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal, represent a blueprint the alliance must follow with “long-term construction projects,” a top Defense Department policy official said today.

In remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, summarized the summit’s key agreements and the work the alliance faces to implement them.

“While the Lisbon summit was certainly a major milestone for the alliance with a number of achievements, the … hard work of implementation still lies ahead of us,” Flournoy said, “whether you’re talking about NATO’s work in Afghanistan, about rebalancing to meet the new challenges, or about our relationship with Russia.”

Afghanistan is the most immediate and consequential issue facing the alliance, she said, and summit agreements on a NATO-Afghanistan strategic partnership and a framework for security transition demonstrate long-term commitment on the part of participating nations.

“Trainers are the ticket to transition” in Afghanistan, Flournoy said, noting that NATO must continue to assist Afghanistan’s development of “credible and effective” security forces if that nation is to meet the goal of assuming full responsibility for its own security in 2014.

The Afghan army and police are successfully building numbers, quality and retention in their ranks, and they need the support of NATO trainers to sustain that trend, she said.

“I especially want to tip my hat here to our Canadian friends, who announced just before the summit that they would be providing 750 trainers and 200 support troops,” she said. “We expect many others to come forward with additional such commitments in the force-generation conference that began today.”

“There’s a long way to go in Afghanistan, … but we have seen before what happens when we abandon it,” she added. “In Lisbon, we saw a real commitment on the part of the NATO allies to ensure that we do not make that mistake again.”

The second key summit topic was rebalancing NATO forces to meet current and future challenges, Flournoy said.

“The centerpiece of this effort was, of course, the new strategic concept, essentially the new mission statement for NATO,” she said, noting this is the first such document for the alliance since 1999. The document lays out a balanced concept for NATO’s future that reaffirms the centrality of the alliance’s mutual security guarantee, she said.

“Crucially, this strategic concept also includes missile defense as a new mission for the alliance,” she said, calling that provision, “a great example of a theme that runs throughout the strategic concept – the need for this great alliance to adapt to address new threats.”

The strategic concept “clearly articulates the real threats” to NATO’s collective security, she said: terrorism, nuclear proliferation, cyber warfare, destruction of the global commons, environmental and resource constraints, and “the chronic instability that can foster extremism and erode the rule of law.”

The cyber threat defies established security concepts such as escalation control and military notions of offense and defense, she said.

“Unfortunately, NATO’s ability to defend its own cyber networks is not what it needs to be,” Flournoy said. “This is why we agreed to undertake a cyber policy review … [that] should result in a plan of action to improve the protection of our systems.”

While NATO works to address current and emerging threats, Flournoy said, the global economic downturn requires that member nations find creative ways to redirect spending and pool resources.

“In Lisbon, the allies took meaningful steps … to strip out some of the bureaucratic layers in order to make more funds available for vital operations and capability investments,” she said. “Specifically, the allies agreed to … the elimination of some seven headquarters and the reduction of headquarters personnel by about 4,000 people.”

A notable example of pooling defense resources, she added, can be found in the recent treaty signed by France and the United Kingdom allowing for cooperation in nuclear testing.

“The U.S. fully supports this cooperation between two of our staunchest and most capable military allies, and we call upon other members of the alliance to see similar opportunities where appropriate,” she said.

Flournoy then touched on what she termed the third key summit outcome, a NATO “reset” with Russia.

First, she said, NATO and Russia signed a joint review focused on common security challenges including counter-terrorism, combating weapons of mass destruction, disaster preparedness, piracy and Afghanistan.

“This document charts the way ahead for concrete cooperation between NATO and Russia,” Flournoy said.

Second, Russia agreed to “even greater cooperation” on Afghanistan, she said, in areas including enhanced shipment of coalition supplies through Russian territory, expansion of joint counternarcotics training, and a new initiative to help Afghanistan maintain its helicopter fleet.

Finally, Russia and NATO also agreed to restart their theater missile defense cooperation program, stalled since 2008, and to “develop a comprehensive framework for future missile defense cooperation in time for the June ministerial [conference],” Flournoy said.

In the NATO-Russia reset, as with other areas of progress coming out of Lisbon, Flournoy emphasized, true success will only come with follow-through.

“We have to back up our words and our agreements with real action,” she said.

Clinton: WikiLeaks’ Release Attacks International Community

By Jim Garamone and Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2010 – The WikiLeaks release of classified State Department documents over the weekend constitutes an attack not only on America, but also on the international community, as diplomats around the globe try to solve the world’s most complex problems, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said today.

Clinton said the publication “puts people's lives in danger, threatens our national security and undermines our efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems.”

U.S. diplomats focus on advancing American national interests, Clinton noted, and work with representatives around the world to handle everything from economic issues and recovery to stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

“So let’s be clear. This disclosure is not just an attack on America's foreign-policy interests,” she said. “It is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity.”

The United States regrets the disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential, including private discussions between counterparts or diplomats’ personal assessments and observations, she added.

Clinton stressed that U.S. official foreign policy is not set through these messages, but in Washington.

“Our policy is a matter of public record, as reflected in our statements and our actions around the world,” she said.

This is the third set of documents WikiLeaks has released. The first set was military reports from Afghanistan, and the second release was military documents from Iraq. Officials of the website have said they will release more classified documents in the future.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government is taking aggressive steps to hold responsible those who stole this information.

“I have directed that specific actions be taken at the State Department, in addition to new security safeguards at the Department of Defense and elsewhere, to protect State Department information so that this kind of breach cannot and does not ever happen again,” Clinton said.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates ordered two reviews of information and intelligence sharing in August. The reviews called on DOD systems officials to disable all “write” capability for removable media on classified computers to mitigate the risks of personnel moving classified data to unclassified systems. He also directed DOD organizations to have a limited number of systems authorized to move data from classified to unclassified systems, and to implement two-person handling rules for moving data from classified to unclassified systems.

More than 60 percent of DOD’s classified net is now using a host-based security system -– an automated way of controlling the computer system with a capability of monitoring unusual data access or usage. The department is speeding deployment to the rest of the classified system, officials said.

In addition, the department is conducting security oversight inspections in forward-deployed areas, undertaking vulnerability assessments of DOD networks, and improving awareness and compliance with information protection procedures.

U.S. Central Command, for example, has increased insider threat training for its intelligence professionals and has started multidiscipline training for traditional security, law enforcement and information assurance personnel at all echelons.

Centcom also has established insider-threat working groups to address the WikiLeaks incident and prevent reoccurrence.

“Previously, oversight was done by humans and, clearly, there were failures there,” Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters today.

While “there are some valid reasons” to remove large amounts of information from classified computers, Lapan said, officials are putting obstacles in place to mitigate the leaking of such information. “It will be monitored much more closely,” he said.

In making the changes, defense officials are working toward Gates’ call for a balance between security and information sharing, the colonel said. To prevent leaks, he added, government officials are focused on procedures and technical systems, not who obtains clearances.

Lapan also addressed the vulnerability of the DOD system to future leaks of classified information. “I wouldn’t say it is vulnerable,” he said, “but I can’t say it won’t ever happen again. There are safeguards in place, but it’s up to individuals to follow them.”

The WikiLeaks postings have caused a chilling effect on who may cooperate with government officials in the future, Lapan said. Defense officials know that WikiLeaks still has some 15,000 sensitive documents related to the war in Afghanistan that they have yet to release, he said.

George Washington Strike Group Begins Exercise with Republic of Korea

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Cheryl Callahan

Waters West of Korean Peninsula (NNS) -- The George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) entered the waters west of the Korean peninsula to participate in a combined military exercise with the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Nov. 28.

The exercise is part of the series announced at the 2 + 2 meetings in July and is scheduled to run until Dec. 1.

"While this exercise, which is defensive in nature, has been planned for some time, it underscores the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance and our collective commitment to regional security and stability," said Rear Adm. Dan Cloyd, Commander, Task Force 70.

The purpose of the four-day exercise is to enhance the readiness and interoperability of ROK and U.S. forces during routine operations in international waters and airspace. Both militaries have conducted similar exercises together in recent months on both sides of the peninsula.

The exercise will include more than 7,000 personnel, 11 ships and a variety of aircraft to include F-18 Super Hornets, F-16C Fighting Falcons, A-10C Thunderbolt II, F-15Ks and KF-16s.

The ships involved include: the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), with embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5); the guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63); the guided-missile destroyers USS Lassen (DDG 82), USS Stethem (DDG 63), and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62); and several ships and aircraft from the ROK.

The two nations will conduct air defense and surface warfare readiness training, communications and data link drills and subject matter expert exchanges during the course of the four-day exercise.

General Officer Announcements

The chief of staff, Army announced today the following assignments:

Army Brig. Gen. Ralph O. Baker, deputy commanding general (maneuver), 1st Armored Division/deputy commanding general-east, U.S. Division-Center, Operation New Dawn, Iraq to director for operational plans and joint force development, J-7, The Joint Staff, Washington, DC.

Army Brig. Gen. Scott F. Donahue, commanding general, U.S. Army Engineer Division, South Pacific, San Francisco, Calif., to director, J-7, U.S. Forces-Iraq, Operation New Dawn, Iraq.

Army Brig. Gen. Christopher K. Haas, commander, Special Operations Command Africa, U.S. Africa Command to commander, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command Forward, Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.

Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen will conduct a press briefing today at 2 p.m. EST in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973).  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.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has no public or media events on his schedule.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, commander of Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435, will brief the media live from Afghanistan at 10:30 a.m. EST in the Pentagon Briefing Room (2E973).  Harward will provide an update on detention 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.

Are You Ready for Christmas?

ReadyWisconsin has simple tips to keep the holiday safe

(MADISON) – The joys of the holidays are all around us, but so are the dangers. Based on data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 250 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 170 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires result in 21 deaths and 43 injuries.

By taking a little TLC…Tree, Lights and Candle Safety…you can help ensure a safe and happy holiday season for yourself and your family.

“T” is for Tree:

Selecting a Tree for the Holiday

Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground – if many needles fall off, the tree has probably dried out and is a fire hazard.

Caring for Your Tree

Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.

Disposing of Your Tree

Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Artificial Christmas Trees

If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

“L” is for Lights:

Maintain Your Holiday Lights

Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets

Do not link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch. Do not leave holiday lights on unattended.

Use Only Nonflammable Decorations

All decorations should be nonflammable or flame retardant and placed away from heat vents.

C is for Candle:

Avoid Using Lit Candles

Candle use increases the incidence of holiday fires. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning. Keep candles at a height where children and pets cannot reach them.  Consider using flameless candles that provide the appearance and glow of a candle but are safely battery operated.

Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree

Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – candles, lighters or matches.

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help, and remember to practice your home escape plan.

ReadyWisconsin is a campaign from Wisconsin Emergency Management with a mission to prepare individuals, families and businesses for emergencies and disasters. For additional winter safety tips, visit http://ReadyWisconsin.wi.gov or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin).

This Day in Naval History - Nov. 29

From the Navy News Service

1775 - Capt. John Manley in schooner Lee captures British ordnance ship Nancy with large quantity of munitions.

1890 - First Army-Navy football game (Navy won 24-0).

1929 - Cmdr. Richard Byrd makes first flight over South Pole.

1944 - USS Archerfish (SS 311) sinks Japanese carrier Shinano, world's largest warship sunk by any submarine during World War II.

Native Americans and the United States Coast Guard

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

In recognition of Native American Heritage Day, we have asked William H. Thiesen, Ph.D. the United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area Historian to provide some history on Native Americans who have served with pride and distinction in the United States Coast Guard and its predecessor services.

Minorities have participated in the U.S. Coast Guard since the service’s beginning in 1790 and have served throughout the history of the Coast Guard and its predecessor services. Since the nineteenth century, Native American members of the U. S. Coast Guard have served from a variety of tribes and locations and pioneered the way ahead for service diversity.

It is not known who the first Native American individual to enlist in the Coast Guard was, but, as a group, the first Native Americans that served typically came from coastal tribes known to be expert watermen. These tribes included the Wampanoags in Massachusetts, Ojibwa in the Great Lakes and the Makah tribe in Washington State. Native Americans from these tribes typically served at shore bases in predecessor services such as the U.S. Life-Saving Service and the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

An example of one of the earliest documented Native American involvements in the service occurred in 1879 at the Life-Saving Service station at Neah Bay, Washington. Neah Bay was composed of a white keeper and an entirely Native American crew. The crewmembers included skilled surfmen, such as As-Chik-Abik, Tsos-et-oos, and Tsa-la-boos. This unit was the first one in federal service composed primarily of Native Americans and it was formed not long after Custer’s Last Stand at the Little Bighorn, when anti-Native American sentiment ran high.

From 1912 until 1933, Charles Vanderhoop, of the Aquinnah Wampanoags, served in the U.S. Lighthouse Service as a keeper for lighthouses on the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. As keeper, Vanderhoop would hire other Wampanoag tribal members as assistants because they proved more reliable and hardworking. Vanderhoop was very popular as the long-serving keeper at Gay Head Lighthouse, and visitors from the community flocked to the lighthouse where he gave tours to approximately 300,000 visitors.

Native American Coast Guard personnel have also served with distinction in time of war. Wampanoag Carlton West, of Nantucket, served in World War I and World War II. George “White Bear” Drapeaux, of the Sioux Nation, served as a gunners mate during World War II, including service on the USS Wakefield in Singapore. And, in 1943, James Leftwich, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, enlisted in the Coast Guard at the ripe age of fourteen. He retired as an officer in 1964 after a fruitful career in the service.

Native Americans in the United States Coast Guard have served from a variety of Indian nations, including not only coastal tribes, but the Sioux, Cherokee, Chickasaw and many others. These personnel pioneered the way ahead for minorities in the Coast Guard and their efforts have benefitted all who serve in the U.S. military and their efforts have benefitted all who serve in the U.S. military and federal government, and the nation as a whole.

Exercises in Korea Long-planned, Sharp Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2010 – Movements of troops in South Korea and ships in the Yellow Sea are part of long-planned exercises and shouldn’t be seen as a response to North Korea’s Nov. 23 attack on Yeonpyeong Island, the commander of United Nations Command said today.

“Media rhetoric from North Korea, along with images of [South Korean] forces moving on the peninsula may give you a misperception of efforts on the peninsula,” Army Gen. Walter “Skip” Sharp said in a community message aimed at Americans living and serving in Korea.

South Korean forces are participating in the previously planned annual Hoguk exercise. The exercises, announced Nov. 16, feature movements of some 70,000 South Korean soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

“The USS George Washington will also participate in a previously planned, combined, training exercise,” Sharp said in his message. Neither Hoguk nor the George Washington carrier battle group exercise is in response to Tuesday’s attack that killed four people on the island.

South Korean and U.S. forces hold exercises year-round to improve readiness and to ensure a peaceful and safe environment on the peninsula, he said.

Sharp visited Yeongpyeong Island yesterday to assess the damage the unprovoked artillery barrage caused. Analysts are calling the attack one of the most serious since the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953. The attack killed two South Korean marines and two civilians.

Combined Forces Command Deputy Commander Gen. Jung Seung-Jo, members of the Swiss and Swedish Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, and members of the UNC Military Armistice Commission accompanied Sharp to the island.

During the visit, the general called on North Korea to refrain from additional attacks and provocative actions, and meet with United Nations Command officials immediately in the truce village of Panmunjom for general officer talks to discuss the incident.

Veterans’ Reflections: Putting Personal Comforts Aside

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2010 – Like a lot of people at that stage of their lives, Lisa Reed wasn’t sure what she wanted to do in the late 1990s. After a year of ambiguity in community college, she said, she saw opportunity in the Air Force and enlisted in 1999.

Training was a bit of a shock, she admitted. Initially, she said, she was overwhelmed. As a woman, she found herself in a small minority at basic training. But that feeling subsided, she added, as she became close with her fellow servicemembers.

“At first, it was very obvious,” she said. “All of a sudden, [the women] were completely outnumbered. As time went by, it became less noticeable.” At one point, she was assigned to an F-15C squadron with 30 male fighter pilots.

People certainly can face gender problems in the service, Reed said, but on the whole, it’s like a family, and military camaraderie should not be taken lightly.

It’s hard to find that kind of friendship in the civilian world, she said, adding that the closeness people experience working together in the military is far beyond a normal co-worker relationship.

“I looked at my male co-workers as family members,” she said, “and my female co-workers as my sisters.”

In August 2001, Reed was sent to Kuwait. She did intelligence work for a fighter squadron watching the no-fly zone over Iraq as part of Operation Southern Watch. A month into her deployment, her mission changed drastically.

None of her military training, she said, had equipped her for the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

“It was hard, seeing something like that happen to your country, your friends, your family, while you’re in a foreign country,” she said. “You feel helpless. Even though there wasn’t anything anybody could do, there’s still a feeling like you can’t do anything to help. It’s surreal.”

The no-fly zone took second chair. Operation Southern Watch was set aside for Operation Enduring Freedom. Reed’s job was to compile and deliver messages to her commander. She primarily dealt with threats pilots could face in the air.

“Basically, I would go through terrorism-related message traffic and report to the base commander in the war room about possible threats,” she said.

Both of her parents had served in the Air Force, Reed said, so she was accustomed to the military lifestyle. In fact, she said, she wanted the travel opportunities the military would provide her. Since she left the service in 2003, she has traveled in India and Tibet as well as across the United States.

“Whenever you travel to a different place, it sets a specific chapter in your life,” she said. “It makes that time in your life, the people you meet there, and the things that happen very memorable.”

Her time in service is memorable, she said, because of the events that happened while she was in uniform, and because of the value she places on her service.

“Being a veteran means you’ve given up part of your life and the comforts of ‘normal’ life for your country, and for the people you serve with,” Reed said. “You put your personal comforts aside for a few years. It says a lot about someone’s character, that they can put their life in someone else’s hands and work in a team setting with them.”

(“Veterans’ Reflections” is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veterans Day.)

Winston S. Churchill Sailor Receives Thanksgiving Call from Commander in Chief

By Lt. j.g. Colleen R. Praxmarer, Destroyer Squadron Two Six Public Affairs Officer

USS Winston S. Churchill, At Sea (NNS) -- President Barack Obama surprised one exceptional Sailor aboard guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) with a Thanksgiving Day phone call.

President Obama called Ship Serviceman Seaman Tabatha Figueroa to thank her for her role in Winston S. Churchill's rescue of 62 stranded mariners in the Gulf of Aden Sept. 26.

"You are doing wonderful things," Obama said. "I heard what you did on the day of the rescue at sea and I am very proud of you."

Figueroa was recommended to receive the President's phone call by U.S. 5th Fleet Force Master Chief Charles Clarke after she received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for helping to resuscitate one of the mariners who had fallen in the water after their distressed vessel capsized.

"When it looked as if all hope was gone, Seaman Figueroa refused to quit [CPR]," said Churchill Command Master Chief James Reckhouse. "Because of her actions, the young man's life was saved."

The President spoke with the Torrance, Ca. Sailor for a few minutes, thanking her for her service and for being away from her family on Thanksgiving.

The President also passed along a "Happy Thanksgiving" to Figueroa's mother, brother and her fellow crew members aboard Winston S. Churchill.

"When I was younger and my dad passed away, my mother told me that God had amazing experiences in store for me but I never thought that speaking to the President would be one of them," Figueroa said. "He took the time out of his busy schedule to talk to an E-3, which is phenomenal, especially on Thanksgiving. It meant the world to me and I am very grateful that I was chosen to receive the phone call."

The phone call from the President was another highlight in a successful deployment for Winston S. Churchill which has conducted counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, provided escort duties to U.S. and coalition vessels operating in the region, and conducted maritime security operations in the North Arabian Sea and Arabian Gulf.

"It was an unbelievable experience! I could not be any prouder than I am to have Seaman Figueroa represent our crew as she spoke to the President," said Cmdr. Juan Orozco, Commanding Officer of Winston S. Churchill. "It is fantastic to see such a great young Sailor be recognized by President Obama."

Winston S. Churchill is currently on a routine scheduled deployment as a part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, November 29, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen participates in a panel on Work/Life Balance at the Sloan Foundation Focus on Workplace Flexibility Conference at 7 p.m. EST in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact JCS Public Affairs at 703-697-4272.

Mullen: North Korea’s Unpredictability Endangers Region

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2010 – The only thing predictable about the North Korean regime is its unpredictability, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a television broadcast today.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told CNN today that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il is trying to assure the transition of leadership to his son, Kim Jong-un. He implied that the sinking of the South Korean navy ship Cheonan in March and the artillery strikes on Yeongpyeong Island on Nov. 23 are part of that process.

Mullen called the North Korean leader belligerent and dangerous.

“He is consistently destabilizing and is only predictable in his unpredictability,” the admiral said. “He galvanizes everyone around with the potential that they could go to war with South Korea.”

North Korea is on a path to develop nuclear weapons, and the artillery strikes on Yeongpyeong Island are latest sign of his continued belligerence, he said.

Kim Jong-il reportedly cited South Korea’s recent military exercises with the United States as a reason for the artillery strike.

However, the Hoguk series of exercises that began earlier this month in South Korea and include 70,000 South Korean troops, have been long planned, Mullen said. Exercises built around the USS George Washington carrier battle group in the Yellow Sea began today. Both sets of exercises are built around deterrence, in response to the sinking of the Cheonan, which killed 46 South Korean sailors.

“It focuses on security in the Yellow Sea particularly in respect to submarine warfare,” he said. “It is meant to send a very strong signal of deterrence and also to work with close allies in South Korea.

“I don’t think this will be the last exercise,” he added. “This is a part of the world that we’ve exercised in for decades and we will continue.”

South Korea and the United States are focused on restraint and not letting the situation get out of control, the admiral said. “The South Koreans, so far, have responded that way,” he said. “Nobody wants this thing to turn into a conflict.”

China is also urging restraint and Chinese leaders probably are the only people who can exert influence on North Korea, Mullen said.

“The Chinese certainly were involved with the response at the United Nations after the sinking of the Cheonan,” he said. “The North Koreans were taken aback by the strength of that response from China. We think it is important for the international community to lead, but in particular, China.

“It’s a very dangerous area when [Kim] does this. It destabilizes the region, and China has as much to lose as anybody.”

Donley Lauds Air Guard's Capability, Reach

By Air Force Tech Sgt. John Orrell

National Guard Bureau

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2010 – The Air Force’s senior civilian said the Air National Guard leads the way in providing "maximum combat power when and where the nation needs it, with the absolute best value for each and every taxpayer dollar."

"Our nation's global reach, as it exists today, would be impossible without the contributions of the Guard," Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said last week during remarks at the Air National Guard's 2010 Senior Leadership Conference here.

Donley, the conference’s keynote speaker, focused on the role the Air Guard has in the Air Force and the future of the total force initiative.

"As the guarantors of the Air Force's contract with the American people to keep our skies safe, you have been annually responsible for 94 percent of our alert sites and up to 60 percent of the active intercepts of performing the air sovereignty mission," he said.

Donley also acknowledged the operational importance of the Guard to Iraq and Afghanistan missions. "Your contributions were critical to the movement of over five million tons of cargo and 13 million passengers to Afghanistan," he said. "And that was before the surge even began."

In addition to bringing global vigilance and reach, the Air Guard also provides global power to the fight with 29 percent of the Air Force's fighter attack aircraft.

"Guard fighters provide close air support, dominating the high ground through armed watch over ground patrols and sometimes shaping insurgent behavior with simply a loud and timely show of force," Donley said.

"Supporting the joint fight ... the Guard has been providing 25 percent of all remotely piloted aircraft sorties," he said. "Not to mention the processing, exploitation and dissemination of the information that they collect."

Finally, Air Guard rescue units have deployed repeatedly and performed heroically by recovering servicemembers with critical battlefield injuries from hot landing zones, he said.

"These missions and others that the Guard is performing are critical to our success in Afghanistan and Iraq, where we are counted on by our joint and coalition partners to provide global vigilance," he said. "In a similar fashion ... over half of our airlift and refueling fleet is operated by the reserve component, with 40 percent of our air-refueling capability alone residing in the Guard.

"Each of you and your units has contributed to the success of our total force," he said.

Donley also recognized that all of these missions were accomplished by traditional Guardsmen, who have families back home.

"Many of you are accomplishing all of this while balancing a full-time civilian job and family," he said. "I still don't know how you do it all."

One key is the Guard's Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides information, services, referrals and proactive outreach opportunities.

"I am especially impressed with your rapid deployment of airmen and family readiness program managers," Donley said. "You find unique and innovative ways to reach out to family members that are often disbursed geographically across your state."

Donley said he also is impressed with the reach of the Air Guard with 106,700 members in 88 wings and 200 geographically separated units around the country.

"Your geographic footprint ... can also help make us a more diverse and stronger Air Force," he said. "In some states, Guard installations represent the only Air Force presence, making you a critical link from the total force to the state and local communities.

"Beyond your geographic reach, you're also bringing diversity because of the civilian perspectives and varying skill sets you bring to your work," he said.

Donley said the Air Force's senior leadership is proud of the Air Guard's commitment to the states and the country.

"It is the sustained commitment of the National Guard that has helped give meaning to the term ‘total force’ in communities across America," he said.

Veterans' Reflections: Friendships Formed in Battle

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2010 – Servicemembers and veterans savor the friendships they make with comrades during wartime, said John Teetz, an Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Teetz served in the Army from 2001-2004. Now living in Philadelphia, Pa., Teetz said he originally looked to the service for guidance. College wasn’t giving him what he wanted, and he’d learned the merits of service from his family.

“I was in college, and I wanted something to do with my life,” Teetz said. “My father was ‘in,’ my grandfather was ‘in’ … Navy both of them. I’m not much on boats, and I wanted to do ground stuff, so I joined the Army.”

Teetz enlisted in August 2001 –- his tenth day of basic combat training was Sept. 11, 2001. On that day, he said, the attitude at basic training changed drastically. For him, it meant a new drive.

“It made me train harder,” Teetz said. “A lot of people got scared, a lot of people got more focused –- I guess I was one of the ones that got more focused.”

In 2003, Teetz deployed to Iraq to perform ground surveillance reconnaissance duties. It was in that dangerous, austere environment, he said, that he made some of his closest friends.

“When we finally got electricity up and running, everybody sent off for different things we wanted. I sent for an Xbox, my friend sent for a TV, and pretty soon we had a ‘Madden’ season going.”

But his tour wasn’t all fun and games. During his deployment, one of Teetz’s close friends was hit by an improvised explosive device.

“He had just had a kid, and it took a while to find out that he was okay. It was a scary time,” Teetz said.

After his Iraq deployment ended, Teetz was able to visit his friend in Germany.

“He was still limping around on crutches, but it was good to see him and ‘catch up,’” he said.

That camaraderie, Teetz said, is what made going to war worth it for him, noting he still keeps in touch with his battle buddies from Iraq using online networks like Facebook.

Teetz said his military service benefited him in another way.

“The military made me the man I am today,” he said. “I’m more on point, more responsible. It basically changed my life.”

(Veterans' Reflections is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm and present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veteran's Day.)

Today in the Department of Defense, Friday, November 26, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Mullen Cites North Korea’s Unpredictability

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2010 – North Korea’s artillery assault on South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island yesterday is an issue of concern in a region that wants stability, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said today on ABC’s “The View” television show.

Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, appeared on the daytime talk show to discuss a range of issues, including the situation on the Korean peninsula.

“There is worrisome leadership in North Korea,” Mullen said. “[North Korean President Kim Jong Il is] a very unpredictable guy, a very dangerous guy. This [attack] is also tied, we think, to the succession of his young, 27-year-old [son] who’s going to take over at some point in the future, and he continues to generate these kinds of events.”

Mullen said Americans should be concerned about North Korea’s volatile posture, but he noted that the United States has 28,000 troops in South Korea, where “we are very much aligned with in supporting them.”

“They are a strong ally. We need the region to stay very stable,” Mullen said. “[Kim Jong Il] is a guy who creates instability routinely. I think it’s very important, certainly with the Japanese and the South Koreans, but I also think it’s important for China, to lead. The one country that has influence in Pyongyang is China, so their leadership is absolutely critical.”

North Korea has worked hard to develop nuclear weapons, Mullen said, calling last week’s revelation of the uranium enrichment facility there “a big deal.” He said the facility has been described as sophisticated and modern.

“So, [If Kim Jong Il] continues on that path with nuclear weapons, or his son does, it could be a very dangerous outcome in the long term and it will at least destabilize an important part if the world,” the chairman said.

On the eve of Thanksgiving, Mullen backed the idea of high-level screenings and pat downs at airports.

“The recent events of the two cargo planes that had bombs on them, and certainly the bomb in Times Square, the Detroit bomber [Christmas Day 2009], were all very real and indicative of the threat that’s out there,” he said. “[Terrorists] are still trying to kill as many Americans as they can, so it’s not going to go away.”

Turning to the possible repeal of the military’s so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Mullen said it is difficult to know what the outcome will be.

“For me,” Mullen said, “it’s been my personal view it is very difficult for an institution that values integrity like the military does to have people show up at work every day and lie about who they are.”

Deborah Mullen said she works with families of returning veterans. She’s also concerned about military’s suicide rate, noting that it is the “most devastating loss to a family.”

“Suicide is taboo in the civilian world. Nobody likes to talk about suicide,” she said. “There really have been no studies done on suicide, and the military is going to lead the way on this because they began a study on suicide about a year ago on a five-year study.”

What the military learns about suicide will be shared with the rest of nation and the world, she said.

Veterans’ Reflections: Third-Generation Sailor Recalls Service

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25, 2010 – As a third-generation Navy man, John Gainer knew what kind of commitment and dedication it would take when he accepted a commission in 1992.

“Service to our country is one of the most important things you can do as a citizen of the United States,” he said. “It’s one thing my father taught me, and his father had taught him. It was something that was taught to us through our family -- that service and dedication to the cause of freedom is something to be upheld.”

While he was serving aboard a ship in the Persian Gulf following Operation Desert Shield, Gainer said, he was reminded almost daily of that dedication to service as he oversaw maritime intercept missions. He and his crew were a part of the Mideast Force’s naval blockade in 1994. If an incoming ship was thought to have cargo violating United Nations sanctions on Iraq, it was up to them to go through the ship’s hold to find it.

Gainer said some of his most vivid memories come from long days and nights, watching his crew dig through boxes and crates searching for contraband.

“Sometimes we would spend eight, 10, 12 hours out on a ship, going through crates and boxes, making sure there was nothing illegal being transported to Iraq,” he said. “Their dedication to that mission was most impressive to me.”

But the best glimpse into Gainer’s own dedication to his country comes in his humility about it. While some brag and boast of the great things they did while in uniform, Gainer said he was just happy to be able to work for the nation and, as he put it, “the cause of freedom.”

“I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to serve -- to serve the American people and to defend the Constitution of the United States,” he said.

(“Veterans’ Reflections” is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veterans Day.)

Chairman’s Corner: Happy Thanksgiving

By Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2010 – As we reflect on all that we have to be thankful for during this upcoming holiday weekend, I want to express my personal thanks to our armed forces and their families. Their profound commitment -– and sacrifice -– continues to inspire.

It is also fitting that November is Military Family Appreciation Month. Quite simply, without our families, our military would not be capable of all they do during this extraordinary time in our Nation’s history. To all of our family members, we thank you for your service. You make a difference every day, and we are strengthened by your support, your resilience, and your love of your military serviceman or woman.

Sadly, there are families for whom the Thanksgiving table will never be made whole again. For those families whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice, we are mindful of your loss and our solemn obligation to stand by you. We also remember that other families have seen their warriors return with wounds, both visible and invisible. Theirs will also be a particularly poignant holiday and I ask every American to keep them –- and our wounded warriors –- in your thoughts and prayers.

Despite these challenges, we must never lose sight of the fact that Thanksgiving celebrates the blessings our Nation harvests through the hardships we endure together. From colonists seeking a better life in the New World to today’s efforts to secure a better future for our children and grandchildren, Americans have always weathered the tough times with determination and a conviction that brighter days remain ahead.

As we gather to give thanks as a Nation, the Joint Chiefs and I offer our deepest appreciation and gratitude to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguardsmen and our incredible military families. No matter where you are or how you serve, may you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!