Makin Island ARG Ships Support 11th MEU Counter-Piracy Training

The USS Makin Island was named after a World War Two battle.  Discover these World War Two books written by heroes who fought across Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.

From Amphibious Squadron 5 Public Affairs

USS MAKIN ISLAND, At Sea (NNS) -- Ships assigned to the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) served as the key platform for counter-piracy training conducted Oct. 1 by the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit during a certification exercise (CERTEX) off the coast of Southern California.

Led by Commander, Amphibious Squadron Five (PHIBRON 5), the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) were the launching platforms for air and surface assets that allowed a Marine maritime raid force to re-take a simulated pirated vessel.

"The safety and economic interests of the United States and our allies and partner nations depend on unimpeded trade across the world's oceans," said Capt. Humberto Quintanilla, PHIBRON 5 commander. "This Navy/Marine Corps exercise demonstrates our ability to execute anti-piracy tactics while conducting broader scope maritime security operations."

Quintanilla said that effective maritime security requires a comprehensive international effort that promotes global economic stability through the protection of vital ocean commerce. Hostile or illegal acts on the high seas must collectively be stopped.

"Our Navy and Marine Corps team plays a critical role in facilitating international maritime security cooperation," said Quintanilla. "Global maritime security can only be achieved through the unity of international and regional maritime integration, awareness, and response initiatives."

During the exercise, two AH-1Z Viper helicopters and two UH-1Y Venom helicopters were launched from Makin Island. CH-46E helicopters and a small boat were launched from New Orleans as part of the raid.

Once on board the cargo vessel ATLS, Marines searched the ship, apprehended actors playing the role of pirates, seized automatic weapons and returned control of the vessel to the ship's crew.

"This is the type of joint mission that improves interoperability and provides the MEU with an exceptional maritime raid capability," said Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Compton, the maritime raid force's first sergeant. "The Marines decisive and thorough actions enabled them to complete their task and conduct a successful mission."

The Makin Island ARG is scheduled for a routine deployment later this year.

Commissioned in 2009, Makin Island is the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship capable of utilizing surface and air assets to move Marine forces ashore. The ship is named in honor of the daring World War II raid carried out by Marine Raider Companies A and B, Second Raider Battalion, on Japanese held Makin Island Aug. 17-18, 1942. LHD 8 is the second ship to bear the name USS Makin Island.

Dempsey Settles in as Chairman Behind MacArthur’s Desk

Discover some of the best World War Two books written by brave veterans who fought across Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2011 – Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took some time today, his first Monday on the job, to speak with Pentagon reporters.

The session was off the record, but it yielded some insights about the 18th chairman his staff agreed could be made public.

-- Individual military awards and honors are represented by ribbons worn on the left side on the uniform. Dempsey’s official portrait shows eight rows of such awards, but the chairman wears only two rows. These are his joint awards and his highest Army awards, he said. Dempsey will wear his full complement of ribbons for official ceremonial occasions, but otherwise prefers to follow the precedent set by Gen. George C. Marshall, former Army chief of staff, secretary of state and the third secretary of defense. A World War I hero, Marshall helped to run World War II from Washington and wore only one row of ribbons, Dempsey said, as a reminder to look ahead at coming challenges rather than back at past achievements.

-- Speaking of Marshall, Dempsey has an original oil painting of the general -- recovered from “some repository” of historical military art and objects -- in his office. The painting is larger than life-size and hangs so that the chairman can see it clearly from his desk.

-- The desk in Dempsey’s office, which looks to measure at least a hefty 4 by 6 feet, is the same one Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur used in the Philippines during World War Two. In his office at home, the chairman said, he has a desk formerly used by Army Gen. Omar Bradley, the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

-- On MacArthur’s desk is an item distinctly Dempsey’s: a wooden box that holds laminated cards the chairman had made when he commanded 1st Armored Division during its 2003-2004 deployment to Iraq. The cards each bear the photo, personal and family information for a division solider killed in action there. The box has “Make it matter” carved on its lid. This, Dempsey said, was the phrase he used to console grieving troops during the memorial services for their fallen fellow soldiers.

-- Dempsey said that after he was confirmed as chairman but while still serving as the Army chief of staff, he visited the economics department at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was seeking expert opinions to help him manage effectively in what Pentagon leaders have for more than a year called a “constrained budget environment.” Dempsey heard from senior economics professors, as well as “young majors” with doctorate degrees fresh from the London School of Economics and from Georgetown University here. The visit was interesting and informative, Dempsey said, and each expert had an opinion as to how best to tackle budget issues. As the Defense Department’s budget strategy unfolds, the chairman said, it will, in part, be “art, not science.”

DCoE TBI Expert Participates in Live Webcast to Veterans

Discover the best Vietnam War books written by Vietnam War veterans!

By Robyn Mincher, DCoE Strategic Communications

Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) subject matter expert Kathy Helmick participated in a live webcast hosted by USVets.tv September 30. Helmick, DCoE deputy director for traumatic brain injury, was part of a panel on traumatic brain injury (TBI), which focused on symptoms, prevention, treatment and progression of TBI care along with Dr. Vicky Youcha, director of Brainline.org, and Dr. Dan Budenz, founder of Online Rehab Clinic.

Because a large part of the USVets.tv audience includes Vietnam veterans, the panel discussed how some TBI cases were not treated because little was known about TBI during the time of the conflict.

“As we read history books and documentation of previous references to ‘shell shock,’ one would wonder if [they were] concussion related,” Helmick said. “We now have the capability to learn so much about concussion sustained during combat that it would be a shame to let this important time pass without filling these gaps of knowledge.”

A TBI may still be difficult for many service members to recognize. According to Helmick, there are guidelines to help service members remove some of the guess work.

“When a service member is exposed to a potentially concussive event, they’re now required to have a mandatory evaluation,” she said. “This, along with education, has transformed our culture [so] everyone can have detection capabilities.”

Helmick spoke about the progression of TBI care, which now includes in-theater telehealth capabilities for early detection.

“Technology has allowed us to communicate with a provider [remotely] so that the service member can stay as close to their unit as possible,” she said. “Unit cohesion is important to avoid co-occurring conditions, like post-traumatic stress disorder.”

The panel also discussed the challenges military families face as they care for a service member with TBI. Helmick identified the Family Caregiver Curriculum, created by Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), a DCoE component center, as a helpful resource for families and caregivers.

Youcha, with Brainline.org and Brainlinemilitary.org, listed the tools available on the DVBIC and DCoE websites as helpful to get more information about TBI prevention, detection and care.

“People can access information at their fingertips anonymously, such as fact sheets, clinical practice guidelines and videos of those coping with a TBI,” Youcha said.

Resources available through the two centers include the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Pocket Guide, a quick reference, all-encompassing diagnostic tool for providers, as well as the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit, a comprehensive clinical guidance tool to help providers assess and manage patients with TBI and psychological health concerns. DCoE also has a comprehensive TBI Information Sheet providing data and resources on TBI and a DVBIC Information Sheet, containing Department of Defense statistics on TBI throughout the military.

USS Denver Conducts Replenishment at Sea

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Casey H. Kyhl, Amphibious Squadron 11 Public Affairs

USS DENVER, At Sea (NNS) -- The forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) conducted a replenishment at sea (RAS) with the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) in the Philippine Sea Oct. 3.

The ship received more than 160,000 gallons of diesel fuel marine and 25 pallets of supplies during the ship's first-ever RAS with the Matthew Perry. This was Denver's first RAS in more than eight months.

"Today's evolution went very well," said Boatswain's Mate 1st Class (SW/AW) Elvis M. Acosta. "It's been a long time since our last RAS, so the training and safety briefs we conducted beforehand really paid off for us."

The design of the Matthew Perry allowed it to refuel and re-supply Denver and the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) simultaneously by way of connected and vertical replenishment.

"A lot of Sailors and Marines worked together to get all of our supplies on board today," said Logistics Specialist 1st Class (SW) Gilbert A. Raquino. "The weather delayed our progress but, once we got going, everything was done quickly and safely."

Conducting a RAS allows ships to continue their mission indefinitely without pulling into port.

"Many of the Marines that assisted us with the fuel transfer had never participated in this type of evolution," said Acosta. "Despite the challenges, everybody stepped up, did their job and worked together to make this RAS a success."

Denver is part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group which reports to Commander, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. J. Scott Jones, headquartered in Okinawa, Japan.

A Conversation with Politico Columnist - Mr Roger Simon

No one understands politics like Roger Simon, Chief Political Columnist for Politico! Mr. Simon will be our guest on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show with MoJoe this Sunday the 9th of October at 5 pm ET.

Mr. Simon grew up on the South Side of Chicago where politics was a contact sport. At the Chicago Sun-Times, where he wrote a column four times per week, Simon was taught that the only way for a journalist to look upon a politician was down. He admits he now fights against that impulse daily.

Roger calls ‘em as he sees ‘em, straight up the middle giving a view from a lay person's perspective.


And what a perspective it is. From Chicago to Saudi Arabia, from Lebanon to Egypt, Israel, South Africa and now his view from his perch in Washington, DC, Simon has seen it all!
He’ll be giving us his straight up the middle view of today’s political climate on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show with MoJoe, Sunday, October 9, 5 pm ET.

GW Sailors Volunteer at Busan Orphanage

Discover the best Korean War books written by the heroes who fought there.

By Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Alysia R. Hernandez, USS George Washington Public Affairs

BUSAN, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- Sailors from nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) visited the Sung Ae Won Home for Children during a port visit to Busan, Republic of Korea, Oct. 2.

Sailors were welcomed and briefed by the orphanage staff and later played with the children.

"The best part of doing this COMSERV (community service project) was seeing the smiles on the kid's faces... I plan on doing a COMSERV for every port we hit," said Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Andrew Williams who is from Peoria, Ill. He was one of more than 40 Sailors who volunteered.

While Williams' goal was to make a difference in a child's life, others members of the George Washington crew signed up to experience another culture.

"I volunteered because I thought this would be a good learning experience," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handler) Airman Stephen Sobocinski. "Instead of hitting all the MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) tours, I wanted to see another side to their culture."

The trip to the orphanage was just one of five community service projects George Washington Sailors participated in during the visit to Busan.

Sung Ae Won means garden of holiness and love. The orphanage was founded in 1948 and is one of 150 in the Republic of Korea. The orphanage's mission is to provide shelter for children who need immediate help, protect them from any hazard and guide them to become good members of society.

This was the second time the ship visited Busan, last pulling in July 21, 2010. As the Navy's only full-time forward deployed aircraft carrier, George Washington's mission is to help ensure security and stability in the western Pacific Ocean and work with regional partners and allies of the United States.

For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit Navy.mil/local/cvn73/.

Secretary General Sets Stage for NATO Defense Ministers Meeting

By John D. Banusiewicz

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2011 – NATO defense ministers will discuss operations in Libya, Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as the need for the alliance to increase its capabilities, when they meet in Brussels later this week, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said today.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will join his NATO counterparts at the alliance’s headquarters for the discussions.

At a news conference previewing the ministerial conference, Rasmussen called NATO’s effort to protect civilians in Libya “a great success.”

“The United Nations Security Council called for action,” he said. “NATO decided to respond. We put together a complete package of measures by air and sea to protect the people of Libya. And we are near to successfully completing that task.

Operation Unified Protector has done what we said it would do. We have kept our commitment to the United Nations, to the region, and to the Libyan people.”

The NATO defense ministers and their International Security Assistance Force partners will meet to discuss the “significant progress” that has taken place in Afghanistan since they last met, the secretary general said.

“Transition is fully on track, and we will not allow insurgents to derail it,” he said. “Already, Afghan forces are providing lead security for a quarter of the population. I expect the next stage of transition to be announced soon, and I expect it to be substantial. And at the same time, our military authorities assess that the insurgency has been weakened overall.”

Noting that insurgents continue to launch spectacular attacks to create the perception that violence is on the rise in Afghanistan, Rasmussen acknowledged that levels of violence are a concern. “However,” he added, “our commanders are confident that security incidents initiated by insurgent groups are lower than last year.”

About a year ago, he said, NATO officials said the situation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province would get worse before it got better as the alliance focused its efforts there.

“Now, we are seeing the results of our efforts,” Rasmussen said. “Attacks since June are significantly lower than last year. In fact, some districts in central Helmand have seen reductions in violence of nearly 80 percent. So our strategy is working, and we should concentrate on the competence of the Afghan security forces in dealing with attacks. That will remain our focus as we complete transition by the end of 2014 --– and as we continue to stand with the Afghan people after 2014.”

Recent events in Kosovo, Rasmussen said, have provided “sharp reminders of how quickly tensions can arise and how important NATO’s mission remains.” On Sept. 27, ethnic Serbs and NATO forces clashed at a disputed border crossing, and four NATO peacekeepers were injured by pipe bombs.

“[NATO’s Kosovo Force] is there to maintain a safe and secure environment for all the people of Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity,” the secretary general said. “And we will continue to do so --– firmly, carefully and impartially, in full compliance with our United Nations mandate.

“That is what our troops have been doing for the last 12 years, at considerable risk to their own safety,” he continued. “NATO forces will always use the minimum force necessary, but they have the right to self-defense. That is what they did on Sept. 27.”

Also on the defense ministers’ agenda, Rasmussen said, is a discussion focused on building the alliance’s capabilities.

“My message is clear: improving our capabilities is not only necessary -- it's vital,” he said. “We have to spend on priorities, and spend together, by funding projects that will improve security for all.”

NATO operations in Libya and Afghanistan have shown, for example, that the allies must continue to improve their drone, intelligence and refueling capabilities, he said, adding that the alliance cannot rely on a single ally to provide for those needs.

In addition, the secretary general said, NATO is considering a wide range of projects to protect its troops and to make better use of available resources.

Rasmussen noted that Poland, Romania and Turkey have agreed to host key elements of NATO’s missile defense system, and that he expects to declare at the alliance’s May summit in Chicago that the system has attained interim operational capability.

“There are many different examples, but the bottom line is this: no capability, no operation,” he said. “If we want NATO to remain credible, we have to be able to act. And if we want to be able to act, we have to keep and acquire the capabilities to act. I will be encouraging ministers to identify projects their nations would be willing to lead in the coming months, and I will ask them all for their commitment to making these projects a reality as we head toward our Chicago summit.”

Missing Vietnam War Soldiers Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. 

Master Sgt. Charles V. Newton of Canadian, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Douglas E. Dahill of Lima, Ohio; and Sgt. 1st Class Charles F. Prevedel of St. Louis, Mo., all U.S. Army, will be buried as a group on Oct. 5 at Arlington National Cemetery.  Newton was also individually identified and will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment.

On April 17, 1969, the men and three Vietnamese soldiers were on a long-range reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, near the border of Laos.  That afternoon the patrol was ambushed by enemy forces and radioed for air support but thunderstorms in the area prevented rescue attempts.  Search and rescue teams reached the site the next day but over the next week found no signs of the men.

Between 1990 and 1993,joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed witnesses, investigated leads and excavated the site associated with the ambush.  The teams recovered human remains, personal effects and military equipment.  In 2003, some of the recovered remains were identified as those of Prevedel.  In 2006 and 2007, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams returned to the site and recovered additional remains and military equipment.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains. 

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Naples Bids Farewell to 6th Fleet Commander, Welcomes New Commander

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Oleksiak, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe -Africa/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Naples Capodichino in Naples, Italy, Oct. 3, in front of guests, friends and shipmates.

Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe relieved Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. Pandolfe also assumed duties as commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), and deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.

Harris assumed command of 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO Nov. 18, 2009, and has since been involved with several multinational exercises and operations within the region. Most notably, Adm. Samuel Locklear III, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa; commander, Allied Joint Forces Command Naples commented on Harris' service as the Joint Force Maritime component commander during Operation Odyssey Dawn, the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

"When the call came to establish a Joint Task Force, you were ready. You established your lines of communication, issued your guidance, and executed your missions with precision," said Locklear. "Your rapid transition to a wartime posture aboard USS Mount Whitney allowed us to quickly and decisively establish maritime and air superiority. This is exactly how it's supposed to happen. I am proud of what you accomplished. Because of your leadership, we prevailed in combat. It has been an honor to serve with you."

Harris reminisced on his tour in Naples and expressed his gratitude for the men and women of 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO.

"When I got here, I quickly learned how complex this mission was," said Harris. "Now that my tour is coming to a close, my appreciation for the men and women of 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO has grown into a profound sense of admiration, and I'm grateful to have the opportunity today to place credit where credit is due."

For his leadership as commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, Locklear presented the Distinguished Service Medal to Harris.

After the award presentation and the reading of their orders, Harris relinquished command of 6th Fleet to Pandolfe, who greeted guests and his new staff.

"I am extremely impressed with what I have seen thus far," said Pandolfe. "Your initiative and drive led to success after success. Be assured, however, that many more challenges are just over the horizon and your skills will be tested again. I look forward to sailing with you on that journey."

Harris will serve as the assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

Pandolfe previously served as director, Surface Warfare division, on the Navy staff in Washington, where he led efforts to introduce the littoral combat ship to the Fleet, build the Zumwalt-class destroyer, and restart the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer line.

Miramar Air Show Commemorates Centennial of Naval Aviation

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Olay, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

MIRAMAR, Calif. (NNS) -- Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar opened its gates to three-quarters of a million members of the local San Diego community Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 for the facility's annual air show.

Themed "A Salute to San Diego: Birthplace of Naval Aviation 1911 - 2011", the show focused on this year's Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) by highlighting how far military aviation (specifically that of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) has advanced during the past century.

"The Miramar Air Show is an excellent example of the Centennial of Naval Aviation. It's a tri-service celebration," said Lt. Harriet Johnson, a Naval aviator and protocol officer for the CoNA. "All three of the sea services go through the same flight training, so [this event] shows our mutual heritage and history that we've gone through."

As with each year, the air show featured a wide variety of airborne flight demonstrations from an assortment of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, as well as demonstrations by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team. The U.S Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team rounded out each day's performance with their signature demonstration of aerial agility, and the Marine Air-Ground Task Force provided the crowd with a dynamic ground and air pyrotechnic mock-combat demonstration.

Away from the main flight line, there were also a number of static aircraft displays for attendees to view. As this year's show commemorated the CoNA, air show organizers worked hard to bring a great deal of vintage Navy and Marine Corps planes from around the U.S. to be put on display.

"We don't have a lot of civilian aircraft out here this year, and that was by design," said Lt. Col. D.R. Lingman, MCAS Miramar's operations officer. "We wanted to illustrate 100 years of military aviation, [to honor] the people that build these great machines that we fly, and to show that this is the progression from where we were to where we're going."

For spectators like area resident Ty Phillips, the air show did not disappoint.

"It's amazing," he said. "It's my first time here, and I have to praise our military because they do an amazing job every day, and I thank them."

Johnson said that the CoNA isn't simply a military milestone.

"It's a milestone of the entire United States," she said. "The military services are all a representation of our country and of our public, so it's important to show the American public who we are, what we're doing, and to thank them for our history and heritage."

Battaglia Takes Oath as Chairman’s Enlisted Advisor

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va., Sept. 30, 2011 – Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey administered the oath of office to Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia here today to serve as his senior enlisted advisor.

Dempsey, who hours earlier took the oath of office to become the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted the assumption of office ceremony to swear in Battaglia as the second noncommissioned officer to hold the position.

“I’m here today because of the support and guidance that I received from noncommissioned officers,” Dempsey said. “I had a great education at West Point, and I had a great group of officer mentors through the years. But whenever I look back at the moments of greatest learning in my career, there was generally a noncommissioned officer in there someplace.”

Battaglia will serve as the principal military advisor to the chairman and to Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta on all matters involving the joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel, officials in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

“Sergeant Major Bryan Battaglia is the right guy, at the right place, at the right time,” Dempsey said. “We [have] some challenges coming up,” he added, noting that Battaglia had served as senior enlisted leader at U.S. Joint Forces Command.

In addition to his work at Joint Forces Command, Dempsey said, Battaglia is widely known as an advocate for junior Marines.

“He was well known throughout the Marine Corps as always being in the corner of his young Marines,” Dempsey said. “At the end of the day, if we’re to maintain our trust with the force, it’s going to take that kind of reputation. We’ve all got to have a reputation for being in the corner of those young men and women who we ask to leave the safety of their homes, raise their right hand, swear an oath, and then go out and do the nation’s bidding.”

Noting his multiple deployments and extensive operational knowledge, Dempsey welcomed Battaglia’s experience.

“He’s a warrior -- a leader who can walk with kings … but has the common touch,” he said. “He’s also a combat-tested veteran who was the senior enlisted person in al-Anbar Province several times, and of course, that’s maybe where our toughest fighting, certainly in Iraq, and arguably, in this entire war, has taken place,” Dempsey said.

The chairman said Battaglia has been described to him as the kind of man a commanding general needs in his corner – “one who will tell you straight up what you need to know.”

Battaglia said that as Dempsey’s enlisted advisor, he plans to let his actions speak for him.

“Rather than stand before you today and go through a lineage of promises or job descriptions of what I can do, … actions speak louder than words,” he said.

Battaglia thanked the many mentors who helped him along the way and the chairman for giving him an opportunity.

“Thank you, General Dempsey, for your trust and confidence in my abilities to serve this office. … You have my total commitment to the total force,” he said.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. “Joe” Gainey – who served then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace as senior enlisted advisor from Oct. 1, 2005, until he retired in April 2008 -- was the first service member to hold the position.

Obama Praises Mullen, Welcomes Dempsey as Chairman

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama today lauded Navy Adm. Mike Mullen during a hail and farewell ceremony here that featured the transfer of responsibilities as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Mullen to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

 “Mike, as you look back [at] your four consequential years as chairman and your four decades in uniform, [rest] assured our military is stronger and our nation more secure because of the service you have rendered,” Obama told Mullen at the event held at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.

Obama highlighted the nation’s achievements during Mullen’s tenure.

“Today, we have renewed American leadership in the world,” the president said. “We’ve strengthened our alliances, including NATO. We’re leading again in Asia, and we forged a new treaty with Russia to reduce our nuclear arsenals.”

The president recognized Mullen for leading a new generation of service members brought forth by the events of 9/11.

“Today, we see the remarkable achievements of our 9/11 generation of service members,” Obama said. “They’ve given Iraqis a chance to determine their own future. They’ve pushed the Taliban out of their Afghan strongholds and finally put al-Qaida on the path to defeat.

“Meanwhile, our forces have responded to sudden crisis with compassion, as in Haiti, and with precision, as in Libya,” Obama added. “And it will be long remembered that our troops met these tests on Admiral Mullen’s watch and under his leadership.”

Obama observed that America is moving forward from a position of strength as Mullen retires and hands the chairmanship to Dempsey.

“Fewer of our sons and daughters are in harm’s way and more will come home,” the president said. “Our soldiers can look forward to shorter deployments, more time with their families and more time training for future missions.

“Put simply, despite the stresses and strains of a hard decade of war, the military that Admiral Mullen passes to General Dempsey today is the best that it has ever been,” the president added.

Obama talked about recent DOD policy changes, such as allowing women to serve aboard submarines and the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

“Soon women will report for duty on our submarines and patriotic service members who are gay and lesbians no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country that they love,” he said.

“History will record that the tipping point towards this progress came when the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff went before Congress and told the nation that it was the right thing to do,” Obama said.

With the change of responsibility, Obama said the mantle of leadership now passes to Dempsey, who the president hailed as one of the nation’s most respected and combat-tested generals.

“Marty, after a lifetime of service I thank you, Deanie, Chris, Megan and Caitlin for answering the call to serve once more,” Obama said to Dempsey and his family. “In this sense, today begins to complete the transition to our new military leadership team.”

Obama also spoke to some of the challenges the U.S. military faces during difficult fiscal times.

“We still have much to do,” the president said. “From bringing the rest of our troops home from Iraq this year, to transitioning to Afghan lead for their own security, from defeating al-Qaida, to our most solemn obligation -- taking care of forces, and their families, when they go to war and when they come home.”

The president, who pledged to maintain America’s national security, expressed gratitude for Mullen’s four decades of service.

“The United States of America and our armed forces will remain the greatest force for freedom and security that the world has ever known,” Obama said. “As we salute Mike Mullen as an exemplar of this spirit, we salute him for a life of patriotic service.

“Mike, thank you from a grateful nation,” the president said.

Missouri Guard members provide medical services in Dominican Republic

By Jennifer Archdekin

Missouri National Guard

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (10/01/11) - Reaching out beyond the U.S. borders, Citizen-Soldiers with the 205th Area Support Medical Company recently completed six rotations serving impoverished areas of the Dominican Republic.

Over the span of five months, 42 Soldiers rotated every two weeks to the city of Mao for overseas training. The unit supported a larger medical operation for the U.S. Southern Command, which is one of nine unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense.

Overall, the humanitarian medical mission provided vaccinations, dental services and veterinarian services for the underdeveloped areas in the vicinity of Mao, while also building two hospitals in the community. Specifically, the Missouri Guard members took care of medical needs of U.S. and Dominican troops and DoD civilians while they served the local citizens.

The medical company is designed to provide assistance when needed, such as evaluating and transporting casualties, as well as stabilizing them for further treatment.

The exercise included both Army and Army Reserve components, as well as National Guard troops from other states.

Throughout the course of the mission there was an average of 250 U.S. troops serving at any given time. This was the first mission of its kind for the medical company to take part in.

While fulfilling their two-week annual training obligation as Guard members do, this operation allowed the Citizen-Soldiers to not only learn, but also reach out and help others one-on-one.

“To be able to truly go out and go somewhere to take care of other people in another country and see the scale of this mission is unbelievable,” said Army Staff Sgt. Dwayne Washington, readiness noncommissioned officer.

Though serving in another country may be rewarding, it also posed additional challenges.

“You practically had to learn a new language in order to treat the Soldiers,” Washington said. “Being in a Third World country where we’re not the dominating factor, we had to go into their culture and learn their culture.”

Seeing the children that were positively affected by the mission meant the world to Washington and the other troops.

“It meant a lot to actually see the little children and provide them water and medical assistance,” said Washington. “You knew they truly never had it before and would be benefit from it.”

Mullen Offers Advice to Dempsey on Chairman Job

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By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 – The job of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is often misunderstood and more than a little confusing, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said here today.

Mullen made his final public remarks as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before an audience that included President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, senior military officers and other distinguished officials.

They gathered at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., for the ceremony marking Mullen’s retirement and change of responsibility to the new chairman, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation’s senior military officer, charged with advising the president, defense secretary and Congress on military matters.

“I’ve always taken that responsibility very seriously, always considered that a low profile was best ... sort of like my hero, George Marshall,” the admiral said. Marshall, who died Oct. 16, 1959, was the Army chief of staff during World War II. Afterward, as the Cold War began, Marshall served as secretary of state and then defense secretary.

Though many people have asked him what advice he has offered to Dempsey, he has been reticent to answer, the admiral said.

“A big part of the job is discretion; it’s keeping private the counsel you give our nation’s top leaders,” he said. But, he added, his advice is “pretty simple.”

Mullen said Dempsey will be not just the president’s advisor, but also the personal representative of 2.2 million U.S. service members and their families.

“I told him he had a bully pulpit in this job and that he should use it to voice their needs and their concerns and their accomplishments,” the admiral said. “They won’t ask him for that help, but they will need it.”

Mullen said the service chiefs and combatant commanders he has led are “the best team of leaders with whom I have ever served,” Mullen said. “To the degree we are a truly joint force, it’s because of them and their selflessness.”

He said he advised Dempsey the president will listen to him.

“That’s the president’s way,” the admiral said. “He seeks counsel. He appreciates candor, except for certain delicate matters concerning the Chicago White Sox.”

Mullen said he had every opportunity to offer his views to the commander in chief.

“All of my advice has been heard,” he said. “A military man or woman can ask for nothing more of their civilian leaders, and they should expect nothing less.”

Mullen said he told his successor his biggest challenge will be Afghanistan, and “[seeing] this critical transition through to its completion, in making sure that the security gains we have made are not squandered by the scourge of corruption or the lack of good governance that still plagues the country.”

America’s strategy in Afghanistan is the right one, he said, and “we must keep executing it.”

“I urged Marty to remember the importance of Pakistan to all of this, to try and do a better job than I did with that vexing and yet vital relationship,” the admiral said. “I continue to believe that there is no solution in the region without Pakistan, and no stable future in the region without a partnership.”

Mullen said he also told Dempsey to compare the chairman’s job to running a marathon, not a sprint.

“Time is both his best friend and his worst enemy. I never seemed to have enough of it to do the things I wanted, and it’s hard to believe it’s over,” he said.

“Marty, you’re going to be great. You’re absolutely the right person for this job, a combat-proven leader. And with Deanie at your side, the two of you are the right team for these times. Deborah and I wish you both all the best,” Mullen said.

Mullen: America Can’t Lose Its Military Edge

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By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 – America can ill afford to lose its military superiority, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said today, his last day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Speaking to the audience gathered at Virginia’s Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall to watch him transfer the chairmanship to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Mullen said decisions made in the coming months will determine what kind of military the nation will have during the next 20 to 30 years.

The admiral noted the U.S. military forces have fought for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now face “looming threats” posed by Iran and North Korea, challenges in cyberspace and China’s growing military capabilities.

“We have become the best counterinsurgency force in the world, but we have done so at the expense of critical conventional capabilities we necessarily let lapse,” Mullen said. “We have become the most expeditionary force in our history, but in the process sacrificed some of the basics of garrison leadership and continuity that preserve the health of our all-volunteer force.”

Difficult budget decisions are ahead, the admiral acknowledged.

“Cuts in defense spending are fair game. We should do our part,” Mullen said. “But cut too deeply, and we will burn the very blanket of protection we have been charged to provide our fellow citizens. Cut too deeply now, and we will harm, perhaps irreparably, the industrial base from which we procure the materials of war.”

Mullen said as the senior military advisor to the president and the secretary of defense, he has been fortunate in those he has served.

Addressing Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, he said, “Our time together has been short in days, but long on substance. I consider myself fortunate to have had this opportunity to … learn from you, as I did under Secretary [Robert M.] Gates – another extraordinary man I consider a good friend and a mentor.”

Mullen added, “Thank you for your leadership, sir, and for the trust you placed in me.”

The chairman then addressed the American public, as he has in scores of visits to colleges, town halls and other venues across the nation during his “Conversation With the Country” travels.

“The men and women of your armed forces are the best we have ever known,” Mullen said. “They believe in what they are doing. All I ask is that you continue to believe in them.”

He urged Americans to reach out to service members, veterans and their families -- “to wash over them in what I call this ‘sea of goodwill’ that I know exists in the country.”

War has changed America’s service members forever, but it has not changed their dreams, and their fellow citizens can help make those dreams come true, Mullen said.

“Hire them. Help them buy a home. Get them started on the path to an education,” he said. “Give them a chance. That’s all they want.”

America and its citizens are struggling amid a global economic downturn, he acknowledged, and the wars young men and women in uniform are fighting aren’t “exactly foremost on everyone’s minds.”

But they are foremost in the minds of service members in the fight, the admiral said.

“We talk about the resilience of our troops and their families as if it is something apart from the rest of society,” he said. “It isn’t, or at least it shouldn’t be.”

America’s troops learned to be brave and steadfast in their homes, schools and communities, the chairman said.

“Welcome them back to those places, not only with bands and bunting or yellow ribbons, but with the solemn recognition that they have done your bidding, they have represented you well, they have carried the best of you and of this country into battle,” he urged.

Those troops have done things and seen things and bear things in their souls that civilians cannot know, the chairman said.

“Help them through their trials, be tolerant of them and each other,” Mullen said. “Give them a chance, and together we will prove the greatness that is America.”

Chairman’s Corner: A Farewell Message

By Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 – To the men, women and families of the armed forces of the United States:

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as your Chairman for the last four years. Everywhere Deborah and I went to see you and your families we walked away humbled by the magnitude of the responsibility you have volunteered to carry and strengthened by the willingness and dignity with which you carry it.

From my first day on the job, I pledged to ensure you had the right strategy, leadership and resources to accomplish your missions. I believe we worked hard to get that right. But you are the ones who turned back the tide of violence in Iraq, made huge strides towards a more secure Afghanistan and defended our Nation’s interests around the globe. Even with all the demands we’ve placed on you, you still look for ways to do even more to help those in need.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the burdens placed on you and your families. Your sacrifices will be forever fixed in my heart, and I am eternally grateful for your service.

Following the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Today, I could use those very words to describe our thoughts of you. We are deeply honored to have served for and with you. May God bless you and your families always.