President Nominates Milley, Richardson to Lead Army, Navy

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2015 – President Barack Obama has nominated Gen. Mark A. Milley as the next Army chief of staff, and Adm. John M. Richardson as the next chief of naval operations, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said here today.

If confirmed by the Senate, Milley would replace Gen. Ray Odierno and Richardson would replace Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert. Milley and Richardson would be members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Army Secretary John M. McHugh, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accompanied Carter at the lectern.

Milley is currently serving as the commander U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Richardson now is the director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.

Nominees to ‘Build the Force of the Future’

Carter called Milley a warrior and a statesman.

“He not only has plenty of operational and joint experience in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Joint Staff, he also has the intellect and vision to lead change throughout the Army,” the secretary said. The secretary said Milley was a clear choice for the job.

Richardson is the first officer to be nominated for chief of naval operations from the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. He assumed duties as the program’s director in 2012 and it is usually an eight-year term.

Carter called the admiral a “bold thinker” and tremendous leader. The admiral was “the go-to officer for many of the Navy’s tough issues in recent years,” the secretary said.

Richardson has been instrumental in handling issues such as the replacement of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine and dealing with problems of integrity and ethics.

Carter looks forward to working with both men “as we drive change, build the force of the future and help the president with real solutions for the national security challenges we face.”

Outgoing Chiefs ‘Performed Magnificently’

Carter thanked both Odierno and Greenert for their contributions.

“Both Ray and Jon have been tremendous leaders for their respective services over these last four years -- four years that have been critical for the military and the country,” the secretary said.

Carter said both officers faced an ever-changing security environment and an uncertain fiscal situation, and the men and women of the Army and Navy performed magnificently.

“President Obama, Chairman Dempsey and I could not have been better served,” the secretary said. “And the same is true of the American soldiers and sailors and their families across the country, and across the world.”

Milley, Richardson Accomplished Leaders

Milley is a 1980 ROTC graduate of Princeton University. Before commanding Forces Command, he commanded the Army’s 3rd Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, and in Afghanistan headed the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command. The general commanded the fabled 10th Mountain Division and he served as the deputy commanding general for the equally fabled 101st Airborne Division. He wears the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Special Forces Tab and Ranger Tab.

Richardson is a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds three master’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the National War College.

A submariner, Richardson served on USS Parche, USS George C. Marshall and USS Salt Lake City. He commanded USS Honolulu in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He received the James B. Stockdale Leadership Award.

Richardson also served as commodore of Submarine Development Squadron 12 in Groton, Connecticut and the commander of Submarine Group 8.

Face of Defense: Coast Guard Reservist is Top Performer

By Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Zac Crawford

U.S. Coast Guard District 13

SEATTLE, May 13, 2015 – Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan M. Olson stood out from the pack during a recent award ceremony where he was recognized for his service to his country and his community.

Olson, a maritime enforcement specialist with Port Security Unit 313 based in Everett, Washington, received a special call on a typical day where he was balancing operational and administrative duties. On the other end of the line was Master Chief Petty Officer Eric Johnson, the Coast Guard’s chief of reserve forces.

Johnson called Olson to inform him of his selection as the Coast Guard’s 2014 Enlisted Person of the Year -- Reserve Component.

The EPOY program is designed to recognize the accomplishments of the top enlisted performers who best exemplify the Coast Guard’s core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty. Both active duty and reserve EPOY recipients are considered to be the best and brightest in the field. They are selected using criteria that consider their professional and personal accomplishments, work ethic, involvement in community service and standards of conduct.

‘Nine Superstars’ Nominated

“Each of the candidates distinguished themselves among their peers by being nominated and, ultimately, selected by their districts,” Johnson said. “This resulted in nine superstars being presented to a panel of senior enlisted leaders who then, objectively and without collaboration, rated the nominees in various performance categories.”

Olson received the highest score, but Olson emphasized that all of the candidates were extremely strong and any one of them would have been a worthy choice.

Assigned to the Shoreside Security Division of Port Security Unit 313, Olson is his division’s lead petty officer and is in charge of nearly 30 people. When not performing his Coast Guard duties, he works as the head of security for a family in the area, advising them in threat analysis and mitigation, and facility and personnel protection. He is also a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician for his local community in Oso, Washington.

Oso Mudslide Assistance

Working as a volunteer firefighter, Olson assisted first responders in recovery efforts for 24 straight days during the devastating Oso mudslide in March 2014. As a firefighter and emergency medical technician, he’s also volunteered an impressive 600 hours responding to 80 separate fire, accident and medical emergencies.

“I had always had interest in the fire service. Moving to a small town and seeing the level of professionalism and dedication by the other community volunteers at the fire hall was very neat to see,” Olson said. “I experienced a similar situation when considering joining the Coast Guard. Like the fire service, I was motivated by the people and I wanted to be part of what they did.”

Olson’s Coast Guard accomplishments include facilitating more than 240 hours of instruction for PSU members and securing nearly 18,000 acres of training ground with the Department of Defense to be used by his unit. He’s also taught Krav Maga – a close-quarters self-defense discipline -– to 47 members of his unit. Olson also certified 30 members in tactical combat casualty care, a system of techniques designed to teach individuals the ability to render medical aid in a combat environment.

Olson “displayed a can-do, get-it-done attitude,” Johnson said. “His focus was that of, ‘How can I do more and support those around me -- both within the Coast Guard and in my civilian life?’”

He “lives by a very good code,” Johnson added, “and his positive approach to his military service will serve him well as a chief petty officer.”

Culture of Service, Excellence

Individuals in the Coast Guard are all part of a team, Olson said.

“Time and time again, I hear stories of Coast Guard members doing extraordinary things within their communities,” Olson explained, “and not because they are just members of the Coast Guard necessarily, but simply because it is the right thing to do and they have the capability and desire to help others.”

Olson said his award was earned with the help and guidance of many others.

“There are no actions that I could have taken over the last year without the support of others,” he said. “This award is really a celebration of all the hard work by a lot of excellent people who make a great team.”

Olson added, “The culture of service and excellence that radiates from our enlisted ranks is always evident. It is motivating for me to see the great work that other enlisted members do on a daily basis.”

Commission Opens WWI Memorial Design Competition

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2015 – The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission is opening a design competition for the national memorial that will be built here.

The memorial will be built in Pershing Park -- right on Pennsylvania Avenue between 14th and 15th street Northwest.

Pershing Park honors General of the Armies John J. Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.

The congressionally approved memorial will commemorate American sacrifices during what came to be called simply “the Great War.” America entered the war April 7, 1917, and fought through to the armistice Nov. 11, 1918. The U.S. military suffered 116,516 deaths during the war and 204,000 troops were wounded.

Honoring Service Members

The commission wants any memorial to highlight the contributions of the average service member who fought in that war, Commission Vice Chair Edwin L. Fountain said last year.

The design competition formally begins May 21. The competition rules will be posted at the World War I Commission’s website.

Officials have set up a two-stage competition and it is open to all. “In the first stage, participants will submit narrative and graphic descriptions of a design concept responding to the competition’s design goals,” said Chris Isleib, the commission’s spokesman.

Judges will select three to five submissions, and those entries will be further refined and developed in the second stage.

Judges will be individuals representing the worlds of government, the military, the arts and the citizens of Washington. The jurors were selected by the commission, and the commission will have final decision on the selected design, based on the recommendation of the jury, Isleib said.

The submission deadline is July 21, 2015, with the finalists announced Aug. 4, 2015. The commission expects to announce its selected design in January.

Educating People About the War

Fountain sees the memorial as an opportunity to educate Americans about the war.

“What the American people don’t understand about World War I was what a bloody, horrific and savage war that it was,” Fountain said. “They need to understand that American servicemen demonstrated the same valor and courage and heroism and feats of arms in World War I as they did in every other war this country fought in.”

AFIMSC activates detachment at AFSPC

by 1st Lt. Samantha Degnan
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

5/13/2015 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center activated Detachment 1 at Air Force Space Command in a ceremony here May 12.

Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, AFIMSC commander, presided over the ceremony as Col. Nathan Mooney assumed command of the newly established detachment.

Carter highlighted the importance of the detachment activation ceremony, saying, "It's a visible way to demonstrate that we are one, moving forward and making progress, but two, that we are entrusting the detachments to the capable hands of a variety of leaders."

"Our focus needs to be, and should continue to be, supporting commanders out in the field and in the major commands," Carter said. "We really pushed to put graduating group commanders in charge of our detachments for a couple of reasons. One was to make sure that they never forgot what it took out in the field to support their squadrons, their group, and their wing where the rubber meets the road."

AFIMSC was created as part of an Air Force plan to create efficiencies by realigning organizations at Headquarters Air Force, major commands, numbered air forces and field operating agencies.

"Continuity and change are really important and I think Space Command really embodies those two elements. You can't take a day off in Space Command. It doesn't happen, so your constant 24/7 mission certainly embodies that continuity. The mission never sleeps," the general said.

Detachment 1 will be responsible for providing support and coordination of Air Force Space Command-specific installation and mission support requirements and priorities.

Upon assuming command of AFIMSC Detachment 1, Mooney said, "Today we begin the process here in Space Command to centralize our key installation and mission support capabilities in order to more effectively and efficiently support our Airmen in the field who have the daunting task of meeting unprecedented operational requirements. As we all know, failure for them is not an option. This is why today's detachment activation is so important. It cements the partnership between AFIMSC, Air Force Materiel Command and Space Command as we work to ensure operational success for our wings and our mission support professionals."

"I am especially proud of the opportunity to serve as the commander of Detachment One and to lead this exceptional team... as we take the Air Force's newest transformation initiative from concept to reality," Mooney added.

AFIMSC Detachment 1 will be located on Peterson AFB.  It will be comprised of 13 military and 12 civilian positions from the civil engineering, security forces, communications, finance, and logistics career fields.

"Detachment 1 will serve as the conduit between AFIMSC, AFSPC, and AFSPC-assigned units.  A tremendous amount of teamwork has taken place to make this transition to a world-class Installation and Mission Support Center possible.  We're eager to build upon this initial success to ensure our wings are well supported in the future," said Scott Anderson, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support at AFSPC.

The activation of AFIMSC helps the Air Force meet a Department of Defense mandate to reduce management staff levels by at least 20 percent and make the best use of limited resources to manage and operate its installations.

Carter stressed, "Anything and everything that we do, we don't do it for the sake of the AFIMSC or the detachments. We are doing it on behalf of, and in support of, the various MAJCOMS and mission sets that we are supporting."

"We have the opportunity to create a network of not only staff that remain behind at the MAJCOM, but really the entire AFIMSC enterprise, which includes our headquarters, our 10 detachments, and six primary subordinate units," Carter said. "Working in tandem, working collaboratively and working together, I have no doubt that we can provide the effective, efficient, responsive and trusted support that our commanders need."