New Technology Expands Air Force's Combat Capability

By Capt. Dustin Hart, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 25, 2007 – A new system will allow airmen to identify possible enemy firing locations by tracking where shots are coming from. The 820th Security Forces Group here was selected recently as the first Air Force unit to purchase and deploy the Ground Situational Awareness Toolkit, which consists of the Scan Eagle unmanned aerial system and ShotSpotter gunfire acquisition technology.

"This system brings additional technology to the ground warfighter and keeps us at the cutting edge of technological improvements," said Col. John Decknick, 820th SFG commander. "Employing the GSAT system in the combat zone will greatly expand our combat capability."

While the 820th SFG will be the first Air Force unit to conduct a user evaluation of the GSAT system, its two components, Scan Eagle and ShotSpotter, are not new to the military. Scan Eagle has logged more than 20,000 hours, supporting Navy and Marine missions in Iraq, and ShotSpotter is used by both law enforcement and military agencies.

ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensors, located on the backs of patrolling airmen and Humvees, to detect the location of enemy muzzle blasts and, in some cases, the path of the fired projectiles. This information is then passed to on-the-ground commanders for analysis. It also is shared with an overhead Scan Eagle, which then directs its advanced cameras to the area, giving a picture of the enemy's location.

Scan Eagle, four feet long with a 10-foot wingspan, is launched by a catapult system and can fly for about 20 hours.

"This technology will allow us to observe enemy locations and activity, and conduct long-term surveillance and reconnaissance," 2nd Lt. Ben Worley, an 820th SFG intelligence officer, said of the GSAT's capabilities. "It also provides better situational awareness (of the battlespace) to our commanders.

"With the variety of missions we conduct while deployed, having an overhead capability allows us to better prosecute our mission and protect our airmen," he said.

To prepare for GSAT's arrival in early March, three airmen are traveling to Clovis, N.M., for eight weeks of training on how to operate and maintain the system.

To fully use GSAT on its own, 820th SFG officials also are sending two maintainers and an intelligence airman to Clovis to attend shorter training courses on maintaining the systems and analyzing the information they provide.

Once training is completed and GSAT arrives here, the 820th SFG airmen will begin incorporating it into the unit's ground training. This also will allow officials to evaluate the GSAT while performing the various missions it may encounter when deployed.

After the evaluation of GSAT is concluded, the equipment will be matched with one of the unit's deploying squadrons.

(Air Force Capt. Dustin Hart is assigned to 23rd Wing Public Affairs.)

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General Officer Assignments

The Air Force chief of staff announces the assignments of the following general officers:
Brig. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, director, airman development and sustainment, deputy chief of staff, manpower and personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to commander, Coalition Air Force Transition Team, Air Combat Command, Baghdad, Iraq.

Brig. Gen. Floyd L. Carpenter, deputy director, national systems operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, airman development and sustainment, deputy chief of staff, manpower and personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

DoD Announces Afghanistan Unit Extension

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 25, 2007 – Some 3,200 soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, will have their tour in Afghanistan extended for up to 120 additional days, Defense Department officials announced today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the extension was based on the recommendations of commanders on the ground, whom Gates visited last week, Bryan Whitman, a DoD spokesman, said. The extension will provide military capability for NATO to build on the success achieved in promoting stability and security in Afghanistan while denying safe haven for the Taliban, he said.

"What is certain is that Secretary Gates is very interested in ensuring that the successes that we've achieved in Afghanistan are not lost, and that commanders on the ground have sufficient forces to build upon the successes that we've achieved so far in Afghanistan," Whitman said.

Force levels in Afghanistan continue to be conditions-based and will be determined in consultation with the Afghan government and NATO, Whitman said. The United States remains committed to leading counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, training and equipping the Afghan national security forces, and assisting with reconstruction, according to a DoD news release announcing the extension.

The United States continues to be the largest troop contributor for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, and this request for forces by U.S. commanders was endorsed by the supreme allied commander for Europe, according to the release. Whitman stressed that the United States will continue to work with NATO to get the partner countries to fulfill the rest of their military commitment to Afghanistan, and remove restrictions from forces already deployed there.

In an Army news release, Gen. Richard Cody, Army vice chief of staff, said leaders recognize the sacrifices and contributions of the extended soldiers and their families, and will continue to support them. The unit's home base is Fort Drum, N.Y.

"The Army is very proud of the soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, and will ensure that they and their families have all the support and resources they need during this challenging time," Cody said. "These soldiers have accomplished a great deal in Afghanistan and will continue to get the mission done for our Army and this nation. They and their families are truly Army strong, and I am thankful every day for their professional and selfless commitment."

Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, said Jan. 16 during Gates' visit there that NATO, U.S. and Afghan forces are preparing to counter an expected Taliban spring offensive. Speaking to reporters, Eikenberry said he expects the Taliban to launch a terror offensive in the south and east of the country, but coalition forces are ready to counter them.

"I'm very confident that, as I look at what we're doing now, although it is going to be a violent spring and we're going to have violence into the summer, I'm absolutely confident that we will be able to dominate," he said.

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States Declare May 1 'Silver Star Day'

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 25, 2007 – Thanks to the efforts of Silver Star Families of America, Indiana and New Mexico have proclaimed May 1 as "Silver Star Day" to honor the nation's wounded servicemembers. Silver Star Families of America is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans are supporting the nation's servicemembers.

"What we really want to do is have a nationwide event that day," Janie Orman, the group's vice president, said. She added that the proclamation had been sent to every state.

The group, which would like to establish May 1 as a national day of observance honoring America's wounded servicemembers, drafted a proclamation in November for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' consideration. His office responded a few weeks later, informing Silver Star Families of America that the governor had signed the proclamation.

New Mexico followed suit, and Wyoming recently contacted the group regarding the initiative, Orman said.

"We need someone in (each) state to represent us," she said, adding the American Legion has expressed interest in supporting the group in this effort.

"A resolution we wrote has passed the local (American Legion chapter). It has to then pass the district, then the state, then national," she said. "But they're in big support of Silver Star Day also, so that's a great help."

Orman also said that individuals wanting to help represent Silver Star Day in a their state should contact her or Steve Newton, Silver Star Families of America's president and co-founder.

"Their main goal would be to get the word out about the Silver stars and what we do: ... honor and assist our wounded and their families in any way we can," Orman said. "We do that by presenting the Silver Star banners and care packages."

The group also acts as an advocate for the wounded and works to educate the public about dilemmas wounded troops and veterans face, according to it's the group's Web site.

The Silver Star Banner, which the group is working to make a government-recognized service banner like those of the American Gold Star Mothers, will play a big part in observing Silver Star Day on May 1, Orman said. Silver Star Families of America members are hoping to present their banners to veterans and wounded servicemembers in each state.

They also hope to work with schools to help students understand why the day is important. "I guess what we try to instill in them is that their freedom (to) go to school ... depends on our troops standing up for freedom," Orman said.

The day of recognition is open to participation by other groups wishing to honor America's wounded troops, as well.

The Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle group that attends military funerals to shield families from protestors, has indicated it would like to hold a rally to commemorate the day, Orman said.

"We're just really getting a great response about Silver Star Day," Orman said.

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DoDEA to Discontinue Remote Home School Program

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – The Department of Defense Education Activity will discontinue its Remote Home School Program beginning in school year 2007-2008, DoDEA officials announced today. "We understand this unique program is valued by our families," said Joseph D. Tafoya, DoDEA director. "Unfortunately, with the funding allocation and grants expiring for this program at the end of school year 2006-2007, we will have to discontinue the Remote Location Home Schooling Program."

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates and manages the education programs for Defense Department family members who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. Although operating a home-schooling program is outside of its directed mission, officials said, DoDEA has administered the Remote Home School Program since school year 2001-2002, when it received the first in a series of unsolicited allocations and grants to support the program.

DoDEA cannot continue administering the program with the funding authorizations and grants expiring, and by law, DoDEA is not permitted to lobby for funds to continue operating the program, officials explained.

"We truly regret the disruption this may cause students and families," Tafoya said. "We do not take this decision lightly; it is the result of careful analysis of the needs of our directed mission."

Officials said DoDEA will help students and families in any way possible in transitioning from the home-schooling program. Based on their home location, students and families may choose to enroll in a local DoDEA-administered school or public school. They may also choose to attend a private school or to participate in a home-schooling program of their choice at their own expense.

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Walter Reed Unveils Suites for Terminal Cancer Patients

By Bernard S. Little
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – A new area of Walter Reed Army Medical Center here will provide state-of-the-art medical care for terminal cancer patients in a warm, homelike setting. After countless hours of fund raising, designing and remodeling by various individuals and organizations, the first palliative care suite and patient/family lounge opened Jan. 22.

Roderick Mitchell, president of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation, which spearheaded efforts to raise funds to design and furnish the suite and lounge, presented the rooms to Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and North Atlantic Regional Medical Command.

In accepting the rooms, which are for patients diagnosed with terminal cancer and their families, Weightman said the medical center has been about warrior care for nearly 98 years. He added that the project is indicative of the commitment and partnership that exist among WRAMC, the civilian community, and the different organizations that help support the Army family.

The project, which cost about $400,000 and took about five months to complete, provides the comforts and amenities of home in two rooms, including modern kitchens and bathrooms, sofa beds for family members, flat-screen plasma televisions, DVD and CD players and computers with Internet access. Basil Walter Architects in New York and Seiko Obayashi designed the rooms at no cost.

Mitchell said the vision of providing cancer patients and their families with a private living space that would remind them of home was the brainchild of a former head nurse of hematology and oncology, Col. Princess Facen. It was Facen who showed Mitchell the areas where wounded soldiers from the global war on terrorism were treated and where cancer patients received medical care at WRAMC.

"She told me the story of this young soldier who passed away from cancer," Mitchell recalled. "She showed me the room that he passed away in, and it was heart-wrenching. The only thing that made the story heartwarming was that clearly, the personnel who helped that young man and (his loved ones) get through that terrible time were very compassionate and loving people who work here. But the room itself just didn't measure up."

"This is a dream that's become a reality," said Col. LaDonna Howell, chief of WRAMC's medical psychiatric nursing section. She said that in the past, if a patient chose to spend his or her last days here, the patient would have been assigned a standard, private room. The patient's loved ones would have had to sleep on a small sofa at best.

The death of Staff Sgt. Michael Somers was a sobering reminder of the need for the palliative care suite at WRAMC. Ladonna Somers, his widow, and Barbara Tye, his sister, supported the project with open arms and helped in the fund-raising efforts.

The bulk of this money came from active-duty men and women who are deployed all over the world. Other significant contributors were the Association of the United States Army and Health Net Federal Services.

"How people exit this life is probably just as important as how people enter this life," Weightman said. "(The palliative care suite and lounge) send the absolute right message: that we care for our patients throughout this spectrum, whether they're 1 minute old or 99 years old."

(Bernard S. Little is a command information officer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.)

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DoD, VA Announce Plans for Joint Inpatient Record System

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have announced plans for a common inpatient electronic health-record system. The two departments now have separate systems that require upgrade, officials said.

"I am very excited by the prospect of adopting a common, mutually beneficial solution to our in-patient health documentation needs," Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said. "This collaboration is a further extension of the highly successful partnership we have established with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and is another example of the commitment our departments have made to work hand in hand to provide continuity of care for our beneficiaries."

Both VA and DoD have been independently working on the enhancement and improvement of their respective inpatient electronic health record tools, officials said. AHLTA, DoD's electronic health-record system, is implemented worldwide and supports the documentation and management of outpatient health care for nearly 9 million beneficiaries. Management of inpatient care is a future capability planned for AHLTA.

VA is planning to modernize VistA, its electronic health-record system, including its inpatient module. Common need and the potential benefits led the two departments to discuss the feasibility of jointly implementing a common inpatient electronic health record, officials explained.

Despite obvious differences in mission, such as DoD's requirements to support its combat theaters, pediatric and obstetrical patients and VA's requirements to support domiciliary care, officials said, both agencies believe the similarities in clinical and business processes may make the adoption of a common inpatient electronic health record a viable option.

VA Secretary R. James Nicholson, who announced plans for the joint venture at a meeting of the American Health Information Community, called the agreement "groundbreaking," and said "it has the potential to further transform the way we care for our nation's veterans and active duty servicemembers."

DoD and VA have made progress in their ability to share electronic health information as they move toward achieving interoperable electronic health records. Millions of records and data messages are regularly transferred electronically between the two organizations.

Adopting a joint electronic solution for the documentation of inpatient health information will facilitate the seamless transition of active duty servicemembers to veteran status, officials said. It also will make the inpatient health-care data on shared beneficiaries immediately accessible to both DoD and VA health-care providers.

An added benefit of adopting a common tool, officials noted, is the potential for both agencies to realize significant cost savings through a joint development or acquisition effort.

Both agencies have agreed to conduct a study to examine their respective clinical processes and requirements and assess the benefits and the effects on each department's timelines and costs before making a final decision on a joint acquisition strategy for an inpatient electronic health record.

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DNA Registry Unlocks Key to Fallen Servicemembers' Identities

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – Deep within a nondescript warehouse in this Washington suburb lie millions of blood-smeared cardboard cards that hold the key to every servicemember's unique personal identity, captured in DNA. DNA is a substance within every person's cells that provides a personal blueprint, known as a DNA profile. Anyone who watches TV crime shows is likely to have seen police use a suspect's DNA profile to link him to a crime.

The Defense Department is using the same principle to ensure that if a soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or Coast Guard man is ever killed in service, his or her remains will never go unidentified, explained James Canik, deputy director of the Department of Defense DNA Registry.

The goal, he said, is to never again have to bury a U.S. servicemember in a "Tomb of the Unknowns" or to keep families wondering about the fate of their loved ones.

"We're here for the families," Canik said during a joint interview yesterday with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel. "Our job, if a servicemember is killed, is to be sure we are able to identify them and get them home to their families."

DoD has been building its DNA registry since 1992, shortly after breakthroughs in DNA technologies made it feasible to use blood samples or saliva swipes to make positive identifications.

Since then, DoD has amassed the world's largest inventory of DNA samples -- adding the 5 millionth sample, from an airmen based at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., to its collection just yesterday. That's in addition to samples from deployable DoD civilians, as well as some State Department employees.

Canik explained the procedure that gets samples here from 1,200 collection sites around the world. Blood samples are collected from every servicemember who enters initial military training and often when troops undergo physicals and before they deploy overseas. They're smeared on a card with the servicemember's name, Social Security number and other identification, then shipped here to become part of the DNA registry.

In 2006 alone, almost 302,000 new samples arrived for storage. Technicians logged them in, vacuum sealed them in individual pouches to remove any air and keep out any contaminants, then stored them in a huge, two-story freezer set to minus 20 degrees.

Each specimen will remain in the inventory for 50 years, Canik said, unless a donor who has left the military and finished his or her service obligation asks to have it destroyed sooner.

Strict safeguards ensure the collection is used only for identification purposes, Canik said. Only twice in the last 16 years was the registry tapped by law enforcement, under special federal court orders for investigations involving felony crimes.

As another precaution, he said, samples in the DoD registry get "typed" only when the donor dies or in limited numbers for quality control. "We have very tight controls on these samples and how they are used," he said. "We go to great lengths to guard the privacy rights of our servicemembers."

While most specimens will remain untouched for the 50 years they are stored here, some will end up providing a vital key to identifying a servicemember's remains, particularly when identifications aren't possible using standard fingerprints or dental records, Canik explained.

"We pride ourselves in being like a group of firemen," he said. "We're there, and when the need arises, we answer the call."

The registry is particularly valuable in the cases of traumatic injuries, such as a plane crash or massive explosions, he said. In these cases, the people involved often can't be identified by other means, and several sets of remains may be mixed together.

"In many of those cases, DNA may be the lynchpin in making that identification," Canik said. "DNA becomes the sole tool we have so we can return them to their familes."

Every time a U.S. servicemember is killed, pathologists at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's Office in nearby Rockville, Md., pull the servicemember's DNA sample to confirm -- or reconfirm -- the identity, he said. The results usually are determined within 24 hours.

In addition to providing DNA samples to identify troops serving today, the DoD DNA Registry is helping to unlock the mystery of missing servicemembers from past conflicts, Canik said.

Working closely with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, with headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, the staff at the DNA Registry is applying new technology to help identify remains of troops killed during the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II and even earlier conflicts.

One of the newest advances in DNA technology, using mitochondrial DNA that's stored in the body's cytoplasm, is proving particularly helpful in identifying remains that have degraded over time and due to environmental exposure, Canik said.

"When people ask what it's like to identify someone who died long before, I tell them that it's just like a current death case," he said. "The loss and the emotion are all there, and you see families react in the same way, knowing that they're finally able to put things to rest."

Whether a servicemember died decades ago or within the last week, Canik said, there's a deep gratification in helping to bring answers to the families left behind.

"That's a driving force behind why we are here," he said. "It's never an easy situation, but the families deserve an answer. And we do our very best so that we can help bring them closure and, in some small way, some comfort."

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Army's 'Blue to Green' Program Hits Milestone

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – The Army's "Blue to Green" program, designed to allow airmen, sailors and Marines affected by force shaping to move to the Army, recently hit a milestone, a Defense Department official said here today. "Just in the past couple of weeks we've had our 1,000th transfer," Bill Carr, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, said in an interview.

An effect of the Air Force and Navy downsizing is fewer opportunities for airmen, sailors and Marines to continue in their career fields, he said. The Army's Blue to Green interservice transfer program, open to officers and enlisted personnel, affords an alternative to leaving military service.

"That would be to serve as an officer or noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army," Carr said. "I think the ones that are considering Blue to Green are the ones who are interested in trying another career and the challenges associated with it."

Army 2nd Lt. Michael B. Moore, a recent transfer, is a good example, Carr said. The former airman was an air battle manager trainee before trading his blue uniform for green. When Moore transferred to the Army, he chose to go into the infantry.

But that wasn't enough of a challenge for the newly minted soldier who has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, N.C., Carr said.

"(He) not only went over as an Army officer in the infantry, but also participated in the airborne and ranger training," he said. "He's really taking the full exposure and doing very well at it."

Carr said the program is good not only for the military, which retains experienced servicemembers through the Blue to Green program, but also for the servicemembers. It provides them a chance to look into options within the military before they consider the private sector, he said.

"For Blue to Green, the ideal future would be that anyone who was considering leaving the service would first look to Blue to Green as they're looking at other options and consider what it has to offer," Carr said. "And it has a lot to offer."

More information, including guidelines and benefits of the Blue to Green program, can be found on the Army's Web site.

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Soldier Honored at State of the Union Address

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 23, 2007 – An Army sergeant who was awarded the Silver Star for his valiant actions in Iraq was honored by President Bush at the annual State of the Union Address here tonight. Sgt. Tommy Rieman, who is now an administrative assistant for the Army personnel office in the Pentagon, served with a reconnaissance squad in Iraq in 2003.

When his team came under heavy insurgent fire near the Abu Ghraib prison Dec. 3, Rieman used his own body as a shield to protect his gunner, suffering two bullet wounds and 11 shrapnel wounds. He then led his team off the road, responded to a second insurgent attack, and called in a medical evacuation for his injured comrades.

For his actions that day, Rieman was awarded a Silver Star in August 2004 at Fort Bragg, N.C. Today, he was a guest of honor at the president's annual address to Congress.

"Like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and gratitude of our whole country," Bush said after telling Rieman's story at the end of his speech. "In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen, we see the spirit and character of America -- and these qualities are not in short supply."

In his address, Bush emphasized the importance of the war in Iraq to the global struggle against terrorism and called on members of Congress to support the troops who have served and will serve in the Middle East.

"For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them," Bush said.

Rieman was honored in a unique way in 2006 by being selected to be one of the first participants in the "America's Army: Real Heroes" program, which aims to honor soldiers who have shown heroism in the war on terror. Participants will have their lives and military stories recounted in "America's Army," the Army's video game for personal computers and console systems. The soldiers' likenesses are also being made into plastic action figures.

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Military Cadets Mostly Feel Safe From Sexual Harassment

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 23, 2007 – Most students at the Army, Air Force and Naval academies say they feel safe from sexual harassment when on or off campus, according to findings contained in a 300-page report based on the latest Defense Department-commissioned survey on the subject. The most recent report, titled, "Service Academy 2006 Gender Relations Survey," was conducted by the Defense Manpower Data Center in March and April. The third of a series of such surveys mandated by Congress, it was administered to students at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo.

Participants included 2,080 female and 3,969 male students. The overall response rate was 86 percent.

The survey measured five categories of unwanted, gender-related behaviors: sexist behavior, crude or offensive behavior, unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, and unwanted sexual contact, according to the report.

Of all female students polled who said they'd been sexually harassed, the vast majority said the transgressor was male. Yet, depending upon the time and place, the overwhelming majority of cadets -- both male and female -- said they felt safe from sexual assault on the grounds of their campus. Most respondents also said they felt safe from sexual harassment off campus.

About 10.5 percent of the women and 1 percent of the men polled at the USMA said they'd experienced unwanted sexual contact during the 2006 academic year. Unwanted sexual contact includes attempted intercourse or unwanted touching of genitalia and other sexually-related areas of the body.

At the Naval Academy, 8.2 percent of women and 1.4 percent of men said they'd been sexually harassed. And 9.5 percent of the women and 1.2 percent of the men surveyed at the Air Force Academy said they'd experienced unwanted sexual contact.

Almost all students polled at the three academies said they'd received training in sexual-assault prevention and response in the year prior to taking the survey. The majority of respondents also said they believe academy leaders are dedicated in stopping sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Questions about stalking behaviors related to sexual harassment were added to the 2006 survey, because Congress expanded the legal parameters of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 2006 to make stalking a crime. The vast majority of respondents said they'd not experienced stalking during the school year.

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Petraeus Supports Troop Increase in Confirmation Hearing

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 23, 2007 – President Bush's pick for command of Multinational Force Iraq today supported the new strategy for Iraq, emphasizing that additional U.S. forces are essential in accomplishing the mission there. "If we are to carry out the Multinational Force Iraq mission in accordance with the new strategy, the additional forces that have been directed to move to Iraq will be essential, as will greatly increased support by our government's other agencies, additional resources for reconstruction and economic initiatives, and a number of other actions critical to what must be a broad, comprehensive, multifaceted approach to the challenges in Iraq," Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Petraeus was nominated Jan. 17 to be promoted to general and take over command of MNFI from Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who has been nominated to become the Army's chief of staff.

The new strategy for Iraq shifts the U.S. focus in Iraq to securing the population and creating secure conditions to enable the Iraqi government, Petraeus said. Solving security problems will not be the ultimate solution for Iraq, he acknowledged, but the Iraqi government cannot deal with the political issues it must resolve while violence in Baghdad creates life-or-death situations for citizens every day.

"The objective will be to achieve sufficient security to provide the space and time for the Iraqi government to come to grips with the tough decisions its members must make to enable Iraq to move forward," Petraeus said. "In short, it is not just that there will be additional forces in Baghdad; it is what they will do and how they will do it that is important."

When questioned directly, Petraeus said he would not be able to do his job as commander of MNFI without the additional 21,000 troops President Bush has pledged to Iraq. Deploying these additional forces will make it difficult to increase time between deployments for troops who have already been burdened by the war on terror, he said, but plans are under way to sustain increased force levels.

The increase of 92,000 in the overall strength of the Army and Marine Corps, which Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Jan. 11, will also help alleviate this strain, he said. "Our ongoing endeavors in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are people-intensive, and it is heartening to know that there will be more soldiers and Marines to shoulder the load," he said.

The coalition will continue to transition control of Iraqi forces and provinces to Iraqis, and the U.S. advisor effort will be reinforced, Petraeus said. The focus on security in Baghdad will require that U.S. and Iraqi commanders become familiar with the areas they are operating in and work together to establish a permanent presence in areas where violence has been eliminated, he said.

In addition to overcoming security challenges, success in Iraq depends on actions in political and economic areas like governance, the distribution of oil revenues, national reconciliation, improvement in the capacity of Iraq's ministries, the establishment of the rule of law, and economic development, Petraeus said. To bolster progress in these areas, all agencies of the U.S. government need to step in and provide assistance, he emphasized.

"Our military is making an enormous commitment in Iraq; we need the rest of the departments to do likewise, to help the Iraqi government get the country and its citizens working, and to use Iraq's substantial oil revenues for the benefit of all the Iraqi people," he said.

The situation in Iraq is serious, and it will take time for the new strategy to be effective, Petraeus noted. The additional U.S. forces will need time to deploy to the region, become familiar with the situation, and set the conditions for successful security operations, he said.

"The only assurance I can give you is that, if confirmed, I will provide Multinational Force Iraq the best leadership and direction I can muster; I will work to ensure unity of effort with the ambassador and our Iraqi and coalition partners; and I will provide my bosses and you with forthright, professional military advice with respect to the missions given to Multinational Force Iraq and the situation on the ground in Iraq," Petraeus said to the committee.

If confirmed, this assignment will be Petraeus' fourth deployment of one year or longer since the summer of 2001; three of those deployments were to Iraq. Petraeus led the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul during the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, served as the first commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq from June 2004 to September 2005, and commanded the NATO Training Mission Iraq from October 2004 through September 2005. He is currently serving as commander of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he oversees the organizations that educate Army leaders, draft doctrine, craft lessons learned, and help units prepare for deployment.

Petraeus acknowledged that the command of MNFI will be a heavy burden, but he said he is ready to take on the position. Not only is he eager to serve again with America's deployed troops, he said, but he feels an obligation to help the Iraqis, who are struggling to lead normal lives while their government forges a way ahead that will be anything but easy.

"Hard is not hopeless, and if confirmed, I pledge to do my utmost to lead our wonderful men and women in uniform and those of our coalition partners in Iraq as we endeavor to help the Iraqis make the most of the opportunity our soldiers, sailor, airmen and Marines have given to them," he said.

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Army, Marine Chiefs Cite Need to Reset Non-deployed Forces

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 23, 2007 – The senior officers of two military services told a congressional committee today that although soldiers and Marines are performing well overseas in the war against terrorism, more troops and money are needed to refurbish non-deployed military forces. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway testified before the House Armed Services Committee.

The Army has obligated $10 billion of $17 billon of funding appropriated by Congress for this fiscal year for replacement and repair of equipment used in Afghanistan and Iraq, Schoomaker told the lawmakers.

"We have received considerable support from this committee and the Congress to increase the readiness of our Army," he said. Consequently, U.S. soldiers deployed to combat terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq are the best equipped, best trained and best led ever, he said.

Yet, the Army is now wrestling with the task of rebuilding its stateside forces while supporting those stationed overseas, Schoomaker said.

"The immediate challenge lies with the readiness of the non-deployed forces," Schoomaker said, noting the Army needs Congress's support to address issues critical to maintaining the Army's overall readiness to respond decisively to potential contingencies.

Schoomaker praised President Bush's recommendation to increase the size of the Army by about 65,000 soldiers. That initiative, he said, recognizes the necessity to boost the Army's ranks during wartime when the all-volunteer force is being challenged with multiple commitments across the globe.

"Our goal is to provide a continuous supply of 20 to 21 brigade combat teams to meet global commitments," Schoomaker explained. "We remain committed to generating all-cohesive units that are fully manned, trained and equipped that are fully ready for the challenges they will face."

The plus-up will require a national commitment to provide and sustain the resources required to reset the Army in a balanced, coordinated fashion, while providing for the needs of soldiers and their families, Schoomaker said.

Also, the Army's active, reserve and National Guard components must be made ready to deploy together at any time, Schoomaker said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates's recent announcements about changing reserve components' mobilization policies to reflect this goal are essential, the general said.

"Our reserve components comprise 55 percent of our Army's capabilities," Schoomaker said. "We must fully enable them to perform their new role as an integral part of our operational deployable force."

The Army is working to rapidly implement those changes and will need Congress's continued support while doing so, Schoomaker said.

Schoomaker reiterated that the Army is well ahead of using the $17 billion in force-reset funding for fiscal year 2007. He anticipated that refurbishing funding requirements for next fiscal year will total $13.5 billion.

That figure should increase, he added, when overseas forces are bulked up and the overall size of the Army is increased.

"Because the replacement of equipment can take up to three years following the commitment of funds, we seek to make this funding available to use as soon as possible," Schoomaker said. "To overcome the unprecedented stress being placed on our equipment today, reset funding will be required for a minimum of two to three years beyond the duration of the current conflict."

Years of under-funding experienced during the years prior to the war against terrorism created a $100 billion shortfall in Army investment accounts, Schoomaker said. Today, a $56 billion shortage remains in funding to replace or repair worn out equipment, he said.

Schoomaker said the funding shortage has caused the Army to take equipment from non-deployed units and provide it to units sent overseas. This practice "increases risk for our next-to-deploy units and limits our ability to respond to emerging strategic contingencies," he said.

Conway noted his Marines' spirits remain high despite repeated deployments.

"Though the troops in the operating forces are being pushed hard by the operational tempo and the frequency of deployments, morale has never been higher, because they believe they are making a difference," Conway said.

The Marines are grateful for the support of the U.S. government and the American people, Conway said. Marines also appreciate the receipt of better-armored vehicles, force adjustments made to better balance deployment cycles, and President Bush's recommendation to increase the size of the Corps by about 27,000 troops.

"The recently proposed increase in our end strength to 202,000 active-duty Marines will go a long way towards reducing the strain, both on the individual and the institution," Conway said. If the plus-up is approved by Congress, he said, the Marine Corps plans to increase its number by about 5,000 troops annually.

The Corps now is making plans for increased recruiting and retention, Conway said.

"We'll need the continued support of Congress for enlistment bonuses and other programs such as advertising, which will be essential for us to continue meeting these growth challenges," Conway said.

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U.S. Air Forces in Europe Celebrates 65 Years of Airpower

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 22, 2007 – United States Air Forces in Europe is celebrating its 65th anniversary as the oldest, continuously active Air Force major command. USAFE began Jan. 19, 1942, when the War Department established Headquarters 8th Air Force, and the command continues its forward presence in Europe and Africa - from delivering bombs in World War II to delivering humanitarian supplies to Berlin in 1948 and 1949, from fighting the Cold War to fighting today's war on terrorism, command officials said.

Command airmen deployed for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flew missions into Sarajevo in the longest humanitarian airlift in history, then converted to combat missions over Kosovo several years later.

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, USAFE members have supported operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom with airlift, tankers, fighters and people. In summer 2006, USAFE assisted 14,000 Lebanon evacuees during the Hezbollah-Israel conflict. Today, 70 aircraft and 2,000 airmen are fighting in the war on terrorism.

"For more than half a century, USAFE airmen have taken the fight to America's and our allies' enemies. All airmen and civilians assigned to USAFE today, like those who came before, should take pride in the fact that every day, their service to our nation adds to this command's proud legacy," Gen. William T. Hobbins, the USAFE commander, said.

Some of the command's significant facts include:

-- First wartime action was Aug. 17, 1942, as airmen began a daylight precision-bombing campaign against Axis Europe.

-- D-Day participation involved 171 fighter squadrons with 3,000 aircraft flying 8,722 combat sorties, gaining air superiority and disrupting German reinforcements and ground movements.

-- World War II Medals of Honor from the command went to 25 aviators, 16 of them posthumously.

-- During the Berlin Airlift, in a 24-hour period, 2,764 flights delivered 12,941 tons of supplies and a cargo plane landed or took off from one of Berlin's three airfields every two minutes.

-- Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libyan terrorists involved 18 Royal Air Force station Lakenheath F-111 Aardvarks that bombed five terrorist targets in Tripoli and Benghazi.

-- Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm saw 15 percent of USAFE airmen deployed, and 55 percent of its aircraft and 33 percent of its munitions used toward the war. Spangdahlem Air Base's F-4 Phantoms destroyed 143 radar sites.

-- Sarajevo relief missions involved USAFE C-130 Hercules aircraft that flew 12,886 relief missions, delivering more than 160,000 metric tons of supplies.

-- Operation Shining Hope provided immediate relief to more than 450,000 Kosovar refugees as USAFE members airlifted food, equipment and medical supplies to the region.

-- Supporting the war on terrorism, USAFE personnel played a key role in humanitarian airdrops over Afghanistan, loading more than 2 million humanitarian rations as planes flew daily missions from Ramstein Air Base to Afghanistan.

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General Officer Announcement

Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Reserve Marine Corps Col. Rex C. McMillian for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. McMillian is currently serving as the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Liaison to Marine Forces Pacific, San Diego, Calif.

Pace Extols Virtues of 'Jointness' to Colombian Officers

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 20, 2007 – Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recounted yesterday to Colombian military officers his initial doubts about the U.S. military going "joint," but he said he was firm in his conviction two decades later that the armed forces are better off when fighting together as a team. Pace told students at Colombia's War College that he was a lieutenant colonel when Congress passed the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986 mandating joint military operations and he had many questions and concerns at that time.

"I remember thinking, 'I don't know what 'joint' is, but I need some," Pace said, drawing laughter from his audience.

During his initial joint command assignment, in Korea, Pace said he got his first real sense of the high caliber and capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as his own Marine Corps.

But the U.S. military's move toward jointness didn't happen overnight, he told the group. It took letting go of a service-centric mentality to embrace other services' strengths and capabilities. It also required developing a sense of trust between the services.

"Once all of us learned to trust each other, then things started to happen really quickly," he said.

In fact, Pace said commanders started to realize that by looking across the broad spectrum of military capabilities, not just their own services', they could be more effective. "They were able to give much more support to those who needed it most," he said.

Applying that concept on the battlefield "took a lot of trust and a leap of faith," Pace acknowledged, "but once we tried it out, we really liked it."

Joint warfighting "makes for victory much sooner," Pace said.

He pointed to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the speed in which the military was able to close in on Baghdad. "It took three weeks, which was incredibly fast, and could not have been done if we had not had a joint command that was allocating resources for everything--and the Marines on the right, the Army on the left, and all kinds of airplanes up above, all fighting together to get to Baghdad," he said.

"It took 20 years...to get to the point that we truly appreciate the strength of jointness," Pace said.

The chairman encouraged the Colombian officers to strive to develop trust in each other and each others' services so they, too, can benefit from the advantages of jointness.

"I encourage you to get trust right now in the schools, apply that trust on the battlefield and allow the senior people wearing the various color uniforms to allocate those resources where they are needed," he said.

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Pace Points to Colombia's Counter-drug Efforts as Possible Model for Afghanistan

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 20, 2007 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked Colombia's leaders here yesterday for using their country's long experience in its counter-drug effort to help the Afghan government fight a similar battle. "I should thank President (Alvaro) Uribe and the entire government here in Colombia for the way that he and his leaders have reached out to (Afghan) President (Hamid) Karzai and his government to provide experience, to provide teams of experts, to go sit and talk with President Karzai and the folks he has working the counter-drug (issue)," Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace said. "It's been a very helpful contribution by the Colombian government."

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manual Santos, who joined Pace and Gen. Freddy Padilla, commander of the Colombian armed forces, at a joint news conference, pledged continued support for Afghanistan. The Colombians have sent National Police members to train Afghan army and police forces in both counter-drug and counter-insurgency operations.

Pace said Colombia has set a model for countering drug trafficking and narcoterrorism that could work for Afghanistan, too.

Under that model, Colombia's armed forces have cleared specific areas of terrorists, and the government has followed in those areas with projects that have brought electricity, water and jobs to the people, Pace said.

But another important part of the model is an amnesty program for members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, to leave terrorist activity behind, the general said. Under that program, FARC members can come forward, lay down their weapons and, with the help of a government-supported education process, become productive members of society.

"I think those kinds of outreach programs by the Colombian government are a good model for President Karzai to consider as he looks at how to reduce the amount of drug trafficking in his country and to provide stability and jobs for his citizens," Pace said.

The chairman expressed optimism that U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Wood, who was nominated Dec. 18 to become the ambassador to Afghanistan, will lend his experience to helping further the two countries' cooperation. "I know you will bring the same strength and determination to that position that you have here in Colombia," he said in congratulating Wood.

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Pace: U.S.-Colombian Relationship Helps Ensure Security for Both Nations

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 20, 2007 – The success of relationship between the United States and Colombia is having a direct positive impact on the security and stability of the entire region and hemisphere, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said here yesterday. Pace spoke to reporters at an early-afternoon news conference yesterday, and then he addressed military officers at Colombia's War College during a subsequent session. In both events, Pace said that the close relationship benefits both countries.

"This is a two-way street," Pace said at a joint news conference with Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manual Santos and Gen. Freddy Padilla, commander of the Colombian armed forces.

"The fact that the United States is able to help Colombia inside Colombia is a good thing for Colombia, but it is also a good thing for my country. And the fact that your country is fighting against drugs-a great deal of which come to the streets of the United States-is your country helping out to help my country," Pace said. "So these are friends helping friends."

Pace, who wrapped up his two-day visit here last night, thanked his Colombian counterparts for their open discussions about how the two countries can better cooperate as they work toward mutual goals.

The discussions focused on ways to continue that partnership "to strengthen the democracy here in Colombia, which in turn strengthens democracy in the United States," he said.

The chairman praised progress the Colombians have made in improving their military and facing off against narco-terrorists and other threats.

"I can't tell you how incredibly proud I am to be just a very small part of the enormous success that is obvious here in Colombia," he said. "The work that has been done by your government to bring governance to all of Colombia, to bring criminals to justice and to provide a better way of life for all Colombians is truly remarkable."

Addressing Colombia's future military leaders at the War College, Pace said he's observed "a complete change in mental attitude and outlook" in Colombia from five or six years ago.

He congratulated the officers for what they have helped accomplish and continue to work toward. "What you have done to date has made an enormous difference in the vitality and future strength of your country," he said.

Colombia's strength and adherence to democracy is critical, particularly in the face of Venezuela and other regional countries exhibiting anti-democratic tendencies, he noted.

"So when you look ... at our partnership here in Colombia, it just strengthens my belief as a military man that what we are doing here in Colombia is the correct thing to provide peace and stability for Colombia--and in so doing, to provide examples for others in the hemisphere," he said.

"What everyone in the region needs to understand is that there are countries like Colombia that will fight for their freedom and that there are countries like the United States that will stand beside them," Pace said. "We all want for everyone in this hemisphere to live in peace and to respect their neighbors...and their neighbors' sovereignty."

United States and Colombia have a longstanding friendship that continues to mature, Pace told reporters at the news conference. "We've been good friends for literally hundreds of years," he said. "We will be good friends for the next several hundred years, and I am glad to be here to figure out how to do that in the most efficient and effective way."

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Gates Trip Aimed at Understanding Ground-truth

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 20, 2007 – Seeking ground-truth, Robert M. Gates made his second trip of his less than month-long tour as defense secretary to the U.S. Central Command area of operations. Gates met with soldiers and kings, sailors and emirs, airmen and sheikhs and Marines and presidents during the six-day visit to seven countries. He specifically sought out opportunities to speak with allies and coalition partners on the visit. He returned to Washington very early this morning.

The trip started Jan. 14 with a stop in London to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Defense Minister Des Browne. Officials traveling with Gates said the secretary wanted to personally get the feelings and thoughts of America's closest allies in the war on terror.

The next day, Gates traveled to NATO headquarters in Brussels for meetings with Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the Supreme Allied Commander U.S. Army Gen. Bantz Craddock. NATO commands the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and has personnel helping train the Iraqi Army.

There are more than 30,000 soldiers from 37 NATO and partner countries serving in ISAF. Gates called the NATO mission in Afghanistan a model of the organization's potential in the new era. "Success in Afghanistan is our top priority," he said. "The alliance that never fired a shot in the Cold War is leading six missions on three continents and on the Mediterranean."

The secretary and his party moved from Brussels to Afghanistan aboard an Air Force C-17. Outfitted with a traveling office in a modified Airstream trailer called the "Silver Bullet," the secretary conducted business as if he were in his office in the Pentagon.

In Kabul, the secretary met up with Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and embarked on a challenging set of meetings and visits. He met with ISAF commander British Army Gen. David Richards, Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, the commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan and the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann.

In the afternoon, Gates and Pace flew to Forward Operating Base Tillman on the border with Pakistan to meet with American and Afghan soldiers who are on the front line of the war on terror. Taliban extremists are infiltrating from Pakistan in an attempt to drive the government from power. Gates met with the soldiers of A Company 2nd Battation 87th Infantry, and received a briefing from the commander on the way Afghan and U.S. troops work together.

On his return to Kabul, Gates and Pace met with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardek and then President Hamid Karzai. Gates said the progress in Afghanistan is impressive and he wants to build on those successes. Gates also was impressed with preparations to ensure that the expected Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan is blunted. "I think it's very important that we not let the success here in Afghanistan slip away from us, and that we keep the initiative," Gates said. "There is no reason for us to sit back and let the Taliban regroup and threaten the progress that has been made here."

Gates also said commanders in Afghanistan have asked for more troops for the coming battle. "Clearly, if the people who are leading the struggle out here believe there is a need for some additional help to sustain the success we've had, I'm going to be very sympathetic to that kind of request," he said.

The next day the secretary and chairman traveled to Bagram Air Base, east of the capital where he met with U.S. officials at the base. The secretary was supposed to go to visit troops in Kandahar, but a sandstorm in the area closed the airport and he had to cancel that portion of the trip.

At Bagram, Pace left the party to travel to Colombia for meetings with leaders there.

The secretary flew to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he met with King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan. He briefed the men on conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq and spoke with them about the situation with Iran. The Saudis tend to see the situation in Iraq through the lens of the new challenges Iran poses to the region, officials traveling with the secretary said.

The secretary was a bit more plain-spoken on Jan. 18 when he told reporters traveling with him that the Iranians have overplayed their hand. "I told them that I felt the Iranians were being very aggressive," he said. "I believe (the Iranians) feel they have the United States at a disadvantage because of the situation in Iraq. To be precise, I told them both that I thought the Iranians were overplaying their hands. One of the consequences of that, is they have raised real concerns about their intentions in the region and beyond."

Following the meetings, Gates traveled to Bahrain. In Bahrain, he met with the king and defense minister and then with Navy Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. In the afternoon, he went to Qatar where he met with Emir and Defense Minister Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

The next day he flew to Basra, Iraq where he met with Army Gen. George Casey, the commander of Multinational Forces Iraq, and British Army Maj. Gen. Jonathan Shaw, the commander of Multinational Division Southeast. He moved on to Tallil Air Base northwest of Basra and met with coalition and Iraqi commanders.

He went from Tallil to Bahrain and back to Washington. It was a grueling trip for the new secretary. Together with his trip to Iraq last month it was an effort to gather the latest information from commanders at all levels and the feelings of allies. "To the extent that this is a fact-finding trip, I've found at least one fact: I'm too old to do seven countries in five-and-a-half days," Gates said in Tallil. But, he said later, he will continue to visit hot spots around the world to better understand the situation of the men and women serving in those areas.

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Murder, sinners and souls

Editors Note: Two of the police officers have prior military service.

January 20, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) New Orleans increased their representation of police authors with the addition of four police officers who continued the New Orleans’ themes of murder, intrigue and thrills in the big easy. Added to the list are Wade Schindler, Sylvester Armand St. Cyr, Frederick Morton and Lawrence Green.

Dr. Wade Schindler began his law enforcement career in 1967 when he joined the New Orleans Police Department. In New Orleans he worked various assignments such as patrol and homicide. In 1974 he became the chief of police for the Oberlin Police Department. He has a Doctorate in Criminal Justice from Southwest University in Arizona and is the author of several novels including “Help! Murder! Police!” According to his website, “Help! Murder! Police!” Is a cop's cop novel. It zeroes in on the day-to-day mission of an average patrolman on the streets of one of America's most intriguing cities at a critical moment in the history of the American psyche.”

Dr. Wade Schindler “developed the idea of a guidebook for the foreign traveler to the United States-a guidebook that would go beyond the ordinary travel guide to give visitors to this country insight into ways of protecting themselves from the all too common criminal attacks in the United States. The book, “Freeze! A Guide to Safe Travel in the United States,” discusses every aspect of safety from living arrangements to travel by automobiles, planes and trains, as well as how to sightsee and shop safely.” He is also the director of the Orleans Regional Security Institute.

According to Ron Schott, of dropzone.com, Sylvester Armand St. Cyr was “A paratrooper in the US ARMY in the early 1950's, he was also a two-time boxing champion and coach of the championship team while on duty in Korea. Following his stint in the military he became an undercover narcotics officer for the New Orleans Police Department. As a New Orleans patrolman, he was the victim of kidnapping and attempted murder. He escaped by defying the perpetrator's orders to run a police road block with his cruiser and instead aimed it at a tree and jumped just prior to the vehicle's impact. His adventures in undercover work and the characters he met provided the background material for his book, The Saint and Sinners.”

Detective Frederick (Eric) C. Morton grew up in a middle class neighborhood in New Orleans with a good family background and virtues. His father raised him with a very stern hand, but taught him always to help others, never turn anyone away who needed the help, never let your guard down, and to always put your family above all. His mother raised him to be a caring person dedicated to family values and God. All during his childhood, he loved to watch and play police, but never thought he would ever develop into that line of work. After joining the military and a few years of college, he became bored with life until a chance encounter with two New Orleans Police Detectives. Infatuated with the idea, they talked him into joining the police department. He is married with three wonderful children, and since his inception in the police department, Eric has held many positions and has attempted to make an impact wherever he went.

Lawrence (Larry) E. Green was born in Natchez, Mississippi, and was raised as a child in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is married and is the father of two children. After graduating high school, he worked as a mechanic for ten years and decided to fulfill his life long dream of being a New Orleans Police Officer. Now he has over ten years of Law Enforcement experience, where the latter part he has held the position of a Homicide Investigator for the New Orleans Police Department.

Both the authors began working together when they headed up an international investigation involving the theft of cemetery artifacts. This investigation led them into a world of supernatural occurrences that changed their life forever. Although their novel, Lost Souls in the City of the Dead,” is completely fictional, it was inspired by this true to life investigation.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 267 police officers (representing 107 police departments) and their 671 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors and international police officers who have written books.