Troops Embark on 'Why We Serve' Public Outreach Mission

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

April 2, 2007 – Eight servicemembers with duty experience in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa, who have been selected to tell the military's story to the American public, met with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England here March 30. “It's important and it's vital, particularly now," England told the group of their mission to relate their experiences to the American public. "This is the time to be out with the message of the importance of what you do every day, and all those who serve."

The eight enlisted and commissioned Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps members are participating in the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.

The United States has always relied on the courage and selflessness of military members who have fought to preserve America's security, freedoms and way of life since the nation was established, England pointed out.

"What you're doing is hugely important," the deputy defense secretary told the servicemembers as he shook their hands and passed out his personal coins. "And, while you're out there, deliver a great message for America."

The "Why We Serve" program began last fall and was initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The program is conducted in quarterly segments and eight military members, two from each service, are selected to participate, said Air Force Maj. Ann N. Biggers, the program's director.

"We're sending the best of the best from each of the services," Biggers said.

Participants are attached to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs for periods of about 90 days. They travel to communities across the nation to tell their personal stories of military service. Speaking engagements range from veterans organizations to grade schools to business groups.

But first, the servicemembers undergo three days of training consisting of standards of conduct, public speaking, policy and ethics, interview skills, speech preparation and more, Biggers said.

"We know that the American public is hungry to hear about what these young men and women have been doing," Biggers said. "It's important for our speakers, as well, because they are out there serving their country, and they want to be able to tell their stories."

This is the third "Why We Serve" group since the program began, Biggers said. The group members are:

-- Air Force Capt. Michael J. Frasco, 35, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.;

-- Air Force Tech. Sgt. Robert P. Jubie, 35, Hill Air Force Base, Utah;

-- Army Capt. Jessica L. Murphy, 28, Fort Drum, N.Y.;

-- Army Staff Sgt. Matt Olson, 25, Fort Jackson, S.C.;

-- Marine 1st Lt. Matthew H. Hilton, 28, Camp Pendleton, Calif.;

-- Marine Sgt. Paula Payne, 23, Camp Pendleton;

-- Navy Lt. Junior Grade Katie Hagen, 24, Norfolk, Va.; and

-- Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Virginia Marie Mayo, 29, Camp Pendleton.

The servicemembers have unique experiences they'd like to share with the American public.

Jubie, a military carpenter who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, recalled helping Afghans to rebuild their homes during his stint with a provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan. He also cited the death of two of his fellow soldiers in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sept. 8, 2006.

"That really drove home to me to a great desire to continue the mission," Jubie, an Arlington, Wash., native said. "Unfortunately, their lives were ended short, but their legacy lives on through the PRTs."

Frasco, who hails from Albuquerque, N.M., volunteered to be a supply convoy commander during a tour in Afghanistan in 2006, a normally done by an Army officer. He also served as a trainer for the Afghan National Army.

Frasco remembers once working 30 consecutive 16-hour days during his tour in Afghanistan. However, he said, it was worth it to help the Afghans get back onto their feet after enduring years of brutal rule under the Taliban.

However, "despite all the long hours, despite all the hardships that we'd gone through and despite all the difficult things that we'd faced during our deployment, servicemembers are ready to go back" to assist the Afghans to make them stronger, Frasco said.

Servicemembers perform dangerous duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other far-flung places to preserve America's security and freedoms and to protect loved ones and other Americans back home, Frasco said.

In Iraq, Mayo organized medical triage and movement of casualties and also participated in more than 15 combat-related missions, including convoys and dismounted patrols. She said she wants the American public to know "there are so many opportunities and positions of leadership" available to women in the military.

"If you can do your job and can hold your own, then, there's nothing that can stop you," Mayo, a New Port Richey, Fla., native, noted.

Murphy, a Milwaukee native and military police officer, said she and her soldiers worked closely with local residents during tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We interacted with the community a lot in both countries. It was very rewarding. I've seen how we can affect what is happening on the ground and help people have a better life," Murphy said.

"I know the news kind of portrays the sensational side" of events in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Olson, who hails from Grantsville, Wis. "I'm kind of hoping to get the whole story out there, the good news stuff." Having served two tours in Iraq, Olson recalled participating in humanitarian missions to provide supplies for Iraqi school children.

"Seeing those children's faces was rewarding," the wheeled-vehicle mechanic and noncommissioned officer said.

Hagen, who calls Slidell, La., home, recalled performing anti-pirate missions off the coast of Somalia while deployed on a Navy destroyer in the Arabian Gulf in 2005-2006.

"It's something that I'd never expected. I didn't even know until I got there that there actually were still pirates out there," Hagen said. "It was a pretty unique experience."

Hilton, an intelligence officer who's slated to be the ceremonial ringmaster for an April 4 evening performance of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Patriot Center at George Mason University in his native Fairfax, Va., said he'd share his positive experiences with the Iraqi people during his two tours in Iraq.

"The Iraqi people are great people," said Hilton, who'd served as an advisor to the 7th Iraqi Army Division. "They're very hospitable people, and I think the American people don't get a chance to see the warm, inviting culture that they have, that I was able to experience."

"I think the American people don't get enough (news) about the good things that are happening in Iraq," Payne, a communications noncommissioned officer, said, because of the preponderance of stories that publicize the negative. For example, the Grandville, Mich., native said, it was a routine occurrence to see Iraqi children joyfully accepting educational books and candy from U.S. soldiers and Marines.

"There are wonderful things that are happening over there, and those are the things that need to be covered more," said Payne, served two tours in Iraq, in 2005 and 2006.

For general questions about the "Why We Serve" program, call Maj. Ann Biggers at (703) 695-3845.

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VA Secretary Opens Disabled Winter Sports Clinic, Thanks Veterans

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

April 2, 2007 – Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson opened the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here last night, offering special thanks to wounded warriors of Iraq and Afghanistan and encouraging them to seize the opportunities that await them here. "There is controversy about this war, but there is no controversy about you," Nicholson told about 100 veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, who joined more than 300 other disabled veterans for this year's clinic.

Nicholson thanked the troops who have served to defend the country against terrorism.

"For those on the line tonight over in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for so many of you that are here who have been on that line, I say again, on behalf of this nation of people that is so free: It is free because of you, and we owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude," he said.

The secretary urged the veterans to take advantage of the opportunities that await them here. During the six-day winter sports clinic, they will learn adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing and get the opportunity to try their hand at rock climbing, scuba diving, trapshooting, snowmobiling, sled hockey, wheelchair fencing and other activities.

The goal is to push disabled veterans' limits and help them discover things they never imagined they could still do, explained Sandy Trombetta, VA's national director for the clinic. He calls the experience a "ride of discovery" that proves life-changing for many participants.

Nicholson said he recalled overhearing Trombetta convincing disabled veterans at last year's clinic that it's OK to fall on the slopes. "He told them he likes it when they fall," Nicholson said. "And do you know why? He said to them, 'Because I love it when you guys get up and start all over again!'

"That's what this clinic is all about," Nicholson said. "It is about starting over, starting something new and eventually winning--winning by putting the emphasis into ability over disability."

That winning attitude has a geometric effect, because it motivates other disabled veterans. They, too, "take the plunge and they learn what other things they can still do," Nicholson said.

Bradley Barton, national commander of the Disabled American Veterans, which cosponsors the clinic with the Department of Veterans Affairs, joined Nicholson in encouraging the country's newest disabled veterans to look beyond their limitations.

Barton, who was paralyzed from the waist down during combat in Vietnam, told the group he's had almost 40 years to face his disability and find a way to succeed in life.

"And to be very honest with you, after having gone through the process of adjusting to life with a disability, it is difficult to see your young men and women returning from another war with scars and wounds and the challenges that injuries bring," he said.

Barton said the winter sports clinic, made possible by generous corporate sponsors and an army of volunteers, gives him hope that the country is moving in the right direction in how it treats its disabled veterans.

"Of course, when you're up on top of that mountain and you look down, there is going to be a chance that you're going to wonder if you are moving in the right direction," Barton quipped. "But never mind that. When you get to the bottom and you look up, my money says you will have a whole new perspective on everything."

Darrell Lawrence, a former 3rd Infantry Division soldier who served in Iraq and was rendered a paraplegic last June, hopes to recapture that perspective this week during his first winter sports clinic.

An accomplished snowboarder before his injury, Lawrence looks forward to getting the rush he once enjoyed on the slopes when he tries out the adaptive sit-ski. "I hear that you can jump with them," he said. "I love flying through the air."

Finding a new sense of independence and freedom is what the winter sports clinic is all about, said Joey Bozik, a former 18th Airborne Division military policeman, who lost his right leg and most of his right arm after being hit with an anti-tank mine in Iraq in October 2004.

Bozik attended last year's clinic and made such a remarkable breakthrough that he was presented the clinic's inspiration award during the closing ceremonies.

"This is a life-changing experience," he said. "You take what you get here with you, and you realize that you're limited only by your mind." Orlando Perez, who was retired from the Army after a tumor spread to his spinal cord and put him in a wheelchair, credits the winter sports clinic with giving him a whole new view of life.

After receiving the novice Alpine skier award at last year's clinic, Perez said he finally realized just how much he's still capable of doing. "You don't have to settle for being disabled, with no hope. There's hope," he said.

"And we have to examples for other people so they can see what's possible and know that great things are going to happen."

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Supplemental Funds Vital for Reserves, Deployed Troops

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

April 2, 2007 – Army reserve-component training and equipment reset will be immediately affected if an emergency supplemental funding request isn't signed into law by April 15, Defense Department officials said here today. Further, there will be serious repercussions for deployed servicemembers if the supplemental funding isn't approved by May 15, the officials said.

Both the Senate and House bills have passed bills that provide the funding but contain amendments that call for combat troops to be out of Iraq on a certain timetable. President Bush has vowed to veto any bill containing these provisions.

During his weekly radio address March 31, Bush said the bills undercut U.S. troops, and that they "would substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for that of our generals on the ground."

He said the bills impose restrictive conditions on U.S. military commanders. "Each bill would also set an arbitrary deadline for surrender and withdrawal in Iraq, and I believe that would have disastrous consequences for our safety here at home," he said.

The veto pledge echoed remarks the president made in a March 28 speech. "If either version comes to my desk, I'm going to veto it," the president said to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Close votes on the bills in each chamber indicate that neither the House nor the Senate would be able to override a presidential veto, DoD legislative affairs officials said.

The Senate is on recess through April 9, and the House is out through April 13. House and Senate negotiators must meet to reconcile the different portions of their respective bills. If the bill contains the withdrawal provision, it is "dead on arrival" at the president's desk, said White House officials.

With no supplemental funds, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing and suspending home station training for Army Reserve and National Guard units, DoD officials said. The service would slow the training of units slated to deploy next to Iraq and Afghanistan and would cut funding for the upgrade or renovation of barracks and other facilities that support quality of life for troops and their families.

Leaders also would stop the repair of equipment necessary to support pre-deployment training, officials said.

If the supplemental funding is not passed by May 15, the Army would consider reducing depot repair work. The service would delay or curtail the deployment of brigade combat teams for training rotations. This may force the service to extend units in Iraq or Afghanistan, officials said.

No supplemental funding would also delay forming new brigade combat teams, force the service to implement a civilian hiring freeze and prohibit new contracts and service orders officials said.

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Disabled Vets Expecting Miracles as Winter Sports Clinic Opens

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

April 1, 2007 – Some 450 disabled veterans converging here today -- about 100 of them wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan -- aren't looking for April Fools pranks. They're expecting miracles. The veterans are kicking off the 21st National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, six days jam-packed with activities designed to push them to new heights and enhance their rehabilitation.

Veterans of past clinics -- and the people who have watched them show themselves and the world what they can still do - refer to what happens here as "Miracles on the Mountainside."

Participants will learn Alpine and Nordic skiing and try their hands at rock climbing, scuba diving, trapshooting, snowmobiling, sled hockey, wheelchair fencing and other activities.

In doing so, they'll demonstrate that they're not about to let an amputation, spinal cord injury, visual impairment or other severe disability get in the way of a full, productive life.

Among this year's returnees is 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran David Vidana, already a walking miracle.

Vidana was shot in the head by a sniper in Baghdad in April 2003. He was considered dead for a full 12 hours before his caregivers were able to detect a faint pulse. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's medical correspondent, happened to be embedded with Vidana's unit at the time, and performed the surgery that saved his life. "I know it's a miracle that I'm alive," Vidana said.

His recovery has been miraculous as well. Just one year after teetering on the brink of death, he came to his first winter sports clinic here. "I didn't think I was going to be able to walk, and then a year later, I was snowboarding!" he said.

Bradley Barton, national commander of Disabled American Veterans, which cosponsors the program with the Department of Veterans Affairs, said experiences like Vidana's are common during the winter sports clinic.

"It is truly a miracle to see the transformation take place on the mountain as these men and women push themselves to the limit and rehabilitate both body and mind," he said.

Veterans Affairs Sewcretary Jim Nicholson shared Barton's assessment, calling the participants' courage and determination "examples for us all."

Participants range in age from their late teens to their 80s and served in every conflict since World War II. All receive care from a VA health-care facility.

They understand each other in a special way, and it's that bond as much as the thrills and gratification they get here that keeps many coming back, year after year.

"At previous clinics, I met other Marines from other conflicts with different types of injuries, who shared great insight and perspective," Vidana said as he anticipated this week's clinic. "It helps with meeting people who understand your injury."

Faoa "Ap" Apineru, a Marine who suffered a traumatic brain injury when an improvised explosive device exploded nearby during a road-clearing mission in Iraq in May 2005, is attending his first winter sports clinic and looks forward to that interaction.

"I think it's positive to share something positive and social with other veterans," said Apineru, who was medically retired as a staff sergeant.

"The reason the clinic is important starts with camaraderie," he said. "Events like this boost morale and give us an idea that there truly are people out there who care for us."

Army veteran Joseph Hineman, at 84, is among the oldest participants in this year's clinic, but knows he has a lot to share with younger and more recently disabled veterans.

After surviving the Battle of the Bulge, Hineman was hit by shrapnel from a German mortar in October 1944 while his unit was trying to capture the bridge at Ramagan over the Rhine River. He lost his left leg above the knee.

He said he looks forward to sharing his insights and his positive philosophy with the younger veterans he meets here.

"We share a generational bond, because even through I'm much older, I can identify with them psychologically and physiologically because of our similar injuries," he said.

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April begins with Memoirs and Fiction

Editor's Note: One of the authors is former military

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Leading off the April 2007 additions to the site are two police officers who have written their memoirs as cops; and, one who has written a work of fiction.

In August of 1940, James N. Reaves was sworn in as a police officer for the Philadelphia Police Department. At that time, he was one of the very few African American’s on the department. Writing about Reaves’ book, Black Cops, his publisher said, “There was a swearing in ceremony at City Hall with lots of smiles, handshakes, & photographs, but then Reaves had to report to his new street sergeant, a man who was, of course, White. The sergeant glanced at Reaves coldly, gave him a quick scan up & down, & then said something for which Reaves would never forgive him. "My God," the sergeant hissed, "it gets worse." Reaves shook off the insult & persevered through a remarkable forty-year police career. From walking a beat to protect businesses that wouldn't serve Blacks--while other cops rode in the comfort of White-only patrol cars--to the upper echelons of the department as Philadelphia's first Black police captain, James Reaves saw it all, & now he is going on the record with his story.”

RJ Rice was a police officer for the Philadelphia Police Department for 28 years. His book, I Do Solemnly Swear, is a collection of individual stories about actual events from his career. Speaking about his book, Rice said, “It demonstrates how quickly a quiet moment can turn into a life and death struggle and how police officers must decide in a heart - beat what actions to take. Their decision may define the rest of their careers and their lives as well as the lives of the public they serve.”

Robert Yantorno is a police sergeant with the Narberth Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania). In 1980, after his military service, Robert Yantorno began his law enforcement career. His law enforcement career was briefly interrupted between 1983 and 1985 when he fought as a professional boxer. He is a motor officer, currently assigned as a patrol sergeant. According to his book, Brutal Mercies, explores “the secretive world of the police force and the intimate relationships that lie beneath are exposed as the reader finds themselves entrenched in a world of fear, pain, pride and despair.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 435 police officers (representing 191 police departments) and their 915 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Giambastiani Lauds Slovenia for Deployment Participation

By Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 31, 2007 – Slovenia's deployments to multiple countries for NATO, the United Nations and the European Union drew praise here yesterday from the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani met with Defense Minister Karl Erjavec, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Albin Gutman and Gutman's deputy, Maj. Gen. Alojz Steiner, at the Defense Ministry of this nation at the crossroads of central Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans.

"Slovenia has contributed substantially to a variety of operations across NATO," the admiral said at a news conference. "Clearly, the most significant that is occurring right now is Kosovo, with a very large presence of a battalion of Slovenian troops there. We're very thankful for that, both from the United States and throughout the alliance."

The battalion is the first large unit deployment from Slovenia to Kosovo, he said. In addition to that deployment, the Slovenian defense forces are making contributions in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"All of those are very meaningful and are a strong testament to the desire for Slovenia to be a good partner in this alliance," Giambastiani said. "In fact, I would compliment Slovenia on exceeding the troop deployment goals that NATO has set, and Slovenia continues to punch above its weight, and we're very thankful for that."

"In 2006 for example, Slovenia averaged well over 700 troops deployed," he said. "Now that's not the only measure of what a country does as part of our alliance, but what's significant is that there's other deployments in support of the United Nations and of the European Union, and also independent deployments based upon other commitments Slovenia has made. The fact that Slovenian armed forces have come this far in a short period of time is impressive."

Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey, and abolished its military draft in 2003. Its all-volunteer military has about 40,000 members.

During the day's meetings, Slovenian officials briefed Giambastiani on plans for their government to increase the percentage of gross domestic product applied toward national security and NATO commitments. The admiral was also briefed on proposed pay increases and plans for increased training and education.

"That is very important to draw the highest quality people you can," the admiral said.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump is assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff public affairs office.)

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Department Reaffirms Commitment to Family, Troop Morale Programs

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – It's imperative - especially during wartime - that the Defense Department continues to provide viable family and troop morale programs for servicemembers and their families, a senior Defense Department official said here yesterday. "Our military families are the heart and soul of troops on the battlefield," Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on military personnel at a Capitol Hill hearing.

The Defense Department "has made family support a priority and redesigned and boosted family support in a number of ways to recognize the crucial role families play in supporting servicemembers" deployed worldwide in support of the war against terrorism, Arsht said.

Military families cite communication with their deployed servicemembers as their No. 1 concern, Arsht said. Among other initiatives, defense officials haves established special computerized communications centers that help keep families and servicemembers connected during deployments, she noted.

Military families also want easy and quick access to information that's important to them, Arsht said, and she cited two Web-based Defense Department initiatives designed to meet that need.

Military OneSource is a 24-hour information and referral service at www.militaryonesource.com that provides information about parenting, child care, educational services, financial information and counseling, Arsht said.

Military Homefront is the department's quality-of-life web portal at www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil that provides useful information about stateside or overseas moving, spouse job information, and more. These services also support National Guard and Reserve military families, Arsht added.

Military family support and assistance centers established across the services "remain the backbone of support provided to families in the military," Arsht said.

The military services also provide counseling support to help families cope with separations due to servicemembers' overseas deployments, Arsht said. Trained family counselors can help families with life management issues such as reunion expectations, loneliness, stress, long separations, effects of deployment on children, loss and grief and more, she said.

The department's commissary, military exchange and child-care systems all provide important support to military families, Arsht said. Military families save more than 30 percent annually on groceries by using their local commissary and save 16 to 20 percent at their local exchange stores, she noted.

About 42 percent of junior enlisted servicemembers who use child care said they were moderately to very concerned about the issue during their last deployment, Arsht said.

Accordingly, the department has provided $228 million in funding for military child care since the start of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, she said, while creating about 7,000 more child care spaces at 37 child care centers. The department has earmarked another $82 million, Arsht said, for expanding existing child care facilities.

Another program, Operation Military Child Care, provides support for the child care needs of geographically dispersed military parents, Arsht said, and is especially helpful for members of the National Guard and Reserve.

The military also provides several no-cost youth activity programs through partnerships with national organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, 4-H Clubs, and the Armed Services YMCA, Arsht said.

Overseas troops regularly enjoy top-name entertainment provided by the Armed Forces Entertainment, Arsht said. In 2006, AFE conducted 118 tours with 1,433 shows in 25 countries, she said. Entertainers include Gary Sinise, Colin Quinn, World Wrestling Entertainment personalities, the Harlem Globetrotters, and many more groups.

Additionally, the Spirit of America tour puts on shows for stateside military audiences, Arsht said. From 2002 to 2006, the Robert and Nina Rosenthal Foundation worked with the country music industry to provide 76 celebrity shows at no cost to military members and their families, she noted.

Defense officials will continue to do their best to support servicemembers and their families as the war against global terrorism continues and the Defense Department restructures itself, Arsht pledged.

"The needs of individual servicemembers and their families must still be met," Arsht said. "The department will continue to explore the most effective means of underwriting support to families and developing innovative new support systems."

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Delaware Group Dedicated to Deployed Troops

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – Running a nonprofit organization can be strain on an individual's time, space and resources. One home-front group's leader says she relies on a specific form of aid through the tough times: divine intervention. Frankie Mayo, founder of Operation AC, said the fund-raising strategy for her troop-support group is prayer.

"When God puts something on your heart to do, you just have to do it," she said. "I pray at night before I go to bed about the issues that have come up, and the next morning God shows me what I'm supposed to do."

Although Mayo's organization has encountered occasional difficulties, it still has managed to send nearly $3 million worth of supplies to troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003.

Operation AC is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program helping home-front groups connect to members of the U.S. military and their families at home and abroad.

The Delaware-based group began when Mayo's son and daughter-in-law were deployed to Iraq. The summer heat was so oppressive that bars of soap melted and cans of shaving cream burst. In an effort to do something positive and help boost the morale of deployed troops, Mayo started purchasing air conditioners to help make their lives a little more bearable.

Although her "kids" returned from their deployments three years ago, Mayo said that her efforts are far from over.

"I feel that whatever my husband and I can do to support the war, it's our responsibility," she said. "These troops are our brothers, sisters and children. They deserve our utmost respect and support."

The family-run group continues to send over occasional batches of air conditioners, but its scope has broadened to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the men and women in uniform who are deployed.

Operation AC's Web site, www.operationac.com, allows users to exchange e-mails and adopt individual servicemembers by purchasing items on their wish lists for "virtual care boxes."

Through bulk mail, the organization helps troops get personal items such as hygiene supplies, music, games and movies, as well as replenishments of Defense Department-approved boots, helmet chin straps and other equipment.

"I would like to say a heartfelt thanks to all of you," one soldier wrote to the group's Web site. "Sometimes getting things from home is the only thing keeping us going."

Mayo's team also has worked on several special projects like "Boots from Bikers," in which a local Harley Davidson store has donated more than 4,200 pairs of combat boots to troops.

Through its Web site, Operation AC also allows individuals to purchase boots for troops at a discounted rate. To date, more than $450,000 worth of footwear has been sent to the troops.

"We buy them for $4 more than we sell them for; God makes up the rest," said Mayo. She said she believes that even though the manufacturer has increased prices, that shouldn't be passed along to the organization's supporters.

In addition to meeting the physical needs of soldiers, the group tries to meet their emotional needs as well.

Thousands of get well cards have been sent to wounded troops in combat support hospitals in Iraq through Operation AC. Mayo's daughter, Olivia, started the effort two years ago when she was 11 years old. By sending cards of support directly to nurses at the hospitals, Olivia is able to get cards in the hands of servicemembers before they are evacuated from the country.

"What you have given blesses these precious men and women," wrote a chaplain who is stationed at one of the hospitals on the Web site. "Your gifts enhance the holistic healthcare we provide for all those who proudly perform their sacred duty."

The kindness of the organization hasn't stopped at the gates of the forward operating bases and camps scattered throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Operation AC is reaching out to others in need by sending clothing and shoes to Afghan orphanages. Each month, hundreds of boxes "hitch a ride" with the support items going to troops and are then distributed to needy Afghan children.

Vietnam veteran Mike Cormier has been involved with the organization since its inception. He packs every box that makes its way into the hands of soldiers.

"I remember when I was in 'Nam,' we didn't receive the kind of stuff Frankie's doing for troops," he said. "I know from personal experience that it boosts morale to have support from back home. And I won't quit what I'm doing until the last one comes home."

Mayo is straightforward when asked why she continues to carry on this mission.

"I'm not here to have a job for myself; when the war is over, we will go away," she said. "But the whole point is that one person can make a difference, and I have a responsibility to do my part."

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Chlorine Gas, Child-Borne Bombs Show Enemy's Barbarity

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – Al Qaeda's use of chlorine gas against civilians and use of children as suicide bombers highlights the terror organization's barbarity, a Joint Staff spokesman said here today. Al Qaeda extremists in Iraq are using chlorine canisters and chlorine-carrying trucks to attack civilian targets, said Army Maj. Gen. Michael D. Barbero, Joint Staff deputy director for operations.

On March 23, Barbero said, Iraqi police foiled an attack in Ramadi that could have caused catastrophic casualties. The police intercepted a truck carrying 5,000 gallons of chlorine and two tons of explosives.

On March 28, two chlorine-laden trucks exploded outside the Fallujah military operations center. The attack injured 14 U.S. troops and 57 Iraqis.

"I strongly believe that this use of chlorine should not be dismissed simply as a new tactic or an emerging trend," Barbero said. "Chlorine is a poison gas being used on the Iraqi people. Before these attacks, the last time poison gas was used on the Iraqi people was by Saddam Hussein."

Al Qaeda in Iraq and related Sunni extremists are using this weapon against the Sunni population of Anbar province. "We have Sunni extremists attacking innocent Sunnis with a poison gas," Barbero said.

Coalition officials see the escalation as a response to the Iraqi people's growing sentiment against the terror organization. Al Qaeda is trying to intimidate the people of the province, Barbero said.

Its actions show that al Qaeda in Iraq is not an "honorable resistance" aimed at "driving out the infidels," the general said.

The terrorists continue to use children to launch attacks. On March 28, Iraqi police went after a suspicious vehicle in Haditha. "As they drove past a 12-to14-year-old boy riding a bicycle, a bomb in the boy's backpack detonated, killing him instantly," Barbero said.

"These acts - the use of poison gas and the use of children as weapons - are unacceptable in any civilized society and demonstrate the truly dishonorable nature of this enemy," he said.

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.S.-Japan Defense Officials Increase Military Cooperation

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – The United States and Japan are increasing their military cooperation and coordination to face evolving threats, the commander of U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force here said. "The security relationship between the United States and Japan is tied to international knowledge and understanding of the alliance," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright.

The bedrock of U.S. strategy in Asia remains the Japanese-U.S. Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Defense. Signed in 1960, the treaty relationship between the two nations has changed, but the document still remains relevant.

"Only 15 years after the end of a horrific war between our nations, Japan and the United States made a decision to move forward," Wright said. "The words in the treaty come from America's ideal - all are created equal, a commitment to freedom and democracy for all.

"What's neat for me is that the results speak for themselves," he continued. "The results are exemplary. It is now a pact between the two greatest economic powers in the world. We are mutually supportive economically and certainly in our military-to-military relationships."

Wright said coordination and cooperation between the two militaries has increased exponentially. In 1960, the United States essentially was responsible for the defense of Japan. The enemy at the time was the Soviet Union. China was a lurking menace, and the Korean War was just seven years in the past.

Today, the North Korean threat has drawn the two countries closer together, Wright said. North Korea has proliferated missile technology, and the country's nuclear test last year gave impetus to the relationship between the United States and Japan for ballistic missile defense.

"There is a lot of debate within Japan over the issue of collective self-defense," the general said. Japanese and American forces are working together to establish the missile defense posture. "That requires a level of close coordination that hasn't been needed in the past," he said.

A new joint operations and coordination center at Yokota Air Base, Japan, was very effective during the North Korea missile tests, Wright said. A new bilateral and joint operations coordination center is going in at Yokota and will be operational in 2010. U.S. and Japanese personnel will use their own equipment, but coordination will be close.

The flight time of a missile from North Korea to Japan is short, Wright said. The coordination needed to defend against that threat is extensive and should carry over to other aspects of U.S.-Japanese cooperation.

"If you can handle the ballistic missile defense problem, it's going to percolate in a joint bilateral way in how we coordinate," Wright said. "It's just an improvement in defense capabilities. There is no expansion of U.S. or Japanese forces involved. In a resource-constrained environment, it is using information systems technology, it's building on a shift in our traditional ways of doing business."

The two militaries working together equal more than the sum of their parts, Wright said. What is more, the pact allows for allies to play important roles.

"This is an alliance that has its arms open," Wright said. "This military alliance should and does reach out to include military-to-military-to-military-plus interaction with multiple countries in the region, including South Korea and China.

"From the foundation of an exemplary alliance, now is the time to reach out," he continued. "Certainly, Australia is an important part of this alliance. That's just another example of the relevance of the alliance in a dynamic security alliance."

The Japanese have moved more decisively into security operations. The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force sent engineers to Iraq. The Air Self-Defense Force is flying missions out of Kuwait. The Maritime Self-Defense Force maintains tankers in the Indian Ocean, providing long-term capabilities for navies operating there.

"The Japanese have a lot of pride in the operation in Iraq," Wright said. "It had a positive affect on the Japanese as a whole. The military for years has not been very visible. That's changing over time, and I think that it is changing for the good in the context that it reminds people that there is a Japan-U.S. military partnership. It is helpful to both nations at the strategic level."

The United States will continue the realignment of its forces in Japan, Wright said. "(The realignment) will be expensive, but I think the forces are about the right size and it is essential to work on the roles and missions and capabilities of our forces for the future," Wright said.

That assessment, he said, must include improved planning coordination, interoperability, more consistent and persistent joint and bilateral training and addressing common weapons systems so those systems are compatible.

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Bush: System Failed at Walter Reed While Medical Care Remained Top Notch

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – President Bush assured the medical staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center today he recognizes that problems at the facility reflected a failed bureaucracy, not the care they were providing. Bush, on his first visit to Walter Reed since news of its problems was revealed, thanked the staff for the extraordinary care they provide military men and women.

"Every time I come to Walter Reed, I'm also impressed by the caregivers: the docs, the nurses, the people who spend many hours trying to heal those who have been wounded in service to our country," he said. "The soldiers and Marines stay here only for a few months, but the compassion they receive here stays with them for a lifetime."

Bush said he knows the work these medical professionals do is often behind the scenes, and they don't get a lot of glory for it.

"But you certainly do from the family members who first come here and they see their loved one on a bed, wondering whether or not that person will ever walk again, and then, six months later, the body is returning, and the spirit is strong, the person's up and moving around," he told them. "The family and the soldier (are) impressed by that care."

Americans need to understand that the problems at Walter Reed aren't about medical care, the president said. "The quality of care at this fantastic facility is great, and it needs to remain that way," he said.

He cited independent analysts who have given the facility high marks for its medical care, and reaffirmed that assessment during a recent surprise inspection.

"In other words, this isn't my assessment; nor is it the assessment of people I have talked to, the families, although that's what they believe," the president said. "It is also the assessment of a joint commission which accredits thousands of American hospitals. And this commission has given Walter Reed the highest possible rating, a gold seal of approval."

Bush thanked the staff for keeping the quality of care at Walter Reed top-notch, and vowed to ensure other aspects of the facility come up to the same standard.

"The problems at Walter Reed were caused by bureaucratic and administrative failures," he said. "The system failed you and it failed our troops, and we're going to fix it."

The country owes its wounded troops the best, and it's evident that Walter Reed's medical staff feels the same way, the president said.

"People here recognize (that) each human being here matters, each person counts, and each person has endless possibilities, even though they may have received terrible wounds on the battlefield," he said.

Serving the people who serve the country is a special calling, the president said.

"It requires a unique person to come here on a daily basis and to heal the hurts of those who have served our country," he said. "And so our nation is grateful and I am proud to be your commander in chief."

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DoD Removes Six Countries From Imminent Danger Pay List

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2007 – Bosnia-Herzegovina is among six countries the Defense Department is removing from the list of countries where servicemembers receive imminent danger pay, DoD officials said today. Angola, Georgia, Sierra Leone, Croatia and Macedonia also will be removed from the list. The changes go into effect Nov. 1.

Servicemembers deployed to Kosovo will continue to receive imminent danger pay. More than 1,500 American servicemembers are serving in Kosovo.

The number of U.S. servicemembers affected by the change is small, officials said.

A total of 232 servicemembers serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina will lose the pay. Forty-three servicemembers are affected in Macedonia, seven in Georgia, five in Angola, one in Sierra Leone and an unknown number in Croatia.

DoD officials conduct worldwide reviews to determine whether to continue imminent danger pay. Servicemembers receive $225 per month for imminent danger pay. The pay recognizes duty in foreign areas where there is the threat of physical harm or imminent danger on the basis of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism or wartime conditions.

Bosnia and Macedonia first went on the imminent danger pay list on June 22, 1992. Sierra Leone went on the list on July 18, 1997, Angola on March 1, 1998, and Georgia on July 22, 2002, officials said.

The financial losses for servicemembers in Macedonia, Georgia, Angola and Sierra Leone are partially made up by an increase in hardship pay for the countries, DoD officials said. Hardship pay for Angola, Georgia and Sierra Leone will increase from $100 to $150 a month. In Macedonia, the pay will be instituted at $100 a month.

Hardship duty pay recognizes servicemembers assigned to areas where the quality of life is substantially below that most members in the United States generally experience. These factors include physical environment, living conditions and personal security, officials said.

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Wounded Warriors' Wives Get Help

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

March 29, 2007 – Understanding the critical role spouses play in the recovery of wounded warriors, Operation Homefront has created the Wounded Warrior Wives Project to help them navigate the challenges they may face. "While the military sees to their physical health, the key to the short- and long-term stability and full restoration of our wounded warriors lies in the support of their spouses," Meredith Leyva, founder of Operation Homefront, said. "It is the spouses, not the wounded warriors, who are most responsible for key family issues such as financial viability and seeking assistance."

The Wounded Warrior Wives Project is an opportunity for spouses to get together and really discuss issues surrounding their servicemembers' recovery, Leyva said. And though the title specifically mentions wives, "we are certainly open to everyone," she said.

The Wounded Warrior Wives Project began at Operation Homefront's annual chapter presidents' meeting, Leyva said. The group recognized that each new phase of recovery and rehabilitation brings new challenges not only for the patient, but the caregivers, Leyva said.

"It' a comprehensive program," Leyva said. "We catch them in the hospital at the acute phase (and) they can continue with physical support groups at the rehabilitation centers."

The Wounded Warrior Wives Project strives to help provide caregivers with an emotional and practical support system to navigate those challenges. Through the program, Operation Homefront will provide support groups at each major military medical facility, Leyva said.

It will continue this support network beyond the family's involvement in the medical system with Web-based magazine content and discussion forums that will directly address pertinent issues. This content will launch April 2, she said.

The Web content will become a new section on CinCHouse.com, Operation Homefront's online community. Dr. Julia Storey, a retired Air Force psychologist, and Tonia Sargent, a Marine wife whose husband suffered severe head injuries, will lead this endeavor, Leyva said.

Local support groups are primarily peer-to-peer with the goal of presenting information on all the programs available for military families, Leyva said.

"However, we will not be allowing command officials and program officials into the inner workings of the support group meetings, as a matter of privacy, unless the support group members specifically request that," Leyva said. "People need to be able to talk openly and without fear of reprisal, and I think command officials understand this."

Operation Homefront is a member of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which highlights the support the nation's servicemembers are receiving from the American public and the corporate sector.

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Budget Will Recapitalize, Modernize U.S. Forces

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

March 29, 2007 – The proposed defense budget will modernize and recapitalize the armed forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee today. Gates said the proposed budget and the emergency supplemental request will exceed $700 billion. The military needs this money to sustain the force, modernize weapons systems, train forces and build defense capabilities.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace told the representatives that the heavy demand on U.S. forces is unlikely to dissipate in the near future. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff specifically asked the representatives to look hard at the military's increased need for mid-level officers and NCOs.

Pace said embedded training teams in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere help those nations provide for their own security.

"The training that we do with other armed forces rests on the shoulders of our mid-grade soldiers and mid-grade officers," Pace said. "We are peeling off some of those officers and enlisted from operational units. An increase in mid-grades would help us enormously with what lies ahead."

Gates said the budget and concurrent increase of soldiers and Marines will sustain the military by reducing stress on the force and improving quality of life for U.S. troops and their families. The budget also funds ongoing operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the campaign against violent jihadist networks around the globe, he said.

Gates told the representatives to put the budget request in historical context. The request translates to about 4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. He said it is a significantly smaller percentage of GDP than when the United States was involved in the Vietnam War or the Korean War.

Gates said this amount of money may give people "sticker shock," but it must be viewed in the light of different threats.

"In addition to fighting the war on terror, we face the dangers posed by Iran's and North Korea's nuclear ambitions and the threat they pose to not only their neighbors, but globally, due to their records of proliferation," he said.

He said the United States must be ready to counter the uncertain paths of China and Russia - both pursuing sophisticated military modernization programs. And, he said, there is a range of other challenges, flashpoints and threats in the world.

"In this strategic environment, the resources we devote to defense at this critical time should be at a level to meet those challenges," Gates said. "The costs of defending the nation are high. The only thing costlier would be to fail to commit the resources necessary to defend our interests around the world, and to fail to prepare for the inevitable threats of the future."

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Commentary: Take Time to Thank Unsung Heroes During Women's History Month

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 28, 2007 – The topic of women came up in my office the other day. We were trying to figure out the best way to highlight Women's History Month in the post newspaper, and we decided to ask a few outstanding women, "If you could be any other woman, who would you be and why?" We received some thought-provoking responses. Acting Army Surgeon General Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock said she would choose Abigail Adams, because she was "an original thinker" who advised against the discrimination of women. Army Col. Patricia Hastings, director, Department of Combat Medic Training, said she would pick Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female physician to graduate with a degree in the United States.

Although they emulate others, Pollock and Hastings are inspirations in their own right. Pollock is the first woman to hold the position of Army surgeon general, and Hastings runs the department that trains the Army medics who have boosted the survival rate out in the field to more than 90 percent.

Pollock and Hastings are just two of the countless notable women who have helped shape American history. As soldiers, they continue a tradition started when women first began to serve in the Army in 1775. They join the ranks of women like Army Brig. Gen. Coral Pietsch, the first woman general officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps, and Army Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to achieve three-star rank.

And, more recently, Army Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester helped her squad repel nearly 30 insurgents during an ambush of her convoy in Iraq. Hester became the first woman since World War I to earn the Silver Star Medal for exceptional valor.

History books and Web pages are filled with stories of these well-known and celebrated women. Their achievements and valor help shape our society and the young women who turn to them for inspiration.

With such high-profile achievements, however, it's too easy to overlook the countless other women whose walls may be less packed with accolades and achievements, but are a source of inspiration nonetheless. You may have seen one today at the desk next to you, in the hall or talked to one on the phone. They are women who do their job with excellence every day, not because they are paid a movie star's salary, but because of their inner drive and work ethic.

Women like my friend Air Force Master Sgt. Melissa Phillips, who is facing her second tour to Iraq in two years. She is handling the looming deployment with a grace and courage that I don't believe I'd have in the same circumstance.

Women who stand by their servicemembers, wounds and all, as they undergo a long, painful rehabilitation process. And any woman - whether a wife, mother, sister or grandmother -- who receives word that her loved one was killed while defending our nation's freedom and still manages to carry on.

I saw one of these heroes on a news report. Renee Ziegel had only dated Marine Cpl. Ty Ziegel for about three months before he was deployed to Iraq. He was severely injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives. Ziegel was burned on his face and arms, and his left hand and three fingers on his right hand were amputated. But Renee didn't see the wounds; she only saw him. She stood by him for more than two years of surgery and rehabilitation, and they were married last October.

"If you love somebody, you're going to do what you have to do, no matter what," said Renee in a First Coast News article

Their stories, ones of fortitude and courage, are an inspiration to me. As a journalist, I've been to the Fisher Houses, medical and rehabilitation centers and have witnessed that courage firsthand. And I always ask myself if I would have the same courage faced with the same circumstances. I hope I don't have to find out, but if I do, I know there are women out there that I could turn to for my inspiration.

Take time during Women's History Month, and every other month, to thank an unsung hero. Thank a woman who inspires you, whether she is your mother, sister, friend or co-worker. Perhaps someone also will stop and thank you.

(Elaine Wilson is assigned to the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office, where she is editor of the Fort Sam Houston News Leader.)

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First Lady, Military Leaders Praise USO for Troop Support

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

March 28, 2007 – First lady Laura Bush joined military leaders and other luminaries here last night in praising the United Service Organizations for its support for the military as she accepted the 2007 USO of Metropolitan Washington Service Award. The first lady joined Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson and the top brass from the military services at the USO of Metropolitan Washington's 25th annual awards dinner. The star-studded gala, which featured Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson, longtime USO star Connie Stevens, country music stars Michael Peterson and Trace Adkins, and American tenor Daniel Rodriguez, raised $500,000 for USO-Metro programs, officials announced.

"Americans have a responsibility to support our troops, and certainly, no one does it better than the USO," Bush told some 650 attendees at the dinner in Arlington, Va.'s Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

"For 66 years, the USO has lifted the spirits of our troops," she said, recalling the organization's long history of bringing entertainers from Bob Hope and Rita Hayworth to Marilyn Monroe and Ann-Margret to combat zones.

Pace joined the first lady in praising the USO for its long history of supporting U.S. troops around the world. He and Nicholson shared memories of what the USO offered them personally during their military careers, particularly when they served in Vietnam.

The chairman told the audience he remembered what it meant to him, while deployed during the Christmas of 1972, to have Bob Hope and Connie Stevens visit him and his fellow Marines during a USO tour. "It was incredible, a little bit of home," he said.

Addressing Stevens, Pace added with a laugh, "You made a young captain's heart beat pretty hard."

That support for the troops continues today, with the USO providing troops around the world a cup of coffee and someone to talk to when they feel far from home, Pace said. "In so many ways, the USO has taken great care of all of us in uniform, and we are grateful for that," he said.

Bush said the USO's support is more important than ever as an all-volunteer military fights the war on terror. She noted USO-Metro's huge outreach to more than half a million servicemembers and their families, with support ranging from troop-appreciation events to job fairs for military spouses to free phone cards "so that the reassuring voices of loved ones can reach our troops deployed overseas."

Last year alone, USO-Metro volunteers gave 60,000 hours of service. "In every capacity, they've gone above and beyond for our troops," the first lady said.

She described one particular incident in which a Marine returning home from Iraq on emergency leave after learning that his mother had died found himself stranded at the USO lounge in Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport. "After 42 hours of travel, the Marine arrived at BWI with no tickets or money and too late at night to make travel plans," Bush said.

A quick-thinking USO volunteer wasn't going to let those circumstances stop the Marine from getting home in time for his mother's funeral, Bush said. The volunteer got on the phone and arranged for Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey state troopers to drive the Marine home. "Thanks to these police officers -- and to a resourceful USO volunteer -- the Marine arrived in time to comfort his family, and pay his respects to his mother," she said.

Bush recognized the USO's extensive work visiting wounded servicemembers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., arranging for them to attend sporting events and concerts and bringing celebrity entertainers to cheer them. Even more importantly, she said, the group provides free housing for visiting families to ensure "no soldier has to face the recovery process without their moms and dads, sons and daughters, wives or husbands by their side."

The USO also provides critical emotional support, the first lady said. She noted an exceptional incident in which the USO arranged for Joe Grady, a Marine who lost his arm to a roadside bomb in Fallujah, Iraq, and his wife, Ashley, who he married while hospitalized, take a honeymoon to the Mexican Rivera. "Throughout Joe's recovery, Ashley recalls the kindness and the support of USO volunteers and staff was overwhelming," Bush said.

"Our armed forces are filled with courageous young people like Joe Grady. They're supported by loving parents, children and spouses like Ashley," she said. "By supporting organizations like the USO, the American people can show their gratitude to these troops and families, who sacrifice so much to keep us safe."

Pace said a common question he and other military leaders get when they visit deployed troops is if the American people are still behind them. "And I always, with great pride, smile and say, 'Your USO is the prime example of how the American people support you.'

"That support is a real, tangible part of saying, 'Yes, the American people are behind us. They are there to help support our servicemembers and their families. ... They have always been there for us, (and they) make a huge impact on our troops."

"The most important thing we can do as Americans is to make sure they know how much they are appreciated for their service and their sacrifice," Nicholson agreed. "That goes the same for those who reach out and support them, ... and the USO does that because it gives a lot of Americans a chance to say thank you."

Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called last night's gala a way to recognize the USO's service to the military.

"The USO is important because it recognizes all the wonderful armed services personnel and what they contribute to the country," he said. "It's a great organization."

During the gala, USO and military officials honored several servicemembers and longtime USO supporters.

Air Force Master Sgt. David Glinski II, who serves with the White House Communications Agency, received the 2007 C. Haskell Small Award and a $1,000 Savings Bond for volunteerism as a firefighter with the Dumfries-Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, in Prince William County, Va.

"It's a humbling experience," Glinski said of last night's recognition. "Volunteering isn't something I do for recognition. It comes from the heart. It's an honor to serve my country and my community."

Pace presented a Bronze Star with "V" device for valor to Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Bryant, a special agent for the Office of Special Investigations who helped capture 200 insurgents near Kirkuk, Iraq, and protected coalition forces during a terrorist attack on a convoy traveling near Kirkuk Air Base.

Bryant said it felt "a little overwhelming" to be honored so publicly by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and downplayed his personal role in the actions he was honored for. "I really, truly owe this to my team's actions and our training," he said. "When you're in a situation like that, your training takes over. It's an instinct. And we reacted as a team, just like we are supposed to do."

Pace, Giambastiani and Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, Pace's senior enlisted advisor, offered special honors to several servicemembers at last night's event:

-- Retired Army Col. Jack Hyde, who served in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and stopped Gen. George Patton from going through a roadblock, saving his life;

-- Air Force Sgt. Eric Ezell, who lost an eye in Iraq while serving with the 20th Special Operations Squadron but will remain on active duty after his discharge next week from Walter Reed;

-- Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Patrick Hyde, who was hit by an improvised explosive device while assigned to Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, but ignored his injuries to help save his comrades;

-- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Steven Ruth, who braved eight- to 10-foot seas and 30 knot winds to save a woman being battered at the base of a rocky cliff during a thunderstorm from drowning;

-- Army Sgt. David John Brown, who served as a USO volunteer while recovering at Walter Reed from injuries received from a roadside bomb near an Iraqi police station; and

-- Marine Cpl. Dylan Gray, who lost both legs to an IED attack during his third tour in Iraq and completed his final surgery at the National Naval Medical Center earlier this week before being transferred to Walter Reed for rehabilitation.

Pace also recognized the troops' families, who accompanied them to the gala. "These are the unsung heroes, whose support is so vital," he said.

As the evening drew to a close, Nicholson presented the 2007 USO of Metropolitan Washington Merit Award to country music legend Trace Adkins for his participation in USO tours and ongoing support for U.S. servicemembers.

Adkins said he felt the award was the second time in his career he received recognition he felt he didn't deserve. The first, he said, was when he awarded entry into the Grand Ole Opry.

He acknowledges that he sometimes gets tired of hearing people say they support the troops simply because it's the popular thing to say, but without any real conviction. "I support the troops, ... I support what they do," he said, rousing the group to a standing ovation. I support their mission."

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Defense Department Emphasizes Employee Safety, Occupational Health

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

March 28, 2007 – Safety is critical to readiness, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness told safety officers attending the Voluntary Protection Program conference here yesterday. "Every asset we keep in peacetime is an asset we can apply against the enemy in war," Joseph Angello said. "Every person we keep healthy and fit is a person in our unit who is serving against the enemy."

DoD spends more than $3 billion in direct costs associated with aviation and ground accidents, military injuries, and civilian worker compensation, Angello told the audience. "Those are resources we could be using for systems and people to defend our country."

Defense officials are pushing for leaders to better understand the importance of safety and are aiming for a 75 percent accident reduction rate throughout the force, Angello said.

For a second year, DoD is participating in the Voluntary Protection Program, designed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to improve safety records and readiness of its civilian and military personnel.

The program is recognized as an accident reduction "best practice" for the private sector to improve safety in industrial operations and has been adopted by the Defense Safety Oversight Council's Installations Task Force, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment Safety and Occupational Health Tad Davis said.

Private sector VPP participants have seen a 60 percent reduction in injuries, 20 percent reduction in worker's compensation costs, and a 150 percent return on investments, program officials said.

"We saw VPP as one of private industry's best practices," Davis said. "Our needs are similar but unique compared to the private sector."

Army safety officials, with Davis in the lead, created the DoD VPP Center of Excellence to ensure that 40 new installations each year work to implement injury reduction throughout the armed forces.

"If we can apply lessons learned from the first two years, then we'll have insights that will allow us to do it smarter, quicker and more economically at these installations down the road," Davis said.

The focus of the two-day conference is to acknowledge good work that has been done thus far on installations and gain insights from the installations that have already implemented the program, he said. Participants also came together to discuss ways to improve the processes installations are using to prevent injuries and improve mishap prevention.

Panel members and speakers repeatedly expressed the importance of senior military and installation leaders championing safety efforts and filtering that information down to each individual. "People don't really care what you have to say until you show you care about them," Navy Capt. Mike McKinnon, commander or Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., said. "The key to success is the leadership at the top."

McKinnon said the key to VPP success is attitude. "It's not just eight hours while you're at work; it's 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," he said.

To date, four Navy bases and an Army installation have been recognized by OSHA as attaining "star status" for their safety efforts. DoD has set the goal of participating VPP installations to achieve this status within two years of joining the program.

By incorporating leadership and employees into worksite analysis, hazard prevention, and safety and health training, officials hope ultimately to save DoD billions of dollars.

"The lynchpin has been the tremendous support from senior leadership," Davis said. "This has to start at the top and permeate down to individual soldiers, civilians and contractors."

"The Department of Defense is a world-class organization," Angello said. "We're going to demonstrate our commitment to this program where the rubber meets the rank."

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U.S. Marines Thank Lebanese Military for Efforts

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

March 28, 2007 – The commander of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit today honored the Lebanese army for its assistance in the largest evacuation of U.S. civilians from a foreign country. In a Pentagon ceremony, U.S. Marine Col. Ron Johnson expressed his appreciation to the Lebanese armed forces for their assistance in evacuating 15,000 Americans from the country in July following an eruption in violence when the militant group Hezbollah kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

"The Lebanese armed forces and international security forces performed superbly and gave us everything we needed to get our mission accomplished," Johnson said. "I thought it important that our Lebanese friends know just how much we appreciate their cooperation during the evacuation."

Due to the heightened tension following the kidnapping, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon authorized the departure of embassy personnel from the country July 15. Since Beirut International Airport had been bombed, military assistance was required to transport U.S. citizens to safety by other means.

Johnson, whose unit was conducting a training exercise in the Jordanian desert at the time, sent a detachment of more than 100 Marines and three helicopters to the island of Cyprus to lay the groundwork for the arrival of the rest of the unit to assist in civilian evacuation efforts.

Within 24 hours, the Marines secured the U.S. Embassy and airlifted the first group of citizens to Cyprus.

The Lebanese military's assistance was imperative, Johnson said. "We didn't have access to a port, but the Lebanese not only secured a beach for us, they assisted by providing security along evacuation routes and debarkation points."

By working with embassy officials and using a combination of aircraft and sea vessels, the 24th MEU and the USS Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group worked to assist 15,000 U.S. citizens to safety within two weeks of the start of evacuation efforts.

"Thanks in no small part to (Lebanese) efforts, the operation concluded without a single loss of life or serious injury," Johnson said.

"I am very proud to hear such praise from a U.S. officer," said Brig. Gen. Abdul Hamid Darwich, Lebanese defense attache to the United States. "It was our duty to get all our American guests out of the country to safety."

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Angles on Corrections

Editor's Note: One of the writers is a former airborne.

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three writers who give different perspectives on the corrections system; one is a cop who is an expert in conducting investigations in prisons; one is a cop who went to prison; and, the third wrote a thriller were the offenders skip the prison experience.

William Bell comes from a family whose involvement with law enforcement dates back to the Civil War. His own education and career spans more than thirty years. Greatly influenced by his father, a retired Police Inspector, he began with the Dearborn Police Department (Michigan) where his responsibilities included work in road patrol, SWAT, undercover narcotics, and pattern crime. For nearly twenty years the author has been employed by the Colorado Department of Corrections, where he ultimately gained his expertise with the Criminal Investigation Division. He is noted for taking the investigation of prison crime into the streets. He reflects is practical as well as academic excellence in his book, Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional Facilities.

Lines Crossed is the true story of Alex Richardson, a Lake County Sheriff’s Department (Indiana) a narcotics detective who was ultimately sentenced to federal prison for taking a bribe from a drug dealer. His book, Lines Crossed: the True Story of an Undercover Cop, describes the activities of the County drug task force; and, “he also reveals his gambling habit, and the corruption that takes place while working narcotics.”

Alex Richardson grew up in Gary, Indiana. He left at the age of 18, joining the Army where he was a military policeman. He graduated Airborne School becoming a paratrooper, then finished his enlistment by serving in a special operations unit at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After his military duties he served as a patrolman on the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department before serving over two years as an undercover detective on the Lake County Drug Task Force.

Mark Osterman, a Detroit Police Department police officer wrote two crime thrillers: Happiness is a Green Light and Justifiable Homicide. According to the book description from Justifiable Homicide, “In this sad aftermath, Jack began his secret war on crime. He joined the Detroit Police Department and rose through the ranks to become a detective. However, Jack's after-hours activities included a different method for reducing crime statistics. This one-man crusade served as judge, jury and executioner.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 429 police officers (representing 189 police departments) and their 908 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.