By Rudi Williams
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 26, 2007 - Janet Southby has been a driving force behind the Walter Reed Society since the group's beginning in 1996. The Walter Reed Society works to enhance patient support and improve morale by funding special unmet needs of soldiers and their families during treatment and recovery. Southby served as first vice president of the group until being elected president in 2001 and has held that position ever since.
"I have been privileged to serve with a dedicated group of volunteers on the Board of Directors and in other volunteer positions for the past six years," said Southby, a retired colonel who was chief nurse at Walter Reed before retiring in December 1996.
"I think it is very important for any significant institution to have a strong support group," she said. "The society was organized to benefit Walter Reed and its educational, treatment and research activities in multiple ways. The intent was to support events and fund projects that enhance patient-care services, support the welfare and morale of soldiers and other staff, and preserve the legacy and reputation of Walter Reed, the man and the institution named in his honor."
The society has special meaning to Southby because she spent nearly half of her 30 years of military professional life as a nurse at Walter Reed. "It was a wonderful place to work, and the rewards were two-fold: providing health care for America's military families while serving the nation," Southby said. "An added benefit is keeping in touch with so many who value Walter Reed -- as patients, staff, family, friends, advocates -- and want to stay connected with the institution and each other."
Southby said the society's purpose has expanded during operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom to offer more direct assistance to today's wounded warriors and their families. Since 2004, the society has spent more than $800,000 assisting dozens of wounded warriors and their families with unexpected financial crises. "This has been made possible by our generous private and corporate donors who want to help those who have been injured while serving in harm's way," she noted. "For this, we are truly grateful."
Many groups work together to assist wounded warriors and their families, Southby said. She cited the example of a soldier's wife and children who were on the West Coast when their soldier was wounded in Iraq. The wife was flown to Germany to see her husband at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, leaving her children with childcare providers. Upon the couple's arrival at Walter Reed, the Yellow Ribbon Fund paid the wife's roundtrip airfare to Tacoma, Wash., to get their children and bring them to Walter Reed. The family is now living in the Fisher House on the hospital campus.
The Walter Reed Society assisted with grants to cover rent, car payments, childcare costs, insurance and cell phone costs.
Requests for assistance come through the Soldier Family Assistance Center, a central point for servicemembers and families needing assistance. Assistance is usually provided within 24 to 48 hours of a request.
In addition, the society has collaborated with another organization by providing $7,000 to buy video-gaming equipment at the Mologne House Hotel, where many wounded warriors and their families have temporary lodging. The society also supports the "healing garden" maintained by the Department of Nursing in the hospital's fifth floor courtyard.
"For the staff, we have supported activities like the incoming interns picnic, staff appreciation breakfast, cakes for corps' anniversaries, gifts for soldier and noncommissioned officer of the year, Audie Murphy Association, etc.," Southby noted.
She said the society's long-term goals include developing a plan for future use of the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Support Fund, which includes creating a scholarship fund. Society members also are considering expanding the society to support the new 120-bed DeWitt Army Community Hospital that's on the drawing board at Fort Belvoir, Va.
"The society already has appointed a patient liaison at the National Naval Medical Center (in Bethesda, Md.) to prepare for the transition to the new 345-bed tri-service Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (there) in 2011," Southby noted "I would hope that the society and its purposes will transition as part of the integration process."
(Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Rudi Williams is with the Walter Reed Society.)
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Chairman's Enlisted Advisor Addresses NCO Academy Grads
By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - The Army Medical Department Noncommissioned Officers Academy's newest graduates heard a few words of wisdom earlier this week from someone with more than his share of experience leading troops. "Do not let anyone ever tell you that you can't reach your goals," Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the graduates Aug. 21 at the academy graduation ceremony.
Gainey, the senior NCO in the Defense Department, said his intent is to "live life to the fullest."
"No one is ever going to tell me again, like 30 some years ago when that NCO poked me on the chest and told me, 'You're going to amount to nothing, Gainey.' No one is ever going to do that again," he said. "Do not permit that to happen to you or to anyone else."
Gainey urged the NCOs to pursue their dreams, but first to ask themselves five questions: Is my dream or goal going to hurt someone else? Is it going to hurt me? Is it illegal? Is it immoral as you were raised? Will it bring disgrace to my family name and the name of the service that I serve?
If the answers to all five of the questions are no, "then go for it," he said. But first, "Reassess yourself. Why do I need to climb that mountain? Then go get trained; get the proper equipment; get certified if required. Never let another person tell you that you can't reach your goals."
On leading troops, Gainey advised the soldiers to pass on the tools junior enlisted need to succeed.
"Give young men and women responsibility, and I promise you, they will not let you down," he said. "Give them the authority to be responsible."
Along with authority, Gainey mentioned another important "A" term -- accountability. "Hold (your troops) accountable," he said. "They hold us accountable 24/7."
Gainey recalled a sergeant major who was arrested for driving under the influence. "His commander said, 'He's the best sergeant major I've worked with.' I looked at him and said, 'I'm sorry to say you've never worked with a good sergeant major.' He's the same person that, on Fridays, gives a safety briefing on don't drink and drive. There are no part-time NCOs."
The top NCO urged the graduates to pass on lessons learned to junior enlisted and assist them when they "stumble."
"All of you right now you are standing on the top of a mountain. Why? Because of who you are; you're noncommissioned officers," Gainey said. "Not because you're better than junior enlisted, but because you're more experienced."
The junior enlisted are in the valley, he said, so "throw down a rope to them; I call it the rope of knowledge. But I'm not going to pull you up the hill. Hang on to the rope, and I'm going to coach, teach, mentor and train our young men and women."
When they stumble, as everyone does, Gainey told the NCOs to fall on one knee and give the rope of knowledge a tug. "There's no one in this room who hasn't stumbled before in their career," Gainey said. "I call them honest human mistakes. Because you don't learn from successes, you learn from mistakes."
Then NCOs should "coach, teach, mentor and train them to get to the top of the hill."
And when the junior enlisted troops reach the top of the mountain, "touch them on the shoulder and you're going to say, 'good job,'" Gainey said. "Then go down the other side. We're in good hands."
(Elaine Wilson works for the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - The Army Medical Department Noncommissioned Officers Academy's newest graduates heard a few words of wisdom earlier this week from someone with more than his share of experience leading troops. "Do not let anyone ever tell you that you can't reach your goals," Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the graduates Aug. 21 at the academy graduation ceremony.
Gainey, the senior NCO in the Defense Department, said his intent is to "live life to the fullest."
"No one is ever going to tell me again, like 30 some years ago when that NCO poked me on the chest and told me, 'You're going to amount to nothing, Gainey.' No one is ever going to do that again," he said. "Do not permit that to happen to you or to anyone else."
Gainey urged the NCOs to pursue their dreams, but first to ask themselves five questions: Is my dream or goal going to hurt someone else? Is it going to hurt me? Is it illegal? Is it immoral as you were raised? Will it bring disgrace to my family name and the name of the service that I serve?
If the answers to all five of the questions are no, "then go for it," he said. But first, "Reassess yourself. Why do I need to climb that mountain? Then go get trained; get the proper equipment; get certified if required. Never let another person tell you that you can't reach your goals."
On leading troops, Gainey advised the soldiers to pass on the tools junior enlisted need to succeed.
"Give young men and women responsibility, and I promise you, they will not let you down," he said. "Give them the authority to be responsible."
Along with authority, Gainey mentioned another important "A" term -- accountability. "Hold (your troops) accountable," he said. "They hold us accountable 24/7."
Gainey recalled a sergeant major who was arrested for driving under the influence. "His commander said, 'He's the best sergeant major I've worked with.' I looked at him and said, 'I'm sorry to say you've never worked with a good sergeant major.' He's the same person that, on Fridays, gives a safety briefing on don't drink and drive. There are no part-time NCOs."
The top NCO urged the graduates to pass on lessons learned to junior enlisted and assist them when they "stumble."
"All of you right now you are standing on the top of a mountain. Why? Because of who you are; you're noncommissioned officers," Gainey said. "Not because you're better than junior enlisted, but because you're more experienced."
The junior enlisted are in the valley, he said, so "throw down a rope to them; I call it the rope of knowledge. But I'm not going to pull you up the hill. Hang on to the rope, and I'm going to coach, teach, mentor and train our young men and women."
When they stumble, as everyone does, Gainey told the NCOs to fall on one knee and give the rope of knowledge a tug. "There's no one in this room who hasn't stumbled before in their career," Gainey said. "I call them honest human mistakes. Because you don't learn from successes, you learn from mistakes."
Then NCOs should "coach, teach, mentor and train them to get to the top of the hill."
And when the junior enlisted troops reach the top of the mountain, "touch them on the shoulder and you're going to say, 'good job,'" Gainey said. "Then go down the other side. We're in good hands."
(Elaine Wilson works for the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
American Spirit Makes Difference for Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - With traditional "American Spirit" at the heart of its mission, one California group is working to make a difference in the lives of wounded servicemembers and their families. Operation American Spirit, established through the nonprofit Fitness Challenge Foundation, provides for military members and their families who have suffered injuries as a result of combat.
"Our mission is to help make a difference in the lives of soldiers and their families by providing support and funding in ways that teach them self-sufficiency including scholarships, job (placement) assistance, home modification and improved morale," John Wordin, the group's executive director, said.
Operation American Spirit has set its eyes on the goal of raising $100 million over the next few years to successfully fulfill this mission. Help from actor Jack Scalia is making it a little easier to reach this goal.
Scalia, who has played roles in many TV shows, including "Dallas" and "All My Children," is expected to begin a 16-day, 1,500-mile bike ride from Seattle to San Diego on Sept. 22. The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness and funding for servicemembers injured in the global war on terrorism.
"Our nation has asked our soldiers and their families to make sacrifices and the have," Scalia said in an Operation American Spirit news release. "Now it is our turn, as Americans, to step up and help them when they need it."
Other celebrities are expected to participate, as well.
Operation American Spirit is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"While we are new to the group, we are hoping to get the word out about our organization and our efforts," Wordin said.
He added that the group also hopes to find assistance in identifying families that need help.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - With traditional "American Spirit" at the heart of its mission, one California group is working to make a difference in the lives of wounded servicemembers and their families. Operation American Spirit, established through the nonprofit Fitness Challenge Foundation, provides for military members and their families who have suffered injuries as a result of combat.
"Our mission is to help make a difference in the lives of soldiers and their families by providing support and funding in ways that teach them self-sufficiency including scholarships, job (placement) assistance, home modification and improved morale," John Wordin, the group's executive director, said.
Operation American Spirit has set its eyes on the goal of raising $100 million over the next few years to successfully fulfill this mission. Help from actor Jack Scalia is making it a little easier to reach this goal.
Scalia, who has played roles in many TV shows, including "Dallas" and "All My Children," is expected to begin a 16-day, 1,500-mile bike ride from Seattle to San Diego on Sept. 22. The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness and funding for servicemembers injured in the global war on terrorism.
"Our nation has asked our soldiers and their families to make sacrifices and the have," Scalia said in an Operation American Spirit news release. "Now it is our turn, as Americans, to step up and help them when they need it."
Other celebrities are expected to participate, as well.
Operation American Spirit is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"While we are new to the group, we are hoping to get the word out about our organization and our efforts," Wordin said.
He added that the group also hopes to find assistance in identifying families that need help.
Hospital Steps Up Care for 'Warriors in Transition,' Families
By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - Since June, Brooke Army Medical Center here has implemented a series of sweeping changes designed to improve the quality of care for "warriors in transition" and their families. The changes are driven by the Army Medical Action Plan, an Army initiative designed to eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks for warriors in transition so they can focus on recovery and have a smooth transition back to military duty or civilian life.
The first and perhaps most dramatic change is the formation of a Warrior in Transition Battalion. The battalion, which stood up June 15, replaces the former active-duty Medical Hold and reserve Medical Holdover companies. Reserve and active-duty warriors in transition now are combined in three companies under the battalion.
All battalion soldiers are in a transitional status, meaning they are wounded or ill and undergoing treatment at Brooke.
"We're all one team, so it makes sense to keep everyone under the same umbrella," said Army Master Sgt. Scott Waters, senior operations noncommissioned officer for the Warrior in Transition Battalion.
Reserve and active-duty soldiers were separated in the past to ensure familiarity with administrative processes, which differ for each component. However, the Army Medical Action Plan "gives us the resources we need to accommodate all soldiers without differentiation," Waters said. "We now have the extra help we need to successfully manage and track our warriors in transition without separation."
Since the plan was introduced, the ratio of soldier to platoon sergeant has reduced dramatically. Whereas before there were 50 soldiers to each platoon sergeant and no squad leaders at Brooke, there are now 12 soldiers per squad leader and about 30 soldiers per platoon sergeant.
But with myriad issues, ranging from severe injuries to family problems, there's "a lot to be done even with that ratio," Waters said. To ensure warriors in transition have top-notch care, the Army created the "Triad of Care" concept, which is an integral part of the battalion.
Each triad comprises a case manager, primary care manager and squad leader or platoon sergeant. Each warrior in transition is assigned to a triad, which ensures consistency and continuity of care for soldiers and their families.
"It eases the process for both the soldiers and the health care providers," said Army Lt. Col. Donna Rojas, chief of case management. "There's no confusion about who to call when there's a question or concern. The providers know exactly which squad leader to call and vice versa. And, the soldier knows exactly who to contact, as well."
Rojas provides oversight for case managers, who serve as a pivot point for the triad. Responsible for just about every aspect of a patient's health care plan, case managers ensure warriors in transition attend appointments, understand their treatment plan and are on hand to aid with everything from housing issues to family dilemmas.
Case managers meet with warriors in transition weekly and then touch base with soldiers' platoon sergeant or squad leader and primary care manager to ensure the soldiers' recovery is progressing smoothly.
"Successful treatment takes a lot of collaboration," said Army Lt. Col. Mary Burns, chief of medical management. "Case managers, PCMs and squad leaders are all looking out for the best interests of the soldiers; the key is to meet regularly and catch issues early."
Prior to the new plan, each case manager had about 35 warriors in transition assigned. But thanks to an influx of resources, 10 case managers now are assigned to each company, and the ratio has reduced to about 18 soldiers per case manager.
Primary care managers also have reorganized to provide better continuity of care. Before the Army Medical Action Plan, several PCMs unofficially were designated for warriors in transition but didn't have a space dedicated for care, and their time was divided with regular patients. Brooke Army Medical Center now officially has assigned three health care providers and a designated area of the Family Medicine Clinic to better serve wounded and ill servicemembers. In addition, the ratio of patients to PCM has changed from 1,200-to-1 down to 200-to-1. The reduction in patient load allows PCMs to spend more time with each servicemember, increasing from 20 minutes to more than an hour.
"A PCM meets with every warrior in transition within 24 hours of arrival and conducts a head-to-toe evaluation," said Dr. Sara Pastoor, chief of primary care. "We assess every aspect of the patient's health care needs, including any specialty care that may be needed, as well as preventive health care, such as tobacco cessation.
"I'm overwhelmingly impressed with and proud of everyone providing warrior in transition services at BAMC," Pastoor added. "It can be emotionally draining to provide the amount and type of health care needs involved, but it is a privilege to be exposed to the sacrifices and heroism. It's a challenging job for the PCMs, because it takes not just a thorough knowledge of medicine, but also a thorough administrative knowledge of the system."
Squad leaders and platoon sergeants, the last branch of the triad, serve as "enlisted NCO boots on the ground," Waters said. "We are there 100 percent for the soldiers and their families from the time we're notified a soldier is coming."
Squad leaders take care of everything from picking up soldiers or family members at the airport or emergency room to transporting them to medical appointments, "everything that doesn't involve medical care," Waters said.
The process starts as soon as the battalion is informed a servicemember is incoming or checking out of the hospital. "We help the soldiers get situated, and then the next morning we pick them up, introduce them to the case manager and start in-processing," said Waters, adding that U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sam Houston also provides ongoing support with transportation as well as barracks maintenance and upgrades to accommodate varying physical needs.
The NCOs work closely with case managers to ensure an open flow of communication. "We overlap in a lot of areas," Waters said. "Sometimes the soldier feels more comfortable talking with a case manager or vice versa. We keep each other in the loop to ensure all needs are being met."
Help is ongoing as squad leaders stay abreast of developments that may hinder care, such as family problems back home or a pattern of missed medical appointments. "Most warriors in transition are on some type of medication and may forget an appointment," Waters said. "They may just need a simple reminder, and we're here to do that."
As the war continues, each branch of the triad will continually seek ways to improve processes and programs to ensure warriors in transition receive the best care possible, said Army Col. Barry Sheridan, chief of warrior in transition services. "BAMC has always cared about its warriors in transition," he said. "But now, AMAP is giving us the resources we need to do what we do even better."
(Elaine Wilson works for the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - Since June, Brooke Army Medical Center here has implemented a series of sweeping changes designed to improve the quality of care for "warriors in transition" and their families. The changes are driven by the Army Medical Action Plan, an Army initiative designed to eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks for warriors in transition so they can focus on recovery and have a smooth transition back to military duty or civilian life.
The first and perhaps most dramatic change is the formation of a Warrior in Transition Battalion. The battalion, which stood up June 15, replaces the former active-duty Medical Hold and reserve Medical Holdover companies. Reserve and active-duty warriors in transition now are combined in three companies under the battalion.
All battalion soldiers are in a transitional status, meaning they are wounded or ill and undergoing treatment at Brooke.
"We're all one team, so it makes sense to keep everyone under the same umbrella," said Army Master Sgt. Scott Waters, senior operations noncommissioned officer for the Warrior in Transition Battalion.
Reserve and active-duty soldiers were separated in the past to ensure familiarity with administrative processes, which differ for each component. However, the Army Medical Action Plan "gives us the resources we need to accommodate all soldiers without differentiation," Waters said. "We now have the extra help we need to successfully manage and track our warriors in transition without separation."
Since the plan was introduced, the ratio of soldier to platoon sergeant has reduced dramatically. Whereas before there were 50 soldiers to each platoon sergeant and no squad leaders at Brooke, there are now 12 soldiers per squad leader and about 30 soldiers per platoon sergeant.
But with myriad issues, ranging from severe injuries to family problems, there's "a lot to be done even with that ratio," Waters said. To ensure warriors in transition have top-notch care, the Army created the "Triad of Care" concept, which is an integral part of the battalion.
Each triad comprises a case manager, primary care manager and squad leader or platoon sergeant. Each warrior in transition is assigned to a triad, which ensures consistency and continuity of care for soldiers and their families.
"It eases the process for both the soldiers and the health care providers," said Army Lt. Col. Donna Rojas, chief of case management. "There's no confusion about who to call when there's a question or concern. The providers know exactly which squad leader to call and vice versa. And, the soldier knows exactly who to contact, as well."
Rojas provides oversight for case managers, who serve as a pivot point for the triad. Responsible for just about every aspect of a patient's health care plan, case managers ensure warriors in transition attend appointments, understand their treatment plan and are on hand to aid with everything from housing issues to family dilemmas.
Case managers meet with warriors in transition weekly and then touch base with soldiers' platoon sergeant or squad leader and primary care manager to ensure the soldiers' recovery is progressing smoothly.
"Successful treatment takes a lot of collaboration," said Army Lt. Col. Mary Burns, chief of medical management. "Case managers, PCMs and squad leaders are all looking out for the best interests of the soldiers; the key is to meet regularly and catch issues early."
Prior to the new plan, each case manager had about 35 warriors in transition assigned. But thanks to an influx of resources, 10 case managers now are assigned to each company, and the ratio has reduced to about 18 soldiers per case manager.
Primary care managers also have reorganized to provide better continuity of care. Before the Army Medical Action Plan, several PCMs unofficially were designated for warriors in transition but didn't have a space dedicated for care, and their time was divided with regular patients. Brooke Army Medical Center now officially has assigned three health care providers and a designated area of the Family Medicine Clinic to better serve wounded and ill servicemembers. In addition, the ratio of patients to PCM has changed from 1,200-to-1 down to 200-to-1. The reduction in patient load allows PCMs to spend more time with each servicemember, increasing from 20 minutes to more than an hour.
"A PCM meets with every warrior in transition within 24 hours of arrival and conducts a head-to-toe evaluation," said Dr. Sara Pastoor, chief of primary care. "We assess every aspect of the patient's health care needs, including any specialty care that may be needed, as well as preventive health care, such as tobacco cessation.
"I'm overwhelmingly impressed with and proud of everyone providing warrior in transition services at BAMC," Pastoor added. "It can be emotionally draining to provide the amount and type of health care needs involved, but it is a privilege to be exposed to the sacrifices and heroism. It's a challenging job for the PCMs, because it takes not just a thorough knowledge of medicine, but also a thorough administrative knowledge of the system."
Squad leaders and platoon sergeants, the last branch of the triad, serve as "enlisted NCO boots on the ground," Waters said. "We are there 100 percent for the soldiers and their families from the time we're notified a soldier is coming."
Squad leaders take care of everything from picking up soldiers or family members at the airport or emergency room to transporting them to medical appointments, "everything that doesn't involve medical care," Waters said.
The process starts as soon as the battalion is informed a servicemember is incoming or checking out of the hospital. "We help the soldiers get situated, and then the next morning we pick them up, introduce them to the case manager and start in-processing," said Waters, adding that U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sam Houston also provides ongoing support with transportation as well as barracks maintenance and upgrades to accommodate varying physical needs.
The NCOs work closely with case managers to ensure an open flow of communication. "We overlap in a lot of areas," Waters said. "Sometimes the soldier feels more comfortable talking with a case manager or vice versa. We keep each other in the loop to ensure all needs are being met."
Help is ongoing as squad leaders stay abreast of developments that may hinder care, such as family problems back home or a pattern of missed medical appointments. "Most warriors in transition are on some type of medication and may forget an appointment," Waters said. "They may just need a simple reminder, and we're here to do that."
As the war continues, each branch of the triad will continually seek ways to improve processes and programs to ensure warriors in transition receive the best care possible, said Army Col. Barry Sheridan, chief of warrior in transition services. "BAMC has always cared about its warriors in transition," he said. "But now, AMAP is giving us the resources we need to do what we do even better."
(Elaine Wilson works for the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Alaska Guardsmen Serve on Front Line of U.S. Missile Defense
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - While most Americans were celebrating Independence Day in 2006, Army Maj. Joe Miley was at his post in the remote interior of Alaska, staring at blips on a computer screen reminiscent of a 1980s video game. But this was no game. Miley was in the "tank turret" of U.S. missile defense, scrutinizing 21st-century space-surveillance technology and monitoring a North Korean long-range ballistic missile test.
"It was quite a sense of awe. We had spent thousands of hours on the system, doing simulations, training for such an event and (then) actually watching the system and waiting for the sensors to pick up and see if we'd be directed to engage the missile," Miley said. "It felt like this was what we had prepared for, and we were ready."
The missile failed to become even a remote threat as it toppled within in a minute of launch into the Sea of Japan. Had it assumed a threatening course and reached an altitude capable of propelling it to U.S. soil, Miley and a handful of Alaska Army National Guardsmen stood ready, upon direction, to smash it into pieces mid-course.
"There was absolute confidence among the crew members. We had complete confidence that there would have been heroes that day," Miley said.
Miley is the executive officer of 49th Missile Defense Battalion, a ground-based midcourse defense unit. Stationed in this remote post, about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, he and about 200 other Alaska Army National Guardsmen serve as the front line of U.S. missile defense.
Just outside of Delta Junction -- home to about 1,000 local citizens, five restaurants in the summer, and only one in the winter -- Fort Greely is host to an 800-acre, ground-based missile interceptor site. About 250 military members call the post home, along with a small contingent of contractors and family members.
The former cold-weather combat training post had all but shut down until President George H.W. Bush directed in 1992 that the Defense Department begin fielding limited missile defense capabilities, with the intent to continue to expand on initial capabilities.
The department's Missile Defense Agency deemed Fort Greely appropriate because of its strategic location within intercepting distance of missiles launched either from North Korea or Iran. A low water table meant no concrete-like frozen ground, so the base was well suited for sinking interceptors into vaults drilled 70 feet deep. The garrison's buildings were still intact and kept warm, even though they were no longer occupied.
With its remote location, though, it posed difficulties when constructing missile fields. All equipment and materials had to be shipped on barges or trucked hundreds of miles. Winter weather sometimes makes travel risky.
Also, the post had to accommodate the families of those accepting the remote assignment.
"It's a tough place to live and logistically support, but it's the right place (to be)," said Army Col. Thom M. Besch, director of the Missile Defense Agency for the Alaska region. He is an active-duty soldier who oversees the joint program office that fielded the system, makes sure it is operational, and continues its development and testing.
In the last 20 years, the number of countries interested in having or actually having intercontinental ballistic missile capability has increased from six nations to more than 20, Besch said. The number of test launches has increased every year.
"The world's a dangerous place, and the future is uncertain, and technology allows us to have this capability," Besch said. "We know from 9/11 that if an event were to occur in a major city ... that the impact to human life and the cost in dollars would be astronomical."
The intent of the system, Besch said, was to create an integrated system to defend the United States and its friends and allies against all ranges of missiles in all phases of flight.
The 49th Missile Defense Battalion focuses primarily on intercepting missiles during their midcourse phase of flight, or while they are arching in the "exoatmosphere" -- the region of space just outside the Earth's atmosphere.
While the 54-foot-6-inch interceptors look like missiles, there are no explosive warheads attached. The main body acts as a booster vehicle. The booster vehicle serves to propel into space the embedded kill vehicle, a 152-pound "smart bullet" that basically steers itself into the path of the oncoming warhead, causing an explosion on impact.
The first interceptor was emplaced in July 2004. Now, 18 such interceptors are emplaced in the site's two missile fields. When finished, the complex will house 40 interceptors in three fields.
The fire direction center is housed behind a heavily guarded fence that encloses the property. It serves as the brains for the operation and gathers feedback from a variety of sensors and radars, collecting data on weapons, threats and communications status, and repairs and maintenance. It also tracks the threat and the interceptor and provides commanders with an instant snapshot of the system's capabilities.
Five-soldier crews run the center in eight-hour shifts. During their shifts, the crews run through required training and work through scenarios written to challenge their procedures and stress levels.
About 25 soldiers serve in the center. Twelve other soldiers make up the battalion's staff. The majority of the rest of the unit is made up of military police officers, who are charged with securing and defending the facility. The MPs do not conduct garrison business, such as writing speeding tickets. They are here solely to secure the miles of camera-lined, reinforced wire fence surrounding the site and the site's sole entry point.
Soldiers here live a typical Army life, with physical training daily at 6:30 a.m. and battalion runs on Fridays. The Guard was selected to run the site to allow for continuity in service. Guardsmen are not subject to rotations in and out of assignments like active-duty soldiers. With nearly 36 weeks of training just to become certified operators, the state is able to retain its qualified soldiers there longer. Many of the Guardsmen who signed on for initial tours in 2002 have continued their tours there. Also, because the Army considers them a forward-deployed unit, they are not subject to activations or deployments like other U.S.-based units.
The unit also gets several soldiers who are returning from deployments and want to continue serving full time, Miley said.
To say that the soldiers are all Alaska Guardsmen is somewhat deceiving. While they all are in the Alaska Army National Guard, most have transferred there from all parts of the nation. Alaska is the largest contributor, with about 30 troops, but the next highest contributor is Illinois, with 23. Soldiers also have transferred there from Guam and Puerto Rico.
Soldiers cite the appeal of the countryside and uniqueness of the mission for their desire to accept full-time tours to the site. There are no traditional, or part-time, National Guard slots on the post.
Army Sgt. Jack Carlson III was a Florida-born resident of the Virgin Islands. He had never seen snow before signing up for a tour here, where winter temperatures can drop to 75 degrees below zero. He had to buy long pants before arriving.
Now, he said, he loves the extreme weather.
"Whenever you get to 10 below, you have to survive. It's interesting that at 50 below, although I'm cold, I can walk outside and look at the Northern Lights," Carlson said.
Carlson was one of the first military policemen on the ground here, and has since married a fellow soldier stationed here and signed on for another tour. The two bought a log home that backs up to the Alaskan range along the Delta River. Carlson's favorite pastime is splitting wood, which is good, because the couple heats their home with wood.
The two have had one baby here, and another is expected soon. And they are not alone. Babies abound in this land of long, cold winters. The 200-member unit has seen 26 births in the past year, Family Readiness Group leader Patti Carson said.
Family members describe the post as "Americana," offering a small town, tightly-knit sense of community. Children run and play freely on the small post and in the surrounding woods. Football, baseball and hockey are favorites, and most of the mothers are stay-at-home-moms.
The post offers few amenities because of its size and location. Soldiers here joke that they do have a McDonalds and a Wal-Mart – they just have to drive out the front gate, turn right and go about 100 miles, Besch said. The post and local community share schools. A small post exchange and commissary are open, and movies are sometimes shown in the community center.
Children here don't seem to mind the short summers. In fact, Besch's son pined one day for it to turn cold again so he could play hockey. Carson's kids were late to school one day because a moose made an unexpected visit to the bus stop.
But for all of the appeal of Alaska's sweeping beauty and the down-home country lifestyle well-suited for raising families, the mission is what gives Carlson and the others the most satisfaction.
"There is no other mission like it, in the Guard especially. It's just an outstanding opportunity," Carlson said. "Our mission is of the utmost importance, and what we do makes a difference."
Miley agreed. "There's a sense of purpose and importance to what we're doing," he said.
Miley, a National Guardsman from South Carolina, was one of the first to volunteer for the assignment. He served on one of the first crews and watched the first interceptor emplaced.
He noted that operational tempo is high here because soldiers must meet traditional Army training requirements, such as weapons qualification and professional development, while also conducting their missile defense mission and continuously training to keep their skills sharp.
Traditional units perform maintenance and training during a "red cycle" following deployments or exercises.
"There's no red cycle here. It's 'green' 365-24-7. We have to maintain our operational mission. There is no standing down from it," Miley said.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - While most Americans were celebrating Independence Day in 2006, Army Maj. Joe Miley was at his post in the remote interior of Alaska, staring at blips on a computer screen reminiscent of a 1980s video game. But this was no game. Miley was in the "tank turret" of U.S. missile defense, scrutinizing 21st-century space-surveillance technology and monitoring a North Korean long-range ballistic missile test.
"It was quite a sense of awe. We had spent thousands of hours on the system, doing simulations, training for such an event and (then) actually watching the system and waiting for the sensors to pick up and see if we'd be directed to engage the missile," Miley said. "It felt like this was what we had prepared for, and we were ready."
The missile failed to become even a remote threat as it toppled within in a minute of launch into the Sea of Japan. Had it assumed a threatening course and reached an altitude capable of propelling it to U.S. soil, Miley and a handful of Alaska Army National Guardsmen stood ready, upon direction, to smash it into pieces mid-course.
"There was absolute confidence among the crew members. We had complete confidence that there would have been heroes that day," Miley said.
Miley is the executive officer of 49th Missile Defense Battalion, a ground-based midcourse defense unit. Stationed in this remote post, about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, he and about 200 other Alaska Army National Guardsmen serve as the front line of U.S. missile defense.
Just outside of Delta Junction -- home to about 1,000 local citizens, five restaurants in the summer, and only one in the winter -- Fort Greely is host to an 800-acre, ground-based missile interceptor site. About 250 military members call the post home, along with a small contingent of contractors and family members.
The former cold-weather combat training post had all but shut down until President George H.W. Bush directed in 1992 that the Defense Department begin fielding limited missile defense capabilities, with the intent to continue to expand on initial capabilities.
The department's Missile Defense Agency deemed Fort Greely appropriate because of its strategic location within intercepting distance of missiles launched either from North Korea or Iran. A low water table meant no concrete-like frozen ground, so the base was well suited for sinking interceptors into vaults drilled 70 feet deep. The garrison's buildings were still intact and kept warm, even though they were no longer occupied.
With its remote location, though, it posed difficulties when constructing missile fields. All equipment and materials had to be shipped on barges or trucked hundreds of miles. Winter weather sometimes makes travel risky.
Also, the post had to accommodate the families of those accepting the remote assignment.
"It's a tough place to live and logistically support, but it's the right place (to be)," said Army Col. Thom M. Besch, director of the Missile Defense Agency for the Alaska region. He is an active-duty soldier who oversees the joint program office that fielded the system, makes sure it is operational, and continues its development and testing.
In the last 20 years, the number of countries interested in having or actually having intercontinental ballistic missile capability has increased from six nations to more than 20, Besch said. The number of test launches has increased every year.
"The world's a dangerous place, and the future is uncertain, and technology allows us to have this capability," Besch said. "We know from 9/11 that if an event were to occur in a major city ... that the impact to human life and the cost in dollars would be astronomical."
The intent of the system, Besch said, was to create an integrated system to defend the United States and its friends and allies against all ranges of missiles in all phases of flight.
The 49th Missile Defense Battalion focuses primarily on intercepting missiles during their midcourse phase of flight, or while they are arching in the "exoatmosphere" -- the region of space just outside the Earth's atmosphere.
While the 54-foot-6-inch interceptors look like missiles, there are no explosive warheads attached. The main body acts as a booster vehicle. The booster vehicle serves to propel into space the embedded kill vehicle, a 152-pound "smart bullet" that basically steers itself into the path of the oncoming warhead, causing an explosion on impact.
The first interceptor was emplaced in July 2004. Now, 18 such interceptors are emplaced in the site's two missile fields. When finished, the complex will house 40 interceptors in three fields.
The fire direction center is housed behind a heavily guarded fence that encloses the property. It serves as the brains for the operation and gathers feedback from a variety of sensors and radars, collecting data on weapons, threats and communications status, and repairs and maintenance. It also tracks the threat and the interceptor and provides commanders with an instant snapshot of the system's capabilities.
Five-soldier crews run the center in eight-hour shifts. During their shifts, the crews run through required training and work through scenarios written to challenge their procedures and stress levels.
About 25 soldiers serve in the center. Twelve other soldiers make up the battalion's staff. The majority of the rest of the unit is made up of military police officers, who are charged with securing and defending the facility. The MPs do not conduct garrison business, such as writing speeding tickets. They are here solely to secure the miles of camera-lined, reinforced wire fence surrounding the site and the site's sole entry point.
Soldiers here live a typical Army life, with physical training daily at 6:30 a.m. and battalion runs on Fridays. The Guard was selected to run the site to allow for continuity in service. Guardsmen are not subject to rotations in and out of assignments like active-duty soldiers. With nearly 36 weeks of training just to become certified operators, the state is able to retain its qualified soldiers there longer. Many of the Guardsmen who signed on for initial tours in 2002 have continued their tours there. Also, because the Army considers them a forward-deployed unit, they are not subject to activations or deployments like other U.S.-based units.
The unit also gets several soldiers who are returning from deployments and want to continue serving full time, Miley said.
To say that the soldiers are all Alaska Guardsmen is somewhat deceiving. While they all are in the Alaska Army National Guard, most have transferred there from all parts of the nation. Alaska is the largest contributor, with about 30 troops, but the next highest contributor is Illinois, with 23. Soldiers also have transferred there from Guam and Puerto Rico.
Soldiers cite the appeal of the countryside and uniqueness of the mission for their desire to accept full-time tours to the site. There are no traditional, or part-time, National Guard slots on the post.
Army Sgt. Jack Carlson III was a Florida-born resident of the Virgin Islands. He had never seen snow before signing up for a tour here, where winter temperatures can drop to 75 degrees below zero. He had to buy long pants before arriving.
Now, he said, he loves the extreme weather.
"Whenever you get to 10 below, you have to survive. It's interesting that at 50 below, although I'm cold, I can walk outside and look at the Northern Lights," Carlson said.
Carlson was one of the first military policemen on the ground here, and has since married a fellow soldier stationed here and signed on for another tour. The two bought a log home that backs up to the Alaskan range along the Delta River. Carlson's favorite pastime is splitting wood, which is good, because the couple heats their home with wood.
The two have had one baby here, and another is expected soon. And they are not alone. Babies abound in this land of long, cold winters. The 200-member unit has seen 26 births in the past year, Family Readiness Group leader Patti Carson said.
Family members describe the post as "Americana," offering a small town, tightly-knit sense of community. Children run and play freely on the small post and in the surrounding woods. Football, baseball and hockey are favorites, and most of the mothers are stay-at-home-moms.
The post offers few amenities because of its size and location. Soldiers here joke that they do have a McDonalds and a Wal-Mart – they just have to drive out the front gate, turn right and go about 100 miles, Besch said. The post and local community share schools. A small post exchange and commissary are open, and movies are sometimes shown in the community center.
Children here don't seem to mind the short summers. In fact, Besch's son pined one day for it to turn cold again so he could play hockey. Carson's kids were late to school one day because a moose made an unexpected visit to the bus stop.
But for all of the appeal of Alaska's sweeping beauty and the down-home country lifestyle well-suited for raising families, the mission is what gives Carlson and the others the most satisfaction.
"There is no other mission like it, in the Guard especially. It's just an outstanding opportunity," Carlson said. "Our mission is of the utmost importance, and what we do makes a difference."
Miley agreed. "There's a sense of purpose and importance to what we're doing," he said.
Miley, a National Guardsman from South Carolina, was one of the first to volunteer for the assignment. He served on one of the first crews and watched the first interceptor emplaced.
He noted that operational tempo is high here because soldiers must meet traditional Army training requirements, such as weapons qualification and professional development, while also conducting their missile defense mission and continuously training to keep their skills sharp.
Traditional units perform maintenance and training during a "red cycle" following deployments or exercises.
"There's no red cycle here. It's 'green' 365-24-7. We have to maintain our operational mission. There is no standing down from it," Miley said.
MRAPs Displayed on Aberdeen Proving Ground
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - A team of test operators and mechanics here gave members of the media and other visitors a firsthand look today at the mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, or MRAP, which is currently being tested on its automotive quality and ability to protect servicemembers' lives. The Marine Corps has awarded contracts for 6,415 MRAPs to date. The vehicles have raised, V-shaped underbellies, that deflect the force of improvised explosive devices and other blasts from below better than other vehicles in use. But before each armored vehicle transports troops in the field, it undergoes two phases of testing conducted here or at Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz., to gauge how well each MRAP model drives, steers and handles, and whether it can withstand explosions.
"From a performance standpoint, in protecting troops it's done a tremendous job so far. From an operational reliability standpoint, it has exceeded our requirements," said Marine Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command, speaking about MRAPs that passed testing phases and are being used currently in the field.
"One of the big things that MRAPs provide to the troops is that sense of confidence when they go out to do their mission that they're going to come home safe," Brogan said. "I think all the troops in theater are pleased to see these platforms arrive, and it will make them better and more proficient at accomplishing our mission."
Seven vendors currently are producing the armored vehicle – which looks and feels like a Humvee on steroids – in three categories of varying shape, size and capability, to meet servicemembers' myriad mission requirements. Category I vehicles are designed to transport up to four servicemembers, and Category II vehicles hold a maximum 10 troops. The Category III MRAP, also known as the Buffalo, is a mine-clearing vehicle that seats five.
Test operators and officials today ushered some 40 visitors into one of seven MRAPs on display. Passengers who boarded the Cougar, a Category I MRAP made by Force Protection with a roughly $2.8 million price tag, were strapped into interior seating before tearing over bumpy dirt roads at speeds up to 40 miles-per-hour. From the rear of the MRAP looking forward, the vehicle seemed to respond obediently as the driver negotiated with a rather unforgiving landscape pocked with muddy potholes and hills that appeared with the regularity of a sine wave.
Army Col. John Rooney, commander at Aberdeen Testing Center, said during ballistics testing, operators outfit vehicles with "super crash-test dummies." These anthropomorphic models collect information that details how their synthetic body parts -- head, neck, spine, pelvis, legs -- respond to simulated insurgent attacks.
"We collect information in and around the vehicle that tells us how the vehicle performs and how the human bodies within the vehicle would withstand the 'events,'" Rooney said.
Officials would not divulge details about ballistics training or results, but Rooney said the survivability of vehicles currently undergoing testing is "significantly greater" than those tested the past two years.
"I'm confident (that) as a result of what happens here, all of these vehicles today will be better at some point in the future," he added.
When the Defense Department requested MRAP testing late last year, Rooney separated 250 hand-picked operators and mechanics into three groups. To meet the department's "urgent need," groups now work in rotating eight-hour shifts around the clock Monday though Saturday (and half of Sunday), conducting the second phase of automotive and ballistics survivability examinations on the 24 MRAPs here.
"We continue to do everything we can to enable the Department of Defense to get as many MRAPs in theater," Rooney said, "and (for the department to) understand and know very well the capabilities and limitations of these vehicles."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - A team of test operators and mechanics here gave members of the media and other visitors a firsthand look today at the mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, or MRAP, which is currently being tested on its automotive quality and ability to protect servicemembers' lives. The Marine Corps has awarded contracts for 6,415 MRAPs to date. The vehicles have raised, V-shaped underbellies, that deflect the force of improvised explosive devices and other blasts from below better than other vehicles in use. But before each armored vehicle transports troops in the field, it undergoes two phases of testing conducted here or at Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz., to gauge how well each MRAP model drives, steers and handles, and whether it can withstand explosions.
"From a performance standpoint, in protecting troops it's done a tremendous job so far. From an operational reliability standpoint, it has exceeded our requirements," said Marine Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command, speaking about MRAPs that passed testing phases and are being used currently in the field.
"One of the big things that MRAPs provide to the troops is that sense of confidence when they go out to do their mission that they're going to come home safe," Brogan said. "I think all the troops in theater are pleased to see these platforms arrive, and it will make them better and more proficient at accomplishing our mission."
Seven vendors currently are producing the armored vehicle – which looks and feels like a Humvee on steroids – in three categories of varying shape, size and capability, to meet servicemembers' myriad mission requirements. Category I vehicles are designed to transport up to four servicemembers, and Category II vehicles hold a maximum 10 troops. The Category III MRAP, also known as the Buffalo, is a mine-clearing vehicle that seats five.
Test operators and officials today ushered some 40 visitors into one of seven MRAPs on display. Passengers who boarded the Cougar, a Category I MRAP made by Force Protection with a roughly $2.8 million price tag, were strapped into interior seating before tearing over bumpy dirt roads at speeds up to 40 miles-per-hour. From the rear of the MRAP looking forward, the vehicle seemed to respond obediently as the driver negotiated with a rather unforgiving landscape pocked with muddy potholes and hills that appeared with the regularity of a sine wave.
Army Col. John Rooney, commander at Aberdeen Testing Center, said during ballistics testing, operators outfit vehicles with "super crash-test dummies." These anthropomorphic models collect information that details how their synthetic body parts -- head, neck, spine, pelvis, legs -- respond to simulated insurgent attacks.
"We collect information in and around the vehicle that tells us how the vehicle performs and how the human bodies within the vehicle would withstand the 'events,'" Rooney said.
Officials would not divulge details about ballistics training or results, but Rooney said the survivability of vehicles currently undergoing testing is "significantly greater" than those tested the past two years.
"I'm confident (that) as a result of what happens here, all of these vehicles today will be better at some point in the future," he added.
When the Defense Department requested MRAP testing late last year, Rooney separated 250 hand-picked operators and mechanics into three groups. To meet the department's "urgent need," groups now work in rotating eight-hour shifts around the clock Monday though Saturday (and half of Sunday), conducting the second phase of automotive and ballistics survivability examinations on the 24 MRAPs here.
"We continue to do everything we can to enable the Department of Defense to get as many MRAPs in theater," Rooney said, "and (for the department to) understand and know very well the capabilities and limitations of these vehicles."
Why We Serve: Air Force NCO Serves 21 Years, Still Going Strong
By Meghan Vittrup
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Duncan has served for 21 years and still says there's no end in sight. Duncan has had several opportunities to be commissioned as an Air Force officer. However, he said he prefers to be enlisted. "I chose to stay enlisted, because I like working with troops more," he said.
Duncan is one of eight servicemembers who have served overseas in the war on terrorism who have been chosen to speak to American communities and businesses across the nation in the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program. The program was initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
"Anything to tell my story on why I'm proud to be in the military," Duncan said. "I've actually been here 20 years."
He said also wants to focus on telling Americans about his experiences during overseas deployments. He said he wants Americans to remember that he and the rest of the troops are regular people just like everyone else.
"It shows the personal side; we are not just machines and robots going along, we are people just like them," Duncan said. "I could be their neighbor."
He added that he is excited to meet new people, tell his story, and that he is anxious to see what kinds of questions audiences have for the Why We Serve speakers.
After already serving in the military for more than 20 years, Duncan said he is planning to continue his career as long as he can. He said he'd continue serving until he can't do anything more for the Air Force.
"My mom and dad told me when I hit the 20-year mark (that) they wanted me to quit and wanted me to come home," Duncan said. "But there are other mothers who don't want their kid there either, so I said I'm just one of them."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 24, 2007 - Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Duncan has served for 21 years and still says there's no end in sight. Duncan has had several opportunities to be commissioned as an Air Force officer. However, he said he prefers to be enlisted. "I chose to stay enlisted, because I like working with troops more," he said.
Duncan is one of eight servicemembers who have served overseas in the war on terrorism who have been chosen to speak to American communities and businesses across the nation in the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program. The program was initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
"Anything to tell my story on why I'm proud to be in the military," Duncan said. "I've actually been here 20 years."
He said also wants to focus on telling Americans about his experiences during overseas deployments. He said he wants Americans to remember that he and the rest of the troops are regular people just like everyone else.
"It shows the personal side; we are not just machines and robots going along, we are people just like them," Duncan said. "I could be their neighbor."
He added that he is excited to meet new people, tell his story, and that he is anxious to see what kinds of questions audiences have for the Why We Serve speakers.
After already serving in the military for more than 20 years, Duncan said he is planning to continue his career as long as he can. He said he'd continue serving until he can't do anything more for the Air Force.
"My mom and dad told me when I hit the 20-year mark (that) they wanted me to quit and wanted me to come home," Duncan said. "But there are other mothers who don't want their kid there either, so I said I'm just one of them."
Military Servicemember Books
Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing military personnel who have authored books.
William Gately is a Vietnam veteran and former vice-cop from the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC). In 1970, after a three year enlistment in the Marines and tour in Vietnam he took the oath of police officer in the nation's capital. For the next eight years he served as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department. On June 17, 1972, William Gately was assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department tactical unit that surprised the Watergate Burglars. After leaving the joined the U.S. Customs Service, eventually rising to the rank of assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Customs in Los Angeles.
William Gately co-authored Dead Ringer: An Insider's Account of the Mob's Colombian Connection. According to publisher’s weekly, “Gatley, an employee of the U.S. Customs Service; Joe Caffaro, a Sicilian-born businessman with Mafia ties; and Leo Fraley, an American career criminal who became involved in Colombian drug-smuggling--these men are an unlikely trio to be the subjects of the same book. Yet all played major roles in court cases which tied the Medellin drug cartel to the mafia in Sicily and thence to the U.S. mafia.”
William Butler was a police officer for the Gilmer Police Department (Texas). In addition to his law enforcement career, William Butler is a former member of the United States Army. During his more than seven years as a soldier he attained the rank of sergeant (E5) and his duty stations included: Fort Sam Houston (Texas); White Sands Missile Range (New Mexico: and, two overseas tours. One of his military assignments overseas was as a patrol officer assigned to the Allied Checkpoints Bravo and Charlie in Berlin, Germany.
William Butler is the author of I Remember Tomorrow. According to the book description, “In an attempt to rebuild her life, Jeanette relocates to a quiet little town, after spending ten years in the military and suffering a failed marriage. But Jeanette is a precognitive; able to see the future.”
Douglas J. Vaughn graduated with honors from the New York Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. He is a former United States Marine and Vietnam veteran, having served as a forward observer for artillery, naval gunfire and air strikes. He spent most of his thirteen-month tour in Vietnam just below the Demilitarized Zone near the Cua Viet River with the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion where he served with Ron Kovic, the author of “Born on the Fourth of July.
Douglas Vaughn is also a veteran of the New York Police Department. While assigned to the 48th Precinct in the South Bronx, he gave technical advice to Paul Newman during the filming of “Fort Apache The Bronx.” He also worked in the 20th Precinct on Manhattan’s upper West Side and in the Highway Patrol Unit. Douglas Vaughn He spent his final years with the Police Department planning escorts for dignitaries and was forced to retire in his twentieth year due to an injury incurred while escorting former President George H.W. Bush. He is also one of the 200, or so, officers who has been awarded the Police Combat Cross since its inception in 1934. This second highest Department award is given for “exemplification of extraordinary bravery in armed combat.”
Douglas Vaughn is the author of From the Heights. According to the book description of From the Heights, it “begins in the New York City of the 1930’s and takes the reader to the war in the Pacific and the secret workings of the OSS in Italy and Switzerland during World War II. It is a story of the privileged that summer in South Hampton and the poor who swim in the Harlem River. It is a story of social climbing and empire building. It follows the lives and loves of two generations and delves into the inner workings of the New York Police Department and battles fought by United States Marines in Vietnam.
Military-Writers.com currently lists 41 current or former military servicemembers and their 86 books.
William Gately is a Vietnam veteran and former vice-cop from the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC). In 1970, after a three year enlistment in the Marines and tour in Vietnam he took the oath of police officer in the nation's capital. For the next eight years he served as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department. On June 17, 1972, William Gately was assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department tactical unit that surprised the Watergate Burglars. After leaving the joined the U.S. Customs Service, eventually rising to the rank of assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Customs in Los Angeles.
William Gately co-authored Dead Ringer: An Insider's Account of the Mob's Colombian Connection. According to publisher’s weekly, “Gatley, an employee of the U.S. Customs Service; Joe Caffaro, a Sicilian-born businessman with Mafia ties; and Leo Fraley, an American career criminal who became involved in Colombian drug-smuggling--these men are an unlikely trio to be the subjects of the same book. Yet all played major roles in court cases which tied the Medellin drug cartel to the mafia in Sicily and thence to the U.S. mafia.”
William Butler was a police officer for the Gilmer Police Department (Texas). In addition to his law enforcement career, William Butler is a former member of the United States Army. During his more than seven years as a soldier he attained the rank of sergeant (E5) and his duty stations included: Fort Sam Houston (Texas); White Sands Missile Range (New Mexico: and, two overseas tours. One of his military assignments overseas was as a patrol officer assigned to the Allied Checkpoints Bravo and Charlie in Berlin, Germany.
William Butler is the author of I Remember Tomorrow. According to the book description, “In an attempt to rebuild her life, Jeanette relocates to a quiet little town, after spending ten years in the military and suffering a failed marriage. But Jeanette is a precognitive; able to see the future.”
Douglas J. Vaughn graduated with honors from the New York Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. He is a former United States Marine and Vietnam veteran, having served as a forward observer for artillery, naval gunfire and air strikes. He spent most of his thirteen-month tour in Vietnam just below the Demilitarized Zone near the Cua Viet River with the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion where he served with Ron Kovic, the author of “Born on the Fourth of July.
Douglas Vaughn is also a veteran of the New York Police Department. While assigned to the 48th Precinct in the South Bronx, he gave technical advice to Paul Newman during the filming of “Fort Apache The Bronx.” He also worked in the 20th Precinct on Manhattan’s upper West Side and in the Highway Patrol Unit. Douglas Vaughn He spent his final years with the Police Department planning escorts for dignitaries and was forced to retire in his twentieth year due to an injury incurred while escorting former President George H.W. Bush. He is also one of the 200, or so, officers who has been awarded the Police Combat Cross since its inception in 1934. This second highest Department award is given for “exemplification of extraordinary bravery in armed combat.”
Douglas Vaughn is the author of From the Heights. According to the book description of From the Heights, it “begins in the New York City of the 1930’s and takes the reader to the war in the Pacific and the secret workings of the OSS in Italy and Switzerland during World War II. It is a story of the privileged that summer in South Hampton and the poor who swim in the Harlem River. It is a story of social climbing and empire building. It follows the lives and loves of two generations and delves into the inner workings of the New York Police Department and battles fought by United States Marines in Vietnam.
Military-Writers.com currently lists 41 current or former military servicemembers and their 86 books.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Group Lets Troops Know It's 'Hear 4 You'
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 23, 2007 - A group that supports wounded servicemembers and their families is offering troops a friendly ear with its newest program, "Hear 4 You." The no-cost program that launched Aug. 1 aims to develop a network of volunteers to listen to military personnel and their families affected by post-deployment stress and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The program is one of many services offered by Silver Star Families of America, which supports families of wounded servicemembers. The group is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"We are just there to listen," Janie Orman, Silver Star Families of America's vice president, said. "We are not counseling. We want everyone to know that. We don't take the place of a (mental health) professional in any way."
Thirteen Silver Star Families of America volunteers man e-mail or instant-messaging accounts to answer concerns of servicemembers. Military personnel or family members wishing talk to a volunteer through the Hear 4 You program can follow the link from the Silver Star Families of America Web site, www.silverstarfamilies.org. The program's Web site shows which volunteers are online at any given moment.
All volunteers have received training in how to spot signs of post-traumatic stress disorder or suicidal thoughts, Orman said.
"In that particular area, if we feel or get a sense of that in any way, we advise them ... to seek help," she said. "If needed, we'll try to help them find that right then."
Such help might be found through the "Give an Hour" program, a national network of mental health professionals who volunteer an hour a week to respond to the needs of the military community. Give an Hour has recently partnered with Silver Star Families of America.
The terms of use each participant must agree to before being allowed to contact a volunteer also encourage individuals to call 911 if they're having suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
The Hear 4 You program took root when the Silver Star Families of America members realized how many e-mails they were receiving from servicemembers or family members wanting to talk. This concerned the members, Orman said.
"We set up the Hear 4 You program based on that," she said. The program is especially important to several Silver Star Families of America members who have sons suffering from PTSD.
"They're trying to encourage their own kids to at least talk," Orman said. "They feel like if (servicemembers) can just talk some of this out, it may help them in some way."
The organization is hoping the program's base in anonymity will encourage servicemembers to open up without fear of retribution.
"We've been told ... that a lot of them feel like it's easier to talk to someone they don't know," she said. "I know there's a Department of Defense hotline and a (Veterans Affairs) hotline, but sometimes they feel like they might face repercussions (if they go through formal channels).
"We would love to see it really grow and ... make some type of difference," she added.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 23, 2007 - A group that supports wounded servicemembers and their families is offering troops a friendly ear with its newest program, "Hear 4 You." The no-cost program that launched Aug. 1 aims to develop a network of volunteers to listen to military personnel and their families affected by post-deployment stress and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The program is one of many services offered by Silver Star Families of America, which supports families of wounded servicemembers. The group is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"We are just there to listen," Janie Orman, Silver Star Families of America's vice president, said. "We are not counseling. We want everyone to know that. We don't take the place of a (mental health) professional in any way."
Thirteen Silver Star Families of America volunteers man e-mail or instant-messaging accounts to answer concerns of servicemembers. Military personnel or family members wishing talk to a volunteer through the Hear 4 You program can follow the link from the Silver Star Families of America Web site, www.silverstarfamilies.org. The program's Web site shows which volunteers are online at any given moment.
All volunteers have received training in how to spot signs of post-traumatic stress disorder or suicidal thoughts, Orman said.
"In that particular area, if we feel or get a sense of that in any way, we advise them ... to seek help," she said. "If needed, we'll try to help them find that right then."
Such help might be found through the "Give an Hour" program, a national network of mental health professionals who volunteer an hour a week to respond to the needs of the military community. Give an Hour has recently partnered with Silver Star Families of America.
The terms of use each participant must agree to before being allowed to contact a volunteer also encourage individuals to call 911 if they're having suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
The Hear 4 You program took root when the Silver Star Families of America members realized how many e-mails they were receiving from servicemembers or family members wanting to talk. This concerned the members, Orman said.
"We set up the Hear 4 You program based on that," she said. The program is especially important to several Silver Star Families of America members who have sons suffering from PTSD.
"They're trying to encourage their own kids to at least talk," Orman said. "They feel like if (servicemembers) can just talk some of this out, it may help them in some way."
The organization is hoping the program's base in anonymity will encourage servicemembers to open up without fear of retribution.
"We've been told ... that a lot of them feel like it's easier to talk to someone they don't know," she said. "I know there's a Department of Defense hotline and a (Veterans Affairs) hotline, but sometimes they feel like they might face repercussions (if they go through formal channels).
"We would love to see it really grow and ... make some type of difference," she added.
Wounded Vet Leads Walter Reed's Soldier, Family Support Center
By Rudi Williams
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 23, 2007 - Permanently blinded and severely wounded by a booby trap in Vietnam in 1969, Stephen Maguire spent more than 17 months being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. Now Maguire has returned to Walter Reed to help wounded warriors and their families obtain assistance that wasn't available when he was hospitalized here.
He's now director of the Soldier and Family Support Center at Walter Reed, formerly known as the Medical Family Assistance Center. The support center staff is a team of active-duty officers, noncommissioned officers and enlisted soldiers appointed by the commanding general to coordinate resources and act as a point of contact for patients and their families.
When he was hospitalized at Walter Reed, no organization was available to help wounded veterans and their families with "little needs," he said.
The "little needs" include things like help with mortgage and rent payments, home insurance, car and car insurance payments, storage fees, airfare, car repairs, child care, utility bills and telephone bills.
"The Red Cross was the only one that I recall existed, but so often the answer to the question was, 'It's not available,'" the medically retired Army captain said. "You stopped asking the question after awhile.
"Red Cross volunteers brought books around to the rooms for the wounded," he said. "What other things the Red Cross did I have no idea. But I never heard of any other organization that gave anybody anything.
"The families got absolutely nothing," Maguire added. . "They were not authorized anything; ... they didn't get anything."
Today, the Walter Reed Society helps provide assistance to families with everyday needs that fall between the cracks. But wounded servicemembers and their families need a "smooth way to access things," Maguire said. That's where the Soldier and Family Support Center comes in: as a conduit to getting assistance from the Walter Reed Society and other organizations.
The Soldier and Family Support Center is staffed with about 20 people who help wounded warriors and their families with everyday needs that the military doesn't provide.
"If, for instance, they have a monetary need to pay some bills back home, they can apply through us to the society," Maguire noted. "Asking for help from the society is usually one of the last resorts after seeking help from Army Emergency Relief and other organizations. It could be a wife or parent who left their job to be with their wounded loved one at Walter Reed and have exhausted their funds."
The center helps soldiers and families "maneuver through the system," said Maguire, who holds a doctorate in psychology. "It's one thing to provide things, but you have to have a conduit to help people work through the system. Back in the days when I was a patient here, the Red Cross may have provided more than books, but I had no idea how to approach them for help."
(Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Rudi Williams is with the Walter Reed Society.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 23, 2007 - Permanently blinded and severely wounded by a booby trap in Vietnam in 1969, Stephen Maguire spent more than 17 months being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. Now Maguire has returned to Walter Reed to help wounded warriors and their families obtain assistance that wasn't available when he was hospitalized here.
He's now director of the Soldier and Family Support Center at Walter Reed, formerly known as the Medical Family Assistance Center. The support center staff is a team of active-duty officers, noncommissioned officers and enlisted soldiers appointed by the commanding general to coordinate resources and act as a point of contact for patients and their families.
When he was hospitalized at Walter Reed, no organization was available to help wounded veterans and their families with "little needs," he said.
The "little needs" include things like help with mortgage and rent payments, home insurance, car and car insurance payments, storage fees, airfare, car repairs, child care, utility bills and telephone bills.
"The Red Cross was the only one that I recall existed, but so often the answer to the question was, 'It's not available,'" the medically retired Army captain said. "You stopped asking the question after awhile.
"Red Cross volunteers brought books around to the rooms for the wounded," he said. "What other things the Red Cross did I have no idea. But I never heard of any other organization that gave anybody anything.
"The families got absolutely nothing," Maguire added. . "They were not authorized anything; ... they didn't get anything."
Today, the Walter Reed Society helps provide assistance to families with everyday needs that fall between the cracks. But wounded servicemembers and their families need a "smooth way to access things," Maguire said. That's where the Soldier and Family Support Center comes in: as a conduit to getting assistance from the Walter Reed Society and other organizations.
The Soldier and Family Support Center is staffed with about 20 people who help wounded warriors and their families with everyday needs that the military doesn't provide.
"If, for instance, they have a monetary need to pay some bills back home, they can apply through us to the society," Maguire noted. "Asking for help from the society is usually one of the last resorts after seeking help from Army Emergency Relief and other organizations. It could be a wife or parent who left their job to be with their wounded loved one at Walter Reed and have exhausted their funds."
The center helps soldiers and families "maneuver through the system," said Maguire, who holds a doctorate in psychology. "It's one thing to provide things, but you have to have a conduit to help people work through the system. Back in the days when I was a patient here, the Red Cross may have provided more than books, but I had no idea how to approach them for help."
(Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Rudi Williams is with the Walter Reed Society.)
Fit Seniors Inspire Younger Generation
By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - In a weight room packed with muscular men, little 77-year-old Wera Sharp turns heads as she walks in and makes a beeline for the pull-up bars. Still sweating from 30 minutes on the treadmill, Sharp jumps up, grips the bar and effortlessly pumps out 10 chin-ups in less than a minute. The only sign of strain is her shaking muscles after a second or third set.
Sharp is raising the bar on fitness here, not just for seniors, but for everyone. When this spry grandma with curly blonde hair and a friendly smile hits the gym for one of her three-hour workouts, she easily surpasses fellow gym-goers half her age.
"I've been working out all my life, but only started coming to the gym about five years ago," said Sharp, slightly out of breath after a pull-up set. "I've always worked out and see no reason to stop now."
Sharp, wife of retired Col. Fred Foxx, credits her toned body to "a little bit of everything: weights, swimming, stair-stepper. I like to get a total-body workout."
As Sharp walks over to hit the mats for a hundred crunches and 50 push-ups "man-style," she points out a man senior to her working his triceps nearby.
Ninety-two-year-old retired Army Lt. Col. Frank Rabell, a five-time visitor to the gym each week, is pumping out reps on a weighted bar. His wife, Michelle, is walking at a steady pace on a treadmill just outside the weight room. "Working out keeps our minds sharp and our bodies healthy," Michelle said. "We've been married almost 50 years and have never been sedentary."
Lucian Kimble, director of the Jimmy Brought Fitness Center here, said seniors are a common sight at the gym and a constant source of inspiration and motivation for people of all ages.
"The fitness center is like a fountain of youth; we have people from age 9 to 90," he said. "Age doesn't matter. It's your lifestyle and the choices you make -- how much rest you receive, nutrition and activity level.
"Every time an active adult comes in, it's a great example for everyone. You're never too obese or old; it's never too late."
Like their younger counterparts, seniors can reap numerous benefits from staying active, according to the National Institute on Aging, including:
-- Keeping and improving strength to help maintain independence;
-- Having more energy;
-- Improving balance;
-- Preventing or delaying some diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer; and
-- Perking up mood and helping reduce depression.
Another benefit is the inspiration they provide others.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Tiberio, a regular at the gym, said he aspires to be as fit as some gym-goers 20 years his senior.
"I see a lot of older people who are in better shape than me," said 36-year-old Tiberio, who could be called buff in his own right. "I know a man in his 70s who could do inverted push-ups and a very fit lady, Ruth; she motivates me every day. I want to look as fit as she does when I'm in my 50s. It's pretty inspirational."
The fit seniors at the Jimmy Brought Fitness Center are not that unusual when compared to a society that is looking and feeling younger than ever before thanks to medical advances and healthier lifestyles. At 77, actor Sean Connery is still deemed a dreamboat, and at 65, Harrison Ford is not only looking good, but about to embark on another Indiana Jones adventure.
Army leaders have even joined the trend, opening its ranks to people formerly considered too old to join. Since June 2006, anyone from baby-faced 17-year-olds to well-seasoned 42-year-olds can now choose to serve.
And just about anyone at any age can, to borrow a phrase from Olivia Newton-John, get physical, even with a long-term condition like heart disease or diabetes. Physical activity may even help, according to the National Institute on Aging. Of course, for anyone about to embark on a fitness routine, the first step is to check with a doctor, particularly if there are health problems.
Sharp attributes her prescription-free medicine cabinet to a lifetime of fitness. "I'm a determined person," she said. "I love to work out and keep fit, so I just do it."
Each day, when these seniors make a choice to grab their running shoes versus the nearest rocking chair, they are not just keeping fit, but redefining for a younger generation the meaning of "old age."
(Elaine Wilson works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - In a weight room packed with muscular men, little 77-year-old Wera Sharp turns heads as she walks in and makes a beeline for the pull-up bars. Still sweating from 30 minutes on the treadmill, Sharp jumps up, grips the bar and effortlessly pumps out 10 chin-ups in less than a minute. The only sign of strain is her shaking muscles after a second or third set.
Sharp is raising the bar on fitness here, not just for seniors, but for everyone. When this spry grandma with curly blonde hair and a friendly smile hits the gym for one of her three-hour workouts, she easily surpasses fellow gym-goers half her age.
"I've been working out all my life, but only started coming to the gym about five years ago," said Sharp, slightly out of breath after a pull-up set. "I've always worked out and see no reason to stop now."
Sharp, wife of retired Col. Fred Foxx, credits her toned body to "a little bit of everything: weights, swimming, stair-stepper. I like to get a total-body workout."
As Sharp walks over to hit the mats for a hundred crunches and 50 push-ups "man-style," she points out a man senior to her working his triceps nearby.
Ninety-two-year-old retired Army Lt. Col. Frank Rabell, a five-time visitor to the gym each week, is pumping out reps on a weighted bar. His wife, Michelle, is walking at a steady pace on a treadmill just outside the weight room. "Working out keeps our minds sharp and our bodies healthy," Michelle said. "We've been married almost 50 years and have never been sedentary."
Lucian Kimble, director of the Jimmy Brought Fitness Center here, said seniors are a common sight at the gym and a constant source of inspiration and motivation for people of all ages.
"The fitness center is like a fountain of youth; we have people from age 9 to 90," he said. "Age doesn't matter. It's your lifestyle and the choices you make -- how much rest you receive, nutrition and activity level.
"Every time an active adult comes in, it's a great example for everyone. You're never too obese or old; it's never too late."
Like their younger counterparts, seniors can reap numerous benefits from staying active, according to the National Institute on Aging, including:
-- Keeping and improving strength to help maintain independence;
-- Having more energy;
-- Improving balance;
-- Preventing or delaying some diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer; and
-- Perking up mood and helping reduce depression.
Another benefit is the inspiration they provide others.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Tiberio, a regular at the gym, said he aspires to be as fit as some gym-goers 20 years his senior.
"I see a lot of older people who are in better shape than me," said 36-year-old Tiberio, who could be called buff in his own right. "I know a man in his 70s who could do inverted push-ups and a very fit lady, Ruth; she motivates me every day. I want to look as fit as she does when I'm in my 50s. It's pretty inspirational."
The fit seniors at the Jimmy Brought Fitness Center are not that unusual when compared to a society that is looking and feeling younger than ever before thanks to medical advances and healthier lifestyles. At 77, actor Sean Connery is still deemed a dreamboat, and at 65, Harrison Ford is not only looking good, but about to embark on another Indiana Jones adventure.
Army leaders have even joined the trend, opening its ranks to people formerly considered too old to join. Since June 2006, anyone from baby-faced 17-year-olds to well-seasoned 42-year-olds can now choose to serve.
And just about anyone at any age can, to borrow a phrase from Olivia Newton-John, get physical, even with a long-term condition like heart disease or diabetes. Physical activity may even help, according to the National Institute on Aging. Of course, for anyone about to embark on a fitness routine, the first step is to check with a doctor, particularly if there are health problems.
Sharp attributes her prescription-free medicine cabinet to a lifetime of fitness. "I'm a determined person," she said. "I love to work out and keep fit, so I just do it."
Each day, when these seniors make a choice to grab their running shoes versus the nearest rocking chair, they are not just keeping fit, but redefining for a younger generation the meaning of "old age."
(Elaine Wilson works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Top Guard General: Nation's Guard Members at Peak of Excellence
By Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - As the chief of the National Guard Bureau touted the achievements of today's citizen-soldiers and -airmen to sports commentators at Fenway Park here earlier this month, a 91-year-old World War II veteran sitting in the stands below the broadcast booth made much the same claims on behalf of today's Guard members. During the fifth inning of the Aug. 17 Boston Red Sox baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum told Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo of the New England Sports Network that 70 percent of Guard members have served at least one tour related to the global war on terrorism.
"We're in 40 countries," Blum said. "We're providing about 50,000 troops overseas as you and I are talking and watching this ballgame; 6,000 on the southwest border; and about 10,000 called out by their governors for forest fires, floods, ... getting ready for hurricanes."
Blum explained how being a Guard member requires balancing civilian vocations, schooling and family life with military commitments. "This is the most experienced, combat-proven force that we've ever had," he said.
The general was in Boston in part to visit with members of the 29th Infantry Division Association, which includes soldiers from the National Guard division who have served as long ago as World War II and as recently as this year in Afghanistan and Iraq.
One of those soldiers, 91-year-old Stanley Bernstein, was watching the ballgame below where Blum was being interviewed.
Bernstein was a platoon sergeant when he landed on Omaha Beach on the French coast. His platoon came ashore in a different place than planned. "We were supposed to oppose one German division," he said. "Instead, there were three divisions on maneuvers, and they decimated our troops."
Twenty-three of his men died. After that, Bernstein fought the Germans and their allies from France through Belgium and into Germany, where he was among soldiers who entered the concentration camps.
About every two years until he was in his 80s and could no longer make the journey, Bernstein went back to the beach where his comrades fell, keeping a promise he had made to their memory.
He took his wife. "You couldn't have been here," he recalled her saying. "How did you get on top of that mountain?"
Bernstein also took each of his five children. "I wanted to show each child the horrors I went through serving our great country, and I wanted to tell them how proud I was doing this and wanted them to instill this in others," he said.
He has been married for 60 years, has five children and 12 grandchildren and retired as a successful businessman. Yet when a uniformed soldier sitting next to him reminded Bernstein how he and his colleagues are often called the "Greatest Generation," he replied: "Today's soldiers, in my judgment, the sacrifices they are making are the most commendable thing I've ever seen. The last six years, you've been doing services that are so outstanding. The National Guard has done an outstanding job."
Bernstein said he fought to repay his country and still would. "Having been a first-generation American -- my parents came from Europe -- I felt I owed my country, because it's been so great to our family. Only in America can you come from poverty and make a decent living, sleep peacefully in a house every day, drive a car. For a minority, being Jewish, coming from nowhere, having no background, you were able to get an education, get a decent job. I'm grateful to our country. I would give my life for it."
Meanwhile, Blum was upstairs taking with Remy and Orsillo.
"It bonds generations," he said of military service. "The quality of the Guard is better than it's ever been at any time in the history of the Guard."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - As the chief of the National Guard Bureau touted the achievements of today's citizen-soldiers and -airmen to sports commentators at Fenway Park here earlier this month, a 91-year-old World War II veteran sitting in the stands below the broadcast booth made much the same claims on behalf of today's Guard members. During the fifth inning of the Aug. 17 Boston Red Sox baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum told Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo of the New England Sports Network that 70 percent of Guard members have served at least one tour related to the global war on terrorism.
"We're in 40 countries," Blum said. "We're providing about 50,000 troops overseas as you and I are talking and watching this ballgame; 6,000 on the southwest border; and about 10,000 called out by their governors for forest fires, floods, ... getting ready for hurricanes."
Blum explained how being a Guard member requires balancing civilian vocations, schooling and family life with military commitments. "This is the most experienced, combat-proven force that we've ever had," he said.
The general was in Boston in part to visit with members of the 29th Infantry Division Association, which includes soldiers from the National Guard division who have served as long ago as World War II and as recently as this year in Afghanistan and Iraq.
One of those soldiers, 91-year-old Stanley Bernstein, was watching the ballgame below where Blum was being interviewed.
Bernstein was a platoon sergeant when he landed on Omaha Beach on the French coast. His platoon came ashore in a different place than planned. "We were supposed to oppose one German division," he said. "Instead, there were three divisions on maneuvers, and they decimated our troops."
Twenty-three of his men died. After that, Bernstein fought the Germans and their allies from France through Belgium and into Germany, where he was among soldiers who entered the concentration camps.
About every two years until he was in his 80s and could no longer make the journey, Bernstein went back to the beach where his comrades fell, keeping a promise he had made to their memory.
He took his wife. "You couldn't have been here," he recalled her saying. "How did you get on top of that mountain?"
Bernstein also took each of his five children. "I wanted to show each child the horrors I went through serving our great country, and I wanted to tell them how proud I was doing this and wanted them to instill this in others," he said.
He has been married for 60 years, has five children and 12 grandchildren and retired as a successful businessman. Yet when a uniformed soldier sitting next to him reminded Bernstein how he and his colleagues are often called the "Greatest Generation," he replied: "Today's soldiers, in my judgment, the sacrifices they are making are the most commendable thing I've ever seen. The last six years, you've been doing services that are so outstanding. The National Guard has done an outstanding job."
Bernstein said he fought to repay his country and still would. "Having been a first-generation American -- my parents came from Europe -- I felt I owed my country, because it's been so great to our family. Only in America can you come from poverty and make a decent living, sleep peacefully in a house every day, drive a car. For a minority, being Jewish, coming from nowhere, having no background, you were able to get an education, get a decent job. I'm grateful to our country. I would give my life for it."
Meanwhile, Blum was upstairs taking with Remy and Orsillo.
"It bonds generations," he said of military service. "The quality of the Guard is better than it's ever been at any time in the history of the Guard."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)
U.S. Assessment Team Arrives in Belize Behind Hurricane Dean
By Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - About 20 soldiers and airmen from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, deployed here yesterday as part of an initial assessment team following Hurricane Dean. The then-Category 5 storm slammed into the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula early yesterday, just north of this Central American nation.
The team -- which includes a security detail, medics, engineers, search-and-rescue assets and communications specialists -- was transported via two UH-60 Black Hawks and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
Upon arrival, task force personnel took leaders from the Belize Defense Force and American Embassy on a two-hour flight to survey the damage from the storm.
"We went north to Corozal and surveyed the damage along the coast," said Army Maj. Michael Angell, task force commander for the mission. "We flew around that town, a couple of other villages, and stopped to pick up three Belize Defense Force medics and transport them to another location," he said.
Based on the initial assessment from yesterday's flight, Angell said damage to the country's infrastructure was minimal. "One village had a lot of roofs blown off, billboards blown over, and that was the extent of the damage," he said.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Heather Prater, a civil engineer deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., flew on the mission with an automated route reconnaissance kit to capture video of the potentially damaged areas. "There was some flooding and trees uprooted," she said, "but even up around the coast it looks good."
During the flight, Prater used a hand-held video camera to capture the route of the helicopter. Later, after downloading the data from the reconnaissance system, she was able to provide detailed photos and video that correlated to a global positioning system location, pinpointing the damage on a map.
Although he didn't see a lot of structural damage, Angell said, damage to crops from wind and flooding could be substantial.
"Agriculturally, they took a huge hit," he said, referring to extensive damage to sugar cane fields and papaya crops, which Belize is known for.
During the mission, aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk from 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, from Soto Cano, the surveyors also were able to transport three Belizean medics to a nearby village.
A separate mission aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, also from the 1/228th, transported 26 Belize Defense Force infantrymen to outer lying areas that have no police or fire and rescue forces, Angell said.
The team is slated to fly another survey mission today to survey other areas for potential damage.
"We'll continue to support until they tell us we're no longer needed," Angell said.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs is assigned to Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 22, 2007 - About 20 soldiers and airmen from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, deployed here yesterday as part of an initial assessment team following Hurricane Dean. The then-Category 5 storm slammed into the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula early yesterday, just north of this Central American nation.
The team -- which includes a security detail, medics, engineers, search-and-rescue assets and communications specialists -- was transported via two UH-60 Black Hawks and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
Upon arrival, task force personnel took leaders from the Belize Defense Force and American Embassy on a two-hour flight to survey the damage from the storm.
"We went north to Corozal and surveyed the damage along the coast," said Army Maj. Michael Angell, task force commander for the mission. "We flew around that town, a couple of other villages, and stopped to pick up three Belize Defense Force medics and transport them to another location," he said.
Based on the initial assessment from yesterday's flight, Angell said damage to the country's infrastructure was minimal. "One village had a lot of roofs blown off, billboards blown over, and that was the extent of the damage," he said.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Heather Prater, a civil engineer deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., flew on the mission with an automated route reconnaissance kit to capture video of the potentially damaged areas. "There was some flooding and trees uprooted," she said, "but even up around the coast it looks good."
During the flight, Prater used a hand-held video camera to capture the route of the helicopter. Later, after downloading the data from the reconnaissance system, she was able to provide detailed photos and video that correlated to a global positioning system location, pinpointing the damage on a map.
Although he didn't see a lot of structural damage, Angell said, damage to crops from wind and flooding could be substantial.
"Agriculturally, they took a huge hit," he said, referring to extensive damage to sugar cane fields and papaya crops, which Belize is known for.
During the mission, aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk from 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, from Soto Cano, the surveyors also were able to transport three Belizean medics to a nearby village.
A separate mission aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, also from the 1/228th, transported 26 Belize Defense Force infantrymen to outer lying areas that have no police or fire and rescue forces, Angell said.
The team is slated to fly another survey mission today to survey other areas for potential damage.
"We'll continue to support until they tell us we're no longer needed," Angell said.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs is assigned to Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs.)
Joint Task Force Bravo Treats 1,300 Patients in Peru
By Senior Airman Shaun Emery, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Members of Joint Task Force Bravo's medical disaster relief task force, deployed from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, continue to assist citizens here following a magnitude 8 earthquake that struck the region Aug. 15. Over the past two days, medical team members have treated more than 1,300 patients with a wide variety of conditions. Most patients required medicines for gastro-intestinal illnesses, respiratory illnesses, minor wounds, and aches and pains.
In addition to basic medicines and medical care, members of the field team diagnosed a case of appendicitis in the field and quickly had the patient transported to a mobile surgical team stationed at the airport.
"When the patient arrived, she approached the front of the line with her mother," said Air Force Capt. William Ingram, an emergency medicine physician's assistant. "We listened to her story, and she had three days of worsening abdominal pain. We laid her down to do an evaluation and determined that she needed to be taken away immediately."
News of the American medical team's presence traveled quickly through the town and to other agencies providing assistance. When other agencies arrived to help, members of Joint Task Force Bravo's medical team were able to pack up and move to another location to provide more care.
"Once more agencies arrived, we realized we would be able to move locations and provide help to more people," said Air Force Master Sgt. Deborah Davis, the task force's noncommissioned officer in charge. "There are so many people in need. I'm glad we could offer our services to so many people."
As the mission wrapped up, many of the medical team members reflected on the time they spent in Peru.
"The fact that we executed within 20 hours of notification and were the first American contingent speaks volumes of our capability," said Air Force Maj. Paul Valdez, medical operations officer in charge. "It just goes to show that our military is capable of providing humanitarian assistance anytime anywhere in the world."
(Air Force Senior Airman Shaun Emery is assigned to Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Members of Joint Task Force Bravo's medical disaster relief task force, deployed from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, continue to assist citizens here following a magnitude 8 earthquake that struck the region Aug. 15. Over the past two days, medical team members have treated more than 1,300 patients with a wide variety of conditions. Most patients required medicines for gastro-intestinal illnesses, respiratory illnesses, minor wounds, and aches and pains.
In addition to basic medicines and medical care, members of the field team diagnosed a case of appendicitis in the field and quickly had the patient transported to a mobile surgical team stationed at the airport.
"When the patient arrived, she approached the front of the line with her mother," said Air Force Capt. William Ingram, an emergency medicine physician's assistant. "We listened to her story, and she had three days of worsening abdominal pain. We laid her down to do an evaluation and determined that she needed to be taken away immediately."
News of the American medical team's presence traveled quickly through the town and to other agencies providing assistance. When other agencies arrived to help, members of Joint Task Force Bravo's medical team were able to pack up and move to another location to provide more care.
"Once more agencies arrived, we realized we would be able to move locations and provide help to more people," said Air Force Master Sgt. Deborah Davis, the task force's noncommissioned officer in charge. "There are so many people in need. I'm glad we could offer our services to so many people."
As the mission wrapped up, many of the medical team members reflected on the time they spent in Peru.
"The fact that we executed within 20 hours of notification and were the first American contingent speaks volumes of our capability," said Air Force Maj. Paul Valdez, medical operations officer in charge. "It just goes to show that our military is capable of providing humanitarian assistance anytime anywhere in the world."
(Air Force Senior Airman Shaun Emery is assigned to Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs.)
Idaho School Launches 'Operation Education'
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Between physical and fiscal challenges, severely injured servicemembers and spouses who don't hold a college degree may find earning one a bit daunting. The University of Idaho is working to change that. With a slogan of "You've served us; now let us serve you – with a college degree," the school launched Operation Education in June 2006.
"Operation Education is a scholarship program that was designed to provide financial and social support for disabled veterans who have been wounded since ... 9/11," Karen White, the scholarship's chairman, said. "The program is individually tailored to each applicant and what that particular person or that family unit's needs are."
That can be as little as help with child care all the way to tuition, fees, and books to housing and other support necessary for injured servicemembers to attend classes.
"Because of their injuries, they are generally eligible for vocational rehabilitation," White, who holds a doctorate in physical therapy, said. "So besides what they may have gotten through their military service, ... we fill in the gaps."
Servicemembers applying for University of Idaho Operation Education scholarships must have been severely injured on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, and must be accepted by the university. Idaho students are given priority. The scholarship also is open to spouses, White said.
"So, if the instance happens where the veteran is not able to or not interested in coming to school, then his or her spouse could come and partake in getting a higher education," she said. "Or, if both wanted to come to school, we would be happy to fund the ... two of them."
Operation Education began when one of the university's development officers attended a holiday gathering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, White said. She was so moved by the patients' spirit and fortitude that she started working on a way for a university all the way across the country to say, "thank you."
"The natural answer was higher education," White said. "Being a university, that is how we could help and what we could offer."
So far, the university has offered that opportunity to three veterans. The first scholar started in January and has since graduated, found a job and bought a house in the area, White said, adding that he only needed assistance for a semester.
"We still have two, and we want it to be a small program," she said. "I think max, we could handle three, maybe four new students per year."
More than that and the individualization of the program would suffer, she said.
White said she is hoping to encourage other colleges and universities to start similar programs.
"Use the name. Use the idea," she said. "I am more than willing to share with any college ... what we've learned, our forms, our focus or ideas."
One thing she's learned, White said, is that lots of people believe in the program and have shown it through financial support. The scholarship has been completely funded through private money.
"We've had a wonderful outpouring of support," White said. "Primarily (it's been) from University of Idaho alums, but also some folks who have just heard about the scholarship and were impressed with what we were doing and have chosen to send money our way."
Frequently those donors have had a military connection, she added. In fact, Army officers Meagan Bacharach and Chris Rizzo, who are planning their January 2008 wedding, have found a unique way to support the program.
Bacharach, whose parents are University of Idaho alums, and Rizzo have added Operation Education and another Special Operation Warrior Foundation to their bridal registry.
"Between the two of us, we really have enough things," Bacharach said in an Operation Education news release.
This gesture thrilled White, who thinks Operation Education is an appropriate gesture for the university to make to the nation's servicemembers.
"It just seemed like such a natural way to thank and acknowledge those men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and our country," she said.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You is a Defense Department program that directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Between physical and fiscal challenges, severely injured servicemembers and spouses who don't hold a college degree may find earning one a bit daunting. The University of Idaho is working to change that. With a slogan of "You've served us; now let us serve you – with a college degree," the school launched Operation Education in June 2006.
"Operation Education is a scholarship program that was designed to provide financial and social support for disabled veterans who have been wounded since ... 9/11," Karen White, the scholarship's chairman, said. "The program is individually tailored to each applicant and what that particular person or that family unit's needs are."
That can be as little as help with child care all the way to tuition, fees, and books to housing and other support necessary for injured servicemembers to attend classes.
"Because of their injuries, they are generally eligible for vocational rehabilitation," White, who holds a doctorate in physical therapy, said. "So besides what they may have gotten through their military service, ... we fill in the gaps."
Servicemembers applying for University of Idaho Operation Education scholarships must have been severely injured on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, and must be accepted by the university. Idaho students are given priority. The scholarship also is open to spouses, White said.
"So, if the instance happens where the veteran is not able to or not interested in coming to school, then his or her spouse could come and partake in getting a higher education," she said. "Or, if both wanted to come to school, we would be happy to fund the ... two of them."
Operation Education began when one of the university's development officers attended a holiday gathering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, White said. She was so moved by the patients' spirit and fortitude that she started working on a way for a university all the way across the country to say, "thank you."
"The natural answer was higher education," White said. "Being a university, that is how we could help and what we could offer."
So far, the university has offered that opportunity to three veterans. The first scholar started in January and has since graduated, found a job and bought a house in the area, White said, adding that he only needed assistance for a semester.
"We still have two, and we want it to be a small program," she said. "I think max, we could handle three, maybe four new students per year."
More than that and the individualization of the program would suffer, she said.
White said she is hoping to encourage other colleges and universities to start similar programs.
"Use the name. Use the idea," she said. "I am more than willing to share with any college ... what we've learned, our forms, our focus or ideas."
One thing she's learned, White said, is that lots of people believe in the program and have shown it through financial support. The scholarship has been completely funded through private money.
"We've had a wonderful outpouring of support," White said. "Primarily (it's been) from University of Idaho alums, but also some folks who have just heard about the scholarship and were impressed with what we were doing and have chosen to send money our way."
Frequently those donors have had a military connection, she added. In fact, Army officers Meagan Bacharach and Chris Rizzo, who are planning their January 2008 wedding, have found a unique way to support the program.
Bacharach, whose parents are University of Idaho alums, and Rizzo have added Operation Education and another Special Operation Warrior Foundation to their bridal registry.
"Between the two of us, we really have enough things," Bacharach said in an Operation Education news release.
This gesture thrilled White, who thinks Operation Education is an appropriate gesture for the university to make to the nation's servicemembers.
"It just seemed like such a natural way to thank and acknowledge those men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and our country," she said.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You is a Defense Department program that directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Alaska Air National Guard Unit Prepares for Larger Role at Elmendorf
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Air Force National Guard Col. Chuck Foster is going to miss his Tastee Freez. As 176th Wing here prepares to move to its new home on nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base, the local haunt for ice cream and burgers blocks away will be just one of the emotional ties that Foster and the rest will have to cut.
"This is our home. I have been here since 1990. I like it here. The community likes us here," said Foster, who serves as vice wing commander for the 1,500-airman-strong unit. "The emotional attachment is the thing. We're really going to feel bad about leaving Kulis."
The nearby Tastee Freez is so closely tied to Kulis that it formed the "Ice Cream Support Squadron" in 2005 and provides ice cream sundaes for unit Christmas parties and deployments. Photos of the unit and its history there adorn the diner's walls.
But, the colonel said, the move is needed to expand the mission of the base.
Kulis is located on 129 acres of neatly manicured real estate adjacent to the Anchorage International Airport. Relics of the base's fighter jet flying history jut from the lawn mounted on posts and posed as if still in flight. Behind the armory offices though, is a crowded flight line that is only expected to become fuller.
"We can't grow," Foster said. "If we had to put every airplane we owned on the ramp here, you'd have to get the shoehorn out."
Under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations, the base is expected to gain four more C-130 Hercules cargo planes to its airlift fleet. It now has eight C-130s, and four HC-130s. The HC-130 is an extended-range, combat rescue version of the C-130 transport aircraft. The HC-130 can perform extended searches and airdrop pararescuemen and survival equipment to isolated survivors. Also, larger helicopters are being developed for the base's rescue missions. It now has six HH-60s Pavehawks.
In addition, the wing's 249th Airlift Squadron is forming an association with an active-duty counterpart on Elmendorf Air Force Base, the 517th Airlift Squadron, to fly C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on missions worldwide. Collocation is better to accommodate the association and the mission, Foster said. The 249th already is providing pilots and crews to fly the planes.
"Overall, it's a benefit to the state of Alaska," Foster said.
About $143 million in construction is planned, and some ground has been broken on projects at Elmendorf. Most of the projects are slated for fiscal 2008 and 2009, and major moves will begin in summer and fall 2010, when the buildings become available, Foster said.
The move will consolidate the two installations in Anchorage, reduce infrastructure, and create an active-duty and reserve-component association. Elmendorf has room and will not need to expand, and the Anchorage airport will now have land for later expansion, he said.
The 176th provides military airlift and rescue throughout Alaska when civilian agencies cannot manage the rescue due to lack of specialized equipment or expertise. The wing averages about 100 rescue missions a year, ranging from ejected pilots to searching for overdue aircraft or recovering stranded mountain climbers.
Kulis also houses a rescue coordination center, which has Alaska National Guardsmen performing a traditionally active-duty mission.
In one of their more high-profile rescues, Guard members rescued 23 people stranded at sea in July 2006 when the Japanese cargo ship Cougar Ace, carrying about 5,000 automobiles rolled onto its side.
The Alaska National Guard's rescue coordination center assisted the Coast Guard with the rescue mission. The Alaska Air National Guard dispatched two HH-60 Pavehawks, two HC-130s, one C-130 Hercules and about a dozen pararescuemen.
The rescue garnered national attention and was awarded the Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year, which recognizes the Air Force's most outstanding rescue missions. The unit was called in because the Coast Guard could not get there without refueling.
"We've have unique hardware and unique expertise that is found nowhere else in Alaska," Foster said.
The base is also home to an air surveillance squadron, which performs an active-duty mission assumed by the Guard.
When combining the move, transformation and ongoing missions with operational deployments and humanitarian aid missions around the world, Foster likens his task to rebuilding an airplane while it is still in flight.
"There is a war on. We have all of the normal things that we need to do, plus we're fighting, plus we're transforming into a new missions and to a new location," he said.
The former rescue helicopter pilot says his wing is up to the task, but concedes there will be some anxious moments.
"If anybody can pull it off, we can. That doesn't mean that it's not hard," Foster said. "Our future does look bright, but it is turbulent. I believe we will do a very good job for the state and nation."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Air Force National Guard Col. Chuck Foster is going to miss his Tastee Freez. As 176th Wing here prepares to move to its new home on nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base, the local haunt for ice cream and burgers blocks away will be just one of the emotional ties that Foster and the rest will have to cut.
"This is our home. I have been here since 1990. I like it here. The community likes us here," said Foster, who serves as vice wing commander for the 1,500-airman-strong unit. "The emotional attachment is the thing. We're really going to feel bad about leaving Kulis."
The nearby Tastee Freez is so closely tied to Kulis that it formed the "Ice Cream Support Squadron" in 2005 and provides ice cream sundaes for unit Christmas parties and deployments. Photos of the unit and its history there adorn the diner's walls.
But, the colonel said, the move is needed to expand the mission of the base.
Kulis is located on 129 acres of neatly manicured real estate adjacent to the Anchorage International Airport. Relics of the base's fighter jet flying history jut from the lawn mounted on posts and posed as if still in flight. Behind the armory offices though, is a crowded flight line that is only expected to become fuller.
"We can't grow," Foster said. "If we had to put every airplane we owned on the ramp here, you'd have to get the shoehorn out."
Under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations, the base is expected to gain four more C-130 Hercules cargo planes to its airlift fleet. It now has eight C-130s, and four HC-130s. The HC-130 is an extended-range, combat rescue version of the C-130 transport aircraft. The HC-130 can perform extended searches and airdrop pararescuemen and survival equipment to isolated survivors. Also, larger helicopters are being developed for the base's rescue missions. It now has six HH-60s Pavehawks.
In addition, the wing's 249th Airlift Squadron is forming an association with an active-duty counterpart on Elmendorf Air Force Base, the 517th Airlift Squadron, to fly C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on missions worldwide. Collocation is better to accommodate the association and the mission, Foster said. The 249th already is providing pilots and crews to fly the planes.
"Overall, it's a benefit to the state of Alaska," Foster said.
About $143 million in construction is planned, and some ground has been broken on projects at Elmendorf. Most of the projects are slated for fiscal 2008 and 2009, and major moves will begin in summer and fall 2010, when the buildings become available, Foster said.
The move will consolidate the two installations in Anchorage, reduce infrastructure, and create an active-duty and reserve-component association. Elmendorf has room and will not need to expand, and the Anchorage airport will now have land for later expansion, he said.
The 176th provides military airlift and rescue throughout Alaska when civilian agencies cannot manage the rescue due to lack of specialized equipment or expertise. The wing averages about 100 rescue missions a year, ranging from ejected pilots to searching for overdue aircraft or recovering stranded mountain climbers.
Kulis also houses a rescue coordination center, which has Alaska National Guardsmen performing a traditionally active-duty mission.
In one of their more high-profile rescues, Guard members rescued 23 people stranded at sea in July 2006 when the Japanese cargo ship Cougar Ace, carrying about 5,000 automobiles rolled onto its side.
The Alaska National Guard's rescue coordination center assisted the Coast Guard with the rescue mission. The Alaska Air National Guard dispatched two HH-60 Pavehawks, two HC-130s, one C-130 Hercules and about a dozen pararescuemen.
The rescue garnered national attention and was awarded the Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year, which recognizes the Air Force's most outstanding rescue missions. The unit was called in because the Coast Guard could not get there without refueling.
"We've have unique hardware and unique expertise that is found nowhere else in Alaska," Foster said.
The base is also home to an air surveillance squadron, which performs an active-duty mission assumed by the Guard.
When combining the move, transformation and ongoing missions with operational deployments and humanitarian aid missions around the world, Foster likens his task to rebuilding an airplane while it is still in flight.
"There is a war on. We have all of the normal things that we need to do, plus we're fighting, plus we're transforming into a new missions and to a new location," he said.
The former rescue helicopter pilot says his wing is up to the task, but concedes there will be some anxious moments.
"If anybody can pull it off, we can. That doesn't mean that it's not hard," Foster said. "Our future does look bright, but it is turbulent. I believe we will do a very good job for the state and nation."
C-17s in Alaska Ramp Up to Go Operational
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Long-range, heavy airlift resources for wartime and humanitarian efforts across the globe will be a day's flying time closer to the need in less than a month. The 517th Airlift Squadron, a former C-130 Hercules unit, is in the process of becoming operational as a C-17 Globemaster III unit. C-17s provide longer range and capabilities to carry larger loads than C-130s. Placing the capabilities of the C-17 in Alaska means war support and humanitarian aid can be anywhere in the world a day sooner.
Since the first C-17 touched down in Alaska in June, the unit has been readying itself to become operational next month, flying missions across the state and training crews and maintainers.
The third C-17 arrived here this month. The fourth is expected next month, and the unit will begin flying missions for U.S. Transportation Command. By November, officials expect a full complement of eight airlift jets.
Previously, C-17s flying from the continental United States would have to lay over in Hawaii or Alaska before moving on to eastern locations. Even though the aircraft can fuel on the go, to travel farther, crews would have to be swapped or safe rest time allotted.
Now, because of their forward location in Pacific Command, crews can fly to all points east in a day, or they can cross the North Pole and be in Germany in eight hours.
"We can reach any critical point in the world in less than 10 hours," the unit's commander, Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Almand, said.
The commander has been flying C-17s since they first rolled out at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., in 1994. He said it combines the large cargo capabilities of the bigger C-5 Galaxy but has the flexibility of the much smaller C-130.
"It's outstanding -- still, hands down, the most capable airlifter in the world. Nothing compares to it," Almand said.
The C-17 can fly nonstop, refueling on the go, and boasts high reliability and low maintenance, he said.
The cargo hold can accommodate an Abrams tank, 10 up-armored Humvees, two tractor trailer trucks, or 100 paratroopers and all of their gear. The jet can also land on short dirt runways in austere locations -- needing only 3,500 feet -- with loads up to 170,000 pounds. A commercial airliner typically requires about 3,000 feet just to touch down, with stopping distances twice that of the C-17. The C-17 touches down in the first 500 feet.
"We can land in the dirt. We can fly directly into a combat environment. We don't have to pre-position," Almand said.
At the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, the C-17 was able to drop 1,000 Marines in remote locations of Afghanistan. Limited access to the country, requiring long-distance trips, and the ability to haul enough cargo to equip Marines as they were emplaced were challenges the C-17 easily overcame, Almand said. Other tactical aircraft would have had to be staged closer to the drop areas, which was not possible in this operation.
Three C-17s cycled in the Marines and their equipment in 16 hours.
Also unique to the C-17 are its special operations capabilities, many of which are classified, as well as its ability to descend rapidly. Pilots can be safely out of enemy range at 30,000 feet and, with the flip of a switch, place all four jet engines in reverse and drop 20,000 feet per minute to make their drop. A commercial airliner can drop comfortably at about 2,000 feet per minute.
In the early hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 15 C-17s flying out of Italy were able to drop 1,000 paratroopers and their equipment. It was the largest similar drop since Normandy but with not nearly the risk, Almand said.
"It was actually a pretty simple operation," he said.
Air Force Capt. Brett Lent has been flying C-17s for four years, including flying disaster-relief missions to Thailand after the tsunami hit there in December 2004. Because of the speed in which air craft and crews were deployed, there was not enough time to make arrangements for in-flight fuel tankers. This forced them to stop to refuel in Alaska. Because of the stop, their allotted safe flying time ran out in Japan, and they could not make it all the way to Thailand the same day.
"Had we launched from here, we would have been in Thailand in one day," Lent said.
C-17s are particularly useful because they can fly in all weather and can drop anywhere, even where there is no landing strip.
"For humanitarian aid, if there is sky above you, we can get to you. And we have mass," Lent said. "We can drop 170,000 pounds of cargo for a large group of people and give them the aid they need. And we don't need an airfield to do it, and we can do it in any weather. We don't even have to see the ground. We're impeded only by diplomatic clearances."
That means warfighters they have all the cargo they need when they need it, Lent said.
The active-duty 517th Airlift Squadron will partner with the National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron to provide pilots and crews. The 249th is forming now and will be collocated with its active-duty counterpart. The unit now has some pilots and crews flying with the 517th. The active-duty squadron will eventually provide three crews for every aircraft, and the Guard will provide two. A crew is made up of a pilot, copilot and loadmaster.
The addition of the Guard pilots and crews will allow the unit to provide continuous operation of the jets, Almand said. The unit will be "taskable any time, worldwide, for any mission," he said.
Besides its strategic location, Almand said, Alaska allows for training that is afforded nowhere else. The base is next door to Fort Richardson and the 67,000-square-mile Pacific Alaskan Range Complex, which offers training in a simulated combat environment and is home to the Red Flag-Alaska exercises.
"Alaska is the best low-level training environment in the world, hands down," the pilot said. "No one will be able to train like we do up here."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - Long-range, heavy airlift resources for wartime and humanitarian efforts across the globe will be a day's flying time closer to the need in less than a month. The 517th Airlift Squadron, a former C-130 Hercules unit, is in the process of becoming operational as a C-17 Globemaster III unit. C-17s provide longer range and capabilities to carry larger loads than C-130s. Placing the capabilities of the C-17 in Alaska means war support and humanitarian aid can be anywhere in the world a day sooner.
Since the first C-17 touched down in Alaska in June, the unit has been readying itself to become operational next month, flying missions across the state and training crews and maintainers.
The third C-17 arrived here this month. The fourth is expected next month, and the unit will begin flying missions for U.S. Transportation Command. By November, officials expect a full complement of eight airlift jets.
Previously, C-17s flying from the continental United States would have to lay over in Hawaii or Alaska before moving on to eastern locations. Even though the aircraft can fuel on the go, to travel farther, crews would have to be swapped or safe rest time allotted.
Now, because of their forward location in Pacific Command, crews can fly to all points east in a day, or they can cross the North Pole and be in Germany in eight hours.
"We can reach any critical point in the world in less than 10 hours," the unit's commander, Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Almand, said.
The commander has been flying C-17s since they first rolled out at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., in 1994. He said it combines the large cargo capabilities of the bigger C-5 Galaxy but has the flexibility of the much smaller C-130.
"It's outstanding -- still, hands down, the most capable airlifter in the world. Nothing compares to it," Almand said.
The C-17 can fly nonstop, refueling on the go, and boasts high reliability and low maintenance, he said.
The cargo hold can accommodate an Abrams tank, 10 up-armored Humvees, two tractor trailer trucks, or 100 paratroopers and all of their gear. The jet can also land on short dirt runways in austere locations -- needing only 3,500 feet -- with loads up to 170,000 pounds. A commercial airliner typically requires about 3,000 feet just to touch down, with stopping distances twice that of the C-17. The C-17 touches down in the first 500 feet.
"We can land in the dirt. We can fly directly into a combat environment. We don't have to pre-position," Almand said.
At the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, the C-17 was able to drop 1,000 Marines in remote locations of Afghanistan. Limited access to the country, requiring long-distance trips, and the ability to haul enough cargo to equip Marines as they were emplaced were challenges the C-17 easily overcame, Almand said. Other tactical aircraft would have had to be staged closer to the drop areas, which was not possible in this operation.
Three C-17s cycled in the Marines and their equipment in 16 hours.
Also unique to the C-17 are its special operations capabilities, many of which are classified, as well as its ability to descend rapidly. Pilots can be safely out of enemy range at 30,000 feet and, with the flip of a switch, place all four jet engines in reverse and drop 20,000 feet per minute to make their drop. A commercial airliner can drop comfortably at about 2,000 feet per minute.
In the early hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 15 C-17s flying out of Italy were able to drop 1,000 paratroopers and their equipment. It was the largest similar drop since Normandy but with not nearly the risk, Almand said.
"It was actually a pretty simple operation," he said.
Air Force Capt. Brett Lent has been flying C-17s for four years, including flying disaster-relief missions to Thailand after the tsunami hit there in December 2004. Because of the speed in which air craft and crews were deployed, there was not enough time to make arrangements for in-flight fuel tankers. This forced them to stop to refuel in Alaska. Because of the stop, their allotted safe flying time ran out in Japan, and they could not make it all the way to Thailand the same day.
"Had we launched from here, we would have been in Thailand in one day," Lent said.
C-17s are particularly useful because they can fly in all weather and can drop anywhere, even where there is no landing strip.
"For humanitarian aid, if there is sky above you, we can get to you. And we have mass," Lent said. "We can drop 170,000 pounds of cargo for a large group of people and give them the aid they need. And we don't need an airfield to do it, and we can do it in any weather. We don't even have to see the ground. We're impeded only by diplomatic clearances."
That means warfighters they have all the cargo they need when they need it, Lent said.
The active-duty 517th Airlift Squadron will partner with the National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron to provide pilots and crews. The 249th is forming now and will be collocated with its active-duty counterpart. The unit now has some pilots and crews flying with the 517th. The active-duty squadron will eventually provide three crews for every aircraft, and the Guard will provide two. A crew is made up of a pilot, copilot and loadmaster.
The addition of the Guard pilots and crews will allow the unit to provide continuous operation of the jets, Almand said. The unit will be "taskable any time, worldwide, for any mission," he said.
Besides its strategic location, Almand said, Alaska allows for training that is afforded nowhere else. The base is next door to Fort Richardson and the 67,000-square-mile Pacific Alaskan Range Complex, which offers training in a simulated combat environment and is home to the Red Flag-Alaska exercises.
"Alaska is the best low-level training environment in the world, hands down," the pilot said. "No one will be able to train like we do up here."
Defense Department to Close TALON System
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - The Defense Department announced today that it will close the TALON intelligence reporting system Sept. 17 and maintain a record copy of the collected data in accordance with intelligence oversight requirements. TALON, which stands for Threat and Local Observation Notices, was established in 2002 by then-Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz as a way to collect and evaluate information about possible threats to U.S. servicemembers and defense civilians at stateside and overseas military installations. It is being closed because reporting to the system had declined significantly, and it was determined to no longer be of analytical value, said Army Col. Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman.
The department is working to develop a new reporting system to replace TALON, but in the interim, all information concerning force protection threats will go to the FBI's Guardian reporting system, Keck said.
"No one should think that we're no longer looking at force protection and making sure that information that law enforcement people, security people get reported is moving up some way to be evaluated so that we take force protection precautions and evaluate if there's a threat or not," Keck said. "That's still certainly happening."
The TALON system came under fire in 2005 for improperly storing information about some civilian individuals and non-government-affiliated groups on its database. The Defense Department conducted a four-point review of the system in December 2005 and, as a result, purged a large amount of information that was deemed unnecessary from the database.
The Defense Department Inspector General reviewed TALON, and in a report dated June 27, 2007, found that the program legally gathered and maintained information on individuals and organizations. However, the report found that the department's Counterintelligence Field Activity maintained TALON reports without determining whether the information should be retained for law enforcement and force protection purposes.
Keck said the department will evaluate possible future reporting systems, but that there is no timeline to establish a new system. It may be determined that the Guardian system or another reporting system already in place serves the needs of the Defense Department, he said.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 21, 2007 - The Defense Department announced today that it will close the TALON intelligence reporting system Sept. 17 and maintain a record copy of the collected data in accordance with intelligence oversight requirements. TALON, which stands for Threat and Local Observation Notices, was established in 2002 by then-Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz as a way to collect and evaluate information about possible threats to U.S. servicemembers and defense civilians at stateside and overseas military installations. It is being closed because reporting to the system had declined significantly, and it was determined to no longer be of analytical value, said Army Col. Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman.
The department is working to develop a new reporting system to replace TALON, but in the interim, all information concerning force protection threats will go to the FBI's Guardian reporting system, Keck said.
"No one should think that we're no longer looking at force protection and making sure that information that law enforcement people, security people get reported is moving up some way to be evaluated so that we take force protection precautions and evaluate if there's a threat or not," Keck said. "That's still certainly happening."
The TALON system came under fire in 2005 for improperly storing information about some civilian individuals and non-government-affiliated groups on its database. The Defense Department conducted a four-point review of the system in December 2005 and, as a result, purged a large amount of information that was deemed unnecessary from the database.
The Defense Department Inspector General reviewed TALON, and in a report dated June 27, 2007, found that the program legally gathered and maintained information on individuals and organizations. However, the report found that the department's Counterintelligence Field Activity maintained TALON reports without determining whether the information should be retained for law enforcement and force protection purposes.
Keck said the department will evaluate possible future reporting systems, but that there is no timeline to establish a new system. It may be determined that the Guardian system or another reporting system already in place serves the needs of the Defense Department, he said.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Failure Equals Death, and other stuff
Editor's Note: One of the authors is a former servicemember.
August 20, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists over 700 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officer authors: John Hefley; William Butler; and Ric Robinson.
Since 1999, John C. Hefley has been the Chief of Police of the Village of Big Bend Police Department (Wisconsin). John Hefley is also the author of Failure Equals Death. According to the book description of Failure Equals Death, “Young girls are being murdered. The members of the Special Investigations Unit are responsible for identifying the killer and stopping the deaths. They find nothing that links the victims. Worse than that, no physical evidence is found at the crime scenes and there is no sign of forced entry or burglary. This is the most challenging investigation this elite unit has ever encountered. There is only one certainty: they cannot fail because failure equals death.”
Ric Robinson, a 21 year veteran of law enforcement, was a state trooper with the West Virginia State Police. During his law enforcement career, he “investigated virtually every heinous crime.” During his law enforcement career with the West Virginia State Police was the director of Media Relations. In that assignment, Ric Robinson became an integral part of thousands of interviews, not only throughout the State, but for Dateline, 60 Minutes, Nightline, Larry King Live, COPS, and many more. After early retirement, Ric Robinson “took his unique talents to legendary radio giant WLW. As a daily host, his life experience, knowledge and aggressive style made Ric a popular entertainer, covering all of today's hottest topics.” Ric Robinson is the author of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge.
According to the book description of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge, it “knocks the politically correct crowd back on its heels with the truth about racial profiling, serial snipers, illegal immigrants, guns, drugs, and more. Nationally recognized police expert, talk radio host and teacher, Ric Robinson, delivers a powerful reality check with real cop stories about "scum-sucking slopeheads and their lying, thieving lawyers. Ric sets the record straight regarding homeland insecurity, misuse of power and justice denied.”
William Butler was a police officer for the Gilmer Police Department (Texas). In addition to his law enforcement career, William Butler is a former member of the United States Army. During his more than seven years as a soldier he attained the rank of sergeant (E5) and his duty stations included: Fort Sam Houston (Texas); White Sands Missile Range (New Mexico); and, two overseas tours. One of his military assignments overseas was as a patrol officer assigned to the Allied Checkpoints Bravo and Charlie in Berlin, Germany.
William Butler is the author of I Remember Tomorrow. According to the book description, “In an attempt to rebuild her life, Jeanette relocates to a quiet little town, after spending ten years in the military and suffering a failed marriage. But Jeanette is a precognitive; able to see the future. It scares her and causes her to question her sanity. Matters are complicated further when she meets the man of her dreams and what follows is a series of events that threaten to push her over the edge. Now she must deal with new challenges in her career, struggle with ever increasing psychic abilities, and come to grips with her feelings for a man she wants to love but fears she cannot.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 715 police officers (representing 330 police departments) and their 1533 police 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.
August 20, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists over 700 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officer authors: John Hefley; William Butler; and Ric Robinson.
Since 1999, John C. Hefley has been the Chief of Police of the Village of Big Bend Police Department (Wisconsin). John Hefley is also the author of Failure Equals Death. According to the book description of Failure Equals Death, “Young girls are being murdered. The members of the Special Investigations Unit are responsible for identifying the killer and stopping the deaths. They find nothing that links the victims. Worse than that, no physical evidence is found at the crime scenes and there is no sign of forced entry or burglary. This is the most challenging investigation this elite unit has ever encountered. There is only one certainty: they cannot fail because failure equals death.”
Ric Robinson, a 21 year veteran of law enforcement, was a state trooper with the West Virginia State Police. During his law enforcement career, he “investigated virtually every heinous crime.” During his law enforcement career with the West Virginia State Police was the director of Media Relations. In that assignment, Ric Robinson became an integral part of thousands of interviews, not only throughout the State, but for Dateline, 60 Minutes, Nightline, Larry King Live, COPS, and many more. After early retirement, Ric Robinson “took his unique talents to legendary radio giant WLW. As a daily host, his life experience, knowledge and aggressive style made Ric a popular entertainer, covering all of today's hottest topics.” Ric Robinson is the author of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge.
According to the book description of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge, it “knocks the politically correct crowd back on its heels with the truth about racial profiling, serial snipers, illegal immigrants, guns, drugs, and more. Nationally recognized police expert, talk radio host and teacher, Ric Robinson, delivers a powerful reality check with real cop stories about "scum-sucking slopeheads and their lying, thieving lawyers. Ric sets the record straight regarding homeland insecurity, misuse of power and justice denied.”
William Butler was a police officer for the Gilmer Police Department (Texas). In addition to his law enforcement career, William Butler is a former member of the United States Army. During his more than seven years as a soldier he attained the rank of sergeant (E5) and his duty stations included: Fort Sam Houston (Texas); White Sands Missile Range (New Mexico); and, two overseas tours. One of his military assignments overseas was as a patrol officer assigned to the Allied Checkpoints Bravo and Charlie in Berlin, Germany.
William Butler is the author of I Remember Tomorrow. According to the book description, “In an attempt to rebuild her life, Jeanette relocates to a quiet little town, after spending ten years in the military and suffering a failed marriage. But Jeanette is a precognitive; able to see the future. It scares her and causes her to question her sanity. Matters are complicated further when she meets the man of her dreams and what follows is a series of events that threaten to push her over the edge. Now she must deal with new challenges in her career, struggle with ever increasing psychic abilities, and come to grips with her feelings for a man she wants to love but fears she cannot.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 715 police officers (representing 330 police departments) and their 1533 police 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.
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