By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 18, 2007 - While Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, was here today meeting with senior Tongan military and government officials, his senior enlisted leader, who had accompanied the admiral, was noticeably absent. Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. James A. Roy frequently joins Keating during overseas meetings to explain how the U.S. military trains, equips and develops its enlisted force as leaders.
But, Roy said, Tonga already has a keen appreciation of the value of a strong enlisted force and noncommissioned officer corps, and an effort is afoot to professionalize the country's NCO corps.
So rather than preaching to the choir in military headquarters buildings, Roy spent his time here out in the field, checking on Tonga's progress. He visited with Tongan soldiers, sailors and Marines, observed troops going through basic training, walked through the Marine Corps barracks, and checked out the hangar that houses Tonga's tiny air force fleet.
"I'm impressed by what I've seen in Tonga, that commanders are giving (enlisted members) the responsibilities and authorities they need to lead the force," he said.
Just two and a half months into the job as PACOM's top NCO, Roy said he sees an increasing recognition within the Asia-Pacific theater of just how much the enlisted corps can bring to the mission.
Some regional countries haven't let go of the old mindset that strong NCOs diminish the authority of the officer corps, Roy conceded. "It doesn't. It compounds that authority," he said. "And that's what more militaries are realizing."
Mongolia, for example, has left behind its old Soviet-style military structure, investing training funds to develop its enlisted troops into leaders, he said. The Philippines are going through "complete reform" in professionalizing their force. Japan has made "huge strides," Roy said.
The U.S. military works closely with these countries to offer assistance. Foreign troops attend U.S. military schools and NCO academies. American NCOs train foreign servicemembers who return home to train other troops. The United States and its allies train together through military exercises around the world.
When he visits with foreign militaries interested in strengthening their NCO corps, Roy emphasizes there's no one-size-fits-all formula. Even the United States, which stands alongside Australia and New Zealand on the leading edge of NCO professionalism, has no one system for developing NCOs, he said.
In August, when a group of Malaysian officers visited the PACOM headquarters to talk about their enlisted force, Roy pointed to differences in the four U.S. armed services' NCO academy programs. "I told them that when you go out and visit our services, you will see different ways of doing it, all very successful in what they are accomplishing," he said.
As the United States helps other nations work to achieve similar successes within their own militaries, Roy said, it's also helping to build stronger regional partners.
This effort, called "capacity building," is critical for these partners to be able to carry out missions ranging from peacekeeping to humanitarian responses together.
But it's particularly important, he said, in light of pressing threats they face, particularly in the global war on terror.
"This is something we as a nation can't do alone. It's beyond our capability," Roy said. "Succeeding will take many nations working together and contributing to the effort. And as we help strengthen our partners, we're building the capacity that's needed to confront the threat."
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Gates Reflects On 60 Years of Modern Military, DoD Effectiveness
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 18, 2007 - Six decades ago, the United States' armed forces were retrofitted to better face challenges that emerged after World War II, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today in a memorandum honoring servicemembers and civilians in support of U.S. missions through the years. The National Security Act of 1947 gave shape to the modern Defense Department. Sixty years ago yesterday, James V. Forrestal -- Gates' earliest predecessor -- was sworn in as the first secretary of defense.
"On this 60th anniversary it is fitting that we recognize our vital military establishment and the men and women of the Department, military and civilian, who have served us so well and are so deserving of the respect and gratitude of the nation," Gates wrote in the memorandum.
To strengthen bonds between service branches, the act placed the Army, Navy and the newly-created Air Force departments, plus the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under the defense secretary. Gates said increasing cooperation among branches remained a constant theme as the Defense Department has evolved to a present-day posture that relies heavily on joint operations.
Today, the Defense Department is the largest U.S. government institution and serves as the nation's "ultimate protector," Gates said. Able people working within a sound organizational structure are responsible for the department's effectiveness, he said.
"In answering the nation's call to duty, whether at home in response to natural disasters or abroad in the defense of freedom, the Department of Defense has always been a 'can do' institution that has risen to the many and varied challenges of its complex and indispensable mission," Gates said.
The secretary lauded the exemplary work of prior military members and Defense Department personnel.
"As we reflect on the past sixty years," he said, "let us resolve to honor the memory of those who came before us by recommitting ourselves to ever greater levels of military effectiveness and efficiency for this department in service to the nation."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 18, 2007 - Six decades ago, the United States' armed forces were retrofitted to better face challenges that emerged after World War II, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today in a memorandum honoring servicemembers and civilians in support of U.S. missions through the years. The National Security Act of 1947 gave shape to the modern Defense Department. Sixty years ago yesterday, James V. Forrestal -- Gates' earliest predecessor -- was sworn in as the first secretary of defense.
"On this 60th anniversary it is fitting that we recognize our vital military establishment and the men and women of the Department, military and civilian, who have served us so well and are so deserving of the respect and gratitude of the nation," Gates wrote in the memorandum.
To strengthen bonds between service branches, the act placed the Army, Navy and the newly-created Air Force departments, plus the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under the defense secretary. Gates said increasing cooperation among branches remained a constant theme as the Defense Department has evolved to a present-day posture that relies heavily on joint operations.
Today, the Defense Department is the largest U.S. government institution and serves as the nation's "ultimate protector," Gates said. Able people working within a sound organizational structure are responsible for the department's effectiveness, he said.
"In answering the nation's call to duty, whether at home in response to natural disasters or abroad in the defense of freedom, the Department of Defense has always been a 'can do' institution that has risen to the many and varied challenges of its complex and indispensable mission," Gates said.
The secretary lauded the exemplary work of prior military members and Defense Department personnel.
"As we reflect on the past sixty years," he said, "let us resolve to honor the memory of those who came before us by recommitting ourselves to ever greater levels of military effectiveness and efficiency for this department in service to the nation."
Dod Permanently Discontinues Procurement Of Global Positioning System Selective Availability
The Department of Defense announced today that it intends to stop procuring Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites with the capability to intentionally degrade the accuracy of civil signals.
This capability, known as Selective Availability (SA), will no longer be present in the next generation of GPS satellites. Although the United States stopped the intentional degradation of GPS satellite signals by setting SA levels to zero in May 2000, this action to permanently remove SA eliminates a source of uncertainty in GPS performance that has been of concern to civil GPS users worldwide for some time. While this action will not materially improve the performance of the system, it does reflect the United States' strong commitment to users by reinforcing that this global utility can be counted on to support peaceful civil applications around the globe.
The decision to remove the capability from the next generation GPS satellites was approved by the President after a recommendation from DoD. The move coincides with the U.S. Air Force's solicitation to purchase the next generation of GPS satellites known as GPS III.
GPS is a dual-use, satellite-based system that provides accurate positioning, navigation and timing information to users worldwide. Originally developed by the Department of Defense as a military system, GPS has become a global utility. It benefits users around the world in many different applications, including aviation, road, marine and rail navigation, telecommunications, emergency response, resource exploration, mining and construction, financial transactions and many more.
This capability, known as Selective Availability (SA), will no longer be present in the next generation of GPS satellites. Although the United States stopped the intentional degradation of GPS satellite signals by setting SA levels to zero in May 2000, this action to permanently remove SA eliminates a source of uncertainty in GPS performance that has been of concern to civil GPS users worldwide for some time. While this action will not materially improve the performance of the system, it does reflect the United States' strong commitment to users by reinforcing that this global utility can be counted on to support peaceful civil applications around the globe.
The decision to remove the capability from the next generation GPS satellites was approved by the President after a recommendation from DoD. The move coincides with the U.S. Air Force's solicitation to purchase the next generation of GPS satellites known as GPS III.
GPS is a dual-use, satellite-based system that provides accurate positioning, navigation and timing information to users worldwide. Originally developed by the Department of Defense as a military system, GPS has become a global utility. It benefits users around the world in many different applications, including aviation, road, marine and rail navigation, telecommunications, emergency response, resource exploration, mining and construction, financial transactions and many more.
60 Years Old Today, Air Force Is Nation's 'Sword and Shield,' Gates Says
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 18, 2007 - The nation has stood in awe of the U.S. Air Force's "bravery and endurance," dating from the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War's outset, through two wars in Asia and to today's global conflict, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. During a ceremony in the Pentagon courtyard, Gates, a former airman, spoke to hundreds who gathered to celebrate the U.S. Air Force's 60-year anniversary. Currently, the Air Force boasts a 700,000-strong force with roughly 25,000 members deployed in 120 locations around the world.
"It is the men and women of the Air Force who have for so many years made this institution what it is: the sword and shield of the nation, its sentry and its avenger," Gates said, addressing past and present airmen in the audience.
The secretary said the modern Air Force evolved from man's inherent desire to fly.
"Ever since the dawn of civilization, the idea of flight has held an unshakeable grip on the human imagination," he said. "The myths of ancient Greece, the musings of great philosophers, the charcoal sketches of Leonardo da Vinci -- all illustrated a dream that one day mankind would travel in the skies and maybe even among the stars."
Through history, flight by man alternately has been heralded by romantics as a vision of the future or panned by cynics as the wild musings of overactive minds, the secretary said. When human flight was first realized by Orville and Wilbur Wright on Dec. 17, 1903 -- albeit in primitive, yet seminal, form -- the seeds of today's U.S. Air Force were planted, Gates said.
"That first tentative and halting foray into the sky by a heavier-than-air flying machine -- a mere 10 feet above the sands of Kitty Hawk, 120 feet across the dunes -- marked more than just the dawn of the Age of Flight," he said. "It also marked the beginning of the incredible journey that brings us here today in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the United States Air Force."
The secretary noted that Army Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell -- often regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force -- gained notoriety in the early 20th century for asserting the controversial proposal that aircraft be adopted by the U.S. military. "He did so with great fervor and little tact. Senior officers took to calling him the "Kookaburra," an Australian bird more commonly known as the "laughing jackass," Gates told the audience members, who broke into laughter.
Mitchell's protege Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold realized his mentor's vision years later, becoming the first and only five-star general of the Air Force in 1949. "People would often say Billy Mitchell was years ahead of his time, but many would forget how it was also true," Arnold was quoted as saying after Mitchell's death.
"Since then and throughout the 60-year history of the Air Force," Gates said, "the American people have stood in awe as airmen continued to push the limits of bravery and endurance, as they crashed through the sound barrier many times over, and extended the range, scope and nature of air missions beyond what anyone could have imagined."
The secretary thanked special guests in the audience. They included aviators who flew in Vietnam and Korea; representatives of the Tuskegee Airmen, a corps of African-American pilots who broke the color barrier before the Air Force broke the sound barrier; and female cadets who symbolized the service's gender parity. "Many had to defy personal fears. Others had to defy societal prejudice. All demonstrated unflagging devotion. They are examples for us all," the secretary said.
Gates expressed optimism for the Air Force's future and praised cadets for their service to the United States.
"As we look back on everything that has made this birthday possible, let us also look forward to many more birthdays as the Air Force continues its dominance of air, space and cyberspace," he said. "You represent the best our military, and our nation has to offer, a long and distinguished heritage of courage and endless horizons of innovation."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 18, 2007 - The nation has stood in awe of the U.S. Air Force's "bravery and endurance," dating from the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War's outset, through two wars in Asia and to today's global conflict, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. During a ceremony in the Pentagon courtyard, Gates, a former airman, spoke to hundreds who gathered to celebrate the U.S. Air Force's 60-year anniversary. Currently, the Air Force boasts a 700,000-strong force with roughly 25,000 members deployed in 120 locations around the world.
"It is the men and women of the Air Force who have for so many years made this institution what it is: the sword and shield of the nation, its sentry and its avenger," Gates said, addressing past and present airmen in the audience.
The secretary said the modern Air Force evolved from man's inherent desire to fly.
"Ever since the dawn of civilization, the idea of flight has held an unshakeable grip on the human imagination," he said. "The myths of ancient Greece, the musings of great philosophers, the charcoal sketches of Leonardo da Vinci -- all illustrated a dream that one day mankind would travel in the skies and maybe even among the stars."
Through history, flight by man alternately has been heralded by romantics as a vision of the future or panned by cynics as the wild musings of overactive minds, the secretary said. When human flight was first realized by Orville and Wilbur Wright on Dec. 17, 1903 -- albeit in primitive, yet seminal, form -- the seeds of today's U.S. Air Force were planted, Gates said.
"That first tentative and halting foray into the sky by a heavier-than-air flying machine -- a mere 10 feet above the sands of Kitty Hawk, 120 feet across the dunes -- marked more than just the dawn of the Age of Flight," he said. "It also marked the beginning of the incredible journey that brings us here today in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the United States Air Force."
The secretary noted that Army Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell -- often regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force -- gained notoriety in the early 20th century for asserting the controversial proposal that aircraft be adopted by the U.S. military. "He did so with great fervor and little tact. Senior officers took to calling him the "Kookaburra," an Australian bird more commonly known as the "laughing jackass," Gates told the audience members, who broke into laughter.
Mitchell's protege Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold realized his mentor's vision years later, becoming the first and only five-star general of the Air Force in 1949. "People would often say Billy Mitchell was years ahead of his time, but many would forget how it was also true," Arnold was quoted as saying after Mitchell's death.
"Since then and throughout the 60-year history of the Air Force," Gates said, "the American people have stood in awe as airmen continued to push the limits of bravery and endurance, as they crashed through the sound barrier many times over, and extended the range, scope and nature of air missions beyond what anyone could have imagined."
The secretary thanked special guests in the audience. They included aviators who flew in Vietnam and Korea; representatives of the Tuskegee Airmen, a corps of African-American pilots who broke the color barrier before the Air Force broke the sound barrier; and female cadets who symbolized the service's gender parity. "Many had to defy personal fears. Others had to defy societal prejudice. All demonstrated unflagging devotion. They are examples for us all," the secretary said.
Gates expressed optimism for the Air Force's future and praised cadets for their service to the United States.
"As we look back on everything that has made this birthday possible, let us also look forward to many more birthdays as the Air Force continues its dominance of air, space and cyberspace," he said. "You represent the best our military, and our nation has to offer, a long and distinguished heritage of courage and endless horizons of innovation."
Department of Defense Garners Awards for Ozone Sustainment
The U.S. Department of Defense and individual military services are being honored with multiple awards from the United Nations Environmental Programme and by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for advancements in ozone sustainment. The awards come as part of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol, considered as one of the most successful environmental treaties of all time
The "Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer," is designed to protect the ozone layer by freezing the use and production of ozone-depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and halons, because these compounds significantly damage the stratospheric ozone layer. Today, 191 countries have signed the treaty.
The Defense Department made major contributions to the success of this treaty. Despite having some of the most demanding requirements for the use of CFC refrigerants and halon fire suppressants, DOD has spearheaded research, development, and testing efforts to identify suitable alternatives, and has one of the most aggressive and effective ozone-depleting substances phase-out programs in the world. As a result, since 1989, DOD has reduced usage of ozone damaging substances from over 12 million pounds down to less than half a million pounds, a 96 percent reduction.
The full list of United Nations awards that are being presented to the DOD and military services can be found at: http://ozone.unep.org/Public_Information/4C_PublicInfo_Awards.shtml.
The "Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer," is designed to protect the ozone layer by freezing the use and production of ozone-depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and halons, because these compounds significantly damage the stratospheric ozone layer. Today, 191 countries have signed the treaty.
The Defense Department made major contributions to the success of this treaty. Despite having some of the most demanding requirements for the use of CFC refrigerants and halon fire suppressants, DOD has spearheaded research, development, and testing efforts to identify suitable alternatives, and has one of the most aggressive and effective ozone-depleting substances phase-out programs in the world. As a result, since 1989, DOD has reduced usage of ozone damaging substances from over 12 million pounds down to less than half a million pounds, a 96 percent reduction.
The full list of United Nations awards that are being presented to the DOD and military services can be found at: http://ozone.unep.org/Public_Information/4C_PublicInfo_Awards.shtml.
Gates Presents 'Realist's View of Promoting Democracy Abroad'
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates presented his "realist's view" of promoting democracy abroad during a speech delivered at the World Forum on the Future of Democracy here today. Gates said democratic reform takes time, and to abandon Iraq would be a setback for freedom and stability in the region, and it would not be in the United States' best interest.
"For America to leave Iraq and the Middle East in chaos would betray and demoralize our allies there and in the region, while emboldening our most dangerous adversaries," Gates said. "To abandon an Iraq where just two years ago 12 million people quite literally risked their lives to vote for a constitutional democracy would be an offense to our interests as well as our values, a setback for the cause of freedom as well as the goal of stability."
The secretary spoke to a group of international delegates, scholars and leaders gathered for the World Forum on the Future of Democracy. The final conference in a yearlong series, the World Forum brought together top leaders from 16 countries to examine the global advance of democracy, its challenges and prospects.
Gates told the group that the United States must balance its practical and ideological interests in its efforts to spread democracy.
While not specific about a timeline in Iraq, he said it could take "many years or decades" for democratic values to take hold across the globe. He added that Americans should look to the United States' early years when becoming impatient with progress in other regions.
"We would do well to be mindful of the turbulence of our own early history as we contemplate the challenges facing contemporary fledgling democracies struggling to find their footing," Gates said. "Four hundred years removed from those early days, it is all too easy to forget about these stormy beginnings."
And, Gates said, the United States cannot allow what may appear to be discouraging progress to dissuade its idealistic goals.
"Though achievement of the ideal may be limited by time, space, resources, or human nature, we must not allow ourselves to discard or disparage the ideal itself. It is vital that we speak out about what we believe and let the world know where we stand. It is vital that we give hope and aid to those who seek freedom," he said.
Gates called Afghanistan a litmus test of whether an alliance of advanced democracies can still make sacrifices and meet commitments to promote democracy. He said that America and its allies want stability in the region that was once home to al Qaeda and "one of the most oppressive governments in the world." But, some are now reluctant to dedicate the resources and forces to the region.
"For our friends and allies, as well as for our enemies and potential adversaries, our commitment to democratic values must be matched by actions," the secretary said. "It would be a mark of shame on all of us if an alliance built on the foundation of democratic values were to falter at the very moment that it tries to lay that foundation for democracy elsewhere, especially in a mission that is crucial to our own security."
During the 20-minute speech, Gates joked about his own self-described pessimism while serving in intelligence. And, today -- with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an ambitious and fanatical theocracy in Iran, a nuclear North Korea and terrorism -- there would seem to be ample grounds for pessimism, Gates said.
But, from a wider perspective, there has been record growth in human freedom since 1989, he said.
"Hundreds of millions of people -- from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, to South Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere -- have been liberated; they have left the darkness of despotism and walked into the bright sunshine of freedom," Gates said. "Many have seized the opportunity, and freedom has prospered and strengthened. Others liberated from the yoke of tyrannical ideologies or dictators continue to struggle to fully realize the dream. At no time in history, though, has freedom come to so many in so short a time."
In every case, the United States played a role in their liberation, he said.
Gates said the underlying theme of American history is that we are compelled to defend our security and our interests in ways that, in the long run, lead to the spread of democratic values and institutions.
"The spread of liberty both manifests our ideals and protects our interests. In making the world safe for democracy, we are also the champion and vindicator of our own," he said.
The secretary acknowledged the price America has paid for its own freedoms and those of others.
"It is our country's tragedy and our glory that the tender shoots of freedom around the world for so many decades have been so often nourished with American blood," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates presented his "realist's view" of promoting democracy abroad during a speech delivered at the World Forum on the Future of Democracy here today. Gates said democratic reform takes time, and to abandon Iraq would be a setback for freedom and stability in the region, and it would not be in the United States' best interest.
"For America to leave Iraq and the Middle East in chaos would betray and demoralize our allies there and in the region, while emboldening our most dangerous adversaries," Gates said. "To abandon an Iraq where just two years ago 12 million people quite literally risked their lives to vote for a constitutional democracy would be an offense to our interests as well as our values, a setback for the cause of freedom as well as the goal of stability."
The secretary spoke to a group of international delegates, scholars and leaders gathered for the World Forum on the Future of Democracy. The final conference in a yearlong series, the World Forum brought together top leaders from 16 countries to examine the global advance of democracy, its challenges and prospects.
Gates told the group that the United States must balance its practical and ideological interests in its efforts to spread democracy.
While not specific about a timeline in Iraq, he said it could take "many years or decades" for democratic values to take hold across the globe. He added that Americans should look to the United States' early years when becoming impatient with progress in other regions.
"We would do well to be mindful of the turbulence of our own early history as we contemplate the challenges facing contemporary fledgling democracies struggling to find their footing," Gates said. "Four hundred years removed from those early days, it is all too easy to forget about these stormy beginnings."
And, Gates said, the United States cannot allow what may appear to be discouraging progress to dissuade its idealistic goals.
"Though achievement of the ideal may be limited by time, space, resources, or human nature, we must not allow ourselves to discard or disparage the ideal itself. It is vital that we speak out about what we believe and let the world know where we stand. It is vital that we give hope and aid to those who seek freedom," he said.
Gates called Afghanistan a litmus test of whether an alliance of advanced democracies can still make sacrifices and meet commitments to promote democracy. He said that America and its allies want stability in the region that was once home to al Qaeda and "one of the most oppressive governments in the world." But, some are now reluctant to dedicate the resources and forces to the region.
"For our friends and allies, as well as for our enemies and potential adversaries, our commitment to democratic values must be matched by actions," the secretary said. "It would be a mark of shame on all of us if an alliance built on the foundation of democratic values were to falter at the very moment that it tries to lay that foundation for democracy elsewhere, especially in a mission that is crucial to our own security."
During the 20-minute speech, Gates joked about his own self-described pessimism while serving in intelligence. And, today -- with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an ambitious and fanatical theocracy in Iran, a nuclear North Korea and terrorism -- there would seem to be ample grounds for pessimism, Gates said.
But, from a wider perspective, there has been record growth in human freedom since 1989, he said.
"Hundreds of millions of people -- from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, to South Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere -- have been liberated; they have left the darkness of despotism and walked into the bright sunshine of freedom," Gates said. "Many have seized the opportunity, and freedom has prospered and strengthened. Others liberated from the yoke of tyrannical ideologies or dictators continue to struggle to fully realize the dream. At no time in history, though, has freedom come to so many in so short a time."
In every case, the United States played a role in their liberation, he said.
Gates said the underlying theme of American history is that we are compelled to defend our security and our interests in ways that, in the long run, lead to the spread of democratic values and institutions.
"The spread of liberty both manifests our ideals and protects our interests. In making the world safe for democracy, we are also the champion and vindicator of our own," he said.
The secretary acknowledged the price America has paid for its own freedoms and those of others.
"It is our country's tragedy and our glory that the tender shoots of freedom around the world for so many decades have been so often nourished with American blood," he said.
Media Icon Sheds Light on 'Signature Wound'
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2007 - On Jan. 29, 2006, a roadside-bomb explosion near Taji, Iraq, started one TV news personality on a journey from war correspondent to casualty of war, and finally to co-founder of a fund-raising organization to improve awareness about traumatic brain injury. Bob Woodruff, then co-anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight," was reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, the tank he was riding in was hit. The blast left the reporter with a traumatic brain injury.
During his recovery, he gained personal insight into what many servicemembers injured in Iraq are enduring, which prompted him and his family to found the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.
"The (fund) assists servicemembers injured while serving in the United States armed forces," Rene Bardorf, the fund's executive director, said. "Bob Woodruff and his family have become the face of the injured with whom both military and civilian sectors can relate."
More importantly, servicemembers and their families have said Woodruff's role as a journalist gave a voice to servicemembers who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, she added.
"We believe that the Bob Woodruff Family Fund has a unique opportunity to assist servicemembers and their families by increasing public awareness and educating the American public on the hidden injuries of war," Bardorf said.
Often referred to as "the signature wound of the Iraq war," traumatic brain injury can cause lingering problems with speech and concentration. It also can trigger mood difficulties, including violence and anger issues, according to the fund's Web site.
The fund works with private industry and government entities to develop public awareness and advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
"We are committed to partnerships with the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and private industry to develop excellence in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and resources for the injured," Bardorf said. "We are truly hopeful that we will help to ensure that our young heroes and their families have access to a lifetime of state-of-the-art treatment options, education, employment opportunities, and other long-term support to help them reintegrate back into their communities."
After five months in a medically induced coma, Woodruff awoke on March 6, 2006. Through intensive speech and cognitive therapy and the relearning of what most would consider simple tasks, the reporter provided ABC with "To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports" in February. The documentary detailed his recovery and looked closely at how traumatic brain injuries affect soldiers wounded in Iraq.
Since then, Woodruff has been making regular contributions to ABC news programming.
The Bob Woodruff Family Fund recently became a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military members and their families serving at home and abroad.
"We're excited to collaborate with this DoD-sponsored nationwide program that recognizes the American public's support for our military men and women and communicates that support to servicemembers," Bardorf said. "It is our hope that this support will serve to improve the quality of life for our injured servicemembers, veterans and their families."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 17, 2007 - On Jan. 29, 2006, a roadside-bomb explosion near Taji, Iraq, started one TV news personality on a journey from war correspondent to casualty of war, and finally to co-founder of a fund-raising organization to improve awareness about traumatic brain injury. Bob Woodruff, then co-anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight," was reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, the tank he was riding in was hit. The blast left the reporter with a traumatic brain injury.
During his recovery, he gained personal insight into what many servicemembers injured in Iraq are enduring, which prompted him and his family to found the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.
"The (fund) assists servicemembers injured while serving in the United States armed forces," Rene Bardorf, the fund's executive director, said. "Bob Woodruff and his family have become the face of the injured with whom both military and civilian sectors can relate."
More importantly, servicemembers and their families have said Woodruff's role as a journalist gave a voice to servicemembers who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, she added.
"We believe that the Bob Woodruff Family Fund has a unique opportunity to assist servicemembers and their families by increasing public awareness and educating the American public on the hidden injuries of war," Bardorf said.
Often referred to as "the signature wound of the Iraq war," traumatic brain injury can cause lingering problems with speech and concentration. It also can trigger mood difficulties, including violence and anger issues, according to the fund's Web site.
The fund works with private industry and government entities to develop public awareness and advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
"We are committed to partnerships with the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and private industry to develop excellence in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and resources for the injured," Bardorf said. "We are truly hopeful that we will help to ensure that our young heroes and their families have access to a lifetime of state-of-the-art treatment options, education, employment opportunities, and other long-term support to help them reintegrate back into their communities."
After five months in a medically induced coma, Woodruff awoke on March 6, 2006. Through intensive speech and cognitive therapy and the relearning of what most would consider simple tasks, the reporter provided ABC with "To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports" in February. The documentary detailed his recovery and looked closely at how traumatic brain injuries affect soldiers wounded in Iraq.
Since then, Woodruff has been making regular contributions to ABC news programming.
The Bob Woodruff Family Fund recently became a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military members and their families serving at home and abroad.
"We're excited to collaborate with this DoD-sponsored nationwide program that recognizes the American public's support for our military men and women and communicates that support to servicemembers," Bardorf said. "It is our hope that this support will serve to improve the quality of life for our injured servicemembers, veterans and their families."
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Police Books from Southern California
Editor's note: One of the authors is a former servicemember.
September 16, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists nearly 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police authors from Southern California.
Jeff Cope retired from the Huntington Beach Police Department after 29 years as a Lieutenant in charge of the Investigation Bureau. He is a POST Master Instructor and is Program Manager for the POST Institute of Criminal Investigation Instructor Development Program and is a consultant and expert witness specializing in Force Issues, Police Practices and related topics. He has taught at the Criminal Justice Training Center at Golden West College for 22 years and also teaches in the ICI Instructor Update Workshop Jeff Cope is the author of Weaponless Control: For Law Enforcement and Security Personnel.
Currently an investigator with the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Bureau, Tony Alvarez’s law enforcement career began with the Los Angeles Police Department and spanned more than twenty-six years. For twenty-one of his twenty-six years with LAPD, he was a detective assigned to Narcotics Division. As a Detective supervisor assigned to the Major Violator Section of the Narcotics Group (LAPD), Detective Tony Alvarez gained extensive experience in the field of undercover operations, surveillance and informant control, development and management.
Tony Alvarez has been a contributing writer for the California Narcotic Officer's Association quarterly magazine. He is an instructor for the California Narcotic Officer's Association on Narcotic Officer Survival and has made his training presentations at the FBI Academy in Quantico (Virginia); and, has also instructed local, state and federal officers nationwide. In 1995, Detective Tony Alvarez was awarded the DEA Award of Valor, the INEOA Medal of Valor and the Al Steward Memorial Award (California Narcotic Officer of the Year). In 1996, he was awarded the LAPD Medal of Valor. He is the author of Undercover Operations Survival in Narcotics Investigations.
According to the book description of Undercover Operations Survival in Narcotics Investigations, “undercover work is one of the most dangerous yet challenging types of police investigation, requiring extensive tactical preparedness and close continuing assessment throughout the operation. If proper planning is lacking, explosive conflict can occur without warning. The author presents the wide range of considerations necessary to execute safe undercover teamwork, eliminating complacency, demonstrating how to seize contraband, obtain evidence and arrest violators. Conducted properly and safely, investigations provide immediate gratification to all involved. Furthermore, the techniques and procedures outline in this book can be easily adapted to any undercover operation.”
Ralph Askew was born in 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio. He spent a total of 10 years in the Ohio National Guard, the California National Guard and the United States Marine Corps where he developed an interest in military history. After graduating from UCLA, he joined the LAPD where he spent most of his patrol time at the Newton Street Patrol Division as a training officer. He retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after 21 years. He is the author of Battleslave.
According to the book description of Battleslave, “Chrisinda Balderack, a battledroid, was artificially produced in a laboratory solely for the purpose of fighting wars for the Galaxy. The production of battledroids meant that planets associated with the Galaxy did not have to provide the Galaxy with their own men to be killed in a far off war. Very few battleroids ever returned home. Many of the missions the battledroids were sent on were without support. They were trained to kill their wounded to prevent them from falling into enemy hand, and revealing the objective of the mission or slowing down its completion. Battledroids were trained to have no feelings. After meeting a young girl her own age, Chrisinda develops emotions and feeling for her own fellow battledroids and finds that she cannot bring herself to kill her fellow wounded.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 741 police officers (representing 344 police departments) and their 1581 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.
September 16, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists nearly 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police authors from Southern California.
Jeff Cope retired from the Huntington Beach Police Department after 29 years as a Lieutenant in charge of the Investigation Bureau. He is a POST Master Instructor and is Program Manager for the POST Institute of Criminal Investigation Instructor Development Program and is a consultant and expert witness specializing in Force Issues, Police Practices and related topics. He has taught at the Criminal Justice Training Center at Golden West College for 22 years and also teaches in the ICI Instructor Update Workshop Jeff Cope is the author of Weaponless Control: For Law Enforcement and Security Personnel.
Currently an investigator with the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Bureau, Tony Alvarez’s law enforcement career began with the Los Angeles Police Department and spanned more than twenty-six years. For twenty-one of his twenty-six years with LAPD, he was a detective assigned to Narcotics Division. As a Detective supervisor assigned to the Major Violator Section of the Narcotics Group (LAPD), Detective Tony Alvarez gained extensive experience in the field of undercover operations, surveillance and informant control, development and management.
Tony Alvarez has been a contributing writer for the California Narcotic Officer's Association quarterly magazine. He is an instructor for the California Narcotic Officer's Association on Narcotic Officer Survival and has made his training presentations at the FBI Academy in Quantico (Virginia); and, has also instructed local, state and federal officers nationwide. In 1995, Detective Tony Alvarez was awarded the DEA Award of Valor, the INEOA Medal of Valor and the Al Steward Memorial Award (California Narcotic Officer of the Year). In 1996, he was awarded the LAPD Medal of Valor. He is the author of Undercover Operations Survival in Narcotics Investigations.
According to the book description of Undercover Operations Survival in Narcotics Investigations, “undercover work is one of the most dangerous yet challenging types of police investigation, requiring extensive tactical preparedness and close continuing assessment throughout the operation. If proper planning is lacking, explosive conflict can occur without warning. The author presents the wide range of considerations necessary to execute safe undercover teamwork, eliminating complacency, demonstrating how to seize contraband, obtain evidence and arrest violators. Conducted properly and safely, investigations provide immediate gratification to all involved. Furthermore, the techniques and procedures outline in this book can be easily adapted to any undercover operation.”
Ralph Askew was born in 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio. He spent a total of 10 years in the Ohio National Guard, the California National Guard and the United States Marine Corps where he developed an interest in military history. After graduating from UCLA, he joined the LAPD where he spent most of his patrol time at the Newton Street Patrol Division as a training officer. He retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after 21 years. He is the author of Battleslave.
According to the book description of Battleslave, “Chrisinda Balderack, a battledroid, was artificially produced in a laboratory solely for the purpose of fighting wars for the Galaxy. The production of battledroids meant that planets associated with the Galaxy did not have to provide the Galaxy with their own men to be killed in a far off war. Very few battleroids ever returned home. Many of the missions the battledroids were sent on were without support. They were trained to kill their wounded to prevent them from falling into enemy hand, and revealing the objective of the mission or slowing down its completion. Battledroids were trained to have no feelings. After meeting a young girl her own age, Chrisinda develops emotions and feeling for her own fellow battledroids and finds that she cannot bring herself to kill her fellow wounded.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 741 police officers (representing 344 police departments) and their 1581 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.
New Sailor Finds Focus, Direction in Joining Military
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2007 - Members of Scott Harpley's Ringgold High School graduation class in northern Georgia probably wouldn't recognize the driven young sailor squeezed into seat 51F on an airplane yesterday headed here to his first duty assignment. At age 22, U.S. Navy Fireman Apprentice Harpley is much more – and in some cases, much less – of a man than the one who took more than four years to finish high school because he so often simply didn't show up.
"I was bored," said Harpley of his high school days. He said he spent a lot more time in front of the TV than in the classroom, and packed on so much weight the military wouldn't consider taking him.
After high school, Harpley bounced from one job to another, dishing up fast food, working retail, stocking warehouse shelves and even driving cross-country selling magazines. Nothing kept his interest for long.
But yesterday, as he prepared to begin his first military assignment, as a weapons mechanic aboard the Navy submarine USS Pasadena, Harpley said he thinks he's finally something he'll be able to stick with for the next 20 years.
Harpley dropped 170 pounds over a year-and-a-half to join the Navy. He started by eating just a single granola bar each day but started to get sick. So he reverted to a regime of healthy eating and demanding workouts while pulling 10-to-14-hour workdays in construction.
"I'm a lot more active now," said Harpley, whose 6-foot-2-inch frame now carries 212 pounds, about half its former bulk.
Since enlisting into the Navy submarine force in January, Harpley's performance has demonstrated a dramatic turnaround, too. He's excelled at everything he's done. He was the top graduate in his boot camp class at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Ill., then earned the Number 2 spots in both his basic mechanic and "A" schools.
His class standings earned him the chance to choose a coveted first assignment aboard a sub homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Already, when his Honolulu-bound plane had barely left the U.S. mainland, Harpley was setting his sights on what he wants to accomplish when he arrives. The first order of business, he said, will be to earn the submarine warfare pin that means he's a fully qualified submariner.
Although the qualification process typically takes about nine months, Harpley's committed to finishing it in six months, max. "It's another step in my training. I know I can do it if I set my sights on it," he said. "I'm quick."
Not yet with his unit, Harpley said he has "no idea" when he and his crewmates will deploy together. He said he's ready to go and anxious to see as much of he world as the Navy can show him.
"I'm looking forward to going and doing my job and do the things I've been training for months to learn how to do," he said.
"I'm going to give them the hard work they want, and they're going to do a lot of things for me too," he said. He rattled off the long list of benefits that will come with his service: medical and dental care and educational benefits, among them.
"I'm going to go as far as I can until I retire or they kick me out," he said with a smile. "I'm ready to go."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2007 - Members of Scott Harpley's Ringgold High School graduation class in northern Georgia probably wouldn't recognize the driven young sailor squeezed into seat 51F on an airplane yesterday headed here to his first duty assignment. At age 22, U.S. Navy Fireman Apprentice Harpley is much more – and in some cases, much less – of a man than the one who took more than four years to finish high school because he so often simply didn't show up.
"I was bored," said Harpley of his high school days. He said he spent a lot more time in front of the TV than in the classroom, and packed on so much weight the military wouldn't consider taking him.
After high school, Harpley bounced from one job to another, dishing up fast food, working retail, stocking warehouse shelves and even driving cross-country selling magazines. Nothing kept his interest for long.
But yesterday, as he prepared to begin his first military assignment, as a weapons mechanic aboard the Navy submarine USS Pasadena, Harpley said he thinks he's finally something he'll be able to stick with for the next 20 years.
Harpley dropped 170 pounds over a year-and-a-half to join the Navy. He started by eating just a single granola bar each day but started to get sick. So he reverted to a regime of healthy eating and demanding workouts while pulling 10-to-14-hour workdays in construction.
"I'm a lot more active now," said Harpley, whose 6-foot-2-inch frame now carries 212 pounds, about half its former bulk.
Since enlisting into the Navy submarine force in January, Harpley's performance has demonstrated a dramatic turnaround, too. He's excelled at everything he's done. He was the top graduate in his boot camp class at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Ill., then earned the Number 2 spots in both his basic mechanic and "A" schools.
His class standings earned him the chance to choose a coveted first assignment aboard a sub homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Already, when his Honolulu-bound plane had barely left the U.S. mainland, Harpley was setting his sights on what he wants to accomplish when he arrives. The first order of business, he said, will be to earn the submarine warfare pin that means he's a fully qualified submariner.
Although the qualification process typically takes about nine months, Harpley's committed to finishing it in six months, max. "It's another step in my training. I know I can do it if I set my sights on it," he said. "I'm quick."
Not yet with his unit, Harpley said he has "no idea" when he and his crewmates will deploy together. He said he's ready to go and anxious to see as much of he world as the Navy can show him.
"I'm looking forward to going and doing my job and do the things I've been training for months to learn how to do," he said.
"I'm going to give them the hard work they want, and they're going to do a lot of things for me too," he said. He rattled off the long list of benefits that will come with his service: medical and dental care and educational benefits, among them.
"I'm going to go as far as I can until I retire or they kick me out," he said with a smile. "I'm ready to go."
Saturday, September 15, 2007
U.S. Helping Iraqis to Achieve Freedom, Marine Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - When people ask him why the U.S. military should be helping Iraq establish a free and stable society, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jeremy M. de Vries cites how France helped the American colonies gain their independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. De Vries is one of eight servicemembers who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been speaking to American community groups and businesses across the nation as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public-outreach program.
"If it wasn't for the French support, with supplies and training and the naval blockade, we wouldn't be the country that we are" today, de Vries pointed out.
U.S.-provided military, diplomatic and economic assistance is giving Iraqis "a good opportunity to experience more freedom than they've ever had," after enduring decades of dictatorship under Saddam Hussein, de Vries said during an interview with American Forces Press Service.
Last year, the 31-year-old noncommissioned officer spent 11 months overseas helping Iraqi soldiers to hone their logistics, weaponry and other skills. As a result, Iraqi troops are performing better across-the-board, de Vries, a military logistics chief, said.
Ongoing training and development of Iraq's post-Saddam security forces is making "slow progress, but any progress is a good thing," de Vries pointed out.
Canadian-born de Vries traveled a long road before joining the Marine Corps, moving to the United States with his parents from London, Ontario, in 1991. The de Vries family first lived in Macon, Ga., he recalled, before moving to Tennessee.
De Vries joined the Marines in 1994, after graduating from high school in his adopted hometown of Crossville, Tenn.
"I like the prestige and honor that come from being a Marine," de Vries explained. "People always know what a Marine is."
"I like being part of a big team," de Vries added.
Why We Serve is "a great program," de Vries said, noting the audiences he encounters on his speaking tours are made up of U.S. citizens "who just want to know and be involved with what their country is doing."
"We definitely like what we do," he said.
The Why We Serve program was the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and it began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military, are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
De Vries has a ready answer when citizens ask him why the U.S. military is involved in Iraq.
"We're there to provide freedom to a country that deserves it, that had been under the heel of a dictator for so many years," de Vries said.
De Vries said he sees the logic in confronting terrorists overseas, rather than having to fight them in the homeland.
"No one likes to spend time away from their family," he acknowledged. "In a perfect world, yeah, we wouldn't have terrorism, and then we'd be at home."
However, the reality is that dangerous terrorists operating overseas want to attack and kill Americans, he pointed out. "It is better that we take them out at the source," de Vries said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - When people ask him why the U.S. military should be helping Iraq establish a free and stable society, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jeremy M. de Vries cites how France helped the American colonies gain their independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. De Vries is one of eight servicemembers who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been speaking to American community groups and businesses across the nation as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public-outreach program.
"If it wasn't for the French support, with supplies and training and the naval blockade, we wouldn't be the country that we are" today, de Vries pointed out.
U.S.-provided military, diplomatic and economic assistance is giving Iraqis "a good opportunity to experience more freedom than they've ever had," after enduring decades of dictatorship under Saddam Hussein, de Vries said during an interview with American Forces Press Service.
Last year, the 31-year-old noncommissioned officer spent 11 months overseas helping Iraqi soldiers to hone their logistics, weaponry and other skills. As a result, Iraqi troops are performing better across-the-board, de Vries, a military logistics chief, said.
Ongoing training and development of Iraq's post-Saddam security forces is making "slow progress, but any progress is a good thing," de Vries pointed out.
Canadian-born de Vries traveled a long road before joining the Marine Corps, moving to the United States with his parents from London, Ontario, in 1991. The de Vries family first lived in Macon, Ga., he recalled, before moving to Tennessee.
De Vries joined the Marines in 1994, after graduating from high school in his adopted hometown of Crossville, Tenn.
"I like the prestige and honor that come from being a Marine," de Vries explained. "People always know what a Marine is."
"I like being part of a big team," de Vries added.
Why We Serve is "a great program," de Vries said, noting the audiences he encounters on his speaking tours are made up of U.S. citizens "who just want to know and be involved with what their country is doing."
"We definitely like what we do," he said.
The Why We Serve program was the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and it began in the fall of 2006. Eight servicemembers, two from each branch of the military, are chosen to participate in the program each quarter.
De Vries has a ready answer when citizens ask him why the U.S. military is involved in Iraq.
"We're there to provide freedom to a country that deserves it, that had been under the heel of a dictator for so many years," de Vries said.
De Vries said he sees the logic in confronting terrorists overseas, rather than having to fight them in the homeland.
"No one likes to spend time away from their family," he acknowledged. "In a perfect world, yeah, we wouldn't have terrorism, and then we'd be at home."
However, the reality is that dangerous terrorists operating overseas want to attack and kill Americans, he pointed out. "It is better that we take them out at the source," de Vries said.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Gala Honors Outstanding Leadership
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - Paralyzed Veterans of America held its annual Americana Gala at the National Building Museum here last night. In keeping with the evening's theme of "Building a Better Tomorrow," the event paid tribute to visionary individuals and corporate leaders who have championed improved quality of life for veterans and people with disabilities. These improvements include working toward an accessible, barrier-free America and ensuring better access to job-seeking tools and employment opportunities.
"Imagine an America where veterans with disabilities and their families have everything they need to thrive," said Homer S. Townsend Jr., the organization's acting executive director. "Through their leadership, the people and businesses we honor tonight are helping paralyzed veterans make this vision a reality."
Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao received the 2007 Honor for Public Service Award for her enduring service and her advocacy for the veteran community. U.S. Rep. James Langevin of Rhode Island received the 2007 Congressional Award for his long-time support of both the Paralyzed Veterans of America and veterans. Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia received the 2007 Patriotic Award for his longtime advocacy for veterans with disabilities.
Additionally, the group presented Michael Graves of the Michael Graves and Associates architectural firm with the 2007 Health and Design Award for his efforts to maximize the independence of people with disabilities and his leadership and innovation in the creation of quality medical devices. United Parcel Service received the 2007 Award for Corporate Leadership for its enduring advocacy for people and veterans with disabilities.
Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization solely for the benefit and representation of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. The organization has more than 19,000 members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
(From a Paralyzed Veterans of America news release.)
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.
Sept. 14, 2007 - Paralyzed Veterans of America held its annual Americana Gala at the National Building Museum here last night. In keeping with the evening's theme of "Building a Better Tomorrow," the event paid tribute to visionary individuals and corporate leaders who have championed improved quality of life for veterans and people with disabilities. These improvements include working toward an accessible, barrier-free America and ensuring better access to job-seeking tools and employment opportunities.
"Imagine an America where veterans with disabilities and their families have everything they need to thrive," said Homer S. Townsend Jr., the organization's acting executive director. "Through their leadership, the people and businesses we honor tonight are helping paralyzed veterans make this vision a reality."
Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao received the 2007 Honor for Public Service Award for her enduring service and her advocacy for the veteran community. U.S. Rep. James Langevin of Rhode Island received the 2007 Congressional Award for his long-time support of both the Paralyzed Veterans of America and veterans. Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia received the 2007 Patriotic Award for his longtime advocacy for veterans with disabilities.
Additionally, the group presented Michael Graves of the Michael Graves and Associates architectural firm with the 2007 Health and Design Award for his efforts to maximize the independence of people with disabilities and his leadership and innovation in the creation of quality medical devices. United Parcel Service received the 2007 Award for Corporate Leadership for its enduring advocacy for people and veterans with disabilities.
Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization solely for the benefit and representation of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. The organization has more than 19,000 members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
(From a Paralyzed Veterans of America news release.)
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.
New Center Makes Good on Military's Commitment to Wounded Warriors
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - The new Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here represents "an evolution in how we embrace, treat and honor," wounded warriors, the Army vice chief of staff said at yesterday's opening ceremony.
Gen. Richard A. Cody said the new center demonstrates the military's commitment to doing everything within its power to help wounded troops heal and go on to live productive lives.
The 31,000-square-foot, $10 million center offers some of the most state-of-the-art care found anywhere in the world and makes good on the military's promise to take care of people "no matter the time, no matter the cost," Cody said. "This nation will always stand behind you and your families," he told the patients at the ceremony.
Cody said the new center will be a source of inspiration, both through the care provided and the drive patients show as they work to move beyond their injuries.
"On a daily basis, this center will be witness to incredible acts of kindness and medical professionalism and of personal courage and our warriors' indomitable spirit," the general said.
The center will become the focus of "hard-won victories, painful breakthroughs, investment of sweat and tears and heart" that will become a source of pride to all who witness the fortitude and courage of young men and women within the ranks, Cody said.
Retired Army Gen. Frederick M. Franks Jr., who continued his military career after losing the lower half of his left leg during the Vietnam War, said he's inspired by the heroism he's seen among wounded troops being treated at Walter Reed.
"You are immediately struck by their quiet courage, go-forward attitude, fierce determination and commitment to their fellow soldiers and to our country," he said.
The opening of the new Military Advanced Training Center demonstrates that the military reaches out to its wounded troops and makes good on its commitment to them, Franks told the audience. "Such a bond of trust is powerful and will be sustained," he said.
Veteran Affairs Secretary James Nicholson joined Cody and Franks in praising the new center that "brings together heroism, miracles, competence, compassion and a nation's kept promise to our wounded warriors." Battlefield wounds no longer mean that wounded troops must shelve their personal dreams or settle for less than fulfilling careers, he said.
"Today, with the opening of this training center, the lives of our soldiers wounded in the defense of freedom will have the opportunity for new avenues of hope and reality, new hope for a brighter future, including, for many, that of staying on active duty," he said.
Nicholson said he's often struck during visits to patients at Walter Reed that their biggest wish is to get back to duty with their units.
"This speaks volumes about the quality of leadership in their chain of command and about their satisfaction in what they are doing to thwart terrorism and to protect America," he said. "It also speaks volumes about the quality of medical care and rehabilitation services that they receive here at Walter Reed."
The new center will help enhance programs already available to help them. "And it will do so with the state-of-the-art, new, 21st-century technologies and advances in rehabilitation, and the most dedicated staff that I've ever met," Nicholson said.
"Those warriors did not stop serving their country when they were wounded. Most of them will tell you they've only been sidelined," he continued. "And now, with the tools of the 21st century at our disposal ... and the staff of these miracle workers here at the Military Advanced Training Center, we will be helping those young men and women put back on their uniforms wherever possible."
For those unable to do so, who go on to the VA medical-care system, Nicholson promised "that same blend of competence and compassion."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - The new Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here represents "an evolution in how we embrace, treat and honor," wounded warriors, the Army vice chief of staff said at yesterday's opening ceremony.
Gen. Richard A. Cody said the new center demonstrates the military's commitment to doing everything within its power to help wounded troops heal and go on to live productive lives.
The 31,000-square-foot, $10 million center offers some of the most state-of-the-art care found anywhere in the world and makes good on the military's promise to take care of people "no matter the time, no matter the cost," Cody said. "This nation will always stand behind you and your families," he told the patients at the ceremony.
Cody said the new center will be a source of inspiration, both through the care provided and the drive patients show as they work to move beyond their injuries.
"On a daily basis, this center will be witness to incredible acts of kindness and medical professionalism and of personal courage and our warriors' indomitable spirit," the general said.
The center will become the focus of "hard-won victories, painful breakthroughs, investment of sweat and tears and heart" that will become a source of pride to all who witness the fortitude and courage of young men and women within the ranks, Cody said.
Retired Army Gen. Frederick M. Franks Jr., who continued his military career after losing the lower half of his left leg during the Vietnam War, said he's inspired by the heroism he's seen among wounded troops being treated at Walter Reed.
"You are immediately struck by their quiet courage, go-forward attitude, fierce determination and commitment to their fellow soldiers and to our country," he said.
The opening of the new Military Advanced Training Center demonstrates that the military reaches out to its wounded troops and makes good on its commitment to them, Franks told the audience. "Such a bond of trust is powerful and will be sustained," he said.
Veteran Affairs Secretary James Nicholson joined Cody and Franks in praising the new center that "brings together heroism, miracles, competence, compassion and a nation's kept promise to our wounded warriors." Battlefield wounds no longer mean that wounded troops must shelve their personal dreams or settle for less than fulfilling careers, he said.
"Today, with the opening of this training center, the lives of our soldiers wounded in the defense of freedom will have the opportunity for new avenues of hope and reality, new hope for a brighter future, including, for many, that of staying on active duty," he said.
Nicholson said he's often struck during visits to patients at Walter Reed that their biggest wish is to get back to duty with their units.
"This speaks volumes about the quality of leadership in their chain of command and about their satisfaction in what they are doing to thwart terrorism and to protect America," he said. "It also speaks volumes about the quality of medical care and rehabilitation services that they receive here at Walter Reed."
The new center will help enhance programs already available to help them. "And it will do so with the state-of-the-art, new, 21st-century technologies and advances in rehabilitation, and the most dedicated staff that I've ever met," Nicholson said.
"Those warriors did not stop serving their country when they were wounded. Most of them will tell you they've only been sidelined," he continued. "And now, with the tools of the 21st century at our disposal ... and the staff of these miracle workers here at the Military Advanced Training Center, we will be helping those young men and women put back on their uniforms wherever possible."
For those unable to do so, who go on to the VA medical-care system, Nicholson promised "that same blend of competence and compassion."
Marine Missing From Korean War Is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Pfc. Carl A. West, U.S. Marine Corps, of Amanda Park, Washington. He will be buried Oct. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
West was a member of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, of the 1st Marine Division deployed near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. On Nov. 27, 1950, three Communist Chinese divisions launched an attack on the Marine positions. Over the next several days, U.S. forces staged a fighting withdrawal to the south, first to Hagaru-ri, then Koto-ri, and eventually to defensive positions at Hungnam. West died on Dec. 8, 1950, as a result of enemy action near Koto-ri. He was buried by fellow Marines in a temporary U.N. military cemetery in Hungnam, which fell to the North Koreans in December 1950. His identity was later verified by the FBI from a fingerprint taken at the time of the burial.
During "Operation Glory" in 1954, the North Korean government repatriated the remains of 2,944 U.S. soldiers and Marines. Included in this repatriation were remains associated with West's burial. The staff at the U.S. Army mortuary in Kokura, Japan, however, cited suspected discrepancies between the dental remains and West's dental file as well as discrepancies between the biological profile derived from the remains and West's physical characteristics. The remains were among 416 subsequently buried as "unknowns" in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (The Punchbowl) in Hawaii.
In May 2006, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command exhumed remains from The Punchbowl believed to be those of West. Although the remains did not yield usable DNA data, a reevaluation of the skeletal and dental remains led to West's identification.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
He is Pfc. Carl A. West, U.S. Marine Corps, of Amanda Park, Washington. He will be buried Oct. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
West was a member of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, of the 1st Marine Division deployed near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. On Nov. 27, 1950, three Communist Chinese divisions launched an attack on the Marine positions. Over the next several days, U.S. forces staged a fighting withdrawal to the south, first to Hagaru-ri, then Koto-ri, and eventually to defensive positions at Hungnam. West died on Dec. 8, 1950, as a result of enemy action near Koto-ri. He was buried by fellow Marines in a temporary U.N. military cemetery in Hungnam, which fell to the North Koreans in December 1950. His identity was later verified by the FBI from a fingerprint taken at the time of the burial.
During "Operation Glory" in 1954, the North Korean government repatriated the remains of 2,944 U.S. soldiers and Marines. Included in this repatriation were remains associated with West's burial. The staff at the U.S. Army mortuary in Kokura, Japan, however, cited suspected discrepancies between the dental remains and West's dental file as well as discrepancies between the biological profile derived from the remains and West's physical characteristics. The remains were among 416 subsequently buried as "unknowns" in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (The Punchbowl) in Hawaii.
In May 2006, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command exhumed remains from The Punchbowl believed to be those of West. Although the remains did not yield usable DNA data, a reevaluation of the skeletal and dental remains led to West's identification.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Top Army Reserve NCO Cites Challenges Ahead in Transforming Force
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - For perspective about how much the Army Reserve has changed as it has evolved from a strategic reserve to an operational force that's a key player in the war on terror, few could offer as much insight as its senior enlisted soldier. Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie was drafted into the Army in 1970 and served as an infantryman in Vietnam. After returning home, he joined an Army Reserve far different from the one he helps to lead today.
The little equipment reserve units had at the time was cast off from active-duty units. The training "weekend warriors" got when they gathered in their reserve centers typically consisted of reading military training manuals. If they went to the range for weapons qualification, they borrowed weapons from an active unit. Annual training was all but devoid of training.
Caffie remembers his first reserve AT, at Fort Jackson, S.C. He and his fellow reservists had to cut through the weeds to get to the condemned buildings they'd been assigned to work in. Their biggest task, Caffie recalls, was to put together the unit's annual AT party.
"They really didn't expect us to do anything," he said. "We were more of a nuisance to the active component than we were assets."
Flash forward 33 years, and Caffie is happy to report: "That legacy force no longer exists."
The Army Reserve has changed from a force of last resort to an integral part of the Army structure, he said. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, more than 102,000 of the Army Reserve's 200,000 members have mobilized to support the war effort.
As the 10th senior enlisted advisor to the Army Reserve chief, Caffie is helping the Army Reserve continue to move beyond the legacy force he once served in. And a big part of that task, he said, is looking out for soldiers' interests.
Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz interviewed 16 people before selecting Caffie to the job last year. Impressed by Caffie's ability to impose strict standards and his genuine concern for the troops, Stultz said, he knew he had his man to help move the Army Reserve transformation forward.
"He won't tolerate substandard performance, and that's what soldiers appreciate – the fact that he demands and lives up to that warrior ethos and doesn't ask anything of a soldier that he's not willing to do himself," the general said at Caffie's swearing-in ceremony.
Even Caffie's job description represented a shift from the Army Reserve's old way of doing business. In the past, the Army Reserve had two enlisted leaders: one for the U.S. Army Reserve Command at Fort McPherson, Ga., and another for the chief of the Army Reserve in Washington. Stultz merged the two jobs into one position.
"This is symbolic of not only bringing in new leadership, but also of the fact that we're transforming the reserves into an operational force from an old, legacy force," Stultz said.
As he supports that transformation, Caffie focuses on training soldiers, developing leaders and helping reservists balance their military and civilian careers and family responsibilities.
Caffie has a keen appreciation of the juggling act citizen-soldiers face. He spent 28 years in law enforcement before retiring from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office in Florida, all while serving in increasingly responsible Army Reserve jobs.
Now that he's in a position to make a difference, Caffie said, he's committed to changing old-school ways to make it easier for citizen-soldiers to serve.
He's convinced, for example, that fixed battle assemblies – "drill weekends" in Caffie's earlier days – aren't the best way to train Army Reservists. He said he's encouraged to see more flexible schedules for reservists to enhance their skills.
When they train, Caffie wants reservists out in the field as much as possible, not in those "concrete cocoons that we call Army Reserve centers." Soldiers appreciate knowing that their training is worthwhile, and get motivated developing their leadership skills, he said.
"The key is to get the soldiers into a field environment. Show them appreciation. Challenge them with leadership roles," Caffie said. "And they will deliver."
They're delivering every day, he said, with some the vast majority of the 26,000 reservists currently mobilized serving in about 20 countries around the world, including Iraq. In addition to carrying out a broad range of critical missions overseas, about 6,000 reservists are training other troops about to deploy.
During his regular visits to check on these mobilized reservists, Caffie said, he's struck by the contrast to his early Army Reserve days. "You can walk into the theater today in Afghanistan and Iraq and I would wager that you could not distinguish the active-duty soldier from the reserve-component soldier," he said.
This, he said, shows that new approaches to training soldiers are paying off. "We've changed the paradigm and the old, mundane way of leadership. We're able to maintain the same high standards, but have torn down the boxes that we have built around ourselves," he said.
One big change is the way the Army Reserve looks at its members' civilian job responsibilities. Caffie said there's a growing recognition of the value of the vast civilian skills reservists bring to the military force beyond they military occupational specialties.
"It's important that we understand the force we have and the diversity that reservists bring to the fight," he said. "For too long, people have overlooked the wealth of experience reservists bring in terms of their education and civilian-acquired skills."
Caffie rattled off examples of the unique professional skills. Among them was the story of a young Army Reserve specialist the sergeant major met when visiting a medical unit deployed to Sarajevo. The soldier was working in a corner of the medical facility, hunched over a malfunctioning MRI machine he had torn apart.
"He told me he works for the company that makes the machines," Caffie said. "He said he knew what the problem was, that he'd called back to his company to get them to send the parts it needed, and that he'd put it back together and get it working.
"That's the kind of expertise you have in the Army Reserve, so it's important that you understand what you've got," he continued. "We have people with two unique professional skills – the one they train on as an MOS and the one they bring from their civilian careers."
These civilian-acquired skills make Army Reservists particularly value to the military, Caffie said.
With Stultz, he's working to remove some of the roadblocks that interfere with their ability to continue serving. They promote employer support programs and praise efforts being advanced through the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
They're also focusing on programs for families, particularly during reserve call-ups. "We recruit soldiers, but we sustain families," Caffie said. "We still have a ways to go, but I think we have made significant improvements in that arena."
Some of Caffie's focus boils down to issues as basic as clearing the way to pay reservists for out-of-pocket expenses associated with their military training. Caffie relayed the story of an Army Reserve specialist who regularly drives more than 250 miles to his battle assemblies, pays two nights' hotel costs to attend them and has to pick up the tab for two meals a day while he's away from home for training. At the end of a drill weekend, the soldier ends up in the red.
"It's not fair, but that is the legacy way that we have done business," Caffie said. "We need to move away from that into an operational mindset. An operational mindset says that I have talented soldiers out there, and I will do anything within my power to ensure they are treated fairly and get what they are entitled to."
Fixing this problem is one of the "rocks" Caffie said his boss has "put into my rucksack."
"I got rid of some of them, but some are still there," he said. "I still have some I continue to work on."
As he picks away at these rocks, Caffie said he gets personal gratification knowing he's serving his soldiers and helping the Army Reserve move beyond that legacy force he joined back in 1974.
One indication of how far that force has come is reflected in Army Reserve retention rates. Attrition – at chronic levels during Caffie's early Army Reserve days – is at its lowest point in seven years as the Army Reserve exceeds all retention goals.
Caffie called these retention successes "remarkable," particularly among troops who have deployed to combat. "If you look at the stats for soldiers who have been deployed in the Army Reserve, those retention rates are astronomical as well," he said. "We have done a remarkable job of retaining soldiers with combat experience, who have deployed into either Afghanistan or Iraq."
These retention rates are no accident, he said, particularly when some Army Reserve troops already have served two deployments, and some are preparing for their third deployment.
"When you throw all those angles into the mix, and you are still able to retain them, we are doing something correct," he said. "I think that's about leadership. It starts at the top."
Ultimately, Caffie attributes the success of the Army Reserve and the fact that its members continue to serve to old-fashioned patriotism. Many reservists serve because they believe they're making a contribution to their country and helping preserve its freedoms, he said.
"That's the reason a lot of these soldiers continue to serve today -- because they figure that one must be willing to pay to be free," he said. "They're great American patriots."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - For perspective about how much the Army Reserve has changed as it has evolved from a strategic reserve to an operational force that's a key player in the war on terror, few could offer as much insight as its senior enlisted soldier. Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie was drafted into the Army in 1970 and served as an infantryman in Vietnam. After returning home, he joined an Army Reserve far different from the one he helps to lead today.
The little equipment reserve units had at the time was cast off from active-duty units. The training "weekend warriors" got when they gathered in their reserve centers typically consisted of reading military training manuals. If they went to the range for weapons qualification, they borrowed weapons from an active unit. Annual training was all but devoid of training.
Caffie remembers his first reserve AT, at Fort Jackson, S.C. He and his fellow reservists had to cut through the weeds to get to the condemned buildings they'd been assigned to work in. Their biggest task, Caffie recalls, was to put together the unit's annual AT party.
"They really didn't expect us to do anything," he said. "We were more of a nuisance to the active component than we were assets."
Flash forward 33 years, and Caffie is happy to report: "That legacy force no longer exists."
The Army Reserve has changed from a force of last resort to an integral part of the Army structure, he said. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, more than 102,000 of the Army Reserve's 200,000 members have mobilized to support the war effort.
As the 10th senior enlisted advisor to the Army Reserve chief, Caffie is helping the Army Reserve continue to move beyond the legacy force he once served in. And a big part of that task, he said, is looking out for soldiers' interests.
Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz interviewed 16 people before selecting Caffie to the job last year. Impressed by Caffie's ability to impose strict standards and his genuine concern for the troops, Stultz said, he knew he had his man to help move the Army Reserve transformation forward.
"He won't tolerate substandard performance, and that's what soldiers appreciate – the fact that he demands and lives up to that warrior ethos and doesn't ask anything of a soldier that he's not willing to do himself," the general said at Caffie's swearing-in ceremony.
Even Caffie's job description represented a shift from the Army Reserve's old way of doing business. In the past, the Army Reserve had two enlisted leaders: one for the U.S. Army Reserve Command at Fort McPherson, Ga., and another for the chief of the Army Reserve in Washington. Stultz merged the two jobs into one position.
"This is symbolic of not only bringing in new leadership, but also of the fact that we're transforming the reserves into an operational force from an old, legacy force," Stultz said.
As he supports that transformation, Caffie focuses on training soldiers, developing leaders and helping reservists balance their military and civilian careers and family responsibilities.
Caffie has a keen appreciation of the juggling act citizen-soldiers face. He spent 28 years in law enforcement before retiring from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office in Florida, all while serving in increasingly responsible Army Reserve jobs.
Now that he's in a position to make a difference, Caffie said, he's committed to changing old-school ways to make it easier for citizen-soldiers to serve.
He's convinced, for example, that fixed battle assemblies – "drill weekends" in Caffie's earlier days – aren't the best way to train Army Reservists. He said he's encouraged to see more flexible schedules for reservists to enhance their skills.
When they train, Caffie wants reservists out in the field as much as possible, not in those "concrete cocoons that we call Army Reserve centers." Soldiers appreciate knowing that their training is worthwhile, and get motivated developing their leadership skills, he said.
"The key is to get the soldiers into a field environment. Show them appreciation. Challenge them with leadership roles," Caffie said. "And they will deliver."
They're delivering every day, he said, with some the vast majority of the 26,000 reservists currently mobilized serving in about 20 countries around the world, including Iraq. In addition to carrying out a broad range of critical missions overseas, about 6,000 reservists are training other troops about to deploy.
During his regular visits to check on these mobilized reservists, Caffie said, he's struck by the contrast to his early Army Reserve days. "You can walk into the theater today in Afghanistan and Iraq and I would wager that you could not distinguish the active-duty soldier from the reserve-component soldier," he said.
This, he said, shows that new approaches to training soldiers are paying off. "We've changed the paradigm and the old, mundane way of leadership. We're able to maintain the same high standards, but have torn down the boxes that we have built around ourselves," he said.
One big change is the way the Army Reserve looks at its members' civilian job responsibilities. Caffie said there's a growing recognition of the value of the vast civilian skills reservists bring to the military force beyond they military occupational specialties.
"It's important that we understand the force we have and the diversity that reservists bring to the fight," he said. "For too long, people have overlooked the wealth of experience reservists bring in terms of their education and civilian-acquired skills."
Caffie rattled off examples of the unique professional skills. Among them was the story of a young Army Reserve specialist the sergeant major met when visiting a medical unit deployed to Sarajevo. The soldier was working in a corner of the medical facility, hunched over a malfunctioning MRI machine he had torn apart.
"He told me he works for the company that makes the machines," Caffie said. "He said he knew what the problem was, that he'd called back to his company to get them to send the parts it needed, and that he'd put it back together and get it working.
"That's the kind of expertise you have in the Army Reserve, so it's important that you understand what you've got," he continued. "We have people with two unique professional skills – the one they train on as an MOS and the one they bring from their civilian careers."
These civilian-acquired skills make Army Reservists particularly value to the military, Caffie said.
With Stultz, he's working to remove some of the roadblocks that interfere with their ability to continue serving. They promote employer support programs and praise efforts being advanced through the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
They're also focusing on programs for families, particularly during reserve call-ups. "We recruit soldiers, but we sustain families," Caffie said. "We still have a ways to go, but I think we have made significant improvements in that arena."
Some of Caffie's focus boils down to issues as basic as clearing the way to pay reservists for out-of-pocket expenses associated with their military training. Caffie relayed the story of an Army Reserve specialist who regularly drives more than 250 miles to his battle assemblies, pays two nights' hotel costs to attend them and has to pick up the tab for two meals a day while he's away from home for training. At the end of a drill weekend, the soldier ends up in the red.
"It's not fair, but that is the legacy way that we have done business," Caffie said. "We need to move away from that into an operational mindset. An operational mindset says that I have talented soldiers out there, and I will do anything within my power to ensure they are treated fairly and get what they are entitled to."
Fixing this problem is one of the "rocks" Caffie said his boss has "put into my rucksack."
"I got rid of some of them, but some are still there," he said. "I still have some I continue to work on."
As he picks away at these rocks, Caffie said he gets personal gratification knowing he's serving his soldiers and helping the Army Reserve move beyond that legacy force he joined back in 1974.
One indication of how far that force has come is reflected in Army Reserve retention rates. Attrition – at chronic levels during Caffie's early Army Reserve days – is at its lowest point in seven years as the Army Reserve exceeds all retention goals.
Caffie called these retention successes "remarkable," particularly among troops who have deployed to combat. "If you look at the stats for soldiers who have been deployed in the Army Reserve, those retention rates are astronomical as well," he said. "We have done a remarkable job of retaining soldiers with combat experience, who have deployed into either Afghanistan or Iraq."
These retention rates are no accident, he said, particularly when some Army Reserve troops already have served two deployments, and some are preparing for their third deployment.
"When you throw all those angles into the mix, and you are still able to retain them, we are doing something correct," he said. "I think that's about leadership. It starts at the top."
Ultimately, Caffie attributes the success of the Army Reserve and the fact that its members continue to serve to old-fashioned patriotism. Many reservists serve because they believe they're making a contribution to their country and helping preserve its freedoms, he said.
"That's the reason a lot of these soldiers continue to serve today -- because they figure that one must be willing to pay to be free," he said. "They're great American patriots."
Pentagon's 'Top Doc' Praises Advances at Walter Reed
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - The Defense Department's top doctor yesterday praised improvements at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and reaffirmed the department's commitment to ensuring its patients get care that's "the very best in the world." Speaking at the ribbon-cutting for the new Military Advanced Training Center, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. S. Ward Casscells said he's been impressed by the Walter Reed staff's efforts to ensure Walter Reed is "first class in every way."
From the top down, beginning with the hospital commander, Army Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Eric B. Schoomaker, the staff pulled together as problems revealed at the facility attracted widespread news coverage, overshadowing the positive work being done, Casscells said. He thanked the "doctors, nurses, corpsmen, medics, technicians, dieticians (and) psychologists who didn't quit when many of us in the military health system got a black eye that we didn't completely deserve."
Casscells noted that he spoke not only as an as administrator, but also as a former patient who was treated at Walter Reed after being wounded in Iraq when the Humvee he was riding in swerved to avoid an improvised-explosive-device tripwire.
"With your leadership decisions, you strengthened this hospital," he said. "You strengthened the whole military health system, you saved a lot of lives, (and) you saved lives of friends of mine. Some of them are in the audience. I've been your patient, and as your grateful patient, I want to thank you."
Casscells said the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, soon to be built in nearby Bethesda, Md., will continue the tradition of excellence that's been established at Walter Reed.
"This care will go beyond the bricks and mortar, but will include the best training that money can pay for and that the spirit can provide," he said.
A top-notch research program at the new facility, he said, will focus on efforts not being pursued in the civilian sector that are critical to U.S. servicemembers. In addition to looking into traumatic brain injury, researchers will explore new, light, durable prosthetics, tissue regeneration methods and devices that provide patients "the control that we need and deserve to be independent, to serve and to lead," Casscells said.
Casscells extended thanks to Veteran Affairs Secretary James Nicholson, thanking him for the service his department provides servicemembers who go into the VA health-care and benefit systems. "They're going on to the system which has objectively shown to be the best health care system in the world today," he told Nicholson. "We're honored to have a partner like you."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - The Defense Department's top doctor yesterday praised improvements at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and reaffirmed the department's commitment to ensuring its patients get care that's "the very best in the world." Speaking at the ribbon-cutting for the new Military Advanced Training Center, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. S. Ward Casscells said he's been impressed by the Walter Reed staff's efforts to ensure Walter Reed is "first class in every way."
From the top down, beginning with the hospital commander, Army Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Eric B. Schoomaker, the staff pulled together as problems revealed at the facility attracted widespread news coverage, overshadowing the positive work being done, Casscells said. He thanked the "doctors, nurses, corpsmen, medics, technicians, dieticians (and) psychologists who didn't quit when many of us in the military health system got a black eye that we didn't completely deserve."
Casscells noted that he spoke not only as an as administrator, but also as a former patient who was treated at Walter Reed after being wounded in Iraq when the Humvee he was riding in swerved to avoid an improvised-explosive-device tripwire.
"With your leadership decisions, you strengthened this hospital," he said. "You strengthened the whole military health system, you saved a lot of lives, (and) you saved lives of friends of mine. Some of them are in the audience. I've been your patient, and as your grateful patient, I want to thank you."
Casscells said the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, soon to be built in nearby Bethesda, Md., will continue the tradition of excellence that's been established at Walter Reed.
"This care will go beyond the bricks and mortar, but will include the best training that money can pay for and that the spirit can provide," he said.
A top-notch research program at the new facility, he said, will focus on efforts not being pursued in the civilian sector that are critical to U.S. servicemembers. In addition to looking into traumatic brain injury, researchers will explore new, light, durable prosthetics, tissue regeneration methods and devices that provide patients "the control that we need and deserve to be independent, to serve and to lead," Casscells said.
Casscells extended thanks to Veteran Affairs Secretary James Nicholson, thanking him for the service his department provides servicemembers who go into the VA health-care and benefit systems. "They're going on to the system which has objectively shown to be the best health care system in the world today," he told Nicholson. "We're honored to have a partner like you."
Southern Command's Troops, Leaders Praise Outgoing Chairman
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - About 1,200 troops, family members and civilian employees of U.S. Southern Command came out here today here to bid farewell to their former commander. From the top to the bottom of the chain of command, the troops praised Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who retires at the end of the month.
Pace spent a year as the head of Southern Command, leaving in 2001 to become vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Four years later, he became the first Marine to serve as chairman. He chose to visit his former command here as a "bookend" to his 40-year military career before turning over the chairmanship Oct. 1 to Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, now the chief of naval operations.
Navy Adm. James Stavridis, Southern Command's current leader, introduced the chairman saying, "No one has had more impact on the military of the United States in this new 21st century than Pete Pace."
As is his custom, Pace stepped off the podium to be eye-to-eye with the troops. Thanking the admiral for the "incredible" introduction, Pace joked that "if I had more time on active duty I'd try to live up to it."
Pace stressed the importance of Southern Command's mission, praising the command's efforts to reach out and partner with countries in the region. "What you do from here is vital to the health of your nation and I want to thank you for that," he said.
He also thanked the troops' family members and reminded servicemembers to do the same and often. "Our families serve this nation as well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform," he said, "and we owe them a great debt of gratitude because they are the hidden strength of our services."
Southern Command's role will be even more important in the future, Pace noted. "We show who we are when there are natural disasters and this command responds with helicopters, ships, supplies and whatever it takes," he said.
"As democracy in this region ebbs and flows, the constant of the U.S. military interaction – being ready to help, reaching out when we can – will continue to have the impact it has over time," he said.
As Pace shook hands with members of the SOUTHCOM community, the current commander and others talked with American Forces Press Service about the chairman's legacy for the command and the military.
Stavridis noted that in 2000, Pace helped put together "Plan Colombia," which "helped bring Colombia from being on the verge of a failed state to a highly successful anchor for democracy in South America today.
"Yesterday, the Colombian military turned out an enormous parade to honor our chairman, our former commander," Stavridis continued. "The speeches that were made about him by the Colombian military were extraordinary. They personified things we're all trying to do here at SOUTHCOM to reach out to this region, to make it a better place, to be part of what is positive about the Americas."
The admiral also paid high tribute to the chairman as a military leader and role model.
"The thing that is absolutely unquestioned about Pete Pace is his honesty, integrity and his constant ability to speak truth to power," Stavridis said. "In that regard he is a role model for every officer and every enlisted person who wears a uniform as well as every civilian in the Department of Defense. He is an idol to us all."
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Balch, who's been on active duty for 32 years, noted that Pace has a great understanding of the importance of every servicemember.
"When you grow up in the environment that General Pace grew up in, a platoon in Vietnam," Balch said, "you rely on your buddy on your left and your right to have your back. You rely on that young private first class to take on his role in combat and in peace to do what he needs to do. That's what's so great about our institution -- they're there, and they're ready to do that."
"It's wonderful that the chairman has a great appreciation for people," Balch continued. "He's standing here in SOUTHCOM today shaking hands with the entire combatant command of over 1,200 people one at a time. It just shows you how much of a people person our chairman is. We're really going to miss his connection with all of the people in our force."
Marine Sgt. Robert Boyd, who's been on active duty for eight years, said when it comes to leadership there's no comparison to the first Marine to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"That's someone you want to strive to be like," Body said. "When you're wondering why you're still at work at 9 or 10 at night, and you look up there at the Pentagon and you see him – I wouldn't want to be like anyone else.
"At the end of the day, he's a Marine," Boyd stressed. "He's not afraid to roll up his sleeves and say, 'Hey, if we have to go to Iraq, we have to go to Iraq.' He's a motivator. He's the prime example of a leader. Outside of being chairman, outside of being in the news all the time, I know if we're out there in a fighting hole together, he'd be the one I'd want to lead me."
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - About 1,200 troops, family members and civilian employees of U.S. Southern Command came out here today here to bid farewell to their former commander. From the top to the bottom of the chain of command, the troops praised Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who retires at the end of the month.
Pace spent a year as the head of Southern Command, leaving in 2001 to become vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Four years later, he became the first Marine to serve as chairman. He chose to visit his former command here as a "bookend" to his 40-year military career before turning over the chairmanship Oct. 1 to Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, now the chief of naval operations.
Navy Adm. James Stavridis, Southern Command's current leader, introduced the chairman saying, "No one has had more impact on the military of the United States in this new 21st century than Pete Pace."
As is his custom, Pace stepped off the podium to be eye-to-eye with the troops. Thanking the admiral for the "incredible" introduction, Pace joked that "if I had more time on active duty I'd try to live up to it."
Pace stressed the importance of Southern Command's mission, praising the command's efforts to reach out and partner with countries in the region. "What you do from here is vital to the health of your nation and I want to thank you for that," he said.
He also thanked the troops' family members and reminded servicemembers to do the same and often. "Our families serve this nation as well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform," he said, "and we owe them a great debt of gratitude because they are the hidden strength of our services."
Southern Command's role will be even more important in the future, Pace noted. "We show who we are when there are natural disasters and this command responds with helicopters, ships, supplies and whatever it takes," he said.
"As democracy in this region ebbs and flows, the constant of the U.S. military interaction – being ready to help, reaching out when we can – will continue to have the impact it has over time," he said.
As Pace shook hands with members of the SOUTHCOM community, the current commander and others talked with American Forces Press Service about the chairman's legacy for the command and the military.
Stavridis noted that in 2000, Pace helped put together "Plan Colombia," which "helped bring Colombia from being on the verge of a failed state to a highly successful anchor for democracy in South America today.
"Yesterday, the Colombian military turned out an enormous parade to honor our chairman, our former commander," Stavridis continued. "The speeches that were made about him by the Colombian military were extraordinary. They personified things we're all trying to do here at SOUTHCOM to reach out to this region, to make it a better place, to be part of what is positive about the Americas."
The admiral also paid high tribute to the chairman as a military leader and role model.
"The thing that is absolutely unquestioned about Pete Pace is his honesty, integrity and his constant ability to speak truth to power," Stavridis said. "In that regard he is a role model for every officer and every enlisted person who wears a uniform as well as every civilian in the Department of Defense. He is an idol to us all."
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Balch, who's been on active duty for 32 years, noted that Pace has a great understanding of the importance of every servicemember.
"When you grow up in the environment that General Pace grew up in, a platoon in Vietnam," Balch said, "you rely on your buddy on your left and your right to have your back. You rely on that young private first class to take on his role in combat and in peace to do what he needs to do. That's what's so great about our institution -- they're there, and they're ready to do that."
"It's wonderful that the chairman has a great appreciation for people," Balch continued. "He's standing here in SOUTHCOM today shaking hands with the entire combatant command of over 1,200 people one at a time. It just shows you how much of a people person our chairman is. We're really going to miss his connection with all of the people in our force."
Marine Sgt. Robert Boyd, who's been on active duty for eight years, said when it comes to leadership there's no comparison to the first Marine to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"That's someone you want to strive to be like," Body said. "When you're wondering why you're still at work at 9 or 10 at night, and you look up there at the Pentagon and you see him – I wouldn't want to be like anyone else.
"At the end of the day, he's a Marine," Boyd stressed. "He's not afraid to roll up his sleeves and say, 'Hey, if we have to go to Iraq, we have to go to Iraq.' He's a motivator. He's the prime example of a leader. Outside of being chairman, outside of being in the news all the time, I know if we're out there in a fighting hole together, he'd be the one I'd want to lead me."
Today's Troops Reassure Outgoing Chairman
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - A young Army sergeant in Afghanistan recently reassured the nation's highest-ranking four-star general that it's OK to retire after 40 years on active duty. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the story today during a town hall meeting with about 1,200 troops at U.S. Southern Command headquarters here. He retires at the end of the month.
"I was talking to a group of soldiers, and I was telling them that I was sad that I was leaving, not because I'm leaving, but because I won't have the chance to reach out and hug troops in uniform any more," Pace told the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
"At the end, I was standing there, and I wish I had been smart enough to catch this soldier's name," he continued. "He came up to me and he said, 'Sir, thanks for your service. We'll take it from here.'"
"It was a perfect thing for him to say, and he was right," Pace concluded.
The same message came through loud and clear, he noted, when he made his last visit to a unit in a combat zone.
Pace chose to visit Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, as the last thing he would do on active duty in combat. The visit would bring his career full circle, as his first assignment in the Marine Corps was in Vietnam as the platoon leader of G Company's 2nd Platoon.
He found the Marines in Karmah, Iraq.
"We rumbled out there in a convoy and sat around for about an hour and a half just talking and taking pictures," Pace said, noting that the visit was a "bookend" on his career that provided a sense of closure.
"My platoon had 14 guys left in it when I took command," he said. The Marines in Iraq "were standing there about 40 strong -- great, young guys, sharp-eyed, with clear vision, energized, and proud of what they were doing.
"Their platoon leader -- who was in my job, standing in my spot -- (was) a former sergeant who had gotten a Silver Star Medal during a previous tour in Iraq, got commissioned and was back there now as a platoon leader," he said.
"I was looking at these Marines, saying to myself, 'What that Army sergeant told me two days before in Afghanistan, was absolutely true. All of our services are in great shape.
"My sadness (about leaving) is all about a selfish desire to continue to wear the uniform and serve the nation," he said. "My happiness, as that great sergeant said, is that you all will take it from here."
Closing his remarks, the chairman then took questions from the Southern Command troops.
When a female soldier asked, "What are you going to do next?' he replied, "The honest answer is, I don't have a clue," drawing laughter from the troops.
"It's not because there aren't opportunities out there," he explained. "Some very nice folks have asked me to talk with them, and I've asked them all to please wait until after 1 October.
"I cannot possibly be thinking about my next life and finish this life properly," he said. "I'm going to run through the finish line. I'm going to pay attention to Pfc. Pace in Baghdad and Iraq and Miami as best I can and continue to contribute until midnight on 30 September."
At the chairman's invitation, more than 1,200 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, family members, contractors, and even local police, then stood in line to shake hands with Peter Pace.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 14, 2007 - A young Army sergeant in Afghanistan recently reassured the nation's highest-ranking four-star general that it's OK to retire after 40 years on active duty. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the story today during a town hall meeting with about 1,200 troops at U.S. Southern Command headquarters here. He retires at the end of the month.
"I was talking to a group of soldiers, and I was telling them that I was sad that I was leaving, not because I'm leaving, but because I won't have the chance to reach out and hug troops in uniform any more," Pace told the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
"At the end, I was standing there, and I wish I had been smart enough to catch this soldier's name," he continued. "He came up to me and he said, 'Sir, thanks for your service. We'll take it from here.'"
"It was a perfect thing for him to say, and he was right," Pace concluded.
The same message came through loud and clear, he noted, when he made his last visit to a unit in a combat zone.
Pace chose to visit Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, as the last thing he would do on active duty in combat. The visit would bring his career full circle, as his first assignment in the Marine Corps was in Vietnam as the platoon leader of G Company's 2nd Platoon.
He found the Marines in Karmah, Iraq.
"We rumbled out there in a convoy and sat around for about an hour and a half just talking and taking pictures," Pace said, noting that the visit was a "bookend" on his career that provided a sense of closure.
"My platoon had 14 guys left in it when I took command," he said. The Marines in Iraq "were standing there about 40 strong -- great, young guys, sharp-eyed, with clear vision, energized, and proud of what they were doing.
"Their platoon leader -- who was in my job, standing in my spot -- (was) a former sergeant who had gotten a Silver Star Medal during a previous tour in Iraq, got commissioned and was back there now as a platoon leader," he said.
"I was looking at these Marines, saying to myself, 'What that Army sergeant told me two days before in Afghanistan, was absolutely true. All of our services are in great shape.
"My sadness (about leaving) is all about a selfish desire to continue to wear the uniform and serve the nation," he said. "My happiness, as that great sergeant said, is that you all will take it from here."
Closing his remarks, the chairman then took questions from the Southern Command troops.
When a female soldier asked, "What are you going to do next?' he replied, "The honest answer is, I don't have a clue," drawing laughter from the troops.
"It's not because there aren't opportunities out there," he explained. "Some very nice folks have asked me to talk with them, and I've asked them all to please wait until after 1 October.
"I cannot possibly be thinking about my next life and finish this life properly," he said. "I'm going to run through the finish line. I'm going to pay attention to Pfc. Pace in Baghdad and Iraq and Miami as best I can and continue to contribute until midnight on 30 September."
At the chairman's invitation, more than 1,200 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, family members, contractors, and even local police, then stood in line to shake hands with Peter Pace.
Texas, Louisiana Guard Troops Stand Ready in Hurricane's Wake
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 13, 2007 - Texas and Louisiana National Guard troops are standing by to assist residents affected by strong winds, heavy rains and flooding caused by Hurricane Humberto, state military officials said today. The Texas National Guard has staged 150 personnel and 50 vehicles to respond to local authorities' needs if requested, said Army Lt. Col. Daniel Quick, who is posted at an emergency operations center in Houston.
"We've not had to respond at this point," Quick said. "The rain in the area where we have people is less than we'd expected."
The Category 1 storm crashed ashore early today in southeastern Texas. Its 80 mph winds and sheets of rain caused power outages in several Texas coastal communities.
"There was some wind-related power outages, but localized," Quick said. "It is mainly excessive rain, causing flooding."
The storm made landfall just east of Galveston, Texas, and then veered northeastward toward Louisiana, Quick said. Texas emergency-response authorities have been communicating with their Louisiana counterparts, he noted.
Louisiana seemed poised to take "the brunt of the hit" from Humberto, Quick said, noting that state is being pelted by wind-driven heavy rains.
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has declared a state of emergency, and about 300 of that state's Guard troops are on standby to respond to storm-caused emergencies, if called upon by local authorities, Louisiana Army National Guard spokeswoman Capt. Taysha P. Deaton reported today from Lafayette, La.
"We're having a lot of rain. It's just pouring," Deaton said.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 13, 2007 - Texas and Louisiana National Guard troops are standing by to assist residents affected by strong winds, heavy rains and flooding caused by Hurricane Humberto, state military officials said today. The Texas National Guard has staged 150 personnel and 50 vehicles to respond to local authorities' needs if requested, said Army Lt. Col. Daniel Quick, who is posted at an emergency operations center in Houston.
"We've not had to respond at this point," Quick said. "The rain in the area where we have people is less than we'd expected."
The Category 1 storm crashed ashore early today in southeastern Texas. Its 80 mph winds and sheets of rain caused power outages in several Texas coastal communities.
"There was some wind-related power outages, but localized," Quick said. "It is mainly excessive rain, causing flooding."
The storm made landfall just east of Galveston, Texas, and then veered northeastward toward Louisiana, Quick said. Texas emergency-response authorities have been communicating with their Louisiana counterparts, he noted.
Louisiana seemed poised to take "the brunt of the hit" from Humberto, Quick said, noting that state is being pelted by wind-driven heavy rains.
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has declared a state of emergency, and about 300 of that state's Guard troops are on standby to respond to storm-caused emergencies, if called upon by local authorities, Louisiana Army National Guard spokeswoman Capt. Taysha P. Deaton reported today from Lafayette, La.
"We're having a lot of rain. It's just pouring," Deaton said.
New Amputee Care Center Opens at Walter Reed
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 13, 2007 - Army National Guard Spc. Marco Robledo wants to go home to Arkansas in November standing on his own two feet. A roadside bomb claimed the combat engineer's left leg and arm in Iraq in May. Since then, he has been recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. Every day he walks slowly around an indoor track attached to a harness. A lanyard connects the harness to a trolley locked into an aluminum track mounted to the ceiling. It makes a slow dragging sound as he steps forward with his prosthetic leg.
And so it slowly goes for Robledo -- step, drag, step, drag. He's making progress thanks, in part, to this one-of-a-kind walking system at Walter Reed's new Military Advanced Training Center.
The 31,000-square-foot, $10 million center opens today two months early and offers some of the most state-of-the-art care found anywhere in the world, officials said.
Patients began using parts of the facility, such as the indoor track and the Solo-Step system used by Robledo, last week.
The facility combines office and counseling space with workout facilities, data gathering, high-tech simulators, and even a family lounge with a full kitchen. It is designed to bring together all the hospital's elements of advanced amputee care, but much of it also will benefit other patients, such as those suffering from traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
The hospital's gait lab has nearly doubled its size in the new building. The lab electronically records patients' movements while wearing prosthetic devices to give feedback to the patients and specialists on rehabilitation efforts. It can now record movements from 23 camera angles, up from eight, and has six force plates, up from four, that measure pressure put on the ground as steps are taken. It also added a treadmill built into the floor that will allow specialists, for the first time, to collect force plate data from soldiers while running.
"This lab is going to allow us to do so much more on the research and clinical side than we were able to do before," Brian Baum, a biomechanical engineer.
Capturing the data allows for more focused and faster rehabilitation for soldiers, he said.
"We can give feedback to the clinicians to help expedite their rehabilitation. So, if the patient's goal is to return to duty, we now have a more solid baseline," he said. "We can now look at a broader picture and really pinpoint rehabilitation from multiple angles, rather than just looking at walking. Returning to duty is a lot more than walking. Returning to a functional life is also a lot more than walking."
One of only three in the world, a high-tech computer-assisted rehabilitation environment was added to the center to help amputee soldiers adapt to real-life scenarios.
In front of a large projection screen, soldiers stand on an elevated, multi-axis platform that rocks and sways as the computer-driven scenario changes. In one scenario, the patients stand as if in a boat as it moves through a course. In other scenarios, patients are required to raise their hands while moving to hit objects that appear to be flying by. This helps patients become more stable and confident using their prosthetic devices.
An indoor running track encircles "upper-extremities" workout areas. One half of the top floor is open to allow soldiers to look down on others using the lower-extremities workout equipment. A climbing wall rises from the lower level, and climbing ropes and a rappelling wall allow patients to develop overhead skills and confidence. Windows allow sunlight to stream throughout.
Most of the equipment is standard fitness-center equipment to allow soldiers to transition from the center to a gym in their hometown or Army installation with no adjustment to their workouts, officials said.
Also among the treatment rooms is a weapons simulator to get soldiers back to shooting, a vehicle simulator to help them relearn to drive using prostheses, and areas that offer practice walking on uneven terrain features, such as sand, gravel and cobblestone.
Counseling offices offer a private view of the workout areas through two-way mirrored glass. Psychologists, social workers, benefits counselors, and case managers all have office spaces, offering a virtual one-stop shop for amputee care at the clinic.
Officials said that initial amputee care will still be managed in the main hospital clinics. The new center is for those who are in the more advanced stages of rehabilitation. It is designed to transition patients from their basic recovery to either returning home or to duty, they said.
The building was funded in September 2004, but building plans were nearly nixed after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission set Walter Reed to close in 2011. But after officials considered alternatives and found that the center needed to be built and quickly, construction began in November 2006 using a fast-track system. This allowed designers to apportion the plans and deliver just what the builders needed to start. To start, they delivered the designs that allowed excavation to start, then the structural designs to order the steel, and so forth.
This also allowed for changes to be made along the way that would better benefit patients, said Elihu P. Hirsch, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers. For example, the Solo-Step used by Robledo was not in the original proposal, he said.
Hirsch said the visual reminders of those who would be using the facility helped to motivate the crews. Only steps away from the building is the helipad where wounded soldiers are delivered. Patients also walk around the hospital and the construction site using their prostheses.
"All along, you have the tangible reminder of why you're building the facility, and that gave everybody the added incentive to increase production," Hirsch said. "Everybody who worked on the project has been walking away with great feelings of satisfaction."
As of June, the hospital has treated almost 500 limb-loss patients from operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. It serves an average of about 100 daily. Stays for rehabilitation range from eight months to two years.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 13, 2007 - Army National Guard Spc. Marco Robledo wants to go home to Arkansas in November standing on his own two feet. A roadside bomb claimed the combat engineer's left leg and arm in Iraq in May. Since then, he has been recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. Every day he walks slowly around an indoor track attached to a harness. A lanyard connects the harness to a trolley locked into an aluminum track mounted to the ceiling. It makes a slow dragging sound as he steps forward with his prosthetic leg.
And so it slowly goes for Robledo -- step, drag, step, drag. He's making progress thanks, in part, to this one-of-a-kind walking system at Walter Reed's new Military Advanced Training Center.
The 31,000-square-foot, $10 million center opens today two months early and offers some of the most state-of-the-art care found anywhere in the world, officials said.
Patients began using parts of the facility, such as the indoor track and the Solo-Step system used by Robledo, last week.
The facility combines office and counseling space with workout facilities, data gathering, high-tech simulators, and even a family lounge with a full kitchen. It is designed to bring together all the hospital's elements of advanced amputee care, but much of it also will benefit other patients, such as those suffering from traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
The hospital's gait lab has nearly doubled its size in the new building. The lab electronically records patients' movements while wearing prosthetic devices to give feedback to the patients and specialists on rehabilitation efforts. It can now record movements from 23 camera angles, up from eight, and has six force plates, up from four, that measure pressure put on the ground as steps are taken. It also added a treadmill built into the floor that will allow specialists, for the first time, to collect force plate data from soldiers while running.
"This lab is going to allow us to do so much more on the research and clinical side than we were able to do before," Brian Baum, a biomechanical engineer.
Capturing the data allows for more focused and faster rehabilitation for soldiers, he said.
"We can give feedback to the clinicians to help expedite their rehabilitation. So, if the patient's goal is to return to duty, we now have a more solid baseline," he said. "We can now look at a broader picture and really pinpoint rehabilitation from multiple angles, rather than just looking at walking. Returning to duty is a lot more than walking. Returning to a functional life is also a lot more than walking."
One of only three in the world, a high-tech computer-assisted rehabilitation environment was added to the center to help amputee soldiers adapt to real-life scenarios.
In front of a large projection screen, soldiers stand on an elevated, multi-axis platform that rocks and sways as the computer-driven scenario changes. In one scenario, the patients stand as if in a boat as it moves through a course. In other scenarios, patients are required to raise their hands while moving to hit objects that appear to be flying by. This helps patients become more stable and confident using their prosthetic devices.
An indoor running track encircles "upper-extremities" workout areas. One half of the top floor is open to allow soldiers to look down on others using the lower-extremities workout equipment. A climbing wall rises from the lower level, and climbing ropes and a rappelling wall allow patients to develop overhead skills and confidence. Windows allow sunlight to stream throughout.
Most of the equipment is standard fitness-center equipment to allow soldiers to transition from the center to a gym in their hometown or Army installation with no adjustment to their workouts, officials said.
Also among the treatment rooms is a weapons simulator to get soldiers back to shooting, a vehicle simulator to help them relearn to drive using prostheses, and areas that offer practice walking on uneven terrain features, such as sand, gravel and cobblestone.
Counseling offices offer a private view of the workout areas through two-way mirrored glass. Psychologists, social workers, benefits counselors, and case managers all have office spaces, offering a virtual one-stop shop for amputee care at the clinic.
Officials said that initial amputee care will still be managed in the main hospital clinics. The new center is for those who are in the more advanced stages of rehabilitation. It is designed to transition patients from their basic recovery to either returning home or to duty, they said.
The building was funded in September 2004, but building plans were nearly nixed after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission set Walter Reed to close in 2011. But after officials considered alternatives and found that the center needed to be built and quickly, construction began in November 2006 using a fast-track system. This allowed designers to apportion the plans and deliver just what the builders needed to start. To start, they delivered the designs that allowed excavation to start, then the structural designs to order the steel, and so forth.
This also allowed for changes to be made along the way that would better benefit patients, said Elihu P. Hirsch, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers. For example, the Solo-Step used by Robledo was not in the original proposal, he said.
Hirsch said the visual reminders of those who would be using the facility helped to motivate the crews. Only steps away from the building is the helipad where wounded soldiers are delivered. Patients also walk around the hospital and the construction site using their prostheses.
"All along, you have the tangible reminder of why you're building the facility, and that gave everybody the added incentive to increase production," Hirsch said. "Everybody who worked on the project has been walking away with great feelings of satisfaction."
As of June, the hospital has treated almost 500 limb-loss patients from operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. It serves an average of about 100 daily. Stays for rehabilitation range from eight months to two years.
DoD Holds Information Forum for Wearable Power Prize Competition
A public information forum regarding the first public competition to be sponsored by the director, defense research and engineering will be held Friday, Sept. 21, 2007, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT at the Federal Gateway Conference Center, 1100 New Jersey Ave., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20003.
The public will be briefed by the wearable power prize program managers on the details of the competition, objectives, rules, procedures, intent to compete notification, and the current plan for the Fall 2008 competition week. First prize for the wearable power competition will be awarded $1 million.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the U.S. Army Program Manager Soldier Warrior and the U.S. Marine Corps Program Executive Officer for Expeditionary Power offices to provide a better understanding of current warfighter power requirements and battery burden.
A list of acceptable battery chemistries and fuels for use in competition will be available and all presentations will be posted on the Web site: http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/topic.html.
This prize program seeks to elicit innovative solutions from a broad range of sources to provide superior technical solutions to the individual energy needs of servicemembers in the field. DoD seeks a wearable power system that lasts four days and significantly reduces the weight of the battery load typically carried by those in the field.
Media and the public are invited to attend and must register by Monday, Sept.17 at http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/topic_wearpwr_forum.html#1.
The public will be briefed by the wearable power prize program managers on the details of the competition, objectives, rules, procedures, intent to compete notification, and the current plan for the Fall 2008 competition week. First prize for the wearable power competition will be awarded $1 million.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the U.S. Army Program Manager Soldier Warrior and the U.S. Marine Corps Program Executive Officer for Expeditionary Power offices to provide a better understanding of current warfighter power requirements and battery burden.
A list of acceptable battery chemistries and fuels for use in competition will be available and all presentations will be posted on the Web site: http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/topic.html.
This prize program seeks to elicit innovative solutions from a broad range of sources to provide superior technical solutions to the individual energy needs of servicemembers in the field. DoD seeks a wearable power system that lasts four days and significantly reduces the weight of the battery load typically carried by those in the field.
Media and the public are invited to attend and must register by Monday, Sept.17 at http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/topic_wearpwr_forum.html#1.
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