By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Spend the day with Army Capt. D.J. Skelton and you may just get a little jealous. Skelton lives near the beach in northern California and spends his off-duty time camping, rock climbing and learning to surf.
His sunrise runs take him five miles along the beautiful coastline here.
He speaks fluent traditional Chinese and, at 30, Skelton is a company commander with a promising future that includes graduate school and a tour in China as a foreign area officer.
Life is short, Skelton says, and he feels blessed for a second chance. His first chance ended in November 2004, when a rocket-propelled grenade smashed into his chest during a patrol in Fallujah, Iraq.
It was the coalition's second battle for the city, and Skelton, an infantry platoon leader, was hit on the first day of the offensive when his 50-man patrol was ambushed. Skelton had dismounted the vehicle when the RPG struck. Instead of exploding, it shattered, sending shards of shrapnel into his face and body.
Before his body even hit the ground, Skelton was sprayed with rounds from an enemy AK-47 assault rifle. He doesn't know how many bullets hit him – he didn't count them, he jokes now.
Skelton's left eye was blinded as it served as an exit point for the pieces of metal that blasted through the roof of his mouth. Shrapnel nearly amputated his left arm. As he faded out of consciousness, Skelton said, he heard the voices of his platoon's radio man and medic.
"Oh my God, the lieutenant's dead! The lieutenant's dead!" they shouted.
Accepting His Disabilities
But Skelton wasn't dead. He awoke weeks later at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He could bend his left arm, but could not control his left hand. His left eye was destroyed, as was the roof of his mouth, and he had no bone between his right knee and ankle.
The doctors worked to rebuild his body, repairing muscles, replacing his eye and mouth with prostheses and rebuilding the lower half of his leg.
"It was like being a real-life version of Mr. Potato Head," Skelton said.
But the limitations of Skelton's body didn't hold back his recovery, he said, as much as the damage to his attitude did. For the next five months Skelton would not leave his hospital bed, and he went to physical therapy only the week before he left the hospital, he said
While he was at the hospital, Skelton said, a soldier from his company who had lost both of his legs in the war visited him in his room to try to motivate him.
"I just didn't want to hear it," Skelton said. "I didn't want to accept the fact that our lives were forever changed, and what I used to think was true was not."
Skelton now admits he couldn't accept being disabled, because it didn't equate with his ideas of success and good looks.
"I spent 27 years looking the other way from the same population that I was now a part of -- the disabled population," Skelton said. "When was the last time that someone said 'Hey, that person with one arm is good looking?'"
Skelton said his mother asked his comrade one day how he could be so happy after suffering the loss of both legs. The soldier responded, "At least I didn't lose an eye. I don't know what I would do," Skelton recalled.
"And here's a kid that lost both his of legs," Skelton said. "It kind of grounds you. The situation might not be ideal [for you], but there is always something worse. So let's be grateful for what we do have."
The lessons from that soldier and others at Walter Reed shifted Skelton's perspective and left him feeling somewhat ashamed, he said.
"Here I am supposed to be a leader in the United States Army, and I'm learning lessons from all ranks," he said. "From young Americans who don't have a lot of experience in life, but who have learned some amazing lessons right off the bat."
Still, Skelton said, he struggled with the idea of being disabled until the examples of those around him finally sank in.
"I woke up one day and was like, 'What am I doing?'" he said. "Why am I so negative, and why can't I look at the positives of what I do have? I still have life. I still have my family who was there the whole time. And friends that came and visited me, and strangers that came and took care of my family."
But while Skelton's attitude toward recovery began shifting, what he didn't know was another struggle loomed ahead.
Taking Notes on Wounded Warriors
Skelton began his recovery early in the war, when Walter Reed was getting flooded with wounded. The support systems were overloaded and, eventually, all but ineffective, he said.
"There was really nobody there to help out my family outside of the family and communities that I had created," Skelton said.
For most of the time that Skelton was in the hospital, he couldn't write, because both of his arms were being operated on. He couldn't speak, because his mouth was being repaired. So for months, he said, he sat quietly, just listening and taking mental notes as families talked about their problems.
Skelton left Walter Reed in April 2005 to return to his home post of Fort Lewis, Wash., where he checked into the rear detachment because his unit was still deployed. All he knew about the medical board process was that it took a long time, Skelton said, so he volunteered to help at the unit.
"I could still function. I still wanted to contribute," he said. "I didn't want to sit in a hospital for six months or a year and do a medical board and just sit there. At least I could have that sense that I was contributing, that I was helping my unit."
Skelton learned to walk and talk again. When he wasn't in therapy, he helped out the rear detachment with whatever was needed. He also used the time to create a program for the brigade to track its wounded soldiers. With his remaining down time, he began writing down all of the mental notes he had taken at Walter Reed.
One day, Skelton said, one of the wives from the family readiness group approached him and asked what the group could to do to help the troops. They were tired of bake sales and fundraisers, she told him, and the group wanted to do something that would really make an impact.
In response, Skelton gave her the list he'd compiled from the conversations he'd heard at Walter Reed. "Here's 500 questions," he told the family readiness group representative. "Help me answer them."
At the end of the project, the group had developed the "Hero Handbook," the first comprehensive consolidation of material explaining how to traverse the Army's recovery system and transition process. The group has since distributed 50,000 copies and made the handbook available electronically.
'Too Broken' for Service?
By then, Skelton was into his medical board process, and his prospects didn't look good.
"Everyone along the way said, 'Thanks for playing, but you're too broken. There's no way you can stay in the Army,'" he said. But during his recovery, Skelton said he had met many injured troops who were going on to do amazing things in the civilian sector after being discharged.
Skelton said he knows the Army "isn't a charitable organization" and that it can't keep people in uniform if they're physically incapable of being soldiers. But, he added, capable wounded warriors were being discharged.
"I was frustrated that we weren't trying to keep soldiers in," he said.
Skelton had crossed paths with others who were seriously injured, but stayed on active duty and continued highly successful careers. Skelton points to soldiers such as Retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki, a partial-foot amputee, who served as the Army's 34th chief of staff, and Army Gen. Frederick Franks, who commanded the Gulf War coalition's 7th Corps and is a below-the-knee amputee.
But they and others had simply found ways to stay in, Skelton said, because the Army had no system in place for seriously injured soldiers to petition to stay on active duty.
Skelton's evaluation board determined he could not be retained, and he couldn't understand why.
"I want someone to explain to me why I can't contribute to any mission in the U.S. Army," Skelton said he told officials. "I'll go wherever you want me to go. I'll do whatever job you want me to do. But the last I checked, I do have a degree. ... I do have a good military career, and I speak Chinese fluently. How can you tell me that you're going to invest this much time, effort and money in training me and then you're going to let me go?
"No one could answer that," he said.
Buying Time and Turning Heads
Not yet ready to leave the Army, Skelton said, he found a commander in missile defense who would give him a job. He drove to Alaska, checked into Camp Greeley, called Department of Army officials and told them he was there. It wasn't the infantry, so it wasn't a perfect solution, but Skelton knew it would buy him some time, he said.
At that point he dug into learning how the Army works, Skelton said. He started studying policy and regulations and the relationship between the Defense Department and the Army. He also studied congressional procedures and how they relate to the military.
Skelton started writing recommendations on how to keep soldiers on active duty and how to improve wounded warrior care, and began e-mailing them to everyone he had met during his recovery. He also was becoming well versed on the medical board process, the relationship between unit commanders and hospitals and the transition between active-duty care and the Department of Veterans Affairs care system, Skelton said.
Then, an opportunity opened for him to travel to the Pentagon and talk with then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. His homework had paid off.
"I could very effectively point to where some of these issues were," Skelton said. "If we didn't act on it then, it was just going to grow worse, because our population was not dwindling any time soon."
After the meeting, Skelton was offered a job in Rumsfeld's office as the first person at his level to look hard at the gaps in care. Skelton sat on multiple committees and served as a military advisor to Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England.
Skelton had a front-row seat to history-making changes in wounded warrior care that swept across the Defense Department and, to an extent, the Veterans Administration. He regularly spoke with top DoD and congressional leaders, and even the president.
Improving Himself – and the Army
Skelton said officials appreciated his blunt, educated, straightforward recommendations. But he still had no promise of a career. For all of his efforts, Skelton said, he was still on borrowed time. Army officials had not said he could stay on active duty.
"There was no plan," Skelton said of his career. "I would do whatever it took to buy more time." Though he thought that eventually he would be forced out of the Army, he said, "I wasn't ready to quit."
And, he added, he was giving back to an organization he loved.
"I couldn't give back as a platoon leader in the infantry ... so this is one way, indirectly, that I could fulfill the obligation that I had and those promises that I made when I was first commissioned," he said.
While helping DoD improve its care for wounded warriors, Skelton continued to adapt on a personal level. He learned how to resume his life-long passion for rock-climbing using only one arm.
"I realized ... that I'm not going to be able to do the things that I used to in the way that I did them. Things change," Skelton said. "It doesn't mean I'm going to have to put those dreams aside. I'm just going to have to go about them a little differently."
He went on to host a rock-climbing clinic for other amputees. Leap-frogging from that idea, Skelton formed a nonprofit group that helps wounded warriors participate in extreme sports.
But despite his successes, Skelton said, he woke up in October 2007, looked at his life, and felt kind of down. He regularly spoke to groups about reaching goals and chasing passions, Skelton said, but he still was not meeting any of his own goals.
"I really wanted to [stay] in the Army and continue with my career," he said.
With his physical limitations, Skelton said, he knew he couldn't return to the infantry. He was a former enlisted interrogator and had a passion for American-Chinese relations, so he decided he wanted to return to the Army in the foreign area officer program. He could continue his education and learn advanced Chinese.
When Skelton approached Army leadership about staying on active duty this time, he received a different response. The request was granted almost overnight.
"It wasn't a charity decision. It wasn't 'Give the wounded guy a break and put him over there to make him feel good,'" Skelton said. "It made sense."
Seeing Clearly – Through One Eye
The Army's new attitude of care is more reflective of its values, Skelton said.
"The Army ethos is to never leave a fallen comrade behind. What better way to live that ethos than to show the force out there in the fight that, God forbid, if something happens to you ... we will not leave you?" he said.
Skelton now commands Company E, 229th Military Intelligence Battalion, at the Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center here. When Skelton finishes his command, he said, he likely will move on to study advanced Chinese, or learn another language, and then go on to in-country training. From there, he said, it will probably be graduate school and then he will qualify as a foreign area officer.
Skelton said he still feels the pain of his injuries every day. He has to have a neighbor or a friend button his sleeve, because his left hand will never improve. He doesn't wear an eye patch, he said, because he wants people to see the scars of war.
Still, life is good, Skelton said.
"I'm having fun. I'm being challenged intellectually. I'm being challenged physically and mentally," he said. "I look forward every morning to putting on the uniform and coming to work."
Also, Skelton said, he has found that fellow soldiers are inspired by his continued service and are more inclined to come to him with their problems, knowing he has had to work through his own.
"We all go through struggles in life," he said. "And none are more severe or bigger than others. They're just different."
Despite his positive outlook, Skelton said he is not sure he would want to go through the experience again. But, then again, he wouldn't rule it out. It has given him a perspective that promises hope and contentment in life, he said.
"Someone once said to me, 'You see things more clearly with one eye than I do with two,'" Skelton said. "I believe that each and every one of us should do what we love to do. And if you wake up one day and you don't love what you're doing, think about changing."
(Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles about wounded warriors who are returning to active duty).
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
MILITARY CONTRACTS November 5, 2008
U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
American Auto Logistics, LP of Park Ridge, NJ 07656-1878, is being awarded a $192,080,529.00 firm fixed price modification for an earned award term under a previously awarded contract (DAMT01-03-D-0184) to provide continuing services for the transportation and storage of privately owned vehicles. Work will be performed at worldwide locations and is expected to be completed Oct 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott AFB, IL 62225.
NAVY
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded a $31,682,880firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0005 under contract M67854-07-D-5025 for field service representatives and instructors to support Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by the January 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded an $8,738,992firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0004 under contract M67854-07-D-5025 for field service representatives to support Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by the January 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded $7,385,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0009 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62742-04-D-1302) for the wharf repairs at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This project includes repairs and preservation to the pier superstructure, fender system, concrete supporting piles and concrete decking. The project also includes replacement of all mooring hardware and repair of all mechanical, electrical, and communications systems. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by February, 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,385,000 will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Precon Marine, Inc.*, Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded a $6,796,845 firm-fixed-price contract for bulkhead repairs at Naval Station, Norfolk, Va. The work to be performed provides for bulkhead repairs, and includes provision of sheet pile in front of the existing bulkhead with concrete in–fill, provision of a jet-grouted soil curtain wall behind the existing bulkhead, provision of additional fill material with a geo-textile grout matt overlay for sheet pile toe stabilization; seawall repairs, tie rod repairs, repair of existing fender system, and related work behind the existing bulkhead. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by November 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with nine bids received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-09-C-4202).
Army
BAE System Land & Armaments Inc., Minneapolis, M.N., was awarded on Nov. 3, 2008, a $17,177,205 firm/fee/contract. To procure the vehicle emergency egress windshield kit for the M1151 Up-Armored High Mobility Multi-purpose wheeled vehicle for a quantity of 4,702 kits. Work will be performed in Minneapolis, M.N., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 22, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. US Army TACOM Contracting Center, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-08-C-0353).
King Fisher Marine Service LP, Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded on Nov 3, 2008, a $13,906,620 firm/fix /fee contract. The work consists of dredging approximately
2,000,000 cubic yards of new material dredging with a deep draft pipeline dredge. Work will be performed in Galveston County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. Bids were solicited via the Web and three bids were received. USA Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0002).
Air Force
Science Applications International Corp., Technology Services Co., of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for $16,000,000. This action will provide research and development under BAA entitled "Electro Magnetic Effects Research and Development." This effort is to search for new opportunities in all aspects of high power EM lethality, as well as to develop new solutions and enhance present capabilities. Missions such as survivability of DoD assets to high power microwave (HPM) environments, the development of HPM weapons and the refinement of HPM-predictive modeling for inclusion into engagement and campaign-level models will be supported. The intent is for the contractor to make optimum use of available AFRL/RDH capital assets and to augment or complement AFRL/RDH capabilities. At this time no funds have been obligated. Air Force Research Laboratory/RDKP, Det 8 Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-06-D-0222, P00009).
Cobham Defense/Continental Microwave Division of Exeter, N.H., is being awarded a requirements contract for $13,875,000. This action will provide for repair of the antenna assembly array board and network pieces in support of the F-16 Aircraft. At this time no funds have been obligated. 448 SCMG/PKAB, Commodities/Aircraft Branch, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8251-09-D-0001)
American Auto Logistics, LP of Park Ridge, NJ 07656-1878, is being awarded a $192,080,529.00 firm fixed price modification for an earned award term under a previously awarded contract (DAMT01-03-D-0184) to provide continuing services for the transportation and storage of privately owned vehicles. Work will be performed at worldwide locations and is expected to be completed Oct 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott AFB, IL 62225.
NAVY
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded a $31,682,880firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0005 under contract M67854-07-D-5025 for field service representatives and instructors to support Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by the January 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded an $8,738,992firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0004 under contract M67854-07-D-5025 for field service representatives to support Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by the January 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded $7,385,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0009 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62742-04-D-1302) for the wharf repairs at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This project includes repairs and preservation to the pier superstructure, fender system, concrete supporting piles and concrete decking. The project also includes replacement of all mooring hardware and repair of all mechanical, electrical, and communications systems. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by February, 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,385,000 will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Precon Marine, Inc.*, Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded a $6,796,845 firm-fixed-price contract for bulkhead repairs at Naval Station, Norfolk, Va. The work to be performed provides for bulkhead repairs, and includes provision of sheet pile in front of the existing bulkhead with concrete in–fill, provision of a jet-grouted soil curtain wall behind the existing bulkhead, provision of additional fill material with a geo-textile grout matt overlay for sheet pile toe stabilization; seawall repairs, tie rod repairs, repair of existing fender system, and related work behind the existing bulkhead. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by November 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with nine bids received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-09-C-4202).
Army
BAE System Land & Armaments Inc., Minneapolis, M.N., was awarded on Nov. 3, 2008, a $17,177,205 firm/fee/contract. To procure the vehicle emergency egress windshield kit for the M1151 Up-Armored High Mobility Multi-purpose wheeled vehicle for a quantity of 4,702 kits. Work will be performed in Minneapolis, M.N., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 22, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. US Army TACOM Contracting Center, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-08-C-0353).
King Fisher Marine Service LP, Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded on Nov 3, 2008, a $13,906,620 firm/fix /fee contract. The work consists of dredging approximately
2,000,000 cubic yards of new material dredging with a deep draft pipeline dredge. Work will be performed in Galveston County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. Bids were solicited via the Web and three bids were received. USA Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0002).
Air Force
Science Applications International Corp., Technology Services Co., of San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for $16,000,000. This action will provide research and development under BAA entitled "Electro Magnetic Effects Research and Development." This effort is to search for new opportunities in all aspects of high power EM lethality, as well as to develop new solutions and enhance present capabilities. Missions such as survivability of DoD assets to high power microwave (HPM) environments, the development of HPM weapons and the refinement of HPM-predictive modeling for inclusion into engagement and campaign-level models will be supported. The intent is for the contractor to make optimum use of available AFRL/RDH capital assets and to augment or complement AFRL/RDH capabilities. At this time no funds have been obligated. Air Force Research Laboratory/RDKP, Det 8 Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-06-D-0222, P00009).
Cobham Defense/Continental Microwave Division of Exeter, N.H., is being awarded a requirements contract for $13,875,000. This action will provide for repair of the antenna assembly array board and network pieces in support of the F-16 Aircraft. At this time no funds have been obligated. 448 SCMG/PKAB, Commodities/Aircraft Branch, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8251-09-D-0001)
Warrior Care: Defense Department Highlights Efforts in November
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Citing Warrior Care as both a top priority and a solemn obligation, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates designated November as "Warrior Care Month" to communicate the Defense Department's commitment to quality care to the nation's servicemembers and their families.
Through the department's Warrior Care Web portal at www.WarriorCare.mil, Warrior Care Month is aimed at increasing awareness of programs and resources available to wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, their families, and those who care about them, and reinforcing servicemembers' trust in DoD's commitment to their well-being, officials said.
Pentagon officials cited four principles of Warrior Care Month:
-- A Pledge to Our Servicemembers and Their Families. The Department of Defense will provide the highest quality of care to all wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and their families for as long as necessary, regardless of location.
-- A Commitment to Quality Care. Consistent and quality care is provided by the Department of Defense to servicemembers throughout the continuum of care (recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration) in conjunction with other government entities. Each service has also instituted programs to provide personalized medical and non-medical assistance to wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families.
-- Transforming Warrior Care. Warrior Care today includes new facilities, skilled and dedicated care providers, training and career opportunities to assist in the transition to new roles in the military or to civilian life, and a new partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch pilot programs to align medical records and establish a single Disability Evaluation System.
-- Simplifying Access and Establishing Channels for Reporting Problems. The Web site www.WarriorCare.mil is the gateway to the department's Warrior Care resources through which visitors can easily identify and access individual programs and resources to meet their needs.
-- In addition, the Wounded Warrior Resource Center was established for servicemembers and their families who encounter difficulties during their recovery process to receive the assistance they need immediately.
The WWRC is accessible by calling 800-342-9647 toll free, via e-mail at wwrc@militaryonesource.com, or on the Web at www.woundedwarriorresourcecenter.com, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Officials noted several key changes that have improved Warrior Care:
-- New partnerships have been developed with the Department of Veterans Affairs to streamline the transition between DoD and VA.
-- New programs to care for and support wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers have been instituted.
-- The department has implemented new approaches in the treatment of psychological health and the challenge of traumatic brain injury.
-- A concerted effort has been made in improving customer care.
In the future, officials said, the Defense Department will continue to work with VA to craft improvements tailored for those grievously wounded in combat, make rapid improvements in dealing with TBI and psychological health, improve service quality and consistency to the families of the wounded and the fallen, and support the Guard and Reserve with the same quality and consistency provided to active forces and their families.
Nov. 5, 2008 - Citing Warrior Care as both a top priority and a solemn obligation, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates designated November as "Warrior Care Month" to communicate the Defense Department's commitment to quality care to the nation's servicemembers and their families.
Through the department's Warrior Care Web portal at www.WarriorCare.mil, Warrior Care Month is aimed at increasing awareness of programs and resources available to wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, their families, and those who care about them, and reinforcing servicemembers' trust in DoD's commitment to their well-being, officials said.
Pentagon officials cited four principles of Warrior Care Month:
-- A Pledge to Our Servicemembers and Their Families. The Department of Defense will provide the highest quality of care to all wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and their families for as long as necessary, regardless of location.
-- A Commitment to Quality Care. Consistent and quality care is provided by the Department of Defense to servicemembers throughout the continuum of care (recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration) in conjunction with other government entities. Each service has also instituted programs to provide personalized medical and non-medical assistance to wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families.
-- Transforming Warrior Care. Warrior Care today includes new facilities, skilled and dedicated care providers, training and career opportunities to assist in the transition to new roles in the military or to civilian life, and a new partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch pilot programs to align medical records and establish a single Disability Evaluation System.
-- Simplifying Access and Establishing Channels for Reporting Problems. The Web site www.WarriorCare.mil is the gateway to the department's Warrior Care resources through which visitors can easily identify and access individual programs and resources to meet their needs.
-- In addition, the Wounded Warrior Resource Center was established for servicemembers and their families who encounter difficulties during their recovery process to receive the assistance they need immediately.
The WWRC is accessible by calling 800-342-9647 toll free, via e-mail at wwrc@militaryonesource.com, or on the Web at www.woundedwarriorresourcecenter.com, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Officials noted several key changes that have improved Warrior Care:
-- New partnerships have been developed with the Department of Veterans Affairs to streamline the transition between DoD and VA.
-- New programs to care for and support wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers have been instituted.
-- The department has implemented new approaches in the treatment of psychological health and the challenge of traumatic brain injury.
-- A concerted effort has been made in improving customer care.
In the future, officials said, the Defense Department will continue to work with VA to craft improvements tailored for those grievously wounded in combat, make rapid improvements in dealing with TBI and psychological health, improve service quality and consistency to the families of the wounded and the fallen, and support the Guard and Reserve with the same quality and consistency provided to active forces and their families.
Warrior Care: Giving Wounded What They Need, Deserve
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen didn't like the way wounded Vietnam veterans were treated when he first entered the service in 1968, and he is working to ensure that America's wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan get the care and help they need and deserve. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a Pentagon Channel podcast interview yesterday that as one of the leaders of the U.S. military, he is passionate "about seeing to the needs of those who are wounded – who have sacrificed so much, whose lives have been changed so dramatically."
Mullen said he also wants to help the families of the fallen. He wants "to make sure we are doing everything we can in the positions of leadership to make sure people understand what those families have sacrificed, and that we reach out to them and in every way possible and meet their needs for the rest of their lives," he said.
The chairman spoke about meeting a homeless Operation Enduring Freedom veteran at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Los Angeles recently. "He said to me 'I gave 100 percent. I'd really like 100 percent in return,'" Mullen said.
Medical care for wounded servicemembers has improved tremendously, Mullen said. Those who reach a field hospital within the first hour after being wounded – the so-called "Golden Hour" – have a 92 percent chance of survival. Medical professionals undoubtedly are saving the lives of many who would have died in previous wars, the chairman said.
"More than anything else, it's remarkable medical personnel who have adapted and moved to the leading edge of medical care," he said. "I can't say enough for them."
The whole process is one of speed, with those wounded in the combat theater quickly transferred to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and then further transported to wherever they need to go in the United States. But while much has been done, Mullen said, much more remains to be done, and this is especially true for long-term treatment and care, as the servicemembers and their families still want to live life and contribute to America.
"What we find out in my interaction with them and my wife's interaction with them is their dreams haven't changed," Mullen said.
The servicemembers still want to "own a piece of the rock," the chairman said. They still want to go to school, own a home, have good jobs and leave their children better off than they are. Realizing those dreams may be changed by the injuries, but the dreams remain, he said.
The question then becomes how the nation – through the Defense Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs and communities throughout the country – "reach out to meet the needs of these people who have given so much," he said.
Many programs are available, Mullen said, but he added he is not convinced they are doing what they should. He said he wants to study the programs to ensure they are producing for the servicemembers – giving them the needed mix to realize their dreams.
The chairman also said the department has a long way to go in the handling of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
"leaders have to step forward to set the example," he said. "A big part of that is the challenge of the stigma of asking for mental help."
From his perspective, the admiral said, asking for mental-health help is the same as asking for help for a physical problem, and it is a readiness issue. "Being on your game mentally" is as important as being physically ready to accomplish the mission, he said.
"We've taken some steps with respect to removing the stigma, but we've got a long way to go," the chairman acknowledged.
Connecting wounded servicemembers to communities also is extremely important, Mullen said.
"There is a sea of goodwill out there in our communities that will reach out and support those who are wounded and their families, and the families of the fallen," he said. "Where we are struggling a bit is connecting those resources in communities throughout the land to those who need it. We've got to work on it structurally and organizationally to connect that sea of goodwill to those who have these needs."
The needs of the wounded vary by family and individual. They also vary by point in the healing or rehabilitation process, the chairman said. "It can be very difficult to figure out what is needed, [and] when. But I know there are communities that are doing this and want to do this."
All Americans need to ensure these veterans and families receive what they need, and have to ensure this support is sustained over time, the nation's top military officer said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen didn't like the way wounded Vietnam veterans were treated when he first entered the service in 1968, and he is working to ensure that America's wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan get the care and help they need and deserve. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a Pentagon Channel podcast interview yesterday that as one of the leaders of the U.S. military, he is passionate "about seeing to the needs of those who are wounded – who have sacrificed so much, whose lives have been changed so dramatically."
Mullen said he also wants to help the families of the fallen. He wants "to make sure we are doing everything we can in the positions of leadership to make sure people understand what those families have sacrificed, and that we reach out to them and in every way possible and meet their needs for the rest of their lives," he said.
The chairman spoke about meeting a homeless Operation Enduring Freedom veteran at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Los Angeles recently. "He said to me 'I gave 100 percent. I'd really like 100 percent in return,'" Mullen said.
Medical care for wounded servicemembers has improved tremendously, Mullen said. Those who reach a field hospital within the first hour after being wounded – the so-called "Golden Hour" – have a 92 percent chance of survival. Medical professionals undoubtedly are saving the lives of many who would have died in previous wars, the chairman said.
"More than anything else, it's remarkable medical personnel who have adapted and moved to the leading edge of medical care," he said. "I can't say enough for them."
The whole process is one of speed, with those wounded in the combat theater quickly transferred to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and then further transported to wherever they need to go in the United States. But while much has been done, Mullen said, much more remains to be done, and this is especially true for long-term treatment and care, as the servicemembers and their families still want to live life and contribute to America.
"What we find out in my interaction with them and my wife's interaction with them is their dreams haven't changed," Mullen said.
The servicemembers still want to "own a piece of the rock," the chairman said. They still want to go to school, own a home, have good jobs and leave their children better off than they are. Realizing those dreams may be changed by the injuries, but the dreams remain, he said.
The question then becomes how the nation – through the Defense Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs and communities throughout the country – "reach out to meet the needs of these people who have given so much," he said.
Many programs are available, Mullen said, but he added he is not convinced they are doing what they should. He said he wants to study the programs to ensure they are producing for the servicemembers – giving them the needed mix to realize their dreams.
The chairman also said the department has a long way to go in the handling of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
"leaders have to step forward to set the example," he said. "A big part of that is the challenge of the stigma of asking for mental help."
From his perspective, the admiral said, asking for mental-health help is the same as asking for help for a physical problem, and it is a readiness issue. "Being on your game mentally" is as important as being physically ready to accomplish the mission, he said.
"We've taken some steps with respect to removing the stigma, but we've got a long way to go," the chairman acknowledged.
Connecting wounded servicemembers to communities also is extremely important, Mullen said.
"There is a sea of goodwill out there in our communities that will reach out and support those who are wounded and their families, and the families of the fallen," he said. "Where we are struggling a bit is connecting those resources in communities throughout the land to those who need it. We've got to work on it structurally and organizationally to connect that sea of goodwill to those who have these needs."
The needs of the wounded vary by family and individual. They also vary by point in the healing or rehabilitation process, the chairman said. "It can be very difficult to figure out what is needed, [and] when. But I know there are communities that are doing this and want to do this."
All Americans need to ensure these veterans and families receive what they need, and have to ensure this support is sustained over time, the nation's top military officer said.
Michael Jordan Teams Up with National Guard
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Basketball legend and avid motorcyclist Michael Jordan is the latest high-profile celebrity to team up with the National Guard. Jordan and Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard, unveiled the 2009 No. 23 National Guard Michael Jordan Motor Sports Superbike to more than 2,100 cheering citizen-soldiers gathered for a training workshop here last month.
Music star Kid Rock, who also appeared at the recruiting event, joked about Jordan's celebrity stature. "Who decided to put me on after Michael Jordan?" he demanded to know, before explaining the celebrity pecking order. "It goes like this: Actors. Sports stars. Rock stars. Michael Jordan."
The professional closed-course motorcycle road racing team that Jordan has owned since 2004 competes in the American Motorcyclist Association's superbike class. Jordan joins a National Guard celebrity "A" list that also includes Kid Rock, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the rock group 3 Doors Down.
"These people associate themselves with the 'best-in' categories, and that talks about what the National Guard is," said Army Col. Mike Jones, chief of the Army Guard's strength maintenance division, who has presided over a historic recruiting surge that motivated other services to adopt the Army Guard's recruiting methods when the component's numbers eclipsed its congressionally authorized end-strength.
When Michael Jordan's older brother, James, retired in 2006 as command sergeant major of the 18th Airborne Corps' 35th Signal Brigade – the only airborne signal brigade – he told the Associated Press, "The Army was my life. That's why I dedicated myself to it. I felt I could be very successful in it. It didn't require me to be [six feet tall]. It just required me to be physically fit."
James Jordan's career increases Michael Jordan's empathy with citizen-soldiers, the basketball legend said. "He's spoken very highly about the armed services," Michael Jordan said. "Some of the lessons he's learned, he's passed on not just to me, but to my brothers and sisters and everybody that has come into contact with him. I live vicariously through him."
Michael Jordan's been a motorcycle enthusiast since he rode his first dirt bike at about the age of 6. He committed to AMA racing after his third retirement as a professional athlete. "Once I saw it, I became a great fan," he said.
Aaron Yates joined Michael Jordan Motor Sports in 2007, and on Aug. 31 handed the basketball superstar his first AMA Superstock championship.
"Winning means a lot," Jordan said. "You put forth a lot of hard work and dedication. You start the season off with a lot of goals. You go through disappointments in the course of the season, and at the end of the year when you finally step up to that podium and win the championship, nothing's more gratifying."
Jordan looked out at the 2,100 citizen-soldiers who gave him a standing ovation here. "I've represented my country a couple of times," he told the soldiers. "And you guys have represented me."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Basketball legend and avid motorcyclist Michael Jordan is the latest high-profile celebrity to team up with the National Guard. Jordan and Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard, unveiled the 2009 No. 23 National Guard Michael Jordan Motor Sports Superbike to more than 2,100 cheering citizen-soldiers gathered for a training workshop here last month.
Music star Kid Rock, who also appeared at the recruiting event, joked about Jordan's celebrity stature. "Who decided to put me on after Michael Jordan?" he demanded to know, before explaining the celebrity pecking order. "It goes like this: Actors. Sports stars. Rock stars. Michael Jordan."
The professional closed-course motorcycle road racing team that Jordan has owned since 2004 competes in the American Motorcyclist Association's superbike class. Jordan joins a National Guard celebrity "A" list that also includes Kid Rock, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the rock group 3 Doors Down.
"These people associate themselves with the 'best-in' categories, and that talks about what the National Guard is," said Army Col. Mike Jones, chief of the Army Guard's strength maintenance division, who has presided over a historic recruiting surge that motivated other services to adopt the Army Guard's recruiting methods when the component's numbers eclipsed its congressionally authorized end-strength.
When Michael Jordan's older brother, James, retired in 2006 as command sergeant major of the 18th Airborne Corps' 35th Signal Brigade – the only airborne signal brigade – he told the Associated Press, "The Army was my life. That's why I dedicated myself to it. I felt I could be very successful in it. It didn't require me to be [six feet tall]. It just required me to be physically fit."
James Jordan's career increases Michael Jordan's empathy with citizen-soldiers, the basketball legend said. "He's spoken very highly about the armed services," Michael Jordan said. "Some of the lessons he's learned, he's passed on not just to me, but to my brothers and sisters and everybody that has come into contact with him. I live vicariously through him."
Michael Jordan's been a motorcycle enthusiast since he rode his first dirt bike at about the age of 6. He committed to AMA racing after his third retirement as a professional athlete. "Once I saw it, I became a great fan," he said.
Aaron Yates joined Michael Jordan Motor Sports in 2007, and on Aug. 31 handed the basketball superstar his first AMA Superstock championship.
"Winning means a lot," Jordan said. "You put forth a lot of hard work and dedication. You start the season off with a lot of goals. You go through disappointments in the course of the season, and at the end of the year when you finally step up to that podium and win the championship, nothing's more gratifying."
Jordan looked out at the 2,100 citizen-soldiers who gave him a standing ovation here. "I've represented my country a couple of times," he told the soldiers. "And you guys have represented me."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Armed Forces Inaugural Committee Prepares to Welcome New President
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Members of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee are preparing to welcome President-elect Barack Obama when the nation's 44th chief executive takes the oath of office Jan. 20. AFIC is a joint-service organization that coordinates all military ceremonial support for presidential inaugurals, according to the committee's Web site. The committee falls under Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, commanded by Army Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe Jr., who wears a dual hat as the committee's chairman. The committee, he said, will grow to about 700 members prior to Inauguration Day.
Inauguration Day will mark the 56th time the U.S. military has welcomed the incoming commander in chief with fanfare, music and parades, Rowe said, a tradition that goes back to the first U.S. chief executive, George Washington.
"We're very excited about it," Rowe said.
AFIC works with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies and the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said Marine Corps Col. Tim Cole, AFIC's chief of staff. The JCCIC is made up of key congressional leaders and is responsible for the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and the congressional luncheon. The PIC is a nonprofit organization representing the president-elect that's responsible for organizing and funding many inaugural events.
Supporting the inaugural "is quite an honor," Cole said, citing the historical importance of yesterday's election, which selected America's first African-American president as the nation remains at war with global terrorism.
Cole saluted America's servicemen and women, including the half-million troops stationed overseas – many of whom are serving in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq -- as well as military retirees and veterans.
"We in uniform today represent them at this nation's inauguration," Cole said.
AFIC's military composition "is purple all the way," said Navy Capt. Benjamin Yates, the committee's director of personnel. The color purple, he explained, signifies the blending of the different-hued uniforms worn by members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard who serve on the AFIC. Yates is a retired Navy officer who was recalled to active duty to serve on the committee.
"It's a major operation," Yates said of AFIC's mission. "No matter what inauguration you're going through, it's a piece of history." Following the inaugural, he said, the committee should finish closing up shop sometime in April.
Today, the day after Election Day, about 70 servicemembers reporting to the AFIC were involved in various in-processing actions at the committee's offices in downtown Washington.
AFIC members Army Capt. Sam Kieffer, Coast Guard Lt. Kishia Mills and Air Force Staff Sgt. Olayinka Olatunji issued building and other credentials to the new arrivals.
"It's great to be in a joint environment and working with the other services," said Mills, 27, who hails from New York City.
Working on the AFIC is an "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Lancaster, Pa., native Kieffer, citing the significance of U.S. presidential inaugurations. "It is history in the making, and obviously this one is special," Kieffer said of Obama's upcoming inauguration.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Serafico, a 34-year-old administration specialist from Reno, Nev., said he is inspired to be part of the AFIC.
"It's truly an honor and a privilege to be here to be taking part in this very historical event. ... To just be part of history is truly amazing and something I'll truly remember," Serafico said.
Navy Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class Lisa Daniels, 42, heard about the opportunity to join AFIC months ago during a duty tour in Bahrain. "I applied for the program, ... and fortunately I got selected," said Daniels, who hails from Warren, Ark. "I am glad to be here."
Daniels, who will serve with the committee as a duty driver, said she recognizes that Obama's journey to the White House is a notable event in U.S. history.
"I support any president," she said. "It's all about the support of our government and sticking together as a team and forming unity for our nation."
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Members of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee are preparing to welcome President-elect Barack Obama when the nation's 44th chief executive takes the oath of office Jan. 20. AFIC is a joint-service organization that coordinates all military ceremonial support for presidential inaugurals, according to the committee's Web site. The committee falls under Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, commanded by Army Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe Jr., who wears a dual hat as the committee's chairman. The committee, he said, will grow to about 700 members prior to Inauguration Day.
Inauguration Day will mark the 56th time the U.S. military has welcomed the incoming commander in chief with fanfare, music and parades, Rowe said, a tradition that goes back to the first U.S. chief executive, George Washington.
"We're very excited about it," Rowe said.
AFIC works with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies and the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said Marine Corps Col. Tim Cole, AFIC's chief of staff. The JCCIC is made up of key congressional leaders and is responsible for the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and the congressional luncheon. The PIC is a nonprofit organization representing the president-elect that's responsible for organizing and funding many inaugural events.
Supporting the inaugural "is quite an honor," Cole said, citing the historical importance of yesterday's election, which selected America's first African-American president as the nation remains at war with global terrorism.
Cole saluted America's servicemen and women, including the half-million troops stationed overseas – many of whom are serving in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq -- as well as military retirees and veterans.
"We in uniform today represent them at this nation's inauguration," Cole said.
AFIC's military composition "is purple all the way," said Navy Capt. Benjamin Yates, the committee's director of personnel. The color purple, he explained, signifies the blending of the different-hued uniforms worn by members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard who serve on the AFIC. Yates is a retired Navy officer who was recalled to active duty to serve on the committee.
"It's a major operation," Yates said of AFIC's mission. "No matter what inauguration you're going through, it's a piece of history." Following the inaugural, he said, the committee should finish closing up shop sometime in April.
Today, the day after Election Day, about 70 servicemembers reporting to the AFIC were involved in various in-processing actions at the committee's offices in downtown Washington.
AFIC members Army Capt. Sam Kieffer, Coast Guard Lt. Kishia Mills and Air Force Staff Sgt. Olayinka Olatunji issued building and other credentials to the new arrivals.
"It's great to be in a joint environment and working with the other services," said Mills, 27, who hails from New York City.
Working on the AFIC is an "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Lancaster, Pa., native Kieffer, citing the significance of U.S. presidential inaugurations. "It is history in the making, and obviously this one is special," Kieffer said of Obama's upcoming inauguration.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Serafico, a 34-year-old administration specialist from Reno, Nev., said he is inspired to be part of the AFIC.
"It's truly an honor and a privilege to be here to be taking part in this very historical event. ... To just be part of history is truly amazing and something I'll truly remember," Serafico said.
Navy Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class Lisa Daniels, 42, heard about the opportunity to join AFIC months ago during a duty tour in Bahrain. "I applied for the program, ... and fortunately I got selected," said Daniels, who hails from Warren, Ark. "I am glad to be here."
Daniels, who will serve with the committee as a duty driver, said she recognizes that Obama's journey to the White House is a notable event in U.S. history.
"I support any president," she said. "It's all about the support of our government and sticking together as a team and forming unity for our nation."
Marines Missing From Vietnam War Are Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Lance Cpl. Kurt E. La Plant, of Lenexa, Kan., and Lance Cpl. Luis F. Palacios, of Los Angeles, Calif. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group. Among the group remains are Lance Cpl. Ralph L. Harper, of Indianapolis, Ind., and Pfc. Jose R. Sanchez, of Brooklyn, N.Y. All men were U.S. Marine Corps. Palacios will be buried Friday in Bellflower, Calif., and the other Marines will be buried as a group in the spring in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On June 6, 1968, these men were aboard a CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter that was attempting an emergency extraction of elements of the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division then engaged against hostile forces in the mountains southwest of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. The helicopter was struck by enemy ground fire and crashed, killing 12 of the 23 crewmen and passengers on board. All but four of the men who died were subsequently recovered and identified.
Between 1993 and 2005, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated the incident in Quang Tri Province, interviewed witnesses and surveyed the crash site three times. The team found a U.S. military boot fragment and wreckage consistent with that of a CH-46 helicopter.
In 2006, a team began excavating the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence including La Plant's identification tag. While at the site, a Vietnamese citizen turned over to the team human remains the he claimed to have found amid the wreckage. In 2007, another team completed the excavation and recovered additional human remains, life support material and aircraft wreckage.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
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) 699-1420.
They are Lance Cpl. Kurt E. La Plant, of Lenexa, Kan., and Lance Cpl. Luis F. Palacios, of Los Angeles, Calif. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group. Among the group remains are Lance Cpl. Ralph L. Harper, of Indianapolis, Ind., and Pfc. Jose R. Sanchez, of Brooklyn, N.Y. All men were U.S. Marine Corps. Palacios will be buried Friday in Bellflower, Calif., and the other Marines will be buried as a group in the spring in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On June 6, 1968, these men were aboard a CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter that was attempting an emergency extraction of elements of the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division then engaged against hostile forces in the mountains southwest of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. The helicopter was struck by enemy ground fire and crashed, killing 12 of the 23 crewmen and passengers on board. All but four of the men who died were subsequently recovered and identified.
Between 1993 and 2005, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated the incident in Quang Tri Province, interviewed witnesses and surveyed the crash site three times. The team found a U.S. military boot fragment and wreckage consistent with that of a CH-46 helicopter.
In 2006, a team began excavating the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence including La Plant's identification tag. While at the site, a Vietnamese citizen turned over to the team human remains the he claimed to have found amid the wreckage. In 2007, another team completed the excavation and recovered additional human remains, life support material and aircraft wreckage.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
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) 699-1420.
Russian Threats Miss Point of Proposed Missile Defenses, Official Says
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev's threat today to deploy missiles targeting proposed U.S. missile defenses in Eastern Europe misses the point that the system will be purely defensive and will pose no threat to Russia, a Pentagon spokesman said today. "These are interceptors," Bryan Whitman said of the system that will include 10 missile silos in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic. "And they are designed to protect our European allies as well as the ... United States from an emerging ballistic missile threat from the Middle East."
Medvedev made headlines during his annual address to the Federal Assembly today, announcing that Russia will deploy short-range missiles in the Baltic Sea region in response to plans to build the missile defense system.
Russia also will develop jamming capabilities to counter the system, and cancel its plans to decommission a missile division in Kozelsk by 2010, Medvedev said.
The Russian president said Russia's conflict with Georgia in the Caucasus served as "a pretext for the appearance of NATO's warships and then, for the accelerated enforcement of America's missile defense systems on Europe."
Whitman emphasized that the United States has gone out of its way to reassure the Russians that the proposed missile defense system "is not a system that threatens them."
"We have offered any number of transparency arrangements [and] briefings to try to mitigate their concerns,... and nothing in today's news changes our position with respect to trying to collaborate [and] cooperate with our European partners," he said.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed similar sentiments last week, telling a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace audience he's confident the Russians know the proposed system doesn't threaten them. He called objections that 10 missile-defense interceptors would jeopardize Russia's arsenal "laughable."
"I think we've leaned forward pretty far and have been open with them about what we intend to do," Gates said. "I think we have gone a long way toward providing the necessary assurances to Russia that this system is not aimed at them, but is aimed at a very limited threat coming from Iran."
Gates noted proposals the United States has offered to help reassure Russia. One would allow Russia to have representatives at each site, if the host nation agreed, to provide technical monitoring of activities. Another would be to base a common-data-sharing center in Moscow.
Gates said he assured Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin when Putin was president that the United States would not make the sites operational until the Iranians had tested a missile that could reach most of Western Europe, including parts of Russia.
"We have provided transparency in a number of ways," Gates said. While the Russian military "has shown some interest in this," Russians have "chosen to make an issue of the notion" for political reasons, he said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev's threat today to deploy missiles targeting proposed U.S. missile defenses in Eastern Europe misses the point that the system will be purely defensive and will pose no threat to Russia, a Pentagon spokesman said today. "These are interceptors," Bryan Whitman said of the system that will include 10 missile silos in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic. "And they are designed to protect our European allies as well as the ... United States from an emerging ballistic missile threat from the Middle East."
Medvedev made headlines during his annual address to the Federal Assembly today, announcing that Russia will deploy short-range missiles in the Baltic Sea region in response to plans to build the missile defense system.
Russia also will develop jamming capabilities to counter the system, and cancel its plans to decommission a missile division in Kozelsk by 2010, Medvedev said.
The Russian president said Russia's conflict with Georgia in the Caucasus served as "a pretext for the appearance of NATO's warships and then, for the accelerated enforcement of America's missile defense systems on Europe."
Whitman emphasized that the United States has gone out of its way to reassure the Russians that the proposed missile defense system "is not a system that threatens them."
"We have offered any number of transparency arrangements [and] briefings to try to mitigate their concerns,... and nothing in today's news changes our position with respect to trying to collaborate [and] cooperate with our European partners," he said.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed similar sentiments last week, telling a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace audience he's confident the Russians know the proposed system doesn't threaten them. He called objections that 10 missile-defense interceptors would jeopardize Russia's arsenal "laughable."
"I think we've leaned forward pretty far and have been open with them about what we intend to do," Gates said. "I think we have gone a long way toward providing the necessary assurances to Russia that this system is not aimed at them, but is aimed at a very limited threat coming from Iran."
Gates noted proposals the United States has offered to help reassure Russia. One would allow Russia to have representatives at each site, if the host nation agreed, to provide technical monitoring of activities. Another would be to base a common-data-sharing center in Moscow.
Gates said he assured Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin when Putin was president that the United States would not make the sites operational until the Iranians had tested a missile that could reach most of Western Europe, including parts of Russia.
"We have provided transparency in a number of ways," Gates said. While the Russian military "has shown some interest in this," Russians have "chosen to make an issue of the notion" for political reasons, he said.
Navy Commissions First Littoral Combat Ship Freedom
The Navy's first littoral combat ship (LCS) Freedom will be commissioned Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, during a 10 a.m. EST ceremony at Veterans Park, Milwaukee, Wis.
Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Birgit Smith, the ship's sponsor, is the widow of Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The commissioning ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Smith gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
The name of the new ship acknowledges the enduring foundation of our nation and honors all American communities which bear the name Freedom to include towns in California, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
As the initial LCS, the 378-foot Freedom will be the first to carry this class designation. Freedom (LCS 1) is one of two LCS seaframes being produced. Independence (LCS 2) was christened by the Navy on Oct. 4, 2008.
A fast, agile, and high-technology surface combatant, Freedom will be a platform for launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. Its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis. The LCS will be able to swap out mission packages pierside in a matter of days, adapting as the tactical situation demands. These ships will also feature advanced networking capability to share tactical information with other Navy aircraft, ships, submarines and joint units.
Freedom is an innovative combatant designed to operate quickly in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, submarines and fast surface craft. The LCS is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep.
Freedom will be manned by one of two rotational crews, Blue and Gold, similar to the rotational crews assigned to Trident submarines. The crews will be augmented by one of three mission package crews during focused mission assignments. The Blue Crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Donald Gabrielson, a native of Hibbing, Minn. The Gold Crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Michael Doran, a native of Harrisonville, Mo. Freedom will be homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif., as part of the Pacific Fleet.
In May 2004, the Department of Defense awarded both Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems & Sensors in Moorestown, N.J., and General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, separate contract options for final system design, with options for detail design and construction of up to two flight 0 LCS ships.
In December 2004, the Navy awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. the contract for detail design and construction of the first LCS. Lockheed Martin's teammates include Gibbs & Cox in Arlington, Va.; Marinette Marine Corp. in Marinette, Wis., where the ship was built; and Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La.
Additional information on the LCS is available online at http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/ .
Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Birgit Smith, the ship's sponsor, is the widow of Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The commissioning ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Smith gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
The name of the new ship acknowledges the enduring foundation of our nation and honors all American communities which bear the name Freedom to include towns in California, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
As the initial LCS, the 378-foot Freedom will be the first to carry this class designation. Freedom (LCS 1) is one of two LCS seaframes being produced. Independence (LCS 2) was christened by the Navy on Oct. 4, 2008.
A fast, agile, and high-technology surface combatant, Freedom will be a platform for launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. Its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis. The LCS will be able to swap out mission packages pierside in a matter of days, adapting as the tactical situation demands. These ships will also feature advanced networking capability to share tactical information with other Navy aircraft, ships, submarines and joint units.
Freedom is an innovative combatant designed to operate quickly in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, submarines and fast surface craft. The LCS is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep.
Freedom will be manned by one of two rotational crews, Blue and Gold, similar to the rotational crews assigned to Trident submarines. The crews will be augmented by one of three mission package crews during focused mission assignments. The Blue Crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Donald Gabrielson, a native of Hibbing, Minn. The Gold Crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Michael Doran, a native of Harrisonville, Mo. Freedom will be homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif., as part of the Pacific Fleet.
In May 2004, the Department of Defense awarded both Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems & Sensors in Moorestown, N.J., and General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, separate contract options for final system design, with options for detail design and construction of up to two flight 0 LCS ships.
In December 2004, the Navy awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. the contract for detail design and construction of the first LCS. Lockheed Martin's teammates include Gibbs & Cox in Arlington, Va.; Marinette Marine Corp. in Marinette, Wis., where the ship was built; and Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La.
Additional information on the LCS is available online at http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/ .
Warrior Care: DoD, VA Share Records to Benefit Wounded Warriors, Veterans
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are making good progress in sharing information to the benefit of wounded warriors and veterans, a senior DoD official said. One of the chief goals of DoD-VA interoperability efforts is to supply computerized health data so providers in both departments "will have the necessary health information background to be able to provide better-quality care," Dr. Steven L. Jones, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said here Oct. 30.
For example, DoD's medical information on 4.5 million military patients now has been shared with VA, Jones said. "Of course, that continues to grow every day," he said, adding that about 68,000 inquiries for medical information are conducted weekly between DoD and VA.
As DoD and VA continue their efforts to share more information, care is taken to preserve the security of patients' medical records, Jones said.
DoD and VA have worked to improve administrative procedures related to assisting wounded troops and veterans, Jones said. He also cited improvements in providing medical information from DoD health care providers to VA case workers who assist disabled veterans.
The military Health System, which encompasses all of the armed services, also strives to make life easier for wounded warriors and their families, Jones said. One recent initiative, he said, features teleconferences between pre-discharged military patients and families and caregivers at destination VA medical facilities.
DoD and VA also have established an interagency program office that will assist both agencies to share even more information and to work together to meet common goals, Jones said.
The military Health System invests millions of dollars each year to upgrade its information technology capabilities so as to provide servicemembers and families the best medical care available, Jones said.
"We want to provide world-class treatment," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2008 - The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are making good progress in sharing information to the benefit of wounded warriors and veterans, a senior DoD official said. One of the chief goals of DoD-VA interoperability efforts is to supply computerized health data so providers in both departments "will have the necessary health information background to be able to provide better-quality care," Dr. Steven L. Jones, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said here Oct. 30.
For example, DoD's medical information on 4.5 million military patients now has been shared with VA, Jones said. "Of course, that continues to grow every day," he said, adding that about 68,000 inquiries for medical information are conducted weekly between DoD and VA.
As DoD and VA continue their efforts to share more information, care is taken to preserve the security of patients' medical records, Jones said.
DoD and VA have worked to improve administrative procedures related to assisting wounded troops and veterans, Jones said. He also cited improvements in providing medical information from DoD health care providers to VA case workers who assist disabled veterans.
The military Health System, which encompasses all of the armed services, also strives to make life easier for wounded warriors and their families, Jones said. One recent initiative, he said, features teleconferences between pre-discharged military patients and families and caregivers at destination VA medical facilities.
DoD and VA also have established an interagency program office that will assist both agencies to share even more information and to work together to meet common goals, Jones said.
The military Health System invests millions of dollars each year to upgrade its information technology capabilities so as to provide servicemembers and families the best medical care available, Jones said.
"We want to provide world-class treatment," he said.
November is Warrior Care Month
The Secretary of Defense Robert F. Gates announced that November is Warrior Care Month today. Warrior Care Month is a DoD wide effort aimed at increasing awareness of programs and resources available to wounded, ill, and injured service members, their families, and those who care about them.
“I am pleased we have made significant strides to improve treatment for our service members. But frankly, much work remains to be done. We need to make it easier for our troops and their families to take advantage of all the assistance now available to them," said Gates.
The department offers myriad resources to service members and their families, from prevention to injury-specific treatments, to ensure military well-being.
In addition, each military service has instituted programs to provide personalized medical and non-medical assistance to wounded, ill and injured service members and their families. These include:
U.S. Army Warrior Care and Transition Program and the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2)
U.S. Navy Safe Harbor
U.S. Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment
U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior
To simplify access to care the department has created http://www.WarriorCare.mil to serve as a portal to all warrior care resources. This site describes available resources and links users to the correct sources for additional information. Through it, service members, their families, and those who care about them can easily identify and access care.
Throughout November numerous events and educational activities will focus on educating the military community about the different aspects of the continuum of care provided to service members during the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration process.
“I am pleased we have made significant strides to improve treatment for our service members. But frankly, much work remains to be done. We need to make it easier for our troops and their families to take advantage of all the assistance now available to them," said Gates.
The department offers myriad resources to service members and their families, from prevention to injury-specific treatments, to ensure military well-being.
In addition, each military service has instituted programs to provide personalized medical and non-medical assistance to wounded, ill and injured service members and their families. These include:
U.S. Army Warrior Care and Transition Program and the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2)
U.S. Navy Safe Harbor
U.S. Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment
U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior
To simplify access to care the department has created http://www.WarriorCare.mil to serve as a portal to all warrior care resources. This site describes available resources and links users to the correct sources for additional information. Through it, service members, their families, and those who care about them can easily identify and access care.
Throughout November numerous events and educational activities will focus on educating the military community about the different aspects of the continuum of care provided to service members during the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration process.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Face of Defense: Marine Midshipman Follows Her Dream
By Linda Hosek
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - A Navy Web site showing midshipmen crawling through mud and carrying rifles was all Lauren Reisinger needed to see to set her military future in motion. Then a high school sophomore and now a Marine midshipman, Reisinger couldn't have predicted the extreme pain of her first five-mile "hump" or the absolute thrill of graduating No. 1 in her Marine Corps ROTC class and receiving the top awards for leadership, military knowledge and physical fitness.
She also couldn't have predicted where she would be now: spending a year abroad at the University of Jordan to pursue Middle Eastern studies and Arabic, thanks to a Defense Department scholarship for tuition.
But that's the future that lay ahead in 2004 when Reisinger applied for a full ROTC scholarship at Drexel University and selected the Marines – not knowing exactly why.
"I chose to check the 'USMC' box simply because something in my heart told me I should," she said. "That simple choice has made an immense impact on the rest of my life."
Now 22, Reisinger is close to completing these phases of her academic and military training. In May, she will receive a degree from Drexel in international studies with minors in Arabic and world politics. In June, she will earn her commission and be sworn in as a second lieutenant.
From there, she sees a career with the Marines – or one that could go in a variety of directions, depending on what drives her at the moment.
"For years, I have dreamt of being the secretary of state, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senator, a foreign ambassador or even in my wildest dreams I have imagined myself as president," she said.
While the military seems like a perfect fit for Reisinger, she had to forge it by herself, leaving the comfort zone of her life in Marin County, a northern California area she describes as "extremely sheltered, wealthy and liberal" and that local people refer to as the "Marin bubble."
"Within my family, I am somewhat of a 'black sheep,'" she said. "Of the four children, I am the only one to join the military, go to college outside of Northern California, not be a die-hard, very left-wing liberal, live in the Middle East and want to pursue a political career. My siblings support what I do, although they don't understand where I get my drive from and don't identify with my choices."
In fact, most people tried to talk her out of it, she said.
No chance of that for a person as focused and self-aware as Reisinger, going back to when she saw those pictures of midshipmen crawling through the mud as a high school sophomore. Shortly after, she set out to sink her own feet into military life by applying for a summer seminar at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., before her senior year – and got it.
"I felt like I was in my element for the first time," she said. "The military atmosphere made me come alive, and I just knew that I was destined to be an officer."
Reisinger did so well that summer she received congressional nominations to both the Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. She also filled out an ROTC application, saying she didn't really know what it was – only that "it was something military."
When it came time to make decisions, she said, she relied on a gut feeling. She chose Marine Corps ROTC over Naval Academy Prep School and launched her academic and military life on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia.
As a freshman, she decided to concentrate on the Middle East and take Arabic, thinking she could use her language skills in the Marine Corps and later at the State Department or CIA.
"I became completely intrigued with not only the language, but the culture, religion and history of the Middle East as well," said Reisinger, who arrived in the military with considerable cultural exposure. To date she's traveled to 27 countries, and every continent except Antarctica.
Then there was the ROTC challenge – one she wasn't always sure she could hack.
"When I began ROTC, I was probably one of the worst in my class," she said. "I obviously knew the least about the military, [and] wasn't accustomed to the rigorous physical training or demanding military lifestyle. ... It didn't help that I was the only female Marine in my freshman class. Many of my upperclassmen thought I wouldn't make it through [that year], but I was determined to prove them wrong."
The hardest moment came the second weekend during a field exercise to Fort Dix, N.J., that started with a five-mile "hump," or speed walk – something she had never done. She carried a 40-pound pack and wore boots two sizes too large because there weren't any that fit her.
It was unmitigated misery from the beginning, she recalled, and she fell behind.
"I remember my back aching under the weight and pressure of the pack," she said. "My legs ached from the unusually wide strides. My arms were going numb, because the weight of the straps on my shoulders was so heavy it cut off blood flow. But the worst of all, my feet were rubbed raw from the new, oversized boots."
Following in a van was a gunnery sergeant she described as the "scariest force" she had ever experienced, even though she knew it was his job to toughen her up.
"I remember him yelling at me: 'Hey, Blondie! What's someone like you doing in my Marine Corps?'"
He ordered her to catch up. When the "hump" ended, it was only 9 a.m., with the rest of the day ahead of her.
"I felt as though I might die," she said. But she stuck with the exercise until it was over, when she collapsed into bed, unable to move for a full day. "After that," she said, "I made it my mission to get into shape."
And she did – with help from the same gunnery sergeant who had terrified her. She worked out in the gym for up to two hours a day on top of regular training – and it paid off with high fitness scores and awards.
She applied that same focus to all her ROTC activities to prove herself and pull ahead.
"I never once slept in, always showed up with my uniform perfectly ironed, volunteered for everything, attended all extra optional evolutions and was easily the best in my class when it came to memorizing the military knowledge," she said. "It took several months for all of these traits to show through, but once they did, I could tell that other midshipmen began to respect me and realize that I was a dedicated, committed, strong-willed person who was not going to accept failure."
Reisinger also used her summers to absorb military experiences to make her more knowledgeable about the big picture. She spent a week on a destroyer ship, a week on a nuclear submarine, a week in aviation and a week in infantry training. She also attended Mountain Warfare School and Officer Candidate School.
As respect for her grew, she was chosen as the battalion commander, making her the highest-ranking midshipman. With that came the freedom to pick the brains of officers about leadership and to attend officer staff meetings.
"My passion for leadership began at a young age when I was always selected as team captain, was editor of the yearbook and was a class officer all four years of high school," she said. "The military has taken that passion and given me a set of skills to develop my natural ability to lead."
After four years, the once "weakest link" graduated at the top of her ROTC unit. For that, she earned the Professor of Military Science Award, which comes with a Mameluke sword with her name engraved on it. She also received national recognition, including the Dr. Sidney Ross Young American Award, the military Officers Association of America Award and the National Defense Industrial Association's ROTC award.
Back on the academic side, Reisinger said, she wanted to commit herself to learning the Arabic language and believed she needed to immerse herself in Arabic culture. She proposed a fifth year of study at the University of Jordan – and it was approved, along with a $49,205 scholarship from the Defense Department for tuition. She's been there since late July and lives on a short leash with a family that monitors her friends, wardrobe and actions.
Despite the restrictions she feels as a woman, she said, she values the cultural and political exchanges she has had with Arabs. "I absolutely love representing the USA and feel like I have [had] a positive influence," she said.
She added that she also hopes to have a positive influence on the world stage after she leaves Jordan – first as a Marine Corps officer and later as a politician. She knows exactly where to place the credit for her successes.
"After my parents, the Marine Corps has had the most influence on my life," she said. "The military makes me a stronger, sharper, harder and even more driven person than I would be otherwise."
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - A Navy Web site showing midshipmen crawling through mud and carrying rifles was all Lauren Reisinger needed to see to set her military future in motion. Then a high school sophomore and now a Marine midshipman, Reisinger couldn't have predicted the extreme pain of her first five-mile "hump" or the absolute thrill of graduating No. 1 in her Marine Corps ROTC class and receiving the top awards for leadership, military knowledge and physical fitness.
She also couldn't have predicted where she would be now: spending a year abroad at the University of Jordan to pursue Middle Eastern studies and Arabic, thanks to a Defense Department scholarship for tuition.
But that's the future that lay ahead in 2004 when Reisinger applied for a full ROTC scholarship at Drexel University and selected the Marines – not knowing exactly why.
"I chose to check the 'USMC' box simply because something in my heart told me I should," she said. "That simple choice has made an immense impact on the rest of my life."
Now 22, Reisinger is close to completing these phases of her academic and military training. In May, she will receive a degree from Drexel in international studies with minors in Arabic and world politics. In June, she will earn her commission and be sworn in as a second lieutenant.
From there, she sees a career with the Marines – or one that could go in a variety of directions, depending on what drives her at the moment.
"For years, I have dreamt of being the secretary of state, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senator, a foreign ambassador or even in my wildest dreams I have imagined myself as president," she said.
While the military seems like a perfect fit for Reisinger, she had to forge it by herself, leaving the comfort zone of her life in Marin County, a northern California area she describes as "extremely sheltered, wealthy and liberal" and that local people refer to as the "Marin bubble."
"Within my family, I am somewhat of a 'black sheep,'" she said. "Of the four children, I am the only one to join the military, go to college outside of Northern California, not be a die-hard, very left-wing liberal, live in the Middle East and want to pursue a political career. My siblings support what I do, although they don't understand where I get my drive from and don't identify with my choices."
In fact, most people tried to talk her out of it, she said.
No chance of that for a person as focused and self-aware as Reisinger, going back to when she saw those pictures of midshipmen crawling through the mud as a high school sophomore. Shortly after, she set out to sink her own feet into military life by applying for a summer seminar at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., before her senior year – and got it.
"I felt like I was in my element for the first time," she said. "The military atmosphere made me come alive, and I just knew that I was destined to be an officer."
Reisinger did so well that summer she received congressional nominations to both the Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. She also filled out an ROTC application, saying she didn't really know what it was – only that "it was something military."
When it came time to make decisions, she said, she relied on a gut feeling. She chose Marine Corps ROTC over Naval Academy Prep School and launched her academic and military life on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia.
As a freshman, she decided to concentrate on the Middle East and take Arabic, thinking she could use her language skills in the Marine Corps and later at the State Department or CIA.
"I became completely intrigued with not only the language, but the culture, religion and history of the Middle East as well," said Reisinger, who arrived in the military with considerable cultural exposure. To date she's traveled to 27 countries, and every continent except Antarctica.
Then there was the ROTC challenge – one she wasn't always sure she could hack.
"When I began ROTC, I was probably one of the worst in my class," she said. "I obviously knew the least about the military, [and] wasn't accustomed to the rigorous physical training or demanding military lifestyle. ... It didn't help that I was the only female Marine in my freshman class. Many of my upperclassmen thought I wouldn't make it through [that year], but I was determined to prove them wrong."
The hardest moment came the second weekend during a field exercise to Fort Dix, N.J., that started with a five-mile "hump," or speed walk – something she had never done. She carried a 40-pound pack and wore boots two sizes too large because there weren't any that fit her.
It was unmitigated misery from the beginning, she recalled, and she fell behind.
"I remember my back aching under the weight and pressure of the pack," she said. "My legs ached from the unusually wide strides. My arms were going numb, because the weight of the straps on my shoulders was so heavy it cut off blood flow. But the worst of all, my feet were rubbed raw from the new, oversized boots."
Following in a van was a gunnery sergeant she described as the "scariest force" she had ever experienced, even though she knew it was his job to toughen her up.
"I remember him yelling at me: 'Hey, Blondie! What's someone like you doing in my Marine Corps?'"
He ordered her to catch up. When the "hump" ended, it was only 9 a.m., with the rest of the day ahead of her.
"I felt as though I might die," she said. But she stuck with the exercise until it was over, when she collapsed into bed, unable to move for a full day. "After that," she said, "I made it my mission to get into shape."
And she did – with help from the same gunnery sergeant who had terrified her. She worked out in the gym for up to two hours a day on top of regular training – and it paid off with high fitness scores and awards.
She applied that same focus to all her ROTC activities to prove herself and pull ahead.
"I never once slept in, always showed up with my uniform perfectly ironed, volunteered for everything, attended all extra optional evolutions and was easily the best in my class when it came to memorizing the military knowledge," she said. "It took several months for all of these traits to show through, but once they did, I could tell that other midshipmen began to respect me and realize that I was a dedicated, committed, strong-willed person who was not going to accept failure."
Reisinger also used her summers to absorb military experiences to make her more knowledgeable about the big picture. She spent a week on a destroyer ship, a week on a nuclear submarine, a week in aviation and a week in infantry training. She also attended Mountain Warfare School and Officer Candidate School.
As respect for her grew, she was chosen as the battalion commander, making her the highest-ranking midshipman. With that came the freedom to pick the brains of officers about leadership and to attend officer staff meetings.
"My passion for leadership began at a young age when I was always selected as team captain, was editor of the yearbook and was a class officer all four years of high school," she said. "The military has taken that passion and given me a set of skills to develop my natural ability to lead."
After four years, the once "weakest link" graduated at the top of her ROTC unit. For that, she earned the Professor of Military Science Award, which comes with a Mameluke sword with her name engraved on it. She also received national recognition, including the Dr. Sidney Ross Young American Award, the military Officers Association of America Award and the National Defense Industrial Association's ROTC award.
Back on the academic side, Reisinger said, she wanted to commit herself to learning the Arabic language and believed she needed to immerse herself in Arabic culture. She proposed a fifth year of study at the University of Jordan – and it was approved, along with a $49,205 scholarship from the Defense Department for tuition. She's been there since late July and lives on a short leash with a family that monitors her friends, wardrobe and actions.
Despite the restrictions she feels as a woman, she said, she values the cultural and political exchanges she has had with Arabs. "I absolutely love representing the USA and feel like I have [had] a positive influence," she said.
She added that she also hopes to have a positive influence on the world stage after she leaves Jordan – first as a Marine Corps officer and later as a politician. She knows exactly where to place the credit for her successes.
"After my parents, the Marine Corps has had the most influence on my life," she said. "The military makes me a stronger, sharper, harder and even more driven person than I would be otherwise."
Group Helps Families of Fallen Warriors
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - Children of fallen warriors will enjoy camp activities and get help managing their grief this month at a program designed especially for them. Helping Unite Gold Star Survivors, or HUGSS, will host its fourth "Camp Life" at Fort Hood, Texas, Nov. 15- 16. The camp combines grief counseling with physical activities such as water sports, skiing, sailing, archery, canoeing, horseback riding, fishing and art.
HUGSS operates the Gold Star Family Support Center on Fort Hood, which serves families of fallen servicemembers with grief support, camps and daily outreach. Gold Star families are those who have lost a loved one serving in the military.
"Camp Life is a very successful camp for us, where we usually have 30 to 50 campers per camp," Debbie A. Busch, executive director and founder of HUGSS, said. "Camps mean many different things to our Gold Star families. They mean coming together with other families who understand and who allow them to take the time to acknowledge their loss. It allows children and adults alike to realize there is so much to be thankful for, and that death cannot steal their memories or love that they have for their loved one."
HUGSS serves more than 50 families in the Killeen area of Texas and about 1,200 others throughout the United States. Programs and services offered include support groups, bereavement camps and events, and phone calls and cards.
The program provides age-appropriate support and activities for children 5 and older, as well as for adults, Busch said. Gold Star spouses, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters are welcome to attend. Child care is provided for infants and preschool children.
Busch said the center and the organization augment the extended care for families provided by military care teams and casualty assistance officers. HUGSS provides a voice and liaison between families and their loved ones' units, communication assistance for special memorials and events, and training for family readiness groups, care teams and casualty assistance officers, she said.
"HUGSS is dedicated to serving the families of our fallen heroes," Noah Boucher, public relations and event coordinator for HUGSS, said. "HUGSS has taken care of Gold Star families over the past four years by helping them work through their grief as a family and community."
Busch started HUGSS nearly five years ago. As the wife of a command sergeant major, she has led family readiness groups during her 25 years as an Army spouse.
"HUGSS gives hope to these families that they are not alone in their grief by providing this sense of community," Busch said. "It is our goal and honor to support these families, and it is our way of telling them we will never forget their sacrifice."
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - Children of fallen warriors will enjoy camp activities and get help managing their grief this month at a program designed especially for them. Helping Unite Gold Star Survivors, or HUGSS, will host its fourth "Camp Life" at Fort Hood, Texas, Nov. 15- 16. The camp combines grief counseling with physical activities such as water sports, skiing, sailing, archery, canoeing, horseback riding, fishing and art.
HUGSS operates the Gold Star Family Support Center on Fort Hood, which serves families of fallen servicemembers with grief support, camps and daily outreach. Gold Star families are those who have lost a loved one serving in the military.
"Camp Life is a very successful camp for us, where we usually have 30 to 50 campers per camp," Debbie A. Busch, executive director and founder of HUGSS, said. "Camps mean many different things to our Gold Star families. They mean coming together with other families who understand and who allow them to take the time to acknowledge their loss. It allows children and adults alike to realize there is so much to be thankful for, and that death cannot steal their memories or love that they have for their loved one."
HUGSS serves more than 50 families in the Killeen area of Texas and about 1,200 others throughout the United States. Programs and services offered include support groups, bereavement camps and events, and phone calls and cards.
The program provides age-appropriate support and activities for children 5 and older, as well as for adults, Busch said. Gold Star spouses, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters are welcome to attend. Child care is provided for infants and preschool children.
Busch said the center and the organization augment the extended care for families provided by military care teams and casualty assistance officers. HUGSS provides a voice and liaison between families and their loved ones' units, communication assistance for special memorials and events, and training for family readiness groups, care teams and casualty assistance officers, she said.
"HUGSS is dedicated to serving the families of our fallen heroes," Noah Boucher, public relations and event coordinator for HUGSS, said. "HUGSS has taken care of Gold Star families over the past four years by helping them work through their grief as a family and community."
Busch started HUGSS nearly five years ago. As the wife of a command sergeant major, she has led family readiness groups during her 25 years as an Army spouse.
"HUGSS gives hope to these families that they are not alone in their grief by providing this sense of community," Busch said. "It is our goal and honor to support these families, and it is our way of telling them we will never forget their sacrifice."
Officials Extend Survey Deadline for Wounded Warriors, Families
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - As the Defense Department observes November as Warrior Care Month, officials have extended to Nov. 28 the deadline for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families to respond to a survey designed to assess the programs and services they receive. Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said the extension resulted from overwhelming response.
Two Military Health System questionnaires, one for servicemembers and another for their family members, solicit feedback about satisfaction with the care and services provided. All responses to the online surveys are anonymous to encourage honest assessments, officials said.
The questionnaires are part of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' focus on providing the best care possible for wounded warriors and their families. "I take the issue of wounded warriors personally," Gates told wounded warriors and families of wounded and fallen troops who attended last month's Wounded Warriors Family Summit.
"I will repeat here the pledge I made to myself, to Congress and to countless moms and dads, husbands and wives," Gates told the group. "Other than winning the wars we are in, my highest priority is providing the best possible care for those who are wounded in combat."
With that goal in mind, Gates directed Defense Department leaders to review all programs affecting wounded, ill or injured servicemembers and their families to identify best practices that can be more broadly applied.
Casscells noted that support for wounded warriors and their families has improved continually since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
"Yet we know there is still more that can be done," he said. "Each individual and each family has specific needs, and our goal is always to provide services which meet or exceed the expectation of those we serve."
He encouraged wounded warriors and their families to respond to the survey to help Military Health System leaders get a clearer picture of where they stand in meeting their needs and expectations.
The questionnaires are posted at: www.health.mil/Pages/Page.aspx!ID+18.
Gates assured participants in the first Wounded Warriors Family Summit their concerns – expressed directly or through the survey -- won't fall through the cracks with the upcoming change of administration. He promised to "continue to press forward with a sense of urgency" to provide top-level care and support for wounded warriors in a way that lays groundwork for the next administration's leaders to build on.
As it presses forward, Gates said, his team will "do everything we can to set up the next leadership team for success" to ensure the work continues without interruption.
"As long as there are wounded warriors in our care, we must – and we will – continue to fulfill our obligation to them," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - As the Defense Department observes November as Warrior Care Month, officials have extended to Nov. 28 the deadline for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families to respond to a survey designed to assess the programs and services they receive. Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said the extension resulted from overwhelming response.
Two Military Health System questionnaires, one for servicemembers and another for their family members, solicit feedback about satisfaction with the care and services provided. All responses to the online surveys are anonymous to encourage honest assessments, officials said.
The questionnaires are part of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' focus on providing the best care possible for wounded warriors and their families. "I take the issue of wounded warriors personally," Gates told wounded warriors and families of wounded and fallen troops who attended last month's Wounded Warriors Family Summit.
"I will repeat here the pledge I made to myself, to Congress and to countless moms and dads, husbands and wives," Gates told the group. "Other than winning the wars we are in, my highest priority is providing the best possible care for those who are wounded in combat."
With that goal in mind, Gates directed Defense Department leaders to review all programs affecting wounded, ill or injured servicemembers and their families to identify best practices that can be more broadly applied.
Casscells noted that support for wounded warriors and their families has improved continually since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
"Yet we know there is still more that can be done," he said. "Each individual and each family has specific needs, and our goal is always to provide services which meet or exceed the expectation of those we serve."
He encouraged wounded warriors and their families to respond to the survey to help Military Health System leaders get a clearer picture of where they stand in meeting their needs and expectations.
The questionnaires are posted at: www.health.mil/Pages/Page.aspx!ID+18.
Gates assured participants in the first Wounded Warriors Family Summit their concerns – expressed directly or through the survey -- won't fall through the cracks with the upcoming change of administration. He promised to "continue to press forward with a sense of urgency" to provide top-level care and support for wounded warriors in a way that lays groundwork for the next administration's leaders to build on.
As it presses forward, Gates said, his team will "do everything we can to set up the next leadership team for success" to ensure the work continues without interruption.
"As long as there are wounded warriors in our care, we must – and we will – continue to fulfill our obligation to them," he said.
Retailer Helps to Keep Care Package Drive on Target
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - With mailing deadlines rapidly approaching, a "targeted" effort at the Van Nuys National Guard Armory on Nov. 1 and 2 ensured that 70,000 servicemembers would receive goodies from California this holiday season. Operation Gratitude was joined by employees of retail giant Target. At least 100 Target employees from southern California helped to pack boxes during the weekend initiative.
"Not only did so many employees devote their weekend to assembling care packages, but their companies also made large donations of products to fill the packages and funds to pay for shipping," said Carolyn Blashek, founder of Operation Gratitude. "Such dedication and generosity send an important message to our military that 'supporting the troops' is not just an empty phrase but, in fact, a belief that is backed up by action."
Employees from other companies -- including Disney, NBC/Universal and American Airlines – also pitched in with the packing, along with members of church and school groups.
One young lady celebrating her 16th birthday brought 15 friends and spent her birthday party working to support the troops. Her reward was the playing of singer Neil Sedaka's "Happy Birthday Sweet 16," and a 400-plus strong rendition of "Happy Birthday."
"Large groups like [the corporate volunteers] add a level of excitement and fun to the package assembly days," Blashek said. "Each group wears their own T-shirt, which fosters a team spirit that energizes all the volunteers."
That enthusiasm is greatly appreciated by the troops, judging by the responses posted on the organization's Web site after other care package drives.
One soldier wrote: "We are happy to have received one of your care packages this past week. In fact, we received your box on July 4th! Mail is certainly the most important thing for morale for our platoon, and getting a big shipment of mail on the 4th made the day great. Packages from support groups remind us about the many folks back home who support the military and our Soldiers. So thank you very much for your support, we appreciate all the work that goes into each box."
Volunteers are working to get the more than 70,000 boxes out the door to servicemembers for Operation Gratitude's sixth annual holiday drive. It will take nine full days to make it happen, Blashek said, and Dec. 13 will mark another milestone for the group when volunteers assemble the program's 400,000th care package. In the past, such milestone boxes have included items such as keys representing a new vehicle and tickets for sporting events.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - With mailing deadlines rapidly approaching, a "targeted" effort at the Van Nuys National Guard Armory on Nov. 1 and 2 ensured that 70,000 servicemembers would receive goodies from California this holiday season. Operation Gratitude was joined by employees of retail giant Target. At least 100 Target employees from southern California helped to pack boxes during the weekend initiative.
"Not only did so many employees devote their weekend to assembling care packages, but their companies also made large donations of products to fill the packages and funds to pay for shipping," said Carolyn Blashek, founder of Operation Gratitude. "Such dedication and generosity send an important message to our military that 'supporting the troops' is not just an empty phrase but, in fact, a belief that is backed up by action."
Employees from other companies -- including Disney, NBC/Universal and American Airlines – also pitched in with the packing, along with members of church and school groups.
One young lady celebrating her 16th birthday brought 15 friends and spent her birthday party working to support the troops. Her reward was the playing of singer Neil Sedaka's "Happy Birthday Sweet 16," and a 400-plus strong rendition of "Happy Birthday."
"Large groups like [the corporate volunteers] add a level of excitement and fun to the package assembly days," Blashek said. "Each group wears their own T-shirt, which fosters a team spirit that energizes all the volunteers."
That enthusiasm is greatly appreciated by the troops, judging by the responses posted on the organization's Web site after other care package drives.
One soldier wrote: "We are happy to have received one of your care packages this past week. In fact, we received your box on July 4th! Mail is certainly the most important thing for morale for our platoon, and getting a big shipment of mail on the 4th made the day great. Packages from support groups remind us about the many folks back home who support the military and our Soldiers. So thank you very much for your support, we appreciate all the work that goes into each box."
Volunteers are working to get the more than 70,000 boxes out the door to servicemembers for Operation Gratitude's sixth annual holiday drive. It will take nine full days to make it happen, Blashek said, and Dec. 13 will mark another milestone for the group when volunteers assemble the program's 400,000th care package. In the past, such milestone boxes have included items such as keys representing a new vehicle and tickets for sporting events.
Troops in Iraq Become U.S. Citizens on Election Day
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - On a day when Americans exercised their right to vote, 186 servicemembers deployed across Iraq became U.S. citizens today at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory here. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, presided over the ceremony. He expressed his appreciation for each new citizen and expounded on the significance of the step they had taken.
"Diverse as your backgrounds may be, you all now have one thing in common: you are all Americans," Odierno said. "You represent the very best of all that our nation stands for: freedom, opportunity, equality and service."
The ceremony was the 12th of its kind to be held in Iraq, but for many troops, it took on special meaning, as it occurred on Election Day for U.S. citizens. The newly naturalized servicemembers - from 60 different countries - had earned the right to vote for their new leaders.
"I'm excited to be able to vote," said Army Spc. Ruth McKoy, a supply specialist with 62nd Quartermaster Company, 553 Sustainment Brigade. "If something good comes out of a future election, I can say I had something to do with that. It's like my voice is being heard now."
McKoy, born in Jamaica, joined the Army in December 2002 and has since aspired to become an American citizen. After one unsuccessful application in Germany, she said, she decided to apply for citizenship a second time from Fort Hood, Texas, and finally achieved her goal.
Spc. Rasha Hennessy, a linguist with 1st Higher Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was born in Baghdad, just miles from where she took her oath of U.S. citizenship.
"Honestly, I can't even think of how blessed I am to have this privilege," Hennessy said. "It's a great thing." She said she is ecstatic to attain her citizenship on such an important day for the United States, and she compared the freedoms she will have as a U. S. citizen to those under Saddam Hussein's regime years ago in Iraq.
"It's a really good opportunity to be able to vote freely and not live in fear," Hennessy said.
Though the 186 servicemembers are new U.S. citizens, many said they've always felt the unity all Americans feel when serving in the military, and realize every servicemember is fighting for a common goal.
"We all play a big part in what's going on over here," McKoy said. "We're doing everything we can to help Iraq gain its democracy."
Nov. 4, 2008 - On a day when Americans exercised their right to vote, 186 servicemembers deployed across Iraq became U.S. citizens today at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory here. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, presided over the ceremony. He expressed his appreciation for each new citizen and expounded on the significance of the step they had taken.
"Diverse as your backgrounds may be, you all now have one thing in common: you are all Americans," Odierno said. "You represent the very best of all that our nation stands for: freedom, opportunity, equality and service."
The ceremony was the 12th of its kind to be held in Iraq, but for many troops, it took on special meaning, as it occurred on Election Day for U.S. citizens. The newly naturalized servicemembers - from 60 different countries - had earned the right to vote for their new leaders.
"I'm excited to be able to vote," said Army Spc. Ruth McKoy, a supply specialist with 62nd Quartermaster Company, 553 Sustainment Brigade. "If something good comes out of a future election, I can say I had something to do with that. It's like my voice is being heard now."
McKoy, born in Jamaica, joined the Army in December 2002 and has since aspired to become an American citizen. After one unsuccessful application in Germany, she said, she decided to apply for citizenship a second time from Fort Hood, Texas, and finally achieved her goal.
Spc. Rasha Hennessy, a linguist with 1st Higher Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was born in Baghdad, just miles from where she took her oath of U.S. citizenship.
"Honestly, I can't even think of how blessed I am to have this privilege," Hennessy said. "It's a great thing." She said she is ecstatic to attain her citizenship on such an important day for the United States, and she compared the freedoms she will have as a U. S. citizen to those under Saddam Hussein's regime years ago in Iraq.
"It's a really good opportunity to be able to vote freely and not live in fear," Hennessy said.
Though the 186 servicemembers are new U.S. citizens, many said they've always felt the unity all Americans feel when serving in the military, and realize every servicemember is fighting for a common goal.
"We all play a big part in what's going on over here," McKoy said. "We're doing everything we can to help Iraq gain its democracy."
Defense Officials Plan for Smooth Transition to New Administration
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - The Defense Department has made extensive plans for a smooth transition from the present administration to that of the president-elect, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said here today. Pentagon officials are ready to begin briefing a new president-elect's transition team as soon as he's chosen, Whitman said.
The transition between administrations comes when the United States is at war, the first time this has happened since 1969, when the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson transitioned to that of President Richard M. Nixon in the midst of the Vietnam War.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has launched early preparations to minimize disruptions as the administrations change, Whitman said. Gates has created a transition task force that will operate under five guiding principles:
-- Maintaining continuity of operations;
-- Assuring efficient and effective transition of outgoing leadership;
-- Assuring the efficient and effective in-processing of the incoming leaders;
-- Facilitating the transfer of information to the new administration; and
-- Sustaining focus on existing programs and processes while allowing the incoming administration to focus on its governing processes.
"One of the important components of this is ensuring that we've identified and highlighted some of the key department events, actions [and] milestones that a new administration will face in its first 90 days," Whitman said.
These include normal yearly actions such as the submission of the DoD budget in early February to other events that a new administration must work on immediately. "These are recurring or cyclic things that perhaps a new administration needs to be reminded of," Whitman said.
Gates also has taken an inventory of the political leadership of the Pentagon – roughly 250 people – to see who would be willing to stay on in their jobs if asked by the new administration.
"There are a number of people that have given an indication that if they were asked to stay on and serve as a bridge after Jan. 20 until their replacement is on board, they would do so."
Whitman said the department has office space for a couple of dozen transition team members and remains leaning forward, ready to help.
"We have troops in harm's way in the war on terror, and ... I know that there will be herculean efforts on the part of this department to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible, so that on Jan. 20, this will be as seamless as possible," Whitman said.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - The Defense Department has made extensive plans for a smooth transition from the present administration to that of the president-elect, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said here today. Pentagon officials are ready to begin briefing a new president-elect's transition team as soon as he's chosen, Whitman said.
The transition between administrations comes when the United States is at war, the first time this has happened since 1969, when the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson transitioned to that of President Richard M. Nixon in the midst of the Vietnam War.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has launched early preparations to minimize disruptions as the administrations change, Whitman said. Gates has created a transition task force that will operate under five guiding principles:
-- Maintaining continuity of operations;
-- Assuring efficient and effective transition of outgoing leadership;
-- Assuring the efficient and effective in-processing of the incoming leaders;
-- Facilitating the transfer of information to the new administration; and
-- Sustaining focus on existing programs and processes while allowing the incoming administration to focus on its governing processes.
"One of the important components of this is ensuring that we've identified and highlighted some of the key department events, actions [and] milestones that a new administration will face in its first 90 days," Whitman said.
These include normal yearly actions such as the submission of the DoD budget in early February to other events that a new administration must work on immediately. "These are recurring or cyclic things that perhaps a new administration needs to be reminded of," Whitman said.
Gates also has taken an inventory of the political leadership of the Pentagon – roughly 250 people – to see who would be willing to stay on in their jobs if asked by the new administration.
"There are a number of people that have given an indication that if they were asked to stay on and serve as a bridge after Jan. 20 until their replacement is on board, they would do so."
Whitman said the department has office space for a couple of dozen transition team members and remains leaning forward, ready to help.
"We have troops in harm's way in the war on terror, and ... I know that there will be herculean efforts on the part of this department to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible, so that on Jan. 20, this will be as seamless as possible," Whitman said.
Oregon National Guard Forms Partnership With Bangladesh
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - The Oregon National Guard has established a partnership with one of the most populous -- and according to many at the State Department, one of the more strategically located -- countries in South Asia. A delegation from Oregon visited Bangladesh Oct. 25-30 to meet with military and civilian leaders and discuss a formal partnership.
"This is a chance for Oregon to reach out and share expertise in nation-building and to promote democracy and influence foreign policy," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Bruce Prunk, Oregon's assistant adjutant general for the Air National Guard.
Oregon's partnership with Bangladesh stems from a national program launched by the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. State Department in the 1990s. The State Partnership Program was started to foster alliances between individual U.S. states and former Soviet countries, officials said.
Following formal State Department acceptance of the partnership, the Oregon National Guard began implementing a plan to make it a reality. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, Oregon adjutant general, assigned the task to the Oregon Air Guard, since several Oregon Army National Guard units already were tasked with an upcoming deployment to Iraq.
Prunk said that besides building a civic and military partnership, Oregon soldiers and airmen also can help to support the Bangladeshi government by assisting with disaster-relief preparedness and training.
While Oregon has had relationships with several countries in the past, including Bulgaria and Austria, the relationship between Oregon and Bangladesh is much more formalized, Prunk said.
"This is the first formal relationship between any country and Oregon," he said. "I think it's very exciting for Oregon to establish a long-term relationship with a very strategic partner."
Rees said the Oregon National Guard can benefit from Bangladesh's skills and experience in peacekeeping operations with the United Nations.
"Bangladesh is the second-most-prolific contributor to U.N. peacekeeping operations," he noted.
Bangladesh is an active member of the Global Peace Operations Initiative, organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace, which is chartered with promoting post-conflict stability and development throughout the world, as well as assisting with amicable resolution to international conflicts.
The country also is a member of the Group of 77 Nations, a loose United Nations coalition of developing nations designed to promote collective economic interests for its members and enhance joint negotiating capacity within the U.N.
The Bangladeshi military also has a formal school dedicated to training in peacekeeping operations. The Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training trains personnel on key areas of international peacekeeping.
"It is a very professional school, which gives us opportunities to train there and learn their skills," Rees said.
Another important component to the partnership, Rees said, is Bangladesh's experience with natural disasters. In particular, the Bangladeshi government is interested in Oregon's emergency preparedness and response plan. "We can share information on these capabilities," he added.
The Bangladeshi partnership comes out of a meeting early this year in Hawaii in which Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Rees discussed a formal partnership between Oregon and Bangladesh.
"Admiral Keating's vision of Bangladesh's strategic role and location was instrumental as a catalyst for the partnership," Rees said.
Officials in Oregon and in Bangladesh are outlining key areas they will focus on over the next few years. Another Oregon delegation plans to visit Bangladesh early next year to discuss further details.
(From an Oregon National Guard news release.)
Nov. 4, 2008 - The Oregon National Guard has established a partnership with one of the most populous -- and according to many at the State Department, one of the more strategically located -- countries in South Asia. A delegation from Oregon visited Bangladesh Oct. 25-30 to meet with military and civilian leaders and discuss a formal partnership.
"This is a chance for Oregon to reach out and share expertise in nation-building and to promote democracy and influence foreign policy," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Bruce Prunk, Oregon's assistant adjutant general for the Air National Guard.
Oregon's partnership with Bangladesh stems from a national program launched by the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. State Department in the 1990s. The State Partnership Program was started to foster alliances between individual U.S. states and former Soviet countries, officials said.
Following formal State Department acceptance of the partnership, the Oregon National Guard began implementing a plan to make it a reality. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, Oregon adjutant general, assigned the task to the Oregon Air Guard, since several Oregon Army National Guard units already were tasked with an upcoming deployment to Iraq.
Prunk said that besides building a civic and military partnership, Oregon soldiers and airmen also can help to support the Bangladeshi government by assisting with disaster-relief preparedness and training.
While Oregon has had relationships with several countries in the past, including Bulgaria and Austria, the relationship between Oregon and Bangladesh is much more formalized, Prunk said.
"This is the first formal relationship between any country and Oregon," he said. "I think it's very exciting for Oregon to establish a long-term relationship with a very strategic partner."
Rees said the Oregon National Guard can benefit from Bangladesh's skills and experience in peacekeeping operations with the United Nations.
"Bangladesh is the second-most-prolific contributor to U.N. peacekeeping operations," he noted.
Bangladesh is an active member of the Global Peace Operations Initiative, organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace, which is chartered with promoting post-conflict stability and development throughout the world, as well as assisting with amicable resolution to international conflicts.
The country also is a member of the Group of 77 Nations, a loose United Nations coalition of developing nations designed to promote collective economic interests for its members and enhance joint negotiating capacity within the U.N.
The Bangladeshi military also has a formal school dedicated to training in peacekeeping operations. The Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training trains personnel on key areas of international peacekeeping.
"It is a very professional school, which gives us opportunities to train there and learn their skills," Rees said.
Another important component to the partnership, Rees said, is Bangladesh's experience with natural disasters. In particular, the Bangladeshi government is interested in Oregon's emergency preparedness and response plan. "We can share information on these capabilities," he added.
The Bangladeshi partnership comes out of a meeting early this year in Hawaii in which Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Rees discussed a formal partnership between Oregon and Bangladesh.
"Admiral Keating's vision of Bangladesh's strategic role and location was instrumental as a catalyst for the partnership," Rees said.
Officials in Oregon and in Bangladesh are outlining key areas they will focus on over the next few years. Another Oregon delegation plans to visit Bangladesh early next year to discuss further details.
(From an Oregon National Guard news release.)
Compensation Change Puts More Money in Injured Servicemembers' Pockets
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - A military compensation policy change provides more money for servicemembers injured during service in the global war on terrorism, a senior Defense Department official said here today. The Pay and Allowance Continuation program, known by the acronym PAC, is authorized by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, Tim Fowlkes, assistant director of military compensation, told Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters.
The new initiative enables wounded servicemembers undergoing medical treatment to continue to receive overseas-related per diem and hazardous and hardship duty pays, as well as other special-incentive monies such as special assignment and parachute, or "jump," pay during hospitalization and recovery, Fowlkes said.
The PAC program is a logical change to military compensation policy that aids wounded warriors, Fowlkes said, so "they don't experience an immediate drop in pay" as a result of their injuries.
PAC was authorized at the Pentagon via a memorandum directive issued on May 15 by David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
PAC pay starts when injured servicemembers are first hospitalized and continues for a year, with possible six-month extensions due to extraordinary circumstances, according to a Defense Finance and Accounting Service news release issued in June. The pay normally would cease after an injured servicemember recovers and returns to active duty or is discharged from military service.
Fowlkes said PAC "basically is a transition pay" that replaces a previous program called combat-related injury rehabilitation pay, or CIP, that was in effect since 2006. CIP enabled wounded servicemembers to continue to receive about $430 monthly, totaled from overseas per diem, hazardous and hardship duty pays –- but no other special assignment pays -- during their hospitalization and recovery.
In addition, servicemembers diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries after departing overseas areas are entitled to PAC pay provisions, Fowlkes said. Under the CIP program, he said, eligible servicemembers had to be diagnosed for PTSD or TBI at overseas locales.
The PAC program "will be particularly beneficial to members hospitalized for traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder after leaving Iraq or Afghanistan," according to the DFAS news release.
"Moreover, the PAC program will apply to members who are hospitalized due to a wound, injury or illness incurred anywhere in the world from hostile action or event, and not just a combat operation or in a combat zone," the DFAS release stated.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 4, 2008 - A military compensation policy change provides more money for servicemembers injured during service in the global war on terrorism, a senior Defense Department official said here today. The Pay and Allowance Continuation program, known by the acronym PAC, is authorized by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, Tim Fowlkes, assistant director of military compensation, told Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters.
The new initiative enables wounded servicemembers undergoing medical treatment to continue to receive overseas-related per diem and hazardous and hardship duty pays, as well as other special-incentive monies such as special assignment and parachute, or "jump," pay during hospitalization and recovery, Fowlkes said.
The PAC program is a logical change to military compensation policy that aids wounded warriors, Fowlkes said, so "they don't experience an immediate drop in pay" as a result of their injuries.
PAC was authorized at the Pentagon via a memorandum directive issued on May 15 by David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
PAC pay starts when injured servicemembers are first hospitalized and continues for a year, with possible six-month extensions due to extraordinary circumstances, according to a Defense Finance and Accounting Service news release issued in June. The pay normally would cease after an injured servicemember recovers and returns to active duty or is discharged from military service.
Fowlkes said PAC "basically is a transition pay" that replaces a previous program called combat-related injury rehabilitation pay, or CIP, that was in effect since 2006. CIP enabled wounded servicemembers to continue to receive about $430 monthly, totaled from overseas per diem, hazardous and hardship duty pays –- but no other special assignment pays -- during their hospitalization and recovery.
In addition, servicemembers diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries after departing overseas areas are entitled to PAC pay provisions, Fowlkes said. Under the CIP program, he said, eligible servicemembers had to be diagnosed for PTSD or TBI at overseas locales.
The PAC program "will be particularly beneficial to members hospitalized for traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder after leaving Iraq or Afghanistan," according to the DFAS news release.
"Moreover, the PAC program will apply to members who are hospitalized due to a wound, injury or illness incurred anywhere in the world from hostile action or event, and not just a combat operation or in a combat zone," the DFAS release stated.
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