Defense Department Takes Aim at Drug Abuse

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - "Drug Free is the Key" for the Defense Department's Red Ribbon Week this year as it works to raise public awareness and mobilize communities to combat tobacco, alcohol and drug use among military personnel, civilians and families. The observation of Red Ribbon Week begins today and continues through Oct. 31.

"Looking forward, there's a lot of challenges in front of us," Army Col. Ronald Shippee, director of the Drug Testing and Program Policy for Tricare Management Activity, told those gathered here today for the event's kickoff. "Right now one of the biggest problems we're facing is the abuse of prescription drugs. The whole country is facing this problem. We're not alone."

Shippee's program encompasses more than just drug testing, he said. "To run a successful program, it's got to be drug testing, education, prevention."

Shippee has seen the affects of substance abuse on the military. He was assigned to a unit in Vietnam affected by drug abuse, but didn't realize how pervasive the problem was until he got to the U.S. Army War College.

"At the War College in Carlyle [Pa.], they'll tell you that was a near-death experience for the U.S. Army," Shippee said. "In '73, [the department] had an amnesty program; 16,000 guys came forward with a heroin problem."

Today, there's a threat of a repeat of the heroin problem as servicemembers fight in Afghanistan, Shippee said. The country's main crop is the opium poppy, from which heroin is produced.

"We're in Afghanistan where there's heroin everywhere," he said in an earlier interview. "We've taken an extremely aggressive approach. We now screen every [fluid sample] for heroin.

"We do 4-and-a-half million tests a year," he added. "The operative term in our program is deterrence. We know we don't catch everybody with deterrence. That only comes from an aggressive drug-testing program and an education and a treatment [program]."

The message may not be getting out as strongly as it needs to overall, said Peggy Sapp, National Family Partnership president. Though casual drug use in America dropped by half from 1980 until 1991, it's inching back up.

"The grassroots, the people who really have to deliver the message, maybe don't really have the message as strongly," Sapp said during the kickoff. "We have a lot of work to do. The fight is not over."
The National Family Partnership created Red Ribbon Week in 1988 as a way to honor Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Enrique "Kiki" S. Camarena, who was kidnapped and murdered by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Defense Department officially has participated in Red Ribbon Week since 1990. It's also a chance to recognize department entities that promote the anti-substance abuse message.

The department presented the 19th Annual Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award to six units and agencies. The award recognizes those with the best programs for reduces the demand for drugs.. The awards went to:

-- Stuttgart Army Substance Abuse Program, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany;

-- Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Drug Demand Reduction Campaign, Camp Pendleton, Calif.;

-- Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Drug Education for Youth, Norfolk, Va.;

-- Tyndall Air Force Base Drug Demand Reduction Program, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.;

-- Alabama National Guard Counterdrug Program, Drug Demand Reduction, Montgomery, Ala.; and

-- National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Drug Demand Reduction Program.

The 2009 Secretary of Defense Fulcrum Shield Award, which recognizes the best youth-based programs affiliated with a U.S. military service, defense agency or the National Guard, went to the Tehama County Young Marines of Red Bluff, Calif.

Red Ribbon Week also is a chance for the department to highlight programs that are important for the military and defense agencies throughout the year and to extend its outreach.

The programs are in place for servicemembers, as well as their families. Tricare officials urge beneficiaries dealing with substance abuse issues, their own or those of a loved one, to take advantage of the many available options to treat substance abuse and disorders, according to a Red Ribbon Week news release. Services include detoxification, rehabilitation and outpatient group and family therapy.

Some of the programs include the award-winning "Quit Tobacco. Make Everyone Proud" smoking cessation campaign. Users can develop a personalized plan for quitting, play games, listen to podcasts, connect to online cessation programs and chat with a trained cessation counselor seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST.

"That Guy," is another program targeting 18 to 24-year-old servicemembers. It highlights social disapproval of excessive drinking by featuring embarrassing consequences.

More information about Red Ribbon Week and the drug demand reduction programs offered by the department and Tricare can be found on the Red Ribbon Week Web site.

Mullen Vows Continued Support for Korean Military

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - As South Korea's military transitions to full operational control, it's important to remember the past 60 years of U.S. commitment to the country and to not waver in that support, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen talked yesterday with servicemembers and defense civilians at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, Korea.

He spoke about his earlier meetings with his South Korean counterpart, citing "tremendous change" on the horizon. The Korean military is expected to assume a larger defense responsibility there in April 2012.

The alliance will only get stronger, the chairman said, with continued commitment from the United States.

The U.S.-South Korea alliance dates to the Korean War in 1950. An armistice was signed in July 1953 with North Korea, unofficially ending the war. The United Nations and U.S. military have maintained a presence in South Korea since then.

"Sometimes you don't think about this, but you are here as a part of that, and sometimes we don't think about how significant that alliance is in terms of preserving the freedom, preserving the democracy that is here in the Republic of Korea," Mullen said. "We are very much supportive of executing and sustain that alliance."

Mullen spent the previous two days with his Korean counterparts reviewing the changes and specifics of their alliance. For the U.S. military stationed there, that means a smaller U.S. footprint. Within the next 10 years, the 28,000 servicemembers that make up U.S. Forces Korea will be cut roughly by 14,000. However, there will be more command-sponsored families and new infrastructure to accommodate them, he said.

In December, about 1,700 U.S. troops with families were there. The number has since grown to 3,100. The chairman said that by the end of 2010 there would be about 4,500 families, noting that the Defense Department is planning to normalize three-year tour lengths there.

"That's a big undertaking, and it's difficult," the admiral said. "We've got to get the schools in, we've got to get the housing in, [and] we've got to have the entire infrastructure in the peninsula upgraded to make sure that we are ready for that transition."

Mullen also talked about changes occurring with the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. and NATO forces are in their ninth year of fighting in the Middle East, but where there was once doubt in Iraq, security is sustained and Iraq now can focus on building its government capacity, he said.

"Most of what's left in Iraq, quite frankly, is politics," he said. "When they have the elections in January, we start a pretty rapid drawdown in the March timeframe ... from 120,000 troops to about 35,000 to 50,000 less than a year from now.

"There was no group that made a bigger difference than men and women in uniform," he said of the progress made in Iraq. "I'm extremely grateful for your service, for the difference ... and the sacrifices that you make.

He added that all U.S. forces will be out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, allowing more focus on securing and building a democracy in Afghanistan.

Families also share in the sacrifices servicemembers make in the name of freedom and democracy, the admiral said. Mullen's wife, Deborah, met with spouses there during their visit and also is meeting with spouses of troops in Japan today.

"We try to do this wherever we go to understand what the challenges are for the families," he said. "We couldn't do it without family support, so [family] is a big focus for me."

Mullen credits leadership at all levels within the military for its ability to adjust to the persistent conflicts throughout the world. America values the combat experience of today's military, and maintaining that knowledge is critical to the future armed forces, he said.

"If we don't do that well, we will in fact be in a much more difficult situation at a time where things are changing and the pace will continue for the foreseeable future," he said. "Lead exceptionally well. It's an enormously challenging time."

MILITARY CONTRACTS October 23, 2009

NAVY
The Lockheed Martin Corporation, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $853,305,629 cost-plus-incentive-fee/cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPIF/CPFF) contract to provide support in the Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support (C4 and D5) in an undefinitized contract action. The contract type will be CPIF/CPFF for this contract only and mature production efforts will transition to fixed-price-incentive in FY11. The place of performance is to be determined pending definitization of the award. Work is expected to be completed Dec. 30, 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $284,965 will expire at the end the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (N00030-10-C-0100).

Gulf Copper Ship Repair*, Corpus Christi, Texas (N55236-10-D-0001); JCI Metal Products, Inc.*, Lemon Grove, Calif. (N55236-10-D-0002); Marine and Restaurant Fabricators*, San Diego, Calif. (N55236-10-D-0006); Miller Marine, Inc., National City, Calif. (N55236-10-D-0003); Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif. (N55236-10-D-0004); and Tecnico Corporation*, Chesapeake, Va. (N55236-10-D-0005), are each being awarded an firm-fixed-price multiple award five-year term contract. The total maximum ceiling amount value for all six contracts combined is $202,000,000. Contract will provide for sheet metal repair and fabrication services onboard Navy ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, Calif. These six contracts shall compete for delivery orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. Each contractor shall provide all personnel, management, administrative and production services, material, tools, equipment, and required support to accomplish sheet metal repair and fabrication services. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by October 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $18,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 12 proposals solicited and six offers received. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Former Draftee to Hang Up Uniform

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - The Army Reserve's top enlisted soldier retires this month from an Army that's vastly different from the one he was drafted into almost 40 years ago. "The Army Reserve has finally arrived," Command Sgt. Maj. Leon E. Caffie said. The Army has learned hard lessons, he added, and the Army Reserve now is on equal footing with the active component. The sergeant major is a big man with a big voice, and he has used that voice to speak - often forcefully - for Army Reserve soldiers throughout his career.

Caffie is one of the last draftees still in uniform. The nation drafted the young Floridian on April 2, 1970.

"I went through the induction center at Jacksonville, Fla., and eventually ended up at basic at Fort Jackson [S.C.] and advanced infantry training. I came home, and 11 days later my Dad drove me to the airport and I was shipped out to the Republic of Vietnam," he said during a recent interview. "When I went in, it was at night and there were tracers coming in and tracers going out. That has a tendency to focus your attention."

The sergeant major served with the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam's Central Highlands. He earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge and his first Bronze Star in Vietnam.

In 1972, Caffie went back to Florida and entered the inactive reserve. He used the GI Bill to go to college, and in 1974 joined an Army Reserve unit in Gainesville, Fla.

"It was an eye-opening experience," he said. "It was a typical Army Reserve unit of the time. There were no expectations. You just showed up, they called your name, [and] you sat around and killed two days.

"Did you accomplish anything?" he continued. "Nothing. It was a true test of being a highly motivated reservist."

That era was the low point for the Army Reserve, he said. The United States was coming out of an unpopular war. Society was going through its own changes. Americans looked down at the Army Reserve – indeed, at all military services.

The mission of the Army Reserve was to be the strategic reserve in case of a Soviet attack against Western Europe. "But there was little training and little equipment," the sergeant major said. Still, he stuck with the service and took on more responsible and demanding jobs. Even when serving undercover for a civilian law enforcement job in Florida - Caffie wore a beard while training troops - he continued to serve.

And the Army Reserve itself began changing.

"The Reserve became more professional, and better at choosing personnel and keeping them motivated," he said. Army leaders also refined the Army Reserve mission, placing more of the combat support and combat service support in the component.

In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and reservists all over America got called to active duty. Some Army Reserve units did very well, Caffie said, while others needed more training once they reported.

"Overall, the Army Reserve accomplished its mission, but it woke up leaders about the problems," he said.

Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm really changed the Army Reserve, he said. "It made us have a specific interest in how we train soldiers and what data we collect," he explained.

In the 1990s, Army reservists served in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Africa, Asia and Central and South America. They performed real jobs, affecting real missions, Caffie said. "The military could not operate without the reserves," he said. Most of those soldiers were volunteers.

With the attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, the lives of reservists again changed. By then, Caffie was a sergeant major, and he plunged into preparing his units for mobilization.

He deployed as the command sergeant major of the 377th Theater Support Command based in Belle Chasse, La., in November 2002.

"That was another eye-opening experience for me when we deployed to Fort Polk, La., for the mobilization," he said. "It was insulting." The mobilization deployment highlighted the shortcomings in the process, Caffie said.

Many of the reservists weren't trained for their jobs.
Many had not qualified in their weapons. Many members of the unit were disqualified because of medical troubles "that they knew about, but we didn't," the sergeant major said.

"But the most disheartening thing was to be placed in inadequate barracks on north Fort Polk," he said. "There were holes in the floor, with weeds growing up through. That just showed me the lack of respect that they had for Army Reserve soldiers. I'm not one to stay quiet about what I perceive to be unfair, and I voiced my opinion."

It remained a learning experience even once the unit got to the desert.

"We needed to train a multitude of people to do certain jobs rather than just relying on the indispensible person," Caffie said. "If that person got hit by a bus, what do you do then?" The unit also had to fire people for being grossly incompetent.

But the service has learned its lesson, Caffie said.

"Today is another story, and I always say the United States Army Reserve has arrived," he said. "It's very difficult, if not impossible, now to distinguish our reserve soldiers from active duty."

Troops are trained at the units, qualify with weapons and understand the requirements for deployment, he said. Units come together and go through realistic scenarios alongside active-duty counterparts. Leaders understand what information is important and how to collect it. "We still have a way to go - because you can always get better - but we have arrived," he said.

On Aug. 29, 2006, this former draftee was sworn in as the command sergeant major of the Army Reserve.

"In Kabul or Baghdad, we have soldiers volunteering to do tremendous things," he said. "These young men and women are always going beyond the expectations. They are truly American heroes. I do everything in my power to ensure that their voices are heard, and we need to tell their stories."

Caffie also is a spokesman for Army Reserve families. While the service is addressing the problems that are unique to the service, he said, more needs to be done because the service was so far behind. Reservists are dispersed around the country; they are not gathered on Army posts, and benefits need to be dispersed to where they live, he said.

"When we mobilize an Army Reserve soldier, we not only mobilize the soldier and the family, but the neighborhood and the town," he said. "We need to do a better job of telling these friends and neighbors what incredible things their soldiers are doing."

The sergeant major said he decided to retire simply "because it's time." He will travel for a bit with his wife, and will move back to Gainesville, where he expects to get involved in helping local reservists and other pet projects.

Gates Finds Broad Support for New Missile Defense Approach

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - NATO defense ministers are expressing broad support for the new U.S. approach to missile defense in Europe and the opportunity it may offer to make Russia a partner in the effort, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Speaking to reporters during a NATO defense ministers conference here, Gates said he's hearing "quite broad support for the new approach," as well as "interest in extending our hand to the Russians to invite them to partner with us in this."

Gates reported widespread agreement that the proposed changes "will provide for more capable and flexible missile defense systems sooner than was the case under the previous plan, and with a greater capacity to adapt as threats evolve."

The new approach will make it easier for the United States to connect its systems to the allies' radars and antimissile capabilities, as well as those of Russia, should it decide to participate, he said.

"We have said for a long time that we would welcome Russia" as a partner in missile defense, Gates said.

A radar system based in southern Russia "would be a real asset to the overall defense of Europe, particularly from Iranian missiles," he told reporters. "This new system would make tying it in easier."

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters the plan "puts missile defense more in a NATO context," and that it will provide defense against "a real and growing" missile threat.
Much of today's conference focused on NATO's role in Afghanistan, Gates said. The ministers discussed the need to reform the International Security Assistance Force's operational culture, to improve its ability to counter improvised explosive devices and to support the Afghan security force training mission.

Gates said he noted several NATO milestones during his discussions. The Kosovo security force obtained its initial operating capability, thanks in large measure to NATO's role there, he said. In addition, NATO's new, dedicated heavy airlift wing performed its first mission, resupplying Swedish forces in Afghanistan.

And after extensive effort, the allied ground surveillance program went into effect. The program is considered an essential element in increasing situational awareness for NATO forces.

Red Cross to Distribute Holiday Cards

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - The American Red Cross again will sponsor a national "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers, veterans and their families in the United States and abroad. The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

A special P.O. Box address will be published the first week of November online at http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail.

In the meantime, people shouldn't send cards to Walter Reed unless they are addressed to a specific wounded warrior.

Due to security restrictions, Walter Reed cannot accept generic mail addressed to "A Recovering Soldier" or "Any Soldier." In past years, hundreds of cards were returned to senders because of generic addresses, many sent in response to misleading e-mails.

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. will partner for the third year to provide screening of all mail sent to the special P.O. Box address. Cards postmarked no later than Dec. 7 will reach servicemembers recovering at Walter Reed.

(From a Walter Reed Army Medical Center news release.)

Army Lab Aims to Lighten Soldiers' Load

By Ian Graham
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - Soldiers carry a heavy load, with basic body armor alone weighing about 45 pounds, not to mention firearms, ammunition, radio equipment, food and other tools they may need for a mission. The Army Research Laboratory's Electrochemistry Branch in the Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate is working to lighten their load by creating fuel cells that are lighter and more efficient and durable than existing batteries.

Cynthia Lundgren, chief of the directorate at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., described the benefits of fuel cell technology during an Oct. 21 webcast of "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" on Pentagon Web radio.

The new fuel cells will help soldiers by lessening the number of batteries they carry for missions lasting longer than 24 hours, Lundgren explained.

Depending on their role in the battalion, some soldiers may carry up to 35 pounds of batteries with them for a 72-hour mission, she said. She'd like to see that weight reduced to 12 pounds.

"We'd like to reduce the weight a soldier carries by a third to a half," she said.

Fuel cells use a chemical reaction between air and a fuel to create energy, which in turn is harnessed as electricity. Hydrogen is the most commonly used chemical fuel, but because it's very reactive, it can be dangerous to carry around. It's also difficult to create and make available for soldiers' use.

"Hydrogen is a pretty energy-dense fuel, but it's a gas, so it has to be condensed ... and it's not very convenient," Lundgren said. "Logistically, it's not a very friendly fuel. And carrying hydrogen-gas bottles around isn't exactly something soldiers want to do."

Lundgren is trying to find fuel chemicals that will have an efficient electrochemical reaction with as few safety issues as possible for its carriers.

"If a lithium-ion battery is punctured, lithium is incredibly reactive and will react with moisture in the air," she said. "Anybody who's seen or heard of battery fires from laptops will appreciate that. We're trying to make those batteries last longer, be lighter and be safer."

Lundgren's team has been testing fuel cells using propane and simple alcohols like methanol to act as power sources for mobile, portable equipment. Fuel cells are being built and designed to handle power usage as high as megawatts -- the kind of power needed for a large vehicle like a submarine or aircraft carrier -- and as low as microwatts.

Their primary focus with higher wattage cells right now is allowing for "silent watch," when a vehicle can be turned off but the electronics can still run at full power. Fuel cells providing this capability generally run from 10 to 40 kilowatts, but the Army requires JP8, a jet fuel, to be used to reduce the logistics burden to supply the fuel.

"Small, portable fuel cells ... run pretty much like a battery [the fuel is prepackaged and can be exchanged like a battery]," she said. "But once you get over a kilowatt, it becomes harder to sustain logistically.

"Part of our reformation research is how to convert JP8 into a fuel that a fuel cell can use," she continued. "This is mostly geared for auxiliary power units .... The efficiency of [a fuel cell] is much higher than the vehicle using its own fuel in an internal combustion engine, and it allows for silent watch."

Soldiers and researchers are testing new ideas, ideally giving warfighters a lighter load to carry and greater operational capacity in the field, whether it's powering a small navigational tool or allowing them to silently run unmanned vehicles.

McChrystal to Brief as NATO Ministers Focus on Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and his fellow NATO defense ministers will hear today from the commander of the alliance's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal will offer his on-the-ground assessment of conditions and progress in building the Afghan security forces in both numbers and capability during an alliance defense ministers conference that's under way here, NATO officials said.

Gates will participate in several sessions focused on the NATO mission in Afghanistan. During a working lunch, he'll meet with allied ministers and their counterparts from non-NATO nations contributing troops in Afghanistan. Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and representatives of several international organizations involved in Afghanistan also will participate.

Deliberations also are expected to address resourcing, as well as a new training mission NATO plans to launch for Afghan security forces.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called yesterday for more forward momentum in Afghanistan, including a redoubling of efforts to help with reconstruction and development. But the focus, he said, also needs to include holding the new Afghan government to account, dealing with corruption and building Afghan security forces so they are strong enough to provide security in Afghanistan, with NATO in a security role.

"Afghanistan needs to be made strong enough to resist the insurgency if it is to be able to resist terrorism," he said. "It's as simple as that, and that is the essence of the McChrystal approach."

Rasmussen warned that foot-dragging in providing the needed support only will make the challenge bigger. "We have to do more today if we want to be able to do less tomorrow," he said.

"To my mind, it is clear," he said in a statement issued before yesterday's opening session. "Hoping that Taliban extremists will never again host al-Qaida is not a strategy. They did it in the past. We can only assume they will do it in future."

As Gates participates in the ministerial conference, he said he's buoyed by a renewed sense of purpose he's detected within the alliance.

"Frankly, since the NATO summit last spring, I have seen more energy and more commitment on behalf of both the military and civilian leadership in the alliance than I have seen in the previous two years that I was in this job," Gates told reporters before arriving here last night.

Gates said both he and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have sensed the shift during meetings and telephone conversations with their NATO counterparts.

"There seems to be a renewed commitment that we have to do this and get this done right," he said.

"This is an alliance issue," he emphasized.

Collaboration Drove Earthquake Relief, Commander Says

By Judith Snyderman
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - In the aftermath of last month's devastating earthquakes in Indonesia, rapid response and cooperation led to a successful humanitarian relief effort there, a Navy commander said. Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, commander of the Amphibious Force 7th Fleet based in Okinawa, Japan, described the operation, lessons learned and his use of social media to keep the public informed during an Oct. 22 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.

Landolt was tracking seasonal storm activity when a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks erupted in and near Sumatra, Indonesia, on Sept. 30. While the USS Denver, which already was under way to the Philippines, and the USS McCampbell headed to the region, Landolt flew in with a humanitarian assistance and survey team.

"There was some benefit in not having forces at the ready, because it allowed us the opportunity to really focus them when they got there, by allowing that [humanitarian assistance and survey team] to survey and decide where help was needed," Landolt said.

When he arrived, Landolt said, three out of four hospitals were leveled in Padang, a city of about 1 million people. In the countryside, virtually all structures and roads were destroyed. The 353rd Special Operations Group out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, quickly set up communications, and a newly operational Air Force Humanitarian Assistance Ready Response Team turned a soccer field into a hospital.

Good cooperation took place among the Indonesian government, the U.S. Embassy and international relief organizations, including a team from Australia that brought reverse osmosis water purification units, Landolt said.

These factors contributed to a successful operation that offers positive lessons for relief operations, he noted.

One lesson learned is to take care of densely populated urban areas before moving to the countryside, he said.

"If you have water, sanitation, hygiene and people living in tents, they are not going to migrate; they are not going to become refugees or internally displaced people," Landolt said.

As an experiment, Landolt augmented his daily meetings with officials by keeping the public informed via the social media sites Facebook and Twitter.

"I tried to use Twitter as a way to try to talk to somebody, say in the fifth grade, he explained. "As I learned something that I thought was useful, I would [send a 'tweet'] out and post it; a factoid on what we were doing or what kind of capacity a CH-53 helicopter has, for instance."

Quick and coordinated actions to provide essential aid in Padang stabilized the situation and prevented what could have been an outbreak of infectious disease. When the USS Denver arrived Oct. 8, Landolt said, they immediately were able to focus on airlifting tents, water and food to people in remote areas.

Within four days, he said, they delivered more than 100,000 pounds of cargo to people in need.

In the midst of relief operations, it can be difficult to discern when conditions have improved enough to wrap up work, Landolt said. He received some good, light-hearted advice on the subject from a member of another relief team, which he shared in his final Twitter update.

"You always want to leave when they're still smiling at you and waving at you with all five fingers," Landolt said, repeating his 'tweet'.

The social networking updates have garnered positive feedback and now serve as a permanent record of what went right during the relief operation, Landolt said. The full account is available on the "Amphibious Force SEVENTH Fleet" Facebook page.

(Judith Snyderman works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

1 Dead, 8 Wounded in Army-Navy Exercise

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 23, 2009 - One military member was killed and eight were injured last night after an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into a Navy ship off the coast of Fort Story, Va., just north of Virginia Beach. The crash occurred on the flight deck of the USNS Arctic around 8 p.m., and involved the Army helicopter and members of an East Coast-based naval special warfare unit, according to a statement released by the Navy's Fleet Forces Command.

Another Army Black Hawk flew the injured servicemembers to a Norfolk, Va., hospital for treatment, the release said. The USNS Arctic returned to Naval Station Norfolk with the damaged helicopter on board.

Both Fleet Forces Command and officials from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., declined to comment further on specifics about the crash.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. More information about the soldiers involved may be available as early as today, an Army spokesman at Fort Bragg told American Forces Press Service.

Obama Signs Veterans Health Care Legislation

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2009 - President Barack Obama signed new legislation today that creates predictable funding for veterans' health care. The Veterans Healthcare Reform and Transparency Act fundamentally changes how the Department of Veterans Affairs receive health care funding. The reform calls for appropriations a year in advance after more than two decades of regular budget delays, Obama said from the White House East Room.

"Over the past two decades, the VA budget has been late almost every year, often by months," the president said. "At this very moment, the VA is operating without a budget, making it harder for VA medical centers and clinics to deliver the care our vets need."

Obama said that because of budget shortfalls, new doctors, nurses and critical staff aren't hired on time. New health care facilities and programs often are put on hold, leaving veterans to pay the price for the government's neglect, he said.

"This is inexcusable. It's unacceptable. It's time for it to stop," he said. "And that's just what we'll do with this landmark legislation."

The law gives VA more funding predictability so officials can better budget their needs, recruit better-trained professionals and upgrade equipment. Mostly, Obama said, the law gives veterans better access to quality care.

"In short, this is common-sense reform," he said. "It promotes accountability at the VA. It ensures oversight by Congress. It is fiscally responsible by not adding a dime to the deficit, and it ensures that veterans' health care will no longer be held hostage to the annual budget battles in Washington.

"Keeping faith with our veterans is work that is never truly done," he continued. "Today's veterans expect and deserve the highest quality care, as will tomorrow's veterans, especially our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Obama pledged his administration would continue in efforts to build a 21st-century VA. Since he's taken office, the White House, VA and Pentagon have been working to "cut the red tape and backlogs," he said.

He noted the administration has invested in mobile clinics to give veterans in rural areas better access, and cited the VA and Pentagon's work to develop a single health care record for servicemembers to make their transition out of the military a simpler process.

Obama also vowed to end homelessness among veterans and praised the success of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which offers qualified veterans better opportunities to attain higher education and training.

"All told, we have made the biggest commitment to veterans, the largest percentage increase in the VA budget in more than 30 years," he said. "As a nation, we'll pledge to fulfill our responsibilities to our veterans, because our commitment to our veterans is a sacred trust, and upholding that trust is a moral obligation."

Biden Praises Central European Allies

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2009 - Vice President Joe Biden speaking in Bucharest, Romania, today said the United States relies on its Central European allies to help confront 21st century challenges and praised the region for its post-Cold War progress. Biden cited a litany of problems the United States and its NATO partners face, including the war in Afghanistan and other security issues affecting the military alliance.

"I come here today with a straightforward, simple message: The United States and Europe, a Europe whole and united, will meet these challenges together, for that's the only way they can be met," he said.

Biden's remarks come as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia, today for a two-day NATO defense ministers meeting to discuss the U.S.-NATO role in Afghanistan. Biden's visit also comes as a pretext to the Obama administration's revamped missile defense plan, which includes placing anti-ballistic missiles in Poland.

With the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall nearing, Biden called the U.S.-European partnership the "cornerstone of American foreign policy" and reflected on the progress European nations have made since emerging from behind the Soviet Union's Iron Curtain.

"The true validation of 1989, the real story of your country and this region lies less in what you tore down, and more in what you have built," he said.

In his remarks, Biden sought to correct what he said is a misperception some hold regarding American attitudes toward the former Soviet bloc. While some view broad U.S. involvement around the world as distancing itself from its European partners, the contrary is true, he said.

"In fact, it's precisely because of our global responsibilities and your growing and capacity and willingness to meet them with us that we value our partnership with Central Europe and Europe now more than we ever had," he said. "Together, we have responsibilities to shoulder, and we have promises to keep. Those responsibilities are larger now, and the promises more significant."

Speaking about NATO, Biden said the 28-member alliance is the bedrock that binds together the nation's shared values and their common commitment to protect those values.

"As President Obama has said, there are no old members, there are no new members of NATO; there are just members. Under Article 5, an attack on one is an attack against all," he said, referring to the statute in the NATO charter undergirding the alliance's security umbrella.

"Our countries are bound together by America's dedication to European security and by Europe's dedication to America's security, which you demonstrated quickly and powerfully in the wake of 9/11, the first time Article 5 was invoked, without us asking," he added.

Gates and his European counterparts are set to discuss the U.S.-NATO strategy in Afghanistan during the ministers' meeting. The United States, which reportedly is considering a request by the top American commander in Afghanistan for an additional 40,000 troops, has some 68,000 forces there in addition to 41,000 NATO troops.

Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal's assessment and resource request is being reviewed through NATO as well as U.S. chains of command. Gates called the upcoming NATO meeting part of the "process of intense consultation" the United States is undergoing with its allies and partners as it evaluates the way forward in Afghanistan.

Gates Reaffirms Commitment to South Korea

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering commitment" to its alliance with the South Korea, assuring it will continue to provide extended deterrence against North Korea and other threats. Meeting here for the 41st Annual Security Consultative Meeting, which he is co-chairing with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae Young, Gates offered assurances that the United States will use "the full range of military capabilities, including the nuclear umbrella," to protect South Korea's security.

Kim cited in his opening statement the ever-present threat to the north, exacerbated by North Korea's recent missile launches.

"Although on the surface there are signs of some change from North Korea, including its recent willingness to talk, in reality, the unstable situation, such as the nuclear program and a 'military first' policy remains unchanged," he told Gates.

Gates called the U.S. force presence here a key to the strong combined deterrent capability in place.

"I believe, Mr. Kim, our alliance is strong and healthy today and on a solid course for the future," he said. "I look forward to our discussions to build on this strength."

Kim, who served as South Korea's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before assuming his new post in September, has been a strong advocate of changes and reform to better posture his forces to cope with tensions on the peninsula.

Kim's agenda is directly in line with that of South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, whose vision of a more globally focused military Gates noted during remarks yesterday to U.S. and South Korean troops at Yongsan Garrison.

"As President Lee said on Armed Forces Day three weeks ago, Korea's military must 'adapt and transform to the new environments and new types of threats,'" Gates told the group. This, he continued, means not only protecting the homeland, but also, again borrowing Lee's words, transforming the force to "carry out roles commensurate with its growing stature as a global Korea.'"

Toward that goal, today's discussions were expected to focus not only on continued U.S. commitment to the alliance, but also expanded roles South Korea can play in regional stability.

South Korea is a member of the six-party talks aimed at getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, and recently joined the multinational Proliferation Security Initiative. It's also helping to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, a measure aimed at halting North Korea's nuclear proliferation.

A senior military official traveling with Gates noted the success of the cooperation, evidenced in late June when the rusting Kang Nam 1 North Korean freighter turned around at sea and returned to its home port of Nampo. The ship was believed to be carrying cargo banned by the U.N. resolution before it turned around, seemingly with nowhere to go because no country could accept it, the official said.

"Despite the attempts to make it look like the next sequel of 'Master and Commander,' with the chase at sea," the senior defense official joked, the foiled delivery proves that "international consensus does have an effect, and that the ship turned around."

Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, who took command of U.S. Pacific Command earlier this week, told reporters he believes North Korea will remain a top focus.

"A nuclear-armed North Korea, and a North Korea that chooses to provoke and a North Korea that may be on the brink of succession – all those things make North Korea worthy of our attention now," he said. "So, North Korea needs to be watched very closely.

Soldier Beats Breast Cancer With Early Detection

By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2009 - A California Army National Guard supply noncommissioned officer diagnosed with breast cancer is cancer-free today, and she credits early detection with her new lease on life. With a yearlong deployment right around the corner when she got her diagnosis, Army Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Cowie opted for an aggressive treatment plan that would get her back to her unit quickly.

"As soon as people hear the word 'cancer,' they have the worst thought in mind," Cowie said. "That's really not the case these days. There are treatments available, and with early detection, everything can happen with a little better outcome. So, early detection is really the key."

Her gamble paid off.

"I went from diagnosis to cancer-free in 30 days, with very little interruption in my life," Cowie said. She deployed with her unit to Kuwait in 2007, and since that time has followed up every six months to ensure she's still OK.

During pre-mobilization training at Camp Atterbury, Ind., Cowie had an ultrasound after something was spotted on her mammogram. Through the Tricare military health care plan, she found a breast care specialist in Indianapolis, who did a biopsy. Three days later, she found out that she had Stage 0 breast cancer, "which is very, very early," Cowie said.

The specialist said breast cancer usually is caught at Stage 2 or 3. "I thanked my lucky stars that someone looked close enough at the mammogram," Cowie said.

Once diagnosed, Cowie discussed her timeline with her surgeon and oncologist. Her unit would be leaving Camp Atterbury in 30 days.
The doctors explained the options available to her, which included a new treatment available "that I was a good candidate for," Cowie said. MammoSite is a five-day targeted radiation therapy that uses a high daily dose of radiation.

"So, that is what I chose to do," Cowie said. "I was really committed to my deployment, being so far into the training. It was not an option for me personally to back out and say, 'Hey, I have to go home.' I made a commitment to these troops and to this unit to see this through as long as the military would let me."

Cowie was treated twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes for five days. "It was pretty aggressive, but ... I consider myself pretty lucky to have caught it so early," she said. "I am a perfect example of [early detection]."

Throughout her ordeal, Cowie said, she was supported by her biological family and her Guard family.

"My family understands my dedication to duty," she said. "But the call to Mom was a little scary for me. I put it off until I absolutely had to. I didn't want them to worry. They are already worrying that I'm deploying, so now I had to give them something else to worry about."

Cowie said her family offered support and didn't get overly emotional. "That was the support that I really needed, because I wanted to stay focused. I didn't want to go into the negative thoughts. ... I just couldn't go there."

With her Guard family, it was a little different. Cowie's commander and first sergeant were men. "It was a little tricky at first," she said, "but they were so great."

After explaining her situation, Cowie said, her Guard leaders told her it was her decision and that they would support her either way. "I thought about it for two seconds, and said, 'I'm staying,'" she recalled. "They were a big, big help to me."

The hardest part was continuing to lead her soldiers, Cowie said. "As an NCO, you always have to lead from the front. With this, that's a little difficult. There were days that were a little harder for me. But I knew my soldiers looked up to me. I had to make sure that I was still [there] for my soldiers, and at the same time still taking care of myself."

Cowie, who is a 15-year veteran of the Army Reserve and the Army Guard, said the experience gave her a greater appreciation for the research being done to cure all forms of cancer. "Little did I know how much new treatments would mean to my life," she said.

Throughout her battle, Cowie was in contact with her surgeon and oncologist every day.

"I was committed to making this happen," she said. "The whole team knew what our end goal was." Being cancer free was paramount, she added, "but also to not totally lose what I had going on with the deployment."

Cowie said she knew she may have to follow the unit later if she wasn't able to stick to the timeline, but that she had no other doubts about the path she chose.

"When things fall into place, you have to believe that someone is out there watching out for you, and that there is a plan ahead of you and you are on the right course," she said.

(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau.)

Gates, Japanese Leaders Vow Continued Cooperation

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - Citing "great opportunities" to further strengthen the U.S.-Japanese security relationship in cooperation with the new Japanese government, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates re-emphasized today the need to move forward with the previously agreed-to realignment plan. Gates met with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, calling the U.S.-Japan partnership "the cornerstone of our security policy in Asia."

Hatoyama told Gates his administration "cherishes our alliance" with the United States and plans to put a "fresh impetus" on furthering it. It's as important today as when it was formed, he added, particularly in light of "uncertainty" in the region.

Speaking during a joint news conference with Kitazawa, Gates expressed hope in advancing the relationship that has provided a defense umbrella for Japan for nearly 50 years and helped to provide security to the region.

"The true legacy of the last 50 years is the enormous potential we have to strengthen our ties to tackle security challenges as an alliance of equals in the 21st century," he said.

Gates and Kitazawa discussed issues ranging from the two countries' missile defense cooperation – critical, Gates noted, in light of North Korean activities – to Japan's role in disaster response and counterpiracy operations to its support for the mission in Afghanistan.

Gates thanked the Japanese government for providing reconstruction and security assistance in Afghanistan, as well as for the refueling support it has provided the coalition in Afghanistan. If the new government terminates the mission Jan. 15 as announced, Japan still has "robust opportunities for additional kinds of assistance" it can provide, he said.

Gates ticked off several possibilities, including financial support to expand the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, as well economic and cultural development assistance.

"We would only hope that Japan's contribution will be commensurate with its standing as one of the greatest powers in the world," Gates said.

The two also discussed Japan's host-nation support of U.S. forces stationed there, which Gates said the United States views as "a strategic pillar" of the alliance.

A key issue in today's talks, he said, was "the importance of our bilateral realignment roadmap, its strategic benefits to the United States, Japan and the region, in particular, and the importance of moving forward expeditiously on the roadmap as agreed."

The agreement includes plans to move thousands of U.S. forces from southern Okinawa, consolidate numerous bases, build a new runway to the north at Camp Schwab to replace Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, and relocate 8,000 Marines and their families to Guam.

The Hatoyama government has expressed an interest in re-examining the agreement, particularly issues involving the relocation of Marines from Futenma about 30 miles north to Camp Schwab, which Gates calls "the lynchpin" of the realignment roadmap.

Gates emphasized the complexity of the agreement that was negotiated over the past 15 years and the danger of trying to pick it apart piece by piece. "It is interlocking, and to begin to pull apart different pieces of it would be immensely complicated and counterproductive.

"We have investigated all of the alternatives in great detail, and believe that they are both politically untenable and operational unworkable," he said. "Our view is [that] this may not be the perfect alternative for anyone, but it is the best alternative for everyone, and it is time to move on."

He re-emphasized that position at today's news conference. "Our view is clear," he said. "Without the Futenma [replacement] facility, there will be no relocation to Guam. And without relocation to Guam, there will be no consolidation of forces and return of land in Okinawa."

Gates said modest changes, such as moving the Camp Schwab runway a matter of meters from where it originally was agreed to be built, is a matter for the people of Japan, not the United States, to discuss.

"Our only caveat," he said, "would be that it not slow the implementation process."

Gates Calls on South Korea to Expand Security Role

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - Lauding progress toward transferring wartime operational control of South Korean troops to their own country in 2012, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today called on the longtime U.S. ally to assume a larger security role on the Korean peninsula and beyond. Gates told a gathering of about 150 U.S. and South Korean troops at Yongsan Garrison here that he's impressed in strides the South Korean armed forces have made toward assuming the lead defense role in their national territory. These efforts, along with a bold modernization effort, have built a force he called "poised to lead the defense of your homeland and protect your nation's security interests around the world."

Gates called on South Korea's political leaders to invest more in their country's defense, at a level "appropriate to Korea's emerging role as a contributor to global security, and commensurate with the threat you face on the peninsula."

North Korea – the impetus for the long-term U.S. security commitment here – has become increasingly lethal and destabilizing, he said. Though North Korea still has the capacity, although degraded, to strike south of the demilitarized zone, he noted, that threat pales in comparison to current developments that "threaten not just the peninsula, but the Pacific Rim and international stability as well."

"Today, it is North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and proliferation of nuclear know-how and ballistic missile weapons and parts that have focused our attention," Gates told the audience. "We do not today, nor will we ever, accept a North Korea with nuclear weapons. We will work, as an alliance and with other allies and partners, for the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea."

Gates reiterated the U.S. commitment to using the "full range of American military might" to provide extended deterrence. This includes everything from the nuclear umbrella to conventional-strike and missile-defense capabilities, as well as the continued U.S. military presence in South Korea.

But meanwhile, he added, the U.S.-South Korean alliance needs to continue to evolve to stand up to mutual security commitments, including those beyond the Korean peninsula.

Gone are the days, Gates said, when South Korea deployed forces -- in Vietnam and Iraq, for example -- seemingly as a gesture for the United States.

"Going forward, Korea's international military contributions should be seen as what they are: something that is done to benefit your own security and vital national interests," he said. "The will and the ability of the Republic of Korea to act regionally and globally are entirely consistent with your obligation to lead the defense of this peninsula."

Gates, Willard Seek More Engagement With China

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - It's in the United States' long-term interest to engage more closely with China, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today, and his new top officer in the Pacific said he's looking forward to the role he hopes to play in the dialogue. Dialog between the two countries, particularly about China's military modernization efforts, will go a long way toward promoting transparency and "preventing miscalculations," Gates told a gathering of U.S. and South Korean troops here today.

It also can promote the kind of relationship required for the United States and China to work together to confront mutual security concerns, he said.

Gates cited China's important role in the six-party talks aimed at getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. "The Chinese have a similar interest in preventing destabilizing activities in the region as much as any of us," he said. "Our goal moving forward is to try to encourage China to grow its participation in internationally stabilizing activities."

Navy Adm. Robert M. Willard, who took the helm at U.S. Pacific Command just two days ago, said welcomes the role he'll play in promoting more dialogue and engagement with China.

China brought an abrupt halt to that interchange after the United States announced arms sales to Taiwan in October 2008, but slowly is showing interest in reengaging.

Chinese Gen. Xu Caihou, China's No. 2 military officer, will meet with Gates in Washington next week, but Willard said he wants more lower-level engagement throughout the military ranks as well. He expressed hope that these exchanges will engender trust and help to clear up some of the uncertainty – particularly about China's military buildup that's proceeded at "an unprecedented rate."

The United States isn't the only country that's taken notice, he said. "Our regional partners are somewhat uncertain about it," he said. "And one of my responsibilities is to seek to better the relations and the levels of understanding regarding intentions and regarding that military development."

Willard said he'd like to use the dialog as a way to "seek areas that we have in common and common interest in." He noted efforts China already is involved in or might want to contribute toward, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterpiracy in the Gulf of Aden, counterproliferation, and search-and-rescue and submarine rescue efforts.

Increased dialogue also could help to clear up differences in how the two countries interpret maritime law. It's caused some close calls when Chinese naval vessels tried to prevent U.S. ships from operating in international waters off its shores.

"[The Chinese] interpret military operations in their exclusive economic zone differently than we do – and differently, frankly, than the majority of countries do globally," Willard said.

"We are more than happy to sit down and have an adult discussion about our differences," Willard added, but he also said the United States isn't about to back down.

"The United States has operated in the maritime domain in this region of the world for 150 years, and we have no intention of doing differently," he said. "We very much exert our right to operate militarily and with our commercial ships in international water throughout the Asia-Pacific region."

Willard noted China's rise as an economic and world power, and said he welcomes the role it can play as a regional partner.

"China is not our enemy," he said. "We look forward to a constructive relationship with China, and their constructive contribution to the security of the Asia-Pacific region."

Pentagon Radio Volunteers Move to New Office

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - A military institution designed to provide emergency communications has moved to new quarters in the Pentagon. John G. Grimes, the former assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration, cut the ribbon on the new Military Affiliate Radio System office on the fifth floor of the Pentagon today.

The facility is packed with shortwave radios, radio-telephone patches, computers and data links. It is manned by the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club. "This is a great facility, manned totally by volunteers," Grimes said. "It's a crucial capability for our country."

The system - known by the acronym MARS - began in the early 1950s. It was a worldwide network of shortwave radio enthusiasts who would spring into action in the event of a nuclear war or natural disaster. Thousands of civilian and military ham radio volunteers manned the system.

"In the years before the Internet, deployed servicemembers kept in touch with families and friends using MARS," said Gary Sessums, a contractor in the Pentagon and one of the stalwarts of the radio club.

From the Korean War to the Gulf War, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines used "Marsgrams" to keep in touch. Ham radio operators called these "health and welfare" messages.

The shortwave broadcasts have been superseded by the Internet, and servicemembers in many parts of the U.S. Central Command area can use cell phones and voice over Internet protocol to speak with those back home. Still, in the event of an emergency, high-frequency communication is generally the first to recover, and even the most modern technology can get overloaded.

Allan Hubbert, a volunteer in the Pentagon, noted communication problems during President Barack Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration as an example. "During the inauguration, there were so many people on cell phones that it overloaded the system," he said. "We could still operate, and helped back up the system down on the [National] Mall."

More than 60 volunteers help to man the Pentagon node of the system. They will turn out in force to help with communications for the Marine Corps Marathon, which will be held in the area this weekend. "In that case, we can help act as a bridge between the military and various local and regional agencies," said Navy Capt. Rich Low.

With more than 6,000 volunteers worldwide, the system now also backs up the Department of Homeland Security. "There have been many crises or disasters that have struck where the first word out of an area is via [shortwave radio], and someone has their little gas generator going," Grimes said. "That's not likely to change any time soon."

Association Names Military Families of Year

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - Seven families, one from each of the uniformed services, have been selected as National Military Family Association's 2009 Military Families of the Year for the roles they play in their communities and the way they embrace the military lifestyle. "They're really all great," said Bailey Toombs, a National Military Family Association spokeswoman. "A lot of them are just really involved in the community and just go above and beyond."

The association serves the five branches of the armed forces as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public Health Service.

To be nominated, or to nominate themselves, families must be associated with one of the services or be the family of a fallen servicemember, Toombs said. Active duty, reserve components, and retiree families of the Army, Navy, Air Force Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, or the commissioned corps of NOAA or the Public Health Service also are eligible.

The seven families chosen to represent their services are:

-- Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Nolan and his family, of Fort Riley, Kan., are the Army Family of the Year. The family is active in its church, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as the children's school and Nolan's command.

-- Lt. j.g. Joshua Caldwell and his family, of Kailua, Hawaii, are the Navy Family of the Year. The Caldwells have overcome many obstacles to get to where they are today. They regularly volunteer in the community and help to support hospital patients, homeless veterans and disabled youth.

-- Sgt. Dennis Leanes and his family, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., are the Marine Corps Family of the Year. When the sergeant is deployed, his wife and children throw themselves into serving their community. According to the family, they "have learned not to define ourselves by our challenges, but by our accomplishments."

-- Master Sgt. Wayne and Tech. Sgt. Thane Ojala and their family, of Las Vegas, are the Air Force Family of the Year. The dual-military family volunteers and says, "It's a good feeling to know we're contributing to something greater than ourselves." They view the challenges of military life as an opportunity to become closer as a family.

-- Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Udland and his family, of Juneau, Alaska, are the Coast Guard Family of the Year. This family's passion is the Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research. They've turned volunteering into a whole-family activity and love to spend time together exploring the wonderful activities that Juneau has to offer.

-- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Family of the Year Cmdr. Shep Smith and family, are stationed at Norfolk, Va. They like to travel, participate in a community theater group, and stay involved in the NOAA Corps community. The Smiths are active participants in the NOAA Officers Family Association, helping to keep their small community strong.

-- Public Health Service Family of the Year Cmdr. Dana Hall and the Horesh family, stationed at Overland Park, Kan., support local food banks because they are "working hard to teach our children that they have a responsibility to actively participate in the improvement of their community."

The National Military Family Association's National Military Family of the Year will be chosen from among these seven families and announced Oct. 28 in Washington. The announcement, and presentation of awards by the service chiefs, will be made as part of the organization's 40th anniversary celebration.

The National Military Family Association is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening and protecting the families of the men and women currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen. It provides families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA with information, works to get them the benefits they deserve, and offers programs that improve their lives.

Defense Department to Compensate 'Stop Loss' Troops

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2009 - The Defense Department will implement a new program this week to compensate former and current servicemembers for each month they involuntarily served from Sept. 11, 2001 to Sept. 30, 2009, a defense official said. Congress approved an appropriation bill last summer, giving the department $534 billion over the next year for an estimated 185,000 servicemembers affected by the "Stop Loss" authority since 9/11, said Sam Retherford, director for the department's officer and enlisted personnel management office.

In an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service, Retherford explained that qualified servicemembers will receive $500 for each month served past their contracted end-of-service, resignation or retirement date.

"Stop Loss is very difficult," he said. "Members have obligations and have intended periods of service, then they have plans for themselves and their families afterward. So we're doing everything we can to discontinue the use of this authority and compensate our members."

Survivors of servicemembers killed in combat or who died after their service will be allowed to make claims. Retherford said those families are entitled to the compensation and shouldn't be forgotten. "We've asked the services to go out there and identify those who've passed away subsequent to their military service or in the conflict," he said.

Those seeking claims have until Oct. 20, 2010 to do so. The services were directed to develop their own online application process and Web sites defining criteria, as well as their systems for seeking out those who qualify and may have lost contact with their service, he said.

Here's where to get information from each service:

-- Army: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil or e-mail to RetroStopLossPay@conus.army.mil

-- Navy: E-mail to NXAG_N132C@navy.mil

-- Air Force: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/

-- Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss or e-mail to stoploss@usmc.mil

Servicemembers must have been discharged honorably, and have sufficient documents proving their case. Servicemembers who were affected by Stop Loss, but later decided to extend or re-enlist also qualify.

"You'll have to submit documentation to show that you were Stop Lossed -- certificate of discharge, separation orders, retirement orders, memoranda from previous commanders or organizations," Retherford said. "Even if you don't have all the correct documentation, we encourage you to submit and articulate the claim, because the service may have the documentation."

The process shouldn't be difficult for most applying for claims. The military departments will verify eligibility to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. "So all the work will be done right up front," Retherford said. "All DFAS will have to do is issue payment."

For those who don't have documents and believe they should qualify, the department included a provision in the policy memorandum that allows them to make their case through a memo from their former chain of command.

Locating former servicemembers and survivors is the most challenging aspect of the program, Retherford said, and the program was designed with that in mind. The department tasks each service to develop its own initiatives to seek out those who qualify.

"Getting the word out is our No. 1 challenge," Retherford said. "Many are former members. Many have no obligation to the military anymore and are scattered across the world right now. Getting the word out for people to solicit the claim is our first challenge."

The retroactive special pay isn't an official end to the Stop Loss authority, but the department plans to phase out its use in fiscal 2011. The department retains the authority in case of a national emergency.

"In this case, we've been frustrated in our attempts to minimize Stop Loss because of the persistent and dynamic nature of the conflict," Retherford said. "The secretary of defense has already established a plan, and we've reduced Stop Loss significantly."