Face of Defense: Sergeant Defies Odds to Pursue Dream

By Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrea Thacker

23rd Wing

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., March 7, 2011 – When many people hear the odds are against them, they simply give up. But Air Force Master Sgt. Robert Disney does just the opposite and says, "Challenge accepted."

Nearly 14 years ago, when Disney told an Air Force recruiter he had dreams of becoming a cross between a doctor and a Navy SEAL, the recruiter sent him to the back of the office to a stack of dusty pararescue pamphlets.

“He said, ‘I think I have exactly what you're looking for, but don't get your hopes up, kid. No one I've sent has made the cut, and you probably won't, either,’” Disney recalled.

"That's all I needed to hear and I was hooked," Disney added. "Once I dusted off that flyer and saw a dark-haired, handsome-looking, Italian guy in a maroon beret on the cover, I read through it. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to do. I didn't stop talking about it all summer until I left for basic training."

Of the 86 students in his course, only six had what it took to graduate as a pararescue jumper: Disney was one of the six. That was the first of many challenges he has met.

"I walked into the 38th Rescue Squadron, brand new, two stripes on my arm, and this big, tall, muscular guy walked in, and I recognized him immediately as being the guy from the pamphlet," Disney said. "He said to me in a New York accent, 'Is that Bobby Disney? I hear you're a real goofy guy,' and kind of chuckled to himself for his Disney joke. That's how I met Mike [Maltz]. He was the best."

That was Disney's first encounter with the man who eventually would become his mentor and affect his career in more ways than one.

Disney is the 347th Rescue Group's standards and evaluations superintendent, but he’s also known in the rescue community here as the "Black Cloud," a nickname he got from fellow PJs after what he called the "series of the unfortunate three" incidents.

Rewind to August 2002. In the mountains of Afghanistan, then-staff sergeant Disney was on his second real-world rescue, a mission to pick up two men who had been involved in a firefight and transport them to a tiny post in the middle of nowhere. Since they were at such a high altitude, Disney said, the helicopter had to do a marginal power takeoff. But the crew was asking for more than the helicopter’s engines could handle, as the craft couldn’t gain enough altitude or airspeed to avoid a "brownout" -- decreased visibility resulting from a dust cloud. Disney recalled that he was sitting in the left-side door and began to see the ground racing toward them.

"It felt like we were coming down, and fast," he said, "so I determined it'd be best if I wasn't sitting in the doorway if we did impact the ground. I moved inside the helicopter, then I heard the left gunner yelling 'Stop left, stop left!' About that time, I felt a really hard impact.

"Somehow, I don't know how, … I wasn't in that door when it slammed shut. Angels on my shoulder, right?" he added, referring to the pararescue patch, which features an angel that signifies the help PJs provide from above.

"The rotors were chewing into the ground, and there were no blades on it anymore," Disney said. "The engines [were on] full power, and it was just getting louder and louder, higher-pitched and higher-pitched, and I'm just laying there with everything on me, and it's very, very calm [and] serene. It wasn't a struggle to get out. There wasn't anything I could do. It was just laying there until all the violent motion stopped. Knowing what might have been coming was the worst part."

Finally, the pilots shut down the engines, and Disney said he recalls everything going deathly quiet until the helicopter's team leader snapped everyone back to reality by yelling out, "Sound off by crew position." Once the crew sounded off, the team lead yelled "Get out."

Disney said he thought he'd already survived the worst, and he re-enlisted seven days later. Six weeks later, on a different aircraft and in a different country, Disney witnessed an event that rocked him to the core.

"We starting hearing radio chatter of a boy and girl who fell down a hill," he said. "We started referring to this rescue as ‘Jack and Jill.’ In a C-130 Hercules, we launched out of Uzbekistan, and two helicopters launched out Afghanistan. It was one of the darkest nights I've ever seen through night vision goggles -- dark as can be. … [We] could barely see the ground. We refueled both helicopters by colored light signals because of how dark it was."

As he watched through the C-130’s side window, Disney said, he could see the ground through his night-vision goggles, then he would lose it again as if the aircraft was punching in and out of clouds, even 400 feet above the ground. Then, he said, he felt a familiar tug when the second helicopter disconnected from the refueling hose.

"Not five seconds later, I saw a bright flash of light that flooded out my [night-vision goggles]," he said. "Then, all I heard was a blood-curdling screaming coming from the loadmaster. It looked like an explosion. It lit up the whole countryside. I thought someone had been hit by a surface-to-air missile, and we were next. Then I heard, 'Helicopter crash, 7 o'clock.'"

The wheels in the veteran PJ's head began turning. Knowing they were at 400 feet and were configured to jump, Disney said, he was ready. The combat rescue officer aboard the C-130 made the decision not to jump until they knew more, because the second helicopter’s crew already had found three of the six crash victims.

Because the area was unknown and hostile, the crew was recalled to home base, and Disney had to leave the crash site against his will.

"When I got back on the ground, I got the word on the guys who were on the bird," Disney said. "One of them was Mike Maltz. I can't tell you how I will always feel about that night. I mean, the Airmen's Creed says 'I will never leave airman behind,’ … and we had to leave guys behind on the ground that night. Everything in me wishes I could have jumped in, [that] I could have done something.

"It was like losing a father -- losing a mentor and losing a friend all at the same time," a choked-up Disney continued. "It was one of the hardest moments. It was hard."

A few months after losing the iconic figure who graced the cover of his recruiting pamphlet, Disney was back in the mix. He was about to stumble upon the last event in “the unfortunate three.”

"It was April 18, Good Friday," Disney said. "I know the date, because I had been practicing to play my guitar at the Easter Sunday service. We were going on a training mission or exercise. It was about a 45-minute flight to get where we were going. When the pilots said, ‘It's out there,’ I looked out and saw what looked like people."

By the time they were committed to land, the people were gone, Disney said. Then he heard two sounds, the second confirming they were taking gunfire from at least four people.

"I racked my weapon,” he said. “As I moved to sit down, I brought my weapon up, and I can see flashes now coming out the back now, and [with] one of those flashes there was a weird disturbance of air. "Then came a sensation of two things at the same time. It was like someone swung a baseball bat in my face and the other was a shockwave that rippled through my whole body."

Defending the helicopter and killing the people who were shooting at them was his only thought at the time, Disney said.

"I looked over at the guy across from me and yelled 'I'm shot! I'm hit!' and then I moved into a position to return fire. He yells, 'Shoot back, shoot back, shoot back,'" Disney said.

Within seconds of the helicopter touching down, three people were wounded. Through the barrage of gunfire and with a gunshot wound to right side of his cheek, Disney returned fire. By the time the crew left the scene, only 30 seconds had passed since initial contact. All the crew members survived and returned to base to seek medical care.

When he returned to Moody Air Force Base after his deployment, the Purple Heart recipient said, he could focus on getting back to normal and performing with his guitar in clubs around Valdosta. Two years later, the only thing that was missing in his life was a little romance, Disney said. He met a local girl named Tess, and they soon fell in love, he added, but the Air Force had other plans, sending the master sergeant to the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall, England.

Knowing that Tess was the one, Disney said, he proposed.

"I asked Tess to marry me on Christmas Day over the phone," he said. "I sent her a ring in the mail. The company sent her both of the rings at the same time, and she opened the wedding band first and was like 'Awww.'"

Tess Disney laughed and said, "It was messed up," as she continued the story. "This is a wedding band, this isn't an engagement ring. … I was like, ‘Wait a minute, that's for later on."

Now nearly six years later and back at Moody, the Disneys are living happily with two horses and three dogs.

Tess said she has learned to live with her husband's many deployments and knowing that his nickname is Black Cloud. "I'm a strong wife and I have strong faith,” she said. “Worrying isn't going to help anything.”

She tells people with a laugh that she imagines Robert is off staying at a resort. "I know he has someone watching out for him,” she said. “He's been through all that already. He's here for a reason."

After all that has happened in his life, Disney still has one ongoing challenge to face, and that is living up to his name, he said.

"Someone I looked up to once said to me, "When people meet you, you're either going to be one of two things," Disney said. "You're either going to be a big disappointment -- a dirtbag who got shot in the face -- or you're actually going to be ‘that guy,’ the one people can look up to."

These words changed his life, Disney said. Since then, he added, he hasn't stopped saying, "Challenge accepted."

Marriage Enrichment Workshop Helps Guam-Based Sailors, Spouses

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gabrielle Blake, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

POLARIS POINT, Guam (NNS) -- The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) Religious Ministries Department along with Naval Base Guam (NBG), Naval Hospital Guam Chaplains and Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) representatives held a Marriage Enrichment Workshop (MEW), Feb. 25.

"This workshop is about teaching a communication strategy for couples, so they can learn how to better handle the difficult situations that sometimes wear down and eventually wreck marriages due to spouses misunderstanding and misinterpreting each other," said Cable's Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Ronald Rinaldi.

The six-hour workshop included interactive training with practice and communication games intended to give couples tools and skills that could last a lifetime.

"We played the game Taboo, showing us how good and bad we communicate with each other," said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Eric Gonzales. "We talked with our partners about what we felt we needed them to work on, and then the chaplains helped us refine the words we used, so we don't negatively impact the situation causing it to escalate."

Rinaldi said part of the mission is to help prepare young Sailors for marriage and give couples a much better chance for lasting success in those marriages. He said it can also be an enhancer for Sailors who have been married for a number of years.

"This training can help make good marriages better," said Rinaldi. "This workshop is not designed to put their marriages back together. However, for those couples having challenges, it will provide a much better foundation and skills to work out problems in a better way."

This is the second MEW sponsored by Cable's Religious Ministries Team.

"It is intended to be a quarterly training (event) conducted at the NBG Chapel and in conjunction and cooperation with all naval commands in Guam," said Rinaldi.

"I loved the course," said Gonzales. "The most important thing I learned is how to communicate with my partner without causing a fight, and it got me to understand her and respect her more as a person."

Cable conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility.

Panel Says Rescind Policy on Women in Combat

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2011 – A commission established to study diversity among military leaders is recommending that the Defense Department rescind its policy that prevents women from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level.

In a report issued today, the Military Leadership Diversity Commission recommends that the department and the services eliminate combat exclusion policies for women, as well as other “barriers and inconsistencies, to create a level playing field for all qualified service members.”

Retired Air Force Gen. Lester L. Lyles, who chaired the commission, said the recommendation –- one of 20 in the report and the only one specific to women –- is one way the congressionally mandated body suggests the military can get more qualified women into its more-senior leadership ranks.

“We know that [the exclusion] hinders women from promotion,” Lyles said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. “We want to take away all the hindrances and cultural biases” in promotions.

The commission was established as part of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act to evaluate and assess policies that provide opportunities for promotion and advancement of women and racial and ethnic minorities in the armed forces.

The 1994 combat exclusion policy, as written, precludes women from being “assigned” to ground combat units, but women have for years served in ground combat situations by serving in units deemed “attached” to ground units, Lyles said. That distinction keeps them from being recognized for their ground combat experience -- recognition that would enhance their chances for promotion, he said.

“If you look at today’s battlefield -- in Iraq and Afghanistan -- it’s not like it was in the Cold War, when we had a defined battlefield,” Lyles said. “Women serve -– and they lead –- military security, military police units, air defense units, intelligence units –- all of which have to be right there with combat veterans in order to do the job appropriately.”

Women serving in combat environments are being shot at, killed and maimed, Lyles said.

“But they’re not getting the credit for being in combat arms,” he said, “[and] that’s important for their consideration for the most senior flag ranks -- three stars and four stars, primarily.”

In the commission’s outreach to military leaders, Lyles said, at least a couple of service leaders thought there would be little interest among women to serve in combat. But when the commission brought in a panel of commissioned and enlisted women from different services, “that’s certainly not what we picked up” from talking to them, he said.

“I didn’t hear, ‘Rah, rah, we want to be in combat,’” he said, “but I also didn’t hear, ‘We don’t want to be in combat.’ What they want is an equal opportunity to serve where their skills allow them to serve. Removing the barriers for that, and removing the barriers to them getting credit for that, was our No. 1 focus.”

Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said department officials "will thoroughly evaluate" the panel’s recommendations as part of their ongoing review of diversity policies.

Meanwhile, she said, "Women will continue to be assigned to units and positions that may necessitate combat actions within the scope of their restricted positioning -- situations for which they are fully trained and equipped to respond."

Women make up about 15 percent of active-duty service members; 18 percent of National Guard and reserves; and ten percent of Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans; and 10 percent of those who have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters, Lainez said.

BRAC Transforms Aberdeen Proving Ground Mission

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., March 7, 2011 – With just over six months left to implement the Base Closure and Realignment Commission plan, the sweeping transformation it has sparked here is well under way and slated to be completed on time and under budget, officials reported.

The BRAC plan took effect in November 2005, and impacts more than 800 military installations. It involves closing some, consolidating or realigning others, and ultimately relocating some 123,000 military members and civilian employees. By law, all these actions must be completed by Sept. 15, 2011.

The plan is bringing major growth to Aberdeen Proving Ground -- more than 6,500 people and more than $1 billion in new construction to accommodate the new workers, Army Col. Orlando W. Ortiz, the garrison commander, told American Forces Press Service.

But it’s also bringing a fundamental change to the post’s historic mission, and how the Army ensures its warfighters have the most advanced equipment and systems possible to succeed on the battlefield.

The U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, the major tenant that defined Aberdeen Proving Ground’s very identity for nearly a century, already has moved to Fort Lee, Va. There, it is part of the new Sustainment Center of Excellence, another BRAC initiative.

As officials here closed a page on their post’s legacy, they were busy preparing to open an exciting new one that would transform the installation into a hub of cutting-edge communications and electronics technology.

Aberdeen Proving Ground has long been heavily involved in the Army’s research, development, testing and evaluation mission, explained Army Col. Andrew Nelson, deputy garrison commander for transformation. But by consolidating many disparate and geographically separated organizations that supported those processes here at one post, BRAC is “bringing it to the next level,” he said.

“Aberdeen Proving Ground has been, but will be to a greater extent, one of the Army’s major hubs of research and development of new technologies, and the testing and evaluation of those new technologies that lead to fielding new systems to support the warfighter,” Nelson said.

“This is the center of all of that -- the technology development that is leading to soldiers being better equipped and better supported in the operational environment where they are,” he said. “It’s the clothes they wear, the radios they speak through, the computer system that tracks where individual vehicles and soldiers are on the battlefield, to having [unmanned aerial vehicles] that give them the best intelligence of what the enemy is doing.

“That is what Aberdeen Proving Ground already is, and what it will be about,” Nelson said. “Everything we do here is all about ensuring that the individual soldier and the combat leader have the best possible equipment and systems and technology that is giving them the advantage on the battlefield.”

The biggest group of new arrivals to support this expanded mission is a collection of activities referred to as “the C4ISR materiel enterprise” that focuses on command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The lion’s share of its 7,200 people are coming from Fort Monmouth, N.J., which is closing under BRAC and transferring most of its functions to Aberdeen. The new arrivals hail from Fort Monmouth’s Communications and Electronics Command and Communications-Electronic Research, Development and Engineering Center and several of their program executive offices. Others are arriving from related activities at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.; Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; and Fort Belvoir, Va.

CECOM established a forward presence at Aberdeen in 2007, and officially uncased its colors here in October 2010. A steady stream of its workforce began arriving this past summer, some directly from Fort Monmouth, some from temporary swing space at Aberdeen and others, new hires replacing workers who chose not to relocate.

Today, about 60 percent of the new C4ISR team already has made the move to Aberdeen Proving Ground, settling into the state-of-the-art research and development campus known as the “C4ISR Center of Excellence.”

Meanwhile, construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the second phase of the C4ISR project, which Nelson said is expected to be completed this month or next. The entire C4ISR complex, once complete, will include 13 buildings and more than 2.5 million square feet of new space.

The next-largest group of newcomers to Aberdeen, numbering just over 600, hails from the Army Test and Evaluation Command headquarters and Army Evaluation Center, both in Alexandria, Va. While construction was wrapping up on its new headquarters, Army Maj. Gen. Genaro Dellarocco opted to move directly to Aberdeen, rather than temporarily to Alexandria, when he assumed command in October. Working in swing space at Aberdeen, he’s paving the way for the rest of the headquarters elements to follow, while supervising subordinate commands that were already based at Aberdeen when the BRAC recommendations were announced.

In addition, BRAC is consolidating a variety of other organizations at Aberdeen. These include the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense from Falls Church, Va.; Air Force Non-Medical Chemical-Biological Defense Development and Acquisition, from Brooks City Base, Texas; the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research from Forest Glen, Md., the Army Research Institute from Fort Knox, Ky., and the Army Research Laboratory’s Vehicle Technology Directorate from Langley, Va., and Glenn, Ohio.

The BRAC initiative also has brought a broad range of defense contractors to Aberdeen Proving Ground, where many are operating in a new 416-acre complex just outside the gate.

Ortiz credited detailed planning that started before the ink had even dried on the BRAC 2005 recommendations with ensuring the post is ready to receive the new arrivals.

The planners worked closely with inbound organizations to identify their exact requirements, and with state and local officials to ensure surrounding communities were prepared for the influx.

And, able to take advantage of an economic slump that made bidding on the 17 major construction projects required at Aberdeen Proving Ground highly competitive, they realized huge cost-savings in implementing BRAC.

“In our fiscal year 2010 program, we were awarding contracts at 60 to 70 percent of what the government estimate was [in 2005],” Nelson said. “That’s a big savings, money the Army didn’t have to invest here.”

The first major construction project, a new gate with five vehicle inspection lanes, was completed in May 2009. As the other projects took shape around the installation, less obvious to casual observers were the tremendous infrastructure improvements required to support them. These included multiple-lane gate accesses, roadways, water, sewer and electrical line and miles and miles of fiber optic cabling.

Exciting as these new developments are, Ortiz said he’s made a concerted effort to ensure Aberdeen’s 70-plus previous tenants don’t get short shrift.

“We don’t want haves and have-nots,” he said.

So the post has undertaken a massive plan to upgrade existing facilities and demolish many of its old World War I- and II-era buildings. Ultimately, plans call for demolishing 188 facilities and 775 housing units over the next five years. As these efforts continue, Nelson said he expects lots of activity at Aberdeen during the spring and summer months as workers move into new or renovated facilities. July is expected to be particularly busy.

With the clock ticking down, Ortiz said he’s confident Aberdeen Proving Ground is on track to fully comply with the Sept. 15 BRAC deadline.

“We’ve already integrated a sizeable number of the new workers and the buildings that aren’t already completed are very far along,” he said. “The conditions are pretty well set.”

The plan is going so well, in fact, that Ortiz expects Sept. 16, the first workday after the BRAC deadline, to be “just another day at work” at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

“I honestly do not believe that on Sept. 16, folks are going to notice anything different,” he said. “As the locals will tell you, for us, BRAC has already happened. The magic of that Sept. 15 date has long come and gone.”

So instead of fixating on the BRAC deadline, Aberdeen Proving Ground is focusing on its new, expanded mission, Ortiz said.

“What we’re focusing on is the future,” he said.”That’s where we really need to go.”

Boxer Amphibious Ready Group Enters 7th Fleet

By Lt. Chad A. Dulac, USS Boxer Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG) entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility on March 6, as part of the ship's Western Pacific deployment.

BOXARG arrived in 7th Fleet in support of the Navy's maritime strategy, which includes maritime interdiction operations, counter piracy, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and to promote peace and stability in the region.

"We are entering the Western Pacific area of operation on our transit west with all of our mission capabilities at the ready to support U.S. forces and our regional partners," said Commander, Amphibious Squadron 1 Capt. J. Curtis Shaub. "Our Sailors and Marines continue to train during our passage through 7th Fleet, maintaining their already superb level of proficiency."

The ready group consists of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45). The ARG is comprised of more than 4,000 personnel with approximately 1,800 Sailors and 2,200 embarked Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

"The world is seeing a high amount of unrest in multiple locations, and with the enduring sea-based assets of our Navy/Marine Team, deployable to over 80 percent of the earth, we can deliver a multitude of capabilities across the spectrum of kinetic and humanitarian mission sets," said Shaub. "We also partner with nations, training and exercising, to lend additional stability and learn from our global friends, neighbors and allies."

Other elements of the BOXARG include the Fleet Surgical Team 3; Tactical Air Control Squadron 11; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23, Det. 5; Assault Craft Unit 1, Det. C; Assault Craft Unit 5, Det. C and Beach Master Unit 1, Det. E.

The 7th Fleet area of responsibility includes more than 48 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, running from the international date line to the eastern coast of Africa, and from the Antarctic to the Kuril Islands, Northeast of Japan. It contains more than half of the world's population.

U.S. 7th Fleet units take part in as many as 100 bilateral and multilateral exercises each year. In addition to these exercises, ships deployed to the 7th Fleet conduct more than 250 port visits every year, as ambassadors of the United States of America.

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, March 07, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates is traveling.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has no public or media events on his schedule.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will deliver remarks at the Australia's commitment to the "Education Center at The Wall" (Vietnam Veterans Memorial), at 8:30 a.m. EST on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Media interested in attending should contact the JCS Public Affairs office at 703-697-4272.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen hosts an honor cordon to welcome Brazil's Armed Forces Joint Staff Chief Gen. Jose Carlos De Nardi to the Pentagon.  Media interested in attending should contact the JCS Public Affairs office at 703-697-4272.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen will deliver remarks at 1:45 p.m. EST at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference at the Marriott Wardman Park, in Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact JCS Public Affairs office at 703-697-4272.

Ramstein Units Partner to Help Evacuees From Libyan Conflict

By U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jim Fisher

Special to American Forces Press Service

NAVAL AIR STATION SOUDA BAY, Crete, March 6, 2011 – Several Ramstein Air Base units have been key to providing airlift support for the humanitarian crisis on Libya’s borders since U.S. President Barack Obama provisioned military support, March 3, 2011,

The 37th Airlift and Air Mobility Squadrons, working in concert with 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) for U.S. Africa Command, are providing this capability. While 37th crews are flying humanitarian relief missions, members of Ramstein’s 435th Contingency Response Group are facilitating the missions, providing everything from communications and command and control to force protection.

As the air component for AFRICOM, 17th Air Force is orchestrating the missions through its planning staff and 617th Air and Space Operations Center, collocated with its Ramstein Headquarters.

After more than two years under AFRICOM, 17th is well-versed in cooperative efforts between Departments of Defense and State. So when a humanitarian crisis followed political upheaval in North Africa, 17th Air Force was ready to assist the State Department-led relief effort, according to Air Force Major General Margaret Woodward, 17th AF commander.

“We were able to quickly answer the call and play our part by orchestrating airlift to ease suffering among the Libyan people and third country nationals who have crossed the borders seeking relief from the conflict there,” Woodward said. “Operating in Africa has given us many chances to work and become familiar with supporting our partners in the State Department. We’re happy to be able to contribute, and we hope, along with the efforts of many other countries, we’ll be able to improve the situation for people in need as a result of this conflict.”

Air Force Lt. Col. Charles “Doc” Schlegel said the 17th effectively brought the units together to execute the humanitarian missions.

“The 17th coordinated the effort and made it possible for aid to be quickly delivered to people who are in need, and for us to move evacuees,” Schlegel said. “We have been working together to adapt to an evolving situation and provide assistance in support of the overall U.S. government response. So far, it’s a great example of Team Ramstein working together.”

Schlegel’s team began flying humanitarian relief mission March 4, 2011, and has delivered relief supplies to Tunisia for USAID and shuttled more than 300 displaced Egyptian citizens to Cairo.

The team’s ability to adapt has been key to their contribution on what Air Force Captain Jason Powell called deemed “an international scale.”

“We started March 3, we partnered our capabilities with the 17th to support the State Department and things are going fairly smoothly,” said the Captain, the director of operations for the 435th’s Contingency Response Element. “Things are always changing, but it’s a testament to our flexibility that we continue to make progress on this mission. We are really stoked, to go in and make a difference for people that are suffering.”

(U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jim Fisher is assigned to 17th Air Force Public Affairs)

U.S. Military Aircraft Fly Egyptians Home from Tunisia

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2011 – U.S. military aircraft flew 640 Egyptians home today and yesterday from the Tunisia-Libya border where the refugees fled to escape the violence that continues between government forces and rebels in Libya.

Three U.S. Air Force C-130Js and one U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 flew two daily rotations from Djaerba, Tunisia, to Cairo, Egypt.

U.S. Africa Command is overseeing the effort as part of the ongoing U.S. and international response to the evolving humanitarian emergency in that region.

“For passenger evacuation, four more flights today are moving 328 passengers to Egypt,” Africom spokesman Kenneth Fidler said in an e-mail.

Most of the passengers were men who had been working in Libya before violence flared on Feb. 17 when Libyan leader, Col. Moammar Gadhafi cracked down on protesters demanding government reform.

Yesterday's four flights moved 312, Fidler said.

The last military flight today left Djaerba in the late afternoon carrying 82 Egyptian nationals for a flight to Cairo that was expected to last 3.5 hours.

Also yesterday, Fidler added, two U.S. Air Force C-130s from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, delivered humanitarian commodities less than 24 hours after President Barack Obama announced U.S. military support to the international effort.

Donations from the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance warehouse at Leghorn Army Depot in Pisa, Italy, included 2,000 blankets, 40 rolls of plastic sheeting and 9,600 10-liter plastic water containers.

The C-130J crews have used Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece, on the island of Crete, as a hub and crew-rest location. Crews of the Marine Corps KC-130s have used Naval Station Sigonella, Italy, on the island of Sicily, as a hub for their role in the operations, according to Africom officials.

Thousands of Egyptians have returned home from the Tunisia-Libya border on aircraft and ferries belonging to or chartered by governments from around the world.

On March 4, Naval Forces Europe-Africa, which coordinates U.S. Navy support to Africom, established the joint task for Odyssey Dawn to provide tactical command and control for emergency evacuations, humanitarian relief, and future Africom missions in support of the U.S. government response to unrest in Libya.

Africom announced its airlift progress and the establishment of Odyssey Dawn in tweets from the social networking site, Twitter.

The airlift and humanitarian effort is part of a larger U.S. government emergency response that Obama ordered last week.

“The United States, and the entire world, continues to be outraged by the appalling violence against the Libyan people,” he said during a March 3 press conference.

“The United States is helping to lead an international effort to deter further violence, put in place unprecedented sanctions to hold the Gadhafi government accountable, and support the aspirations of the Libyan people,” the president said. “We are also responding quickly to the urgent humanitarian needs that are developing.”

On the same day, Obama approved the use of U.S. military aircraft to help move Egyptians who have fled to the Tunisian border to get back home to Egypt.

Obama Spokesman Applauds ROTC Return to Harvard

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2011 – Harvard University’s decision to formally welcome the return of the Reserve Officer Training Corps to its campus honors the contributions of service members, the White House press secretary said today.

Jay Carney issued a statement in support of Harvard’s announcement today that the Naval ROTC will return to Harvard.

“It’s an important step in moving past the old divisions that often kept many Americans from seeing what we share with one another, including love of country and a profound respect for our brave men and women in uniform,” Carney said in the news release.

After signing legislation last year ending the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that prevented gays from serving openly in the military, President Barack Obama used his State of the Union address to call on all college campuses to open their doors to military recruiters and the ROTC, Carney said.

“With our nation at war, this sends a powerful message that Americans stand united and that our colleges, society and armed forces are stronger when we honor the contributions of all our citizens, especially our troops and military families who sacrifice for our freedoms,” the statement says. “As the president said in the State of the Union [address], it is time to move forward as one nation.”

MCPON Sends Seabee Birthday Message

Special From Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. West

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. West released the following Seabee birthday message to the Fleet Mar. 5.

"Shipmates,

For 69 years our Navy Seabees have been protecting the nation and serving the U.S. Navy with pride and outstanding dedication. The men and women of the Seabees, have been engaged globally, constructing bases, building airfields, roads, bridges and other support facilities, as well as below the world's oceans and waterways conducting underwater construction. Seabees play a very essential role in supporting the Fleet and Combatant Commands while carrying out our Navy's maritime strategy.

I've had the opportunity to visit Bees all around the world from your bases in Gulfport and Port Hueneme, to the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, and to the Western Pacific, and I'm always inspired by your determination and Esprit de Corps, whether in combat, humanitarian relief missions or helping to build communities or nations. Seabees live their motto of 'Seabees Can Do.'

Seabees continue to answer our nation's call to build and fight, provide needed humanitarian assistance and win the hearts and minds of local communities, governments and organizations through community relations projects worldwide, proving our great Navy is a Global Force for Good.

Thank you, Seabees, for what you do every day and for your continued service and dedication to our nation and our Navy.

Happy Birthday and OOOORAH Bee's!

Very Respectfully,

MCPON (Honorary Seabee)"

Family Matters Blog: Soldier Shares Brain Injury Experience

By Elaine Wilson

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2011 – I’d like to introduce guest blogger Army Staff Sgt. Victor Medina, who sustained a moderate traumatic brain injury during his third deployment in Iraq in 2009. Several months later, Medina started a blog titled “TBI Warrior” to help educate other survivors and caregivers affected by a brain injury through his own experiences — before and after TBI. He shared his story in a Defense Centers of Excellence blog on March 2. – Elaine Wilson

TBI Stands for: To Be Improved

By Army Staff Sgt. Victor Medina

Let me take you back to the first day of my new life. The day was June 29, 2009. The mission was a mounted patrol to escort supplies and route reconnaissance from a main contingency operating base to a joint security station. The route would take about three hours. We maneuvered through one of the largest cities in Iraq during the three-hour mission.

As we exited the city limits, the event occurred that changed my life forever. An explosively formed projectile impacted our vehicle.

The next 48-plus hours are a blur in my mind, still. Most of what I can remember about the event is because of the stories others have told to me. I do remember the smoke and the confusion that followed the accident, but I don’t remember fainting. I remember waking up in an aid station feeling very confused and overwhelmed. I learned I had sustained a moderate TBI.

Today, after 16 months of rehabilitation, I look back and think: “It has been a long recovery.” Life is not the same; I have changed. The people who knew me pre-injury can clearly see the difference. I still cope with lingering side effects. Problems with my vision, hearing, balance, headaches, speech disfluency, including the obvious cognitive impairments, are all there. I am not the same as I was before the injury. The truth is that I’ve tried to be the old me but just haven’t been able to succeed at it.

My new philosophy in life and with the injury is: “If this is the hand life dealt me, I will play the best game possible.” Is it frustrating? Yes. I encourage others not to focus on the negative things of the past or present, but rather set eyes on a bright future. I believe survivors of mild or moderate TBI have the power to be as independent as they want to be, regardless of the symptoms. I always ask survivors to stop and ask themselves: “Are you a victim?” or “Are you a warrior?”

With or without injury we are responsible for our actions and our future. Life is about decisions, and you can choose to stand up and make the best out of your life. I decided to stand up and help others. I decided to be an example; and that’s how TBI Warrior started.

It humbles me when others feel empowered and motivated by my experiences. The Army taught me the value in “selfless service.” That is the value I choose to carry with me to help others. I always say that my mission is not about me but about all those who come behind me. TBI is not the end; it can be a new beginning. The effects may not go away, but “it will get better.”

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. For resources, check out the Defense Centers of Excellence Brain Injury Awareness month website.

USS Essex Sailors Visit Cambodian Orphanage

By Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class(SW) Casey H. Kyhl USS Essex (LHD 2 ) Public Affairs

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) participated in a community service (COMSERV) project March 2 at the Village d'enfant de Sihanoukville orphanage in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

During the COMSERV project, 36 Sailors played sports, handed out dozens of donated books and read to the 100-plus children living at the facility.

"The mission of the Navy goes far beyond sailing ships," said Cmdr. James Johnson, Essex command chaplain and COMSERV coordinator. "The purpose of these events is to give Essex Sailors time to get to know our host nationals, and I think we definitely made a few friends today."

The day began with a traditional Cambodian welcome dance performed by some of the orphanage children. The Sailors responded by teaching the children the "Hokey Pokey" before the group split up to play sports and read books.

"I don't think you get the full experience of visiting a country unless you make an effort to meet some of the local people," said Fire Controlman 3rd Class Bryce Perkins. "I got to know a few great kids today."

Children who have lost their parents stay at the orphanage until they have graduated from high school or can support themselves. The facility has sports equipment, a school house and multiple looms that the children use to make textiles.

"Whether you are in Thailand, the Philippines or Cambodia, kids are kids and fun is fun," said Johnson. "I'm grateful that we got the chance to come out here and make a contribution to this community. I think the Sailors enjoyed it and I think the children did too. There were a lot of smiles everywhere."

Books for the COMSERV were donated by E.J. King High School at Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan.

The COMSERV project was one of the final events of the Cambodia Maritime Exercise 2011. During the exercise, Sailors taught courses in military leadership and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's medical staff worked with their Cambodian counterparts to provide primary care services, dental care and optometry care to Cambodians in the Kampong Som province.

Essex, commanded by Capt. David Fluker, is part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is on patrol in the Western Pacific.

Air Force Joins Effort to Help Libyan Evacuees

By Air Force Master Sgt. Jim Fisher

17th Air Force Public Affairs

DJAERBA, Tunisia, March 4, 2011 – The U.S. military’s contribution to an international effort to end the suffering of Libya’s evacuees began in Italy today when two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft picked up humanitarian aid and headed to Tunisia.

The 37th Airlift Squadron, from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, stopped in Pisa, Italy, where they picked up cargo from the U.S. Agency for International Development. The team then flew the aid to Djaerba, Tunisia, near where tens of thousands of Libyans and foreign nationals have fled due to the recent political uprising in Libya.

Air Force Lt. Col. Charles “Doc” Schlegel, commander of the 435th Air Mobility Squadron, is leading a contingency response team working with aircrews from the 37th ALS on the humanitarian missions. He said his team is excited to partner with 17th Air Force to support the State Department.

“We know that there are a lot of folks that are currently displaced, that will hopefully soon be able to return to their home countries and, hopefully, we can expedite that and bring humanitarian assistance to people who need it,” Schlegel said. “The 17th Air Force did a great job coordinating with the agencies here, making sure the stuff was ready and could be quickly delivered to people who are in need. This is being driven by the State Department and we are ready to support any requests they have.”

Alberto Chidini, coordinator of the Army’s Camp Darby humanitarian Assistance program near Pisa was on the flightline for the pickup in Italy, making sure the humanitarian cargo was ready to load. It’s important for people to be willing to help in situations like the one in Libya and its border regions, he said.

“I’ve seen the reports. Everything is lacking,” Chidini said. “The situation is very bad and our people are ready to react. It’s important because this could happen to anyone and hopefully someone is ready to help. In this case, [it’s] us.

“It makes you feel good, it makes you feel proud,” he added.

While waiting for further requests, the team from Ramstein stayed focused on the task at hand, delivering 2,000 wool blankets, 40 units of plastic sheeting and 9,600 water containers to Djaerba. After finishing the first day’s work, the teams regrouped to plan more assistance missions for the days ahead.

Flag Officer Announcements

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the following assignments:

Capt. Peter J. Fanta, who has been selected for the rank of rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Five/commander, Task Force 51/518, Bahrain.  Fanta is currently serving as deputy director, surface warfare for combat systems, N86F, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Charles A. Rainey will be assigned as vice commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, Calif.  Rainey is currently assigned as commanding officer, NR Strategic Mission Analysis, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

Washington Capitals Host Military Appreciation Night

By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William Selby

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2011 – The Washington Capitals NHL team and their majority owner, Ted Leonsis, hosted not only the St. Louis Blues at the Verizon Center here last night, but also service members and their families for the 8th Annual Military Appreciation Night.

“Military Night is one of my favorite nights,” Leonsis said. “We’ve done our best to support every branch of the military.”

Leonsis kicked off the event with a reception for active duty military members and veterans. Other guests included Douglas B. Wilson, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs; Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr., among others.

Wilson hosted several military children as part of the “Me and a Friend” program, which he created with the help of the USO last year. The program offers donated tickets to sporting events, shows, and other events to military children and a friend.

“There are ways to give back. There are ways to extend a hand of friendship and a sense of belonging to those who are serving our nation in uniform,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s inviting the son or daughter of someone whose mother or father is deployed overseas to a come to a barbecue, or go to movie, or attend a dance recital with your family, it’s important to recognize the challenges that kids in military families sometimes face, and the need to want to feel normal and the need to want to belong.”

Cartwright also expressed his appreciation to service members, their families, and the families of the fallen. Those families, he said, have made a tremendous sacrifice that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

“The fact that we are here as a nation, we have a moral obligation to ensure that we take care of them, and that we remember them,” he added.

During the pregame reception and throughout the evening, there were several tributes to those who serve, including Army Sgt. Chelsey Billings, who was attending her first hockey game. “It’s amazing here and I’m very thankful for the opportunity,” Billings said. “I just like the game -- it’s very brute!”

When asked who she planned on rooting for, Billings gave the typical answer you’d hear at the Verizon Center: “C-A-P-S, Caps, Caps, Caps!”

Billings was one of four service members recognized during the game. Others were Marine Corps Maj. Stewart T. Upton, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Max Rohn, and Air Force Senior Airman Perry M. Aston.

Casey said it’s important to have events like Military Appreciation Night to honor military members for their service and sacrifices on behalf of the nation.

“They’re just representing all the other men and women they serve with,” he said. “The important thing is, this is America saying, thank you to the men and women of the armed forces.”

With all the tributes played, and the playing of the national anthem by the U.S. Army Chorus, the night would not be complete without the usual “W” in the win column from the Caps.

“We’re 6-and1 on Military Night,” Leonsis said, sparking a laugh from the guests. “I have to figure out a way to do this in the playoffs,” he added.

Sure enough, the Caps pulled off the victory, beating the Blues 3-2, for their third-straight victory.

Gates Urges New Air Force Leaders to Think Creatively

By John D. Banusiewicz

American Forces Press Service

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 4, 2011 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged U.S. Air Force Academy cadets here today to have the courage to speak up as they move forward as the next generation of military leaders.

“As officers, you will need to show great flexibility, agility, resourcefulness and imagination,” Gates said. “Because your Air Force will face different kinds of conflict than it has prepared for during the past six decades, it will need leaders who think creatively and decisively in the manner of Air Force legends like Billy Mitchell, Hap Arnold, Bernard Schriever and John Boyd.

“You will need to challenge conventional wisdom and call things as you see them to subordinates and superiors alike,” he added.

Accountability is another important quality for leaders, the secretary told the cadets.

“Great leaders embrace accountability in all they do, and are willing to accept criticism from within or outside their organization,” Gates said. “Holding leaders to a high standard of performance and ethics is a credit to the Air Force. But to meet that standard going forward, you must have the discipline to cultivate integrity and moral courage from here at the academy, and then from your earliest days as a commissioned officer.

“Those qualities do not suddenly emerge fully developed overnight, or as a revelation after you have assumed important responsibilities,” the secretary continued. “They have their roots in small decisions you will make here and early in your career and must be strengthened all along the way. And you must always ensure that your moral courage serves the greater good -- that it serves what is best for the nation and our highest values, not a particular program or ego or service parochialism.”

Gates thanked the cadets for choosing the military path in a time of war, knowing they would be at war.

“For my part,” he said, “know that I feel personally responsible for each and every one of you, as if you were my own sons and daughters, and will for as long as I am secretary of defense. My only prayer is that you serve with honor and return home safely.”

The secretary plans to retire this year, and told the cadets that today’s visit to the Air Force Academy would be his last as defense secretary. After his speech, Gates, the former president of Texas A&M University, taught a political science seminar and a class on the politics of national security.

General Officer Announcement

The chief of staff, Army announced today the following assignment:

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, senior commander, Fort Bliss, Fort Bliss, Texas, to commanding general, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

USS Nevada Successfully Tests Trident II D5 Missile

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) W. Foster Bamford, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada (SSBN 733) successfully launched a test missile off the coast of southern California March 1 as part of the post-refueling overhaul certification process.

The missile, an unarmed Trident II D5, was launched as a single mission test and was the key element of the demonstration and shakedown operation (DASO) process certifying the readiness of an SSBN crew and the operational performance of the submarine's strategic weapons system prior to returning to operational availability.

Navy's Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) oversees the DASO certification process, while various other organizations provide support for the certification.

More than 150 SSP employees and special guests were invited aboard the USNS Waters (T-AGS 45), a Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessel to witness the event and learn more about SSP and the DASO process.

"SSP teams with people from an array of commands and organizations throughout the months leading up to the DASO missile launch. The people representing Submarine Group 9, USS Nevada, Military Sealift Command and our contract partners who witnessed the launch from aboard Waters are a small fraction of those who work with Strategic Systems Programs to ensure we continue to successfully provide the nation's sea-based strategic deterrent," said Rear Adm. Terry Benedict, director, Strategic Systems Programs. Benedict was aboard Nevada observing the crew as they conducted the launch mission.

"This mission for MSC is just one in many that we do. We're proud to be a part of it," said John Thackrah, executive director of Military Sealift Command (MSC), who attended the launch.

Waters is an MSC vessel that provides support during the DASO launch as part of her mission. Instrumentation and personnel such as engineers and scientists are embarked aboard Waters to track the submarine and the missile throughout the launch process.

The March 1 launch marked the 135th consecutive successful submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test flight since December 1989.

"It's quite an accomplishment, we're very proud of everybody that has pulled together for us today," said Rear Adm. Robert Hennegan, commander, Submarine Group (SUBGRU) 9. "Today was a terrific accomplishment for the USS Nevada, for Submarine Group 9, but more importantly for the entire SSP team and for all who are part of delivering the nation's deterrence posture. Everyone has done a terrific job and we're very proud of them."

Nevada crewmembers said they were also glad to see the successful launch occur after such an extensive maintenance period.

"It was the final event of a three and a half-year refueling overhaul," said Cmdr. Alan Schrader, commanding officer for Nevada's 'Blue Crew.' "To get to today, it means so much for me to see that missile go off in the air, and now we're ready to go and do our strategic mission."

Guests who watched the launch from aboard Waters said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"It was incredible," said Caitlin Hitt, co-president of the Naval Base Kitsap Officers Spouses Association. "Nothing that I ever expected, quite honestly I was shocked at how cool it was when it came out of the water."

Nevada was commissioned in 1986 as the eighth Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). The Ohio-class design allows the submarines to operate for 15 or more years between major overhauls. Each SSBN has two crews, Blue and Gold, which alternate manning the submarines while on patrol to maximize strategic availability while reduces the number of submarines required to meet strategic defense requirements.

Flag Officer Announcement

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Navy Vice Adm. Joseph D. Kernan for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as deputy commander, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.  Kernan is currently serving as senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

USS Bonhomme Richard Earns Battle "E"

By Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class (SW) Kurt Riggs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) earned the Battle "E" award for its performance demonstrating the highest state of battle readiness in 2010.

The award recognizes sustained superior performance in an operational environment as a command and several significant achievements for excellence such as maritime warfare, engineering/survivability, command and control and logistics management. The command must then be nominated by their immediate superior in command.

"It's a significant achievement," said Capt. Charles Litchfield, Bonhomme Richard's executive officer. "The crew put in a lot of hard work in order to earn this honor and they should be recognized. This award validates what Bonhomme Richard sailors have known for a long time that this ship and her crew are top-notch in every regard."

Sixteen different areas are considered in the competition such as a ship's performance during training exercises, weapons inspections and tactical readiness. The evaluation in a year-long process and demands demonstrated excellence and superior achievement during certifications and qualifications throughout the year.

Commands earning the achievement may display a white "E" with a black shadow in a prominent position, as well as uniform ribbons noting the achievement.