Connecticut Completes Deployment, Returns Home After Arctic Exercise

By Lt. Ed Early, Commander, Submarine Group 9 Public Affairs

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Seawolf-class, fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Kitsap, Wash., April 27, concluding a 58-day deployment highlighted by its participation in Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2011.

"We were excited to have the chance to practice and develop techniques while operating in a very challenging environment," said Cmdr. Michael Varney, Connecticut's commanding officer. "Out of 140 Sailors, only 11 of us had been to the Arctic, so this was a unique opportunity."

After departing Bremerton March 1, Connecticut proceeded north to a point more than 150 miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, where a tracking station and small ice station had been established.

From March 15 to April 2, Connecticut and Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) participated in ICEX, an exercise designed to increase the Navy's operational experience in the region and advance understanding of the Arctic environment.

During the exercise, crews from both submarines, along with British and Canadian sailors and researchers from the Navy's Arctic Submarine Laboratory and the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory, tested new equipment and trained together to operate under the ice.

Connecticut played a large part in testing new undersea technologies during ICEX, including high-frequency sonar for safe Arctic operations and the Raytheon Deep Siren acoustic communications system.

"Science played a large part in our operations in the Arctic, especially how best to measure the environment we were in," said Varney.

The submarine also demonstrated the ability of the Seawolf-class to surface and submerge through the Arctic ice pack multiple times.

Connecticut hosted Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Congressional visitors, as well as several members of the media during the exercise.

U.S. submarines must continue to train in the Arctic environment to refine and validate procedures and required equipment, as the Arctic Ocean serves as a route for submarines to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The U.S. Submarine Force conducts these exercises in the Arctic in order to ensure continued access to this unique region.

Navy submarines have conducted under-ice operations in the Arctic regions in support of inter-fleet transit, training, cooperative allied engagements and operations for more than 50 years. USS Nautilus (SSN 571) made the first transit in 1958.

Connecticut is the second of the Navy's three Seawolf-class submarines, all of which are homeported in the Pacific Northwest.

Bataan Earns Repeated Recognition for Force Health and Wellness

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Erin Lea Boyce, USS Bataan Public Affairs

USS BATAAN, Mediterranean Sea (NNS) -- Multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) was announced as a 2010 Force Health and Wellness Unit Award, or 'Green H,' winner by Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, April 30.

It's the ship's fourth consecutive 'Green H' award.

The 'Green H' is awarded annually to commands who demonstrate commitment to the health and welfare of their Sailors and Marines throughout the year. The award also reflects on the crew's professionalism and readiness to perform their mission at any given time.

"It wasn't necessarily the medical department that received the award, it was the entire ship based on a whole range of things," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman(SW/FMF/SS/DV/PJ) Sean Brown, the medical department's leading chief petty officer. "It included the physical fitness assessment (PFA) scores, our medical readiness, [sexual assault prevention and response] programs, substance abuse, men and women's health, suicide prevention and various other programs."

Bataan's medical department supports the crew with both emergent and preventive health care needs, including smoking cessation, fitness sessions and educational programs promoting a healthy lifestyle.

"It's a daily maintenance," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Charlena Beebe, medical's leading petty officer. "It's how hard you work everyday to maintain the health of the ship and the comfort of the crew."

Maintaining the crew is only one part of the achievement process. The medical professionals aboard Bataan undergo constant training in all aspects of patient care.

Beebe said the staff complement is made up of a number of technical experts, which allows for focused crosstraining. "We do training everyday on different subjects, from qualifications to health promotions."

This is Bataan's 12th 'Green H' award since her commissioning Sept. 20, 1997.

By being awarded the 'Green H,' Bataan can now add another green hash mark beneath the H already painted on the bridge wing.

"It's a symbol of pride for the medical department," said Beebe.

Bataan's crew is confident the trend of medical excellence will continue for years to come.

"We're going to win it again every year," said Beebe. "We have a fantastic crew and a fantastic ship's company that obviously works as hard as we do to make sure that we'll get it every year."

"Everyone on the staff is committed to the crew and to their programs," said Brown.

Bataan is the command ship of the Bataan Amphibious Ready group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S, South American Navies Train and Prepare while in Rio de Janeiro

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Steve Smith, Southern Seas 2011 Public Affairs

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (NNS) -- U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships, along with their South American partners, prepared for the second half of the Atlantic phase of UNITAS 52 May 1, while in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen from guided-missile destroyer Nitze (DDG 94), guided-missile frigates USS Thach (FFG 43) and USS Boone (FFG 28), and USCGC cutter Escanaba (WMEC 907), attended various training and preplanning briefs in preparation of the second half of UNITAS, alongside their Brazilian, Mexican and Argentinian counterparts.

"These sessions allowed the team the opportunity to clearly understand the exercise design and answer any safety questions related to the complex events ahead," said Capt. Marc Weeks, commander, Task Group 138.0. "It also allows participants to cover any shortfalls or concerns about the exercise before the ships return to sea."

In addition to the training sessions, each country hosted a reception during which their respective navies were able to showcase their ships, crews and customs in a social environment.

"These events were the highlight of our stay in Rio de Janeiro," said Weeks. "The receptions enabled the re-establishment of old friendships, the development of new individual friendships, and it was a venue for each participating Navy to showcase their individual honors, customs and traditions."

Sailors also gathered for a day of soccer, tug-of-war and other friendly competitions during a sporting events day.

The six-day stop in Rio de Janeiro marked the midway point of the three-week exercise, which runs April 15-May 9.

The ships will spend seven days at sea for the final portion of the exercise. The Atlantic phase will end with a community relations project, wreath laying memorial ceremony and closing ceremony, in Rio Grande, Brazil.

UNITAS, Latin for "unity," is a combined South American and U.S.-sponsored annual exercise series. Active participants for UNITAS 52 include Brazil, the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Chile.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

Family Matters Blog: Families React to bin Laden’s Death

By Elaine Sanchez

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2011 – I heard the news of Osama bin Laden’s death when doing my usual late-night workout in my kids’ play room. My husband burst through the door and told me the president was about to make an announcement.

I turned on the news and watched as the country celebrated the demise of the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, which claimed 3,000 lives in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon.

Those attacks are what led this nation to a war on terrorism that continues today, and prompted me to re-enlist in the Air Force, even though I had just separated from the service to pursue a civilian career.

Over the past decade, as a journalist, I’ve written about the wars and seen firsthand the wounded servicemembers recovering from life-altering attacks. I’ve visited Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and watched as fallen servicemembers returned to U.S. soil from combat in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

But my experiences pale in comparison to those who have direct ties to the 9/11 after-effects – families of the fallen.

I reached out to several families to find out how they felt in the wake of bin Laden’s death, and wrote about their responses in the American Forces Press Service article, “Survivors Call bin Laden’s Death ‘Bittersweet.’”

After talking with several families, I realized there were mixed emotions about the news – a sense of elation coupled with a sense of caution about what lies ahead.

Wendy Duffman, whose brother died in Afghanistan, said she first felt elated when she heard the news.

“I woke up for the first time in four years feeling like my brother didn’t die in vain,” Duffman told me.

However, she also cautioned against complacency. “I don’t want people to forget there are others like bin Laden,” she said. “The war isn’t over. We still have troops in harm’s way.”

Lisa Dolan called the news “bittersweet.” Her husband, Navy Capt. Bob Dolan, was killed in the Pentagon on 9/11 when Flight 77 struck the building,

“Nothing will bring back my husband and the almost 3,000 men, women and children that were killed on Sept. 11, 2011,” she said. “Is there some vindication in the death of bin Laden? Maybe.

“However, I do feel incredibly proud of our military,” she continued. “They have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.”

You can read more responses from families in my article. For more on bin Laden’s death, visit the AFPS special report, “The Demise of Osama bin Laden.”

If you have a related story to share, please don’t hesitate to write in.

This Day in Naval History - May 02

By the Navy News Service

1975 - US Navy departs Vietnamese waters at end of evacuation.

Obama Declares 'Justice Has Been Done'

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2011 – “Justice has been done,” said President Barack Obama in announcing the death of Osama bin Laden in a U.S. military operation in Pakistan.

An American counterintelligence and counterterrorism team killed bin Laden yesterday during a firefight near Islamabad, the president said during a short statement from the White House late last night.

“Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaida, and a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children,” the president said.

The attack ends a manhunt of almost 10 years. Bin Laden and his henchmen planned and executed the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that killed 3,000 innocent Americans in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Obama thanked “the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome.”

“We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country,” he said. “They’re a part of the generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.”

He said Americans also were united to protect the nation and to bring those who committed the attack to justice.

“Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort,” the president said. “We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense.”

Soon after 9/11, American forces removed the Taliban government that had given bin Laden and al-Qaida safe haven and support. Around the globe, U.S. personnel worked with allies to capture or kill scores of al-Qaida terrorists.

“Yet, Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan,” Obama said. “Meanwhile, al-Qaida continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.”

Shortly after taking office in 2009, Obama ordered CIA Director Leon E. Panetta to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of the U.S. war against al-Qaida.

“Then last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden,” Obama said. “It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground.”

Obama met with the national security team as more information came in. The al-Qaida leader was hiding in a compound inside Pakistan, the president said, and last week he ordered the strike.

“Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan,” he said. “A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

While his death marks the most significant achievement to date in America’s effort to defeat al-Qaida, it does not mean the end of U.S. efforts.

“There’s no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us,” the president said. “We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad.”

The president stressed again that the United States is not and never will be at war with Islam.

“I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam, because bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims,” Obama said. “Indeed, al-Qaida has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

Obama thanked Pakistan for its help in the operation. "It’s important to note our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped to lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding,” the president said. “Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.”

Obama said he spoke with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and that his team had spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. All agreed, he added, that this is a good and historic day for both nations. “Going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates,” he said.

“The American people did not choose this fight,” the president said. “It came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as commander in chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.”

But Americans will not tolerate being threatened, Obama said. “We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies,” he said. “We will be true to the values that make us who we are.”

Obama spoke to those who lost loved ones on 9/11, telling them that the country has never wavered in its determination to bring bin laden to justice.

“Tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed,” he said. “Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.”

The war is not over, he said, “but tonight we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens, our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

“Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power," he said, "but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Sea Services Bid Farewell to Fleet Week Port Everglades

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sunday Williams, Navy Region Southeast Public Affairs

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. (NNS) -- Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen bid farewell May 1 to the 21st annual Fleet Week Port Everglades, Fla.

Vice Adm. Daniel P. Holloway, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet and director, Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence, said South Florida extended the finest hospitality he has seen in his career.

"I first arrived to Fort Lauderdale from the sea as an ensign in 1979. I can tell you that our Sailors still enjoy the best port call, liberty, community relation support and hospitality I have experienced over the last 32 years," said Holloway. "The spirit of excellence and enduring support for our seas services displayed at all levels this week are a living tribute to Joe Millsaps who always inspired others to raise the bar, making Fleet Week Port Everglades one of the best ever! I am so grateful for this strong support to America's finest."

Fleet Week Port Everglades provides an opportunity for citizens of South Florida to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness first-hand the latest capabilities of today's modern Navy and maritime services.

"I love that our community does this every year," said Mary Braddock, a resident of Hollywood, Fla. "My husband and I meet service members every year and bring them into our home for dinner because we just love them all so much for what they do. As old as we are at 70, the best way we can honor them is through our support and bringing them into our home like family."

Service members participated in many community events during fleet week, to include the annual All Hands on Deck Welcoming Party at Seminole Hard Rock and Casino, the damage control olympics, blood drives, school visits, hospital visits, not-for-profit community relations projects, Fleet Week Galley Wars and many other receptions and events throughout the week.

"This was a lot of fun, and I am really thankful for the things that I got to experience during this fleet week," said Electrical Technician 1st Class (SW) Alvin Larkins, from USS Ross (DDG 71). "South Florida really knows how to show us a good time."

Fleet Week Port Everglades featured four U.S. Navy ships, a submarine dock-side and 6 additional U.S. sea-going commands with more than 2,500 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.

"It is always such an honor to have the military here," said Mary Anne Grey, chairwoman for Broward Navy Days. "We always have so much fun and enjoy the time with everyone. It really is great to be able to show these men and women who do so much for our country the appreciation that they deserve."

Fleet Week Port Everglades 2011 was hosted by Broward Navy Days and Humana Military Healthcare Services.

Joe Millsaps, longtime Fort Lauderdale resident and one of South Florida's biggest supporters of the U.S. Navy, helped found Broward Navy Days and served as president and chairman of the board. Broward Navy Days organizes the annual fleet week celebration that brings Sailors and naval ships to Fort Lauderdale every spring. Millsaps passed away last year at the age of 70; Fleet Week Port Everglades 2011 was dedicated to him.

Vietnam Legacy Shapes Today’s Military Leaders

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2011 – Yesterday marked the 36th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War –- a conflict that claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans and continues to affect the United States, including its military leaders and current wartime operations.

The fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, marked the dramatic and painful culmination of the Vietnam War. The last of the dominos were laid when then-President Richard M. Nixon announced the end of offensive operations against North Vietnam after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on Jan. 27, 1973. The accords called for a ceasefire in South Vietnam, but allowed North Vietnamese forces to retain the territory they had captured.

With nearly all U.S. forces gone, and Congress’ passage of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1974 that cut off military aid to South Vietnam, North Vietnam became emboldened. Its forces began a steady march southward toward Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital.

As the North Vietnamese closed in on Saigon, Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopter evacuation operation in history, commenced, moving tens of thousands of American military and civilian personnel from the city, along with thousands of South Vietnamese civilians.

On April 29, 1975, the North Vietnamese launched a heavy artillery bombardment that would become their final attack on Saigon. The city fell the following afternoon when a North Vietnamese tank crashed the gates of the presidential palace, accepting South Vietnam’s unconditional surrender.

Ho Chi Minh’s dream of a unified, communist Vietnam was fulfilled, and the city once known as Saigon today bears his name. Vietnam now celebrates April 30 as Reunification Day.

The Vietnam War cost millions of lives, including 58,267 Americans, with more than 300,000 U.S. servicemembers wounded in action and 1,711 missing in action.

The Vietnam War had a profound impact on today’s American military leaders, including Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. And in many ways, the lessons learned during the Vietnam conflict have shaped the way U.S. forces operate today, particularly in conducting counterinsurgency operations like those under way in Afghanistan.

Mullen, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer, is among the few people still on active duty who experienced Vietnam firsthand. Fresh from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968, he reported aboard the destroyer USS Collett for duty as an anti-submarine officer and participated in combat operations off the Vietnam coast.

Mullen speaks frequently about how the Vietnam War affected the nation and shaped him both personally and professionally.

“The Vietnam conflict was a life-defining experience for every American who lived during that era, and it continues to impact us all: the pain, the conflict, the healing,” he said during last year’s Memorial Day observance at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington. “The lessons we learned in Vietnam were bought at a very great price. Acting on them is the best tribute we can pay to honor those who died” -- among them, some of Mullen’s own friends and Annapolis classmates.

While he was struck during that first assignment at the intensity of the conflict, Mullen said, he soon began to process just how divisive the war had become.

“What I take away from Vietnam is the detachment of the American people from the U.S. military -- the disconnect and the unpopularity of the war," he told U.S. News and World Report in April 2008.

Mullen frequently tells audiences he addresses that he had concerns during the early days of the war in Afghanistan that it would have the same polarizing effect. To his relief, he said at the Vietnam Memorial, Americans "are so incredibly supportive of our military men and women now."

The chairman said he attributes the changed attitudes to the lessons learned from Vietnam about supporting troops unconditionally.

“During that time, as a country, we were unable to separate the politics from the people," he said. "We must never allow America to become disconnected from her military. Never.”

Like most other current military leaders, Petraeus, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, entered a military still healing from the Vietnam experience. Petraeus graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1974, a year before the fall of Saigon.

But Petraeus has studied the Vietnam experience thoroughly, even writing his doctoral dissertation at Princeton University on “The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam.”

That dissertation, published in 1987, recognized the lasting impact the Vietnam experience would have.

“The legacy of Vietnam is unlikely to soon recede as an important influence on America’s senior military,” Petraeus wrote. “The frustrations of Vietnam are too deeply etched in the minds of those who now lead the services and the combatant commanders.

“Vietnam cost the military dearly,” he continued. “It left America’s military leaders confounded, dismayed and discouraged. Even worse, it devastated the armed forces, robbing them of dignity, money and qualified people for a decade.”

This experience, Petraeus wrote, left many military leaders overly cautious. Specifically, he said, many felt “they should advise against involvement in counterinsurgencies unless specific, perhaps unlikely circumstances” ensure domestic public support, the promise of a quick campaign and the freedom to use whatever force is needed to achieve rapid victory.

Later in his career, as he oversaw the revision of the military’s counterinsurgency field manual, Petraeus applied some of the lessons learned through the Vietnam experience.

That manual has become the guide for counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. It emphasizes that military power alone can’t succeed against an insurgency, and the importance of public diplomacy as part of a “comprehensive strategy employing all instruments of national power.”

Informed by the Vietnam experience, the strategy also recognizes that clearing and keeping the enemy from an area alone does not spell success. A critical third tenet, it notes, is the establishment of a legitimate government supported by the people and infrastructure development that empowers them.

After applying those principles -- first while commanding U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and now as the top commander in Afghanistan -- Petraeus said he is seeing this strategy bear fruit.

Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee last month the coalition in Afghanistan continues to face tough days against insurgents, but is making steady progress in improving security and helping the Afghan government improve governance, economic development and the provision of basic services.

“These are essential elements of the effort to shift delivery of basic services from provincial reconstruction teams and international organizations to Afghan government elements,” he told the panel.

As the transition approaches for Afghan forces to begin taking security responsibility for their country, Petraeus emphasized that actions being taken now in Afghanistan will have consequences for years to come –- just as those in Vietnam more than three decades ago.

“We’ll get one shot at transition, and we need to get it right,” he said.

Leap Frogs Get a Jump on Drake Relays, Des Moines Community

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (PJ) Michelle Turner, U.S. Navy Parachute Team Public Affairs

DES MOINES, Iowa (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy parachute demonstration team, the Leap Frogs, performed for nearly 22,000 track and field enthusiasts during the opening ceremonies of the 102nd Drake Relays, America's Athletic Classic, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, April 29 and 30.

More than 7,000 high school, college and professional athletes competed in a full spectrum of track and field disciplines during the three-day event, including 2010 World Indoor Champion and 2010 U.S. Outdoors Champion hurdler Lolo Jones, a Des Moines native.

"This is in many ways the biggest event of the year," said David Maxwell, the president of Drake University.

The crowd clapped and cheered as the Leap Frogs jumped from the ramp of a Minnesota Air National Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft almost a mile away. The crowd got even louder as each jumper landed.

"It creates such excitement to see something that dramatic, that awe inspiring," said Maxwell. "It has a powerful impact on the adrenaline level of the stadium."

Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Justin Gonzales honored Drake University April 29 by flying a Drake University flag. Aircrew Survival Equipmentman 1st Class Thomas Kinn flew a large American flag, touching down shortly after the national anthem. Gonzales presented the Drake flag to Sandy Hatfield Clubb, Drake University's athletic director, after the performance.

"It was extraordinary," said Clubb. "It added such a special touch to the event. Having the national anthem sung at the same time as the flag was coming down was pretty emotional."

The Leap Frogs stacked their parachutes in the air to form tri-planes and swirled colored smoke high above the stadium. Three jumpers linked together in a drag-plane formation. One jumper then separated and the remaining two transitioned to a down-plane maneuver.

"Parachuting in high wind is always a challenge," said Chief Warrant Officer (SEAL) Keith Pritchett, a member of the Leap Frogs. "But that's what we train for. Like these athletes here today a lot of preparation goes into what we do. We're happy the clouds cleared out in time for us to perform both days so we could showcase what Naval Special Warfare has to offer."

The Leap Frogs didn't end their duties in Des Moines with just skydiving.

Several members of the team also volunteered for "Rock the Block" after their performance April 30, a Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity community initiative to renovate homes in the area. Started in December 2010, the project is almost complete, said Tami Kreykes, an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

"We couldn't do it without them [volunteers]," said Kreykes. "It would be so much work for us. Volunteers come in and save the day, like you guys did."

The Leap Frogs removed a retaining wall that had collapsed and worked with community volunteers to put the finishing touches on another home by laying several palettes of turf.

"Our homeowners couldn't afford a home without Habitat," said Kreykes. "Volunteers come out and make an affordable home an option for them. It's really big."

The Leap Frogs are based in San Diego and perform aerial parachute demonstrations across the United States in support of Naval Special Warfare and Navy recruiting.

For more information about the Leap Frogs, visit www.leapfrogs.navy.mil. For more information about Naval Special Warfare, visit www.sealswcc.com.

Marines Conduct DADT Repeal Training

By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., April 29, 2011 – Does a straight Marine have to live with a gay Marine? Can a Marine with a same-sex partner receive housing allowance? Will being openly gay affect recruitment, assignments or promotion?

Questions like these were answered here yesterday, as about 185 Marines with Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, conducted Tier 3 training to learn how the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy will affect the Marine Corps.

The current policy prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the U.S. armed forces. On Dec. 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law that set conditions for repeal of the DADT law.

One of the requirements for repeal is the implementation of training consistent with readiness and unit cohesion, while stressing that all service members should continue to treat each other with dignity and respect.

“Marines are still going to be Marines, we’re still going to wear the same uniform, we’re still going to respect each other and we’re still going to have the same discipline,” said Marine Corps Cpl. Vanessa Huff, operations noncommissioned officer, Landing Support Company, CLR-17, 1st MLG. “However, it will be with DADT being repealed.”

Repeal implementation training was first given to individuals in the Tier 1 group, including unit chaplains, judge advocates, recruiters and family readiness officers. Tier 2 included commanders, senior enlisted advisors and civilian supervisors of Marines. Tier 3 training will be given to all other Marines, sailors and civilian supervisors. The majority of Marines are expected to complete the training by May 31.

The hour-long, one-time-only class is designed to educate Marines on what policies would change after the repeal of DADT –- allowing individuals to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation. The class began with a brief introduction by the regimental commander, Col. Bruce Nickle, in which he said he expects a smooth transition after the law’s repeal.

“In my mind, this isn’t going to be much of a challenge,” Nickle said. “Why? We’re Marines, and what do Marines do? Follow orders. It’s not going to be any different. We’ll just continue to evolve and continue to be the professionals that we are.”

After the introduction, the instructor, Maj. Daryl DeSimone, answered several repeal-related questions, such as “Will I have to live with a gay Marine?” After repeal, billeting assignments will not be made with regard to sexual orientation.

“You can live with somebody in the barracks; you don’t have to be their friend,” said DeSimone, who added that commanders may elect to reassign roommates on a case-by-case basis if it poses “too much of a disruption for the unit.”

A Marine who marries a person of the same gender, however, will not receive extra benefits, such as Base Allowance for Housing “with dependent,” because a same-sex partner does not qualify under the Defense of Marriage Act, DeSimone said.

Another question raised was, “What if homosexuality goes against my religion?” Likewise, Marines retain the right to their religious beliefs, but their conduct must remain professional and they must treat fellow Marines with dignity and respect.

After repeal, sexual orientation will not bar an individual from joining the military or have any impact on assignments or promotion. What will not change after the repeal, DeSimone stressed, are the Marine Corps’ standards of personal and professional conduct. Also, he added, evaluation for promotion will continue to be based on merit, fitness and capability.

“I just ask that you all remain professional, any time you’re faced with situations where sexual orientation comes into play, just like you remain professional when you’re faced with any other leadership challenges out there; as long as you do that, we shouldn’t have any problems with the Marines,” DeSimone said. “These are new challenges you will face, and we’re going to have to figure that out together to move forward.”

The DADT policy will remain in effect until 60 days after the President, the secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all certify that the requirements for repeal have been met.

The training, Huff said, provides the information needed to ensure a smooth transition.

“As long as our leadership is involved, our junior troops will have what they need in order for this to be a smooth transition,” Huff said. “When I’m out in combat, what’s going to matter is that the Marine to my left and my right will save my life, and I will save theirs.”

5K Run Raises Sexual Assault Awareness aboard NAS North Island

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Foster Bamford, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- More than 100 runners took part in a 5-kilometer run aboard Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), Calif., to raise awareness of sexual assault, April 28.

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and commands across the Navy have been providing general military training and events to raise awareness.

"Today we are closing out Sexual Assault Awareness Month; we're kicking off today with our very first sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) 5K run," said Jeanette Casillas, NASNI Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. "The run, more than anything, is to bring awareness of sexual violence on our base. Unfortunately, with all military installations and even out in the civilian world, sexual violence does exist, and that is what April is for, to bring awareness and education so that we can help to prevent sexual assault from even taking place."

The event, sponsored by Morale, Welfare and Recreation, included runners from a number of bases from the San Diego area, who were interested in providing their support for sexual assault awareness and prevention.

"Even one incident of sexual assault is a big problem," said Senior Chief Yeoman Terrance Winfield. "Being my command's CMEO (Command Managed Equal Opportunity), I feel it's important to come out and support the cause and our command staffers. Like the slogan says 'stomp out sexual assault,' so that's what I'm here for."

Sexual assault is a problem that devastates victims, dissolves unit cohesiveness, threatens teamwork and undermines fleet readiness. Making Sailors aware of the problem is a vital step in the Navy's prevention and response program.

NAVSUP Participates in 19th Annual Bring Your Child to Work Day

By David Rea, Naval Supply Systems Command Corporate Communications

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (NNS) -- Many children had the opportunity April 28, to see the significance of what their parents do in helping to provide logistics support worldwide, and also the chance to see videos, learn about proper nutrition, and get their hands dirty.

Headquarters, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) participated in the 19th annual Bring Your Kids to Work Day, sponsored by Naval Support Activity (NSA), Mechanicsburg, Pa. The event gives kids a chance to see what kind of jobs their parent do, and exposes tomorrow's workforce to the federal workplace.

The children participated in many activities, including watching the "A Day in the Life of a Supply Corps Officer," video, which was awarded a 2010 Chief of Information (CHINFO) Merit Award. Cmdr. Scott Stahl, who serves as Navy Working Capital Fund retail budget analyst at NAVSUP, showed the video during two sessions, and then held a question and answer session. "I think it's nice to allow your kids to come to your work and see what it is you do," he explained. "They may not appreciate or really understand what their parents do, until they actually see what they do every day to support our Fleet."

Children also had the opportunity to learn about nutrition, as NAVSUP Dietician, Jennifer Person, held two briefings for children, centered on the food children need to eat to "grow up, not grow out," she said. Comparing different fruits and vegetables with the colors of the rainbow, Person asked the children to name foods that have the same band colors. "Fruits and vegetables are easy to eat, they do not have to be cooked, and they make for a quick snack," she explained to the children. "And they give you a lot of energy, which allows you to run around outside and be a kid," which caused many smiles and hand claps.

Several children also took the opportunity to exercise their green thumb, and planted flowers in the beds in front of the very building where their parents work. Soon afterwards, participating parents and children went to a buffet sponsored by the NSA Mechanicsburg Officer's Club.

NAVSUP's primary mission is to provide U.S. naval forces with quality supplies and services. With headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP oversees logistics programs in the areas of supply operations, conventional ordnance, contracting, resale, fuel, transportation, and security assistance. In addition, NAVSUP is responsible for quality of life issues for our naval forces, including food service, postal services, Navy Exchanges, and movement of household goods.

Today in the Department of Defense, Friday, April 29, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus delivers remarks at the Institute for Defense Analyses at 12:15 p.m. EDT in Alexandria, Va.  Media interested in attending should contact Capt. Beci Brenton at 703-697-7491.

Mullen: DOD Must Help Solve Federal Debt Crisis

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2011 – The Defense Department has to be part of the solution for the country’s debt crisis, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen has called the federal debt “the biggest single threat to national security.”

It is simple math, the admiral told a Government Executive Magazine leadership forum at the National Press Club. “The worse the financial situation is in the country, the greater the likelihood that resources for national security will go down,” he said.

Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Defense Department budget has almost doubled. Having this ready spigot of money “hasn’t forced us to make the hard choices,” Mullen said.

“It hasn’t forced us to prioritize,” he explained. “It hasn’t forced us to do the analysis. And it hasn’t forced us to limit ourselves and get to a point or deciding, in a very turbulent world, what we’re going to do and what we’re not going to do.”

Defense spending needs to be on the table, the chairman said, noting that it is his job to articulate national security requirements. The country is in a particularly difficult situation, he said, in regard to Air Force modernization.

“We are running out of life in those assets that we bought in the ’80s during the Reagan administration,” he said.

The national security environment is changing, Mullen said, and often changes. The chairman told the audience that four months ago, he would not have predicted that he would be concerned about Japan and Libya. But now a NATO operation is under way to protect the Libyan people from Moammar Gadhafi’s regime, and an earthquake and tsunami disaster sent almost 20,000 U.S. service members and 18 ships to the coast of Japan to assist in the aftermath.

“The demands continue,” he said. “We’ve got to be measured about what we’re going to do and what we’re not going to do.”

The chairman said he is worried about ill-advised personnel cuts “hollowing out” the military.

“However we get to our future, it must be whole,” he said. “We talk about cuts in personnel. When I was head of the Navy, personnel was 60 percent of my budget every year. I need every single person I have, but I don’t need one more.”

Although eliminating force structure can save a lot of money, Mullen said, the country must evaluate that against overall requirements.

Health care costs for the Defense Department, Mullen said, are another concern. In fiscal 2001, health care costs were $19 billion. Today, those costs are pegged at $51 billion, and they are projected to rise to $64 billion in 2015.

“That’s not sustainable,” he said. “We all have to sharpen our pencils and make sure that every dollar we spend is spent well. We need to be good stewards of the dollars the American taxpayers give us, and we’re going to have to do the hard work to get that right.”

VFA-11 Holds Aerial Change of Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Peter D. Melkus, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- The "Red Rippers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 held an airborne change of command ceremony above the deployed aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) April 27.

Cmdr. Daniel J. Sullivan IV relieved Cmdr. Randy Stearns as VFA 11 commanding officer.

Sullivan and Stearns both flew in F/A-18F Super Hornets assigned to VFA-11 as they read their orders, with Stearns giving the final flight lead to Sullivan as they flew over Enterprise.

Sullivan, who joined the Red Rippers as an executive officer (XO) in March 2010, will be the 76th CO of the Navy's oldest continuously active fighter squadron, which was commissioned in 1927 as VF-5S.

Serving as the commanding officer of one of the Navy's oldest and most storied squadrons may seem like a daunting task, but it is one Sullivan enthusiastically accepts.

"It is a wonderful and humbling feeling of anticipation to be the 76th Red Ripper CO," said Sullivan. "I am very proud to be a Red Ripper. This is such a wonderful organization of which to be a part, and it is a privilege to work alongside each and every VFA-11 Sailor."

When it comes to leading the nearly 250-Sailor-strong Red Ripper squadron toward future successes, Sullivan said he is excited to take on the challenge.

"My goal is to exceed the already high standards that are expected from Red Ripper Sailors, chiefs and officers on a daily basis," said Sullivan. "Through our hard work and team focus, we will always strive to accomplish our mission while fostering a positive command culture that develops future Navy leaders."

Sullivan praised the efforts put forth by all Red Ripper Sailors and their families back home to make the first half of their deployment aboard Enterprise a successful one.

"I have never worked with a more dedicated and professional team of men and women, and every day I grow more proud of their accomplishments," said Sullivan. "Our loved ones also play a huge role in the success of this squadron by giving us their continued support from the home front each and every day. All of these factors put together are what allow us to continue to accomplish the mission."

Stearns, who also joined VFA-11 as an XO in November 2008, departs the squadron for his next assignment as a training and readiness officer for Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic.

"This has been the most rewarding tour I've ever been a part of in the Navy thanks to the tremendous support from my family, friends and shipmates along the way," said Stearns. "The Red Rippers and their families will always be in my thoughts, and I look forward to reading about all the great things the Rippers will be doing in the future."

Enterprise and Carrier Air Wing 1 are in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting close-air support for Operation Enduring Freedom.