First Lady, ‘iCarly’ Cast Celebrate Military Kids

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

ALEXANDRIA, Va.  – First Lady Michelle Obama joined Nickelodeon TV’s “iCarly” celebrity cast at a school here today to pay tribute to the children of service members and preview the show’s upcoming episode about the hardships of military families.

With hundreds of cheering students – many of them from military families – and pop music booming in Hayfield Secondary School’s auditorium, Obama and the five actors who make up the “iCarly” cast danced onto the stage with the fanfare of a rock concert.

It was the last of four such appearances as part of the first lady’s “Joining Forces” campaign with Dr. Jill Biden, which seeks to get all Americans involved in supporting military families. Similar events were held this week at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.; Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn.; and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

“Kids like you make the same kind of sacrifices that your families do,” Obama said, after asking for a show of hands of military children. “I know how hard it is to stay strong and focused when your mom or dad is serving.”

She noted that Jerry Trainor and Noah Munck, who play Spencer and Gibby, respectively, on “iCarly”, also are from military families.

In a preview of the “iCarly” episode that airs Jan. 16, the audience watched as the show’s main character, Carly Shay, and her older brother, Spencer, are heartbroken to get a last-minute call from their father, a deployed Air Force colonel, saying he can’t get home for the birthday celebration they planned for him, marking three consecutive birthdays of his they have missed.

But before they can put away the red, white and blue balloons and streamers and the jet aircraft birthday cake, Carly’s friends surprise her with a video chat with her father. A technical glitch keeps Carly from seeing him, but she can read his words to her on the screen and be happy again.

Obama, who approached “iCarly” producer Dan Schneider about creating the military-focused segment, said the show is a favorite of hers and her daughters, Malia and Sasha. She makes a surprise cameo appearance in the upcoming episode to lend her support to Carly and Spencer and tell them she is proud of them and their friends’ support, allowing “Colonel Shay” to defend the nation.

“We did this episode because we want the whole country know how proud we are of all of you, and how much we appreciate you as our little heroes,” Obama said. “So we want you to stay strong. Be proud of what you do, because we are so proud of you. And we know sometimes it can be hard, but know that you have your entire country behind you.”

During a question-and-answer session after today’s screening, a 13-year-old boy told Obama his father is deployed to Afghanistan, leaving him “to be the man of the house.” Asked by the first lady how many schools he has attended, he answered five.

“When you find a military kid coming in new, it’s your time to step up,” Obama told the audience. “Find out who the military kids are in your school and make sure they feel welcome.”

Obama and the cast taped a public service announcement for Joining Forces with the cheering audience in the background.

Panetta: King Renewed Promise of America’s Dream

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2012 – In anticipation of the nation’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance Jan. 16, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has issued a message to members of the Defense Department outlining his personal view of the slain civil rights leader’s impact on America.

Here is the text of the secretary’s message:

“My career in public service began more than 40 years ago at the height of the civil rights movement. As a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, I worked on landmark civil rights legislation and as director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, I had the responsibility to enforce those laws.

“At that time, I saw how one man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., could make a difference. He did so by challenging his fellow citizens to reflect on what it means to be American. Faced with opposition, he did not threaten violence, but rather gained strength from the truth of his convictions. His powerful ideas and lyrical words compelled our nation to live by its founding principle: that we are born with equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“In the end, he changed not only the law of our land, but also struck a note for freedom that still resonates in the hearts and minds of the American people and the entire world. That’s a legacy worth celebrating.

“Dr. King renewed the promise of America’s dream. His example inspired a movement for our country to reclaim its fundamental pledge -- so that we might live as one nation, with liberty and justice for all. Every man and woman at the Department of Defense should strive to uphold these fundamental ideals.

“One of my proudest moments was the opportunity to meet Dr. King and years later, as a congressman, to cast my vote to set aside a day dedicated to Dr. King’s memory. This weekend, I hope each of you will think about just how much this one man’s life and accomplishments have meant to our country. The nation we work so hard to protect is a better place because of him. In fighting for equal justice, he was fighting for all of us.”

Naval Submarine Base New London Holds Special Screening of iCarly

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jim O'Donnell, Naval Submarine Base New London Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Naval Submarine Base New London welcomed more than 1,300 fans of the hit Nickelodeon show iCarly who were on hand for a special screening and cast appearance at the base's Dealey Center Theater, Jan. 11.

Before the screening, the cast paid a special visit to the crew of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768).

The cast members and guests received a guided tour of the submarine by the boat's commanding officer Cmdr. Steve Wilkinson and Chief of the Boat Senior Chief Eric Mathley.

"I was very honored to have an opportunity to give the iCarly celebrity cast and guests a tour of the boat," said Mathley.

"That the show's lead character is a military child and that some of the iCarly shows have dealt with the things military kids have to deal with is pretty nice," said Mathley.

For the iCarly cast members, it was their first time being on a nuclear-powered submarine.

"It's been my dream since I was a little kid, to go on a submarine," said cast member Noah Munck who plays Gibby on the show.

"It was pretty great to get a chance to actually go on a submarine," said Nathan Kress. Kress, who plays Freddie, said he had toured a World War II submarine once before, but that had not prepared him for Wednesday night. "To be able to go down and see something modern that our Navy is using right now was really cool.

Kress said his favorite part of the tour was the visit to the control room where he saw the center of operations for the boat. "We got a chance to look through a periscope which was probably the highlight of the tour," added Kress.

The iCarly cast spent about 30 minutes on the submarine and the cast members said they were all impressed.

"Visiting the Hartford was just awesome," said Munck. "What a great experience."

Fans of the show brandishing posters and pictures, hoping to obtain autographs began lining up at the theater around lunchtime Wednesday in the hope of getting as close to their iCarly idols as possible.

"I'm really excited to get to see iCarly in person," said 10 year-old Isabella Iaccarino. "I've never seen anyone from television before, and I'm kind of really looking forward to this.

Although the show's audience focus is the 5-12 year old demographic, there were even a few more mature fans in attendance.

"I guess I'm a fan too," said Chief Master-at-Arms Charlie Wenzel who, in addition to ensuring security was prepared for Wednesday night's event, was making sure his daughter Rylie got to see the show. "I watch it with my daughter and it's a funny show, I like it."

"I also like the fact that it deals with kids that have a parent in the military deployed away from home and how they handle things," said Wenzel.

iCarly revolves around the show's namesake Carly Shay (played by Cosgrove) and her friends Sam (played by Jennette McCurdy), Freddie (played by Kress), Gibby (played by Munck), and brother Spencer (played by Jerry Trainor). In the show, Carly's father is an Air Force Colonel perpetually deployed away from home, sometimes on a submarine. Although most kids here at SUBASE don't have a parent deployed year-round it is a theme that is very well understood among the population of this base in southeastern Connecticut.

In Wednesday's screening of the episode titled "iMeet the First Lady," Carly is disappointed when her father is unable to make it home for his birthday because of another deployment. Carly's friends to try to brighten her mood by putting on a special webisode for her and her dad, which captures the attention of the government and the First Lady.

The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama guest stars on the show to be broadcast Jan. 16. In the episode Obama surprises the iCarly gang to thank them for supporting Carly when her dad is away.

Obama is a staunch supporter and spokesperson for the Joining Forces organization. Mrs. Obama along with the Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joseph Biden, spearhead the organization to help support military families and advocate for their priorities.

Following the premiere of "IMeet the First Lady" the cast was brought out on stage to the excited screams of those in attendance. The cast members spoke about their experiences meeting the First Lady and even demonstrated some of their personal skills like juggling and human beat boxing to the enjoyment of the audience.

After leaving the stage the iCarly cast stuck around to meet some of their fans in the back of the Dealey Center Theater. For Nathaniel Rivers, who just turned ten Wednesday and his sister Alyssa, 8, it was a chance like no other. Both Rivers children met the actors, posed for photos and received autographs from the cast.

"It was really fun because I got to see them for the first time," said Alyssa. "I got to meet Miranda Cosgrove she is a really good singer."

"I thought it was awesome," said Nathaniel. "I've never done something like this. This is my favorite TV show, I especially like to thank my parents it was the best birthday ever," said Nathaniel.

Defense Secretary Teaches Class at El Paso High School

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

EL PASO, Texas, Jan. 13, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta taught a history class and talked about public service with students at John L. Chapin High School here today as part his visit to nearby Fort Bliss.

Roughly half of the student body of this school comes from military families, and the school honors the men of the 36th Infantry Division’s Company E, 2nd Battalion, 141st Infantry, a local Texas National Guard unit that fought across Europe in World War II.

Panetta taught Kristina Mills’ 11th grade U.S. history class. He spoke about the opportunity that America offered his family when his parents arrived in the United States from Italy in the 1930s.

“My father and mother made clear that my brother and I owed something back to the country that had given us so much,” Panetta said.

He said his parents were his greatest influence in pursuing a life of public service, and his second inspiration was the time he spent as a military intelligence officer in the early 1960s.

“When you are in the military, you understand the importance of working together for a common mission,” he said. “It reinforced to me how important it is to work together.”

Panetta said his third inspiration came from President John F. Kennedy, who called on Americans in January 1961 to “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

All this inspired him to service, the secretary said.

Panetta thanked the military family members for their service and their sacrifices. Roughly 45 percent of the school’s 1,900 students come from Fort Bliss or William Beaumont Army Medical Center.

Richard Tellez, a retired soldier, is the school’s military family liaison. He works with parents, post officials and the school district to ensure the needs of military families are met.

Many service members at the post have deployed numerous times, and that brings its own set of problems and challenges, said Carla Gonzales, Chapin’s principal. “But the cooperation between Fort Bliss and the school has been exceptional,” she said.

Many students who graduate from Chapin go into the military, Gonzales said, adding that she is particularly proud of the number of students who go on to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo.

“We have had one student who went to the Naval Academy prep school, too,” she added.

Holds 'Train-the-Trainer' Course for Command Fitness Leaders

From Commander, Navy Installations Command Public Affairs

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Naval Support Activity Mid-South held a command fitness leader (CFL) "Train-the-Trainer" certification course for more than 20 Navy fitness professionals from across the country and Guam Jan. 9-13.

"Our goal is to provide our Navy Fitness personnel with all of the tools and knowledge needed to deliver this course at their local installation," said CFL Instructor Debbie Deutsch, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). "This course ensures that we have qualified, certified instructors located on every base who are able to offer classes to Sailors around the world."

Topics covered during the week-long course included instruction to conduct the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA), nutrition, exercise physiology, anatomy, injury prevention, safety, public speaking and Physical Readiness Information Management System basics.

Deutsch said the course stresses the need for CFLs to provide smart, effective and safe physical fitness programming for their Sailors.

"Through effective training techniques and safe exercise programming, this course provides the necessary tools to ensure that our Sailors are trained properly and safely," Deutsch said.

Attendees participated in physical training each day and successfully completed all of the steps of the official PFA, including curl-ups, push-ups and 1.5-mile run/walk.

"Throughout the week, our instructors are being taught everything from PRP [Physical Readiness Program] policy to proper military etiquette in addressing military personnel," added Deutsch. "We want to ensure that they leave this course fully educated and prepared to not only teach the five-day course at their installation, but to be the subject matter expert for local CFLs when questions or issues arise."

CNIC will host the course in Rota, Spain Feb. 6-10 to certify instructors for the Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia region.

"Last year, we trained nearly 2,000 CFLs," said Deutsch. "With more classes being offered this year, we're expecting to meet, if not exceed, that number."

Naval Air Station North Island Commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Mass Communication Specialist 2rd Class Phillip Pavlovich

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Air Station North Island celebrated the many accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during its 26th annual commemoration of the legendary civil rights leader at the base theater, Jan. 12.

The event started with a walk from the north side of the bowling alley to the base theater, symbolizing King's famous marches.

The commemorative event was sponsored by Fleet Readiness Center Southwest's (FRCSW) Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee.

"Today gives us an opportunity to stop and reflect on Martin Luther King's life and gives us a chance to ask ourselves, are we living up to his expectations?" said Capt. John C. Smajdek, commanding officer of FRCSW.

Service members and Department of Defense employees gathered in the base theater where they recited the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a musical guest, Lanee' Battle, a local singer who entertained the crowd with songs in King's memory.

"The time we're in now we see more diversity," said Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Patience Johnson, from FRCSW. "I volunteered because it's important to me to show my support for what people have done in the past."

The keynote speaker, Steffanie B. Easter, assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education, spoke about her thoughts on taking personal responsibility and accountability.

"Be the best you can be," Easter said after challenging participants to live up to the American Dream, and affect the lives of those around them.

Panetta Thanks Fort Bliss Neighbors for Support

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

EL PASO, Texas  – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanked the people of this West Texas city last night for their support of service members based in the area.

“Our military has done everything we’ve asked them to do, and this community has done everything it can to ensure they can do their mission,” Panetta said during a speech to the local Chamber of Commerce.

Fort Bliss is the new home of the 1st Armored Division, and more than 200,000 troops have deployed out of the post since 9/11, Panetta said. “While the troops have deployed, their families remain here, and El Paso has stepped up to the plate.”

Panetta told the chamber that the military must change to remain the best military in the world and confront the threats that face America. With the country facing a fiscal crisis, the Defense Department must cut $489 billion over the next 10 years.

The military has gone through reductions following wars in the past, Panetta said, but this time is different because threats remain. The American armed forces dropped after World War II, but the fascist threat had been defeated, the secretary noted. The military contracted after the Cold War, he added, but the Soviet Union had dissolved.

“We still confront some major threats,” he said. “We have continuing threats of violent extremism and terrorism.”

The United States has put al-Qaida and its allies on the run, but the threat remains, the secretary said, and U.S. forces must keep the pressure on. In addition, he told the group, the threat of proliferation of nuclear weapons and the means to launch them has not gone away.

“We’ve got the destabilizing behavior of rogue nations like Iran and North Korea,” he said, adding that uncertainty accompanies the rise of new powers in Asia and changes in the Middle East.

Countering these threats and uncertainties has to be governed by a strategy, Panetta said, and the department is firmly behind President Barack Obama’s new defense strategy revealed last week. That strategy reshapes the military while meeting new fiscal constraints, he explained, and Pentagon leaders are shaping a budget based on the strategy, “and not just some numbers game.”

“This will shape just what our military force will look like -- not just today, but in the future,” the secretary said.

The men and women in uniform will continue to be the country’s greatest strength, Panetta said, and those men and women will continue to need the support of communities like El Paso.

“As this new greatest generation of Americans begins to return home from war, many will need our support to recover from wounds, both physical and mental,” he said. “They will need our support as they transition either back into the force or back into civilian life. We must be there for them. We must honor their commitment to this country.”

People are the highest priority for DOD, the secretary stressed.

“We can’t do it alone,” he said. “We need your help. Defending America is a team effort. It’s a joint effort on the part of our troops and their families, but it also includes the people of communities like El Paso.”

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta Martin Luther King Jr. Day Message

 “My career in public service began more than 40 years ago at the height of the civil rights movement.  As a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, I worked on landmark civil rights legislation and as director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, I had the responsibility to enforce those laws.

 “At that time, I saw how one man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., could make a difference.  He did so by challenging his fellow citizens to reflect on what it means to be American.  Faced with opposition, he did not threaten violence, but rather gained strength from the truth of his convictions.  His powerful ideas and lyrical words compelled our nation to live by its founding principle:  that we are born with equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  In the end, he changed not only the law of our land, but also struck a note for freedom that still resonates in the hearts and minds of the American people and the entire world.  That’s a legacy worth celebrating.

 “Dr. King renewed the promise of America’s dream.  His example inspired a movement for our country to reclaim its fundamental pledge -- so that we might live as one nation, with liberty and justice for all.  Every man and woman at the Department of Defense should strive to uphold these fundamental ideals.

 “One of my proudest moments was the opportunity to meet Dr. King and years later, as a congressman, to cast my vote to set aside a day dedicated to Dr. King’s memory.  This weekend, I hope each of you will think about just how much this one man’s life and accomplishments have meant to our country.  The nation we work so hard to protect is a better place because of him.  In fighting for equal justice, he was fighting for all of us.”

OPNAV Hosts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration

By Ensign Amber Lynn Daniel, Diversity and Inclusion Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The OPNAV Heritage Committee, in collaboration with Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, hosted a celebration commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Community Center Jan. 11.

Celebrating the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day theme, "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!" the event included southern-style food sampling and remarks by guest speaker Joe Madison, a Washington D.C. activist and radio talk show host.

"Everybody can do something," said Madison. "That is what the King celebration is. It's not even a celebration; it's a call to action. It should be a reminder that we all can do something. We have to be more than bystanders."

Madison shared historical leadership highlights of the civil rights movement, including the significance of Dr. King's efforts during a time of national struggle for equality.

"People don't realize how difficult leadership can be," said Madison. "And before Martin Luther King, Jr. could convince white America that it needed to change, he had to first convince his own community. He first had to convince black people, and that was extremely difficult."

Speaking to an audience of more than 200 military service members and civilians, Madison reminded listeners that Dr. King was not always the respected civil rights leader remembered in history books. At one point in time, Dr. King's own fraternity considered revoking his membership, and Morehouse College wanted to revoke his degree. Madison also discussed events making current headlines, and compared the stories to those of Dr. King's era.

"People need to know the history," said Madison. "If you don't remember the history, you are bound to repeat it."

At the conclusion of his speech, Madison challenged those attending the celebration to not only appreciate the struggles of Dr. King, but to make those sacrifices real through actionable efforts.

"Take King beyond the National Mall," said Madison. "You should leave here and think, 'What is the problem, and what am I going to do about it? In and out of uniform, all have to ask the question that all great people ask themselves - what am I going to do about it?'"

Madison's call to action encouraged many Sailors in attendence to start reflecting on their own lives.

"I was definitely motivated by today's event," said Lt. Joe Leavitt, "Hearing Mr. Madison speak about Dr. King really gave me a chance to think about what I do every day and why it matters. I'm motivated to change the world."

Keyport Celebrates the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Airman Jasmine Stokes, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

KEYPORT, Wash. (NNS) -- Service members and civilians gathered to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a commemoration ceremony at the Naval Undersea Museum Keyport's Jack Murdock Auditorium Jan. 11 in Keyport, Wash.

The commemoration of King's legacy was held to acknowledge his leadership and determination to establish equal rights during the 1950s and 1960s.

"Dr. King fought not just for black people but racial equality for everyone and that was what he was willing to die for," said Monica E. Emerson, retired Navy diversity officer. "Diversity reflects who we are as a nation."

Emerson said many of King's quotes including 'Pursued through love and nonviolence,' and 'We have to involve everyone through alliances, team work and diversity,' embraced King's dream of unity and peace.

Raymond Miller, vice president of Snohomish county National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, acknowledge the importance of observing this day as a national holiday.

"We honor the life and legacy of a true American hero," said Miller. "Someone who was on the front-lines of not only changing American history but American culture that included all people regardless of race, creed, or national origin was able to be a part of the great American experience."

A commemoration ceremony was also held at William E. Moore Auditorium on Naval Station Everett, and King will also be honored at the base chapel on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Jan. 13.

"What Martin Luther King Day means to me is the movement of society as a whole, moving forward and treating people with equality and respect regardless of where you came from and what you've done," said Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class (FMF) Richard Herring, of Tulsa, Okla., assigned to the base chapel at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. "What I hope people take out of this day is hard work and dedication in what you believe in and striving for a better place in the world."

Army to Replace 2 Brigades in Europe With Rotating Units

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 12, 2012 – Ground forces will remain important to the U.S. defense strategy, but the employment of the forces will change, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

In an interview on his way to Fort Bliss, Texas, Panetta said that the Army will withdraw two brigade combat teams from Europe, while retaining a strong presence in the region via rotational units.

The change is part of a new, 10-year defense strategy announced by President Barack Obama last week that emphasizes air-sea doctrine to better allow the United States to confront more than one threat at a time, Panetta said. Still, ground forces will remain important, and soldiers and Marines will continue to deploy to Afghanistan and be on the Korean Peninsula and partnering with nations around the globe.

“We will continue to maintain our presence both in the Middle East and Asia,” the secretary said. “Yes, we’ll have the Navy and the Air Force, but in my experience, in any conflict you need to have the potential use of ground forces.”

Panetta said he is excited about the prospect of using Army units on a rotational basis, just as Special Forces and the Marine Corps do. “Getting the Army to deploy to areas conducting exercises providing, most of all, a partnership with countries in Latin America, Africa, other countries where we can show the flag” is important, he said.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno is particularly excited about the ability to develop that rotational capability, Panetta said. “It will keep the ground forces very meaningful in the future,” he said.

As the Army replaces the two brigade combat teams with rotational units, the Europeans actually will see more U.S. forces because the American forces in Europe have more often than not been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, Panetta said.

DOD officials have spoken to European leaders about the withdrawal and they understand why the change will be good for the U.S. military and NATO allies, senior defense officials traveling with the secretary said.

Marines and NMCB 23 honored in Guatemala during HSV-SPS 12

By Lt. Matthew Comer, High Speed Vessel-Southern Partnership Station 2012 Public Affairs

PUERTO SAN JOSE, Guatemala (NNS) -- A recognition ceremony was held at Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta Aldea Magueyes in honor of U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 23 Seabees and U.S. Marine and Guatemalan construction specialists, Jan. 11.

The ceremony was held in appreciation for the completion of a 12-day construction project as part of High Speed Vessel-Southern Partnership Station 2012 (HSV-SPS 12).

"I would like to thank all the people involved, especially SPS-12 on behalf of the children in this community," said Byron E. Anavisca Sandoval, community president. "We are looking forward to this year because our children will get to enjoy the rewards of education because of the work done here."

The project was led by project manager Marine Staff Sgt. Mario Vargas, whose family emigrated from Guatemala to the U.S. The team of two Marines, 18 Seabees and 12 Guatemalan military construction specialists demolished and replaced the school and bathroom roofs and installed more than 300 feet of fencing and security wire.

"My father and family are from Guatemala and it has been an especially great experience for me," said Vargas. "I put everything in my heart into this school so the children here are able to learn as my children are able to learn."

The team also installed a new securable entrance, replaced the water purification system and painted the school. The improvements will allow the school to reopen after a flood forced its closure last year.

"It is a wonderful pleasure for me to see the transformation of this school," said Cmdr. Todd Smith, commanding officer NMCB 23.

"It is great to see the work NMCB 23, the Marines and our Guatemalan partners have done here and the difference it will make."

Parents, teachers, and children of the school, as well as Seabees, Swift service members, and representatives from the Guatemalan Pacific Naval Base attended the ceremony. In total, more than 70 people attended the occasion.

"When I was a student, I remember Sailors coming and doing what they are doing here," said Guatemalan Capt. Carlos Luis Sanchez, representative from the Guatemalan Pacific Naval Base. "To the children of public schools, this will give you the opportunity it gave me. Because of this, you will be able to reach your dreams."

This is the first of two construction projects in Guatemala, where Seabees and Marines have been working closely with Guatemalan partners to renovate local schools.

The construction project is one event during the two week HSV-SPS 12 partnership with Guatemala. Service members from each of the armed services are working with the host-nation partners, exchanging information regarding medical and veterinary practices, small unit leadership, and port security.

Southern Partnership Station is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean, Central and South America. The mission's primary goal is information sharing with partner nation service members and civilians in the region.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet 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.

Military Study Aims to Aid Troops With Mild TBI

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 12, 2012 – A team of experts at San Antonio Military Medical Center here has launched a military study aimed at improving outcomes for service members suffering from a signature wound of today’s wars: traumatic brain injury.

The Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness, dubbed the SCORE trial, is examining cognitive rehabilitation therapy’s value as a treatment for service members with mild TBI.

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments teamed up on this study to determine the best treatment for combat troops who are experiencing mild TBI symptoms -- such as difficulties with attention, concentration, memory and judgment -- three to 24 months post-injury, explained Douglas B. Cooper, the study’s lead and a clinical neuropsychologist for the center’s Traumatic Brain Injury Service.

“We have a lot of great interventions to help … in the first few days after concussion,” he said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. “We can pull them out, get them rest and get them better.”

However, “we don’t have as many good interventions later on --six months, 12 months or two years post-injury,” acknowledged Cooper, who also serves as the director of the Military Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Consortium.

The trial’s aim is to determine if cognitive rehabilitation therapy improves chronic mild TBI symptoms and, if so, which interventions work best, on whom and why.

Cognitive rehabilitation, Cooper explained, involves a variety of interventions that help patients with brain injuries reduce, manage or cope with cognitive deficits. It’s commonly used to treat patients with brain injuries, whether from concussions, penetrating brain injuries or strokes.

With vast experience in the field, Cooper said, he and his colleagues knew anecdotally that the therapy works, meaning it helps to improve memory and focus in patients. However, he added, experts have cited a lack of evidence-based research tying cognitive rehabilitation to successful treatment of brain injuries.

With a lack of in-hand research, insurance companies began to balk on covering it as a stand-alone treatment. For example, TRICARE, the military’s health care plan, won’t cover cognitive rehabilitation programs that haven’t been proven as effective stand-alone therapy for TBI, according to a TRICARE fact sheet.

Rather than step away from the therapy, Congress directed a series of studies to explore cognitive rehabilitation and its effectiveness among troops, Cooper said.

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center took on the challenge and soon enlisted the help of DOD and VA experts. They took a year to write manuals to serve as a trial guide and began enrolling patients in SCORE in July.

They had only a few enrollment criteria: troops must have suffered a mild TBI while deployed in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or New Dawn, and be three to 24 months post-injury, Cooper said.

They had no shortage of available participants. A TBI database shows that more than 202,000 service members suffered a TBI between 2000 and 2010, with the majority experiencing a mild TBI or concussion, according to the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. The center cited blasts, fragments, bullets, motor vehicle accidents and falls as the leading TBI causes within the military.

The team plans to treat 160 participants in six-week cycles over the course of two to three years, Cooper said. While in the trial, patients participate two times a day, five days a week, and are entered into one of four treatment paths, or “arms,” he explained.

These treatment paths involve a variety of interventions, and may include individual appointments, group sessions, computer treatments and behavioral health -- or a combination of several intervention types.

For the computer exercises, Cooper explained, service members complete a series of commercially available computer programs touted to improve “brain fitness.” These sessions take place in hospital and are proctored by clinic staff.

The programs are presented in a game-like format, he added. As they progress, troops earn “brain bucks” that can be used to outfit a virtual apartment with big-screen TVs and stereos. This suits technology-savvy service members, he noted, who often fall into the under-25 age range.

The team also is looking at the effectiveness of various treatment combinations, such as mental health care and cognitive rehabilitation offered together. More than 50 percent of TBI patients have a coexisting psychological disorder, oftentimes combat stress, Cooper explained, so wrapping the two treatments together makes sense.

An exercise typical of this approach is to have service members listen to a tape and be asked to focus on certain things in their environment, he said. This exercise is first introduced as a cognitive rehabilitation skill, but troops later see its benefits as a tool to overcome combat-related stress.

This integrated treatment is particularly useful for service members who aren’t willing to seek behavioral health care on their own, Cooper noted.

“There’s still a large stigma attached to mental health care,” he explained. “They may not want to seek behavioral health to get care, but are willing to talk to a psychologist while here getting care for a concussion.”

Cooper said his team will look at each treatment arm to see which interventions have proven most successful and for whom. In general, they’re looking for improvements in several areas: working memory, which is holding on to information; prospective memory, which involves remembering to perform a planned action or intention at the appropriate time; and simple attention, which is being able to process what someone is saying at the moment and then remembering what was said.

“We hope to not only look at what interventions work, but then look at subsets of patients -- these particular people haven’t shown as much improvement or people with multiple concussions may be harder to treat and so on,” he explained.

As Cooper’s team works to improve attention and focus, a parallel study at the medical center here is delving deeper into their patients’ brains. Participants of the SCORE trial also are invited to participate in the Imaging Support for Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness, known as the iSCORE study. For this study, experts use cutting-edge imaging technology to scan patients’ brains at certain intervals: before the SCORE trial, halfway through, after the trial and at 12 to 18 weeks later.

Imaging experts are hoping to learn more about people’s white matter track pathways in the brain, Cooper explained. “Is there something about these that will tell us why individuals are changing?” he asked. “Why are they getting better, and which ones are not able to get better?”

The best clinical trials, he added, raise more questions than they answer.

If the SCORE trial proves successful -- meaning it proves cognitive rehabilitation’s efficacy -- the goal is to determine which interventions are the most effective and then disseminate that information to VA and DOD centers, Cooper said. Civilian providers also may glean ideas that can aid them in the treatment of noncombat-related brain injuries, such as those from a car accident or a stroke.

Meanwhile, Cooper is hoping the study will have a direct, positive impact on troops’ well-being and their ability to return to active duty, and, on a bigger-picture level, the health care system as a whole.

Above all, he added, “we want to make sure they’re functioning and doing OK.”

The nation has an obligation to ensure service members get the best care and treatment possible, Cooper said.

“They need to feel taken care of, that their complaints are valid, and that they’re not alone in going through this process,” he added.

The SCORE trial, he said, “is accomplishing that and more.”

Panetta Hosts First Official U.S.-Netherlands Defense Meeting

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hosted a Pentagon honor cordon today for his counterpart from the Netherlands during the two leaders’ first official bilateral meeting.

The secretary and Dutch Minister of Defense Hans Hillen discussed the new U.S. defense strategic guidance, bilateral defense cooperation issues, and ongoing operations and plans for transition in Afghanistan, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said.

The Netherlands has contributed troops to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2003. Currently, 183 Dutch troops are deployed to Regional Command South and the capital region, according to ISAF officials.

Panetta and Hillen also discussed U.S. force posture in Europe, the upcoming NATO defense ministerial meetings to be held in early February in Brussels, and the NATO 2012 Summit scheduled for May in Chicago, Kirby said.

While discussing NATO issues, the spokesman added, Panetta recognized and praised the Netherlands’ “traditionally strong voice and leadership in the NATO alliance.”

Navy Exchange Service Command Names New Chief Executive Officer

By Kathleen Martin, Navy Exchange Service Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) and the worldwide Navy Exchange System NEXCOM welcomed its first chief executive Jan. 11.

In this position, retired Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi is responsible for the oversight of 104 Navy Exchange facilities with nearly 300 stores worldwide, 40 Navy Lodges, 158 Ship's Stores, Navy Clothing Textile and Research Facility and the Uniform Program Management Office.

"I am very pleased to have Rear Adm. (retired) Bianchi on our team," said Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich, commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. "He brings a wealth of experience to the table, and I have great confidence that he can lead NEXCOM into the future."

In March 2011, NEXCOM's flag billet was converted to a senior civilian position per the Secretary of Defense Track Four Initiatives Decision memo. Rear Adm. Glenn C. Robillard, Supply Corps, transferred in August 2011 after serving as the 29th and final commander of NEXCOM.

Bianchi is the first civilian chief executive officer of this organization. He joins NEXCOM after a distinguished 29-year military career as a Navy Supply Corps officer. Bianchi attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a Navy ROTC scholarship, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. Upon graduation in 1982, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy Supply Corps. He earned a Master's degree in Business Administration with distinction from Harvard University in 1992 and completed the Wharton School of Business Executive Development Program in 2003. Bianchi served in various senior leadership positions including assistant deputy chief of Staff for Fleet Readiness and Fleet Supply officer, U.S. Fleet Forces Command; Commander, Navy Exchange Service Command; deputy commander for Aviation, Naval Inventory Control Point; military advisor to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics & Materiel Readiness); and supply officer, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

NEXCOM's four independently functioning programs generated over $2.6 billion in sales in 2010 and provided $48.4 million to the Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. NEXCOM's mission is to provide authorized customers quality goods and services at a savings and to support Navy quality of life programs. NEXCOM is an Echelon III command within the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Enterprise.

Combating Complacency in the New Year

By April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Naval Safety Center reminds Sailors to remain vigiliant as they return to work after a long holiday season when many commands were on reduced work schedules.

Time to recharge the batteries is great for Sailors, but it is important to be ready to work now that 2012 is in full swing.

Many commands hold safety briefs, dubbed "Back in the Saddle," in January to reinforce this idea. Derek Nelson, author of the Naval Safety Center's (NAVSAFECEN) popular Friday Funnies Summary of Mishaps said these safety briefs are really intended to combat complacency.

"The problem with complacency is that it can strike almost anytime and you don't even realize it," he said. "It feels comfortable."

Nelson said he reads mishap reports every day to find material for his weekly Friday Funnies message, and a large majority of them involve complacency.

Fortunately, most of these mishaps are minor, which gives him license to poke fun at them. However, others wind up in his quarterly "Not so Funnies" message, which details serious mishaps that lead to death or severe injury - mishaps that are no laughing matter.

"Sometimes complacency is not just embarrassing, it's fatal," he said.

Nelson said the biggest examples of these are firearms mishaps.

"Almost always the mishap reports say the victims were highly experienced with weapons, but somehow they still managed to shoot themselves or someone else."

The complacency in these mishaps usually shows up when the victims forget the first rule of weapons safety: Treat every weapon as if it's loaded. Numerous firearms mishaps show that the victim accidentally shot him or herself while cleaning a weapon that was assumed to be unloaded.

Nelson said complacency also strikes deployed Sailors who fall into what he calls "The Groundhog Day Syndrome" after the movie where celebrity Bill Murray's character is forced to relive the same day over and over again.

"When you're doing the same thing day in and day out, you start to feel like you can do it in your sleep," he said. "The fact is you can't."

This truth is borne out by NAVSAFECEN survey teams who regularly visit ships and squadrons to help determine if they comply with various safety requirements. Lt. Christine Davy specializes in surveying how well Sailors complete their Planned Maintenance System (PMS) checks. She said this is an area where complacency can set in, and while Sailors may get away with improper maintenance for awhile, eventually it may lead to dire consequences.

"When you reach for that piece of equipment in an emergency, it needs to operate as advertised," she said, noting that proper and careful maintenance is the only way to ensure it will.

She said she takes a great deal of pride in training Sailors on how to thoroughly perform damage control maintenance, because it makes a real difference in life or death situations.

"People's blood is there to show the importance of maintenance. Ask the guys on the Cole, or the Whidbey Island, or the Stark," Davy said, referring to high profile incidents where Sailors had to use damage control equipment to save their shipmates' lives.

Nelson said the disturbing thing is Sailors know complacency is a danger, but still fall into the trap.

"I've been at the Naval Safety Center more than thirty years, and thirty years ago we wrote articles that said 'complacency kills,'" he said. "It still does."

For more information about combating complacency and to read the weekly Friday Funnies, visit www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen.

Navy Christens Littoral Combat Ship Coronado

The Navy will christen the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Coronado, Saturday, Jan. 14, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony in Mobile, Ala.

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, Sean Stackley, will deliver the principal address at the ceremony.   Susan Keith will serve as the ship’s sponsor.  Additionally, Keith helped launch the Coronado Historical Association’s “Home of a Naval Aviator” sign project and grew up with her father and stepfather serving in the Navy.  Vice Adm. Stanhope C. Ring, her father, was a pilot who commanded an aircraft carrier air group during the Battle of Midway during World War II.  Her stepfather, Rear Adm. Aaron Putnam “Put” Storrs III, belonged to the Navy’s first aerial acrobatic team, which was the forerunner of the Blue Angels.   The ceremony will be highlighted by Keith breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored maritime tradition.

The ship’s name recognizes the city of Coronado, Calif., and honors the city’s deep ties to the U.S. Navy.  Coronado has been home to Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base, since 1917.  Two previous ships have been named after this city:  USS Coronado, a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, earned four battle stars for supporting landings in New Guinea and Leyte during World War II and the USS Coronado, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock later re-designated as an auxiliary command ship, served as flagship for the Third Fleet and was decommissioned in 2006.

Designated LCS 4, Coronado is an innovative surface combatant designed to operate in littoral seas and shallow water to counter mines, submarines and fast surface craft threats in coastal regions.  The ship is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep.  Coronado will address a critical capabilities gap in the littorals and conduct the Navy’s mission to enhance maritime security by deterring hostility, maintaining a forward presence, projecting power and maintaining sea control.

A fast, agile, and high-technology surface combatant, Coronado will be a platform for the launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles.  To meet increased demand for mission-tailored packages, its modular design will allow the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine countermeasures, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis.  The LCS class ships have the ability to swap out mission packages in a matter of days - adapting as the tactical situation demands.  The modular approach allows the Navy to incorporate new and improved systems into the fleet as advanced technologies mature, providing flexibility and evolving capability.

Coronado will be manned by two rotational crews, Blue and Gold, similar to the rotational crews assigned to large submarines.  These core crews are augmented by one of the three types of mission package crews and an aviation detachment.  The commanding officer of the Blue crew will be Cmdr. John Kochendorfer, from Dana Point, Calif.  The commanding officer of the Gold crew will be Cmdr. Michael “Shawn” Johnston, from North Carolina.  After commissioning, the ship will be homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Constructed by General Dynamics in the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., Coronado is the second of the Independence-variant in the LCS class.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342.  For additional information about this class of ship, please visit the Navy Fact File at:  http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4 .