Stavridis Expects Busy Autumn for NATO, Eucom

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2012 – Emphasizing that the mission in Afghanistan remains “job one,” NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe said a busy autumn season lies ahead as the transition there continues.

Even so, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, who also commands U.S. European Command, recognized Syria and the Levant in his command blog last week as “the wild card” that requires the alliance to stay vigilant.

“The civil war in Syria continues to burn, with over 20,000 dead and perhaps a million pushed out of their homes,” he wrote. “Lebanon is increasingly affected. Israel is deeply concerned, even as they continue to watch Iran. The Eastern Med[iterranean] is full of warships from lots of different nations.

“With struggling diplomatic efforts for Syria, there are increasing calls for military and human intervention,” Stavridis continued. “From both a NATO and a Eucom perspective, we need to stay ready for anything.”

Meanwhile, despite recent setbacks in Afghanistan – a deadly Black Hawk helicopter crash and an uptick in Afghan security force attacks on coalition troops – Stavridis reported continued progress there, particularly in the security sector.

“We are transitioning to Afghan-led security in 75 percent of the country, and our plan to turn over complete control by the end of 2014 remains on track,” he said. Afghans now lead more than 50 percent of the security operations and partner with U.S. and other coalition forces in 90 percent of them, he noted.

As Afghans step to the lead, coalition casualties have dropped about 25 percent compared to last year, Stavridis reported. Afghan security forces now number about 350,000, and are taking casualties at about five times the rate of coalition soldiers, he said.

The admiral expressed concern about the rising number of attacks by Afghan security forces on coalition forces. These tragic incidents, while statistically small in light of the regular, close interactions between coalition and Afghan forces, “can have a negative impact on morale and perception out of proportion to their military impact,” he said.

“We’re reviewing all our procedures carefully, vetting incoming Afghan security forces even more precisely, developing procedures to protect our troops and using biometrics thoroughly,” Stavridis said.

With the approach of fall, he told his commands to expect a busy time with the focus to remain on transitioning to Afghan-led security. That, he said, will include continued training for Afghan security teams and the building of combat capability in the east while consolidating gains made in the south.

“The key in the security sector will be maintaining mentoring, training and funding for the Afghans through the transition,” he said.

A related emphasis, Stavridis said, will be on the continued drawdown of coalition combat forces – to drop soon to 68,000, from a high of more than 100,000 – and on redeploying their equipment.

Looking ahead, “There will be good days and bad,” Stavridis cautioned. He emphasized, however, “the overall trend is positive, and we’re on track to success.”

Soldiers Missing From Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, were recently identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Sgt. 1st Class William T. Brown of La Habra, Calif., Sgt. 1st Class Donald M. Shue of Kannapolis, N.C., and Sgt. 1st Class Gunther H. Wald of Palisades Park, N.J., will be buried as a group on Aug. 30, in a single casket representing the three soldiers, in Arlington National Cemetery.  Brown and Shue were each individually buried on Sept. 26, 2011, at Arlington and May 1 in Kannapolis, N.C.

On Nov. 3, 1969, the men and six Vietnamese soldiers were part of a Special Forces reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Tri Province, near the Vietnam-Laos border.  The patrol was ambushed by enemy forces and all three Americans were wounded.   Brown was reported to have suffered a gunshot wound to his side.  Due to heavy enemy presence and poor weather conditions, the search-and-rescue team was not able to reach the site until eight days later.  At that time, they found military equipment belonging to Shue, but no other signs of the men.

Between 1993 and 2010, joint United States/Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted multiple interviews on nine different occasions in Quang Tri Province.  Additionally, the S.R.V. teams unilaterally investigated this case, but were unable to develop new leads.  Among those interviewed by the joint teams were former Vietnamese militiamen who claimed in 1969 they ambushed three Americans in the area near the Laos-Vietnam border.  In 2007, a Vietnamese citizen led investigators to human remains that he had discovered and buried near the site of the ambush.  In 2008, a military identification tag for Brown was turned over to the U.S. Government from a U.S. citizen with ties to Vietnam.  Finally, in April 2010, joint teams excavated a hilltop area near Huong Lap Village, recovering additional human remains, military equipment, another military identification tag for Brown, and a “Zippo” lighter bearing the name ”Donald M. Shue” and the date “1969.”

Scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and material evidence, along with mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of some of the soldiers’ family members—in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703- 699-1169 or visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

SECNAV Remembers Legacy of Naval Aviator, Astronaut Neil Armstrong

From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- "On behalf of the men and women of the Navy Department, I extend my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of Neil Armstrong.

"Mr. Armstrong rightly belongs to the ages as the man who first walked on the moon, a pioneer of space exploration and science. A giant. But to those of us in his Navy family, he will also remain a shipmate -- a naval aviator who flew nearly 80 combat missions during the Korean War. A leader.

"He never wanted to be a living memorial, and yet to generations the world over his epic courage and quiet humility stands as the best of all examples. It is not merely his "small step" we admire; it is his very large and humble heart.

"The world has lost a legend. We have lost a friend, unique in our lifetime and never to be out of our minds."

Ray Mabus

 Secretary of the Navy

Fighter Jets Protect Skies During Republican Convention

From a North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command News Release

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Aug. 27, 2012 – Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region fighters are protecting the skies during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

Air Force fighter jets will be on alert during the convention -- which begins today and runs through Aug. 30 -- enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's temporary flight restriction zone.

Air Force Col. Randy Spear, 601st Air and Space Operations Center commander, said special events are part of the Continental U.S. NORAD Region’s air defense mission.

"The men and women of CONR and the 601st AOC are charged with defending the skies over the continental United States, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico every second of the day,” Spear said. "As a part of this air defense shield, we routinely protect the skies over special security events like this year’s Republican National Convention”

Spear noted that temporary flight restrictions are in effect in other areas around the country, and he advised aviators to put special focus on those restrictions when they check Notices to Airmen.

The 601st AOC is responsible for detecting, deterring, defending and, if necessary, defeating any aviation threat to the United States and its critical infrastructure. The Continental U.S. NORAD Region has conducted air patrols throughout the United States since the beginning of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. CONR flights will have minimal impact on aircraft in the area, officials said, and are not in response to any specific threat.

PCU North Dakota Reaches another Milestone; Launches its Crest

By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Pre-Commissioning Unit North Dakota (SSN 784) launched its ship crest, an emblem that will be associated with the Virginia-class submarine during its entire service to the nation, Aug. 24.

The crest was created through a unique partnership between PCU North Dakota Commissioning Committee, and the submarine's crew.

"The acceptance of our crest is one of many important milestones our submarine and her crew will experience during the process of bringing her to life," said Cmdr. Doug Gordon, commanding officer, PCU North Dakota. "I want to personally thank the hard work of the PCU North Dakota Commissioning Committee for harnessing what both our submarine and namesake state symbolizes together. This crest will serve our submarine well in decades to come."

Historically a ship's crest combines Navy and submarine history with the rich tradition of the namesake state.

The North Dakota crest includes many elements which capture the essence and rich history of the "Peace Garden State." The crest includes sheafs of wheat, the first USS North Dakota (BB 29) at sea, an arrowhead shape, and the motto "Strength From The Soil" as indicated on the North Dakota Coat of Arms.

"This is an outstanding design that truly captures North Dakota's history as well as our heritage," said Bob Wefald, PCU North Dakota Commissioning Committee chair. "It also captures the dual meaning of six shooters and tomahawks for the two canisters of six Tomahawk cruise missiles each, which our second North Dakota will carry. The phrase 'Reapers of the Deep' ties in with the reapers of grain early in our state's history."

The USS North Dakota Committee spearheaded the crest design efforts in North Dakota. The contest began in February 2012.

The ship's sponsor Katie Fowler, wife of retired Vice Adm. Jeff Fowler, who attended the submarine's keel laying May 11, reflected on the crest and its meaning for the submarine and her crew.

"Selecting a ship's crest is a defining moment for a new ship. The crest will represent the ship, her crew, and its namesake for more than 30 years. It needs to reflect the warrior mentality of a warship's crew along with the enduring heritage of its name," said Fowler.

Fowler added that it was an extensive process to select the crest that would serve as its identifier.

"The process of receiving inputs from all ages in North Dakota, members of the crew, and Navy officials has produced many great symbols for consideration," said Fowler. "The thorough deliberation of the various inputs has helped reinforce important parts for the crest. In the end, we have a crest that will represent North Dakota well as the ship travels around the world, while motivating the warriors who serve in her."

More than 100 entries were submitted during the crest design contest. The top five entries were submitted to the crew of PCU North Dakota to be used in the creation of the final crest.

Gordon added that once they received the entries the Visual Information Service Center at Naval Submarine Support Facility helped bring all of the entries together.

"Jim Sikora, graphic specialist at the Visual Information Service Center, put a lot of effort into working with us to design our crest," said Gordon.

PCU North Dakota, the second ship named in honor of North Dakota, will be delivered by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton and will be the 11th Virginia-class submarine when it is commissioned in 2014.

The only other ship to bear the name North Dakota was the Delaware-class battleship USS North Dakota, which was in service from 1910 to 1923.

Virginia-class submarines are designed to dominate the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine; anti-surface ship; strike; irregular; and mine warfare missions; as well as support special operation forces; and covert intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.