BARRACKS BUGLER

Army.mil Article: Experts provide answers for military retirees

2011-05-31T22:21:00.001-05:00

Retired Sgt. 1st Class Michael McChesney reads from a sight card during his optometry checkup with Sgt. Nicky Granados at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic for Retiree Appreciation Day May 12.
<div id="others"> <ul> <li> <a href="/media/198175/"><img src="http://www.army.mil/content/images/2011/05/26/198175/size3.jpg" width="150" alt="Experts provide answers for military retirees" /></a> <div class="title" style = "font-weight:bold;"></div> <div class="caption">Retired Sgt. 1st Class Michael McChesney reads from a sight card during his optometry checkup with Sgt. Nicky Granados at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic for Retiree Appreciation Day May 12.</div> </li> </ul> </div>
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Herald Union Online

WIESBADEN, Germany -- Questions come easy when you’re a military retiree.
When do I qualify for Social Security benefits? How do I straighten out my Veterans Affairs paperwork? What about my spouse; does she qualify for anything?
The answers, at least for retirees living overseas, are harder to come by.
“It’s really about being able to speak to an expert for what they (as retirees) want to know,” said John Herron, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden’s retirement services program manager, speaking about the garrison’s May 12 Retiree Appreciation Day.
From Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits to health care and taxes, subject matter experts were on hand for the Retiree Appreciation Day. Most of the experts were hosted at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic.
“I was here to see Tricare,” said Frank Bowman, a retired staff sergeant living in Bad Krueznach. “I’m turning 65 in less than a year. I need to know what to do.”
The 20-year military veteran is one of thousands of military retirees and one of 40,000 U.S. federal beneficiaries living in Germany.
“Most of the time (retirees) want to know about Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits,” said Ralf Fischer, a claims representative with the Social Security Administration Federal Beneficiary Unit in Frankfurt.
And most military retirees don’t know that they need to enroll in Medicare Plan B in order to continue receiving Tricare coverage after turning 65, said Fischer.
Retired Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Chandler smiled as he walked down the front entrance hallway of the Wiesbaden Health Clinic. After a doctor’s appointment that checked his health " from vision and blood pressure to prescription renewals, Chandler said the appreciation day was “very helpful.”
“The one-stop shop (set-up) is great,” said Chandler. “It’s the best thing the garrison can do. But the health clinic really is the best part.”
For retirees living overseas, medical appointments with military clinics are difficult to obtain " active duty Soldiers and their family members are given first priority.
The inclusion of available medical appointments for retirees is a big draw for the garrison’s annual Retiree Appreciation Day.
“It feels good because we don’t get to see retired Soldiers that often,” said Spc. Jordan Moore of the Wiesbaden Health Clinic. “They drive from miles away just to get here. From a health clinic point of view it is important to them in to check their lab work and their vision.”
“Patients do appreciate what we’re doing for them,” said Moore.
For more information on Social Security benefits, call the FBU in Frankfurt at (069) 9055 51201 or visit www.usembassy.de.

Army.mil Article: Experts provide answers for military retirees

Kaiserslautern MP dares to make a difference

2011-04-12T06:57:00.002-05:00

Kaiserslautern MP dares to make a difference
Apr 7, 2011
ByRick Scavetta (U.S. Army Garrison - Kaiserslautern)

Photo credit Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Garrison - Kaiserslautern
Sgt. Mark Arnett and Spc. Kathy Ogburn, military police officers from U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, look over a lesson plan for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. National DARE Day was April 7.

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Army.mil: Europe News
D.A.R.E. - Drug Abuse Resistance Education
U.S. Army Garrison - Kaiserslautern
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- As Sgt. Mark Arnett wraps up his tenure teaching kids about the effects of drugs and alcohol, he can look back knowing he made an impact on children's lives. For the past two years, Arnett has taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the Kaiserslautern Military Community's fours elementary schools. "It's been great for me to see the difference DARE is making in kids' lives," Arnett said. "The light bulb goes on and the wheels are turning." Since 1983, DARE has taught millions of students worldwide about the effects of alcohol and drugs. Each April, "National DARE Day" is commemorated in the United States by a presidential proclamation, community events and activities. This year, President Barrack Obama declared April 7 as National D.A.R.E. Day. It's been a few weeks since Arnett, wrapped up his final class. Still, when kids see him in the community, they ask Arnett to come back. "That's rewarding, to know that they learned and that it was a fun experience for them," Arnett said. While at Fort Meyer, Va., Arnett shook hands with kids as "McGruff the Crime Dog." But he'd never been in front of a classroom. In becoming Kaiserslautern's DARE instructor, Arnett learned the subtleties of teaching. "As a Soldier, you instruct your peers," Arnett said. "It's totally different in front of fifth graders, trying to get them to listen to you." Department of Defense Dependents Schools students complete 10 lessons over several weeks, working from DARE planners, Arnett said. Weekly lessons often include acting out skits on peer pressure and watching videos about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. In Europe, where beer and wine are often part of the local culture, alcohol is easier to obtain at a younger age. Children living overseas know about that, Arnett said. "We stress the impacts alcohol has on young bodies, the adverse effects that it can have," Arnett said. "Kids are pretty smart," Arnett said. "They know it's bad for you, just not how bad it can be." What kids learn in DARE can have a ripple effect within their families. One Kaiserslautern fifth-grader recently brought her lessons home and helped her mother quit smoking, Arnett said. Staffing a DARE officer for Kaiserslautern Military Community schools make sense, as police in military communities mirror the work of their civilian counterparts, said Master Sgt. Kenneth Pryor, the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern provost sergeant. "It gives us an opportunity to have an officer go into the classroom, so the kids don't just see a police officer as a cop," Pryor said. "It humanizes the individual." In February, Lt. Col. Kevin Hutchison, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, spoke at the graduation of Kaiserslautern Elementary School's class. He thanked Arnett for his efforts in making the DARE program successful in the KMC. "He is the face of DARE in our community," Hutchison said. Arnett departs Kaiserslautern soon for Fort Knox, Ky., where he will serve with the 1st Infantry Division. He'll now pass the reigns to Spc. Kathy Ogburn. In less than four years as a military police officer, has already served on patrol at Fort Hood, Tex., and helped train local police in Afghanistan's Panjshir valley. She's excited about taking on a new challenge, she said. "I've worked the road and I've deployed," Ogburn said. "Now, I get a chance to do something completely different."

Kaiserslautern MP dares to make a difference

Hohenfels Soldier wins GEICO award

2011-03-13T09:48:00.001-05:00

Hohenfels Soldier wins GEICO award

Mar 8, 2011
By Mark Iacampo (USAG Hohenfels Public Affairs)
Story Highlights

"I'm very grateful that I get to represent the Hohenfels community and receive this honor."

Photo credit Author
U.S. Army's 2010 GEIKO Military Service Award winner, Cpl. Timothy M. Wells
HOHENFELS, Germany -- A Hohenfels soldier has been chosen as the Army's 2010 recipient of the GEICO Military Service Award.
Cpl. Timothy M. Wells, a military police desk sergeant and DARE officer with U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Headquarters Detachment will be honored at a special awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. this April.
"I'm very grateful that I get to represent the Hohenfels community and receive this honor, showing that we not only put as much time and effort into our training mission, but also into our community to make it a better place to live for us and our families," said Wells.
Wells said he is especially honored to be recognized by a civilian firm.
"A lot of outside companies don't really look at the military, they don't really understand what we do here," he said. "They say they support the military but you really don't see it, especially here in Europe."
Now in its 23rd year, The GEICO Military Service Awards Program selects one member from each Military service branch as well as one member from the reserve/national guard to recognize for contributions made in the areas of drug and alcohol abuse prevention, fire safety and fire prevention, and traffic safety and accident prevention. Nominees are judged on how their career (on duty) or non-career (off-duty) related activities contribute to their community and the extent these activities serve to inspire other Military or civilian personnel.
As the community's DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) representative, Wells spends most days at the Elementary school conducting classes on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.
"I try to get to the school as much as I can," Wells said. "Early education is really important. If we make them aware of what drugs and alcohol and other harmful chemicals can do to their system at a young age, then they are less likely to do it when they get older. They understand the effects of it now, before it's too late."
Beginning with kindergartners, Wells said he works up to a full 10 week program for 5th and 6th graders. In addition, he volunteers at the school's outreach programs, like the Kinderfest and ice cream socials, by setting up a DARE booth and talking with children and parents.
"It's important to get it (drug and alcohol abuse information) out to the parents as well, so they understand what their kids are doing" he said.
In addition to his work for DARE, Wells' nomination cited his many hours devoted to traffic section, ensuring that all traffic cases and citations were handled in a timely manner. Wells also logged significant volunteer hours with the Outdoor Recreation Department, providing route recon for the new ATV course, and he has been instrumental in the development of a new indoor paintball facility.
In addition to a plaque and a $2,500 cash honorarium, GEICO will provide roundtrip transportation and lodging for Wells and his wife Luann in Washington, D.C. to attend the presentation ceremony.
"Luann was extremely excited and proud of me," Wells said. "We have been married for almost 9 years now and she is the true hero in this. She has stood by me and pushed me this whole time. Many times I have missed out on birthday parties and wedding anniversaries but she understands that my mission is just as important when I am home as when I am deployed."

Hohenfels Soldier wins GEICO award

Army recognizes families of fallen with vehicle decal, easier installation access

2011-02-02T07:13:00.001-06:00

Army recognizes families of fallen with vehicle decal, easier installation access

Jan 27, 2011
By William Bradner (Family and MWR Command)

Photo credit U.S. Army
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Learn more about Survivor Outreach Services
Visit the Army MWR Website
View a sample of the Survivor Decal on Flickr
STAND-TO!: Survivor Outreach Services
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
Army OneSource: Survivor Outreach Services

SAN ANTONIO -- During a Survivor Outreach Services working group meeting last year, several participants expressed difficulty in gaining access to military installations to take part in SOS programs and support services. Survivors, including parents of fallen Soldiers, do not always have a DoD identification card, and are frequently required to obtain a visitor or temporary vehicle pass to enter garrisons.
Soon survivors will be able apply for a Survivor Decal, much like the standard installation access decal-for their vehicle, greatly improving their ability to access the programs designed to support them.
"My intent is to implement access control procedures making it easier for survivors to enter Army garrisons," said Lt. Gen. Rick D. Lynch, commander of the Army Installation Management Command and Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management.
"I want all security personnel manning our entrance gates to recognize these very special Army families and welcome them with special respect for their sacrifice and service," he continued.
IMCOM Protection Services Division, along with the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command SOS and Marketing Offices, created the decal and application, usage and implementation guidance for Army garrisons.
According to Maj. Gen. Jones, commanding general, FMWRC, this new initiative underscores the Army's commitment to providing support services to the survivors of fallen Soldiers, for as long as they need or desire.
"Families of the fallen deserve our respect, gratitude and the very best support, and services that we can provide," said Jones.
Each garrison SOS Support Coordinator or equivalent Army Community Service staff member has the responsibility of working directly with survivors to assist them in the application process, which includes registering with the installation's vehicle registration system.
Current DoD Physical Access Control policy requires everyone seeking entrance to a military installation to stop at the gate and present government-issued, photo identification. Acceptable forms of identification include a state issued driver's license or state ID card. Survivors must still follow that policy, but once they have obtained a decal, they will no longer be required to apply for a visitor's pass each time they enter an installation.
Judy, a survivor who frequently visits a media/game room dedicated to her son in the Fort Sam Houston Family Center, is very grateful that the decals will soon be available.
"I hate having to go through the 'survivor' and 'are you military?' explanations over and over" she said. "I reply with 'My son was in the army but ...' It brings me to tears every time I have to have that conversation."
The decal is only valid on Army Garrisons.
This is just one of the many ways the Army "will reassure survivors that they are forever members of the Army family," Lynch said.
Survivor Outreach Services is an Army-wide program designed to provide dedicated and comprehensive support to survivors of deceased Soldiers. It includes a comprehensive survivor services program designed specifically to meet the needs of our survivor population-with dedicated resources, and a commitment to providing first class service-for as long as the family desires.
For more information about the decals or SOS in general, visit www.MyArmyOneSource.com or the garrison Army Community Services office.

Army recognizes families of fallen with vehicle decal, easier installation access

Women in Combat

2011-01-20T13:44:00.001-06:00

Commission to recommend lifting ban on women in combat

A commission of current and retired officers, senior noncommissioned officers and civilians charged with evaluating Defense Department policies to ensure they promote equal opportunity plans to recommend lifting the ban on women in combat....READ MORE

The United States Army

Ashoura Holiday

2011-01-02T12:00:00.001-06:00

Quiet Ashoura holiday highlights Iraq security success

As Shiite pilgrims slowly filtered out of religious shrines in Karbala, Iraq, Dec. 17, the quiet passing of the Muslim religious holiday of Ashoura made a loud statement about the capabilities of Iraqi Security Forces in the area....READ MORE

The United States Army

World War II Vet 98

2010-12-20T09:37:00.003-06:00

World War II veteran, 98, receives long awaited Bronze Star

Recognition for an act of heroism more than six decades ago during World War II finally caught up...MORE

The United States Army

Lakin Discharged

2010-12-20T09:37:00.001-06:00

Lakin discharged, sentenced to six months

The Army doctor who disobeyed direct orders from his superiors, refusing to deploy until he saw proof of President Obama's American birth, was sentenced to six months in prison and discharge from the Army Thursday....READ MORE

The United States Army

USO Tour Visits Troops

2010-12-18T05:44:00.001-06:00

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USO tour visits with troops at FOB Fenty

Several entertainers, sponsored by the USO, visited service members here Dec. 15....READ MORE
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The United States Army

Training Iraqi Mortar Teams

2010-12-10T06:42:00.001-06:00

Training Iraqi mortar teams a success

Iraqi soldiers assigned to the 6th Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, graduated from mortar training...MORE

The United States Army

Solar-Powered Tent

2010-12-10T06:41:00.001-06:00

" src="http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e1/-images/2010/12/08/94101/size2-army.mil-94101-2010-12-09-061226.jpg">
Army evaluating transportable solar-powered tents

The Army is evaluating a host of flexible, portable, lightweight solar-powered shades and tent-like technologies....READ MORE

The United States Army

Bicycle bombers kill 4 and wound 31

2010-11-20T08:46:00.001-06:00

Bicycle bombers kill 4 and wound 31 in east Afghanistan
Reuters – 1 hr 18 mins ago
AFP iactiv
MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Suicide bombers on bicycles killed four people and wounded 31 in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, the latest attacks to underscore the challenges NATO leaders face as they plan an exit from the war. Full Story »

Slideshow: Afghanistan

The top world news and international headlines - Yahoo! News

2010-11-20T08:45:00.001-06:00

Reuters
NATO aims to end Afghanistan combat role in four years
Reuters – 42 mins ago
LISBON (Reuters) – NATO endorsed a plan on Saturday to hand control of security in Afghanistan to Afghan forces by the end of 2014 and the alliance's leader said he expected foreign troops to cease combat operations by then.

The top world news and international headlines - Yahoo! News

101 Ways to thank a Veteran

2010-11-13T10:41:00.001-06:00

Friday, November 06, 2009 Posted by Leanne
Tags: 101 Ways, Leanne, Veterans Day

Send a message of support on the "Thank the Troops Message Form" at OurMilitary.mil
Take a Veteran out to eat; whether it is a fast-food chain or a fine-dining establishment. Tell them why you are bringing them out to eat.
Are you a knitter or crocheter? Make a scarf for the cold-winters ahead. Donate them at a local-VFW for a veteran in need or contact Operation Gratitude to see how to donate.
Listen to their stories with interest. If they are a war-veteran they have seen things you will never see. Listen and Learn.
Call and Visit a local nursing home or VA Hospital. Find out what you can do to help. If you quilt make a blanket for a needy veteran. If you bake call and find out if you can bring in something special. Bring a book to read to a veteran "ready and willing" to listen. We all have talents that can be used.
Send an 'E-Card' through the American Legion to the Veterans in your life that use email.
Support a Military Family through Operation Homefront. Watch their website for 'current needs': http://www.operationhomefront.net/currentneeds.aspx
Military-member at the same restaurant as you? Send them a drink or pay for their dessert.
Is there a disabled veteran in your neighborhood? Help with the raking of his leaves or shoveling her driveway.
Do you have a website? Make a page dedicated to our military. Need some help finding content for it?: For your site
Do you bake? Make an Apple Pie or another specialty and bring it over to a neighbor-veteran. Don't forget to grab a box of ice cream to take. Now I'm hungry!
Own a business? Hang a sign and invite all veterans in for something free. A cup of coffee, a flower, a massage. Something you can give from your inventory to show your gratitude.
Do you quilt? Make a blanket for a retiring service-member. It will be a keepsake they treasure.
Employers: Host a special luncheon for all of your veterans. Recognize their service to your company & your country.
Call them. A grandparent, uncle, aunt, mother, father. Take the time to call them, especially if they live far away, and find out how they are doing.
Send a note to your local school to urge the teachers to discuss Veterans Day. Visit Veterans' Day Teacher Resource Guide for some tips.
Did you know November is also Military Family Month? By thanking the family, you thank the Veteran. Family Matters Blog: Nation Celebrates Military Family Month
Nearly 40 percent of our veteran population is 65 or older, give a veteran your phone number and ask them to call if they need help around the house. Make a note to call them this winter to see what they need.
Have your children paint a picture or write a letter. Send it to your grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, any relative that is a Veteran.
Recognize the Veterans in church on the Sunday before or after Veterans Day
Greet them on their special day with a smile and a thank you.
Remember Veterans during other holidays, especially those without family. Send a Thanksgiving card, Christmas card or Valentines card, to either a Vet that you know or through a VA Hospital or VFW.
Teach your children a patriotic song, like America the Beautiful or the Star Spangled Banner. Instill patriotism early.
Employers: Give the veterans in your company a paid afternoon off on Veterans Day.
Offer a Military Discount year round and include veterans. Don't forget a Military Discount equals a free ad on MilitaryAvenue.com. Find out more: Why is a Military Discount Valuable for a Marketing Strategy
Teachers: Invite a Veteran to speak at your school, in a class room or to the entire school.
Walk a mile in their shoes instead of flipping the channel when the news comes on
Pray for them and their families, every day.
Start a Drive: Ask local businesses to participate in a drive for local veterans or deployed service-members.
Know a military family with a deployed member? Take them a treat on Veterans Day as a thank you and ask what you can do to make things easier
Do you scrapbook? Make cards through the organization "Operation Write Home". They send them to the troops so that they troops can write letters home on them
Tell them about local businesses special offers for them on Veterans Day
Clean out your closets and contribute gently used household goods to Vietnam Veterans of America.
Do a random act of kindness for a vet or their family. Remain anonymous.
Say something to them on Facebook, Twitter, etc thanking them for their service
Open up your house on Thanksgiving or another holiday to a few veterans (active-duty or prior-service) that don't have any family in the area. Make it a holiday none of you will forget.
Visit Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Wall, or any of the other War Memorials on your next trip to DC
Call a veteran-friend and get together over dinner or a movie
Volunteer at a VA Medical Center
Help a deployed single-service member by taking care of their pet while they are gone; get involved with a Pet Foster Care program.
Invite a few vets and friends over on Veterans Day and celebrate their service over beer, a football game, movie or game of pool in the basement.
Participate in the 'Thank a Veteran at Work' program from the History Channel.
Did a veteran in your neighborhood just come back from a deployment? Send them a card of 'Thanks'.
Tell your Veterans friends & family about MilitaryAvenue.com. They can find businesses in their area that recognize veterans year round with Military Discounts.
Talk to your children about the pride we have in the Military
Visit your local USO. What do they need? A monetary donation or a gift of your time?
Fly your flag 365 days of the year. Don't forget to lower it when appropriate.
Teachers: Have your kids write short articles of how veterans are honored around the world. And if you know any veterans locally, propose that your kids interview them about what it's like to serve in the U.S. military.
Learn a fact about the particular branch of service your family member has joined
Participate in the 'Veterans History Project'
Are you a military-brat? Talk to your parents about the pride you have in their service
Offer to pick-up their bill (at a restaurant, bowling, ice cream stand, etc)
Hear the National Anthem playing? Stop what you are doing and think about the sacrifices of our US Military.
Wear an American flag on your clothing. It's a small way to say, "I am proud of my country."
Introduce your children to VA Kids, from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Do you scrapbook? Make a Scrapbook a page or a whole book honoring a service-person. Journal about how proud you are. Add the pages to your own family's history.
Have a pot-luck, at church or a banquet hall, for a group of local veterans. Invite the community to participate.
Listen to them. Some just want to share a story from their service
Vote. Don't let them sacrifice for naught. Be a good citizen and do your part to protect the freedoms our service-people have fought and died for.
Dedicate a patriotic song in a veteran's honor on the radio.
Tell your children all about your Veteran-grandparents. What made them special and what they did as a Veteran. Pass on a legacy.
Spot a DoD sticker on a car in the parking lot? Leave a note of Thanks.
Pass out small flags around your neighborhood in honor of Veterans Day.
Support the children of deployed National Guard and Reserve soldiers. Fund raise or contribute to 'Our Military Kids'
Give them a big smile as you walk by, sometimes that is all that is needed.
If you see a veteran with an old flag on their pole leave them a new one, with a note of thanks for their service.
Do you have a veteran as an employee? Give them an extra time on break and a public Thank You on Veterans Day
Visit a veteran's grave. Even if you simply stand there for a moment of quiet reflection, you're honoring their service--and you're rededicating yourself to the freedoms we enjoy as a citizen of this country.
Find out which businesses in your community truly support veterans and the troops; become their customer.
Teachers: Teach your children about the history of Veterans Day by having them create a time line of events leading to the observance of the holiday.

Do you know the mom or dad of a veteran? Thank them for raising one of America's Heroes.

Go to your local VFW ask if you can make a donation, either by money or donation of your time. If you have a family member that serves in the armed forces you could make a donation in there honor.
Teachers: Take the time to write letters to veterans thanking them for their service. A great opportunity to talk about citizenship (& practice their handwriting). Call your local USO, VFW, or VA Medical Center to have them delivered to.
In the market to hire? Seriously consider a Veteran. http://www.dol.gov/vets/
Meditate on these words: "O Lord God of hosts, stretch forth, we pray, your almighty army to strengthen and protect the Soldiers of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of rest and training keep them safe from all evil. Endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" - From the Book of Worship for United States Forces
Proudly display a "I support the troops" magnet on the bumper of your car
Know a veteran that will be flying soon? Give them your upgrade coupon for their next flight.
Order a shnazzy t-shirt or perhaps a tie that shows your thankfulness. Have one sent to a veteran in your family.
Take the time to read 101 Ways to Say Thank you to a Military Spouse. Thanking the Spouse is a Thank You to the Veteran.
During a family reunion recognize the veterans in your family. A special toast or a big family "Thank you!"
Find out how you can help with a Community Service Project through your local VFW.
Organize a group (boys scouts, girl scouts, classroom) to write letters to veterans. Bring the letters & cards to a local nursing home to be delivered to their vets.
Support our troops this holiday season via 'Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes' program. Find out more here.
Read some of the veterans' stories at DAV Charitable Service Trust. This is just a small sample of the sacrifices our service-members have made for us throughout the generations.
Is it still warm where you live? Treat a veteran to a round of golf on Veterans Day or the weekend before or after.
Attend a local parade or ceremony on Veterans Day
Make a tax-deductible donation to 'Books For Soldiers'. They send books and other care-packages to our deployed service-members.
Help a veteran with projects around his or her house. Patching a leaky roof, moving heavy rocks or rearranging the living room furniture is easier for the 20-somethings than a 60-somethings.
Make a lunch date: Take your veteran-colleague out for lunch.
Learn to say Thank You in sign-language. The Gratitude Campaign.
Take pride in our history, in times of war and peace. Do you know the history of Veterans Day?
Ask your company to put a flag out. Offer to help with raising & lowering the flag, it's not beneath you.
Offer to take a veterans dog for a walk. Invite them to come along with you if they can.
Know a veteran's hobby? Send them a subscription to a related magazine.
Offer to babysit for a veteran-military family. Let the husband and wife get out together on Veterans Day or over the weekend. Perhaps it will be a great opportunity for them to reconnect after a deployment.
Contribute your time, talent or money to Fisher House™ Foundation, "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers.
Get involved and send a service-person a care package. Go to http://www.soldiersangels.org/ for a list of organizations with projects to support servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
Donate your airline mileage to the Hero Miles program.
Business Owners: What kind of Veterans Day special are you having for your Veterans? Is it from the heart?
If you meet a veteran on this Veteran's Day, or any day, just say thanks. They served you, and this nation, well.
To truly honor our veterans make the best of the opportunity the sacrifices of our fighting men and women have provided. Love your country with passion, and do what you can to make it a better place.
On this Veterans Day the MilitaryAvenue Team would like to wish all of our veterans a very Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for serving your country with pride.

'Our Letters to You' - Military Blog on MilitaryAvenue.com: 101 Ways to thank a Veteran

The United States Army

2010-11-05T23:30:00.001-05:00

Casualty Notification Officers provide vital care, support to families of the fallen

"I was sitting at home at 11:30 at night when I noticed a car's lights coming down my...MORE

The United States Army

2010-11-05T23:29:00.001-05:00

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Indian, U.S. Soldiers share airborne techniques

Soldiers of U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army combined a diversity of procedures, techniques and cultures to conduct basic airborne refresher training Nov. 2-3 as part of Yudh Abhyas 2010. ...READ MORE

The United States Army

2010-11-04T09:34:00.001-05:00

New equipment helps troops locate insurgents

Troopers from 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division...MORE

The United States Army

2010-10-22T10:12:00.001-05:00

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SecDef changes discharge authority for 'Don't Ask' law

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has directed that any discharges under the law be made by the service secretaries in consultation with the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness and the defense general counsel....READ MORE
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Army sees potential in adaptive battlefield network

Maneuvering through thick woods, in rugged terrain or in urban confines, soldiers risk losing radio...MORE
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MPs take to 'field' in confinement facility

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Day four of the 2010 Best Warrior Competition

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Petraeus cites 'hard-won' progress in Afghanistan

2010-10-14T23:13:00.001-05:00

Petraeus cites 'hard-won' progress in Afghanistan

Oct 13, 2010
By Petty Officer 1st Class Liz Murray
Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

Photo credit Chief Petty Officer Joshua Treadwell

Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of NATO and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, attends a shura with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry in the Kandahar Province, Regional Command South, Oct. 09. ISAF is a key component of the international community’s engagement in Afghanistan, assisting Afghan authorities in providing security and stability while creating the conditions for reconstruction development.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2010 - Though hard-won progress has taken place in Afghanistan, it has been uneven, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces there said.
In an Oct. 6 interview with Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Liz Murray of American Forces Network Afghanistan in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus praised servicemembers in Afghanistan, noting that they have seen tough combat, but also are seeing results.
Overall, Petraeus said, a reversal in Taliban momentum has taken place. "In certain very important areas such as Kandahar, the enemy is responding to us rather than us responding to the enemy," he said. "There are attacks, but we are the ones on the offensive, they are the ones responding."
Progress is coming in pockets, the general said, and the goal is to connect those pockets over time. "Then with the security in place, we've got to develop the economy [and] develop governance," he added.
It is important for the Afghan government to provide basic services so its people see the future is brighter if they support the Afghan government rather than revert to support of the Taliban, Petraeus explained.
The bottom line is that for a counterinsurgency program to work, servicemembers have to relate to the people, the general said. "There's an old saying that 'all politics are local.' Well, so are all counterinsurgency operations," Petraeus said. "It comes down to that village, that valley, that community."
This requires servicemembers and civilians to get out and meet the people face to face -- to invest the time to know the elders and the technocrats of the area, the local government leaders, the religious leaders and the businessmen, Petraeus said, and to fully understand the dynamics of local communities and resist rushing to judgment.
"We have to be careful how we develop the relationships," he added, "and more importantly, how we reward individuals and communities."
An important aspect of this outreach to local communities is the Afghan local police initiative, Petraeus said. Sixty-eight sites for that effort have been approved, and about eight to 10 per month will be added. The sites are in locations where there are insufficient densities of Afghan and coalition forces. "They are essentially community watches with AK-47s," he said. "We think these will complement our operations in other areas."
Special operations forces have been working with community leaders to train these local police forces to defend their villages from the Taliban, the general said, and the rapport they have established in the villages has been tremendously important to the effort in Afghanistan. "In some cases, they have 'flipped' communities who once even actively supported the Taliban," he said.
Noting that the strategy is in place and the last of the U.S. surge troops have arrived in Afghanistan, Petraeus said security gains have been made and he gave his frank assessment of the gains in various areas.
Regional Command Southwest has seen continued progress in security, but it has been at a cost. "The enemy is very much fighting back, because we've taken control of sanctuaries and safe havens that mean a great deal to him," he said. "In Marja, for example, which eight months ago was the center for the illegal narcotics industry and a Taliban command and control headquarters, now you see a high school opening for the first time in six years."
Other schools have opened, and men are volunteering to serve in the police for the first time, Petraeus said. The security gains, he added, have made it possible for gradual improvements in governance and development.
"It's the same in varying degrees ... in the other districts of central Helmand province," Petraeus said.
Further east in Kandahar, major operations are going on inside and outside the city. The battle in the Panjwai area illustrates an increasingly important aspect of the fight, Petraeus said. In Panjwai, the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team and the Canadian task force have been joined by substantial numbers of Afghan soldiers and police.
The Taliban see the area as a safe haven and have laced it with explosive belts, dug-in positions and mined houses rigged to blow up. The Afghans are working well with the coalition forces and are helping to "establish a security bubble around Kandahar City and again take away areas of importance to the Taliban," the general said.
From Kandahar, coalition and Afghan forces are working along Highway 1 -- the major road between Kandahar and Kabul -- and going after various pockets there. "They have done substantial damage to the infiltrators of the Haqqani network that come in from North Waziristan in Pakistan, and done considerable damage to the mid-level Taliban fighters and leaders in the southern areas as well," Petraeus said.
As the national capital, Kabul is a security high-point. The area has roughly 5 million people, and it's been quite secure and stable in recent months, the general said. The enemy has been trying to launch attacks in the capital but, so far, Afghan intelligence and Afghan forces working with International Security Assistance Force servicemembers have been able to disrupt and defeat these efforts. "This is important ... because Afghan forces are in the lead in security in all but one district in Kabul," Petraeus said. "It's an example of what we'd like to do in more places in the future."
In the northern part of the country, German forces, along with a brigade of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, are beginning operations to reduce insurgent influence. The same is happening in Regional Command West, Petraeus said.
The general said the U.S. troops are the most experienced and professional military America has ever had.
"Virtually all of our commissioned, warrant and noncommissioned officers on the ground now have had at least one tour in Iraq or Afghanistan, and many have had multiple year-long tours," he said. "There's an enormous reservoir of experience and expertise. I see enormous versatility, initiative, innovation, just sheer understanding or the complexities of these operations, and also extraordinary courage."

88 Become US Citizens

2010-10-10T07:29:00.001-05:00

88 servicemembers become U.S. citizens in combat zone

Oct 6, 2010
By Spc. Edward A. Garibay, 16th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Eighty-eight Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from 37 different countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony Oct. 1 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.
The naturalization candidates are natives of countries such as Afghanistan, China, Haiti, and Mexico, and all currently serve in the U.S. military.
Becoming a naturalized citizen is a way for people who were not born in the U.S. to become citizens. Naturalized citizens swear by oath "to renounce their allegiance to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty and vow to protect and defend the United States of America."
The remarkable thing is that this oath is not much different from the oath these servicemembers have already sworn when they joined the military, said Chris Bentley, press secretary for U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services.
"I think (the similarity in the oaths) makes the ceremony even more special for members of the military," Bentley said.
He said what made this naturalization ceremony so special is that it was held in an active combat zone for servicemembers who have been fighting for freedoms and liberties they had not even secured for themselves.
One of the recently naturalized citizens at the ceremony was Pfc. Liliana D. Sanchez, a Dominican Republic native and Afghan Air Force mentor for Headquarters and Support Battery, 117th Field Artillery Regiment.
"It fills you with pride because you're already serving your country, so it's that much more exciting when you become a citizen," she said.
Normally, immigrants need to be permanent residents for five years before they can apply for naturalization, but this is not the case for servicemembers. In 2003, former President George W. Bush signed an executive order stating that U.S. military servicemembers only need to serve one day of active duty time before they can file for citizenship.
"For some of these servicemembers (becoming naturalized) is a lifelong dream," said Bentley. "Other than a birth of a child or maybe marriage, it's the most important day in their lives. It's the day they become a United States citizen."
"It feels great," said Sanchez. "I'm officially a part of America."

Headquarters IMCOM moves to San Antonio

2010-10-07T18:46:00.001-05:00

Headquarters IMCOM moves to San Antonio

Oct 6, 2010
By IMCOM Public Affairs

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Oct. 5, 2010) -- The U.S. Army Installation Management Command Headquarters officially transferred from Arlington, Va., to San Antonio during the public uncasing of its unit colors Tuesday at its temporary location.
The relocating of IMCOM to San Antonio includes the transfer or creation of 1,500 jobs to San Antonio's economy. The uncasing ceremony symbolically marks the command's permanent presence here and establishes San Antonio as the new base of operations for the Army's Installation Management community.
It also represents the final movement and relocation of the headquarters, which also includes the U.S. Army Environmental Command and the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, both subordinate commands of IMCOM. The transfer of the headquarters was directed by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure law.
"We're honored to be a part of this great city, its military spirit, its multiculturalism, and proud heritage," said Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commanding general of IMCOM. "I can't express how happy we are to be a part of Military City USA."
Lynch said he views this move as one way the Army can realize cost savings, enhance operational efficiency and reduce the duplication of installation services. He said he believes the transfer is good for the Army, the country and San Antonio.
IMCOM's mission is to provide installation capabilities and services in support of Army operations, providing a high quality of life for Soldiers, their families and Army civilians. IMCOM oversees all facets of managing Army installations around the world, including maintenance of the roads, grounds, logistics, public works, security forces, emergency services and everything that makes Army installations self-contained towns.
IMCOM temporarily occupies a leased building until completion of a new headquarters on Joint Base San Antonio (formerly Fort Sam Houston) in July 2011. The contract to build the state-of-the-art headquarters is about $390 million.
"We join the city of San Antonio in celebrating this historic moment," said Lynch. "With this uncasing ceremony, we honor our own men and women who dedicate themselves to protecting America and supporting installation capabilities and services to support the Army family in a time of persistent conflict. Their commitment to serve our nation's military is a testament to their courage, their duty to country, and the strength of the nation."

Headquarters IMCOM moves to San Antonio

AMC commander visits Iraq & Afghanistan

2010-10-05T11:19:00.001-05:00

AMC commander visits Iraq, Afghanistan, inspects progress

Oct 4, 2010
BySgt. Jessica Rohr

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Oct. 4, 2010) -- The commanding general of Army Materiel Command and the assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, visited Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Sept. 26 to get an inside perspective of the logistical situation in the field, first-hand.
AMC commander Gen. Ann Dunwoody and Assistant Secretary Malcolm O’Neill also visited Camp Taji while in Iraq and a few days later they visited Afghanistan.
"We are here to connect the industrial base to the foxhole,” said Dunwoody during her speech at a key leader’s luncheon in Balad. “This way we are getting the feedback directly from servicemembers on the ground. This is where to be to hear the truth straight from the field."
Dunwoody and O’Neill gave their guidance and vision for sustainment in Iraq during the final 14 months ahead, said Maj. Rachel Humphrey, ordnance branch chief with the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
“It was an honor to meet the senior logistician in the Army,” Humphrey said. “It's important for the Army's senior leadership to get on the ground here and see for themselves what the current issues and concerns are as we move from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn.”
After the luncheon in their honor, O’Neill and Dunwoody stopped for briefings with the 103rd ESC and the 36th Engineer Brigade, to receive an overview of their logistical stability. Much of the discussion was focused on what the AMC can do to help facilitate the mission for Soldiers on ground.
“General Dunwoody is truly committed to assisting deployed units with all of our unique materiel requirements,” said Col. Kent Savre, commander of the 36th Engineer Brigade. “As engineers, we have specialized route clearance and construction equipment that has evolved through the last eight years to counter the improvised explosive device threat. The Army Materiel Command's assistance with the fielding of new technologies, in theater maintenance support and home station servicing of left-behind equipment, is critical to our successful mission accomplishment.”
A tour of the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade’s platforms at JBB followed meetings with 103rd ESC and 36th EB. The guests were taken through the Assured Mobility Systems Route Clearance Regional Support Center, Stryker Regional Support Area, Life Cycle Extension for the Rough Terrain Container Handler, and the RG-33 independent suspension system upgrade under the Joint Program Office MRAP. Each platform provides maintenance support for their assigned military vehicles.
O’Neill and Dunwoody took a look at how the 402nd AFSB managed the drawdown of equipment while sustaining the war fighters.
Their visit ended with a goodbye greeting by Air Force Maj. Gen. Craig A. Franklin, commander of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing.
“First, I would like to say how proud I am of the Acquisition, Logistics and Technology community … for getting us to this opportunity for New Dawn,” said Dunwoody. “There has been a huge undertaking that has been below the radar to get to where we are, down to 50,000, and retrograding millions of pieces of equipment out of this theater responsibly so we can reset it and prepare for the next ten to 15 years.”

World View Links

2010-10-01T06:20:00.001-05:00

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NATO raid 'kills Pakistan troops' (BBC)
Pakistan blocks NATO supply route to Afghanistan (The Guardian)
U.S. and China resume military ties (BBC)
Russia 'set to supply U.S. airbase' (London Daily Telegraph)
Book review : U.S. ghost army enters Pakistan (Sun Daily)
Afghan opium production 'halved' (BBC)

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Rail Gunners

2010-10-01T06:17:00.001-05:00

Rail Gunners wrap up 3 weeks of training

Soldiers with Battery A, 26th Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Fires Brigade, conducts UH-60 Black Hawk familiarization training for future casualty evacuation training missions during the Table XV battery level certification field exercise here Sept. 23. The training allowed the Soldiers to get hands on experience with loading the UH-60s with patients and litters before conducting medical evacuations.

Sep 28, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Kyle Richardson, 41st Fires Brigade, PAO
FORT HOOD, Texas - The 41st Fires Brigade completes its Table XV field training exercise after three weeks of training and evaluations throughout various training areas spanning from North Fort Hood to the far ends of main post.
The Table XV is an artillery table evaluation of the batteries within a brigade. From Sept. 13 - 28, 2010, the Soldiers within the Rail Gunners brigade trained on tasks covering the unit's mission essential tasks list.
"Table XV is part of a gate training strategy that is aimed at battery level qualifications," said Col. J. T. Thomson, Tyler, Texas native, brigade commander for the 41st Fires Brigade. "It is an external evaluation where batteries go through a 96-hour evaluation."
The first task occurred in the breaking hours of the morning when the unit received the alert to grab their gear, prepare to load up in the motor pool, and move out to their initial firing positions, said Thomson.
From that point, the unit continued to cycle through the rest of its METL tasks including: operating in an NBC environment, defending against small arms threats, reacting to indirect fire, the command and control element, and the delivery of fires.
"Every event comes with sub tasks," said Thomson. "Fires is more than just rocket and missile fire. It's all about being able to move your platoons and batteries on the battle field, then communicate digitally and in voice. The bottom line is to put accurate, timely and decisive fires down range."
The 41st Fires Brigade is one of six fires brigades in the Army. Every fires brigade goes through a series of certifications making multiple assessments at various levels.
"As we move forward, we're going through a period of training cycles," said Capt. Christopher Burton, Bismarck, Ark. native, battery commander for Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Fires Brigade. "We've trained and trained over several quarters. Now, we're at a phase where we have to test those systems and validate the training we've conducted as a fires brigade so we can prepare to deploy as a fires brigade for whatever future missions may come our way."
The 41st Fires Bde. has two battalions, the 1st Bn., 21st Field Artillery Regt. and the 2nd Bn., 20th Field Artillery Regt., along with three batteries per battalion, A, B and C, two forward support companies, 67th FSC and 575th FSC, a network signal company; the 324th NSC, and a brigade support battalion; the 589th BSB with three additional companies.
As the days went by, Soldiers battled with weather of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, to rainy, then down into the 50s, but the Soldiers continued to train.
"The days out here are usually long and hot, but pouting about things won't make anything any better," said Pvt. Melissa Gomes-Rodriguez, Boston native, survey and meteorological crew member, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 41st Fires Brigade. "I've received some valuable training out here that I think will help me through the rest of my time in the Army."
By the end of the Table XV training the 41st Fires Bde. was mission certified.
"This was a much needed exercise. It's been about two and a half years since the entire brigade has been out doing its core competencies of delivering and integrating fires," said Thomson. "I'm very pleased with progress. Training is a journey, not a destination. It's not an end state, there's always room for improvement."

Senate passes compromise vets bill

2010-09-29T13:55:00.002-05:00

Senate passes compromise vets bill
With just days before Congress takes a six-week break for the November elections, the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees have reached agreement on an omnibus bill making improvements in employment, job protection, housing, insurance and other benefits.
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Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Army lays hero to rest in Arlington

2010-09-27T07:01:00.001-05:00

Sep 23, 2010
By Matthew Hickman (OCPA, ARNews)

Photo credit Army Courtesy Photo
1st Lt. Vernon Baker was presented the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in 1997 for displaying extraordinary valor in WWII after he destroyed several German machine-gun nests, exposed himself to direct fire, facilitating an evacuation, and volunteered to lead a platoon through a minefield all while serving in Italy.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 23, 2010) -- The only living African-American Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor for action during World War II is scheduled to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery Sept. 24.
1st Lt. Vernon Baker, who was awarded the U.S. Army's highest decoration in 1997, died in July after a long battle with brain cancer. He was 90 years old.
On April 5, 1945, Baker's 25-man unit was tasked with capturing a critical Nazi stronghold in the mountainous terrain of Viareggio, Italy. The Germans had created a perimeter across Italy called the Gothic Line, establishing a main post along that line at the ancient Castle Aghinolfi.
The castle was a crucial observation point that allowed the Germans to remain hidden while using precise artillery to annihilate American troops, said Ken Olson, a journalist and author who stayed close with Baker up to his death.
When Baker and his unit approached the castle they were quickly pinned down with enemy fire. He crawled to the nearest machine-gun emplacement and destroyed it, killing three Nazi soldiers in the process. Baker continued forward and eradicated an enemy observation post, killing two more German soldiers.
"It was a job to do, it was my job, that's what I was there for," Baker said when asked how he summoned the courage.
Baker enlisted the help of a battle buddy and attacked two more machine-gun nests, exterminating four enemy troops. Still, the Nazis were relentless, killing 18 American Soldiers. There were injuries that needed tending, but German firepower was preventing an organized withdraw.
"We were stuck, and they knew it, and they cut us to pieces while we were stuck," Baker said. "Machine guns, mortars, artillery - whatever they had they threw it at us."
Baker exposed himself, taking an uncovered position to enable the evacuation. He drew the enemy's fire, putting his life in danger, and the remaining American Soldiers made it back to camp.
Baker's actions severely weakened the German's defense, and the next day he was asked to lead a platoon back to Castle Aghinolfi to finish what was started earlier. He successfully navigated the American Soldiers through an enemy minefield and heavy fire until completing the unit's objective.
Baker's fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the armed forces, according to his Medal of Honor citation.
When Baker received his medal, he remained humble, and like every Soldier to receive the commendation, credited the American troops that stood by his side.
"The only thing that I can say to those who are not here with me is, 'Thank you, fellas, well done,'" he said. "And I will always remember you."
Baker served in the Army for 28 years. He moved to Idaho after his wife's death in 1986. Baker remarried, and lived out the rest of his life hunting elk in the northern part of the state.
Baker was the most highly decorated African-American Soldier in the Mediterranean Theater with the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Italian Cross of Valor of War and the Polish Cross of Valor.

Army lays hero to rest in Arlington

'Atlantic Strike'

2010-09-26T08:06:00.001-05:00

'Atlantic Strike' builds trust between services

Sep 23, 2010
By Casey E. Bain

Photo credit Casey Bain
Soldiers and Marines disembark a helicopter and work together to provide close air support for maneuver forces during exercise Atlantic Strike.
AVON PARK, Fla. (Army News Service, Sept. 23, 2010) -- Soldiers, along with troops from other services, and military members from Canada and Slovenia, trained together to improve their close-air-support skills during the recent Atlantic Strike 10-02 exercise.
Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, participated in the exercise, led by the Air Force's Air Combat Command and U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team at the Avon Park Air Ground Training Complex.
"The experience we gain by integrating our JFOs with this joint and coalition training audience will pay dividends on the battlefield where it matters most," said Army Maj. Nathaniel Edwards, a fires support officer with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.
The Atlantic Strike 10-02 exercise trained warfighters to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess both fixed and moving ground targets.
"Atlantic Strike is the quintessential air-to-ground training exercise that provides joint terminal attack controllers, Army joint fires observers, and aircrews with the skills they need to effectively work together to achieve both lethal and non-lethal effects on the battlefield," said Marine Corps Maj. Jabari Reneau, JFIIT's Atlantic Strike exercise director. "This training will ultimately improve our combat effectiveness while reducing the potential of fratricide and collateral damage during combat operations."
Exercise planners hope the experience will help foster trust, increase confidence and build vital relationships between key members of air-to-ground teams, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David L. Goldfein, director of Air and Space Operations for Air Combat Command.
"Important relationships are being forged here, just like they must be on the battlefield, when you can look your comrade in the eye and know you can count on each other," he said. "That's what Atlantic Strike provides our warfighters."
More than 240 participants, CAS subject matter experts, observers, and support personnel participated in the combined and joint exercise.
"Atlantic Strike gave us an excellent opportunity to work with the U.S. military and other partners," said Canadian Forces Capt. Jonathan Cober, an instructor with the CF Forward Air Control Cell. "Our primary purpose at this exercise was the opportunity to look at the digital CAS technologies used here and to practice key air-to-ground linkages with some of our most important partners."
An added advantage of Atlantic Strike was its ability to focus on the training audience's needs, according to senior leaders at the exercise.
"One of the strengths of Atlantic Strike is that it is scalable and still able to focus on specific training objectives," Goldfein said. "We're 100 percent focused and committed to the current fight as we keep an eye on the next threat. We know to accomplish that task we must be good joint partners, and this exercise is an example of that commitment."
The exercise improved joint air-to-ground training of Air Force and Marine Corps JTACs, Army JFO teams, the Air Support Operations Center, and aircrew by incorporating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets along with real-time, full-motion video to replicate a realistic and stressful combat environment similar to operations in Afghanistan.
"Our primary goal was to get as many controls of live CAS aircraft as we could," said Senior Airman Benjamin Schmidt from Detachment 2, 1st Air Support Operations Squadron. "Atlantic Strike gave us the opportunity to work with a variety of aircraft and the entire air-to-ground kill chain just like we will in combat. This is as about as real-world as it gets for us, and it will ultimately help us perform our mission downrange."
During Atlantic Strike, JTACs and JFOs trained on critical CAS tactics, techniques, and procedures during several near-real-world scenarios, including convoy operations, cordon and search, counter-sniper, counter-ambush, and counter-improvised explosive device operations in both day and night conditions.
"One of our key challenges is to figure out how we can conduct sustainment training to maintain the certification of our Army JFOs," Edwards added. "Atlantic Strike offers a superb, realistic, live-training venue where we can provide our JFOs with the experience they need to hone their skills, keep them up-to-date on current CAS TTP, and have them better prepared to support the maneuver force during stressful combat conditions."
To enhance training, the exercise leveraged several air platforms and capabilities. That included the Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress and F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Marine Corps' UH-1 Iroquois and AH-1 Cobra helicopters, and a surrogate unmanned aircraft system.
"One of our goals was to provide the training audience with a variety of air assets much like they will see in theater," Reneau said. "We owe them the best training experience before they deploy, and we believe Atlantic Strike is an important part of their go-to-war training."
Atlantic Strike enhanced the training experience by using video downlink technology. Using equipment like the Remotely Operated Video Enhancement Receiver and VideoScout enabled JTACs and JFOs to view near-real-time video from airborne sensors.
"The value of this exercise is that it allows our personnel to look at new TTPs, technologies, and best practices from theater to be better prepared when called upon," Goldfein said. "We've got to stay one step ahead of the enemy, and Atlantic Strike helps us to do exactly that."
(Casey E. Bain writes for JFIIT, USJFCOM)

'Atlantic Strike' builds trust between services

New Commander 1/26th Infantry

2010-09-25T08:30:00.001-05:00

Blue Spaders welcome new commander to 3-1

Photo by Ben Navratil
THE NEW COMMANDER OF 1ST BATTALION, 26th Infantry Division, Lt. Col. Jesse Pearson, spoke to his troops.
By SGT. JOHN ZUMER
3/1 Brigade Combat Team, PAO
Blue skies, music, delightful weather, and hundreds of Soldiers represent an ideal recipe for military events staged for spectators and participants.
Those ingredients were in abundance Friday, and they made for a fitting change of command ceremony as the 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Knox, welcomed a new battalion commander.
Lt. Col. Jesse Pearson assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, also known as the “Blue Spaders,” from Lt. Col. Brock Jones at a Fort Knox ceremony on Brooks Field.
The significance of it all wasn’t lost on Col. Chris Toner, the 3/1 commander, who made welcoming comments and thanked Lt. Col. Jones for his strong leadership of the 1-26. More importantly, he noted what Lt. Col. Jones left behind, especially with a Duke Brigade deployment to Afghanistan looming.
The “Blue Spaders will aggressively take the fight to the enemy,” said Col. Toner, adding that Lt. Col. Jones, along with the help of his company commanders and junior leaders, played pivotal roles over the last year. They helped to stand-up the battalion during the transition from Fort Hood, Texas, to Fort Knox, and have led the charge with 12 months of detailed and intense training, Col. Toner said.
Such training included marksmanship, situational training exercises, cultural training to prepare for an Afghanistan deployment, family readiness group activities, and the fielding of large amounts of equipment.
Much of the success that 1-26 recently enjoyed at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., was also attributable to the passion, leadership, and professionalism of Lt. Col. Jones, said Col. Toner.
“I’m so very proud of you and what you represent,” he said.
Lt. Col. Jones, who is heading to the Pentagon to work in the counter-terrorism office, was appreciative, but quick to assign credit elsewhere.
The Blue Spaders represented “The epitome of professional Soldiers and warriors,” he said, noting that much of his success was due to the support of family members who helped keep the morale of their Soldiers up. Lt. Col. Jones also thanked the Blue Spader Association, a veterans group of former 1-26 Soldiers, for their legacy that served as inspiration to his men.
Lt. Col. Pearson’s last assignment prior to assuming command of 1-26 was at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., where he served as the Brigade S-3 observer controller on the Brigade C2 Team. He received his commission in 1993 after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
While Lt. Col. Pearson is mindful of the storied 1-26 history, the future is of paramount importance in more ways than one, he said.
“I look forward to our service together,” he said to his new Blue Spader Soldiers, but the message was equally appropriate for a special guest in the audience.
Lt. Col. Pearson remarked to his fiancé, Reenia Worthan, “Thanks for sharing the adventure and your life with me.”
After the ceremony, he said “It’s the greatest honor of my life to have been selected to command these amazing Soldiers,” noting that the battalion he inherits is fully trained to accomplish any mission on its upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.
“We just feel blessed to be here today,” he added.
The importance of the occasion wasn’t lost on retired Lt. Gen. John Brown III either, who serves as the honorary colonel of the regiment. He journeyed from his northern Virginia home to attend the ceremony. He credited his service in the 1-26 at the beginning of his 39-year military career for much of the success that followed.
“If you can’t get excited about the men standing out there on the field, you need your blood pressure tested,” he said.

The Turret News, Sports, Entertainment and information for Ft. Knox and Hardin County, Kentucky

MEDEVAC TODAY

2010-09-25T00:06:00.001-05:00

Marjah MEDEVAC

Earlier today near Marjah, Afghanistan.

U.S. Army flight medic SGT Tyrone Jordan of Charlotte, NC attached to Dustoff Task Force Shadow of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade surveys the area for a wounded Marine after jumping out of a MEDEVAC helicopter September 24, 2010 near Marja, Afghanistan. Two Marines were wounded at the location by an improvised explosive device (IED). Task Force Shadow is responsible for evacuating wounded Afghani and Coalition forces as well as local nationals throughout southern Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images.

U.S. Army flight medic SGT Tyrone Jordan of Charlotte, NC attached to Dustoff Task Force Shadow of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade carries Marine LCpl. David Hawkins of Parker, CO to a MEDEVAC helicopter after he was wounded by a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) September 24, 2010 near Marja, Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images.

A U.S. Marine comforts a fellow Marine before he lifts off in a MEDEVAC helicopter September 24, 2010 near Marja, Afghanistan. The Marine was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol. Photo: Getty Images.

SGT Derek Williams (L) and SGT Daniel Schluter of the 31st Combat Support Hospital help to remove a wounded Marine from a MEDEVAC helicopter at Camp Dwyer September 24, 2010 near Marja, Afghanistan. The Marine was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol. The 31st CSH is responsible for treating wounded Afghani and Coalition forces as well as local nationals in the Marja region of Helmand, Province in southern Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images.
Posted by MaryAnn

General's Funeral

2010-09-24T22:37:00.001-05:00

General's funeral: Cannonfire, low-flying Blackhawks

12:06 PM, Sep 23, 2010 |
7 Comments

Three Blackhawk helicopters like this one will participate in a flyover Saturday to celebrate the passing of a major general. / Rob Goebel / Indianapolis Star

Written by Tom Spalding

A thunderous artillery salute and military flyover in the Northeastside-Fishers area on Saturday will celebrate the passing of a decorated general.
But be warned if you are in the area of Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, a cemetery in the 9700 block of Allisonville Road.
Major General Alfred Ahner's funeral will be marked by 13 blank volleys from howitzer cannons and a 21-rifle salute sometime between 11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. which may cause concern to the residents in the neighborhoods and passersby.
There will also be a low-altitude -- 300 feet -- flyover of three UH 60 Blackhawk Helicopters, in formation.
It's all to honor Ahner, 88, Indianapolis, who died Tuesday. Among a half-century of accomplishments included the post-World War II dismantling of the Nazi regime in Austria.
On U.S. soil, he served as Indiana's Adjutant General for a combined total of 15 years, for four governors.

General's funeral: Cannonfire, low-flying Blackhawks | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

Atlantic Strike

2010-09-24T08:09:00.002-05:00

'Atlantic Strike' builds trust between services
Sep 23, 2010
By Casey E. Bain

Photo credit Casey Bain
Soldiers and Marines disembark a helicopter and work together to provide close air support for maneuver forces during exercise Atlantic Strike.
AVON PARK, Fla. (Army News Service, Sept. 23, 2010) -- Soldiers, along with troops from other services, and military members from Canada and Slovenia, trained together to improve their close-air-support skills during the recent Atlantic Strike 10-02 exercise.
Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, participated in the exercise, led by the Air Force's Air Combat Command and U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team at the Avon Park Air Ground Training Complex.
"The experience we gain by integrating our JFOs with this joint and coalition training audience will pay dividends on the battlefield where it matters most," said Army Maj. Nathaniel Edwards, a fires support officer with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.
The Atlantic Strike 10-02 exercise trained warfighters to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess both fixed and moving ground targets.
"Atlantic Strike is the quintessential air-to-ground training exercise that provides joint terminal attack controllers, Army joint fires observers, and aircrews with the skills they need to effectively work together to achieve both lethal and non-lethal effects on the battlefield," said Marine Corps Maj. Jabari Reneau, JFIIT's Atlantic Strike exercise director. "This training will ultimately improve our combat effectiveness while reducing the potential of fratricide and collateral damage during combat operations."
Exercise planners hope the experience will help foster trust, increase confidence and build vital relationships between key members of air-to-ground teams, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David L. Goldfein, director of Air and Space Operations for Air Combat Command.
"Important relationships are being forged here, just like they must be on the battlefield, when you can look your comrade in the eye and know you can count on each other," he said. "That's what Atlantic Strike provides our warfighters."
More than 240 participants, CAS subject matter experts, observers, and support personnel participated in the combined and joint exercise.
"Atlantic Strike gave us an excellent opportunity to work with the U.S. military and other partners," said Canadian Forces Capt. Jonathan Cober, an instructor with the CF Forward Air Control Cell. "Our primary purpose at this exercise was the opportunity to look at the digital CAS technologies used here and to practice key air-to-ground linkages with some of our most important partners."
An added advantage of Atlantic Strike was its ability to focus on the training audience's needs, according to senior leaders at the exercise.
"One of the strengths of Atlantic Strike is that it is scalable and still able to focus on specific training objectives," Goldfein said. "We're 100 percent focused and committed to the current fight as we keep an eye on the next threat. We know to accomplish that task we must be good joint partners, and this exercise is an example of that commitment."
The exercise improved joint air-to-ground training of Air Force and Marine Corps JTACs, Army JFO teams, the Air Support Operations Center, and aircrew by incorporating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets along with real-time, full-motion video to replicate a realistic and stressful combat environment similar to operations in Afghanistan.
"Our primary goal was to get as many controls of live CAS aircraft as we could," said Senior Airman Benjamin Schmidt from Detachment 2, 1st Air Support Operations Squadron. "Atlantic Strike gave us the opportunity to work with a variety of aircraft and the entire air-to-ground kill chain just like we will in combat. This is as about as real-world as it gets for us, and it will ultimately help us perform our mission downrange."
During Atlantic Strike, JTACs and JFOs trained on critical CAS tactics, techniques, and procedures during several near-real-world scenarios, including convoy operations, cordon and search, counter-sniper, counter-ambush, and counter-improvised explosive device operations in both day and night conditions.
"One of our key challenges is to figure out how we can conduct sustainment training to maintain the certification of our Army JFOs," Edwards added. "Atlantic Strike offers a superb, realistic, live-training venue where we can provide our JFOs with the experience they need to hone their skills, keep them up-to-date on current CAS TTP, and have them better prepared to support the maneuver force during stressful combat conditions."
To enhance training, the exercise leveraged several air platforms and capabilities. That included the Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress and F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Marine Corps' UH-1 Iroquois and AH-1 Cobra helicopters, and a surrogate unmanned aircraft system.
"One of our goals was to provide the training audience with a variety of air assets much like they will see in theater," Reneau said. "We owe them the best training experience before they deploy, and we believe Atlantic Strike is an important part of their go-to-war training."
Atlantic Strike enhanced the training experience by using video downlink technology. Using equipment like the Remotely Operated Video Enhancement Receiver and VideoScout enabled JTACs and JFOs to view near-real-time video from airborne sensors.
"The value of this exercise is that it allows our personnel to look at new TTPs, technologies, and best practices from theater to be better prepared when called upon," Goldfein said. "We've got to stay one step ahead of the enemy, and Atlantic Strike helps us to do exactly that."
(Casey E. Bain writes for JFIIT, USJFCOM)

'Atlantic Strike' builds trust between services

U.S. Army Racing

2010-09-23T12:36:00.001-05:00

U.S. Army Racing set to create picture perfect Veterans Day

Sep 17, 2010
By U.S. Army Accessions Command

Photo credit Courtesy of Cameras in Action
Army Racing driver Ryan Newman rounds a corner at Martinsville Speedway in the Army Chevrolet Impala during a NASCAR race.
FORT KNOX, Ky. - The U.S. Army and Stewart-Haas Racing are planning a special paint scheme for Ryan Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet which gives veterans the opportunity to put their faces on the Soldiers' car running in the Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 14.
Veterans, along with their families, friends and loved ones, can go online and submit photos of the men and women who have embraced the call of duty and helped build and protect our country at GoArmy.com/yourphotohere.
All veterans are eligible for inclusion among the photos in the special paint scheme. Images of Soldiers will be collected through Sept. 24. Those selected will be featured on the hood, trunk, side panels and bumpers when Newman gets behind the wheel of the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet in Phoenix.
"What a cool way for us to say 'thank you' and honor the Army Strong Soldiers who have served our country," said Newman. "This is the Soldiers' car and having the faces of the brave men and women of the U.S. Army represented will be a great inspiration and a powerful reminder of what it means to be Army Strong."
The special paint scheme will serve as an extension of Veterans Day (Nov. 11) when, as a country, we honor and remember the heroism, courage and dedication displayed by our veterans. While the nation remembers the service of its veterans, the millions watching the Kobalt Tools 500 at home and the tens of thousands more at the track will get a chance to see some of the faces who represent the true heroes of the Army.
"Every time Ryan Newman drives the No. 39 Chevrolet with the Army colors, he represents the more than one million men and women who proudly serve our Nation," said Col. Derik Crotts, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. "For this race, with this paint scheme, we pay tribute to our heroes past and present and their families. Each picture, each face, is a reminder of the sacrifice and service of the millions who have made our Army strong and our nation free."
About U.S. Army Accessions Command
The U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC), a subordinate command of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, meets the human resource needs of the Army by transforming volunteers into officers, warrant officers, and enlisted Soldiers. In providing the force, the 18,400 men and women of Accessions Command prepare these future Soldiers and leaders for their initial military training. Commanded by Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, USAAC is located at Fort Knox, Ky.

U.S. Army Racing set to create picture perfect Veterans Day

Warfighters

2010-09-23T12:30:00.002-05:00

Warfighters sharpen IED awareness on JKnIFE
Sep 22, 2010
By Franz Holzer

Photo credit Sgt. Sean Kimmons
Smoke and dust rises after an improvised explosive device explodes in front of a convoy. The most current and relevant improvised explosive device facts are a few clicks away, online, at the Joint IED Defeat Organization's Knowledge and Information Fusion Exchange website -- called JKnIFE for short.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 22, 2010) -- The most current and relevant improvised explosive device facts are a few clicks away, online, at the Joint IED Defeat Organization's Knowledge and Information Fusion Exchange website.
At the site -- called JKnIFE for short -- warfighters, trainers and observers have access to lifesaving information.
"We think our greatest return on investment comes from reaching the next-deploying warfighters and trainers," said JKnIFE director Mike McLean.
"The JKnIFE site gives warfighters a counter-IED common operational picture. You get the latest C-IED Task Force reports and situational awareness, organized by task force and location," said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chad Hedleston, a JIEDDO training officer.
Site performance is quick, offering customized searches and eye-catching graphics. A service called RFI Watch takes requests for information, and promises a response within 24 hours, though it answers most within three.
Users can also share IED information and provide feedback.
"If there were shortcomings they saw, we will look into what we provided," said JIEDDO Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Burnett. "We want them to use JKnIFE to give us that feedback."
McLean said some feedback from the training community indicates JKnIFE helps them tailor their training to the type of IED being seen in a particular area of responsibility.
"We are very pleased that we can go to one site and access 99 percent of what we need, to remain current and relevant, in C-IED and IED defeat training," said one respondent.
Recent additions to JKnIFE include direct portals from operational commands where coalition partners get the same look and feel as everyone else. Joint Forces Command and JIEDDO maintain the site with the goal to make counter-IED information available quickly and easily.
"It is a one-stop shopping site that prevents a unit or individual from having to waste the precious time leading up to a deployment developing a comprehensive training plan," wrote a recent visitor to the JKnIFE site. "A clearinghouse such as JKnIFE is a must prior to deployment."
The JKnIFE website is available at https://knife.jfcom.mil/Pages/KnIFEPublic.aspx. Users will need a common access card to access the site.
(Franz Holzer writes for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization)
Warfighters sharpen IED awareness on JKnIFE

White House to present Medal

2010-09-23T06:36:00.001-05:00

White House to present Medal of Honor to family of Green Beret for heroism in Afghanistan

Sep 10, 2010
By U.S. Army Special Operations Command

Photo credit Staff Sgt. Corey Dennis
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller was killed by Taliban insurgents Jan. 25, 2008, while protecting his Operational Detachment Alpha teammates during combat operations near the village of Barikowt, Nari District, Konar Province, Afghanistan.
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Washington (Sept. 10, 2010) -- On Oct. 6, President Barack Obama will present the Medal of Honor to the family of a fallen Special Forces Soldier for his heroism and valor in combat while serving in Afghanistan in January of 2008.
President Obama will honor the extraordinary courage and selfless sacrifice of Staff Sgt. Robert Miller by presenting his family with our nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor. This will be the third time the Medal of Honor has been presented by President Obama.
Only 24 years old, Miller impressed everyone on his team. Although the youngest member of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., he quickly earned a reputation for taking on difficult challenges and leading from the front according to numerous interview with other Operational Detachment-Alpha (ODA) Team Members.
An avid athlete and a student of human nature, he was often called on because of his expertise in weapons and languages. His teammates recalled how quickly he picked up Pashto (one of Afghanistan's native languages) and how the local villagers loved to spend time with him and teach him their language and culture. According to one team member's recollections, the villagers developed a bond with him over evening meals while drinking chai tea; they respected and trusted him. In all things, "Robbie," as he was called, was a natural to Special Forces, a true embodiment of a Green Beret.
On Jan. 25, 2008, while serving as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant for his team, Miller volunteered to take lead on a nocturnal patrol in the Konar Province near the Pakistan border. Because of his Pashto language abilities, he led and directed the small local contingent of Afghan National Army Soldiers from the front. As they approached their target area his team was attacked by insurgents.
In the ensuing chaos Miller showed his mettle by directing fire and providing cover for his men. Miller deliberately moved forward making himself vulnerable as he engaged several enemy positions to provide suppressive fire, buying time for his teammates to take cover. Exposing his position repeatedly, he drew fire from more than 100 enemy fighters, ultimately saving the lives of his fellow Green Berets and 15 local ANA Soldiers.
Miller's unwavering courage and selfless actions embodied the highest principles of the Special Forces community, and are a testament to the Army values he lived every day. This was his second combat tour to Afghanistan, the first being from August 2006 to March 2007.
Born in Harrisburg, Pa., on Oct. 14, 1983, his family moved and he grew up in Wheaton, Ill. He attended Wheaton North High School and was a respected gymnast and all-around athlete.
On Aug. 14, 2003, he enlisted in the Army as an 18 X-ray, Special Forces candidate, with the hope of becoming a Green Beret. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course on Sept. 26, 2004. After his enlistment Miller's parents moved to and currently reside in Oviedo, Fla.
His previous military decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals for valor, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer's Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Special Forces Tab and the Ranger Tab.
Miller will become the seventh service member to receive the Medal of Honor during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The last recipient of the Medal of Honor was Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, who posthumously received the award on Sept. 17, 2009, in a ceremony at the White House.
For more information on the Medal of Honor please visit www.Army.mil/medalofhonor.

White House to present Medal of Honor to family of Green Beret for heroism in Afghanistan

Sgt. Dies

2010-09-22T20:00:00.001-05:00

Sgt. dies while awaiting tests in Kuwait

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 22, 2010 16:34:16 EDT
CATONSVILLE, Md. — The family of a soldier from Catonsville says he died in Iraq while awaiting tests for a respiratory illness.
John Burner Jr. tells The Baltimore Sun that his 32-year-old son, Sgt. John Burner III, died Thursday, three days after visiting a military medical facility in Kuwait.
Burner says his son was told he couldn't have a blood test because laboratory equipment had been shipped out as part of a planned redeployment.
He says his son was confined to quarters with antibiotics, an inhaler and medication for post-nasal drip.
Burner says he's been told it may be six months before he gets the autopsy report on his son's death.
An Army spokeswoman says medical privacy laws prevent her from discussing Sgt. Burner's care.

Sgt. dies while awaiting tests in Kuwait - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

FBI: Bliss gunman was retired sergeant

2010-09-22T16:58:00.001-05:00

FBI: Bliss gunman was retired sergeant

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 21:32:38 EDT

FORT BLISS, Texas — The FBI is investigating why a retired Army sergeant walked into a Fort Bliss convenience store and shot two employees, one fatally, before he was gunned down by responding officers, the agency said Tuesday.

Authorities did not know whether gunman Steven Kropf, 63, of El Paso, had any relationship with either victim, the FBI said in a Tuesday statement, which described the Monday shooting at the West Texas Army post as an isolated incident.

Bettina Maria Goins, 44, of El Paso was pronounced dead at a military hospital where she was rushed immediately after the shooting, and another woman remained hospitalized Tuesday with serious injuries, the FBI said.

Both women were civilian employees of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, which runs merchandise operations for the military, including fast-food restaurants and convenience stores.

Post commander Col. Joseph Simonelli Jr. said officers responded to reports of the shooting in less than three minutes and killed the gunman. The post was not put on lockdown, but traffic was directed around the store where the shooting occurred, Simonelli said.

The shooting came nearly 11 months after 13 people were killed in a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in central Texas near Killeen. Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 shootings.

Hasan, 40, was paralyzed in the shooting and remains jailed. An Article 32 hearing — similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding — is scheduled for next month, when a military officer will hear testimony from victims and determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a trial

FBI: Bliss gunman was retired sergeant - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Wyoming Guard Unit

2010-09-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

Wyoming guard unit to get Korea War citation

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 22, 2010 11:35:15 EDT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Army National Guard's 300th Armored Field Artillery Battalion veterans will be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation for their service in the Korean War.

An award ceremony will be held Oct. 1 in Cheyenne and will involve surviving members of the unit.

The 300th deployed for Korea in January 1951 with more than 600 soldiers. The unit spent more than 800 days in combat.

The citation recognizes the soldiers "extraordinary heroism in action" from June 6 through Sept. 25, 1951, while they were deployed in support of the 1st Marine Division.

Maj. Gen. Ed Wright, Wyoming's adjutant general, says the unit was inadvertently left off of the original list to receive the Presidential Unit Citation-Navy for their actions.

Wyoming guard unit to get Korea War citation - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

COP Spera Defends Assualt

2010-09-22T16:49:00.001-05:00

News Top Story

COP Spera defends assault, kills 27 insurgents
U.S. Apache attack helicopters virtually wiped out a platoon-size insurgent force that was assaulting a combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province Sept. 21, according to coalition spokesmen.
Read More

Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Army Special Forces

2010-09-22T16:39:00.001-05:00

Army SOF not expected to grow beyond 2017

By Kate Brannen - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 22, 2010 10:54:06 EDT
While demand for its elite soldiers is climbing, the Army does not plan to increase the size of its special operations force (SOF) more than already planned, according to a top commander.
“I’m not particularly interested in growing Army special operations forces any bigger than it is today,” said Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, commanding general of U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Army special operations forces are expected to finish their currently planned growth by 2017 and at that point, “we’ll be pretty well postured,” Mulholland said.
This is partly because growing Army SOF force structure comes at the expense of the larger Army, the three-star told a Sept. 21 conference hosted by the Institute for Defense & Government Advancement.
“I don’t think you’ll see SOF growth across the force, not just in the Army,” Mulholland said.
If there is growth, it will be in providing more “enabling capabilities,” such as communications, intelligence, medical and logistics personnel, he said. However, it is possible that Army Special Operations Command will rely on the larger Army to provide more of these capabilities, rather than growing and maintaining the extra resources itself, Mulholland said. His soldiers need engineers, not necessarily SOF-specific ones.
The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review directed increases in SOF force structure, specifically increasing the number of enabling units and rotary and fixed-wing SOF aircraft.
In the fiscal year 2011 budget, Army Special Operations Command has requested 1,638 additional personnel, according to a July report from the Congressional Research Service.
Army SOF includes approximately 30,000 soldiers from the active Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve. Out of this pool, the Army has roughly 5,550 special operators deployed and working in 56 countries on 115 different missions, according to Mulholland’s presentation.
The vast majority of its deployed force is operating in U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of operations, where 4,785 Army special operators are carrying out 45 missions in 11 countries.
Army SOF is still operating at the same size and operational tempo in Iraq as it has been for the last several years, at about 1,000 soldiers, said Mulholland.
After CENTCOM, U.S. Pacific Command has the most Army special operators, with 313 soldiers engaged in 19 missions there.
As part of U.S. Africa Command, there are 154 special operators working in 12 countries on 14 different missions, according to Mulholland’s slides. This includes Operation Enduring Freedom-Trans Sahel, an area of operations that stretches across Northern Africa, where Al Qaeda is known to operate, said Mulholland.
U.S. Southern Command has 205 Army special operators deployed and in Northern Command, which includes Mexico, there are 21 special operators engaged in three different missions. Finally, in Europe, the Army has 92 special operators deployed in eight countries.
As the demand for Army special operators in Iraq and Afghanistan decreases, Army SOF will be able to better resource operations in other parts of the world, said Mulholland.
In 2004, the Army Special Operations Command’s missions were 61 percent sourced, the general said. Today, that number is down to 47 percent, but by 2012, he expects it to reach 50 percent.

Army SOF not expected to grow beyond 2017 - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

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MEDEVAC TODAY

General's Funeral

General's funeral: Cannonfire, low-flying Blackhawks

12:06 PM, Sep 23, 2010 | 7 Comments

Three Blackhawk helicopters like this one will participate in a flyover Saturday to celebrate the passing of a major general. / Rob Goebel / Indianapolis Star

Written by Tom Spalding

Atlantic Strike

'Atlantic Strike' builds trust between services

U.S. Army Racing

U.S. Army Racing set to create picture perfect Veterans Day

Warfighters

Warfighters sharpen IED awareness on JKnIFE

White House to present Medal

White House to present Medal of Honor to family of Green Beret for heroism in Afghanistan

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Army SOF not expected to grow beyond 2017

STAND-TO!
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12:06 PM, Sep 23, 2010 |
7 Comments