| tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29568269 RSS FEED | Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 9 December 2009
9.12.2009 14:32:0 +0000
Top Stories
WGN 9 Chicago reports that one person is dead and one is hurt after an explosion Monday at the NDK America plant in Belvidere, Illinois, which manufactures crystals used in liquid-crystal displays. (See item 9)
According to U.S. News and World Report, TSA officials say that a “full review” is underway to determine how a 2008 copy of its standard operating procedures for all airport security checkpoints was released in its entirety on the Internet. The document was “improperly redacted,” TSA officials say. (See item 15)
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http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-09.pdf | A Thank You to Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq
9.12.2009 2:59:0 +0000
A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"
In my opinion, it came down to one thing: Vietnam. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us
After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.
Somewhere during the late 1970's and into the 80's, we realized that we can’t treat our warriors that way. So, starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treated our troops like the heroes they were, acknowledged and celebrated their sacrifice, and rejoiced at their homecoming instead of spitting on them.
And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are better because of it.
Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq. They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom.
But when I get back, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for their sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now treat our warriors as heroes, as we should.
I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.
Semper Fidelis,
Major Brian P. Bresnahan
United States Marine Corps | Guard can expect Afghan role, continued Iraq missions, general says
9.12.2009 1:9:0 +0000
 By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau
(12/8/09) - The National Guard is poised to make unique contributions in Afghanistan and continue operations in Iraq, the National Guard deputy commander of U.S. Army Forces Command said here Dec. 7. “The Army will include the National Guard and the Reserve in future mobilization requirements,” Army Maj. Gen. Ron Chastain said during a working visit to the Army National Guard Readiness Center. “We will not go back to the strategic reserve that we had before 9/11.”
While Chastain could not discuss specifics, he said some National Guard units are likely to be re-tasked or change missions following the president’s announcement last week about an Afghan troop surge.
“If we have a unit that just got to Iraq and they’re no longer needed, it’s not right to those Soldiers to just send them home and de-mob them,” he said. “If there’s a need at that time for them to go to Afghanistan, [then] that is one of the options.”
The National Guard offers some unique capabilities that make it likely to be included in the surge. Examples include the Agribusiness Development Teams and the use, in particular, of National Guard military police in Embedded Training Teams, because in both cases Soldiers bring civilian-acquired skills unique to the Guard.
“The Army National Guard is ideally suited to move in to an area that has been cleared and start the process after it’s cleared before the civilian agencies come in,” he said. “The civilian skills that our Guardsmen have are well-suited to dealing with Afghan civilians.”
Chastain also predicted a continued role for the National Guard in Iraq. “The nation-building will continue in Iraq far beyond the combat operations,” he said. “Nation-building is not a military task. The National Guard is well-suited for that transition from combat operations to nation-building.”
Chastain, who deployed as a unit commander for Desert Storm and then again for Operation Iraqi Freedom, said he has experienced the “extremes of mobilization.”
His 80-person rear area operations center for Desert Storm spent a whopping five days at the mobilization station for personnel processing, repainting vehicles to a desert hue and loading them on a train, and training that focused on weapons familiarization and qualification and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons tasks.
The 39th Brigade Combat Team from the Arkansas National Guard, which he led in 2003, spent three months mobilizing at Fort Hood, Texas, before going to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., for a mobilization exercise.
Frustrations included the length of time it took to accomplish weapons qualification and Soldiers having to repeat training events because mobilization station documentation was improper, he said.
“I’m real thankful that the mobilization process has improved a lot since that,” Chastain said. “I’m very pleased with most all the things that go on at the mobilization stations right now.”
Keys to successful mobilization include early notification of units and early alert, he said.
Chastain, who is a former adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard, said the relationship between the National Guard, Reserve and active components is at a high point.
“It’s the best right now that I’ve seen throughout my career,” he said. “We’ve had brigade combat teams doing full-spectrum operations right alongside their active counterparts. We’ve got people in the upper echelon of our Army now that have witnessed that firsthand, and they have spread the word.” | Alaska Guard transports bicycles to Afghanistan
9.12.2009 1:6:0 +0000
 By Senior Airman Alicia Goldberger
Alaska National Guard
(12/7/09) -- More than 20 disadvantaged children in Afghanistan will get new bikes this month thanks to a group of Anchorage volunteers and an assist from the Alaska Air National Guard. The bicycles, together with parts and tools, were donated by the Anchorage Community YMCA, The Bicycle Shop, Paramount Cycles, Chain Reactions and REI, Inc. They were then refurbished by Off the Chain, a non-profit, all-volunteer bicycle collective in Anchorage.
A group of Off the Chain volunteers came up with the idea of giving bicycles to underprivileged Afghan children. The big obstacle was getting them there.
So, organizers approached Lt. Col. David Glick, a pilot with the Alaska Air National Guard's 144th Airlift Squadron. The squadron routinely flies personnel, equipment and supplies into the remote, war-torn country.
Chris Himes, a long-term Off the Chain volunteer, said "I can't imagine any other way it could have happened. It's a perfect confluence of interests and abilities ... the Air Guard being on the way anyway and being able to distribute the bikes, which we would never be able to do."
On Dec. 5, a group of Air Guard members arrived at Off the Chain with a flatbed truck to pick up the bikes. On Dec. 8, Guard members at Kulis Air National Guard Base, deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, will load them onto a C-130 tactical airlift plane for the three-day flight. Once there, they will be handed over to a local U.S. military unit at Bagram Airfield for distribution to Afghan children.
"With our Guardsmen rotating in and out of Afghanistan throughout the holiday season, it was the perfect opportunity to support a worthy cause and provide a little cheer for Afghan youth," said Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Katkus, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard. | Wisconsin Army Guard unit flying solo at Camp Bucca
9.12.2009 1:2:0 +0000
 December 8, 2009:
After several months of collaboration, the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry said farewell to the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron of the Air Force's 586th Air Expeditionary Group. "It's been a great experience having 887th as part of the team," said Lt. Col. Bradley Anderson, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry commander. "One might expect that different services might experience a certain amount of friction when tasked and organized together, but this experience has disproven that theory. In fact the integration of our units was so seamless the Air Force should issue you all crossed rifles and change your name to expeditionary infantry squadron." The 127th Infantry has been at Camp Bucca since March.
The 887th ESFS was activated in May 2007. During that time, the squadron endured 40 improvised explosive device detonations, cleared another 16 IEDs, and withstood multiple small arms attacks.
As a result of their accomplishments, they've been awarded more than 1,000 medals, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Air Force Combat Action Medal. They have also received five Purple Heart Medals for combat injuries.
"This is a unit with a myriad of accomplishments and successes," said Col. John Williams, 586th Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Some of those successes and accomplishments were a first for an Air force unit. Although these accomplishments belong to 887th, they wouldn't have been possible without the full support and backing of our sister services."
The Airmen of the 887th ESFS were able to bridge the gap between services. Those cooperative efforts earned them distinction as they were awarded the shoulder sleeve insignia from the 16th Military Police Brigade and the 45th, 50th and 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. | Al-Qaida Remains Dangerous, Mullen Says
8.12.2009 22:23:0 +0000
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - Al-Qaida remains a danger, and the area along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan is the epicenter of global Islamic extremism, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the Foreign Press Center here today. Mullen reiterated to foreign journalists that he fully concurs with President Barack Obama's decision to send another 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
"It is my belief, and that of the commanders, that this surge gives General McChrystal all the forces he needs in 2010 to reverse the momentum of what I have described as a growing and increasingly lethal insurgency," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal commands U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan.
The border area was where al-Qaida planned the 9/11 attacks, Mullen noted. "Should we be hit again, I'm convinced the planning, training, financing and leadership will emanate from there," he said. "That is why we are so focused on it. That's why we believe this mission is in our national security interests and those of our allies and friends."
Mullen returned yesterday from visiting soldiers and Marines at Fort Campbell, Ky., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., who soon will deploy to Afghanistan.
"I thanked them for their service, and I told them that their mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida and to degrade the Taliban's influence and to prevent Afghanistan or Pakistan from becoming safe havens is not merely about killing or capturing the enemy," he said. "It is also about protecting the Afghan people."
The troops must earn the Afghan people's trust and learn their culture. The mission is all about providing breathing space to build the Afghan security forces so they can protect their own people and stabilize their own country, the chairman said.
"The president has made it very clear, while our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is enduring, our troop presence will not be," Mullen said.
American forces must work to train Afghan forces so they can provide their own security while creating breathing space so good governance can take root, Mullen said.
"In July 2011, we will begin the process of transition – of transferring more responsibility to Afghan national security forces and thinning our own lines," the chairman said. "At that time, the Marines we sent last summer in Helmand province will have been at the job for two years. We will know by then if we have been successful."
Winning in Afghanistan is not solely the responsibility of the military – it is not that kind of war, Mullen said. "Success will only come by and through a concerted effort by other agencies and other partners," he said. "Ultimate success will be the cumulative effect of sustained pressure across multiple lines of operations."
The chairman said the effort needs more civilian experts and help from international partners, and he expressed delight that NATO nations have pledged another 7,000 troops to the alliance's effort in Afghanistan. He also said Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government must do its part.
"We need to see efforts on the part of the Karzai government to make good on promised reforms, and to extend the delivery of goods and services all the way down to the district and sub-district levels," the admiral said.
All involved need to realize that the problems are not limited to Afghanistan, and that a regional strategy is needed, America's top military officer said.
"A key part of the president's strategy is to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan and to improve the level of coordination across and within those border regions," Mullen said. "I believe that to the degree we can do this we can certainly help the Pakistanis themselves get at those safe havens."
The chairman praised the Pakistani military for recent operations in South Waziristan. He said that Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani has been true to his word, "and I very much appreciate his leadership.” | McChrystal Calls Afghan Training Crucial to Mission Success
8.12.2009 22:17:0 +0000
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - The training of tens of thousands of additional, capable Afghan soldiers and police is among the crucial tasks necessary to achieving success in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan told Capitol Hill legislators here today. "To pursue our core goal of defeating al-Qaida and preventing their return to Afghanistan, we must disrupt and degrade the Taliban's capacity, deny their access to the Afghan population and strengthen the Afghan security forces," Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
This strategy, he said, requires reversing the current momentum of the Taliban, while creating "the time and space to develop Afghan security and governance capacity."
Many of the 30,000 U.S. forces deployed to Afghanistan in coming months will be employed to combat the Taliban, McChrystal said, while others will assist NATO troops in training up new Afghan soldiers and police.
"We need to significantly increase the Afghan national security forces," he said.
The surge of U.S. forces to Afghanistan will result in a total of about 100,000 troops in country by the end of summer. About 68,000 U.S. troops are now in Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama's revised Afghanistan strategy calls for July 2011 as the start date of a thinning out of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
That date, McChrystal said, serves as "a positive forcing function on our Afghan partners, in reminding them that although we have a long-term commitment, we also have shared responsibility" for maintaining security.
There are now between 180,000 to 190,000 Afghan security forces, McChrystal said, divided between military forces and the police. More Afghan security forces are needed, he noted.
Afghan army trainers are working hard to close the gap. Sixteen new Afghan National Army companies, McChrystal said, are slated to deploy to Helmand province in early winter. More Afghan troops are slated to follow in the spring.
"We are flowing, everything we can build in the Afghan army, into that area," he said.
By the fall of 2010, McChrystal said, there should be about 134,000 Afghan soldiers and just over 100,000 Afghan police.
And, by July 2011, he said, there should be about 300,000 Afghan security forces divided between soldiers and police.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai recognizes the importance of bolstering his country's security forces as well as refining his country's strategic partnership with the United States, said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Karl W. Eikenberry, who accompanied McChrystal at the Senate hearing.
A strategic partnership with Afghanistan, Eikenberry explained, would, among other things, be reflective and cognizant of Afghanistan's long-term security needs. | Forces Kill Militants, Detain Suspects
8.12.2009 20:44:0 +0000
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - Combined Afghan and international forces killed seven militants and detained several suspected insurgents in operations today in Afghanistan. A combined force killed seven militants and detained four others in Laghman province while pursuing a Taliban bomb maker responsible for several suicide attacks in the region.
"We are aware of civilian casualty allegations, however there are no operational reports to substantiate those claims of harming civilians, including women and children, during this operation," said Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command spokeswoman.
The force targeted a compound near Armul village in the Mehtar Lam district after intelligence sources reported militant activity. During the operation, the joint force received hostile fire from multiple positions and returned fire. The force searched the compound without further incident and recovered multiple assault rifles.
In another operation today, an Afghan and international security force detained several suspected militants in Kandahar province while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for several small-arms and homemade-bomb attacks in the area.
The suspects were detained without incident when the force searched compounds near Senjaray in Arghandab district where intelligence sources reported militant activity.
In other operations, international forces provided medical treatment to several civilians who were injured during two insurgent attacks against Afghan and international forces in Paktia province Dec. 5.
Insurgents aimed a mortar at an international-force installation that hit a bazaar in Chamkani, wounding many civilians. Among the wounded was the son of a local religious leader who was shopping for fruits and vegetables with his father when the mortar exploded near them.
The wounded man was taken to a military medical facility for treatment, where he died of his injuries.
Arrangements were made for the family to return to Chamkani. A hotline and reward have been set up for information leading to the militants responsible for the attack.
(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.) | Afghan Commander Says Pieces in Place for Success
8.12.2009 19:19:0 +0000
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - The core goal of American forces in Afghanistan is to defeat al-Qaida and disrupt and degrade the Taliban, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan told Congress today. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said he is fully behind President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 more American troops to Afghanistan to reverse the Taliban's momentum and create time and space to develop Afghan security and governance capacity.
McChrystal, who has been in command in Kabul for six months, participated fully in Obama's strategy review. "Combined with insights and policy considerations from across our government, I believe the decisions that came from that process reflect a realistic and effective approach," he said.
The general reminded the representatives that Afghanistan is a complex environment. "I first deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, and have commanded forces there every year since," he said. "Despite that experience, there is much in Afghanistan that I have yet to fully understand."
Afghanistan is a challenge that is best approached with a balance of determination and humility, he said. "While U.S. forces have been at war in Afghanistan for eight years, the Afghans have been at it for more than 30," he said. "They are frustrated with international efforts that fail to meet their expectations, confronting us with a crisis of confidence among Afghans, who view the international effort as insufficient and their government as corrupt or, at the very least, inconsequential."
The insurgency is complex and resilient, too, he said. The Afghan Taliban are the prominent threat to the government of Afghanistan, aspiring to govern the country again. The Haqqani network and the Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin are extremist insurgency groups with more limited geographical reach and objectives, "but they are no less lethal," McChrystal said.
All three groups have ties and receive support from elements in Iran and Pakistan. They have ties with al-Qaida and coexist with criminal networks, both fueling and feeding off instability and insecurity in the region. "The mission in Afghanistan is undeniably difficult, and success will require steadfast commitment and incur significant costs," he said.
Obama's decision, announced Dec. 1 in a speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., recognizes that the next 18 months will "likely be decisive and ultimately enable success," the general said.
"The president also reiterated how this decision supports our national interests," he added. "Rolling back the Taliban is a prerequisite to the ultimate defeat of al-Qaida. The mission is not only important; it is also achievable. We can and will accomplish this mission."
McChrystal said that while conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated, it is still possible to win against al-Qaida and the Taliban. The Afghans themselves are resolved to end the conflict, he said, and the Taliban are not popular with the people. "The Taliban have no widespread constituency, have a history of failure in power and lack an appealing vision," the general said.
Also where the counterinsurgency strategy has been applied, real gains in security and more credible governance have followed, he noted. "Finally, Afghans do not regard us as occupiers," the general said. "They do not wish for us to remain forever, yet they see our support as a necessary bridge to future security and stability."
McChrystal said the strategy review has imbued the effort in Afghanistan with "a greater sense of clarity, capability, commitment and confidence."
The strategy review questioned all assumptions about the fight in Afghanistan and produced greater clarity on the way forward. Additional forces already are beginning to flow into Afghanistan, with a reinforced Marine battalion deploying now.
"By this time next year, new security gains will be illuminated by specific indicators and will be clear to us that the insurgency has lost the momentum," McChrystal said. "And by the summer of 2011, it will be clear to the Afghan people that the insurgency will not win, giving them the chance to side with their government."
From July 2011, American and NATO forces will play a supporting role as Afghan security forces consolidate and solidify their gains. "Results may come more quickly, and we may demonstrate progress towards measurable objectives, but the sober fact is that there are no silver bullets," McChrystal said. "Ultimate success will be the cumulative effect of sustained pressure across multiple lines of operation."
The 30,000-troop commitment will increase capability in Afghanistan, but more is already being done by a change in approach. "For the past six months, we have been implementing organizational and operational changes that are already reflecting improvements in our effectiveness," he said.
The increased forces will allow faster training of Afghan security forces. The 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division – whose deployment was announced yesterday – has a training mission. Other U.S. forces will partner with Afghan army and police and expand security zones in key areas to reverse insurgent momentum and deny the Taliban the access to the population they require to survive, the general said.
"The additional capability we are building translates into credibility in the minds of Afghans, who demand proof not only that we want to protect them, but that we can," McChrystal said. "In a war of perceptions where the battlefield is the mind of an Afghan elder, the hope of an Afghan mother, the aspirations of an Afghan child, this can be decisive."
U.S. commitment is watched intently and constantly by allies and enemies. The United States walked away from Afghanistan after the Soviets left in 1989. "The commitment of 30,000 additional U.S. forces, along with additional coalition forces and growing Afghan national security force numbers, will be a significant step toward expanding security in critical areas and in demonstrating resolve," McChrystal said.
There are other challenges including corruption in the Afghan national government. McChrystal called this the "Afghan government's credibility deficit." He said this must be recognized by Afghan officials as a critical area of focus and change.
"Equally important is our ability to accelerate development of the Afghan security forces," he added. "Measures such as increased pay and initiatives, literacy training, leader development and expanded partnering are necessary to position the Afghan national security force to assume responsibility for long-term security."
Because extremists operate on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, enhanced coordination and cooperation with the Pakistani government and military are essential the general told the panel.
McChrystal said he is confident that the right strategy and resources are in place.
"Every trip around Afghanistan reinforces my confidence in the coalition and Afghan forces we stand alongside in this effort," he said. "But I also find confidence in those we are trying to help. That confidence is found where an Afghan farmer chooses to harvest wheat rather than poppy, or where a young adult casts his or her vote or joins the police, or where a group of villagers resolves to reject the local insurgency.
"We face many challenges in Afghanistan," he continued, "but our efforts sustain by one unassailable reality: neither the Afghan people nor the international community want Afghanistan to remain a sanctuary for terror and violence." | U.S., Iraqi Forces Capture 5 After Balad Attack
8.12.2009 19:18:0 +0000
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - U.S. forces today assisted Iraqi security forces in arresting five people after an indirect-fire attack on Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Pilots of AH-64 Apache helicopters responding to the mid-morning attack saw five people burying an improvised launch-rail system at the attack site. U.S. forces on the ground questioned and held them until local police arrived and arrested them on charges of suspected terrorism.
"What we've seen recently is irreconcilable criminals using these rail systems to launch rockets at the base," said Army Lt. Col. Patrick Cooley, Task Force Marne operations chief. "The rockets are wildly inaccurate, so it's a matter of safety for the people who live near the base. It's good to see the [Iraqi police] stopping these guys."
Another aspect to recovering this rail system is the effect it will have on future attacks.
"By taking this rail out of the enemy's hands, it will degrade his ability to launch future attacks, and it lets them know we are aggressively pursuing them with all available means," said Army Col. Jeff Finley, Task Force Marne effects coordinator.
There were no casualties or damage to equipment from the attack. Iraqi security forces are leading the investigation.
In other news from Iraq, U.S. forces advised the Baqubah Regional Commando Battalion in carrying out warrants for the arrest of five suspected terrorists in Diyala province Dec. 5.
The men are suspected of kidnapping, smuggling lethal weapons, conducting bomb attacks and extorting local people.
They are linked to Harith Sadun Dawud al-Rubayi, who was arrested in November for suspicion of murder, kidnapping and bombing attacks against civilians and Iraqi forces. The regional commando battalion arrested the men in their homes and collected evidence, including weapons and sensitive materials.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.) |
| tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37845825 RSS FEED | A Thank You to Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq
9.12.2009 3:0:0 +0000
A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"
In my opinion, it came down to one thing: Vietnam. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us
After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.
Somewhere during the late 1970's and into the 80's, we realized that we can’t treat our warriors that way. So, starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treated our troops like the heroes they were, acknowledged and celebrated their sacrifice, and rejoiced at their homecoming instead of spitting on them.
And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are better because of it.
Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq. They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom.
But when I get back, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for their sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now treat our warriors as heroes, as we should.
I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.
Semper Fidelis,
Major Brian P. Bresnahan
United States Marine Corps | Tankers enable mission accomplishment
9.12.2009 1:8:0 +0000
By Airman 1st Class David Dobrydney
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
(12/5/09) -- Even the most advanced military aircraft needs fuel in order to be of use. For the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron here in Southwest Asia, its mission is to support other aircraft so they can fulfill their mission of supporting troops on the ground.
"We supply most all the refueling capability in [Operation Iraqi Freedom] and about a third of the capability in [Operation Enduring Freedom]" Lt. Col. Bret Frymire, 340 EARS commander, said. "We refuel every unit operating in the field right now, to include our Coalition partners."
To maintain its 24/7 support, the 340 EARS' operations tempo is very fast paced, with more than 20 sorties daily.
"We have a [KC-]135 taking off or landing every hour of the day," said Lt. Col. Bill Stowe, 340 EARS director of operations. As the DO, Stowe is charged with scheduling the missions to meet that tempo.
"We have so many taskings with only so many crews; it's sometimes like putting together a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle," he said. To solve that puzzle, Stowe will periodically pilot a mission to see where the scheduling process can be improved.
While Stowe is deployed here from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., the rest of the crews come from several different places. "We have guard, reserve and active-duty, not just from [Air Mobility Command] but also [Pacific Air Forces], [U.S. Air Force in Europe], etc.," he said. Frymire is deployed from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and said the majority of flying squadrons deploy as units. "As far as flying squadrons, we are unique in that regard," he said.
Regardless of where they deploy from, the 340 EARS Airmen coalesce into a single unit in pursuit of mission accomplishment. "The plane flies the same no matter what, so everyone works together and the mission goes off without a hitch," Stowe said.
The mission is accomplished even though the KC-135 aircraft here have been plying their trade now for decades. The newest KC-135 currently on the ramp was built in 1963. "We are flying a classic airframe," Stowe said. "Trying to keep them airborne is always a challenge but the maintainers do an outstanding job. We couldn't support the mission without the support we get from the maintainers."
With that support underneath them, the tankers continue to fly eight to 10 hour sorties, providing 50,000 to 120,000 pounds of fuel on a typical mission. Master Sgt. Jeff Van Nortwick, an in flight air refueling boom operator deployed from the Nebraska Air National Guard, is the one who monitors the release of that fuel.
When performing refueling maneuvers, such as 'yo-yo' operations where one aircraft will come up for fuel while another provides support for ground troops and then rotating, Van Nortwick's job is made just a little easier by the experience of the pilots. "What I've noticed in my time here is that the receivers are very stable," he said, meaning he is able to smoothly connect the boom to the receiving aircraft. "They have the experience and it shows," Van Nortwick said.
For Van Nortwick, the pace of missions obligates crew members to remain flexible. "You're not necessarily always flying from 8 to 5 -- it rotates as the taskings come," he said. "Sometimes it just happens where you're flying daytime missions and your day starts later and later until eventually you're flying at night."
However, Van Nortwick considers his job very rewarding. "It's extremely gratifying to know when you give gas to a fighter who's covering a troop convoy, that [convoy] will make it from A to B," he said. "We're directly supporting troops on the ground, which makes their job a lot easier when they have an aircraft overhead providing top cover." | Air Force, ANG chaplains reflect on milestones
9.12.2009 1:5:0 +0000
By Tech. Sgt. Amaani Lyle
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
(12/4/09) -- More than 100 chaplains and chaplain assistants from throughout the Air Force attended the Chaplain Corps Summit here recently, in part to celebrate 60th anniversary of the Air Force Chaplain Corps and the 100th anniversary of the chaplain assistant career field. The summit began with an interfaith worship service, included a review of Chaplain Corps history and concluded with a Heritage banquet.
"We reminisced over years of service and fellowship in our past and looked ahead to the role of the chaplain corps in meeting current and future mission needs," said Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson, chief of chaplains.
Richardson related the chaplain corps' rich and storied history. Chaplain Charles I. Carpenter, the Army Air Corps' "Air Chaplain," emphasized the need for pastoral identity of chaplains with the people they served.
After successfully persuading senior leaders that the Air Force should have its own chaplaincy, Chaplain Carpenter helped ensure the drafting of the transfer order on May 10, 1949.
Predating the Air Force Chaplain Corps, the "chaplain assistant" position was established 40 years earlier on Dec. 28, 1909. Paragraph 1 of the General Order by the War Department stated, "One enlisted man will be detailed on special duty, by the commanding officer of any organization to which a chaplain is assigned for duty, for the purpose of assisting the chaplain in the performance of his official duties."
"Air Force chaplains and chaplain assistants continue to support our Airmen in today's fight as we walk where they walk and go where they go," Richardson said.
"By providing or arranging for religious observances, pastoral care, and advice to leadership, Air Force chaplains and chaplain assistants ensure the free exercise of religion for Airmen and their families at every Air Force base," he added.
The general cited the Chaplain Corps' recent achievements that he said demonstrate the organization's commitment to the total force.
"In 2008, the Air Force Chaplain Corps performed more than 147,000 counselings, provided more than 50,000 worship observances and conducted more than 28,000 religious rites and observances for Airmen and their families," Richardson said.
The general added that warrior care is the Chaplain Corps' top priority and will remain so throughout the duration of the war.
"The summit was a wonderful experience and celebration for the Air Force Family," said Maj. Gen. John B. Ellington, the director of the National Guard Chaplaincy, who also participated in the event. "We have deployed and served together over the years and that has resulted in building strong lifetime relationships."
Currently the Air Force has more than 1,100 active duty, Guard and Reserve chaplains and more than 800 total force chaplain assistants, who live and work around the world in service to their fellow Airmen.
Ellington added that about 25 percent of the air expeditionary force positions are filled with Air National Guard chaplains and assistants.
"Our mandate is clear, our hearts are united, our mission is exciting and our passion for ministry to the men and women of the United States Air Force has never been stronger," Richardson said. | MILITARY CONTRACTS December 8, 2009
8.12.2009 22:22:0 +0000
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a modification for $159,500,065 under its cost-plus-award-fee contract (HQ0276-08-C-0001), contract line item number (CLIN) 0003. Under this contract modification, Raytheon will continue the Block IIA Standard Missile 3 cooperative development technology development. The work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. This award extends the existing CLIN 0003 performance period for an additional 10 months to Aug. 31, 2010. The amount obligated on this action is $4,200,000 using fiscal year 2010 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funds. The Missile Defense Agency is the contracting activity.
ARMY
General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc., Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on Dec. 7, 2009, a $17,607,407 firm-fixed-price contract for 1 lot of common and long lead components to support the conversion of 15 M1A2 tanks to M1A2S tanks for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Work is to be performed at the Lima Army Tank Plant, Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2012. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-C-0002).
General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc., Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on Dec. 7, 2009, a $14,317,682 cost-no-fee contract for material for the Iraq program to purchase 140 M1A1 Abrams vehicles. Work is to be performed at Lima, Ohio (70 percent); Scranton, Pa. (14 percent); Anniston, Ala. (10 percent); and Tallahassee, Fla. (6 percent), with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command, Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-C-0006).
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md., is being awarded a $14,592,978 firm-fixed-price contract for air terminal ground handling services at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, and Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. This contract contains one seven-month base period and five one year option periods, which if exercised, bring the total value of the contract to $124,866,662. Work will be performed in Sigonella, Italy (70 percent), and Naples, Italy, (30 percent). Work is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with five proposals solicited and three offers received. The Naval Regional Contracting Detachment Naples, Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Sigonella, Italy, is the contracting activity (N68171-10-C-0004).
BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair, San Francisco, Calif., is being awarded a $9,882,035 firm-fixed-price contract for the regular overhaul and dry docking of Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). Work performed will include dry docking the ship, ballast-tank preservation, rudder and propeller inspections, underwater hull preservation and undocking the ship. The ship provides an afloat, mobile, acute-surgical medical facility in support of U.S. deployed forces and also supports U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian assistance missions worldwide. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $11,222,382. Work will be performed in San Francisco, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities Web sites, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, Norfolk, Va., a field activity of Military Sealift Command, is the contracting activity (N40442-10-C-5000).
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $6,988,148 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order contract (N00019-07-D-0004) to exercise an option for the VH-60N executive helicopter special progressive aircraft rework aircraft induction. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $6,988,148 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.,is the contracting activity.
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $6,600,000 not-to-exceed order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for F/A-18 A-D Service Life Extension Program Phase B+ engineering support services. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (55 percent), and El Segundo, Calif. (45 percent). Work is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Cascade General, Inc.*, Portland, Ore., is being awarded a $6,181,068 firm-fixed-price contract for the regular overhaul of Military Sealift Command's USNS Guadalupe. Work performed will include preservation of ballast tanks; ultrasonic gauging; overhaul of a ship's service diesel generator; dry-docking and undocking of the ship; underwater hull preservation; freeboard preservation; and propeller-system maintenance. The ship's primary mission is to deliver petroleum to the Navy's carrier strike groups and other naval forces at sea. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $7,516,743. Work will be performed in Portland, Ore., and work is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities web pages, with three offers received. The solicitation was set aside for small business. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, Norfolk, Va., a field activity of Military Sealift Command, is the contracting activity (N40442-10-C-1003).
AIR FORCE
Booz Allen & Hamilton, Inc., Herndon, Va., was awarded a $10,492,100 contract which will provide for architecture baseline products to support the launch and test range systems. The contract will also provide a risk reduction and capability maturation program to develop and maintain the current and future architectures. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. SMC/LRSW, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8811-09-C-0006). | Annual Review of the United States Coast Guard's Mission Performance (FY 2008)
8.12.2009 22:7:0 +0000
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established by the Homeland Security Act of2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment to the Inspector General Act of1978. This is one of a series of audit, inspection, and special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the department. This report addresses the annual review of the U.S. Coast Guard's mission performance, as required by the Homeland Security Act of2002. It is based on interviews with employees and officials of relevant agencies and institutions and a review of applicable documents.
READ THE REPORT
http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_10-17_Nov09.pdf | DoD Hosts Annual Disability Awards Ceremony And Forum
8.12.2009 20:38:0 +0000
The 29th Department of Defense (DoD) Disability Awards ceremony and 22nd DoD Disability Forum was hosted today by Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Plans, Clarence Johnson, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda, Md. This annual event provides an overview of DoD disability policy and initiatives, recognizes DoD organizations with outstanding affirmative action programs for people with disabilities, and highlights the accomplishments of DoD employees with disabilities.
"We are very proud of the outstanding achievements by our employees with disabilities," said Johnson, "and the department remains committed to increasing opportunities for their success."
The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Matthew A. Staton, direct advisor and staff assistant to the secretary of the Army on wounded soldier matters. Staton medically retired from the Army in 2007, following two deployments to Iraq with the 8th Infantry Regiment.
The following 14 DoD employees with disabilities received secretary of defense awards for their outstanding contributions to national security:
Noreen S. Ames, Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Julia E. Becker, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Richard F. Chatfield II, Defense Information Systems Agency
Howard G. Drake Jr., National Guard Bureau
Phillip W. Gregg, Defense Commissary Agency
Greg Hare, Department of the Air Force
Michele E. Hill, Defense Contract Audit Agency
Brooke A. Larrabee, Department of the Army
Anthony L. Parish, Defense Contract Management Agency
Margaret R. Posa, Office of the DoD Inspector General
Adam G. Post, Army Air Force Exchange Service
William J. Russell, Department of the Navy
George H. Stevens Jr., Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Delfina D. Zeigler, Defense Logistics Agency
In addition, three DoD components, the Department of the Navy, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, and the Defense Contract Management Agency, received secretary of defense trophies for accomplishments in their affirmative actions programs for people with disabilities during 2009. | NIH, DoD and VA Hold Conference Examining Impact of Military Service on Families and Caregivers
8.12.2009 17:45:0 +0000
The Second Annual Trauma Spectrum Disorders Conference: A Scientific Conference on the Impact of Military Service on Families and Caregivers will focus on the impact of trauma spectrum disorders on military and veteran families and caregivers across deployment, homecoming, and reintegration. The term, trauma spectrum disorders, refers to any injury or illness that occurs as a result of combat or an unexpected traumatic event, and covers a broad range of psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues.
The conference is presented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health & Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other Federal Partners led by the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), several NIH institutes and centers, and HHS agencies.
What: A Scientific Conference on the Impact of Military Service on Families and Caregivers
When: Thursday, December 10, 2009
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Conference
Where: Natcher Conference Center (Building 45), NIH campus, Bethesda, Md.
The conference will examine the needs of families and caregivers in support of military and veterans with TSD, factors related to family functioning and reintegration, and effective approaches that facilitate treatment of trauma disorders and services to families and caregivers. In addition, the conference will focus on gender and health disparities.
Patricia K. Shinseki, wife of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, and a former board member of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), will give the keynote address at the conference. She will discuss MCEC's initiative called Living in the New Normal: Helping Children Thrive During Good and Challenging Times.
Participating NIH institutes, centers and offices include: The Office of Research on Women's Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Library of Medicine, and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Visit: http://www.nih.gov/.
In addition, other HHS agencies and offices include: The Office of the Secretary, Administration for Children and Families and Administration on Aging; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Health Resources and Services Administration; Indian Health Service; and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Visit: http://www.hhs.gov/.
For registration and agenda information, visit: http://www.dcoe.health.mil/Training/UpcomingConferences.aspx.
The Department of Veterans Affairs VA Research and Development program is able to foster the development of patient-centered evidence for clinical care decision-making and serves as a model for conducting superior bench-to-bedside research. Research advances and solutions are applied to patient care as rapidly as possible and benefits not only Veterans, but their family members and caregivers. For additional information about the VA Research Program, please visit www.research.va.gov.
The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) mission is to assess, validate, oversee, and facilitate prevention, resilience, identification, treatment, outreach, rehabilitation, and reintegration programs for psychological health and traumatic brain injury to ensure the Department of Defense meets the needs of the nation's military communities, warriors and families. For more information on the DCoE, please visit http://dcoe.health.mil/.
The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH) serves as a focal point for women's health research at the NIH. For more information about NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health, visit: http://orwh.od.nih.gov/.
The Office of the Director, the central office at NIH, is responsible for setting policy for NIH, which includes 27 Institutes and Centers. This involves planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH components. The Office of the Director also includes program offices which are responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH. Additional information is available at http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. | Soldier Seeks to Reclaim Boxing Title
8.12.2009 16:29:0 +0000
 By Army Spc. Michael J. MacLeod
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2009 - For the woman he loved, he became a paratrooper in the vaunted 82nd Airborne Division and eventually a U.S. citizen. With his enlistment nearly up, 6-foot, 5-inch, 230-pound Army Spc. Wenderson Jangada is ready to return to his home country of Brazil to reclaim the title of heavyweight boxing champion. Jangada deployed to Iraq's Anbar province in August as an infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, a unit whose battle campaign streamers from World War II read like a Stephen Spielberg movie script: Sicily, Anzio, Normandy, and the Ardennes.
It is a fitting unit for a former boxing champion who has fought and trained with boxers from Argentina, Russia, and most of Europe.
"I learn from them all -- some good, some bad. The Russians just want to kill you," he said with a laugh.
Though Jangada's enlistment expires in early 2010, he expects to be extended through late autumn, allowing him to complete the current deployment.
"I will take a couple months off, then I will train to fight again," said the 2001/2002 Transcontinental heavyweight champ. "Perhaps I will take my titles back."
At 34 in the sport of boxing, Jangada is a mature practitioner, though he has friends who have boxed professionally into their 40s. "If the boxing doesn't work out, I will open a gym with my friend Daniel Silva," he said. Jangada is considering Chicago, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Ind., as possible locations.
"I am a better trainer than a boxer," he said. "Training a boxer is a puzzle. It's like building a house. Everyone starts too fast. I started too fast, but I learned."
Jangada began his career as a muay thai fighter in the same Brazilian gym that spawned mixed martial-arts greats Wanderlei and Anderson Silva. But that's not for him, Jangada said.
"Boxing is a noble art. It's a classic. Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali are classics. Besides, I have heavy hands," he said, referring to his 38 knockouts.
Recently promoted from private first class to specialist, Jangada is stationed here, 10 miles from the Syrian border, where paratroopers are partnered with Iraqi border enforcement troops.
In his time off, Jangada coaches his battle buddies in the art of boxing. "They have heart here in the Army, much more than civilians," he said.
Army 1st Lt. Christopher Hollingsworth, Jangada's platoon leader from Ennis, Texas, takes advantage of Jangada's boxing mentorship whenever he can. The former Special Forces operator and medic from 3rd Special Forces Group said he would be stupid not to take advantage of such world-class talent.
"The training he did with such a wide range of top boxers makes him a great instructor," Hollingsworth said. "We are constantly trying to pick his brain."
Noting the great progress Iraqi security forces have made in Anbar province, Jangada said the deployment is quieter than he had expected.
"Infantry is like boxing. We are fighters. We are the war dogs. We expected to find more action, but this is not the case. But then, I am glad to see nobody hurt," he said.
His wife, Susan, a former professional volleyball player, moved back to Indiana to be near family until her husband returns from Iraq.
On the night of Oct. 24, Jangada was manning a guard tower. It was dark and cold, and the pouring rain had turned the "moondust" on the base into deep, sticky gumbo. A soldier brought him a note from the Red Cross. The details: Fergeson Jangada, born Oct. 24 in Bluffington, Ind., 8 pounds, 12.3 ounces, 21 inches, mother and baby doing fine.
Susan likes the Army for the stability and health benefits, said Jangada, who is still considering re-enlistment.
"His top end is unlimited," Hollingsworth said. "If he chooses to stay in the Army, he can do whatever he wants." In the meantime, he has eight months left in the deployment to be the best paratrooper he can be, he said.
"Sometimes we love it; sometimes we hate it, but we can never forget it," Jangada said. "No matter what I do when I get out, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division is something I'm going to bring with me forever."
(Army Spc. Michael J. MacLeod serves in the Multinational Force West public affairs office.) | Yama Sakura 57 Guardsmen experience Japanese culture
8.12.2009 3:59:0 +0000
 By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Shepherd, United States Army,
Pacific Sgt. Gerardo DeAvila, Georgia National Guard
(12/6/09) - Tea ceremonies, paper folding and sword demonstrations aren't usually the first things to come to mind when you think of a command post exercise with one of the U.S. strongest military allies.
Yet, the more than 1,500 troops participating in Yama Sakura 57 had the opportunity to visit Japanese children with special needs and practice the art of calligraphy and origami before the start of this year's exercise.
These events were part of a series of cultural exchanges designed to foster a better understanding of Japanese culture and traditions.
The Northern Army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the U.S. military's bilateral partner for this year's exercise, planned and executed the cultural series. Each day featured a different event, hosted on the Northern Army's camp on the island of Hokkaido, Japan's most northern island).
One of the first cultural activity offered was a Japanese home visit, which was designed to let U.S. participants experience Japanese home life first hand.
Staff Sgt. Andrew Knight of the Colorado National Guard's 169th Fires Brigade, helped prepare a northern Japanese staple, mochi gome, or sticky rice, during his home visit.
"One of the neater things we got to do was take steamed rice and put it in this big bowl and started pounding on it with a hammer," he said. "Later, (our host's wife) came back with soup and the rice was in it. It was absolutely delicious."
Knight also added that experiencing the home life of an average Japanese family was something he has always wanted to do.
"I've always been intrigued by (East-Asian) culture," he said. "So many ancient traditions that we as Americans don't get to see too often. It was very eye opening to be able to see this in person and actually visit with a Japanese family and see how they live and how they view America."
"I was humbled by this experience and I love the respect and honor I felt being at my host's home," said Spc. Latangia Oliver, 40th Special Troops Battalion, California National Guard. "This is my first trip to Japan and did not know what to expect and felt a little apprehensive, but after tonight I feel right at home."
First Lt. Kyosuke Moriguchi, Northern Army, JGSDF, served as an interpreter during the home visit. He said that he was happy to experience the interaction between the U.S and the family.
"The U.S. military and the host family made a good connection," he added. "I hope the JGSDF and U.S. military make as good a connection (during Yama Sakura)."
Capt. Ryan Mundy, Utah National Guard, learned how to write his name in Japanese during the calligraphy class.
"I am amazed at the beauty and difficulty of writing Japanese," he said. "It's a beautiful language."
Sgt. Lizeth Reyes, of the California National Guard's 40th Infantry Division, participated in a tea ceremony and enjoyed the attention to detail placed on such an important part of Japanese life.
"This has given me a great appreciation in working with my counterparts and I'm glad they made an effort to share their world with me," she said.
Other classes during the week included the Japanese art of flower arranging or kado and the proper wear of a kimono.
For many, the best part of the cultural exchange was the joint U.S.-JGSDF visit to children with special needs. The 29 U.S. and 29 JGSDF troops played wheel chair soccer and had a great time, according to Command Sgt. Maj. Alveno Hodge, command sergeant major, United States Army, Pacific Special Troops Battalion.
"When you come to different countries, you usually only get to see what's on that particular installation during that military operation," he said. "But here, our host, the JGSDF, has done so much for us. They have gone out of their way to make us feel comfortable in their country."
"I saw lots of smiling," said Command Sgt. Maj. Hisanoria Honda, command sergeant major of the Northern Army, JGSDF . "I believe that the U.S. participates will have some good memories to bring home.
More than 1,500 U.S. military personnel and nearly 3,500 members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force are conducting the exercise here Dec. 7-13. Yama Sakura, which means "mountain cherry blossom," is an annual, bilateral exercise designed to strengthen military operations and ties between the U.S. Army and the JGSDF.
| New York Guardsmen ready for exercise With Japanese counterparts
8.12.2009 3:57:0 +0000
 (12/4/09) - About 120 New York Army National Guard Soldiers arrived here between Dec. 1-4 for Yama Sakura 57, the bilateral command post training exercise with members of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces.
The Soldiers will now establish the division headquarters command post and communications infrastructure to support the full spectrum battle simulation exercise next week. The troops acclimated quickly to Northern Japan\'s cold climate. With temperatures and a wind chill reaching down to the lower teens, most of the New York Army National Guard Soldiers left autumn at home much warmer than the environment on Hokkaido.
They will conduct a joint exercise with the Japanese Northern Army's 2nd Division.
Ten of the division's Soldiers already received a warm welcome as part of the cultural exchange program for Yama Sakura.
The New York Soldiers were received at the homes of Japanese army troops volunteering to open their homes, their families and their culture to the New York Army National Guardsmen.
Yama Sakura 57 involves a military-to-military exchange to better prepare both forces for full spectrum conflict and train Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces for their homeland defense mission.
The command post exercise, scheduled for Dec. 8-13, involves a notional battle to defend Japanese sovereignty. It is one of the U.S. Army's largest such training events for high intensity, or full spectrum, conflict.
"About 60 percent of our effort here is just the military to military relationships and cultural exchange with our Japanese partners," Command Sgt. Major John Willsey said.
Willsey, from the 42d Special Troops Battalion, supervises the Soldier care and life support issues for the deployed troops. "The other forty percent of our effort is the exercise itself," he said. "Training with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces is an exchange of techniques and lessons learned that make both our forces better at what we do."
This is the second time this year that New York Army National Guard Soldiers have trained in Japan with the Japan Ground Self Defense Defense Force. In October, 200 Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard, most from the famed "Fighting 69th" the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry, took part in Operation Orient Shield. Those Soldiers trained with Japanese infantrymen at Camp Imazu, Japan. |
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