By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 27, 2007 – People across the country will take a moment from their afternoons tomorrow to pause and honor the sacrifices of America's military. Major League Baseball stadiums, NASCAR tracks, train stations, grocery stores, and even the astronauts on the International Space Station will be participating in the "Moment of Remembrance," which is observed every Memorial Day at 3 p.m.
"The national Moment of Remembrance is a time for Americans to contemplate those things that bind us together by remembering the legacy of those who died to better our country," Carmella LaSpada, executive director of the White House Commission on Remembrance, said in a news release. "We encourage all Americans, no matter where they are and what they are doing, at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to stop and give thanks."
The Moment of Remembrance is an initiative of the White House Commission on Remembrance, which was established by Congress and made into public law in 2000. The commission encourages Americans to remember the sacrifices of fallen military members, as well as the families they leave behind. According to its mission statement, the commission "promotes acts of remembrance throughout the year and asks Americans to pay our debt of gratitude in memory of our fallen by giving something back to the nation."
The Moment of Remembrance, which lasts one minute, is being observed at the Liberty Bell and National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the Empire State Building and Port Authority of New York, the USS New Jersey, USS Arizona and Greyhound stations. Additionally, volunteer buglers across the country will play "Taps" during the moment.
In his Memorial Day proclamation, President Bush will call on the citizens of the United States to participate in the Moment of Remembrance, according to the news release. Citizens can participate by observing a moment of silence, or doing something symbolic, like ringing a bell.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Indy 500 Helps Build Homes For Disabled Veterans
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 27, 2007 – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is helping make adaptive homes available to disabled veterans through support for a group called Homes for Our Troops. The group builds or adapts homes to meet the needs of servicemembers severely injured while serving in the global war on terrorism. The group has completed 17 homes to date, and it will receive the proceeds of T-shirt and dog tag sales in the weeks leading up to today's Indy 500 race.
Though the total amount of funds raised has not been calculated yet, the racetrack estimated that they will have raised at least $16,000 to help the group.
That money will certainly help, said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. The funds will go toward the 21 houses on which Homes for Our Troops is currently working. But it's perhaps not the best thing to come out of the speedway's support.
"We always need to raise money," he said, adding that "raising awareness is equally, if not a little bit more, important."
Homes for Our Troops is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
It's that program which brought the speedway and the home-front group together, said Gina Friedholdt, the speedway's licensing coordinator. The speedway is a corporate member of America Supports You.
"It really stems from us supporting the America Supports You program run by Allison Barber," she said. "We thought it would be a good initiative to try to support some of the programs that were falling under America Supports You."
In fact, the speedway actually found Homes for Our Troops on the America Supports You Web site. Friedholdt said the speedway looked on the site for universally appealing troop-support groups that would be supported by race fans, who are a diverse crowd. And it seems they were successful. Many race fans expressed great support for the troops.
"I think it's something that needs to be done and I think they're doing a really good job," said Daniel Moore, of Mitchell, Ind. "We need to do something for them. They went over and risked everything they can, their lives, and ... everybody can help in some way. This is the least I can do."
Moore, who was at the track working as a safety official, understands the sacrifices servicemembers make. His father and uncle both served in the Korean War.
For Robert Watson, who came to Indiana from Crosby, Texas, for the race, the reason to purchase one of the shirts to help Homes For Our Troops was a very simple way to show great appreciation.
"They're our troops. They're over there protecting us," he said. "I never was in the war, but I know what they're doing and I appreciate it."
The T-shirts, which went on sale May 11, were on pace to sell out just before the race began as they have in the past. The shirts were sponsored by Homes for Our Troops corporate sponsor, Simonton Windows, and specially designed for today's race. They sell for $20 and come with a free dog tag, Friedholdt said. Fans also can buy the dog tags for $5 each, Gina Friedholdt.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 27, 2007 – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is helping make adaptive homes available to disabled veterans through support for a group called Homes for Our Troops. The group builds or adapts homes to meet the needs of servicemembers severely injured while serving in the global war on terrorism. The group has completed 17 homes to date, and it will receive the proceeds of T-shirt and dog tag sales in the weeks leading up to today's Indy 500 race.
Though the total amount of funds raised has not been calculated yet, the racetrack estimated that they will have raised at least $16,000 to help the group.
That money will certainly help, said John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops. The funds will go toward the 21 houses on which Homes for Our Troops is currently working. But it's perhaps not the best thing to come out of the speedway's support.
"We always need to raise money," he said, adding that "raising awareness is equally, if not a little bit more, important."
Homes for Our Troops is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
It's that program which brought the speedway and the home-front group together, said Gina Friedholdt, the speedway's licensing coordinator. The speedway is a corporate member of America Supports You.
"It really stems from us supporting the America Supports You program run by Allison Barber," she said. "We thought it would be a good initiative to try to support some of the programs that were falling under America Supports You."
In fact, the speedway actually found Homes for Our Troops on the America Supports You Web site. Friedholdt said the speedway looked on the site for universally appealing troop-support groups that would be supported by race fans, who are a diverse crowd. And it seems they were successful. Many race fans expressed great support for the troops.
"I think it's something that needs to be done and I think they're doing a really good job," said Daniel Moore, of Mitchell, Ind. "We need to do something for them. They went over and risked everything they can, their lives, and ... everybody can help in some way. This is the least I can do."
Moore, who was at the track working as a safety official, understands the sacrifices servicemembers make. His father and uncle both served in the Korean War.
For Robert Watson, who came to Indiana from Crosby, Texas, for the race, the reason to purchase one of the shirts to help Homes For Our Troops was a very simple way to show great appreciation.
"They're our troops. They're over there protecting us," he said. "I never was in the war, but I know what they're doing and I appreciate it."
The T-shirts, which went on sale May 11, were on pace to sell out just before the race began as they have in the past. The shirts were sponsored by Homes for Our Troops corporate sponsor, Simonton Windows, and specially designed for today's race. They sell for $20 and come with a free dog tag, Friedholdt said. Fans also can buy the dog tags for $5 each, Gina Friedholdt.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
TAPS Helps Families Cope With Loss of Loved Ones
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Families members who have lost loved ones serving in the military are gathered here this Memorial Day weekend for a survivors' national support group seminar. Five hundred older family members and 300 young people are attending this year's survivors' seminars and associated events, said Bonnie Carroll, chairman of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
Established in 1994, TAPS is a nonprofit organization that helps survivors cope and heal after their loss through a variety of programs that include a national peer-support network, crisis intervention care, grief and trauma resources, and a 24-hour hotline.
Over the Memorial Day weekend the young TAPS members will visit national monuments and "spend time around Washington learning how America honors their families," Carroll said. "Their loss is part of the legacy of this nation."
Marine Gen. John F. Sattler, director for strategic plans and policy with the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the family members today during the TAPS' 13th Annual National Good Grief Camp for Young Survivors in Arlington, Va.
"It's extremely important that we have groups (like TAPS) where you can open up and share and discuss and talk," he said. Talking over grief issues, he noted, "is not a sign of weakness, it's actually a sign of strength, and I applaud you for your strength.
"We constantly tell the warriors, 'You have got to talk these things through,' Sattler said. "Men and women with shared experiences have the opportunity to talk to others and I would please encourage you to do that."
Sattler told the young people America's military members "cannot do their jobs without strong family support."
Singing star Pat Boone also addressed a group of older TAPS members.
Wearing a red, white and blue shirt patterned like a U.S. flag, Boone told a group of older TAPS members that he was in the nation's capital to participate in Memorial Day observance events. Boone also is in town to unveil "For My Country," an anthem and documentary dedicated to America's National Guard.
"I had not known about TAPS until just recently," the 73-year-old Boone said. "When I heard about this (meeting) I was delighted to be invited just to come."
Army Maj. Gen. Guy C. Swan III, commanding general of the Military District of Washington, also was on hand to address the older TAPS members.
"There is nothing nobler than what your loved ones have done and we're just privileged to be here and to be part of this," Swan said.
TAPS members Stella Maynard, 53, and Randy Beard, 49, both lost soldier-sons who'd died two weeks apart during separate operations in Ramadi, Iraq, in October 2004.
Maynard said her son, 30-year-old Army Spc. Stephen Paul Downing II, and Beard's son, 22-year-old Army Spc. Bradley S. Beard, both served with Service Battery, 217th Field Artillery, attached to the 2nd Infantry Division.
Maynard, of Burkesville, Ky., is intensely proud of her son's and others' military service and sacrifices.
"None of them die in vain. Anyone that thinks that ... I would probably have words with," she said, noting that U.S. servicemembers are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to preserve freedom for all Americans.
Yet, memories of Stephen can unexpectedly leap into her thoughts, causing a sharp flow of tears, Maynard said. "All of a sudden it's there, but you go through it and it is gone," she said.
"We're not going to recover our sons; we're going to learn to readjust and go on without them," said Beard, a resident of Chapel Hill, N.C. TAPS "can empathize" with the survivors, he noted, and assist members in moving forward.
"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my son, but you just learn how to go on," Beard said.
Letitia Imel, a 17-year-old teenager from Rochester, Ind., was among the group of young people attending the seminar. Imel's uncle, Jeff McLochlin, was an Army National Guardsman who was killed in Afghanistan on July 5, 2006. Imel said her uncle had essentially taken over the duties of her real father, who had died four years previously.
"This is my first day, but it's really good so far," Imel said of the TAPS program.
Ashley McLain, 31, is a volunteer mentor who is helping Imel with her loss.
"It's humbling to be around individuals who have lost a loved one," said McLain, a resident of Berryville, Va. "It's difficult and challenging, but it is also very rewarding to help someone else out in their time of grief.
TAPS is among the more than 250 businesses and organizations nationwide that participate in the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which recognizes citizens' support for military men and women and communicates that support to members of the U.S. armed forces here and abroad.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Families members who have lost loved ones serving in the military are gathered here this Memorial Day weekend for a survivors' national support group seminar. Five hundred older family members and 300 young people are attending this year's survivors' seminars and associated events, said Bonnie Carroll, chairman of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
Established in 1994, TAPS is a nonprofit organization that helps survivors cope and heal after their loss through a variety of programs that include a national peer-support network, crisis intervention care, grief and trauma resources, and a 24-hour hotline.
Over the Memorial Day weekend the young TAPS members will visit national monuments and "spend time around Washington learning how America honors their families," Carroll said. "Their loss is part of the legacy of this nation."
Marine Gen. John F. Sattler, director for strategic plans and policy with the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the family members today during the TAPS' 13th Annual National Good Grief Camp for Young Survivors in Arlington, Va.
"It's extremely important that we have groups (like TAPS) where you can open up and share and discuss and talk," he said. Talking over grief issues, he noted, "is not a sign of weakness, it's actually a sign of strength, and I applaud you for your strength.
"We constantly tell the warriors, 'You have got to talk these things through,' Sattler said. "Men and women with shared experiences have the opportunity to talk to others and I would please encourage you to do that."
Sattler told the young people America's military members "cannot do their jobs without strong family support."
Singing star Pat Boone also addressed a group of older TAPS members.
Wearing a red, white and blue shirt patterned like a U.S. flag, Boone told a group of older TAPS members that he was in the nation's capital to participate in Memorial Day observance events. Boone also is in town to unveil "For My Country," an anthem and documentary dedicated to America's National Guard.
"I had not known about TAPS until just recently," the 73-year-old Boone said. "When I heard about this (meeting) I was delighted to be invited just to come."
Army Maj. Gen. Guy C. Swan III, commanding general of the Military District of Washington, also was on hand to address the older TAPS members.
"There is nothing nobler than what your loved ones have done and we're just privileged to be here and to be part of this," Swan said.
TAPS members Stella Maynard, 53, and Randy Beard, 49, both lost soldier-sons who'd died two weeks apart during separate operations in Ramadi, Iraq, in October 2004.
Maynard said her son, 30-year-old Army Spc. Stephen Paul Downing II, and Beard's son, 22-year-old Army Spc. Bradley S. Beard, both served with Service Battery, 217th Field Artillery, attached to the 2nd Infantry Division.
Maynard, of Burkesville, Ky., is intensely proud of her son's and others' military service and sacrifices.
"None of them die in vain. Anyone that thinks that ... I would probably have words with," she said, noting that U.S. servicemembers are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to preserve freedom for all Americans.
Yet, memories of Stephen can unexpectedly leap into her thoughts, causing a sharp flow of tears, Maynard said. "All of a sudden it's there, but you go through it and it is gone," she said.
"We're not going to recover our sons; we're going to learn to readjust and go on without them," said Beard, a resident of Chapel Hill, N.C. TAPS "can empathize" with the survivors, he noted, and assist members in moving forward.
"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my son, but you just learn how to go on," Beard said.
Letitia Imel, a 17-year-old teenager from Rochester, Ind., was among the group of young people attending the seminar. Imel's uncle, Jeff McLochlin, was an Army National Guardsman who was killed in Afghanistan on July 5, 2006. Imel said her uncle had essentially taken over the duties of her real father, who had died four years previously.
"This is my first day, but it's really good so far," Imel said of the TAPS program.
Ashley McLain, 31, is a volunteer mentor who is helping Imel with her loss.
"It's humbling to be around individuals who have lost a loved one," said McLain, a resident of Berryville, Va. "It's difficult and challenging, but it is also very rewarding to help someone else out in their time of grief.
TAPS is among the more than 250 businesses and organizations nationwide that participate in the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which recognizes citizens' support for military men and women and communicates that support to members of the U.S. armed forces here and abroad.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Cheney Says West Pointers Understand Need for War on Terrorism
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – The 978 new second lieutenants who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., today, knew from the start of their military education that they were joining an Army at war, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said during the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2007. "You came here knowing these four years would pass; the courses would be finished; this day of commissioning would arrive -- and you would then become responsible for the well being of men and women under your command," Cheney said to the 978 members of the class.
The vice president said West Point prepared the new second lieutenants for battlefield leadership. In fact, some of the newly minted officers are already combat veterans, having served in Operation Enduring Freedom as enlisted personnel.
"More than 25 graduates of this academy now on active duty have earned the Silver Star, and in Iraq, the Multinational Force is led by a superb officer, Gen. Dave Petraeus, class of 1974," Cheney said.
The new officers understand the threats facing the United States. He said the Army must surmount unprecedented challenges, but it is still the finest force ever fielded by the United States of America.
Cheney, who served as defense secretary during Operation Desert Storm, said he wished all Americans could visit the service academies.
"Year in and year out, the academies prepare the finest of young Americans to protect our people, to defend the land we call home, and to serve the ideals that define this nation," he said. "In an often cynical age, the armed forces and their academies are all the more exceptional. The values of a military education -- the sense of rectitude, the devotion to duty, and the daily acceptance of personal responsibility -- are a credit to the students and to the instructors, and an example for our entire country."
The new officers understand the reason America is fighting terrorists: the United States was attacked. He said if al Qaeda could, they would launch far more destructive attacks on the United States than those that killed 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001.
"They are working feverishly to obtain ever more destructive weapons, and using every form of technology they can get their hands on," he said. "This makes the business of fighting this war as urgent and time-sensitive as any task this nation has ever taken on."
While the U.S. government has taken steps to defend against more terror attacks, the true strategy is to go after the terrorists where they live, to "shut down their training camps, take down their networks, deny them sanctuary and bring them to justice," the vice president said. "In that effort, some of the most difficult and dangerous work has been carried out by the U.S. Army. America is the kind of country that stands up to brutality, terror, and injustice. And you are the kind of people we depend on to get the job done."
The new officers represent the best standards and ethics, and they are pitted against an enemy who oppose and despise everything an American stands for. "Capture one of these killers, and he'll be quick to demand the protections of the Geneva Convention and the Constitution of the United States," Cheney said. "Yet when they wage attacks or take captives, their delicate sensibilities seem to fall away.
"These are men who glorify murder and suicide," he continued. "Their cruelty is not rebuked by human suffering, only fed by it. They have given themselves to an ideology that rejects tolerance, denies freedom of conscience and demands that women be pushed to the margins of society. The terrorists are defined entirely by their hatreds, and they hate nothing more than the country you have volunteered to defend."
The terrorists will follow their strategy and attempt to impose a fundamentalist dictatorship based on a safe haven in Iraq. "In Iraq today, the al Qaeda network that struck America is one of the elements trying to destroy a democratic government," Cheney said. "They are surging their capabilities, attacking Iraqi and American forces and killing innocent civilians.
U.S. servicemembers are serving in Iraq because that is where the enemy has gathered" he said.
"We are there because, after 9/11, we decided to deny terrorists any safe haven," he said. "We are there because, having removed Saddam Hussein, we promised not to allow another dictator to rise in his place. And we are there because the security of this nation depends on a successful outcome."
Cheney said the war on terror does not have to be an endless war. To prevail, the United States and its allies must alleviate the conditions that produce terrorists. "We know from history that when people live in freedom, answering to their own conscience and charting their own destiny, they will not be drawn to the ideologies of hatred and violence," Cheney said. "We know, as well, that when people are given the chance to live in freedom, most of them will make that choice."
Cheney said the Iraqi government is making progress, and Americans should have confidence. But he said there is another reason for confidence in Iraq.
"The single most reliable fact of this war is the skill and courage of the American soldiers fighting it," he said. "You're about to become leaders in an amazing Army -- an all-volunteer force that has carried out tough missions in a time of great need for our country. They have endured long deployments, separation from family, and loss of comrades. They have fought boldly and courageously, from the cold mountains of Afghanistan to the dust and heat of the Middle Eastern desert. Now they're going to look to you for leadership, and it'll be your job to provide that leadership and to take care of them."
Cheney said the new officers must take this job seriously. They must look to the needs of their soldiers and they must accomplish their missions. "And you're entitled to expect some things in return," he said. "You deserve the tools and the backing to do your work, wherever duty takes you. At the same time, you deserve the support that makes life easier for your loved ones."
The United States is a country that fights for ideas and ideals. U.S. soldiers stand for freedom. "This world we live in is a better place for the power, and influence, and the values of the United States of America," Cheney said. "Americans are rightly proud of our country. We're a patriotic people, and we show that devotion in many different ways. And the bravest way of all is to take up the profession of arms."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – The 978 new second lieutenants who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., today, knew from the start of their military education that they were joining an Army at war, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said during the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2007. "You came here knowing these four years would pass; the courses would be finished; this day of commissioning would arrive -- and you would then become responsible for the well being of men and women under your command," Cheney said to the 978 members of the class.
The vice president said West Point prepared the new second lieutenants for battlefield leadership. In fact, some of the newly minted officers are already combat veterans, having served in Operation Enduring Freedom as enlisted personnel.
"More than 25 graduates of this academy now on active duty have earned the Silver Star, and in Iraq, the Multinational Force is led by a superb officer, Gen. Dave Petraeus, class of 1974," Cheney said.
The new officers understand the threats facing the United States. He said the Army must surmount unprecedented challenges, but it is still the finest force ever fielded by the United States of America.
Cheney, who served as defense secretary during Operation Desert Storm, said he wished all Americans could visit the service academies.
"Year in and year out, the academies prepare the finest of young Americans to protect our people, to defend the land we call home, and to serve the ideals that define this nation," he said. "In an often cynical age, the armed forces and their academies are all the more exceptional. The values of a military education -- the sense of rectitude, the devotion to duty, and the daily acceptance of personal responsibility -- are a credit to the students and to the instructors, and an example for our entire country."
The new officers understand the reason America is fighting terrorists: the United States was attacked. He said if al Qaeda could, they would launch far more destructive attacks on the United States than those that killed 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001.
"They are working feverishly to obtain ever more destructive weapons, and using every form of technology they can get their hands on," he said. "This makes the business of fighting this war as urgent and time-sensitive as any task this nation has ever taken on."
While the U.S. government has taken steps to defend against more terror attacks, the true strategy is to go after the terrorists where they live, to "shut down their training camps, take down their networks, deny them sanctuary and bring them to justice," the vice president said. "In that effort, some of the most difficult and dangerous work has been carried out by the U.S. Army. America is the kind of country that stands up to brutality, terror, and injustice. And you are the kind of people we depend on to get the job done."
The new officers represent the best standards and ethics, and they are pitted against an enemy who oppose and despise everything an American stands for. "Capture one of these killers, and he'll be quick to demand the protections of the Geneva Convention and the Constitution of the United States," Cheney said. "Yet when they wage attacks or take captives, their delicate sensibilities seem to fall away.
"These are men who glorify murder and suicide," he continued. "Their cruelty is not rebuked by human suffering, only fed by it. They have given themselves to an ideology that rejects tolerance, denies freedom of conscience and demands that women be pushed to the margins of society. The terrorists are defined entirely by their hatreds, and they hate nothing more than the country you have volunteered to defend."
The terrorists will follow their strategy and attempt to impose a fundamentalist dictatorship based on a safe haven in Iraq. "In Iraq today, the al Qaeda network that struck America is one of the elements trying to destroy a democratic government," Cheney said. "They are surging their capabilities, attacking Iraqi and American forces and killing innocent civilians.
U.S. servicemembers are serving in Iraq because that is where the enemy has gathered" he said.
"We are there because, after 9/11, we decided to deny terrorists any safe haven," he said. "We are there because, having removed Saddam Hussein, we promised not to allow another dictator to rise in his place. And we are there because the security of this nation depends on a successful outcome."
Cheney said the war on terror does not have to be an endless war. To prevail, the United States and its allies must alleviate the conditions that produce terrorists. "We know from history that when people live in freedom, answering to their own conscience and charting their own destiny, they will not be drawn to the ideologies of hatred and violence," Cheney said. "We know, as well, that when people are given the chance to live in freedom, most of them will make that choice."
Cheney said the Iraqi government is making progress, and Americans should have confidence. But he said there is another reason for confidence in Iraq.
"The single most reliable fact of this war is the skill and courage of the American soldiers fighting it," he said. "You're about to become leaders in an amazing Army -- an all-volunteer force that has carried out tough missions in a time of great need for our country. They have endured long deployments, separation from family, and loss of comrades. They have fought boldly and courageously, from the cold mountains of Afghanistan to the dust and heat of the Middle Eastern desert. Now they're going to look to you for leadership, and it'll be your job to provide that leadership and to take care of them."
Cheney said the new officers must take this job seriously. They must look to the needs of their soldiers and they must accomplish their missions. "And you're entitled to expect some things in return," he said. "You deserve the tools and the backing to do your work, wherever duty takes you. At the same time, you deserve the support that makes life easier for your loved ones."
The United States is a country that fights for ideas and ideals. U.S. soldiers stand for freedom. "This world we live in is a better place for the power, and influence, and the values of the United States of America," Cheney said. "Americans are rightly proud of our country. We're a patriotic people, and we show that devotion in many different ways. And the bravest way of all is to take up the profession of arms."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Calls on Americans to Remember Sacrifices for Freedom
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – President Bush today asked all Americans to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. In his weekly radio address, Bush asked Americans to remember those who died defending the nation, and to also remember the sacrifice of their families. He asked Americans to rededicate themselves to freedom.
"On Memorial Day, we also pay tribute to Americans from every generation who have given their lives for our freedom," Bush said. "From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, brave men and women have given up their own futures so that others might have a future of freedom. Because of their sacrifice, millions here and around the world enjoy the blessings of liberty. And wherever these patriots rest, we offer them the respect and gratitude of our nation."
Currently, U.S. forces are helping the Iraqis and Afghans build democracies that respect the rights of all, he said. Iraqi and Afghan security forces stand alongside American servicemembers in battling the forces of extremism.
"In Iraq and Afghanistan, millions have shown their desire to be free, Bush said. "We are determined to help them secure their liberty."
"With the valor and determination of our men and women in uniform, I am confident that we will succeed and leave a world that is safer and more peaceful for our children and grandchildren," he said.
The president said Americans live in freedom because patriots of all generations were willing to serve, and sometimes die. He spoke of Marine Sgt. David Christoff Jr., of Rossford, Ohio. Christoff enlisted immediately after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He deployed to Iraq, fought street by street in the battle of Fallujah and earned a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in action.
"While on leave back home, David learned his company was headed for combat in Afghanistan," the president said. "But he knew there was also a job to finish in Iraq. So he asked to be reassigned to a unit headed for Iraq, and last May he died in Anbar province where the Marines are taking the fight to al Qaeda. When his family received his belongings, his mother and his father each found a letter from David. He asked that they pray for his fellow Marines and all those still serving overseas."
"On Memorial Day, our nation honors Sgt. Christoff's final request," Bush continued. "We pray for our men and women serving in harm's way. We pray for their safe return. And we pray for their families and loved ones, who also serve our country with their support and sacrifice."
To date, 3,433 servicemembers and Defense Department civilians have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. About 26,000 have been wounded in action. A total of 387 U.S. servicemembers and Defense civilians have been killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, with more than 1,200 wounded.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – President Bush today asked all Americans to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. In his weekly radio address, Bush asked Americans to remember those who died defending the nation, and to also remember the sacrifice of their families. He asked Americans to rededicate themselves to freedom.
"On Memorial Day, we also pay tribute to Americans from every generation who have given their lives for our freedom," Bush said. "From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, brave men and women have given up their own futures so that others might have a future of freedom. Because of their sacrifice, millions here and around the world enjoy the blessings of liberty. And wherever these patriots rest, we offer them the respect and gratitude of our nation."
Currently, U.S. forces are helping the Iraqis and Afghans build democracies that respect the rights of all, he said. Iraqi and Afghan security forces stand alongside American servicemembers in battling the forces of extremism.
"In Iraq and Afghanistan, millions have shown their desire to be free, Bush said. "We are determined to help them secure their liberty."
"With the valor and determination of our men and women in uniform, I am confident that we will succeed and leave a world that is safer and more peaceful for our children and grandchildren," he said.
The president said Americans live in freedom because patriots of all generations were willing to serve, and sometimes die. He spoke of Marine Sgt. David Christoff Jr., of Rossford, Ohio. Christoff enlisted immediately after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He deployed to Iraq, fought street by street in the battle of Fallujah and earned a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in action.
"While on leave back home, David learned his company was headed for combat in Afghanistan," the president said. "But he knew there was also a job to finish in Iraq. So he asked to be reassigned to a unit headed for Iraq, and last May he died in Anbar province where the Marines are taking the fight to al Qaeda. When his family received his belongings, his mother and his father each found a letter from David. He asked that they pray for his fellow Marines and all those still serving overseas."
"On Memorial Day, our nation honors Sgt. Christoff's final request," Bush continued. "We pray for our men and women serving in harm's way. We pray for their safe return. And we pray for their families and loved ones, who also serve our country with their support and sacrifice."
To date, 3,433 servicemembers and Defense Department civilians have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. About 26,000 have been wounded in action. A total of 387 U.S. servicemembers and Defense civilians have been killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, with more than 1,200 wounded.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Actor Gary Sinise Receives 'G.I. Spirit Award'
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 27, 2007 – Actor Gary Sinise received the G.I. Spirit Award yesterday during the first G.I. Film Festival, held over the Memorial Day weekend at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. Retired Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife Mary Jo Myers, presented Sinise with the award, which is meant to honor the entertainer who most embodies the spirit of the American G.I. and his work.
Despite many other film and television roles, Sinise may still be best known as Lt. Dan, a turbulent, resilient character in the 1994 film adaptation of Winston Groom's novel Forrest Gump. Lt. Dan struggled to find his place in America after being wounded in Vietnam and returning home with two below-knee amputations.
Sinise's portrayal of the wounded war vet was received with cheers and applause during a screening last night by guests who gathered at the film festival. The three-day event is showing 22 movies, conducting panel discussions and welcoming scores of current and retired servicemembers.
"We watched the screening of Forrest Gump and one thing it reminded me of was coming home from Vietnam in 1970 and being told to take off my uniform before I went through the international airport in San Francisco," Richard Myers said. "I said, 'Why would that be?' They said, 'They're going to harass you all the way from the front of the airport as you get to the gate because you have your uniform on.'
"That's not a very impressive thing to come home to when you've seen your friends injured, die and you've been doing what you think you're country has asked you to do, and do it in good faith," he said. "How different it is today."
Before presenting Sinise with the award, Myers called Sinise a "one-man effort to make sure people understand that America loves the troops," and a man who truly represents the Air Force's core value, "Service Before Self."
Mary Jo Myers said Sinise's compassion goes beyond caring for men and women in uniform.
"In 2003, he visited an Iraqi school with some of the members of the military and saw that these children were learning in a building that had a dirt floor; they were sharing pencils," she said. "(Sinise) came home and through his own children's school, he helped drive for school supplies to send to children in Iraq."
Sinise's efforts led to "Operation Iraqi Children," a non-profit organization he co-founded with Laura Hillenbrand that has send more than 400,000 school supply kits to children in Iraq. The kits are prepared by American school children then hand-delivered by U.S. military members.
After receiving the award, Sinise told the audience that his two brothers-in-law served in Vietnam -- one as a helicopter pilot and the another who served his first tour as an Army lieutenant and second as a captain. Sinise described the West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran, who died in 1983, as an inspiration.
"I modeled part of Lt. Dan on him," Sinise said. "When the opportunity to play Lt. Dan came up, I thought of him a lot. He was like Lt. Dan - he was surely destined for four stars; he was that kind of person.
A decade before playing Lt. Dan, Sinise said he got involved with a group of Vietnam vets in the Chicago-area suffering from post-traumatic stress after returning from war.
"I stayed involved with them and really came to empathize and sympathize with what they went through when they came home. As Gen. Myers said, they had to take off their uniform and there was something not right about that," Sinise said. "When I got the opportunity to play Lt. Dan it was one of those things that felt like it was - as Lt. Dan says - kind of a destiny... to serve that role and to try to enlighten people about what happened to our Vietnam veterans."
The actor had just flown back from Iraq the night before. He was there visiting servicemembers, and he told the crowd that troops still refer to him as Lt. Dan.
"Some actors might choose to kind of run away, kind of put the roles behind them, get mad about being identified so much with one part. But because that character has so much significance in terms of how it has been received by our Vietnam veterans and our veterans around the world, that's something I can never run away from," he said. "I can never say, 'That was then and don't talk to me about that part anymore.'"
Sinise visits military hospitals, where he said wounded servicemembers often see themselves through the eyes of Lt. Dan.
"I was just at the hospital yesterday and one guy said, 'Hey, I'm just like you now,'" Sinise said. "And he laughed, but I knew it wasn't real funny to him. But I knew that also my presence there at the hospital, and the fact that I showed up and continue to show up and go back and visit our wounded has some meaning to them."
In addition to his film work, Sinise and his rock band, the Lt. Dan Band, have been very active in showing support for the troops through free concerts on military installations and in deployed locations, in conjunction with the Defense Department's America Supports You Program. The program recognizes support for the troops from American individuals, non-profit organizations and corporations, and it communicates that support to the men and women serving in uniform.
The G.I. Film Festival was also started as a way of supporting the troops by Brandon Millet and wife, Laura Law-Millet, a major in the Army Reserve. The festival is a not-for-profit organizations, and its founders have planned to make it an annual event.
"We started this film festival because we wanted to do something to foster a positive public image for our soldiers at a very critical time," Millet said. "We were surprised to find there had never been a film festival dedicated to American men and women in the military, so we decided to launch this festival."
The festival is sponsored by a number of organizations, including Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, The National Memorial Day Parade, and many others.
Celebrity guests were on-hand for the festival, including actors R. Lee Erney and James McEachin, fitness guru Billy Blanks and musicians Pat Boone and Michael Peterson.
"In Vietnam, a lot of our soldiers came home and they were spit on, they had things thrown at them. Did that feel good?" said Peterson, a country music singer has performed for U.S. troops in Korea and Afghanistan.
"We all want to be appreciated, and when you make an extraordinary commitment for a purpose bigger than yourself, you deserve the recognition and appreciation," he said.
Iraq war veteran Army Capt. Dennis J. Skelton, who brought fellow servicemembers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center National and the Naval Medical Center at Bethesda to the event, recognizes that American support for military personnel has undergone a tremendous change.
"It's amazing to see the transition that has occurred in this country over the last four decades between the last major conflict, which was Vietnam, and the global war on terror," Skelton said. "There is definitely no shortage of patriotism in this country, and that's evident by the number of non-profit, philanthropic organizations, and attention that America has given.
Skelton, a former platoon leader with the 25th Infantry Division in Fallujah, Iraq, lost his left eye and suffered other injuries in a rocket-propelled-grenade attack.
"To me, and to all of my peers that are in hospitals recovering - sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines - it's amazing to watch and witness America understanding that there's a difference between those that make policy and those that enforce policy. And they will continue to support those who enforce, and while in the same breath, debating in a public forum, those who make it," he said. "It's just a beautiful thing to finally evolve to an area that we can professionally in the same forum do both simultaneously.
"It's great to know that even though there are some who may not agree with intentions or involvements and outcomes, they will forever support me as an individual that voluntarily made that choice to serve in a very complex environment," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 27, 2007 – Actor Gary Sinise received the G.I. Spirit Award yesterday during the first G.I. Film Festival, held over the Memorial Day weekend at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. Retired Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife Mary Jo Myers, presented Sinise with the award, which is meant to honor the entertainer who most embodies the spirit of the American G.I. and his work.
Despite many other film and television roles, Sinise may still be best known as Lt. Dan, a turbulent, resilient character in the 1994 film adaptation of Winston Groom's novel Forrest Gump. Lt. Dan struggled to find his place in America after being wounded in Vietnam and returning home with two below-knee amputations.
Sinise's portrayal of the wounded war vet was received with cheers and applause during a screening last night by guests who gathered at the film festival. The three-day event is showing 22 movies, conducting panel discussions and welcoming scores of current and retired servicemembers.
"We watched the screening of Forrest Gump and one thing it reminded me of was coming home from Vietnam in 1970 and being told to take off my uniform before I went through the international airport in San Francisco," Richard Myers said. "I said, 'Why would that be?' They said, 'They're going to harass you all the way from the front of the airport as you get to the gate because you have your uniform on.'
"That's not a very impressive thing to come home to when you've seen your friends injured, die and you've been doing what you think you're country has asked you to do, and do it in good faith," he said. "How different it is today."
Before presenting Sinise with the award, Myers called Sinise a "one-man effort to make sure people understand that America loves the troops," and a man who truly represents the Air Force's core value, "Service Before Self."
Mary Jo Myers said Sinise's compassion goes beyond caring for men and women in uniform.
"In 2003, he visited an Iraqi school with some of the members of the military and saw that these children were learning in a building that had a dirt floor; they were sharing pencils," she said. "(Sinise) came home and through his own children's school, he helped drive for school supplies to send to children in Iraq."
Sinise's efforts led to "Operation Iraqi Children," a non-profit organization he co-founded with Laura Hillenbrand that has send more than 400,000 school supply kits to children in Iraq. The kits are prepared by American school children then hand-delivered by U.S. military members.
After receiving the award, Sinise told the audience that his two brothers-in-law served in Vietnam -- one as a helicopter pilot and the another who served his first tour as an Army lieutenant and second as a captain. Sinise described the West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran, who died in 1983, as an inspiration.
"I modeled part of Lt. Dan on him," Sinise said. "When the opportunity to play Lt. Dan came up, I thought of him a lot. He was like Lt. Dan - he was surely destined for four stars; he was that kind of person.
A decade before playing Lt. Dan, Sinise said he got involved with a group of Vietnam vets in the Chicago-area suffering from post-traumatic stress after returning from war.
"I stayed involved with them and really came to empathize and sympathize with what they went through when they came home. As Gen. Myers said, they had to take off their uniform and there was something not right about that," Sinise said. "When I got the opportunity to play Lt. Dan it was one of those things that felt like it was - as Lt. Dan says - kind of a destiny... to serve that role and to try to enlighten people about what happened to our Vietnam veterans."
The actor had just flown back from Iraq the night before. He was there visiting servicemembers, and he told the crowd that troops still refer to him as Lt. Dan.
"Some actors might choose to kind of run away, kind of put the roles behind them, get mad about being identified so much with one part. But because that character has so much significance in terms of how it has been received by our Vietnam veterans and our veterans around the world, that's something I can never run away from," he said. "I can never say, 'That was then and don't talk to me about that part anymore.'"
Sinise visits military hospitals, where he said wounded servicemembers often see themselves through the eyes of Lt. Dan.
"I was just at the hospital yesterday and one guy said, 'Hey, I'm just like you now,'" Sinise said. "And he laughed, but I knew it wasn't real funny to him. But I knew that also my presence there at the hospital, and the fact that I showed up and continue to show up and go back and visit our wounded has some meaning to them."
In addition to his film work, Sinise and his rock band, the Lt. Dan Band, have been very active in showing support for the troops through free concerts on military installations and in deployed locations, in conjunction with the Defense Department's America Supports You Program. The program recognizes support for the troops from American individuals, non-profit organizations and corporations, and it communicates that support to the men and women serving in uniform.
The G.I. Film Festival was also started as a way of supporting the troops by Brandon Millet and wife, Laura Law-Millet, a major in the Army Reserve. The festival is a not-for-profit organizations, and its founders have planned to make it an annual event.
"We started this film festival because we wanted to do something to foster a positive public image for our soldiers at a very critical time," Millet said. "We were surprised to find there had never been a film festival dedicated to American men and women in the military, so we decided to launch this festival."
The festival is sponsored by a number of organizations, including Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, The National Memorial Day Parade, and many others.
Celebrity guests were on-hand for the festival, including actors R. Lee Erney and James McEachin, fitness guru Billy Blanks and musicians Pat Boone and Michael Peterson.
"In Vietnam, a lot of our soldiers came home and they were spit on, they had things thrown at them. Did that feel good?" said Peterson, a country music singer has performed for U.S. troops in Korea and Afghanistan.
"We all want to be appreciated, and when you make an extraordinary commitment for a purpose bigger than yourself, you deserve the recognition and appreciation," he said.
Iraq war veteran Army Capt. Dennis J. Skelton, who brought fellow servicemembers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center National and the Naval Medical Center at Bethesda to the event, recognizes that American support for military personnel has undergone a tremendous change.
"It's amazing to see the transition that has occurred in this country over the last four decades between the last major conflict, which was Vietnam, and the global war on terror," Skelton said. "There is definitely no shortage of patriotism in this country, and that's evident by the number of non-profit, philanthropic organizations, and attention that America has given.
Skelton, a former platoon leader with the 25th Infantry Division in Fallujah, Iraq, lost his left eye and suffered other injuries in a rocket-propelled-grenade attack.
"To me, and to all of my peers that are in hospitals recovering - sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines - it's amazing to watch and witness America understanding that there's a difference between those that make policy and those that enforce policy. And they will continue to support those who enforce, and while in the same breath, debating in a public forum, those who make it," he said. "It's just a beautiful thing to finally evolve to an area that we can professionally in the same forum do both simultaneously.
"It's great to know that even though there are some who may not agree with intentions or involvements and outcomes, they will forever support me as an individual that voluntarily made that choice to serve in a very complex environment," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Indy 500 Festival Parade Salutes Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – Patriotism was on display during today's 50th annual Indy 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis. People showed support for their country and their troops when patriotic displays and military parade participants marched past. Cheerleaders from Indiana University carried a banner heralding the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which proclaimed that "We Support You - Our Military Men and Women." Parade announcers told the crowd about the program, which connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. The announcers invited people in the crowd to support the troops.
The type of appreciation shown by the parade-goers lifts the spirits of servicemembers, and the crowd's reaction is a real morale boost, said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dorian Sweatt.
"You have a smile on your face and ... you're just happy that you're taking care of them and keeping them safe," Sweatt, an aircraft mechanic stationed at NAS Indianapolis, said. "It kind of makes you feel good, kind of makes you feel like a celebrity a little bit."
Members of a joint color guard were certainly treated as celebrities as they marched the Stars and Stripes along the parade route. People cheered for them and showed their support.
"It brought tears to my eyes. I took my hat off and saluted them," said Ted Bruington, a retired schoolteacher from Cameron, Ill. "I think it's just great that everyone stood and honored the flag, and honored our men and women that gave us all these freedoms that we enjoy today."
More Americans need to understand the importance of the sacrifices troops are making, Bruington said. "This younger crowd has got to realize that we're fighting for a cause and that's their freedom and their future," he said.
Feelings of patriotism were even more evident as the American Legion float, "Heroes to Hometowns," rolled past.
"Those guys are fighting for our country and it's just a sense of pride," Julie Krizan of Brownsburg, Ind., said. "We know how brave they are."
She said she has a true appreciation for all servicemembers, and she learned that early on from her father after her uncle was killed fighting in Guam.
"I just grew up knowing that my father's brother had been killed fighting for the country," she said. "My dad just always taught me that you respect them and that you are proud of them no matter where they're at or where they're fighting because they're representing our country."
The lesson Krizan learned as a child is still being taught to young Hoosiers. Curtis Carey, 13, said he'd like to thank the nation's military men and women for serving the country. "We appreciate everything they're doing," he said.
His buddy, Sean Hahnen, 13, said he, too, was grateful for the troops.
"I'm glad that they're here for us," Hahnen said. "They do so much for us and without them our country would be nothing. In them you can find the real American."
The two are Boy Scouts with Troop 359 from Noblesville, Ind., and had helped set up for the parade.
The parade also featured the Indiana Army National Guard's 38th Division band. A group of servicemembers from each service also carried giant red, white and blue flags in the parade.
The procession passed through Monument Circle in the center of Indianapolis, which features a large obelisk. The spire honors Revolutionary War veterans. It's just one of many monuments dotting the city that honors war veterans.
The military tribute will continue tomorrow during pre-race festivities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Event planners are hoping that, as it did today, that the sun shines on Indianapolis.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – Patriotism was on display during today's 50th annual Indy 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis. People showed support for their country and their troops when patriotic displays and military parade participants marched past. Cheerleaders from Indiana University carried a banner heralding the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which proclaimed that "We Support You - Our Military Men and Women." Parade announcers told the crowd about the program, which connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. The announcers invited people in the crowd to support the troops.
The type of appreciation shown by the parade-goers lifts the spirits of servicemembers, and the crowd's reaction is a real morale boost, said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dorian Sweatt.
"You have a smile on your face and ... you're just happy that you're taking care of them and keeping them safe," Sweatt, an aircraft mechanic stationed at NAS Indianapolis, said. "It kind of makes you feel good, kind of makes you feel like a celebrity a little bit."
Members of a joint color guard were certainly treated as celebrities as they marched the Stars and Stripes along the parade route. People cheered for them and showed their support.
"It brought tears to my eyes. I took my hat off and saluted them," said Ted Bruington, a retired schoolteacher from Cameron, Ill. "I think it's just great that everyone stood and honored the flag, and honored our men and women that gave us all these freedoms that we enjoy today."
More Americans need to understand the importance of the sacrifices troops are making, Bruington said. "This younger crowd has got to realize that we're fighting for a cause and that's their freedom and their future," he said.
Feelings of patriotism were even more evident as the American Legion float, "Heroes to Hometowns," rolled past.
"Those guys are fighting for our country and it's just a sense of pride," Julie Krizan of Brownsburg, Ind., said. "We know how brave they are."
She said she has a true appreciation for all servicemembers, and she learned that early on from her father after her uncle was killed fighting in Guam.
"I just grew up knowing that my father's brother had been killed fighting for the country," she said. "My dad just always taught me that you respect them and that you are proud of them no matter where they're at or where they're fighting because they're representing our country."
The lesson Krizan learned as a child is still being taught to young Hoosiers. Curtis Carey, 13, said he'd like to thank the nation's military men and women for serving the country. "We appreciate everything they're doing," he said.
His buddy, Sean Hahnen, 13, said he, too, was grateful for the troops.
"I'm glad that they're here for us," Hahnen said. "They do so much for us and without them our country would be nothing. In them you can find the real American."
The two are Boy Scouts with Troop 359 from Noblesville, Ind., and had helped set up for the parade.
The parade also featured the Indiana Army National Guard's 38th Division band. A group of servicemembers from each service also carried giant red, white and blue flags in the parade.
The procession passed through Monument Circle in the center of Indianapolis, which features a large obelisk. The spire honors Revolutionary War veterans. It's just one of many monuments dotting the city that honors war veterans.
The military tribute will continue tomorrow during pre-race festivities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Event planners are hoping that, as it did today, that the sun shines on Indianapolis.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Pace Urges Reflection in Memorial Day Message
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – On the eve of the Memorial Day weekend, the top U.S. military officer today released a message reminding Americans to reflect on the sacrifices of servicemembers past and present. "On this Memorial Day, as we remember our fallen comrades in arms, let us reflect upon the countless battles with now familiar names such as Yorktown, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima, Chosin, Hue City, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Fallujah," Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a written Memorial Day message. "Each one reminds us that liberty has a cost, and that freedom is not free."
Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor the troops who have given their lives for freedom, Pace wrote.
"America honors those who gave their lives -- and all of their tomorrows -- so that we might live in peace," he wrote. "We acknowledge their sacrifice and pledge our own service to their memory -- emulating their courage and dedication. Their legacy sets an enduring example for our 2.4 million active, Guard, and Reserve military members serving today."
Pace reminded Americans that those who have died in service to the country left behind families, and that freedoms this country enjoys have come at a high price.
"The Joint Chiefs of Staff and I join the citizens of our great nation in tribute to our military men and women who have given their lives for our country," he wrote. "We hold them and their families in our hearts and prayers today, and every day."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – On the eve of the Memorial Day weekend, the top U.S. military officer today released a message reminding Americans to reflect on the sacrifices of servicemembers past and present. "On this Memorial Day, as we remember our fallen comrades in arms, let us reflect upon the countless battles with now familiar names such as Yorktown, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima, Chosin, Hue City, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Fallujah," Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a written Memorial Day message. "Each one reminds us that liberty has a cost, and that freedom is not free."
Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor the troops who have given their lives for freedom, Pace wrote.
"America honors those who gave their lives -- and all of their tomorrows -- so that we might live in peace," he wrote. "We acknowledge their sacrifice and pledge our own service to their memory -- emulating their courage and dedication. Their legacy sets an enduring example for our 2.4 million active, Guard, and Reserve military members serving today."
Pace reminded Americans that those who have died in service to the country left behind families, and that freedoms this country enjoys have come at a high price.
"The Joint Chiefs of Staff and I join the citizens of our great nation in tribute to our military men and women who have given their lives for our country," he wrote. "We hold them and their families in our hearts and prayers today, and every day."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Texas Group Packages Morale for Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – The nearly 500 servicemembers who pass through the United Service Organizations lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas each day receive a warm greeting from "Defenders of Freedom." Defenders of Freedom is a member organization of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which spotlights and facilitates support for U.S. servicemembers by private individuals and groups and the nation's corporate sector.
Donna Cranston, Defenders of Freedom founder, said members of her group greet servicemembers passing through the USO lounge in conjunction with leave, and that the group raises funds to send care packages to deployed servicemembers.
Defenders of Freedom's Web site offers a form that allows servicemembers to request a customized care package and specific items they'd like to receive, Cranston said.
In addition to sending care packages, the group works to encourage wounded servicemembers, especially those with no support, and provide them with needed items. Families of wounded servicemembers also are offered both physical and emotional support, Cranston said.
To cover the costs of this support, Cranston said, the group holds fundraisers.
On May 21, Defenders of Freedom and the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport's USO teamed up for a golf outing called "Tee It Up Fore the Troops." Cranston said the event raised $20,000, which will be divided between the two charitable organizations.
America Supports You membership has served the group well when it comes to meeting needs that don't fall within Defenders of Freedom's mission statement, Cranston said.
"When I get requests I can't fill, it has been wonderful to be able to suggest the America Supports You Web site, or to give them the name and number of another group I have met," she said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – The nearly 500 servicemembers who pass through the United Service Organizations lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas each day receive a warm greeting from "Defenders of Freedom." Defenders of Freedom is a member organization of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which spotlights and facilitates support for U.S. servicemembers by private individuals and groups and the nation's corporate sector.
Donna Cranston, Defenders of Freedom founder, said members of her group greet servicemembers passing through the USO lounge in conjunction with leave, and that the group raises funds to send care packages to deployed servicemembers.
Defenders of Freedom's Web site offers a form that allows servicemembers to request a customized care package and specific items they'd like to receive, Cranston said.
In addition to sending care packages, the group works to encourage wounded servicemembers, especially those with no support, and provide them with needed items. Families of wounded servicemembers also are offered both physical and emotional support, Cranston said.
To cover the costs of this support, Cranston said, the group holds fundraisers.
On May 21, Defenders of Freedom and the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport's USO teamed up for a golf outing called "Tee It Up Fore the Troops." Cranston said the event raised $20,000, which will be divided between the two charitable organizations.
America Supports You membership has served the group well when it comes to meeting needs that don't fall within Defenders of Freedom's mission statement, Cranston said.
"When I get requests I can't fill, it has been wonderful to be able to suggest the America Supports You Web site, or to give them the name and number of another group I have met," she said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Reserve Chief Applies Business Lessons to Military Force
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – As an operations manager for Proctor and Gamble, Army Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz strived to recruit the best new workers, get them trained for their jobs, then retain them so they didn't take their skills and experience elsewhere. That's similar to the challenge Stultz faces now, serving as the Army Reserve chief during a four-year leave of absence from his civilian job.
"I come from the business world, and there are a whole lot of similarities," Stultz told American Forces Press Service during an interview marking his one-year anniversary leading the Army Reserve.
So when Stultz assesses the Army Reserve and its requirements, he tends to think as much like a businessman as a three-star general.
When it comes down to the product, Stultz said the Army Reserve is the best it's ever been in his entire 33 years of service. "It's the most professional, best-quality, best-trained force I've seen," he said.
Visiting deployed Army Reserve soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kosovo, and just last week in Panama and Belize, Stultz said, he's struck by what they bring to their mission.
"It's just inspiring to see the quality, the dedication and the professionalism of the soldiers we've got," he said. "When you talk about the quality of the force, these are top-notch individuals that we have in our force."
Stultz knows firsthand what these soldiers have left behind to deploy; since leaving active duty to join the Army Reserve in 1979, he was deployed for Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991, for Operation Joint Endeavor in 1997 and for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom from 2002 to 2004.
"Wherever I go, I see soldiers who, over and over again, have put their civilian careers on hold," he said. "They are well educated, have got a very bright future ahead of them, but they joined our ranks in the Army Reserve so they can serve their country."
The soldier in Stultz understands that most joined the Army Reserve out of patriotism. But the businessman in him knows that to keep them in the force, the Army Reserve will need to keep giving them fulfilling training and missions, a fair benefits package and more balance in their lives.
With more than 170,000 Army Reservists mobilized since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, the force is more experienced than ever before, Stultz said.
Troops feel good about what they've accomplished and proven about the Army Reserve, but simply can't keep up the current operational pace, he said. They need more time at home with their families and civilian employers between deployments, and they need predictability about when they will deploy.
"We have got to put some predictability and some dwell time back in their life, because they can't keep going at this tempo," he said. "They have got to be able to get back home, back to their civilian jobs, back to the family life that they want."
In short, Stultz said, the Army Reserve needs to give its citizen-soldiers a bit more time to be "citizens."
He expressed optimism that the new Army Force Generation model will go a long way toward that goal. The model will set a cycle for reservists to deploy, return home, then get time at home and the opportunity to prepare for another deployment.
As he considers ways to bring balance to the "soldier-citizen" equation, Stultz also spends a lot of time trying to come up with better ways to keep troops in the force and to compensate them for their service.
After all, he said, it doesn't matter how strong the force is if you don't have soldiers who want to be a part of it.
Twenty-five years at Proctor and Gamble taught Stultz a lot about what motivates employers, and he'd like to see some of the same practices that work so well in the private sector applied in the military.
New employees, like new troops, are typically more interested in hearing about up-front cash payments than long-term benefits, he said. Mid-level workers, like mid-career soldiers, commonly want to know more about other benefits, particularly health care. Those toward the end of their careers, whether in the private sector or military, begin to think a lot about retirement benefits.
"At Proctor and Gamble, when you talked to an employee you were trying to retain, you looked at where they were in their life," he said. "And the same thing really does apply when you think about retaining a soldier."
Stultz said he'd like to see compensation packages better tailored to fit a particular soldier's interest.
For example, rather than automatically offering an up-front $15,000 re-enlistment bonus, the Army Reserve might give the soldier the option of applying that money somewhere else, he said. It could go toward pre-paying health insurance premiums, put into a retirement 401 plan or even pay off a child's college tuition costs through a program negotiated with the state.
Similarly, he said he'd like to see health-care programs better tailored to troops' particular needs. He's a big fan of a "continuity of care" concept that would prevent reserve troops from having to flip back and forth between their employers' and the military's systems when they deploy and return home.
"If we are truly going to have an operational force in the reserve components, if we are truly going to say to expect to be mobilized on a repeated basis on a regular frequency, we can't keep requiring the soldier to change medical plans every five years," he said. "We just can't keep doing that."
Stultz noted that changing medical plans affects entire families. "That is too much turmoil and stress on the family," he said.
He's considered ways to prevent this, possibly by having the military work with employers to share the cost of continuing corporate health-care benefits while a soldier is mobilized. Another option might be for the military to extend Tricare benefits for reservists to reservists who don't have health insurance elsewhere or at a lower cost than they can get it from their employers.
That could be a big enticement for civilian employers, particularly those in small business, to want to hire reservists, he said.
Stultz said he's "trying to explore all avenues right now" to come up with the best recommendation for providing health care to Army reservists on an ongoing basis.
He also likes the concept of a "continuum of service" that would enable soldiers to move between the active and reserve component during their military careers. This would enable soldiers to continuing serving as their life situation changes.
As a result, he said, the military would be able to retain their skills and experience, and they'd have the flexibility to continue serving and, if they choose to, to continue working toward a military retirement. Stultz noted that it could take them 35 years to acquire 20 active-duty years, but that they'd have that opportunity if they chose to pursue it.
As he considers incentives that have proven successful in corporate America and considers how they might work in the Army Reserve, Stultz is also eyeing the military retirement plan.
The current plan provides a retirement for reserve troops with 20 years of service, but they have to reach age 60 before collecting it. Stultz said he favors the idea of lowering the age, but only if it's tied into serving beyond 20 years.
He's intrigued by the concept of allowing reservists to draw retirement six months early for every year they serve beyond 20. Based on this formula, troops who served 22 years could draw it at age 59. Those with 26 years of service could draw it at 57. Those who stay 30 years - which Stultz recommends as the cap - could draw their retirement at age 55.
"So I would get 10 more years of service out of that individual, for five years of early retirement," he said.
One year into the job, Stultz said he recognizes he's got a lot on his plate, and that the concepts he's exploring are somewhat revolutionary to the military. But he said he's convinced that the corporate sector has some important lessons to offer. Much of it, he said, boils down to attracting, training and retaining the best people possible.
After all, he said, people are the bottom line in a successful Army.
"Training and equipping isn't important if you don't have any soldiers to train and equip," he said. "To me, manning the force and sustaining that is really the first priority."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – As an operations manager for Proctor and Gamble, Army Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz strived to recruit the best new workers, get them trained for their jobs, then retain them so they didn't take their skills and experience elsewhere. That's similar to the challenge Stultz faces now, serving as the Army Reserve chief during a four-year leave of absence from his civilian job.
"I come from the business world, and there are a whole lot of similarities," Stultz told American Forces Press Service during an interview marking his one-year anniversary leading the Army Reserve.
So when Stultz assesses the Army Reserve and its requirements, he tends to think as much like a businessman as a three-star general.
When it comes down to the product, Stultz said the Army Reserve is the best it's ever been in his entire 33 years of service. "It's the most professional, best-quality, best-trained force I've seen," he said.
Visiting deployed Army Reserve soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kosovo, and just last week in Panama and Belize, Stultz said, he's struck by what they bring to their mission.
"It's just inspiring to see the quality, the dedication and the professionalism of the soldiers we've got," he said. "When you talk about the quality of the force, these are top-notch individuals that we have in our force."
Stultz knows firsthand what these soldiers have left behind to deploy; since leaving active duty to join the Army Reserve in 1979, he was deployed for Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991, for Operation Joint Endeavor in 1997 and for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom from 2002 to 2004.
"Wherever I go, I see soldiers who, over and over again, have put their civilian careers on hold," he said. "They are well educated, have got a very bright future ahead of them, but they joined our ranks in the Army Reserve so they can serve their country."
The soldier in Stultz understands that most joined the Army Reserve out of patriotism. But the businessman in him knows that to keep them in the force, the Army Reserve will need to keep giving them fulfilling training and missions, a fair benefits package and more balance in their lives.
With more than 170,000 Army Reservists mobilized since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, the force is more experienced than ever before, Stultz said.
Troops feel good about what they've accomplished and proven about the Army Reserve, but simply can't keep up the current operational pace, he said. They need more time at home with their families and civilian employers between deployments, and they need predictability about when they will deploy.
"We have got to put some predictability and some dwell time back in their life, because they can't keep going at this tempo," he said. "They have got to be able to get back home, back to their civilian jobs, back to the family life that they want."
In short, Stultz said, the Army Reserve needs to give its citizen-soldiers a bit more time to be "citizens."
He expressed optimism that the new Army Force Generation model will go a long way toward that goal. The model will set a cycle for reservists to deploy, return home, then get time at home and the opportunity to prepare for another deployment.
As he considers ways to bring balance to the "soldier-citizen" equation, Stultz also spends a lot of time trying to come up with better ways to keep troops in the force and to compensate them for their service.
After all, he said, it doesn't matter how strong the force is if you don't have soldiers who want to be a part of it.
Twenty-five years at Proctor and Gamble taught Stultz a lot about what motivates employers, and he'd like to see some of the same practices that work so well in the private sector applied in the military.
New employees, like new troops, are typically more interested in hearing about up-front cash payments than long-term benefits, he said. Mid-level workers, like mid-career soldiers, commonly want to know more about other benefits, particularly health care. Those toward the end of their careers, whether in the private sector or military, begin to think a lot about retirement benefits.
"At Proctor and Gamble, when you talked to an employee you were trying to retain, you looked at where they were in their life," he said. "And the same thing really does apply when you think about retaining a soldier."
Stultz said he'd like to see compensation packages better tailored to fit a particular soldier's interest.
For example, rather than automatically offering an up-front $15,000 re-enlistment bonus, the Army Reserve might give the soldier the option of applying that money somewhere else, he said. It could go toward pre-paying health insurance premiums, put into a retirement 401 plan or even pay off a child's college tuition costs through a program negotiated with the state.
Similarly, he said he'd like to see health-care programs better tailored to troops' particular needs. He's a big fan of a "continuity of care" concept that would prevent reserve troops from having to flip back and forth between their employers' and the military's systems when they deploy and return home.
"If we are truly going to have an operational force in the reserve components, if we are truly going to say to expect to be mobilized on a repeated basis on a regular frequency, we can't keep requiring the soldier to change medical plans every five years," he said. "We just can't keep doing that."
Stultz noted that changing medical plans affects entire families. "That is too much turmoil and stress on the family," he said.
He's considered ways to prevent this, possibly by having the military work with employers to share the cost of continuing corporate health-care benefits while a soldier is mobilized. Another option might be for the military to extend Tricare benefits for reservists to reservists who don't have health insurance elsewhere or at a lower cost than they can get it from their employers.
That could be a big enticement for civilian employers, particularly those in small business, to want to hire reservists, he said.
Stultz said he's "trying to explore all avenues right now" to come up with the best recommendation for providing health care to Army reservists on an ongoing basis.
He also likes the concept of a "continuum of service" that would enable soldiers to move between the active and reserve component during their military careers. This would enable soldiers to continuing serving as their life situation changes.
As a result, he said, the military would be able to retain their skills and experience, and they'd have the flexibility to continue serving and, if they choose to, to continue working toward a military retirement. Stultz noted that it could take them 35 years to acquire 20 active-duty years, but that they'd have that opportunity if they chose to pursue it.
As he considers incentives that have proven successful in corporate America and considers how they might work in the Army Reserve, Stultz is also eyeing the military retirement plan.
The current plan provides a retirement for reserve troops with 20 years of service, but they have to reach age 60 before collecting it. Stultz said he favors the idea of lowering the age, but only if it's tied into serving beyond 20 years.
He's intrigued by the concept of allowing reservists to draw retirement six months early for every year they serve beyond 20. Based on this formula, troops who served 22 years could draw it at age 59. Those with 26 years of service could draw it at 57. Those who stay 30 years - which Stultz recommends as the cap - could draw their retirement at age 55.
"So I would get 10 more years of service out of that individual, for five years of early retirement," he said.
One year into the job, Stultz said he recognizes he's got a lot on his plate, and that the concepts he's exploring are somewhat revolutionary to the military. But he said he's convinced that the corporate sector has some important lessons to offer. Much of it, he said, boils down to attracting, training and retaining the best people possible.
After all, he said, people are the bottom line in a successful Army.
"Training and equipping isn't important if you don't have any soldiers to train and equip," he said. "To me, manning the force and sustaining that is really the first priority."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Pace: Naval Academy Experience Shaped His Career
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Sitting back in his Pentagon office, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, considered three decisions he said dramatically changed his life: to marry Lynne, his wife of 36 years; to join the Marine Corps, and to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Md. With the 40th anniversary of his graduation and commissioning ceremony just around the corner, Pace told American Forces Press Service he learned much of what's driven him and his military career on the shores of the Severn River.
He learned to set priorities. "At school, there was always too much to do, and in the Marine Corps, there has always been too much to do," he said. "And therefore, you really have to take the important and set it aside and do the critical."
Also critical, he said, is another lesson from Annapolis that has been reinforced throughout his military service. "The academy taught me the value of teamwork, because there were things at the academy, especially during plebe (the first) year, that you could not possibly get done by yourself," he said. "You needed your roommates to help you get through whatever you were told by the upperclassmen had to be done and in the time they told you it had to be done."
Pace said that lesson transferred readily to his experience as a Marine, especially one headed to Vietnam within months of finishing his Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico, Va. "In combat, there is nothing you do as an individual," he said. "It is all based on teamwork."
It was away from the Naval Academy -- during summer programs aboard a cruiser and a series of destroyers, and while enrolled in aviation and Marine Corps training -- that Pace said he came to appreciate the importance of enlisted leaders.
"Through those summer programs, probably through osmosis more than anything else, I got to watch ... the chiefs in the Navy and noncommissioned officers in the Marine Corps and see how essential they were to the functioning of an effective force," he said.
As he took note of their leadership styles, as well as those of his officers and fellow midshipmen at the academy, Pace said, he came to appreciate "the privilege of leadership" and started to develop his own personal style. "I learned a lot from observing good leadership and from observing bad leadership and through experimentation on my own part, trying things that worked or didn't work for me," he said.
Leadership, he realized, isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. "I learned at the academy that you can admire somebody's leadership style and emulate it, and sometimes it will work for you and sometimes it won't," he said. "Everybody's personality is different, and you need to understand that just because it works for Captain So-and-So doesn't mean it will work for you. It is not cookie-cutter."
For example, Pace found he was very comfortable walking up to someone, putting his arm around him and simply asking how he was doing. "Well, some folks are not," he said. "And when you try doing something that works for someone else that you're not comfortable with, you know it and everybody else knows it.
"So it is fine to try to emulate the things you admire, but understand that it might not work for you," he said. "And if it doesn't, just stop doing that and do what feels comfortable for you. That way, you come across much more naturally."
As Pace approached graduation and commissioning in 1967 and began to reflect on his Annapolis experience, he said, he had one big regret. "It was apparent that I hadn't done as well as I could have and should have, academically," he said. "I had not taken full advantage of what the academy offered, and I hadn't studied as hard as I should have."
That realization turned out to be Pace's most lasting lesson at the Naval Academy and one that's perhaps had the biggest impact on his career.
"It drove me to decide that when I went into the Marine Corps and I went to the Basic School at Quantico, that I was going to work as hard as I possibly could and learn as much as I could," he said.
Pace said he credits that attitude with helping him forge a successful military career, including his appointment as the first Marine to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"That understanding of not having taken advantage of all that I should have and the decision not to let that happen again in my life has significantly impacted the success I've had," he said. "That is a fundamental part of what I learned at the academy."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Sitting back in his Pentagon office, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, considered three decisions he said dramatically changed his life: to marry Lynne, his wife of 36 years; to join the Marine Corps, and to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Md. With the 40th anniversary of his graduation and commissioning ceremony just around the corner, Pace told American Forces Press Service he learned much of what's driven him and his military career on the shores of the Severn River.
He learned to set priorities. "At school, there was always too much to do, and in the Marine Corps, there has always been too much to do," he said. "And therefore, you really have to take the important and set it aside and do the critical."
Also critical, he said, is another lesson from Annapolis that has been reinforced throughout his military service. "The academy taught me the value of teamwork, because there were things at the academy, especially during plebe (the first) year, that you could not possibly get done by yourself," he said. "You needed your roommates to help you get through whatever you were told by the upperclassmen had to be done and in the time they told you it had to be done."
Pace said that lesson transferred readily to his experience as a Marine, especially one headed to Vietnam within months of finishing his Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico, Va. "In combat, there is nothing you do as an individual," he said. "It is all based on teamwork."
It was away from the Naval Academy -- during summer programs aboard a cruiser and a series of destroyers, and while enrolled in aviation and Marine Corps training -- that Pace said he came to appreciate the importance of enlisted leaders.
"Through those summer programs, probably through osmosis more than anything else, I got to watch ... the chiefs in the Navy and noncommissioned officers in the Marine Corps and see how essential they were to the functioning of an effective force," he said.
As he took note of their leadership styles, as well as those of his officers and fellow midshipmen at the academy, Pace said, he came to appreciate "the privilege of leadership" and started to develop his own personal style. "I learned a lot from observing good leadership and from observing bad leadership and through experimentation on my own part, trying things that worked or didn't work for me," he said.
Leadership, he realized, isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. "I learned at the academy that you can admire somebody's leadership style and emulate it, and sometimes it will work for you and sometimes it won't," he said. "Everybody's personality is different, and you need to understand that just because it works for Captain So-and-So doesn't mean it will work for you. It is not cookie-cutter."
For example, Pace found he was very comfortable walking up to someone, putting his arm around him and simply asking how he was doing. "Well, some folks are not," he said. "And when you try doing something that works for someone else that you're not comfortable with, you know it and everybody else knows it.
"So it is fine to try to emulate the things you admire, but understand that it might not work for you," he said. "And if it doesn't, just stop doing that and do what feels comfortable for you. That way, you come across much more naturally."
As Pace approached graduation and commissioning in 1967 and began to reflect on his Annapolis experience, he said, he had one big regret. "It was apparent that I hadn't done as well as I could have and should have, academically," he said. "I had not taken full advantage of what the academy offered, and I hadn't studied as hard as I should have."
That realization turned out to be Pace's most lasting lesson at the Naval Academy and one that's perhaps had the biggest impact on his career.
"It drove me to decide that when I went into the Marine Corps and I went to the Basic School at Quantico, that I was going to work as hard as I possibly could and learn as much as I could," he said.
Pace said he credits that attitude with helping him forge a successful military career, including his appointment as the first Marine to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"That understanding of not having taken advantage of all that I should have and the decision not to let that happen again in my life has significantly impacted the success I've had," he said. "That is a fundamental part of what I learned at the academy."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Language, Cultural Studies Gains More Focus at Service Academies
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Gen. George Washington would probably roll over in his grave if he knew the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. -- the school he advocated to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign military expertise -- is increasingly sending its cadets overseas to learn with and from their foreign counterparts. Times have changed since Washington led the charge for academic institutions that would free American forces from foreign dependence.
Today, some 185 years after West Point became the first of three U.S. military academies, followed by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., all three schools are thinking globally in the way they educate future officers.
Engineering and hard sciences, historically mainstays at the academies, remain a big part of their curricula. Sixty percent of Naval Academy midshipmen, 54 percent of Air Force Academy cadets, and 45 percent of West Point cadets major in technical studies.
But ever-increasing numbers of cadets and midshipmen are studying and majoring in humanities and social sciences, with a growing emphasis being put on regional studies and language instruction.
The goal, academy officials said, is to ensure graduates have not only a solid technical foundation critical to military operations, but also other skills they'll need to enter a wartime force deployed around the world.
"We want all our graduates to have a technical foundation, and a leadership and ethical foundation. That hasn't changed," said William Miller, academic dean and provost at the Naval Academy.
"What's changed has been an increasing realization that there is a third leg of this stool that we haven't emphasized enough," he said. "And that is giving all of our graduates a foundation of understanding about the history and culture and civilizations and governments and religions of the areas in which they are going to serve."
Army Col. Dan Ragsdale, vice dean at West Point, said regional studies and language training in the curriculum help develop critical thinkers able to look at the issues they will confront as military officers through a wide-angle lens.
"The kinds of problems that our ... graduates will face are across a broad spectrum, so we have to give them a technological foundation," he said. "But we also have to give them a social and cultural perspective around which to address and solve problems. We have to help them understand and appreciate the political aspects of any problem they are trying to address."
It also gives newly commissioned graduates the skills they will need as they work shoulder to shoulder with coalition partners and allies around the world, noted Gunter Mueller, head of the Air Force Academy's foreign language department.
"We are increasingly a part of coalition forces, no matter where we go and where we operate," Mueller said. "And the better one understands the elements of those coalitions, the more effective one can be. In fact, it's critical that we understand other cultures, other languages, other regions of the world in order to work effectively in those coalitions."
As the largest service with the biggest footprint around the world, the Army is leading the global trend. Ten to 15 percent of cadets in every West Point class major in one of seven languages: Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, Ragsdale said.
All West Pointers, regardless of their major, must take at least two semesters of a foreign language, he said. Beginning with the class of 2010, cadets with non-technical majors must take four semesters of language training.
The Naval Academy introduced two language majors, in Chinese and Arabic, this year. Although only 16 midshipmen currently are enrolled, Miller expects that number to grow.
All midshipmen with non-technical majors must take four semesters of language training, he said. Those with technical majors currently have no language requirement, but many select language courses as electives.
Miller said he hopes to add a foreign area studies major to the Naval Academy's curriculum. Currently, the political science program offers an international studies track that addresses various areas of the world, including their languages, cultures, governments and histories, he said.
At the Air Force Academy, humanities and social science majors must take two full years of training in one of seven languages-a number to increase to eight next year, reported Brig. Gen. Dana Born, dean of faculty. In a new change, incoming cadets who major in technical and science will be required to study at least one year of language training, she said.
The foreign area studies major is relatively new at the academy, with just 49 members of this year's graduating class earning degrees in this area. But Born said the trend lines are positive, with 80 cadets from the 2009 class already declaring foreign area studies majors.
Educating future officers in regional and language studies doesn't stop at the classroom door. All three academies have large and growing programs that give students the chance to participate in cultural and language immersion programs. These range from short-term orientation visits to full semesters abroad at foreign military academies or civilian universities.
That's a sea change from when Miller graduated from the Naval Academy in 1962, "back in the age of sail."
"When I went through here, we all expected to spend eight semesters on the shores of the Severn (River)," he said. "And now it's becoming more common for some select few who are still going to graduate in four years to spend seven semesters here and a semester abroad."
Born, a 1983 Air Force Academy graduate, was one of the earlier participants in a four-week language immersion program in Spain and remembers its benefits. "I had taken several years of Spanish and thought I was fluent until I got into my first conversation on the ground," she said. "But when I came back after having spoken only Spanish for four weeks, I was dreaming in Spanish and the first word to come to my mind was Spanish. It really taught me the value of how important not only taking a language is, but also having to use that language to communicate."
Cultural and language opportunities have expanded greatly since Born's experience, and now include countries beyond Western Europe.
This year, for example, the Military Academy sent 86 cadets for semesters abroad in 10 different countries. Next year, Ragsdale said about 140 cadets will spend semesters abroad in about a dozen countries.
In addition, about 190 West Point cadets participated this year in the academy's Foreign Academy Exchange Program and other seven- to 10-day spring immersion programs in more than 40 countries. This summer, another 390 cadets are signed on to participate in three-week summer immersion programs in 43 countries.
"We're looking at different ways of providing experiences for cadets that will enhance their cultural awareness, their regional expertise and their language proficiency," Ragsdale said.
The other academies are following West Point's lead. About 165 Naval Academy midshipmen participated in some type of language and cultural immersion program in 15 countries this year. Ten spent semesters abroad at foreign military academies in five countries.
The Air Force Academy sent 592 cadets for overseas training that ranged from a brief visit to a foreign academy to a five-month semester abroad. That's up from 132 cadets last year, and is nudging toward 700, where Born expects it to eventually level off.
Army Gen. John Abizaid, a 1973 West Point graduate who recently retired as commander of U.S. Central Command, said he's a big supporter of the academies' efforts to bring more regional and language training to their programs.
As cadets and midshipmen graduate and serve as military officers around the world, particularly in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, it's critical that they understand the cultures in which they're operating, he said.
"The cultural gap in this particular conflict that we are faced with today is a problem that we have all got to recognize, understand and then adjust to," he said. "So much of the problem that we are facing in the Middle East is a cultural gap that can be closed by earlier education in an officer's career."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Gen. George Washington would probably roll over in his grave if he knew the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. -- the school he advocated to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign military expertise -- is increasingly sending its cadets overseas to learn with and from their foreign counterparts. Times have changed since Washington led the charge for academic institutions that would free American forces from foreign dependence.
Today, some 185 years after West Point became the first of three U.S. military academies, followed by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., all three schools are thinking globally in the way they educate future officers.
Engineering and hard sciences, historically mainstays at the academies, remain a big part of their curricula. Sixty percent of Naval Academy midshipmen, 54 percent of Air Force Academy cadets, and 45 percent of West Point cadets major in technical studies.
But ever-increasing numbers of cadets and midshipmen are studying and majoring in humanities and social sciences, with a growing emphasis being put on regional studies and language instruction.
The goal, academy officials said, is to ensure graduates have not only a solid technical foundation critical to military operations, but also other skills they'll need to enter a wartime force deployed around the world.
"We want all our graduates to have a technical foundation, and a leadership and ethical foundation. That hasn't changed," said William Miller, academic dean and provost at the Naval Academy.
"What's changed has been an increasing realization that there is a third leg of this stool that we haven't emphasized enough," he said. "And that is giving all of our graduates a foundation of understanding about the history and culture and civilizations and governments and religions of the areas in which they are going to serve."
Army Col. Dan Ragsdale, vice dean at West Point, said regional studies and language training in the curriculum help develop critical thinkers able to look at the issues they will confront as military officers through a wide-angle lens.
"The kinds of problems that our ... graduates will face are across a broad spectrum, so we have to give them a technological foundation," he said. "But we also have to give them a social and cultural perspective around which to address and solve problems. We have to help them understand and appreciate the political aspects of any problem they are trying to address."
It also gives newly commissioned graduates the skills they will need as they work shoulder to shoulder with coalition partners and allies around the world, noted Gunter Mueller, head of the Air Force Academy's foreign language department.
"We are increasingly a part of coalition forces, no matter where we go and where we operate," Mueller said. "And the better one understands the elements of those coalitions, the more effective one can be. In fact, it's critical that we understand other cultures, other languages, other regions of the world in order to work effectively in those coalitions."
As the largest service with the biggest footprint around the world, the Army is leading the global trend. Ten to 15 percent of cadets in every West Point class major in one of seven languages: Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, Ragsdale said.
All West Pointers, regardless of their major, must take at least two semesters of a foreign language, he said. Beginning with the class of 2010, cadets with non-technical majors must take four semesters of language training.
The Naval Academy introduced two language majors, in Chinese and Arabic, this year. Although only 16 midshipmen currently are enrolled, Miller expects that number to grow.
All midshipmen with non-technical majors must take four semesters of language training, he said. Those with technical majors currently have no language requirement, but many select language courses as electives.
Miller said he hopes to add a foreign area studies major to the Naval Academy's curriculum. Currently, the political science program offers an international studies track that addresses various areas of the world, including their languages, cultures, governments and histories, he said.
At the Air Force Academy, humanities and social science majors must take two full years of training in one of seven languages-a number to increase to eight next year, reported Brig. Gen. Dana Born, dean of faculty. In a new change, incoming cadets who major in technical and science will be required to study at least one year of language training, she said.
The foreign area studies major is relatively new at the academy, with just 49 members of this year's graduating class earning degrees in this area. But Born said the trend lines are positive, with 80 cadets from the 2009 class already declaring foreign area studies majors.
Educating future officers in regional and language studies doesn't stop at the classroom door. All three academies have large and growing programs that give students the chance to participate in cultural and language immersion programs. These range from short-term orientation visits to full semesters abroad at foreign military academies or civilian universities.
That's a sea change from when Miller graduated from the Naval Academy in 1962, "back in the age of sail."
"When I went through here, we all expected to spend eight semesters on the shores of the Severn (River)," he said. "And now it's becoming more common for some select few who are still going to graduate in four years to spend seven semesters here and a semester abroad."
Born, a 1983 Air Force Academy graduate, was one of the earlier participants in a four-week language immersion program in Spain and remembers its benefits. "I had taken several years of Spanish and thought I was fluent until I got into my first conversation on the ground," she said. "But when I came back after having spoken only Spanish for four weeks, I was dreaming in Spanish and the first word to come to my mind was Spanish. It really taught me the value of how important not only taking a language is, but also having to use that language to communicate."
Cultural and language opportunities have expanded greatly since Born's experience, and now include countries beyond Western Europe.
This year, for example, the Military Academy sent 86 cadets for semesters abroad in 10 different countries. Next year, Ragsdale said about 140 cadets will spend semesters abroad in about a dozen countries.
In addition, about 190 West Point cadets participated this year in the academy's Foreign Academy Exchange Program and other seven- to 10-day spring immersion programs in more than 40 countries. This summer, another 390 cadets are signed on to participate in three-week summer immersion programs in 43 countries.
"We're looking at different ways of providing experiences for cadets that will enhance their cultural awareness, their regional expertise and their language proficiency," Ragsdale said.
The other academies are following West Point's lead. About 165 Naval Academy midshipmen participated in some type of language and cultural immersion program in 15 countries this year. Ten spent semesters abroad at foreign military academies in five countries.
The Air Force Academy sent 592 cadets for overseas training that ranged from a brief visit to a foreign academy to a five-month semester abroad. That's up from 132 cadets last year, and is nudging toward 700, where Born expects it to eventually level off.
Army Gen. John Abizaid, a 1973 West Point graduate who recently retired as commander of U.S. Central Command, said he's a big supporter of the academies' efforts to bring more regional and language training to their programs.
As cadets and midshipmen graduate and serve as military officers around the world, particularly in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, it's critical that they understand the cultures in which they're operating, he said.
"The cultural gap in this particular conflict that we are faced with today is a problem that we have all got to recognize, understand and then adjust to," he said. "So much of the problem that we are facing in the Middle East is a cultural gap that can be closed by earlier education in an officer's career."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates Offers Leadership Philosophy to Graduating Midshipmen
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy accepting commissions today into the Navy and Marine Corps to apply the lessons they learned here to become strong, decisive leaders who motivate and inspire their sailors and Marines. Speaking to the Class of 2007 at its graduation and commissioning ceremony, Gates thanked the 1,028 graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a particularly challenging time in its history.
"Today, you take on the awesome responsibility of protecting and defending the constitution of the United States and the American people," he said. "Today we ask you to make the extraordinary the expected. Today, we ask you to lead free men and women by summoning each to his or her nobility."
Gates noted the midshipmen have studied a lot about leadership during their four years in Annapolis, and said he has come to realize that real leadership is a rare commodity.
He offered his personal insights into what makes a leader, citing vision, integrity, conviction, self-confidence, courage and common decency.
Leadership takes vision, Gates told the midshipmen, and the ability to see beyond immediate tasks and challenges to what's ahead. "You must see what others do not or cannot, and then be prepared to act on your vision," he said.
Real leadership also demands integrity, Gates said, acknowledging with dismay that it's a notion many tend to consider curious and old-fashioned.
"For a real leader, personal values - self-reliance, self-control, honor, truthfulness, morality - are absolute," he said. "These are the building blocks of character, of integrity, and only on that foundation can true leadership be built."
Gates called deep conviction another critical leadership quality. "True leadership is a fire in the mind" that's able to transform and transfix others, he said "It is a strength of purpose and belief in a cause that reaches out to others, touches their hearts, and makes them eager to follow."
A true leader exhibits self-confidence, the secretary said. He emphasized that he wasn't referring to "chest-thumping, strutting egotism," but rather, "a quiet self-assurance that allows a leader to give others both real responsibility and credit for success."
A self-confident leader is able to make decisions, then delegate and trust others to carry them out, he said. In doing so, Gates said, the leader "doesn't cast such a large shadow that no one else can grow."
As essential as vision, integrity, deep conviction and self-confidence are to leadership, they aren't enough to make a leader, he told the midshipmen. "A leader must have the courage to act, often against the will of the crowd," he said.
A true leader works as a team, but also must be willing to buck popular opinion and take an independent stand when it's necessary, the secretary said. "Don't kid yourself," he told the midshipmen. "That takes courage."
As the graduates move on to their Navy and Marine Corps careers, Gates reminded them to apply another quality of real leadership: common decency. A true leader treats everyone - superiors, peers and subordinates alike - with fairness, respect and dignity, he said.
Gates urged the graduates to use their authority as military officers constructively to care for their sailors and Marines and help them improve and advance themselves. This, in turn, will build respect and loyalty, he said.
"Common decency builds respect and, in a democratic society, respect is what prompts people to give their all for a leader, even at personal sacrifice," he said.
Gates thanked the graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a time their country needs them and their leadership abilities.
He noted that most were high school juniors when the United States came under terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, and all could have chosen an easier, less demanding path.
"You, however, are special, because you are among those who have chosen to deserve, to defend the dreams of others," he said. "And that sets you apart."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy accepting commissions today into the Navy and Marine Corps to apply the lessons they learned here to become strong, decisive leaders who motivate and inspire their sailors and Marines. Speaking to the Class of 2007 at its graduation and commissioning ceremony, Gates thanked the 1,028 graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a particularly challenging time in its history.
"Today, you take on the awesome responsibility of protecting and defending the constitution of the United States and the American people," he said. "Today we ask you to make the extraordinary the expected. Today, we ask you to lead free men and women by summoning each to his or her nobility."
Gates noted the midshipmen have studied a lot about leadership during their four years in Annapolis, and said he has come to realize that real leadership is a rare commodity.
He offered his personal insights into what makes a leader, citing vision, integrity, conviction, self-confidence, courage and common decency.
Leadership takes vision, Gates told the midshipmen, and the ability to see beyond immediate tasks and challenges to what's ahead. "You must see what others do not or cannot, and then be prepared to act on your vision," he said.
Real leadership also demands integrity, Gates said, acknowledging with dismay that it's a notion many tend to consider curious and old-fashioned.
"For a real leader, personal values - self-reliance, self-control, honor, truthfulness, morality - are absolute," he said. "These are the building blocks of character, of integrity, and only on that foundation can true leadership be built."
Gates called deep conviction another critical leadership quality. "True leadership is a fire in the mind" that's able to transform and transfix others, he said "It is a strength of purpose and belief in a cause that reaches out to others, touches their hearts, and makes them eager to follow."
A true leader exhibits self-confidence, the secretary said. He emphasized that he wasn't referring to "chest-thumping, strutting egotism," but rather, "a quiet self-assurance that allows a leader to give others both real responsibility and credit for success."
A self-confident leader is able to make decisions, then delegate and trust others to carry them out, he said. In doing so, Gates said, the leader "doesn't cast such a large shadow that no one else can grow."
As essential as vision, integrity, deep conviction and self-confidence are to leadership, they aren't enough to make a leader, he told the midshipmen. "A leader must have the courage to act, often against the will of the crowd," he said.
A true leader works as a team, but also must be willing to buck popular opinion and take an independent stand when it's necessary, the secretary said. "Don't kid yourself," he told the midshipmen. "That takes courage."
As the graduates move on to their Navy and Marine Corps careers, Gates reminded them to apply another quality of real leadership: common decency. A true leader treats everyone - superiors, peers and subordinates alike - with fairness, respect and dignity, he said.
Gates urged the graduates to use their authority as military officers constructively to care for their sailors and Marines and help them improve and advance themselves. This, in turn, will build respect and loyalty, he said.
"Common decency builds respect and, in a democratic society, respect is what prompts people to give their all for a leader, even at personal sacrifice," he said.
Gates thanked the graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a time their country needs them and their leadership abilities.
He noted that most were high school juniors when the United States came under terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, and all could have chosen an easier, less demanding path.
"You, however, are special, because you are among those who have chosen to deserve, to defend the dreams of others," he said. "And that sets you apart."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates Calls Congress, Press Key Pillars in Protecting Liberty
Gates Calls Congress, Press Key Pillars in Protecting Liberty
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – As more than 1,000 U.S. Naval Academy graduates here took their oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates reminded them to respect two important pillars of U.S. constitutional freedoms: Congress and the press. "Both surely try our patience from time to time," Gates said at today's graduation and commissioning ceremony, drawing laughter from the midshipmen, academy officials and friends and family members gathered at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. "But they are the surest guarantors of the liberty of the American people."
Gates noted that the legislative branch is equal to the executive branch under the constitution, and is charged with raising and providing for the military. Members of both parties serving in Congress have a long history of support for the Defense Department, and especially the men and women in uniform, he said.
"As officers, you will have a responsibility to communicate to those below you that the American military must be non-political," he told the midshipmen.
He said they must also recognize their obligation to be honest and true when they report to Congress, "especially when it involves admitting mistakes or problems."
That's also true with the press, the so-called "Fourth Estate" that Gates said also helps guarantee U.S. freedoms. "The press is not the enemy, and to treat it as such is self-defeating," he said.
The secretary pointed to recent media coverage of problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington as an example of how the media can help the military root out and deal with difficulties.
When the press identifies a problem, as at Walter Reed, senior leaders should find out if it's true, then go to work to remedy the problem, he said. In cases where it's not true, leaders should be able to document that fact.
Gates said the checks and balances provided in the constitution, and the willingness of Americans to honor those checks and balances, has served the country throughout its history.
He noted how impressed a French observer was when he wrote about George Washington in 1782. "This is the seventh year that he has commanded the Army, and that he has obeyed the Congress," the Frenchman wrote. "More need not be said."
Gates told the midshipmen these principles are as important today as during Washington's time.
"As the founding fathers wisely understood, the Congress and a free press, as with a non-political military, assure a free country," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – As more than 1,000 U.S. Naval Academy graduates here took their oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates reminded them to respect two important pillars of U.S. constitutional freedoms: Congress and the press. "Both surely try our patience from time to time," Gates said at today's graduation and commissioning ceremony, drawing laughter from the midshipmen, academy officials and friends and family members gathered at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. "But they are the surest guarantors of the liberty of the American people."
Gates noted that the legislative branch is equal to the executive branch under the constitution, and is charged with raising and providing for the military. Members of both parties serving in Congress have a long history of support for the Defense Department, and especially the men and women in uniform, he said.
"As officers, you will have a responsibility to communicate to those below you that the American military must be non-political," he told the midshipmen.
He said they must also recognize their obligation to be honest and true when they report to Congress, "especially when it involves admitting mistakes or problems."
That's also true with the press, the so-called "Fourth Estate" that Gates said also helps guarantee U.S. freedoms. "The press is not the enemy, and to treat it as such is self-defeating," he said.
The secretary pointed to recent media coverage of problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington as an example of how the media can help the military root out and deal with difficulties.
When the press identifies a problem, as at Walter Reed, senior leaders should find out if it's true, then go to work to remedy the problem, he said. In cases where it's not true, leaders should be able to document that fact.
Gates said the checks and balances provided in the constitution, and the willingness of Americans to honor those checks and balances, has served the country throughout its history.
He noted how impressed a French observer was when he wrote about George Washington in 1782. "This is the seventh year that he has commanded the Army, and that he has obeyed the Congress," the Frenchman wrote. "More need not be said."
Gates told the midshipmen these principles are as important today as during Washington's time.
"As the founding fathers wisely understood, the Congress and a free press, as with a non-political military, assure a free country," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Report Documents Chinese Military Power, Calls for Transparency
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – China must continue to make strides in military transparency as it moves forward to becoming a global power, Defense Department officials said here today. The officials briefed Pentagon reporters on background following publication of the 2007 Military Power of the People's Republic of China report. The annual report to Congress covers key developments in China over the past year and changes in Chinese military strategy.
President Bush characterized U.S.-Chinese relations as good following his most recent visit with Chinese President Hu Jintao in April. He said the United States and China can work together to further security and economic prosperity in Asia and around the world.
The annual report to Congress reflects the U.S. view that China is an emerging regional military and economic power with global aspirations.
"It paints a picture of a country that ... has steadily devoted increasing resources to their military that is developing some very sophisticated capabilities," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a Pentagon news conference yesterday. Gates said the report is a realistic appraisal of Chinese security strategy.
Current relations with China have improved since the low point following the collision of a Chinese jet with a Navy EP-3 in 2001. Military-to-military ties are robust; there are troops visits and port calls. Military education exchange programs are being held at the senior and mid-level officer level. Joint military exercises are planned, and the two countries are working together on regional concerns - such as North Korean missile proliferation - and the danger bird flu presents. There are also discussions about disaster relief cooperation, officials said.
Gates wants China to have more transparency on military budgeting and strategy. The Chinese test of an anti-satellite capability in January caught the world by surprise and left many wondering what brought about that particular operation.
The official Chinese military budget is pegged at around $45 billion this year. But the real number could be as much as three times as high, officials said.
China's defense budget is increasing by double-digit percentages per year, a rate that China has sustained for more than 15 years, fueled by the country's remarkable economic growth, a defense official said. This year, the increase was 17.8 percent.
"We are convinced that China's real defense spending is substantially higher - in the range of $85 billion to $125 billion in 2007," the official continued.
This discrepancy between the official and actual figure is emblematic of U.S. concerns on transparency. Hiding these sums of money drives uncertainty over China's intentions, the official said.
"It is not just a concern for the United States," he said. "Many aspects of China's military programs lead other nations to question China's intentions and adjust their own behavior."
Among the sums off the books are research and development expenditures, some military procurement, foreign purchases and dual-use technology, officials said.
China is modernizing its forces. Officials said its newest missile -- the solid-fueled, transportable Df-31 -- could be used if needed. About 900 Chinese missiles are in place opposite Taiwan, compared to 710 to 790 in late 2005.
China is developing home-grown advanced aviation and shipbuilding capabilities, and buying foreign -armaments, mostly from Russia. The report gives more information on Chinese moves toward building an aircraft carrier.
Overall, Gates said yesterday, the report is a balanced portrait of Chinese military capabilities.
"It paints a picture of a country that is devoting substantial resources to the military and developing, as I say, some very sophisticated capabilities," he said. "We wish that there were greater transparency, that they would talk more about what their intentions are, what their strategies are. These are assessments that are in this publication. It would be nice to hear firsthand from the Chinese how they view some of these things."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – China must continue to make strides in military transparency as it moves forward to becoming a global power, Defense Department officials said here today. The officials briefed Pentagon reporters on background following publication of the 2007 Military Power of the People's Republic of China report. The annual report to Congress covers key developments in China over the past year and changes in Chinese military strategy.
President Bush characterized U.S.-Chinese relations as good following his most recent visit with Chinese President Hu Jintao in April. He said the United States and China can work together to further security and economic prosperity in Asia and around the world.
The annual report to Congress reflects the U.S. view that China is an emerging regional military and economic power with global aspirations.
"It paints a picture of a country that ... has steadily devoted increasing resources to their military that is developing some very sophisticated capabilities," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a Pentagon news conference yesterday. Gates said the report is a realistic appraisal of Chinese security strategy.
Current relations with China have improved since the low point following the collision of a Chinese jet with a Navy EP-3 in 2001. Military-to-military ties are robust; there are troops visits and port calls. Military education exchange programs are being held at the senior and mid-level officer level. Joint military exercises are planned, and the two countries are working together on regional concerns - such as North Korean missile proliferation - and the danger bird flu presents. There are also discussions about disaster relief cooperation, officials said.
Gates wants China to have more transparency on military budgeting and strategy. The Chinese test of an anti-satellite capability in January caught the world by surprise and left many wondering what brought about that particular operation.
The official Chinese military budget is pegged at around $45 billion this year. But the real number could be as much as three times as high, officials said.
China's defense budget is increasing by double-digit percentages per year, a rate that China has sustained for more than 15 years, fueled by the country's remarkable economic growth, a defense official said. This year, the increase was 17.8 percent.
"We are convinced that China's real defense spending is substantially higher - in the range of $85 billion to $125 billion in 2007," the official continued.
This discrepancy between the official and actual figure is emblematic of U.S. concerns on transparency. Hiding these sums of money drives uncertainty over China's intentions, the official said.
"It is not just a concern for the United States," he said. "Many aspects of China's military programs lead other nations to question China's intentions and adjust their own behavior."
Among the sums off the books are research and development expenditures, some military procurement, foreign purchases and dual-use technology, officials said.
China is modernizing its forces. Officials said its newest missile -- the solid-fueled, transportable Df-31 -- could be used if needed. About 900 Chinese missiles are in place opposite Taiwan, compared to 710 to 790 in late 2005.
China is developing home-grown advanced aviation and shipbuilding capabilities, and buying foreign -armaments, mostly from Russia. The report gives more information on Chinese moves toward building an aircraft carrier.
Overall, Gates said yesterday, the report is a balanced portrait of Chinese military capabilities.
"It paints a picture of a country that is devoting substantial resources to the military and developing, as I say, some very sophisticated capabilities," he said. "We wish that there were greater transparency, that they would talk more about what their intentions are, what their strategies are. These are assessments that are in this publication. It would be nice to hear firsthand from the Chinese how they view some of these things."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Applauds Bipartisan Effort on Supplemental Bill
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – President Bush today applauded the bipartisan effort that led to Congress passing an emergency supplemental budget bill that will fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through September. Bush spoke to reporters briefly after visiting wounded servicemembers and their families at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
The $120 billion bill does not include mandatory dates for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Bush vetoed a previous bill with that provision on May 1. Instead, the bill has benchmarks the Iraqi government must meet to keep U.S. support. The president is expected to sign the bill into law later today.
"This effort shows what can happen when people work together," Bush said. "We've set a good bill that didn't have timetables or tell the military how to do its job, but also sent a clear signal to the Iraqis that there (are) expectations here in America: expectations ... about how to move forward."
The president said he looks forward to working with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his government as Iraq meets those benchmarks.
Turning his attention to his visit to the military hospital, Bush said he was honored "to be here at this place of compassion and healing on Memorial Day weekend." He said the weekend is a time for Americans to think of the sacrifices war has brought throughout history.
"It's a chance to honor those who have served this country, whether it be in this war or in previous wars," he said.
Bush thanked the "healers" at the facility. He said they are providing remarkable health care that is saving lives and allowing many servicemembers to move on with their lives.
"I also thank the soldiers and their families who I met here, people who are remarkably brave and courageous," he said. "I'm constantly amazed at the strength of character of those who wear the uniform. To be the commander in chief of such men and women is ... really an awesome honor."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – President Bush today applauded the bipartisan effort that led to Congress passing an emergency supplemental budget bill that will fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through September. Bush spoke to reporters briefly after visiting wounded servicemembers and their families at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
The $120 billion bill does not include mandatory dates for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Bush vetoed a previous bill with that provision on May 1. Instead, the bill has benchmarks the Iraqi government must meet to keep U.S. support. The president is expected to sign the bill into law later today.
"This effort shows what can happen when people work together," Bush said. "We've set a good bill that didn't have timetables or tell the military how to do its job, but also sent a clear signal to the Iraqis that there (are) expectations here in America: expectations ... about how to move forward."
The president said he looks forward to working with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his government as Iraq meets those benchmarks.
Turning his attention to his visit to the military hospital, Bush said he was honored "to be here at this place of compassion and healing on Memorial Day weekend." He said the weekend is a time for Americans to think of the sacrifices war has brought throughout history.
"It's a chance to honor those who have served this country, whether it be in this war or in previous wars," he said.
Bush thanked the "healers" at the facility. He said they are providing remarkable health care that is saving lives and allowing many servicemembers to move on with their lives.
"I also thank the soldiers and their families who I met here, people who are remarkably brave and courageous," he said. "I'm constantly amazed at the strength of character of those who wear the uniform. To be the commander in chief of such men and women is ... really an awesome honor."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva, USMC
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Marines here yesterday with a message of thanks from the president and the American people. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Rice said to a gathering of Marines at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. Alexander Downer, Australia's minister for foreign affairs, joined Rice in the visit.
Rice thanked Marines and sailors for their service and sacrifice in the global war on terror. Marines from Camp Pendleton have deployed multiple times to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The American people support and appreciate and tremendously admire what's being done by our uniformed men and women around the world," Rice said in a brief interview. "The defense of freedom is the defense of America's security."
Rice and Downer spoke briefly with Marines and sailors before moving to an urban-warfare training facility. There, they witnessed Marines training in a mock city, practicing skills that could be critical during upcoming deployments to Iraq.
Rice said she was impressed by Marines' actions during the training exercise, saying it showed their determination to accomplish their mission.
"It was a tremendous demonstration of skill," she said. "It was very professional."
Downer echoed the sentiment, stating he was impressed in particular with the care and consideration Marines showed toward noncombatants and those who may fall victim to insurgent aggression.
"There is a lot of sensitivity to human rights," Downer said. "I was impressed with their compassion."
Rice said the trip to visit Marines and sailors at Camp Pendleton with Downer was poignant because, just as U.S. Marines have answered the nation's call, Australia has answered the call to stand against global terrorism.
"Whenever we've had to defend freedom, Australia has been by our side," Rice added.
"We had people in the buildings on 9/11," Downer said. "We've had people killed in Bali and people killed in London. Our response is to go after them.
"Somebody has to go after these people, and Americans shouldn't do it alone," he added. "Our determination knows no bounds."
Downer said he and his fellow Australians were deeply grateful to U.S. Marines and sailors for leading the charge against terror.
"I'd like to thank them for the sacrifice they're making around the world" he said.
"We're proud of what you're doing," Rice said. "The devotion to our country is something I always take away."
(Marine Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva is the public affairs chief for the 1st Marine Division.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Marines here yesterday with a message of thanks from the president and the American people. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Rice said to a gathering of Marines at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. Alexander Downer, Australia's minister for foreign affairs, joined Rice in the visit.
Rice thanked Marines and sailors for their service and sacrifice in the global war on terror. Marines from Camp Pendleton have deployed multiple times to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The American people support and appreciate and tremendously admire what's being done by our uniformed men and women around the world," Rice said in a brief interview. "The defense of freedom is the defense of America's security."
Rice and Downer spoke briefly with Marines and sailors before moving to an urban-warfare training facility. There, they witnessed Marines training in a mock city, practicing skills that could be critical during upcoming deployments to Iraq.
Rice said she was impressed by Marines' actions during the training exercise, saying it showed their determination to accomplish their mission.
"It was a tremendous demonstration of skill," she said. "It was very professional."
Downer echoed the sentiment, stating he was impressed in particular with the care and consideration Marines showed toward noncombatants and those who may fall victim to insurgent aggression.
"There is a lot of sensitivity to human rights," Downer said. "I was impressed with their compassion."
Rice said the trip to visit Marines and sailors at Camp Pendleton with Downer was poignant because, just as U.S. Marines have answered the nation's call, Australia has answered the call to stand against global terrorism.
"Whenever we've had to defend freedom, Australia has been by our side," Rice added.
"We had people in the buildings on 9/11," Downer said. "We've had people killed in Bali and people killed in London. Our response is to go after them.
"Somebody has to go after these people, and Americans shouldn't do it alone," he added. "Our determination knows no bounds."
Downer said he and his fellow Australians were deeply grateful to U.S. Marines and sailors for leading the charge against terror.
"I'd like to thank them for the sacrifice they're making around the world" he said.
"We're proud of what you're doing," Rice said. "The devotion to our country is something I always take away."
(Marine Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva is the public affairs chief for the 1st Marine Division.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
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