Shaw NCO Awarded $10K For Idea

Shaw AFB, S.C. - A Shaw NCO is $10,000 richer thanks to a suggestion he made.

He thought it would be more economical to stop replacing an $8,500 valve on the F-16 Fighting Falcon every time the $50 heat shield that covers the valve is damaged. The suggestion was submitted through the Air Force’s Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program -- known as IDEA.

The valve, known as the high stage bleed air regulator and shut-off valve, is located on the lower left side of the F-16 behind the wing. It regulates the engine’s downstream pressure and prevents reverse pressure flow, said Master Sgt. Scott Laws, the assistant electrical environmental section chief with the 20th Component Maintenance Squadron.

Currently, during F-16 engine phase inspections, the valve will rub against the bulkhead next to the valve, Sergeant Laws said. This causes damage in the center of the safety wire studs in the heat shield. According to the technical order, there is no replacement for the heat shield.

To correct the problem, maintainers have to replace the whole valve assembly instead of just replacing the heat shield. The option to replace the heat shield is not currently listed in the technical order.

Sergeant Laws suggested changing the technical order to list the heat shield as a separate piece with its own part number. The heat shield is available for purchase from the same supplier as the valve assembly at a much lower cost.

“This is the first $10,000 payout at Shaw since the late ‘90s,” said Marylyn Huber, 20th Mission Support Squadron management analyst.

Sergeant Laws said the benefits would result in immediate savings to the Air Force. Last year, Shaw replaced 11 valves and could have saved more than $91,000 by replacing the heat shield alone.

The change has not been made to the technical order yet. When it is changed, every Air Force base that flies the F-16 will benefit, Mrs. Huber said.

“So far, the projected savings is $320,000 for the Air Force the first year alone,” Sergeant Laws said.

This is the fourth idea suggested by Sergeant Laws. Two were approved and he received awards of $200 for each. This time, he was awarded the maximum of $10,000.

“I’m always looking for ways to improve the way we do things,” he said. “I thought, ‘Why can’t we just replace the heat shield?’”

“Every Airman should follow Sergeant Laws’ example. I encourage everyone to look around their shops and the way they accomplish their mission. If there is a way to improve a process or product, make the suggestion. The Air Force is constantly changing for the better thanks to people like Sergeant Laws,” said Col. Bill Hyatt, 20th Fighter Wing commander.

TACPs: Supporting Troops Anytime, Anywhere

Pope AFB, N.C. - Under the cover of night, he maneuvers through the brush, getting just close enough to spot his target. He takes his measurements … triple checks them … and calls in the strike. If his measurements are correct, the troops who called in for help should have the relief they need in the form of a close air strike on the enemy.

Their missions sometimes sound like scripts out of "Mission Impossible." But their importance continues to be proven through their everyday assistance in the war on terrorism. They are few in numbers, but large in impact.

They are tactical air controllers.

Tactical air control parties make a living working with the Army, Marines, Navy and other coalition troops needing their support. Many of those TACPs, part of the 18th Air Support Operations Group or the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron, call Pope Air Force Base, N.C., home. One of those TACPs is Staff Sgt. Robert Callaway of the 18th ASOG.

Sergeant Callaway is also an instructor working with young Airmen as they come into the career field.

“There really aren’t too many jobs out there like ours where you can go out there and do what we do,” he said. “I like knowing that if the Army calls on me and I get clearance from the commander to take out a building, blow up a car or whatever it is, that when I start doing the mission, it’s just me -- there’s no one else, period. When you maneuver in a squad, there are guys watching your back, your front, everything. When it comes down to executing the mission, it’s me, my radio and the aircraft to get that bomb on the target.”

Sergeant Callaway knows firsthand how the missions TACPs complete every day can affect the overall mission of the Air Force, the Army or any other service they may be working with.

On a recent deployment to Balad Air Base, Iraq, Sergeant Callaway helped neutralize enemy mortarmen. In doing so, he helped keep all of those within the walls of the base safe.

Sergeant Callaway described the incident:

“We thought it was going to be a boring night,” he said. “I wasn’t out with the Army unit. I was actually back watching the video feed from the Predator that was up in the air. The unit was doing a raid and this guy kept running out in different directions. They wanted us to watch over him with the Predator’s thermal sights.

"The Army unit did the raid and got their guy. Next thing you know, we had incoming mortars. The other TACP I was working with flipped right to the computer and was ready to put coordinates in," he said. "I was getting coordinates from the fire support element on the ground. We put the coordinates in, gave them to the Predator and flipped it over to the field."

"From the time the rounds impacted the base to the time we had sensors on the target was a minute or a minute and a half. We watched them run across the field with the mortar tube on their back. We were getting tired of getting shot at, so we did it. I picked up the microphone, told the Predator guys to get hot and they dropped it," he said.

“Then six more guys started to attack us. They were about two miles south of the first guys that shot at us. We watched them and flew one in there as well. We took out 11 of them within three minutes. For the next 10 days there were no mortar attacks.”

Sergeant Callaway said he never thought twice about what they had to do. There was a threat and they were able to assist in eliminating that threat.

“It really didn’t sink on me what we had done until I was sitting in the chow hall and people were walking up thanking me,” he said. “It makes you feel good -- you get to see benefits.”

Close air support has been around since pilots came in close and worked the muddy trenches that stretched from Flanders Fields to the Pyrenees Mountains during World War I. In World War II, air support communications squadrons provided air support to infantry divisions. Their job was a relatively new idea, but their importance was not overlooked.

Some air support parties jumped into Normandy with the 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day. They were known as “Rover Joes.” Since that time, TACPs have become an integral part of military operations.

Ever-improving technology continues to change the way the TACPs do their jobs. They have one radio that combines the functions of the three radios they used to carry. Laser-targeting technology is progressing as well as video technology and unmanned aerial reconnaissance systems.

More than 280 close-air-support missions were conducted by coalition aircraft in a five-day period last week, according to U.S. Central Command. The missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities.

It is thanks to the skills and efforts of the TACPs that close-air-support missions are successful.

While many career fields in the Air Force are decreasing in size, their career field is adding 1,000 Airmen.

“Somebody has to call in the air strike,” said Sergeant Callaway. “You have to have someone who knows how to do the integration, get the aircraft there and get the bombs on target.”

Whether it’s rolling into a combat situation in a convoy or jumping into one from a C-130 Hercules, Sergeant Callaway and his fellow TACPs don’t skip a breath when there’s a job to be done.

“We can get in by helicopter, convoy, aircraft -- however the Army’s getting to the fight,” said Sergeant Callaway. “If it needs to get done and has to be done, we’re there.”

Misawa Sergeant Saves Fellow Airman

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — After the accident, Master Sgt. Richard Robinson walked from the jump to the fresh helmet paint marks in the dirt. He counted 45 paces.

“We call it the ‘whiskey throttle,’ ” he said. “It’s when you hit a bump you’re not expecting, and if you lean back on the bike, it causes you to open the throttle” and accelerate.

It happened to Master Sgt. Mike Ward two weeks ago at a tricky spot along the off-base Misawa area motorcross course.

“He was right in the face of a jump and he shot off that thing,” said Robinson, who was riding behind Ward. Both are assigned to Misawa Air Base.

Ward tore two ligaments in his pelvis — including one that connects the pelvis to the spine — in the wreck and faces a long road to recovery that may or may not include a continuation of his Air Force career, depending on how he mends. But he may owe his life to his friend, who relied on his military training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and self-aid buddy care to act quickly and decisively in a panic-stricken situation.

Robinson said he knew Ward was in bad shape. His body was twisted, crumpled, lifeless, his face a bluish-green.

“That’s when I started to check his vital signs,” Robinson said. “My heart was beating so hard, I had to do it twice.”

Ward had a pulse. But when Robinson put his hand under his friend’s helmet visor and over his mouth, he couldn’t detect a breath.

“I started to think about doing CPR and mouth-to-mouth,” Robinson said.

As he unbuckled Ward’s helmet, Robinson heard a light gurgle and saw blood. It sounded like his breathing was blocked, so Robinson carefully repositioned him to try to open his airway, he said, “and he started breathing on his own.”

Several other Misawa airmen at the motorcross course, in the meantime, called for help, including Tech. Sgt. Chris Whipple, who speaks Japanese fluently and got local nationals at the site to call an ambulance. The group also kept Ward stabilized, coaxing him against his wishes not to stand up, a move that may have further damaged his pelvis, officials said.

As of Thursday, Ward still was hospitalized in Hachinohe and could not be reached for comment. Through his wife he passed along his thanks to everyone who helped him.

Robinson, 39, the chief inspector for the 35th Maintenance Group, said he never expected he’d use his Air Force life-saving training on a friend at a dirt-bike course. He said Ward, 44, was a seasoned rider wearing all the right protective gear.

“It was comforting to know I knew what to do, but it was scary at the same time,” he said.

His instructor, Tech. Sgt. Cory Mayberry, the chief of development and instruction for the 35th Maintenance Group, said airmen in the maintenance group must complete CPR and self-aid buddy care training every two years. The courses are redundant in some areas, but that only reinforces the material, Mayberry said.

“He did fine,” he said of Robinson. “I think he would have been able to take it one step further if he would have had to. It’s definitely one of those things you want to have and not need.”

C-5 Crash Doesn't Diminish Historian's View of Aircraft

San Antonio, TX. - The C-5 Galaxy crash at Dover Air Force Base, Del., April 3 placed the aging aircraft in the spotlight once again.

With no deaths reported, military officials are cleaning the crash site and are convening a board of officers to investigate the cause of the accident.

But the crash does not tarnish John Leland’s image of the C-5 Galaxy. He places the aircraft in such high regard he has co-written a book about the Air Force’s largest cargo aircraft, “The Chronological History of the C-5 Galaxy.”

“Since this was just its sixth crash in its history, that tells me it has had a good, solid record of performance over the years,” said the historian who works at the Air Mobility Command Office of History at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

Mr. Leland will include the recent crash in the C-5’s chronological history, which he updates religiously.

Biggest plane in the world
The C-5’s history dates back to March 2, 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson attended the rollout and christening ceremony. At that time, it was the largest plane in the world.

“The aircraft symbolized the size, power, might and majesty of the United States Air Force,” Mr. Leland said.

The Galaxy has 12 internal wing tanks with a total capacity of 51,150 gallons of fuel -- enough to fill six-and-a-half regular-size railroad tank cars. At nearly a football field long and nearly six stories high, it can carry tanks and buses. With aerial refueling, the aircraft’s range is limited only by crew endurance.

In 1982, the Antonov 124, a Soviet air transport, set a record for the largest mass ever lifted by an airplane, snatching away the C-5’s title.

The C-5s that could
Since its inception, the C-5 has helped during times of war -- Vietnam, Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2001, the C-5 furnished about 50 percent of Air Mobility Command’s organic strategic airlift capability. During OEF, the C-5 flew 33 percent of the cargo missions, hauled 46 percent of the total cargo and carried 40 percent of all passengers airlifted by AMC. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, it flew about 23 percent of the missions and delivered about 48 percent of the cargo, moving more cargo per mission than the C-17 Globemaster III and the C-141B Starlifter.

It was also invaluable during times of peace, especially during humanitarian missions.
“The Air Mobility Command developed the C-5’s humanitarian mission a number of years ago, and humanitarian airlift is AMC’s gift to the world,” Mr. Leland said.

Old but not forgotten
Although the C-5 Galaxy is getting old, it can still carry twice the amount of its newest cargo carrier sibling, the C-17.

“I like to think of the C-5 as augmenting the C-17,” Mr. Leland said.

With the retiring of the C-141, which started in 2002 and ended this year, the C-5 and C-17 must now carry the millions of tons per year generated by Air Force missions round the world.

C-5 makeover
Based on a study showing 80 percent of the C-5 service life remaining, AMC began to modernize the C-5. The C-5 Avionics Modernization Program began in 1998 and includes upgrading avionics to comply with air traffic control compliance, improving navigation and safety equipment and installing a new autopilot system.

Another part of the makeover includes new engines, auxiliary power units and other improvements.

“The aircraft has been deemed structurally sound until the year 2040, thus the ‘re-engining’ program,” Mr. Leland said.

In his book, he wrote, “The C-5 has already accomplished what no other air transport has ever achieved, including the new, more reliable C-17.”

Not wanting to speculate on the cause of yesterday’s crash, Mr. Leland said the crash demonstrated the superior training by the aircrew.

“The C-5 flew an awful lot of missions, and I could tell they were superbly trained because there were no critical injuries,” he said.

Other incidents that destroyed C-5s
May 25, 1970 -- Burned aircraft at Palmdale, Calif., during a flight test.

Oct. 17, 1970 -- Also burned during a flight test, this time at Marietta, Ga.

Sept. 27, 1974 -- Crashed at Clinton Municipal Airport, Okla.

April 5, 1975 -- Crashed in Saigon, Vietnam, during Operation Babylift.

Aug. 29, 1990 -- Crashed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, during Operation Desert Storm.

USS Porter Returns to Black Sea

Naples, Italy - For the second time this year, USS Porter (DDG 78) transited through the Turkish Straits in April to engage with Black Sea navies.

Planned engagements with Romania, Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria will directly support the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (CNE) strategic priority of strengthening enduring partnerships in the region.

“These are our new friends,” Commodore, Task Force (CTF) 67 Capt. Bob Lally said of the countries Porter will be interacting with. “The excitement is because they invited us and want to engage with the U.S. Navy. Building new partnerships and strengthening existing ones, especially in this region, is extremely important in achieving our goals of greater maritime domain awareness and fostering an environment inhospitable to criminals and extremists.”

The visit follows Porter’s Black Sea trip in February, when the ship conducted port visits and training in Romania and Ukraine. This visit to the region will challenge the ship’s crew in several ways, said Lt. Cmdr. Murzban Morris, an operations staff member of CTF 67.

“The first is the pace of operations. We’re basically doing one thing right after another, with very little dead time in between,” Morris explained. “We’re going to come in, and in an 18-day span, work with four different countries integrating, training and engaging with them both in the community as well as military-to-military.”

Porter, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported in Norfolk, Va., has been forward deployed to the U.S 6th Fleet since late November. Porter has been conducting operations in the Mediterranean and Black Seas in support of maritime and theater security cooperation.

The 507-foot-long ship weighs almost 9,000 tons and can exceed speeds of 30 knots. About 315 crew members serve aboard the ship, which was commissioned in March 1999, and can conduct air, surface and sub-surface operations simultaneously.

Cowpens, Russian Navy Demonstrate HA/DR Capability

USS Cowpens - The guided-missile cruisers USS Cowpens (CG 63) and Pearl Harbor-based USS Chosin (CG 65) completed a multinational exercise March 31 with Russian Federation Navy ships RFN Marshal Shaposhnikov (DD 643), RFN Nikolay Korsakov (LST 077), RFN Pechenga (AOR 244) and the ocean-going tug RFN SB-522 (ATA).

The exercise, held off the coast of Guam, followed the Russian ships’ port visit to Guam March 27–30. The exercise focused on demonstrating the interoperability of U.S. and Russian forces for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR).

While in port, Sailors from both navies participated in several social and athletic events, such as soccer and volleyball games. In preparation for the exercise, they also conducted training for HA/DR operations.

After getting underway March 31, units from both navies participated in a personnel exchange and several basic seamanship exercises, including maneuvering and communication drills as well as helicopter operations.
Through establishing several different lines of communication such as line-of-sight radio circuits and semaphore (visual flag signals between ships), the U.S. and Russian navies demonstrated the ability to synchronize future multinational efforts.

“It was a rare and valuable opportunity to establish and maintain radio circuits with our Russian friends. In the event of future joint relief efforts, we’ll be better prepared to communicate effectively,” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Michael Wisniewski, of Adrian, Mich.

The exercise culminated with Cowpens, Chosin, Marshal Shaposhnikov, Pechenga and U.S. and Russian helicopters reacting to a simulated disaster. Using remote landing sites on Guam, the ship and helicopters moved medical personnel and humanitarian assistance supplies ashore.

Capt. John Sorce, commanding officer of Cowpens, judged the exercise a success and explained why exercises such as this one are essential for the Navy.

“The success of the exercise demonstrated the effectiveness of a multinational force operating in unison in response to natural disasters around the globe," he said. "As the variety and complexity of potential operations continues to expand for the military, it becomes more critical that U.S. Navy ships prepare to operate as part of a multinational force.”

Cowpens is assigned to Carrier Strike Group 5 and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan.

Navy Designates Next-Generation Zumwalt Destroyer

The Navy has announced April 7 that the first DD(X) destroyer will be designated DDG 1000. As the lead ship in the class, it will also be named in honor of former Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Elmo R. “Bud” Zumwalt, Jr.

Developed under the DD(X) destroyer program, Zumwalt is the lead ship in a class of next-generation, multimission surface combatants tailored for land attack and littoral dominance, with capabilities designed to defeat current and projected threats as well as improve battle force defense.

Zumwalt was appointed Chief of Naval Operations in 1970. As the youngest man ever to serve as CNO, Zumwalt cemented an acclaimed reputation as a visionary leader and thoughtful reformer. July 4, 2000, then-President Bill Clinton celebrated Zumwalt’s accomplishments and memory with the naming of the class and lead ship shortly after the admiral’s passing in Durham, N.C., Jan. 2, 2000.

Zumwalt was born in San Francisco in 1920 and grew up in Tulare, Calif. He was a cum laude graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1942.

As CNO, Zumwalt initiated wide-ranging reforms in a dramatic effort to revitalize the Navy. Time magazine hailed Zumwalt as "the Navy's most popular leader since World War II." As the Navy's senior officer, he increased the warfighting capabilities of the dwindling U.S. fleet by outfitting remaining ships with more efficient and sophisticated weapons. He retired in 1974. In 1996, he took over as chairman of the board of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation.

In addition to numerous decorations received from the U.S. Navy, including the Navy Distinguished Service Medal (three awards), the Legion of Merit (two awards) and Bronze Star with combat "V," he received decorations and awards from a number of foreign countries. In 1998, Zumwalt was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his service to the United States.

Zumwalt authored two books about his life in the Navy. On Watch (1976) recounts his Navy career and warns Americans about the Soviet naval threat. My Father, My Son (1986), co-authored with his late son, Elmo III, is an account of their Vietnam experiences and his son's tragic illness.

Compared to current U.S. Navy destroyers, the Zumwalt-class destroyer will triple both current naval surface fire coverage, as well as capability against anti-ship cruise missiles. It has a 50-fold radar cross section reduction compared to current destroyers, improves strike group defense 10-fold and has 10 times the operating area in shallow water regions against mines. The Zumwalt class fills an immediate and critical naval warfare gap, meeting validated Marine Corps fire support requirements.

Last year, Congress fully supported the DD(X) budget request, and the Zumwalt class is ready to start construction. In November 2005, the Department of Defense granted Milestone B approval, authorizing entrance into Phase IV of the program, including the detail design and construction of the two lead ships.

Under the Navy’s dual lead ship acquisition strategy proposed in the President’s budget for fiscal year 2007, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works will concurrently build the dual lead ships. Zumwalt will be delivered in 2012.

Army Career News - 04/05/2006

MILPER MESSAGE NUMBER : 06-103
AHRC-MSP-E
DA DIRECTED PROMOTION LIST INTEGRATION TO SERGEANT (SGT) PROMOTIONS EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE 2006
Issued: [04/05/2006]...

A. AR 600-8-19, ENLISTED PROMOTIONS AND REDUCTIONS, 10 JAN 06

B. AR 601-208, ARMY RETENTION PROGRAM, 31 MAR 99.

C. HQDA (DAPE-MPE) MESSAGE, 251601Z FEB 05, SAB.

1. THIS MESSAGE NUMBER WILL EXPIRE NLT JUNE 06; HOWEVER,
THE PROCEDURES WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL SUPERSEDED OR RESCINDED.

2. THIS MESSAGE APPLIES TO ACTIVE ARMY SOLDIERS.

3. THIS MESSAGE PROVIDES PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE TO THE AUTOMATIC
PROMOTION LIST INTEGRATION FOR SOLDIERS THAT MEET THE REQUIRED CRITERIA.

4. APPLICABILITY: SOLDIERS IN THE GRADE OF E-4 WHO MEET THE
FOLLOWING CRITERIA WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY INTEGRATED ONTO
THE RECOMMENDED LIST PROVIDED THEY ARE OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE
FOR RECOMMENDED LIST CONSIDERATION DESPITE LACKING THE
ACTUAL PROMOTION BOARD APPEARANCE:

A. FORTY-SIX (46) MONTHS TIME IN SERVICE (TIS) (TO BECOME
ELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTION NET FORTY-EIGHT (48) MONTHS),

B. TEN (10) MONTHS TIME IN GRADE (TIG) (TO BECOME ELIGIBLE
FOR PROMOTION NET TWELVE (12) MONTHS),

C. OTHERWISE NOT INELIGIBLE (IAW AR 600-8-19),

D. NOT OTHERWISE DENIED BY THE COMMANDER.

5. HUMAN RESOURCES COMMAND (HRC) ENLISTED PROMOTIONS
BRANCH, WILL POST A LIST OF SOLDIERS WHO ACCORDING TO
HRC SYSTEMS HAVE MET OR EXCEEDED THE AUTOMATIC
RECOMMENDED LIST CRITERIA FOR RECOMMENDED LIST
INTEGRATION EFFECTIVE 1 APRIL 2006, (WHICH POTENTIALLY
AFFECTS PROMOTIONS FOR 1 JUNE 2006) NLT 1400 HRS EST 5
APRIL 2006 TO THE PROMOTIONS WEB SITE.

6. UPON POSTING DATE, PERSONNEL WORK CENTERS (PWC)
ARE TO EXTRAPOLATE THOSE PERSONNEL FROM THE RECOMMENDED
LIST WITHIN THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY AND NOTIFY THEIR
RESPECTIVE COMMANDS OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY. INDIVIDUAL UNITS
WILL ALSO HAVE ACCESS, BUT ANY ACTIONS TAKEN TO DENY A
SOLDIER FROM THE AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDED LIST INTEGRATION
MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED AT THE PWC.

7. SUBSEQUENT TO THE DISTRIBUTION/RECEIPT OF THIS LIST,
COMMANDERS MUST DETERMINE WHETHER A SOLDIER SHOULD BE
DENIED AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDED LIST INTEGRATION WITH 350
POINTS. THE DENIAL RECOMMENDATION IS INITIATED BY THE UNIT
COMMANDER AND APPROVED BY THE PROMOTION AUTHORITY LTC/05.
IF A SOLDIER IS DENIED AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDED LIST INTEGRATION,
COUNSELING MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED IAW AR 600-8-19, PARA 1-26.

8. TO AFFECT PROMOTIONS EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE 06 (AS A PROCEDURAL
EXCEPTION), ON 5 APRIL 06, ALL SOLDIERS LISTED ON THE ROSTER THAT
ENLISTED PROMOTIONS BRANCH POSTED, WILL BE GIVEN 350 POINTS. THE
PWC CAN VIEW THESE SOLDIERS ON EDAS ON THE PP SCREEN. THESE
SOLDIERS WILL BE LISTED WITH 350 POINTS AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF
990604 OR 200604 IF SELECTED FOR PROMOTION. THE PWC MUST DELETE
THE 350 POINTS ON ANY SOLDIER WHO THE UNIT COMMANDER DETERMINES
SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED FOR AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDED LIST INTEGRATION.
ALL ACTIONS TO DELETE THE POINTS ON NON-SELECTED SOLDIERS MUST
BE ACHIEVED NLT 17 APRIL 2006.

9. ON 20 APRIL 2006, THOSE SOLDIERS IN EDAS, THAT MET THE CRITERIA
IN PARAGRAPH 5, WILL BE CONSIDERED AS PROMOTABLE SOLDIERS AND
THEIR POINTS WILL NOT BE DELETED AFTER THIS DATE WITHOUT
FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES OF PARAGRAPH 17 OF THIS MESSAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, UNIT RETENTION NCOS WILL ENSURE ERUP CODES
REFLECT CURRENT ELIGIBILITY AS RELATED TO FIFTEEN (15) YEARS.

A. PROCESSING PROCEDURES:

(1) CAREER COUNSELORS WILL COORDINATE WITH THEIR LOCAL
PERSONNEL WORK CENTERS AND COMMANDERS TO IDENTIFY
SOLDIERS AFFECTED BY THIS MESSAGE.

(2) CAREER COUNSELORS WILL UPDATE THE SOLDIER’S IMMEDIATE
REENLISTMENT CODE USING ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.

B. POINT OF CONTACT THIS MESSAGE IS SGM CARPENTER, EMAIL:
VENUS.CARPENTER@HOFFMAN.ARMY.MIL, DSN: 221-6807.

10. ONCE CUT-OFF SCORES HAVE BEEN DETERMINED FOR 1 JUNE
2006 PROMOTIONS, THOSE MEETING OR EXCEEDING CUT-OFF SCORES
BY BOARD APPEARANCE, AND OTHERWISE FULLY ELIGIBLE, WILL BE
PROMOTED FIRST. IF, AFTER REVIEW, THERE IS STILL A REQUIREMENT
FOR PROMOTIONS, HRC WILL SELECT THAT REQUIREMENT FROM THOSE
SOLDIERS LISTED WITH 350 POINTS AND OTHERWISE FULLY ELIGIBLE.
THE PWC WILL PULL THEIR BY-NAME PROMOTION LIST NLT 15 MAY
2006 FOR ALL PROMOTIONS EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE 2006. THE BY-NAME
PROMOTION LIST WILL INCLUDE SOLDIERS, IF NEEDED, FROM THE
AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDED LIST INTEGRATION IN MOS' BASED ON:

A. DATE OF RANK

B. BASIC ACTIVE SERVICE DATE

11. THE PWC WILL DETERMINE WHICH SOLDIERS WERE GIVEN POINTS
UNDER THIS POLICY. ONCE THE SOLDIERS ARE SELECTED FOR PROMOTION,
THEIR POINTS REMAIN 350, BUT THEIR EFFECTIVE DATE WILL BE 200604.
THIS IS TO ENSURE POINTS ARE EFFECTIVE TWO (2) MONTHS PRIOR
(04=APRIL FOR A 1 JUNE 06 PROMOTION), JUST AS IS DONE CURRENTLY
WITH ACTUAL BOARD APPEARANCES. THEREFORE, AS AN EXAMPLE,
THOSE SELECTED FOR PROMOTION FOR 1 JUNE 2006 UNDER THIS
POLICY WILL HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF 200604.

12. THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PWC TO VALIDATE THOSE SOLDIERS
SELECTED FOR PROMOTION FOR ELIGIBILITY IS UNCHANGED. HOWEVER,
THOSE SOLDIERS SELECTED UNDER THIS POLICY WILL NOT HAVE A DA
FORM 3355. SUBSEQUENT TO VALIDATION, THE PWC IS REQUIRED TO
PUBLISH PROMOTION ORDERS AND SUBMIT THE PROMOTION TO SGT
TRANSACTION WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1 JUNE 2006.

13. IF AT THE TIME OF RECEIPT, A COMMANDER DETERMINES A SOLDIER
IS INELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTION, FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES IN DENYING A
PROMOTION AS OUTLINED IN AR 600-8-19, CHAPTER 3, PARAGRAPH 3-19.

14. UNTIL AUTOMATION IS DEVELOPED TO INCORPORATE THESE CHANGES
(APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS), ALL ACTIONS AT HRC WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED
OFF-LINE, I.E. THE LIST OF ELIGIBLES BEING POSTED TO THE WEB.

15. MILPER MESSAGES WILL BE POSTED MONTHLY TO PROVIDE CURRENT
TIMELINES AND GUIDANCE. THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS
AUTOMATION SYSTEMS CAN BE UPDATED, AND THEN THE
STANDARDIZATION OF REQUIREMENTS WILL BE PUBLISHED AND
BECOME PERMANENT POLICY.

16. ANY EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY MUST BE DIRECTED TO THIS OFFICE.

17. IF A UNIT INADVERTENTLY OVERLOOKED A SOLDIER, AND THAT
SOLDIER WAS ERRONEOUSLY LIST INTEGRATED, THE ONLY WAY THAT
COMMAND CAN GET THE SOLDIER REMOVED FROM THE LIST IS TO
FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES OF AR 600-8-19, CHAPTER 3, PARAGRAPH
3-28, AUTOMATIC REMOVALS VERSUS A REMOVAL BOARD.

18. SOLDIERS ADDED TO THE RECOMMENDED LIST IN THIS MANNER
ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RE-COMPUTATIONS. FURTHER, SOLDIERS WHO
DESIRE TO RECEIVE PROMOTION POINTS BASED ON THEIR ACTUAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, IAW THE EXISTING PROCESSES OUTLINED IN AR
600-8-19, MUST BE RECOMMENDED AND BOARDED BY THEIR CHAIN OF
COMMAND. SOLDIERS, WITH SUPPORT OF THEIR COMMANDER,
CHOOSING TO APPEAR BEFORE A PROMOTION BOARD AFTER AUTOMATIC
LIST INTEGRATION, ARE TO FOLLOW THE EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR
TOTAL REEVALUATION.

19. IF, AFTER BOARD APPEARANCE, THE SOLDIER DOES NOT HAVE THE
MINIMUM POINTS REQUIRED TO STAY ON THE STANDING LIST (LESS
THAN 350) BUT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE PROMOTION BOARD AND
THE SOLDIER WAS PREVIOUSLY AUTOMATIC LIST INTEGRATED, THAT
SOLDIER WILL REMAIN ON THE LIST WITH 350 POINTS. TO ADD ANY
POINTS, THE SOLDIER MUST REAPPEAR BEFORE A PROMOTION BOARD.

20. CONVERSELY, IF A SOLDIER APPEARS BEFORE A PROMOTION BOARD,
AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PROMOTION, THAT SOLDIER, REGARDLESS
OF WHETHER THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY AUTOMATIC LIST INTEGRATED,
WILL NOT REMAIN ON THE LIST AND MUST APPEAR BEFORE A PROMOTION
BOARD TO REGAIN PROMOTABLE STATUS. THE PWC WILL TAKE THE
NECESSARY ACTIONS TO REMOVE THE SOLDIER FROM THE PROMOTION
STANDING LIST. IN ADDITION, THOSE THAT FALL WITHIN THIS CATEGORY
WILL HAVE THEIR RCP ADJUSTED BACK TO PRIOR TO THE PROMOTABLE STATUS.

21. POINT OF CONTACT IS SGM COON AT DSN 221-5101, COMMERCIAL
(703)325-5101 OR MR GRANT AT DSN 221-3959 OR COMMERCIAL
(703) 325-3959.

Big Red One Veterans Meet for 87th Reunion

Washington D.C. - They journeyed from as far away as Germany and as close by as the Military District of Washington. They referred to themselves as Blue Spaders, Kings of Battle and Black Lions. Some commanded troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom II while others stormed the Beaches of Normandy.

Current and previous officers of America’s oldest division – the 1st Infantry Division – gathered for their 87th reunion at the Alexandria Mark Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., April 1.

This year’s event commemorated the 15th anniversary of the division’s successful combat operations during Operation Desert Storm.

When commenting on the war, former 1st ID Commanding General Retired LTG Thomas G. Rhame said “all of us who were able to fight that war were very fortunate we got to fight that war with the Big Red One. It was a special opportunity, a window in history that God allowed us to participate in.”

The current 1st ID Commanding General, MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker, updated attendees on today’s status of the Big Red One.

“We are all in the middle of an exciting time for the division. Having returned from a highly successful, full-spectrum combat operation, the division, as you know, is again proving its agility by taking on a variety of complex missions relating to the War on Terror, and we’re truly executing the Army campaign plan of the future.”

As the attendees dined, the 1st ID Band played regimental and division songs, and each of the member units took turns marching around the room in single file, swinging their napkins in the air, insuring all present would know the spirit of their unit is alive and well in each of them.

When asked if he was having a good time, one World War II veteran responded enthusiastically with “I’m having a great time, great time. I always enjoy this event.”

After the Color Guard retrieved the colors and the final pictures where taken, the words of the division were repeated by all: “No mission to difficult. No sacrifice to great. Duty First!”

Living with Spouse Improves Iraq Duty

CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq — When Sgt. 1st Class Miguel Guajardo, 34, learned that his wife would be deploying to Iraq, he volunteered to go with her.

Miguel Guajardo, of the 84th Engineer Combat Battalion, said he was slated to go to Iraq with a different unit at a different time, meaning the two would be separated.

“I realized in order for us to stay together, we would have to come to Iraq together,” said the Corpus Christi, Texas, native.

Afterward, he learned that he would not only be able to serve with his wife, but live with her as well.

Lt. Col. Mark Toy, battalion commander, said he allows married couples such as Miguel and Delilah Guajardo to live together because he recognizes that his soldiers are professionals and know how to act.

For Miguel Guajardo, being able to live with his wife while serving in Iraq has been “more than I hoped for.”

“It certainly helps with the stress because you get to see your spouse and you know they’re doing well,” he said.

Still, some couples say being with their spouses can’t make everything all right.

Some couples said they worry when their spouses go outside the wire. They said they try not to think about their loved ones being in danger and they pass the time by watching movies.

But Sgt. 1st Class Lynette Joyner, 32, said she gets worried if her husband doesn’t get back to their trailer by 6:30 a.m.

Sgt. Lakia Thornton, 21, said, “As soon as I hear the knob or see the door open, I jump up.”

Thornton, of Newark, N.J., said this deployment marks her second with her husband, Sgt. Hoover Thornton, 23, of Jersey City, N.J.

She said serving with her spouse gives her a shoulder to cry on, but leaving her child back in the States without his parents is a hardship.

“It hurts when he says, ‘Where is Daddy, where is Mommy?’” she said.

Miguel Guajardo said he and his wife are experiencing their 14-month-old son’s early childhood “vicariously” through DVDs and other items sent by their family.

Sgt. 1st Class Delilah Guajardo, 34, gets emotional when she still sees her son as the 10-month-old boy she left when she came to Iraq.

“It felt like — it’s about like part of me died,” she said, starting to cry.

Joyner, of Jackson, Calif., said being able to serve with her husband has been a “blessing,” but being away from her son has proven more difficult than she anticipated. She said she calls home as often as possible and tries to get through the pain of separation.

“Just have your nights crying and move on,” she said.

Delilah Guajardo, of Corpus Christi, Texas, said she views having her family raise her son while she is gone as a gift to them.

Asked what she plans to do with her son when she gets home, she said, “Probably hug and kiss him a million times.”

New Operation Launched in Afghanistan

Afghan and coalition soldiers killed six insurgents in eastern Afghanistan Wednesday as they launched a new 2,500-troop operation with predawn air and ground strikes, the US military said.

The insurgents were killed as part of Operation Mountain Lion in eastern Kunar province, where seven children were killed Tuesday in a rocket attack blamed on militants allied to the ousted Taliban regime.

"The operation began with predawn air and ground assaults today (Wednesday) in the Pech River Valley, an area notorious for terrorist activity," the US-led coalition said in a statement.

The insurgents were killed in a neighbouring district of the province, which borders Pakistan.

The operation, involving 2,500 troops from the Afghan Army and various coalition regiments, aimed to "disrupt insurgents' activities, deny them sanctuary and prevent their ability to resupply," it said.

It was a "comprehensive effort to kill, incapacitate or capture terrorists operating in the region" that would continue "as long as necessary."

On Tuesday a rocket fired at a school killed seven children in the provincial capital Asadabad and left 33 others and a teacher wounded.

It was unclear if the rocket, which police said was fired from across the border, had been aimed at the school, which was in a mosque near an Afghan army base and coalition compound.

Officials blamed the attack on the Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency against the new government since they were toppled in a US-led campaign in late 2001.

The leadership of the Islamist movement is believed to have fled into Pakistan from where Afghan officials say the insurgency is being run.

The unrest sees almost-daily attacks in southern and eastern Afghanistan that mainly feature roadside bombs and often-botched suicide blasts.

In one such attack, a roadside bomb ripped through a police vehicle in volatile southern Helmand province Wednesday, killing a policeman and wounding two others, police said.

The policemen were on patrol when the remote-controlled device was detonated, police criminal investigation department chief Amanullah Khan said.

The attack was claimed by the Taliban, whom officials say are particularly active in Helmand because of their links to widespread opium cultivation there.

Afghan and coalition forces in neighbouring Kandahar province meanwhile discovered a cache of weapons that "belonged to a Taliban facilitator who has plotted to ambush and kill Afghan government officials and coalition forces," a separate coalition statement said Wednesday.

The stash contained rocket-propelled grenades and materials to build home-made bombs.

And in eastern Ghazni province, a government official turned over to coalition troops a cache that included more than 250 mines, nine mine fuses, four grenades and around 70 kilograms (150 pounds) of TNT, the statement said.

The unrest is hampering Afghanistan's efforts to rebuild after 25 years of war that ended with fall of the Taliban.

There are about 30,000 foreign troops here to help stabilise the country and end the insurgency.

But violence has shown no sign of abating and has killed more than 2,000 people, most of them militants, since the beginning of 2005, according to an unofficial count.

Retired General Calls For Rumsfeld to Go

Another retired general called for the resignation of US Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday, adding to a drumbeat of pressure from the military for new leadership and fresh thinking on Iraq.

Major General John Batiste, former commander of the US Army's 1st Infantry Division, criticized Rumsfeld for ignoring military advice and failing to provide sound military planning.

"You know, it speaks volumes that guys like me are speaking out from retirement about the leadership climate in the Department of Defense," Batiste said in an interview with CNN.

His was the latest in a groundswell of calls for Rumsfeld's resignation by respected retired generals who served in Iraq or key positions in the military hierarchy. Batiste led the 1st Infantry Division during a year-long Iraq tour in 2004 and 2005.

General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came to Rumsfeld's defense on Tuesday and said the military fashioned, debated and vetted the war plans for Iraq.

"As far as Pete Pace is concerned, this country is exceptionally well served by the man standing on my left," the general said at a press conference with Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld shrugged off the criticism as not "new or surprising," and said it had not affected his ability to do his job.

The generals have blamed Rumsfeld for the failure to commit enough troops to Iraq and plan for the post-invasion insurgency that has tied down the 130,000-strong US force for more than three years.

But they also have bitterly criticized him for an arrogant style that they say shuts out opposing viewpoints.

"We need a leader who understands team work, a leader who knows how to build teams, a leader that does it without intimidation," said Batiste.

"Conversely, I think we need senior military leaders who understand the principles of war and apply them ruthlessly, and when the time comes, they need to call it like it is," he said.

So far, no serving general other than Pace has spoken out publicly on the issue.

But retired lieutenant general Gregory Newbold, a Marine who served as the operations director of the Joint Staff during the Afghanistan campaign, urged serving officers to speak out.

He blasted the senior military leadership for their timidity in an opinion piece published over the weekend by Time magazine.

None of the retired generals who have spoken out so far have called for a withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

"Whether we agree or not with the war in Iraq, we are where we are and we must succeed in this endeavor," Batiste said. "Failure is frankly not an option."

Three Marines in Fatal Raid Reassigned

WASHINGTON - Three Marines have been relieved of their commands in connection with problems during their deployment to Iraq, including their battalion's actions during a firefight that left 15 Iraqi civilians dead.

No charges have been filed against the three officers, who were reassigned to new duties within the division because of a "lack of confidence in their leadership abilities," said Lt. Lawton King, spokesman for the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California.

King would not comment on the officers' specific connection to the firefight, which occurred in the western town of Haditha and is being probed by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

"There was no one justification for the move," said King. "In fact many considerations factored into the decision to relieve the commanders.... It stems from their performance during the entire deployment."

The officers are Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani, commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment; Capt. James S. Kimber, commanding officer of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, and Capt. Lucas M. McConnell, commanding officer of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.

Maj. Gen. Richard F. Natonski, commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division, made the decision to reassign the officers. The action is separate from the criminal probe, and King said it is too early to tell if the officers will be charged.

About a dozen 3rd Battalion Marines are being investigated for war crimes in connection with the November 2005 incident to determine if they violated the rules of military engagement.

A videotape taken by an Iraqi shows the aftermath of the alleged attack by U.S. troops on civilians in Haditha: a blood-smeared bedroom floor and bits of what appear to be human flesh and bullet holes on the walls.

The video, obtained by Time Magazine, was broadcast a day after Haditha residents told The Associated Press that American troops entered homes and shot dead 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl, after a roadside bomb killed a U.S. Marine.

Soldier Sentenced in Theft

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - A 19-year Army veteran admitted Monday that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of military supplies that were later sold online.

Staff Sgt. Arthur O. Smith III, 42, was sentenced to 45 months in jail, with credit for 149 days already served. Col. Debra Boudreau, the presiding judge at Smith's court martial, also ordered him to forfeit pay and pay $150,000 in restitution. He'll also receive a bad conduct discharge.

Smith, a former student at the academy for noncommissioned officers, was charged with 25 counts of unauthorized sale of government property, one count of failure to obey an order and one count of obstruction of justice. He pleaded guilty to all the counts.

He is one of 10 Fort Lewis Soldiers accused of stealing government property and selling it to Mykel D. Loftus, who then allegedly sold the items online. Loftus has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to possess stolen government property.

Investigations continue regarding the nine other Soldiers, Fort Lewis officials said after the sentencing.

Smith stole more than $279,900 in government property that included Gore-Tex jackets and pants, tool sets, knives, ammunition, global positioning systems and meals-ready-to-eat, Capt. Dan Kuecker, a military prosecutor, said Monday. Loftus paid more than $83,400 for the items, the prosecutor said.

Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Smith had his sentence reduced from a possible maximum 228 years in exchange for his cooperation in the cases involving Loftus.

Military Doubts Burning Pilot Video

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen shouting "God is Great!" dragged the burning body of what they said was a U.S. pilot in a horrific video posted Wednesday on the Web by a new al-Qaida-affiliated group that claimed it shot down an Apache helicopter last weekend.

On Thursday, roadside bombings in Iraq killed two security forces and wounded at least 12, officials said.

One of the bombs exploded near a police patrol in western Baghdad, killing a policeman and wounding five, officials said. A second bomb detonated when another group of police arrived at the scene, wounding two more policemen.

North of the capital, an Iraqi army patrol was also hit by a roadside bomb, killing one officer and wounding five soldiers outside the city of Baqouba.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military expressed outrage over the release of "such a despicable video for public exposure" but said it had serious doubts that the footage was authentic.

The AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter was downed near Youssifiyah about 12 miles southwest of Baghdad on Saturday, killing the two pilots. A U.S. statement said troops had recovered "all available remains" although "reports of a Web site video suggest that terrorists removed part of a body from the crash site."

The flaming wreckage of a helicopter could be seen clearly in the video, including outlines of the aircraft's blades and jagged pieces of wreckage strewn over a field.

The camera panned over bloodstained debris, then showed several men dragging the burning body of a man across a field as they shouted "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great!" Voices could be heard in the background shouting "come, come, help me carry it."

The body's face was not visible, but the camera zoomed in on what appeared to be his waistline, which showed a scrap of underwear with the brand name "Hanes." It appeared the man was wearing tattered digital camouflage fatigues, which are worn by U.S. troops in Iraq.

The time stamp on the video which shows the minutes and seconds do not run sequentially, and the scenes appear disjointed. The posting also included bombing scenes filmed elsewhere, indicating the material had been edited as a propaganda package.

Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a spokesman for the command, said the wreckage shown on the video "does appear to be an AH-64" but added that other helicopters of that type have been lost.

"We have serious doubts about the authenticity of this video, a common tactic we see terrorist groups use to keep the stories they want alive in the media," he said.

But in Alexandria, Va., Ben Venzke, head of IntelCenter, a defense contractor which monitors militant statements, said it appeared on first viewing that the tape was authentic. Although the date stamp on the video was Sunday, April 2, a day after the crash, Venzke said the discrepancy could be simply a technical error in the setting.

"Based on an initial review of the footage, it would seem to indicate the downing of a helicopter and the removal of crew and passengers from the craft," he said. "On an initial review, it does appear to be what it purports to be."

He said the large amount of background chatter among those on the ground suggested that "it was filmed closely after the downing of the helicopter as opposed to something that was found later and staged."

It was the second Apache to crash in Iraq this year. On Jan 16, an AH-64 Apache conducting a combat air patrol went down in Mishada, north of Baghdad, killing two Soldiers. At least 12 Apaches have crashed since the beginning of the war three years ago.

U.S. officials first reported Saturday that an American helicopter had crashed that day about 5:30 p.m. during a combat patrol southwest of the capital and that the status of the crew was unknown. Ordinarily, U.S. officials refrain from reporting helicopter crashes until the status of the crew is clear to avoid tipping off the insurgents that wounded survivors may be in the area.

Late the next day, the U.S. command confirmed that helicopter was an Apache and that the two crew members were "presumed dead," suggesting the remains had not been found. Later the same day, U.S. authorities said the bodies had been recovered.

On Wednesday, the military identified the pilots killed as Capt. Timothy J. Moshier, 25, of Albany, N.Y., and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael L. Hartwick, of Orrick, Mo.

The video was e-mailed to reporters and posted on an Islamist Web site by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, purportedly a new umbrella organization that includes al-Qaida in Iraq and smaller insurgent groups. Formation of the group, announced Jan. 21, was seen as a bid to consolidate various organizations that had been operating independently since the insurgency erupted in 2003.

It was also seen as an effort by insurgents to lower the profile of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, whose mass attacks against Shiite civilians have tarnished the image of the insurgents among many Iraqis.

"We are outraged that anyone would create and publish such a despicable video for public exposure," Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington, a U.S. spokesman, said. "The terrorists continue to demonstrate their immoral disregard for human dignity and life."

Spending Bill Targets Military Voting

WASHINGTON - A provision inserted into an Iraq spending bill this week would attempt to make it easier for troops abroad to vote.

The provision, added by Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., would allow local governments to electronically transmit ballots, giving absentee military voters the opportunity to download and print them. The voters would then return the ballots by mail.

Seventeen senators - 11 Republicans and six Democrats - have joined in asking Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to smooth the military voting process. Several of them sent a letter to Rumsfeld last month.

Under the current system, members of the military must contact local officials by regular mail and request a ballot, which is then mailed to them. The voter then must fill out the ballot by hand and send it back to his or her state, also by regular mail.

Lawmakers cite concerns that the voting process for troops overseas is so complex and time consuming that their ballots can arrive too late to be counted.

Burns said his amendment, added to a bill that would provide more than $100 billion for war costs and hurricane recovery, would speed that process substantially.

"Considering many soldiers are regularly deployed and redeployed from one location to another rather quickly sometimes, they won't have to wait for their ballot to catch up with them in the mail," Burns said.

The amendment would also appropriate $5.8 million for the department to cover the cost of the plan.

Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman, would not comment on the pending legislation. She said many resources are already available on the department's Web site for absentee voters abroad, including a blank ballot that voters can fill out and send to their local election offices.

F-16 Crashes Into Ocean

A Shaw Air Force Base pilot was rescued Wednesday night about two hours after his F-16 plunged into the ocean off the South Carolina coast.

The pilot, Capt. Ted Shultz of the 55th Fighter Squadron, was in stable condition, said Petty Officer Bobby Nash, a Coast Guard spokesman.

After being treated on a Navy ship that was in the area, the pilot was transferred to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Nash added.

The crash happened about 5:40 p.m., approximately 30 miles off the coast between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, Shaw spokesman Lt. Bryan Cox said.

The F-16 was one of two fighters participating in a training exercise over a section of the ocean where military jets are allowed to fly at supersonic speeds, Cox added.

The pilot of the second jet saw Shultz eject from the doomed fighter and parachute safely into the ocean, Cox said. The second pilot then circled the area to assist the search.

A Coast Guard search-and-rescue team dispatched from Charleston found Shultz about 7:35 p.m., Nash said.

Once the helicopter reached the crash scene, its crew lowered a rescue swimmer into the water to assist the pilot.

Meantime, a nearby Navy ship launched one of its small boats to pick up Shultz and the Coast Guard crewman, Nash said.

The pilot was checked aboard the Navy ship and transferred to MUSC.

A board of officers will investigate, Cox said.

Wednesday's crash is the first involving a Shaw fighter since April 18 when a two-seater jet crashed into marshland along the Ashley River near downtown Charleston.

Both pilots ejected safely and were not injured. An investigation found that a maintenance crew's failure to install seals on a turbine blade led to the crash.

Fighters from Shaw, as well as McEntire Air National Guard Station and Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station, routinely train over the Atlantic.

By operating over the ocean, the jets can fly at supersonic speeds, keeping down noise levels and staying away from areas where there is heavy commercial air traffic.

Cutter Mackinaw Finishes Final Icebreaking Season

Sault Ste. Marie, MI. - U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers continue to focus their efforts on Whitefish Bay.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Mackinaw home ported in Cheboygan, MI, Biscayne Bay (St. Ignace, MI), Katmai Bay (Sault, MI), and Neah Bay (Cleveland, OH) are hoping to take advantage of long awaited southerly winds, rain, and warmer temperatures in order to flush the last of the region's ice out into Lake Superior. All the while, the ice breakers have kept the almost constant flow of commercial vessel traffic, moving through the area without delay. To date, 91 commercial vessels have transited the St. Mary's River, since the Soo Locks reopened on March 25th.

While most of the Great Lakes escaped the icy grip of "Old Man Winter", U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie has been dealing with ice in its waterways since mid December. Although the ice never reached its historical thickness, the Straits of Mackinac, St Mary's River, and the western Lake Superior ports of Duluth and Superior had enough ice (average 10-12 inches in most areas 18 to 24 inches in some) to keep icebreaking resources steadily working throughout the winter.

The "Old Mackinaw" was locked though on March 13th in preparation for spring opening of the Soo Locks. Mackinaw found the ice from the locks up to the entrance of the St Mary's River (near Point Iroquois) very manageable. However, they found a completely different story when they entered Whitefish Bay. Inside the shipping lanes, Mackinaw found ice varying in thickness from 36-48 inches. Outside the shipping lanes ice plates formed ridges up to eight feet thick. These conditions required the unique capabilities of Mackinaw given her size and power. The crew worked diligently for seven days as the Mackinaw carved a track through the stubborn ice fields of Whitefish Bay. In the meantime, outside assistance was called in. By Sunday March 20th, the Mackinaw was joined by the 140 foot ice breakers, Biscayne Bay and Neah Bay, with the Bristol Bay (Detroit, MI) joining the fleet later in the week. With the Katmai Bay handling the lower river, the Mackinaw and the three smaller ice breakers put the finishing touches on the track lines. At midnight on the 25th of March, the commercial lakers met no resistance as they made their way through Whitefish Bay. The mariners thanked the Mackinaw and the other cutters for the "highway" they had prepared. The "highway," as they put it, enabled the vessel traffic to pass clear of the locks and the St Mary's River system without delay.

With the southerly winds, rain, and warmer temperatures entering the region this week, the ice has begun to disintegrate, and Mackinaw's "highway" has collapsed - signifying the final stages of the ice season. Each year, the final days of ice breaking are often the most hectic. With no discernable track, the breakers are relegated to escorting vessels one by one through the rotting (still burdensome) ice. After which, the ice breakers must race back and forth to smash up the larger plates of ice. This allows the ice to move into Lake Superior and melt without posing a threat to the passing ships. This weekend, we've reached that phase of the ice season, as the

CG Station Receives Five Hoax Calls

Seattle. WA. - Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay, Ore., has received five hoax calls this month, which places Coast Guard responders' lives at risk.
Each hoax call can result in the Coast Guard launching ships, boats and aircraft that could otherwise be used in legitimate search and rescue efforts. Hoax calls have become an increasing concern for the Coast Guard and the public.

The calls received in Yaquina Bay came in the form of a "Mayday" call for help on VHF channel 16, the emergency channel that is monitored by the Coast Guard 24-hours a day. For more than 200 years the Coast Guard has responded to distress calls at sea. Recently, more of these calls have been found to be hoaxes, which jeopardize search and rescue operations.

Hoax calls also cost taxpayers thousands of dollars annually. It costs approximately $1,200 per hour to operate a Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat. A helicopter or larger cutter may cost anywhere from $9,000 to $12,000 an hour.

The five hoax calls that were received this month resulted in four searches and utilized three response boats for over six hours. An HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Newport, Ore., was also launched to respond to four of the calls.

The Coast Guard works with the FCC, FBI and local law enforcement agencies to identify people making hoax calls.

Knowingly and willingly transmitting a hoax call is a felony offense and is punishable by six to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, a civil penalty of up to $5,000 and possible restitution to the government for the cost of the search.

To listen to an audio clip of one of the hoax calls, click on the following link:

http://www.piersystem.com/clients/uscg-13/52418

Disabled Fishing Vessel Towed to Port

Anchorage, AK. - The 174-foot catcher/processor Blue North is currently under tow by the tug James Dunlap west of Spray Cape, Unalaska Island. They are headed to Dutch Harbor at a speed of 8 knots. Estimated time of arrival in Dutch Harbor is 10 p.m. today.

The Coast Guard received notification from the captain of the Blue North at 4:35 a.m. today that the vessel's propeller was fouled by a line and reported being disabled and adrift about 25 miles west of Spray Cape. The vessel was drifting toward Unalaska Island at a speed of 1.5 - 2.5 knots on a heading of 150 degrees true.

The Coast Guard launched two HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters and a C-130 from Air Station Kodiak to assist with on scene communications and crew evacuation if needed. One HH-60 acted as the eyes on scene during the James Dunlap's arrival and the hook up of the tow. All aircraft have since been released from the scene and are returning to Kodiak.

The captain of the Blue North, with assitance from the Coast Guard Command Center in Juneau, immediately directed the launch of the tug James Dunlap from Dutch Harbor to respond. The tug arrived on scene at about 1 p.m. The James Dunlap is 94 feet long and has 4,000 horsepower.

Weather conditions in the area are west north west winds at 15 knots, six foot swells and visibility of 10 - 12 miles.

The Blue North has 11 crew and about 33,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board.

A unified command was quickly established to monitor the situation and posture resources in the event the tow was unsuccessful. Representatives include the Coast Guard, State of Alaska, Blue North Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA scientific support, the City of Unalaska and various response entities. Close monitoring will continue until the vessel is safely in Dutch Harbor.

Morgenthau Home After 18,000 Mile Trip

Alameda, CA. - The Alameda based Coast Guard Cutter Morgenthau will return home today following a successful counter-narcotics patrol off the coasts of Central and South America. Morgenthau's 163 person crew seized more than 13 metric tons of cocaine in their last two patrols, estimated at $.9 billion.

During this extensive three month deployment, Morgenthau's crew seized two vessels carrying a approximately six tons of cocaine with a street value of more than $300 million. The first vessel, a Peruvian fishing boat, was located and seized while trying to make the journey north to offload narcotics destined for the streets of the United States. Morgenthau intercepted the vessel and deployed the ship's boarding teams to search the boat for contraband. The vessel and the contraband were seized by Morgenthau's crew.

Morgenthau's second cocaine seizure occurred when the cutter detected a small, high speed vessel typically used for the movement of illegal narcotics. Morgenthau's crew deployed the ship's stingray helicopter and interceptor boats to capture the vessel. A boarding team subsequently discovered more than three tons of cocaine aboard the vessel and detained the six man crew.

Later in the patrol Morgenthau made a 1,000 mile sprint at top speed to assist 77 Ecuadorian migrants found adrift in a sinking vessel off the coast of El Salvador. After transferring the migrants to the Morgenthau, the crew provided food, shelter and medical care while safely delivering the men and women for repatriation to Ecuador. Several of those assisted were only 15 years old.
Morgenthau's crew proudly returns to their homeport of Alameda after sailing more than 18,000 miles, visiting seven ports in seven different countries in support of the Coast Guard's counterdrug mission.

An End of an Era: Pea Island Survivor Visits ISC Sand Island

There are so many reasons to honor our military members, and on Feb. 10, at the Integrated Support Unit, Sand Island, Honolulu, we celebrated the career of Lt. Herbert Collins, one of two surviving members of the all black Coast Guard Station, Pea Island.

“Collins’ life story and career is what people write movies about; his character should be the standard for all who aspire greatness, but most importantly, his experiences must be honored and never forgotten,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Geoicondar Morse, 14th district, co-organizer of the event.

Collins served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Mendota in Norfolk, Va., as a mess attendant, where Alex Haley, the author of the book “Roots,” was also stationed at the time. Six months later, he transferred back to Pea Island and remained there throughout World War II. Collins was a member of the crew that rescued a ship that had been hit by a torpedo between the Chicamacomico and Pea Island Coast Guard Stations. In 1947, Collins decommissioned the all-black personnel Pea Island Station. His famous family has the record for the longest continuous service in the Coast Guard, beginning in 1880 with his grandfather, Joseph H. Berry.

The Black History Month event at Sand Island highlighted a beautiful Hawaiian day, and was held for a packed crowd at the ISC gymnasium. “This year’s theme: ‘Celebrating Community: A Tribute to Black Fraternal, Social, and Civic Institutions,’ was clearly demonstrated in the event. Station Pea Island was an all black fraternal institution that was committed to their work,” said Petty Officer 1st Class A.J. Melendez, ISC Honolulu, co-organizer of the event.

Collins was escorted by Rear Adm. Stephen Rochon, Asst. Commandant for Personnel Management at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Rochon was instrumental in the posthumous recognition of the all-black crew of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, N. C., for their dramatic through-the-surf rescue of nine crewmembers and passengers of the Schooner E.S. Newman in 1896.

Collins told stories about spending much of his enlisted career as a mess attendant.

“Collins survived an unfortunate era in the Coast Guard where the rules were different. The color of one’s skin alone determined the job a black man could get in the military,” said Morse. “As he told these stories you could feel a sigh amongst the crowd. Just thinking that a man with this much talent and love for the Coast Guard could be held to cleaning dishes and scraping pots like some kind of servant.”

“I found it very humbling when he talked about joining the Coast Guard as a mess attendant, since at that time, a mess attendant was all a black man could be. You don't hear about that sort of thing in this day and age,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Erin Lucas, ISC Honolulu, co-organizer of the event.

During the event the facilitators debuted the Pea Island movie. The documentary was narrated by the famous voice of James Earl Jones. Many who saw the movie were moved to tears.

“How heroic and committed the members were to save lives. You hear the same heroism during times of war with soldiers in movies, rarely about the Coast Guard and our dedication. This movie really sank deep one of our core values ‘Devotion to duty,’” said Melendez.

At the end of the event everyone had the opportunity to meet and greet Collins and almost everyone took advantage. Just being in the presence of such Coast Guard history and charisma was very humbling. “His presence alone was significant and I got his autograph because he is famous. He reminded me that I am not just a number in the Coast Guard but I also represent a proud service,” said Melendez.

Collins still is making ground breaking achievements to this day. He has a current commercial multi-engine pilot’s license, and recently taught at the Naval Academy Flying Club in Annapolis, Md., as a certified flight instructor. He visits Coast Guard bases regularly. With each visit he leaves a deep impression in the hearts and minds of the people he reaches.

At the time of segregation in the military few have prospered as much as Collins. Despite all the social and economic disadvantages Collins shined, and his long established career is testimony for his accomplishments. He has shown courage, commitment and dedication when at times not reciprocated by the Coast Guard. By his actions he has proved that honor, respect and devotion to duty were his core values long before the Coast Guard adopted them.

“Collins is living proof that it's definitely not about the color of your skin, but the content of your character which defines you as a person,” said Lucas.

Collins currently resides with his lovely wife in Olney, Md., they have one adult son and two daughters.

Marine Corps Career News

Marine Corps Career News - 03/29/2006
This is an unofficial posting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 2006 SNCO Promotions for Active Reserve, Selected Marine Corps Reserve, and Individual Ready Reserve

Date signed: 03/27/2006 MARADMIN Number: 145/06
Subject: APRIL 2006 SNCO PROMOTIONS FOR ACTIVE RESERVE (AR), SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR), AND INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE (IRR)

R 270730Z MAR 06
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 145/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM/-//
SUBJ/APRIL 2006 SNCO PROMOTIONS FOR ACTIVE RESERVE (AR), SELECTED
/MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR), AND INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE (IRR)//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/MMPR-2/30OCT2002//
AMPN/REF A IS MCO P1400.32C, ENLISTED PROMOTION MANUAL//
POC/J.A. MCLAUGHLIN/MAJ/MMPR-2/-/TEL:DSN 278-9710
/EMAIL:JAMES.MCLAUGHLIN@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. AS OF SOFTWARE RELEASE 2-01 NAMES ARE NO LONGER
LISTED ON THE MARADMIN. THE SELECT GRADE RANK, SENIORITY
NUMBER AND BOARD YEAR WILL BE LISTED ON THE "GRAD" SCREEN IN THE
MCTFS. UNITS WILL RECEIVE A DIARY FEEDBACK REPORT (DFR) WITH A
SELECT GRADE DATE OF 1 APRIL 2006 FOR EACH MARINE TO BE PROMOTED.
2. UPON RECEIPT OF THIS MARADMIN AND POSTING OF A SELECT
GRADE ON THE DFR, BUT NOT PRIOR TO THE 1ST OF APRIL 2006,
COMMANDERS WILL EFFECT THE PROMOTION OF SELECTED MARINES PER PAR
5100 OF THE REF. CITE THIS MARADMIN AS AUTHORITY FOR
PROMOTION.
3. COMMANDERS ARE REMINDED THAT PAR 3103.6 OF THE REF REQUIRES
THAT MARINES IN THE GRADE OF GUNNERY SERGEANT AND ABOVE WHO HAVE
SERVED AT LEAST 18 YEARS BUT LESS THAN 30 YEARS OF ACTIVE MILITARY
SERVICE MUST AGREE TO SERVE 2 YEARS OR UNTIL SERVICE LIMITS,
WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST, IN THE GRADE TO WHICH PROMOTED. BEFORE
DELIVERING APPOINTMENT CERTIFICATES TO MARINES IN THIS CATEGORY,
COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE EACH MARINE HAS SUFFICIENT OBLIGATED SERVICE
REMAINING ON THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT TO ENABLE THEM TO SERVE AT LEAST
2 YEARS OR UNTIL SERVICE LIMITS IN THE GRADE TO WHICH PROMOTED. IF
THE MARINE REFUSES TO EXTEND OR REENLIST TO HAVE SUFFICIENT
OBLIGATED SERVICE, INFORM CMC (MMPR-2) OF THE MARINE'S REFUSAL.
4. COMMANDERS ARE REMINDED OF THEIR INHERENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN
THE ENLISTED PROMOTION SYSTEM. THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE RECORD OF EACH
SELECTED MARINE PRIOR TO DELIVERY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT
TO ENSURE THE MARINE HAS CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH STANDARDS OF
PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL PERFORMANCE WHICH LED TO SELECTION. YOU
ARE ENJOINED TO REVIEW PAR 1200.4, 1204 AND 3107 OF THE REF. UPON
COMPLETION OF THE REVIEW OF APPLICABLE RECORDS, IF THE COMMANDER'S
INTENT IS TO DELAY OR REVOKE THE PROMOTION OF A SELECTED MARINE THE
REF PROVIDES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE AND REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS.
5. THE NUMBERS LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 6, 7, AND 8 INDICATE THE SENIOR
NUMBER PROMOTED THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND THE TOTAL NUMBER TO BE
PROMOTED FOR THE CURRENT MONTH. HOWEVER, THE NUMBERS MAY NOT ALWAYS
ADD UP. THIS IS DUE TO MARINES SELECTED NONCOMPETITIVELY (WO
SELECTS) WHO ARE ASSIGNED A SENIORITY NUMBER WITH AN ALPHA LETTER,
MARINES WHO ARE DISCHARGED, AND MARINES IN A PROMOTION RESTRICTION
STATUS. TO AVOID ERRONEOUS PROMOTIONS OF SNCOS IT IS IMPERATIVE
THAT COMMANDERS FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE IN PARAGRAPH 1 AND ONLY PROMOTE
MARINES WITH A SELECT GRADE DATE IN THE MCTFS.
6. STATUS OF FY 2006 ACTIVE RESERVE SNCO PROMOTION LISTS:
NUMBER SENIOR NO. APR PROJECTED
GRADE SELECTED PROM 1 MAR PROM FOR MAY
SGTMAJ/MGYSGT 6 4 1 1
1STSGT/MSGT 29 8 7 2
GYSGT 54 39 10 1
SSGT 94 40 10 10
7. STATUS OF FY 2006 SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE SNCO PROMOTION
LISTS:
NUMBER SENIOR NO. APR PROJECTED
GRADE SELECTED PROM 1 MAR PROM FOR MAY
SGTMAJ/MGYSGT 54 NA 6 6
1STSGT/MSGT 111 NA 12 12
GYSGT 369 NA 41 41
SSGT 748 NA 83 83
8. STATUS OF FY 2006 INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE SNCO PROMOTION LISTS:
NUMBER SENIOR NO. APR PROJECTED
GRADE SELECTED PROM 1 MAR PROM FOR MAY
SGTMAJ/MGYSGT 10 NA 1 1
1STSGT/MSGT 22 NA 2 2
GYSGT 80 NA 40 40
SSGT 1176 NA 118 118
9. FOR ENLISTED PROMOTION MATTERS CALL COMM (703) 784-9710
OR DSN 278-9710. E-MAIL INQUIRIES MAY BE SUBMITTED VIA THE
PROMOTION SECTION INTERNET WEBSITE AT WWW.USMC.MIL. SELECT
"CAREER," "MARINES," "PROMOTIONS," "ENLISTED PROMOTIONS," THEN
"POINTS OF CONTACT."//

Concealed by Night, Scout Swimmers Move Undetected

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan - Cloaked by night and veiled in silence, a squad of warriors moved undetected through Kin Bay. With deliberate actions, the squad promptly secured the beach before sending an “all clear” report back to a ship waiting 25 miles off the coastline.

The ship was imaginary. The cold waters, stealthy tactics and exhaustion were not. The warriors swam through cold waters till their bodies cramped and shivered as III Marine Expeditionary Force’s Special Operations Training Group conducted a Scout Swimmer Course March 20-April 5 at various Okinawan beaches.

The Marines and sailors learned the intricacies of movement without detection as the course’s curriculum spotlighted clandestine insertion.

“Clandestine insertion is usually used at night when helicopter or (Assault Amphibian Vehicle) insertion is impossible,” said Sgt. Joseph L. Mills, an amphibious raid instructor with SOTG. “It’s usually done on a secluded beach out of enemy sight.”

During the initial phases of the course, instructors gave classroom instructions covering such topics as hazardous marine life and equipment maintenance. After more than 10 hours of classroom instruction, the group moved to the Okinawan coastline.

As the course unfolded at a secluded beach near Kin Blue, the students found themselves in the water more often than not. On March 19, the students moved through water so calm it seemed to be made of glass. Their slow and methodical movements left ripples invisible to the naked eye in the water.

When conducting a clandestine insertion, a calm sea is a scout swimmer’s nemesis, Mills explained.

“In calm weather, you don’t have the sound of waves breaking to conceal your noise,” Mills said. “This is why we try to avoid urban coastlines in actual missions.”

Manmade structures usually stop waves in urban environments, Mills stated.

The group moved to an urban training environment during the seventh day of training at Kin Red Pier, explained Sgt. Bart P. Dellinger, the senior amphibious raid instructor with SOTG.

The students were subjected to 2,800 meter swims with backpacks in tow throughout the course.

“It messes with your head,” said Lance Cpl. Kenneth A. Belovarac, an assistant small craft raid instructor. “You keep kicking and it doesn’t seem like you have gotten anywhere.”

Once the team reaches the shore, they secure the area and send beach survey reports to the appropriate commanders. The commanders obtain detailed descriptions of what to expect on land in the swimmers’ reports.

This course has proven to be extremely demanding and has one of the highest attrition rates of any course in the U.S. military, explained Mills.

“We started with 17 students and we now have eight,” Mills said on the sixth day of the 13-day course. “The course is very physically demanding.”

According to Mills, a lot of casualties are caused by exhaustion and cold-related injuries.

The few amphibious warriors who endure the course become certified scout swimmers. The newly certified scout swimmers will have the ability and knowledge to help train units going through SOTG’s boat raid courses.

Air Force Career News -

Web Site Lets Reservists Correct Duty History 'Live'
by Tech. Sgt. Rob Mims
Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs

4/4/2006 - DENVER (AFPN) -- Air Force Reserve members worldwide can now correct or change their duty history via the virtual Personnel Center Guard and Reserve, a customer-service Web portal operated by the Air Reserve Personnel Center.

Previously, Airmen had to visit their local military personnel flight or call several agencies to correct their duty history. Now, no matter the time of day, reservists can log on to the vPC-GR at http://arpc.afrc.af.mil/support/default.asp.

Airmen can click on the “Correct Duty History” link and annotate their changes, attach any relevant supporting documentation and click on “submit.”

There is no change to the process for updating current duty information; it still must be done through the local commander’s support staff or base individual mobilization augmentee administrators.

ARPC and the Air Force Personnel Center are working on centralizing and automating many of their processes for all Airmen and civilians in the total force.

Processes that have been automated or centralized at ARPC include 20-year letter (re-issue), mortgage letter, current points request, promotion board counseling request, and electronic promotion letter to the board president.

In the future, automated and centralized services should account for nearly all aspects of an Airman’s personnel actions, from initial enlistment to retirement. Between now and Sept. 1, 2007, ARPC will work to automate or centralize retirements, separations, awards and decorations, evaluations, enlisted promotions, assignments, retraining, reenlistments, duty status, classifications, adverse actions and accessions.

Airmen Doubling as Local Lawmen

ALI BASE, Iraq — Whether it’s a surveillance drone zooming miles overhead or a Humvee tearing down Perimeter Road on its way to the dining facility — airmen at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group have it on their radar.

In addition to controlling all air traffic in the southern third of Iraqi air space, 407th AEG airmen have also been charged with enforcing all laws at the international military base — including the writing of speeding tickets — as well as all gate functions and the patrolling of a large swath of land beyond the installation’s perimeter.

The allocation of such duties to the Air Force, particularly on a base that is mostly U.S. Army personnel, is rare, according to Col. Kevin Kilb, group commander.

“We’re outside the wire every day,” Kilb said. “That’s definitely a change for us.”

To most of the U.S. Army and coalition forces, this aging airstrip on the outskirts of Nasiriyah is known simply as Tallil — the crossroads of forces from America, Europe, Japan and Australia.

But to Kilb and roughly 1,000 airmen, the proper name for this southern Iraqi air hub is Ali Base, the first training center for the new Iraqi Air Force.

Standing in the shadow of the ancient Ziggurat at Ur, Ali Base trained the very first group of Iraqi Air Force pilots on U.S. C-130s for roughly a year, before the program was transferred to Baghdad.

“This area is known as the birthplace of civilization,” Kilb said. “And now it’s also the birthplace of the Iraqi air force.”

The U.S. Air Force has steadily decreased the number of airmen at Ali Base, but its responsibilities of law enforcement, patrolling and the checking and escorting of local and foreign national labor and explosive ordnance removal remain.

As such, the Air Force’s standard four-month tour of duty has been extended to six months for airmen performing security duties.

“Basically, we drive around the base and make sure nobody’s doing anything crazy,” said Senior Airman Brian Kasper, 20, of Tignall, Ga.

On a recent patrol, the officers made checks of ammunition storage facilities and other sensitive sites before setting up a speed radar check on a busy base road.

“We’re not the bad guys, we’re just out doing our job,” Kasper said.

While it’s not unusual for airmen to endure some ribbing from their counterparts in the Army, who serve yearlong tours of duty, Kilb said he reminds his airmen that they have a lot to feel proud about in supporting the coalition’s overall mission in Iraq.

Kilb said that no matter what their role was — whether providing security on a convoy or helping to operate the 407th’s Muscle Beach gym — the duties were equally important to the overall effort.

“There is no difference between what our people are doing today and the stuff they read about in World War II, Vietnam or the Korean War,” Kilb said. “This is the one they’re in. … This is their time and they need to be proud of it.”

It’s a message that some airmen have taken to heart.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that we’re playing a major role in the mission,” said radar air traffic controller Andrena Guerra, 25, of Columbia, S.C. The ebullient airmen said that this is her first deployment to Iraq, and that it had made a big impression on her. “You realize the things you took for granted back home, like those 30-minute showers.”

By the same token, Guerra said life is much more comfortable at Ali Base than she expected.

The Air Force living area of Ali Base is nicknamed “Bedrock” and, as one astonished Army visitor once said — “it’s so clean you could eat off the rocks.”

While airmen live in tents — not trailer units like their Army counterparts — they do have one of the most well-appointed morale and welfare complexes in Iraq. In addition to the standard Internet and computer game terminals, it sports numerous homey-looking couches and reading chairs, as well as pool tables, felt-lined card tables, two mini movie theaters, a coffee shop, a real library — not just a collection of dog-eared paperbacks — and a very popular Italian restaurant.

“It’s the hottest reservation in Iraq,” Kilb said of Ciano’s — the Italian-owned concession. “Just try getting a table for four on a Friday night.”

Personnel Services Delivery System Initiative Begins

San Antonio, TX. - The Air Force Contact Center’s Web-based services and contact center officially began taking calls after a ceremony at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

The center is part of a new initiative called Personnel Services Delivery Transformation, or PSD, which uses technology to place the capability for conducting routine personnel transactions into the hands of Airmen via Web-based services and contact centers.

“PSD is the road from good personnel service delivery to great personnel service delivery,” said Roger M. Blanchard, assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. “The call center is here to execute that vision. We are on the cutting edge of delivering services to the Air Force community. That’s the road we are on today.”

The center’s opening is just the beginning of many changes Airmen will see in the way they handle tasks concerning their careers -- tasks they normally had to visit their military personnel flight, or MPF, to complete.

The idea behind this transformation is to provide a convenient and secure way from any telephone or Internet-ready computer, allowing Airmen to avoid waiting in lines, save time and fit their personnel business into their own schedule.

The goal is to move 85 percent of MPF actions online. Once the transformation begins, however, it doesn’t mean Airmen still can’t get personal customer service.

“This is a centralized effort and centralization is the beauty of this. We are relieving the pressure from those in the field,” said Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, AFPC commander. “We are simplifying the process. Now Airmen can make a 90-second transaction at their convenience, instead of what normally might have taken a couple of hours by going to the MPF.”

Several processes like retraining and retirements, currently worked through base-level military personnel flights, will be self-initiated via the Web, and centrally managed and processed at the center.

The transformation is a four-phase program that will continue through 2011. The first phase begins with transferring active-duty personnel actions and will then be further broken up into seven segments called spirals.

Airmen will be able to access the Web-based services through the virtual MPF.
Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.

Navy Promotion Alert

FY07 Reserve Rear Admiral Line Selections
RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 0812059-UUUU-RUCRNAV.
ZNR UUUUU
R 222059Z MAR 06
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 029/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAR//
SUBJ/FY07 RESERVE REAR ADMIRAL LINE SELECTIONS//
RMKS/1. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS APPROVED
THE REPORTS OF THE SELECTION BOARDS WHICH RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING
OFFICERS IN THE LINE ON THE RESERVE LIST FOR PROMOTION TO THE
PERMANENT GRADE OF REAR ADMIRAL. SELECTEES ARE LISTED WITH
DESIGNATOR AND PRESENT DUTY.
2. FROCKING TO REAR ADMIRAL IS NOT AUTHORIZED EXCEPT ON AN
INDIVIDUAL BASIS BY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
-----UNRESTRICTED LINE-----
BAYLESS, JON W. JR. 1315 DEPUTY COMMANDER, NAVY
REGION MIDWEST
GREAT LAKES, IL
MASSO, EDWARD 1115 DEPUTY COMMANDER, NAVAL
SURFACE FORCE, U.S. PACIFIC
FLEET
SAN DIEGO, CA
PAYNE, WILLIAM H. 1135 DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PLANS AND
POLICY, J5B, U.S. CENTRAL
COMMAND
MACDILL AFB, FL
-----SPECIAL DUTY OFFICER (INTELLIGENCE)-----
GILBRIDE, ANN D. 1635 DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NAVAL
INTELLIGENCE FOR RESERVE
AFFAIRS, N2R, OPNAV
WASHINGTON, DC
3. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY THE HONORABLE DONALD C. WINTER, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.//

Navy Career News

RAAUZYUW RUENAAA6702 0941426-UUUU--RUCRNAV.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWMCF3548 0941423
R 041426Z APR 06 PSN 980652K30
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
ZEN/ALNAV @ AL ALNAV(UC)
INFO ZEN/CNO CNO
BT
UNCLAS
SUBJ: 2005 ADM VERN CLARK AND GEN JAMES L. JONES SAFETY AWARDS
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
UNCLAS
ALNAV 031/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAR//
SUBJ/2005 ADM VERN CLARK AND GEN JAMES L. JONES SAFETY AWARDS//
RMKS/1. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2005
ADMIRAL VERN CLARK AND GENERAL JAMES L. JONES SAFETY AWARDS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING WINNERS:
A. ADMIRAL VERN CLARK SAFETY AWARD



PAGE 02 RUENAAA6702 UNCLAS
(1) INDIVIDUAL: LIEUTENANT ALLEN J. RAMOS, USNR, USS KITTY
HAWK
(2) UNIT: AIRCRAFT INTERMEDIATE MAINTENANCE DETACHMENT
(AIMD), NORTH ISLAND, CA
B. GENERAL JAMES L. JONES SAFETY AWARD:
(1) INDIVIDUAL: STAFF SERGEANT KRISTINA D. WILBUR, USMC,
7TH COMMUNICATION BATTALION, III MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
(2) UNIT: MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE (MCLB), BARSTOW, CA
2. THESE ANNUAL AWARDS, ADMINISTERED BY THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE
UNITED STATES, ARE INTENDED TO STIMULATE SAFETY THROUGH IDEAS AND
PROGRAMS THAT WILL REDUCE AVOIDABLE INJURIES AND FATALITIES BY
PROVIDING SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO INDIVIDUALS, UNITS, OR ORGANIZATIONS
WHO BEST EXEMPLIFY AND ADVANCE A CULTURE OF SAFETY. THE WINNERS WERE
CHOSEN FROM AMONG HIGHLY COMPETITIVE NOMINEES WHO EXHIBITED
EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SAFETY BOTH ON AND OFF DUTY. I
COMMEND THE WINNERS FOR THEIR EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
EXCELLENCE.
3. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY THE HONORABLE DONALD C. WINTER, SECRETARY
OF THE NAVY//
BT
#6702

Blanks Brothers Preach Fitness

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Navy Master Chief Charles Blanks has extra incentive to stay fit: He doesn’t want to be known as Billy’s “big” brother.

“He walks the walk and inspires me to do the same,” Charles said of his brother.

Command master chief for Commander, Task Force 72 at Naval Air Facility Misawa, Charles also is little brother to Billy Blanks, creator of Tae-Bo, a combination of boxing, calisthenics and cardiovascular exercise.

Billy trains Hollywood stars and professional athletes, has appeared in 18 movies and has sold gobs of workout videos since opening his first studio more than 20 years ago. But to Charles, he’s foremost his big brother.

“I know he’s the big guy in the sky but when I go to talk to him … we want to laugh and joke and do video games because I know he’s more relaxed when he’s around his family,” Charles said.

Billy’s 50; Charles, 48. After five months apart — that’s how long Charles has been at Misawa — they were back at it Tuesday, ribbing each other, about bicep size (Charles is U.S. Armed Forces weight-lifting champion two years running) and comedic ability.

Billy is bringing his Tae-Bo routine to five bases in mainland Japan this week as part of a tour sponsored by Armed Forces Entertainment, Navy Headquarters and other agencies.

His daily schedule starts with crack-of-dawn workouts with the troops. Charles joined one session Tuesday but admits he can’t do Tae-Bo like Billy, saying, “I don’t have the flex that he’s got.”

The brothers, two of 15 siblings, grew up in Erie, Pa. Billy said his brothers were better high-school athletes, excelling in football and basketball. Charles, one of the city’s top running backs, landed an Ohio University football Scholarship but said he left to join the Navy because “I wasn’t doing well in school.”

He didn’t tell his mother until he came home on leave after boot camp.

“She thought I was going into the Vietnam War,” he said, and didn’t talk to him for a month.

As Charles climbed the Navy ranks, Billy made a name for himself in the fitness world.

Hampered by dyslexia, he was shy and uncoordinated, not a star athlete like his siblings. When a neighborhood youth center opened, Billy signed up for a karate class at age 12.

“I saw Bruce Lee on television,” he said. “I wanted to do the ‘Green Hornet.’ The discipline and focus that Bruce Lee has with his body, I was intrigued by that.”

His karate instructor bet him $5 he wouldn’t stick with it. He has “to this day … I’m a seventh-degree black belt in tae kwon do.”

The brothers have made a career out of motivating others.

Charles spent 10 of his 27 years in the Navy as a command physical fitness coordinator. He listens to what his brother says about fitness; “some of the stuff, I steal,” he jokes. He also routinely asks Billy to sign Tae-Bo workout videos for his sailors to encourage them to stay fit.

Billy said the military inspires him. Of Charles, he said, “Your mind and will — that’s what he talks about when he talks to his troops. To get in shape, you have to have a strong mind and will.”

Finding Reasons to Stay in Iraq

BAGHDAD — Iraq is hot most of the year, and dirty, dusty and dangerous most of the time. The usual comforts and pastimes — family, friends, “The Sopranos,” sports and beer — are elsewhere. So, most troops view their deployments as a duty, not a choice.

But for some soldiers and civilians, the secret is that Iraq is also, paradoxically, a respite.

All the dulling routines required in daily life — making dinner, doing laundry, paying bills, rearing children — are suspended. Life is stripped down to your job, your colleagues and seafood night at the dining facility.

One spring day, after a rain that left Camp Victory with standing pools of dirty water, a young captain carefully made her way over wooden planks to a fetid Porta-John. This sort of thing must get tiresome, someone remarked.

“Not really,” she said. “I’m going through a messy divorce at home. This is better, much better.”

And there are some who choose to stay not just one year, but two or even three. Some do it for the thrill, and the money. Some, to avoid what waits at home, and the money. And then there’s the money.

A contractor’s life
Scott Bowans’ whole universe is a dusty little corner of Camp Victory, down the road from the laundry and across the parking lot from the smaller chow hall. There, in Building 39, as KBR billeting supervisor, he assigns tents and trailers to the thousands of troops and civilians.

Bowans has been there for more than two years. He works from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or later, seven days a week. The 46-year-old Texan couldn’t be happier.

“This is my world right here,” he said. “I got it made.”

“I’ve gotten to do things I never would have done in the States. I’ve gotten to meet people I never would have met had I stayed in the States, and I’ve been to places I never would have been to had I stayed in the States.”

While working, Bowans has left Victory only once — to the International Zone.

“A five-minute helo ride,” he said, “which is probably the coolest thing I’ve done here.”

But during his paid leaves — 10 days, three times a year — he and his wife get around. In the past two years they’ve vacationed in Italy, Germany, the Philippines and Thailand.

Bowans and his wife both work for KBR. Having her with him — actually she got her job first — has made staying in Iraq easier.

The Bowanses had been living near Houston. She was the general manager of a Marriott hotel and he sold fine wine and champagne.

“I hated my job,” Bowans said. “She wasn’t too fond of hers, either.”

Now they’re more content, and solvent. Both pull down a six-figure salary they’re saving to build a house.

“I could be the guy working out on the generators in the 130-degree heat,” he said. “I got the best gig going.”

For the money
Michael Tuazon left his home in the Philippines two years ago to work in Iraq and save money to build a house. And for the past two years, he has hated almost every day. Still, Tuazon has signed up for another year.

Until March, he worked for Prime Projects International, a subcontractor that provides thousands of workers from impoverished countries like the Philippines and Sri Lanka to staff mess halls, clean bathrooms and do other manual labor.

Tuazon, 30, said he was told he’d be earning $2,800 a month. His pay turned out to be $600 a month.

“What are we going to do here? Just work, work, work,” he said. “We don’t know what will happen next.”

Unlike soldiers who live in tents with four or five others or two-man trailers, workers like Tuazon share trailers with 11 others.

“We’re like sardines, you know?” he said.

Tuazon misses everything about his home, he said: the weather, his family, his girlfriend. Despite his professed misery, when Tuazon’s contract ended in March, he signed up for another year with another company, AMECO, which he said was to pay him $1,800 a month as a mechanic.

Soldiers that stay
Staff Sgt. Charles Thomas, an Ohio National Guardsman, spent a year living dangerously in Iraq doing engineering work with the 3rd Infantry Division. He brought his camera everywhere he went.

He has photographs he loves: “These are all my boys,” he says of one photo of his unit. “They all made it back with 10 fingers and 10 toes. I did my job.”

And he has photographs you don’t want to see: an Iraqi, still at the wheel of his car, though dead from a terrible gunshot wound to the head. Thomas experienced things that both delighted and disgusted him, and the excitement, he said, was “addictive.”

When it came time for him to resume his life in Ohio as a grocery store warehouseman, married man, father and grandfather of three, he found himself instead signing up to stay another year.

There was a tax-free cash bonus he might or might not get. Even if he didn’t get it, staying was “financially beneficial.”

His own unit, the 16th Engineer Brigade, that he’d been with for 20 years, was starting its own Iraq deployment. And finally, his new job would keep him relatively safe and usually within the confines of Camp Victory.

Now a couple of months into his second year, Thomas isn’t sure he’d made the right decision.

“Some aspects of it — it’s exhilarating and rewarding,” Thomas said. “It’s the camaraderie of being in the military. It’s hard to describe that feeling.”

But Thomas, 49, sometimes worries that the extra year might be pushing his luck.

“I lay in my bed every night, hoping and praying a mortar doesn’t land on my trailer.”