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.