By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
March 8, 2007 – One of the Defense Department's top officials said today he is not surprised that servicemembers get different disability ratings from each of the services, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration. They are three different systems governed by their own sets of laws and rate disabilities using scales unique to each department, said Dr. David S. C. Chu, the defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness.
Each system has "fundamentally different approaches to the basis on which you should rate the individual. It is, therefore, not surprising that they reach different answers," Chu said.
"From the individual's perspective, this is surely complex ... and frustrating in its character," he said.
Appearing before the House Armed Services Committee today, Chu expressed confidence that, with legislative support, the system could be fixed.
DoD currently is revising its disability evaluation system. Each service manages its own evaluation process within the framework of the DoD system.
The Assistant Defense Secretary for health affairs, Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., said servicemembers deserve fair, consistent and timely determinations.
"Complex procedures should be streamlined or removed. The system must not be adversarial, and people should not have to go through a maze or prove themselves to get the benefits they deserve," Winkenwerder said.
He said now is the time to question the system and make changes needed for servicemembers and their families.
"It's turning back to the bureaucracy and saying, 'Why can't we do it this way,'" Winkenwerder said. "If it's not meeting the needs of the customer, it's not getting the job done".
The Army's top officer said that now is the time for a "top-down" overhaul.
"There is an opportunity here that I hope we take. That is to fix things comprehensively," Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker said.
"This isn't about painting things and dealing with mildew and fixing some administrative processes," he said.
About 900 active-duty soldiers are in medical holding units around the Army, said Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley. About 3,200 reserve-component soldiers are in a holdover status, including about 1,800 who have returned home and use local hospital systems to complete their care.
In fiscal 2006, service eligibility board caseloads were 13,162 for the Army, 5,684 for the navy services, and 4,139 for the Air Force. In 2001, the numbers were: 7,218 for the Army, 4,999 for the naval services and 2,816 in the Air Force.
Police and military personnel who have authored books along with criminal justice online leadership sponsored this article.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
China Not Strategic Adversary of U.S., Gates Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 8, 2007 – China is not a strategic adversary of the United States, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a news roundtable yesterday. "I do not see China at this point as a strategic adversary of the United States," Gates said. "It's a partner in some respects. It's a competitor in other respects. And so we are simply watching to see what they're doing."
Chinese government officials announced last week that the Chinese military budget would increase 17 percent. This would be the 19th year of double-digit growth in defense spending, DoD officials said. China will budget roughly $45 billion for defense.
However, the real size of the Chinese budget could be twice as much, a defense official said today on background. The nature of the regime is such that defense spending could be hidden, and this lack of transparency is a hindrance to better Sino-American relations, the official said.
"I think that greater transparency would help from the standpoint of the Chinese in terms of both what they're doing and what their strategies are, their intent in modernizing their forces. A greater openness about the purposes (would help)," Gates said during the roundtable. "My guess is that what they've announced does not represent their entire military budget. ... I think one of the most significant things they could do to provide reassurance to people is greater openness or transparency about what they're doing."
The increase alone doesn't worry Gates, as the money will buy more capability, but does not reveal the country's intentions. China is building its capabilities and, over the past 20 years, has moved forward on modernizing and streamlining the Peoples' Liberation Army and its rocket forces. The country also recently conducted a successful anti-satellite missile test.
In addition, the Chinese have invested in more and quieter submarines, state-of-the-art fighter/bombers and better communications and computer equipment for command and control purposes, DoD officials said.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace agreed that the Chinese have built capabilities, but tried to provide context on whether China is a threat to the United States. "A threat has two fundamental parts to it: One is capacity, and two is intent," Pace said. "When you see the global capacity growing in any area, we need to make sure that the United States military's capable of handling any threat that might develop, without regard to current intent.
"This is why in the budget, ... there's not only the money for continuing the global war on terror, but also ensuring that we have the Air Force we need, the Navy we need and all the things that we need for conventional battle, so that our potential adversaries don't miscalculate our capacities," he added.
Pace said the United States doesn't develop capacities aimed at any one country.
"We look at the types of capacities that are coming on line, regardless of country," the general said. "We assure ourselves that we can deal with that capacity and that we have overmatching capacity for that. And where we don't, ... we ask in the budget for the funding to be able to address that gap."
Pace said in Indonesia in February that it was important to keep engaging China.
"Trade between the United States and China has grown exponentially in the last several years; that is good," he said during a news conference in Jakarta on Feb. 13. "I think the more nations trade with each other and become dependent on each other, the less likely they are going to find their way into some kind of a conflict."
Police and military personnel who have authored books along with criminal justice online leadership sponsored this article.
American Forces Press Service
March 8, 2007 – China is not a strategic adversary of the United States, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a news roundtable yesterday. "I do not see China at this point as a strategic adversary of the United States," Gates said. "It's a partner in some respects. It's a competitor in other respects. And so we are simply watching to see what they're doing."
Chinese government officials announced last week that the Chinese military budget would increase 17 percent. This would be the 19th year of double-digit growth in defense spending, DoD officials said. China will budget roughly $45 billion for defense.
However, the real size of the Chinese budget could be twice as much, a defense official said today on background. The nature of the regime is such that defense spending could be hidden, and this lack of transparency is a hindrance to better Sino-American relations, the official said.
"I think that greater transparency would help from the standpoint of the Chinese in terms of both what they're doing and what their strategies are, their intent in modernizing their forces. A greater openness about the purposes (would help)," Gates said during the roundtable. "My guess is that what they've announced does not represent their entire military budget. ... I think one of the most significant things they could do to provide reassurance to people is greater openness or transparency about what they're doing."
The increase alone doesn't worry Gates, as the money will buy more capability, but does not reveal the country's intentions. China is building its capabilities and, over the past 20 years, has moved forward on modernizing and streamlining the Peoples' Liberation Army and its rocket forces. The country also recently conducted a successful anti-satellite missile test.
In addition, the Chinese have invested in more and quieter submarines, state-of-the-art fighter/bombers and better communications and computer equipment for command and control purposes, DoD officials said.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace agreed that the Chinese have built capabilities, but tried to provide context on whether China is a threat to the United States. "A threat has two fundamental parts to it: One is capacity, and two is intent," Pace said. "When you see the global capacity growing in any area, we need to make sure that the United States military's capable of handling any threat that might develop, without regard to current intent.
"This is why in the budget, ... there's not only the money for continuing the global war on terror, but also ensuring that we have the Air Force we need, the Navy we need and all the things that we need for conventional battle, so that our potential adversaries don't miscalculate our capacities," he added.
Pace said the United States doesn't develop capacities aimed at any one country.
"We look at the types of capacities that are coming on line, regardless of country," the general said. "We assure ourselves that we can deal with that capacity and that we have overmatching capacity for that. And where we don't, ... we ask in the budget for the funding to be able to address that gap."
Pace said in Indonesia in February that it was important to keep engaging China.
"Trade between the United States and China has grown exponentially in the last several years; that is good," he said during a news conference in Jakarta on Feb. 13. "I think the more nations trade with each other and become dependent on each other, the less likely they are going to find their way into some kind of a conflict."
Police and military personnel who have authored books along with criminal justice online leadership sponsored this article.
Top Commander in Korea Wants to End One-Year Tours
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
March 7, 2007 – The top U.S. commander in Korea today said he wants to end one-year tours there and replace them with standard three-year tours, enabling more family members to move to the region. U.S. and Republic of Korea forces have reached a transformation and re-stationing agreement that will move troops away from the northern, more hostile combat zones to two safer "hubs" south of Seoul, Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. Forces Korea told members of the House Armed Services Committee.
"It's time to end our one-year, war-zone rotational tours, which needlessly add to our high worldwide operational tempo, while handicapping our engagement opportunities with our longtime Korean ally," Bell said. "I'm advocating three-year, normal family-accompanied tours for our small force in Korea. It is absolutely the right thing to do."
Under the plan, the combined forces will transition command and control of the Korean military to Korean leaders by 2012, Bell said. The Republic of Korea has agreed to fund most of the costs associated with moving the troops, and the move will allow U.S. officials to focus on improving living and working conditions there, Bell said.
Bell said that only two percent, or 30,000, of active-duty servicemembers are stationed in Korea. More than 60 percent are married, he said.
Currently about 5,000 family members are stationed in Korea. Only about 3,000 are authorized, Bell said. Family members are sometimes allowed to move there at their own expense and can use military facilities on a space-available basis.
The change will allow a cultural exchange between the families of the two countries, Bell said. He added that he'd like to see Korea become an assignment "where families engage culturally and in partnership. On the weekends they get to know each other and make life-long friends."
"The ability to build the alliance one family at a time is all lost because my servicemembers are sitting in the barracks lonely because they are missing their family," he said.
While he remains cautious of North Korea's long-term military objectives, Bell said that there is less of a threat now, and the Republic of Korea army is a capable, competent force.
"The Republic of Korea military is extremely competent. They are a modern nation with a modern military, modern battle-command capabilities and very good equipment," Bell said.
"Our air and naval forces, in conjunction with the Republic of Korea army are much more than a match for the North Korean army," Bell said.
The transformation will result in a new independent and supporting U.S. joint command. The U.S. will maintain clear command over all American forces, Bell said.
After commanding troops there for the past year, Bell gave high praise for the relationship between U.S. and Korean forces.
"The Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance is enduring and continues to function as a pillar of national security and regional security in that area of the world," he said.
Police and military personnel who have authored books along with criminal justice online leadership sponsored this article.
American Forces Press Service
March 7, 2007 – The top U.S. commander in Korea today said he wants to end one-year tours there and replace them with standard three-year tours, enabling more family members to move to the region. U.S. and Republic of Korea forces have reached a transformation and re-stationing agreement that will move troops away from the northern, more hostile combat zones to two safer "hubs" south of Seoul, Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. Forces Korea told members of the House Armed Services Committee.
"It's time to end our one-year, war-zone rotational tours, which needlessly add to our high worldwide operational tempo, while handicapping our engagement opportunities with our longtime Korean ally," Bell said. "I'm advocating three-year, normal family-accompanied tours for our small force in Korea. It is absolutely the right thing to do."
Under the plan, the combined forces will transition command and control of the Korean military to Korean leaders by 2012, Bell said. The Republic of Korea has agreed to fund most of the costs associated with moving the troops, and the move will allow U.S. officials to focus on improving living and working conditions there, Bell said.
Bell said that only two percent, or 30,000, of active-duty servicemembers are stationed in Korea. More than 60 percent are married, he said.
Currently about 5,000 family members are stationed in Korea. Only about 3,000 are authorized, Bell said. Family members are sometimes allowed to move there at their own expense and can use military facilities on a space-available basis.
The change will allow a cultural exchange between the families of the two countries, Bell said. He added that he'd like to see Korea become an assignment "where families engage culturally and in partnership. On the weekends they get to know each other and make life-long friends."
"The ability to build the alliance one family at a time is all lost because my servicemembers are sitting in the barracks lonely because they are missing their family," he said.
While he remains cautious of North Korea's long-term military objectives, Bell said that there is less of a threat now, and the Republic of Korea army is a capable, competent force.
"The Republic of Korea military is extremely competent. They are a modern nation with a modern military, modern battle-command capabilities and very good equipment," Bell said.
"Our air and naval forces, in conjunction with the Republic of Korea army are much more than a match for the North Korean army," Bell said.
The transformation will result in a new independent and supporting U.S. joint command. The U.S. will maintain clear command over all American forces, Bell said.
After commanding troops there for the past year, Bell gave high praise for the relationship between U.S. and Korean forces.
"The Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance is enduring and continues to function as a pillar of national security and regional security in that area of the world," he said.
Police and military personnel who have authored books along with criminal justice online leadership sponsored this article.
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