Friday, May 18, 2007

Joint Service Open House Showcases Military Technology, Talent

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – The best that the
military has to offer -- from the latest aircraft, weaponry and other equipment to the men and women in uniform who operate them -- was on full display here today as the annual Joint Service Open House kicked off. The three-day event opened today with the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard showcasing their capabilities through aerial demonstrations and static displays that dotted the tarmac.

Today's attendees were all servicemembers, their families and other Defense Department security badge holders, but the event will be open to the general public through the weekend. It wraps up May 20.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert Smolen, commander of Air Force District Washington, urged those at today's opening ceremony to take advantage of the opportunity to see "some of the hardware you hear about but don't always get to see."

Among aircraft systems featured were the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the MV-22 Osprey, the AV-8B Harrier II, F-15C Eagle, F-22 Raptor, F-117 Nighthawk and F/A-18F Hornet. The Air Force Thunderbirds and Army Golden Knights were also slated to wow the crowd with their capabilities.

As the crowd set up lawn chairs to watch the aircraft scream overhead, others climbed aboard other aircraft and vehicles on the ground swarmed around static displays featuring equipment ranging from air defense systems to small-arms displays.

"You will see a lot of flying and a lot of hardware," Smolen said during the ceremony. "But an important part of what you will see today are the people beside the hardware."

Smolen called these soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen "the real jewels of our empire" who play important roles in the nation's defense. "It is very much a joint effort," he said. "Nothing we do worldwide can we do alone."

He praised these servicemembers who stand ready around the clock to defend the United States and its interests around the world, and encouraged those at the open house to thank them personally. "Take time to shake their hand," he said.

Troops manning the displays called the open house a great opportunity to teach people about what they do.

Army Sgt. Robert Clark, an artilleryman from Fort Hood, Texas, said he was pleasantly surprised by the interest his Multiple Launch Rocket System generated at the show.

"People always see it on TV or in video games, but it really excites them when they get to see it in person, touch it, climb inside and put the helmet on," he said. "It helps give them a better feel for what we do, what we work with."

Marine Staff Sgt. Kalvin Smith from Quantico got the same reaction as visitors stopped by his small-arms display. "This is really a big thing for kids," he said. "It lets them see what we do and the kind of equipment we have. They love it."

"It's a chance for us to show off what we do," agreed Army Sgt. Leandre Wilson, who was running an exhibit showing some of the robots used for explosive ordnance disposal. "People have a lot of interest."

Plus, added
Air Force Capt. William Cooper, meeting troops in person gives the American public better insight into how hard-working and dedicated they are.

"It gives them a chance to see the positive side of the military, something a lot of them just don't get from the media," said Cooper, a chaplain with the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Some at today's event called it a walk down memory lane. Retired Air Force Col. James Warner said he was excited about seeing the B-17 Flying Fortress, an aircraft he flew during World War II, as well as the state-of-the-art F-22A, the Air Force's new, fifth-generation fighter.

As he walked through the displays, Marine Lance Cpl. Corwin Sample couldn't help but think back to the impression the Andrews air show made on him during his boyhood days. Sample, who is assigned to the 4th Supply Battalion at Washington's Anacostia Naval Station, grew up right down the road from the base.

"I remember sitting in the F-16s and watching the pilots and thinking that I wanted to be just like them when I grew up," he said. "Now here I am, back again. It brings back a lot of memories."

Air Force Capt. Scott Kramer, assigned to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va., and his wife, Chris, both remember local air shows as highlights while they were growing up.

Today, the Kramers crammed against a makeshift fence line along the tarmac so their two children could get as close as possible to aircraft flying overhead. Three-year-old Thomas sat in a stroller wearing his own tiny Air Force flight suit and cheering as the planes flew by.

"You could say we're carrying on our childhood traditions," Kramer said. "We're creating memories like the ones we have."

As she toted her two daughters around a hangar looking at displays, Contessa Rey hoped they'd take home memories and a better understanding of the work their father, Air Force Staff. Sgt. Ronaldo Rey, does every day. Four-year-old Angel had been so excited about coming that she woke up at 4 a.m., ready to go, her mother explained.

"This is a really big deal for them, and a family day for us," she said.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gervaise Williams, assigned to Naval Criminal Investigation Service, brought his three sons to the show so they could climb aboard the aircraft, touch the equipment and even meet the aircrews. "This is great because it gives our families and the general public an appreciation for what we do and how we do it," he said.

Staff Sgt. David Butcher, who was manning a booth commemorating the Air Force's 60th anniversary, said he planned to return to the open house tomorrow with his 4-year-old son. "I'm in the Air Force, so I want him to see the planes and jets and get a chance to climb around things," he said.

Air Force Senior Airman Kandice Salinas made the open house a family event. As she pushed 1-year-old Lilliana around in a stroller, Salinas accompanied her father, brother and grandfather around the exhibits. Among the displays that lingered over was the fully restored Vietnam-era Jeep that her grandfather, former Army Pfc. Frank Snell, had brought to the open house.

Salinas said he welcomed the chance to help educate visitors to the open house. "The military isn't all about guns and war," she said. "There's a lot of history that we're all a part of."

Today's events included a ceremony unveiling new postage stamps commemorating Air Force One and Marine One. The stamps, valued at $4.60 and $16.25, respectively, will go on sale June 13.

Another ceremony marked the contributions of Barnes and Noble in donating $3.4 million in books, toys and games to home-front nonprofit groups and military support organizations around the world. The initiative is part of the Defense Department's America Supports You program that showcases ways American individuals, churches, schools, companies and other groups are showing support for the troops.

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Resources, Not Content, Drive Web-Use Decisions

By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – A directive blocking access to 13 popular Web sites from the Defense Department network was designed to guarantee bandwidth availability for mission-critical functions, a defense official said yesterday. Operational security concerns "played absolutely no part in the decision" by U.S. Strategic Command to limit access to several recreational sites, including
MySpace and YouTube, Navy Rear Adm. Elizabeth Hight, vice director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, told "bloggers" and online journalists.

STRATCOM does not conduct user monitoring, she said, because "we are protectors and defenders and operators of the network, and we do not get into the content of the information flowing over the network."

Rather, what drove the decision to restrict access to certain sites was a desire to be proactive in mitigating the problem of new
technology's ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, Hight said. She pointed to streaming video as a particular drain on bandwidth resources.

Blocked sites include: YouTube; 1.fm; Pandora;
MySpace; PhotoBucket; Live365; hi5; Metacafe; MTV; ifilm.com; Blackplanet; stupidvideos; and filecabi.

Hight said officials looked at the highest-volume Web sites that were using a large amount of bandwidth in deciding which sites to block. That process extends the possibility that other sites may be blocked in the future, she said.

Addressing bloggers' concerns that the directive was being used to stifle the open flow of information from deployed troops, Hight pointed out that restrictions on certain Web sites have been in place in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in Southwest Asia for more than two years -- four years in some cases -- because of tangible limitations to the
technology infrastructure.

Using Iraq as an example, she explained, "anytime that you have a resource in a resource-constrained environment -- in this case high-speed connectivity in an area like the Anbar province that does not have an infrastructure to support that -- you're relying primarily on commercial satellite services. And, those transmission pipes, so to speak, are in fact limited."

Most deployed forces still have the opportunity to access the blocked sites using commercial Internet cafes and providers. Such Internet facilities are common features on
U.S. military installations overseas to provide troops morale, welfare and recreation opportunities.

The tradeoff, Hight said, is a guarantee of official communications availability in support of missions and enhanced security to the overall Defense Department network.

"We are becoming more and more concerned about the potential for network security incidents," she said. "And so if we can find the right balance between bandwidth and security in order to support our ongoing operations while providing alternative sites for recreational use, ... that's precisely what we're trying to do."

If operational requirements demand unfettered Web access, Hight said, waivers can be granted to specific offices. Exceptions have already been made for public affairs and recruiting offices, she said.

But at the same time, Hight noted, her agency is advocating common-sense usage across the military's intranet. "One of the things we're encouraging everyone to do is follow best practices to make sure that we only use the amount of bandwidth absolutely necessary to provide that information necessary for decision makers and others."

Vernon Bettencourt, deputy chief information officer for the
Army, pointed out that Army Knowledge Online, the Army's interactive resource portal for soldiers, features file-sharing capabilities that cut down on the need for sending oversize slide shows across the Internet. That functionality should spread across the military when the portal transitions into Defense Knowledge Online.

The Army site also offers instant messaging, chat rooms, and discussion groups, Bettencourt added, and will soon feature blogging capability.

Hight stressed that these sites are not being blocked to prevent servicemembers from talking about their experiences in war zones. Individual soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are encouraged to share their views from the ground, she said.

"We applaud what they're trying to do relative to getting their view out and letting people understand what they see and what they are doing," she said. "So again, they're not restricted. They simply cannot do it from their desk at work."

(Tim Kilbride is assigned to the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)

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Pace Says 'Surge' Progress Will Be Evident by September

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – By September,
military officials will have a pretty good feel for whether the "military part" of the president's surge strategy is working, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today. Pace spoke to about 1,000 students and alumni at the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Following his address on leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience.

On the surge, Pace explained that four of the five brigades of about 3,000 to 3,500 troops each that the U.S. military is "plussing up" are currently in Iraq. The fifth is in Kuwait and will be in Iraq by the beginning of June.

"From June until September," he said, "we'll have the opportunity to watch the increased U.S. presence on the ground, and the increased Iraqi unit presence on the ground, and the effect that it has on security, primarily in Baghdad."

The increase in troops is only one part of a three-pronged approach to ending the war in Iraq, he noted.

"Increased troop strength in and of itself is not going to be sufficient," he stressed. "You must have an increase in governance and an increase in economics."

Success in the
war on terrorism, Pace said, is not like the success of World War II. The end state will be much more like the current state of a U.S. city, such as Chicago.

"Is there violence here? Yes," he said. "Is there a police force that keeps that violence below a level at which the government can function and the citizenry can go about their daily business? This is what you're looking at with the
war on terror. ...

"You'll never stop all
terrorist acts," he said. The goal is to have "the security is solid enough so that the government can provide leadership and so the business world can provide jobs so people can prosper."

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Chairman Still Motivated, Inspired by Troops

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – What keeps a
military man like Marine Gen. Peter Pace, motivated? For the Vietnam veteran with nearly 40 years service who now serves as the military's highest-ranking officer, the answer to such a question is simple: talking to the troops. "Serving the nation's men and women in uniform is not a burden; it's an honor, and I'm proud to have the opportunity to do it," Pace told about 1,000 students and alumni here today attending the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Following his speech on
leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience. He talked about how he keeps his balance, his mentors, ways the public can support the troops and how he makes himself available to the American people.

Since being commissioned in June 1967 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Pace has served at every level of
military command. In September 2005, he became the first Marine to be appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this position, he serves as the principal military advisor to the president, the defense secretary and the National Security Council.

Asked how he balances the daily pressures of his duties in Washington, Pace said he turns to two pictures under the glass on his desk.

One is of
Marine Lance Cpl. Guido Farinaro, who died in Vietnam in July 1968 while following the orders of 2nd Lt. Peter Pace. The other is Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin, declared missing after an April 9, 2004, convoy attack near Baghdad, who up until last week, was the only unaccounted-for soldier in Iraq. Three other soldiers have been missing since a May 12 ambush.

"I keep my balance by remembering my responsibilities," he said. "We work with some incredible young men and women. If I ever start feeling down for any reason, all I've got to do is get up from behind my desk, walk out into the corridor, stop the first person walking by and just talk to him, and that boosts me incredibly."

Asked who his mentors have been, Pace replied that there have been many, so he would only name a few. The first he chose to mention were the young men like Farinaro who served under him in combat and died.

"It is their sacrifice for this country that has kept me on active duty," he said. "When I question how I serve or whether I should serve, the memory of what I owe them is very strong in what I decide to do next."

Pace said a
Marine captain named Chuck Meadows taught him to make decisions. He also noted that he'd worked for former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis Reimer when Reimer was a two-star general in Korea.

"He invested his
leadership time in helping me understand my potential," Pace said. "Every chance he has had a chance to say something nice about me, to be supportive of me, to point people in my direction, he has done."

Pace said he tries to give back in return the help and guidance he's been given by Meadows, Reimer and others to the young people coming up in the military today.

When a woman asked how people could best support the troops, Pace replied, "You just did."

"Whenever I travel to see the troops," he explained, "they ask, 'Are the American people still with us?' Not, 'What do the people think about the war we're in?' But, 'Do they still value our service as
military men and women?'

"And it's questions like (yours) and other comments of support that I've gotten here so far today, that allows me to tell them, 'Absolutely.'"

There are many ways to show support for the troops, he added. When people thank troops they see at the airports, it resonates. When people send packages, when school children send notes and letters, that word gets out.

For specific ways to show support, he told the audience to go to www.AmericaSupportsYou.com, a Defense Department Web site that lists home-front groups that help support the troops. In Chicago, for example, he said, people can help the Marine Corps
Law Enforcement Foundation, which gives the children of fallen servicemembers scholarships.

"Thank you for asking that question," Pace told the woman. "Retention and recruiting in the armed forces right now is solid, but it is fragile." He said the troops believe in the mission they've got, and "they believe the American people appreciate their service even if they don't agree on the specifics of the conflict."

When one member of the audience asked Pace if he wouldn't be better off back in Washington dealing with the war than here talking with business leaders, the slightly stunned audience broke out in chatter. But the chairman wasn't taken aback.

"I've already learned a couple of things today that, had I not come here, I would not know," he replied.

Prior to giving his speech, he noted that he'd met first with a small group of
military veterans now associated with the school and then with a group of student leaders. In both of those forums, he said, he had question-and-answer periods that helped him better understand some issues.

"Each of us have to divide our time in ways that we feel are beneficial," Pace said. "I need to determine how best to spend my time, to include how much of my time I should make myself available to the citizens of the United States to be able to ask me their questions in forums like this outside of Washington, D.C.

"For me, this is time well spent, because I am learning and I'm also making myself available to the American people, as I believe our senior
leadership should do," he concluded.

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Oversight Council Checks Out Mine-Resistant Vehicles

By Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – Senior
military and civilian leaders from the Joint Requirements Oversight Council got an up-close look at Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle capabilities during a visit here yesterday. The group was led by Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and head of the JROC, and included senior military officers and civilians from the Defense Department and all four services. Other attendees included Navy Adm. Patrick M. Walsh, vice chief of naval operations; Air Force Gen. John D.W. Corley, Air Force vice chief of staff; and Tina W. Jonas, the Defense Department's comptroller.

While at Aberdeen, the group saw a dozen versions of the vehicle from different contractors. The MRAP has a raised, V-shaped underbelly that deflects the force of improvised explosive devices and other blasts from below. It's expected to reduce casualties from mines, improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades.

"MRAP vehicles have saved lives in Iraq and will continue to save lives," said Giambastiani. "It is the best vehicle protection we have to date."

Another attendee said getting the vehicles to troops quickly is a high priority.

"We have an urgent and compelling need for these vehicles," said Delores Etter, assistant secretary of the
Navy for research, development and acquisition. "It is our civic duty and our responsibility to get these vehicles to our deployed servicemembers as soon as we possibly can."

After test-driving the vehicles, the group traveled to a range to watch an explosive test on one of the MRAP vehicles. According to members of the JROC, the visit confirmed the urgent need to get MRAP vehicles to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The MRAP is the JROC's highest priority acquisition program, and it is a notable improvement over the armored vehicles currently in use," Giambastiani said. "The design and armor provides greater protection and increases survivability."

But while the vehicles may increase troop protection, the admiral cautioned they are not an end-all solution.

"No vehicle, whatever its armor, is invulnerable," he added. "It is inevitable that we will lose some of these in the course of combat. We also expect the enemy to make an all-out effort to disable or destroy an MRAP."

However, the testing is a critical part of providing the best possible solution for troops.

"I am so impressed with the hard work and dedication of the testing team here at Aberdeen," said Etter. "They are working seven days a week to put these vehicles through a rigorous cycle of tests so we can better determine which vehicles will be selected for further production."

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Troops Speak Out: Armed Forces Day Really Does Matter

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

May 18, 2007 – Ask someone serving in the
military, and you might be surprised to hear them tell you just how much Armed Forces Day means to them. As the country commemorates its 57th Armed Forces Day tomorrow, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines say they're grateful for a special day set aside to recognize them and their service. It's particularly important, they say, while the country is at war.

After 14 years in the
Army and two deployments to the Middle East, Army Sgt. Robert Clark said he welcomes a day honoring the men and women in uniform.

"For us in the military, it's a big thing," said Clark, a member of the Fort Hood, Texas-based Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21 Field Artillery Regiment. "It's a day set aside for us to be recognized."

"It really does mean something to us," said
Marine Staff Sgt. Kalvin Smith, a communications sergeant for The Basic School at Quantico, Va. "It lets us know that people care about us, and makes us feel really good."

"It keeps our morale up," agreed Marine Cpl. Dan Triemert, crew chief aboard a C-130J Hercules aircraft based at
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. "It reminds you that people care, and helps people realize what we go through out there."

"It lifts you up," said
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Timothy Beidleman, an aviations electronics technical based at Andrews Air Force Base.

Beidleman, a veteran of three deployments, said Armed Forces Day helps servicemembers stand back and remind themselves how important they are to the country.

"It wasn't until I got back home from Iraq that I realized the impact of what I do," he said. "So a day that helps us think about that is important."

Air Force Capt. William Cooper, a chaplain with the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Del., said formally recognizing the men and women does more than "recharge and reinvigorate" the troops. It also gives a chance for their families and the American public to pause and take note of their contributions. "It builds support," he said.

Staff Sgt. David Butcher, an 11-year veteran of the Air Force, said that's especially important when U.S. troops are serving in harm's way. "That's when we need the support of our local community," he said.

"Especially in today's day and age, when we have so many people sacrificing so much, it's a way to recognize the personal aspect to their service and their contributions," agreed
Marine Corps Maj. Garrett Miller, site commander at the Anacostia Naval Annex in Washington.

Miller called Armed Forces Day an opportunity to honor the people giving so much for their country. "We have individuals there who are serving and even dying, and this is some small way to recognize them and give back," he said.

"It's a chance for people to express their appreciation of the military," said Air Force Capt. Scott Kramer, assigned to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va. "It's a good day for people to say, 'Yes, we do support the military - the volunteers who keep this country free.'"

That support matters regardless of what people think about the war politically, said Army staff Sgt. Sean Hackett, an artilleryman from Fort Bliss, Texas. "People can be against the war; that's fine. But they have to recognize our military. We are loyal Americans, and the military is the backbone of freedom.

"Without our
military, our country can't have that freedom," Hackett said.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued a proclamation urging people to take a few minutes this weekend to express appreciation to the military.

"Both at home and abroad, our servicemembers are hard at work, carrying on a proud tradition of service and sacrifice," he said. "They fight without pause and without complaint, and their dedication helps ensure the freedoms we enjoy."

Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to attend the three-day Joint Service Open House that kicked off here today and serves as the military's official
Armed Forces Day observance.

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Care Packages Provide Troops Comfort

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – "Operation Care and Comfort" is on a mission to provide support and comfort to
military units deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other regions of conflict. Since April 2003, the California-based Operation Care and Comfort organization has shipped more than 250,000 pounds of care packages to its more than 60 "adopted" units. More than 100 units are waiting to be adopted.

"Working within our community and through donations received from all over the country, we assemble and ship care packages to our adopted units every month until they return home," Julie DeMaria, the group's co-founder, said. "Our unique program allows caring Americans to donate their time, talent and treasure to honor those serving our country."

While care packages are its main focus, Operation Care and Comfort also works with San Francisco Bay area sports teams to offer "Tickets for the Troops." Through this program, the group distributes donated sporting-event tickets to servicemembers and their families.

Another program, "Adopt a
Military Family" helps military families with specific needs at the holidays. Working through military liaisons, civilian families anonymously adopt military families during the holidays.

"Although the families never meet, I've been told by the civilian families that helping a
military family was one of the best things they could have done at Christmastime," DeMaria said.

Operation Care and Comfort is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families at home and abroad.

DeMaria said membership in America Supports You benefits the organization's efforts.

"It does add credibility, press opportunities and exposure," she said.

She added that her group's affiliation with America Supports You has allowed for other unique opportunities. Operation Care and Comfort was one of about a dozen America Supports You home-front groups invited to the White House to meet with President Bush in February. The president has hosted home-front groups on four different occasions since March 2006. "Meeting the president was an added bonus," DeMaria said.

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Defense Officials to Implement Guard, Reserve Changes

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged his staff to take action on 20 of 23 recommendations made by an independent commission for changes in the reserve components. Gates presented alternatives to the commission's other three recommendations to department leaders.

In a May 10 memorandum released yesterday, Gates tasked Defense Department
leaders to respond within two weeks to his call for action based on his office's assessment and endorsement of the recommendations made in March by the Commission of the National Guard and Reserves.

Four of the recommendations are in line with current policies or practices, so no additional action needs to be taken. Nine of the recommendations can be implemented by making changes within the department. Three require changes in law. Four require coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Gates offered alternatives to three.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas F. Hall called Gates' two-week response requirement "warp speed" for the Pentagon.

"Essentially the department is in agreement with the 23 recommendations," Hall told reporters at the Pentagon.

Key policy changes call for revising how the department determines funding and resourcing for the reserves, including its civil support requirements.

Hall said the department's budgeting and resourcing methods for the reserves are based on decades-old policies.

"We need tanks and things for dual use, but what we really need to look at are ambulances and helicopters and the things to respond to a disaster. And frankly, that's my focus right now," Hall said.

"How do we identify what those civil support requirements are? We've not had a methodical way to take a look at those within our budget," he said.

"I think we need to have an entire new equipping strategy for the Guard and Reserve in light of today," Hall said.

In the memorandum, Gates charges the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the undersecretary of defense for policy, the National Guard Bureau chief, and the commanders of U.S. Northern, Southern and Pacific commands with advocating for reserve-component civil support requirements and required resources. He also calls for a legislative proposal requiring an annual report to Congress outlining civil support requirements and resourcing.

Gates agreed with the commission's recommendation that the National Guard Bureau chief not be made a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hall said that would make the Guard a de facto fifth service and could cause a competition for resources between the Guard and the chiefs of the
Army and Air Force.

"We feel it takes apart, rather than puts together, what we have carefully crafted," Hall said, referring to a National Guard force integrated into its active component.

Instead, the Defense Department's recommendation is that policy changes name the National Guard Bureau chief as an advisor to the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"We feel that's a better way than creating a so-called fifth service," Hall said.

Gates also proposed a legislative change that will not limit the grade of the National Guard Bureau chief, currently a three-star position, opening the position up as a possible four-star billet after review.

Gates disagreed with the commission on making either the U.S. Northern Command's commander or deputy position a mandatory reserve-component officer's billet. Instead, he calls for a policy change to modify officer
military education and assignments that will allow any position in the military to be filled with the best qualified officer, regardless of component. This eventually could include even combatant commands, Hall said.

"I have a vision, and I'll admit it's mine -- and that is one day, when we really get total integration, we will have the joint education, the joint assignments, the joint qualifications for any of our National Guard, reserve or active-duty officers, that they can be fully competitive to be either the combatant commander or the deputy commander," Hall said. "I think that would be the day ... in which we will have achieved what we need in joint education and jointness to make them qualified for that."

In response to the commission's charge that governors have no formal channels for dialogue with the Defense Department regarding use, manning,
training and equipping of their National Guard assets, Gates is directing an executive order that will establish a council of governors that would advise his office and the secretary of homeland security.

On the other hand, he disagreed with the commission's recommendation that governors direct federal troops responding to their states in the event of an emergency.

"The secretary did not agree because this is a matter of governance," Hall said. "It is his belief ... that the commander in chief, the president, should determine who best commands forces in any situation."

Gates called for protocols to be developed that will allow for federal forces to assist state emergency-response personnel, emphasizing a "unity of effort."

All legislative amendments are expected to be included in the department's legislative program for fiscal 2008.

Initially, the commission was to report on the proposed "National Guard Empowerment Act," which aimed to increase the authority of National Guard leaders. Instead, the commission broadened its report -- Strengthening America's Defenses in the New Security Environment -- to include U.S. Northern Command, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense, and state governors.

In March, the commission reported that changes are needed to pull together the nation's security team and break down "institutional stove pipes" between agencies.

Commission chair Arnold L. Punaro said he was pleased with Gates' action on the recommendations.

"The fact that the secretary's review and approval of our recommendations were accomplished so quickly is a clear reflection of the secretary's decisive leadership and support for the needed reforms," Punaro said.

The commission's final report addressing changes to improve how the National Guard and reserve components are organized, trained, equipped, compensated and supported to best meet U.S. national security objectives will be delivered to Congress and the secretary in January.

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Bush, Blair Call U.S.-U.K. Relationship Key to World Peace

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair praised each other's courage and stressed the continuing importance of the U.S.-British partnership at the White House today in what may be their last joint news conference. Blair will step down June 27 after more than 10 years on the job.

"I believe that the relationship between the United States of America and Britain is a relationship that is in the interests of our two countries and in the interests of the peace and stability of the wider world," Blair said. "Sometimes it's a controversial relationship, at least over in my country. But I've never doubted its importance. I've never doubted that it's based on principle, on shared values, and on a shared purpose, which is to make our world a better, more free, more just place in which people of all nations and all faiths can live."

Bush echoed Blair's sentiment later in the news conference.

"I'm here to make it clear to the people of our respective countries that this relationship is one that is vital to accomplish big objectives," the president said. "It has been vital in the past; it has ... enabled the free world to do hard things. And it's a relationship that I believe is necessary to do the hard things in the 21st century."

Bush called Blair "courageous" for his stand against terrorism and support of the United States in the fight against extreme fundamentalism around the world.

Bush noted that before the news conference, the two leaders conducted a videoconference with British and American
leaders in Iraq.

"I remind our people that the best decisions are made when you listen to the commanders, and our commanders have got good, specific advice as to how to achieve our objectives, which I believe we'll achieve -- objectives that I know are necessary for ... peace in the Middle East, peace in the United States and (in) the United Kingdom," Bush said.

The two leaders also discussed progress in the NATO mission in Afghanistan. "We strongly support our NATO mission in Afghanistan," Bush said, and he noted that NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will visit Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, this weekend.

Actions in Sudan's Darfur region, defense cooperation, global warming and the need to be involved in searching for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis were other topics Bush and Blair discussed today.

Blair thanked Bush for his strong leadership. "You've been unyielding, unflinching and determined in the fight that we face together," the prime minister said.

Opinion polls in the United Kingdom show that many in the country disagree with Blair's stance on Iraq. But British forces have been key allies since the run-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. More than 7,000 British troops serve in Iraq, mostly as part of Multinational Division Southeast.

Blair said he has never doubted his decision to stand with the United States in the aftermath of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"I'm proud of the relationship between our two countries," he said. "And I think that sometimes in politics there are all sorts of issues where you've got to negotiate and compromise. But when it comes to the fundamental questions that affect our security and the future of the world, you should do what is right. I have tried to do that, and I believe that is what (President Bush) has done as well."

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Group Shows Gratitude with 'Patriotic Drive'

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – As Memorial Day nears, so does the start of Operation Gratitude's fourth "Patriotic Drive" to send care packages to troops serving overseas. The California-based troop support group has been collecting and sorting items for the drive since March, Carolyn Blashek, the group's founder said.

Volunteers will begin assembling the packages during the Memorial Day weekend and continue to do so for three additional weekends, concluding the project on June 30 and July 1.

"We want to continue our mission to lift morale, put smiles on servicemembers' faces and provide the American people an avenue to express their appreciation and respect to the men and women who defend our freedom," Blashek said. "The Patriotic Drive, which runs from ...
Military Appreciation Month through our nation's Independence Day is the perfect time for us to do this."

The group has shipped more than 210,000 packages since its founding about four years ago. Blashek said she expects the group will send another 50,000-60,000 packages during this drive.

"We will be sending our quarter-millionth care package on June 16," she said. "The contents of that package are a surprise and will be revealed ... on that day."

In addition, each package sent as part of this year's Patriotic Drive will contain a special item, which will be revealed on the first packing day, Blashek said.

The packages always contain letters to the troops as well as food, personal and comfort items. Blashek said Operation Gratitude is accepting donations of items from its "wish list," which can be viewed on its Web site, and will continue to do so through June 15.

"We welcome all items on our wish list and especially would like DVDs, CDs, Beanie Babies, 'Bandana Cool-ties' or mini fans, small packages of beef jerky, and personal letters of appreciation," she said.

Operation Gratitude is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families.

In addition to gearing up for the Patriotic Drive, Operation Gratitude will hold its "Benefit for Our Bravest" fund raiser May 19, which is also Armed Forces Day, Blashek said. The street festival will take place in Sherman Oaks, Calif. and feature entertainment, live and silent auctions, and kids' activities.

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Girl Launches DVD Drive to Entertain Troops

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – Collecting 50,000 DVDs to send to deployed troops is an ambitious goal, but that isn't stopping 7-year-old Katherine Toebes of Janesville, Wis., from trying. She said she's collecting the DVDs "so (servicemembers) can laugh when they're away from their families."

Katherine's original goal was to send 50,000 DVDs to soldiers currently serving overseas in two years, her mother, Denise Toebes, said. The project also aims to send boxes of 100 DVDs to Veterans Affairs hospitals, Toebes said.

Since the last week in April, Katherine has collected about 100 DVDs and has received cash donations to purchase more. "More than likely, we will continue until she hits the mark of 50,000 (DVDs sent) to Iraq," Toebes said.

Katherine, who is home-schooled, got the idea for her project, which she's calling "DVDs 4 Soldiers," as she watched a show about other children supporting servicemembers. She said her actions and those of the children on the show will have a very important impact on the future.

"We can teach our kids to (support the troops) when we grow up, too," Katherine said.

Toebes agrees that supporting servicemembers is important for today's younger generation. It offers them a greater understanding of what the
military is and what it does for all Americans, she said.

"I couldn't be more proud of her," Toebes said of her daughter. "I think it's important that kids as young as Katherine understand the great sacrifice that
military people face every day being away from their families just to keep our country running.

"Even when we aren't at war, they're still away from their families just to keep us protected," she added.

Toebes learned this long before the United States sent troops to the Middle East. Her grandfathers fought in World War II and the Korean War, and most of her uncles were in Vietnam, she said.

To help Katherine reach her goal, donations can be sent to DVDs 4 Soldiers, P.O. Box 3585, Janseville, WI 53547-3585. Blackhawk Community Credit Union branches also are accepting monetary donations in person or by mail at Blackhawk Community Credit Union, of DVDs 4 Soldiers, P.O. Box 1366, Janesville, WI 53547.

Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the
military community.

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Gates Cites Troops' Tenacity in Armed Forces Day Message

American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – Today's servicemembers reflect the same determination shown by those who fought for America's freedom more than 200 years ago, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a message issued as the annual Armed Forces Day observance approaches.
Armed Forces Day -- always the third Saturday in May -- is observed May 19 this year.

Gates said many people are familiar with the opening of Thomas Paine's treatise called "The Crisis," written in defense of the then-fledgling American Revolution: "These are the times that try men's souls."

Less familiar, he said, is a later passage from Paine's essay: "I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ... He whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."

Paine marched with Gen. George Washington and his men "as they suffered unbroken defeat across much of New Jersey in 1776," Gates said.

"He felt, first-hand, their lack of supplies needed to wage war or even subsist," Gates said. "Yet he witnessed many who pursued the cause of liberty unto death."

Noting that he has met hundreds of today's servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere, the secretary praised their courage and resolve despite the difficulties they face.

"They and their comrades undertake dangerous missions, and endure physical hardships and separation from their families," he said. "Yet they remain firm at heart. Their bravery is beyond measure. Today's young patriots carry the same determination Paine must have seen in their predecessors over two centuries ago."

Gates said the nation appreciates its servicemembers and their families, and he expressed the hope that all Americans will observe
Armed Forces Day accordingly.

"The American people, as one, are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of men and women in uniform and their families, and for their unshrinking commitment to pursuing the principles of our nation," he said. "As we pause this
Armed Forces Day to reflect on their service, I hope that each one of us will find a way to show them, as Paine encouraged in his treatise, 'the love and thanks' of a nation."

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Gates Commissions ROTC Cadets at White House

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – The nation's
leaders gathered today to recognize a group of young people taking the first step toward leading America's soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates commissioned 55 ROTC cadets and midshipmen today at the White House in a ceremony attended by President Bush and other political and military leaders.

The new officers represent all 50 states, four territories and the District of Columbia. This is the first time a joint ROTC commissioning ceremony has been held, and the first time a defense secretary has administered the oath of commissioning. Previously, the law required a commissioned
military officer to administer the oath, but a change in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act allows the president, vice president or secretary of defense to administer the oath of commission or enlistment.

Family members of the ROTC participants gathered in the East Room as Gates led them in their oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic."

"We gather at a solemn moment for this country," Bush said before the officers took their oath. "Many of you were still in high school when
terrorists brought death and destruction to our streets on September the 11th, 2001. You were high school students. And yet, some of you understood that the cause of freedom would soon depend on your generation's willingness to step forward to defend it. And when it came time to be counted, each of you volunteered, knowing full well the risks involved during a time of war. As your commander in chief, I salute your decision to serve, and I congratulate you on a fine achievement."

The ROTC program is rooted deep in American history as a way to prepare men and women of
leadership and ability to lead the armed forces, Bush noted. The program teaches young people about honor, courage and the expectations of military officers, he said. The scholarship funds for ROTC are provided willingly by the American people, Bush said, "and in return they ask one thing: when their sons and daughters are put in harm's way, they will be led by officers of character and integrity."

Bush thanked the young officers for the sacrifices they made to earn their commissions, noting that some of the students went to schools that didn't have ROTC programs. These students had to endure long commutes and received little recognition for their training and achievements, he said.

"Your university may not honor your
military service, but the United States of America does," Bush said. "And in this, the people's house, we will always make a place for those who wear the uniform of our country."

Bush told the officers that soon they may have the lives of young troops in their hands and reminded them to keep their heads held high and be proud of their service.

"Bring honor to the uniform. Set high standards for yourself. Do not ask of those under your command anything that you would not ask of yourselves," Bush told the officers. "If you do all these things, your career will take care of itself, your service will be a source of pride, and you will help build a safer and more hopeful world for your fellow citizens."

After the officers took their oath, Gates pinned their new military rank on each one. The new officers, 16 of them women, hail from all ethnic backgrounds and areas of the country. There were also officers representing Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Panama and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The commissioning was part of continued activities in May recognizing National Military Appreciation Month.

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Navy to Christen New Guided Missile Destroyer Sterett

The newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Sterett, will be christened Saturday, May 19, 2007, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.

Designated hull number DDG 104, the new destroyer honors Andrew Sterett (1778-1807), appointed lieutenant in the
U.S. Navy in 1798 and assigned to the USS Constellation as third lieutenant. During the quasi-war with France, he served with Capt. Thomas Truxtun onboard Constellation, capturing the French frigate L'Insurgente in 1799. By 1800, he had risen to the rank of first lieutenant. He was soon given command of the schooner Enterprise. In June 1801, he sailed Enterprise from Baltimore to serve with the Mediterranean Squadron and captured a 14-gun Tripolitan warship and her 80-man crew during the Barbary Wars. Sterett continued his Navy career until he resigned his commission in 1805. Three previous ships have carried his name: DD 27, DD 407 and DLG/CG 31.

Rear Adm. Bernard J. McCullough III, director, warfare integration/senior national representative, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Michelle Sterett Bernson, a familial descendant of the ship's namesake, will serve as sponsor of the ship. In accordance with
Navy tradition, she will break a bottle of champagne across the ship's bow and christen the ship in the name of Sterett.

Sterett is the 54th of 62 Arleigh Burke class destroyers. This multi mission ship can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, in support of the National
Military Strategy. Sterett will be capable of fighting air, surface, and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

Cdr. Brian P. Eckerle of Jasper, Ind., will become the first commanding officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Sterett is being built by Bath Iron Works, a General Dynamics company. The ship is 509.5 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 33 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.

For more information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers, visit
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.

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DoD and PGA Launch Military Golf Program

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

May 17, 2007 – The Defense Department's America Supports You program and its new partner, the Professional Golfers Association of America, teed off the
Military Golf Program today at the Army Navy Country Club here. The program, co-sponsored by Disabled Sports USA, is a nationwide initiative to encourage wounded servicemembers to participate in golf as a rehabilitative and recreational pursuit. In conjunction with the program's announcement, four wounded veterans from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., practiced on the driving range here under the tutelage of seven PGA professionals.

"The nation has called upon our young men and women to serve, and we ask a lot of them and they give a lot that we just can't give back,"
Navy Rear Adm. Frank Thorp IV, deputy assistant secretary of defense for joint communication, told the roughly 50-member audience.

"What's different about serving in a uniform in the United States
military than working for many other noble organizations or corporations around the country, is the fact that Americans come together, like you all have today, to recognize those of us who serve," he said. "That makes us feel very proud to serve. ... It's not just words; it's not just platitudes; it's actual, tangible efforts.

"On behalf of every single member of the United States military, I give you a whole-hearted 'thank you' and my personal appreciation," Thorp added.

PGA of America is coordinating teams of PGA professionals who will instruct wounded warriors at sites near the nation's three primary military hospitals: Walter Reed; Brooke
Army Medical Center in San Antonio; and Naval Medical Center San Diego.

"It's great when organizations like PGA of America join the America Supports You team and make a long-term, tangible commitment to our men and women in the military across the country," said America Supports You creator Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison.

PGA of America and Disabled Sports USA are among the more than 250 businesses and organizations nationwide that participate in the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which recognizes citizens' support for military men and women and communicates that support to members of the U.S. armed forces here and abroad.

"It goes way beyond the PGA of America, way beyond this game of golf and the other programs, to have the privilege of being here today with all of you and introduce this exciting program that supports the troops who stand in harm's way to give all of us the freedom that we enjoy here in America," said Brian Whitcomb, president of PGA of America.

Whitcomb recognized the seven PGA professionals on hand, and thanked servicemembers on behalf of all 28,000 PGA golf professionals.

Kirk M. Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA, accepted a plaque from Whitcomb on behalf of PGA of America for his outstanding efforts with wounded war veterans. Bauer then introduced retired
Army Sgt. Sean Lewis, Army Staff Sgt. Joe Bowser, retired Army Sgt. Orlando Gill and Army Sgt. 1st Class David Cook -- the four wounded veterans in the audience.

"When I visit these men and women in the hospital, they're down," said Bauer, who lost his leg in Vietnam when a grenade detonated nearby and now stands on a prosthetic. "They've got tubes coming out of them; they've got pins in them; they're literally fighting for their lives, and these are young men and women who have literally been taught to conquer cities.

"It's a pretty devastating prospect," he said. "And what they need at that point in time is something to hold onto, to let them know that they can believe in themselves again, can be active again and that they can lead an active life. Sports and golf in particular is one of those tools to do that."

Lewis said he was uninterested in golf before suffering an injury in Iraq.

"I always thought golf was stupid," said Lewis, whose right leg was amputated after a 155 mm mortar landed about three feet from him in Baqubah, Iraq.

While recovering at Walter Reed, Lewis met a mentor, Billy Bartlett, who Lewis affectionately calls "Pop." After many entreaties, Lewis finally acquiesced to Pop, agreeing to join him one day on the links. "So because of him annoying me into finally getting out there on the driving range, now I love it," Lewis said.

"It's too easy for someone to sit there on the couch and die inside and give up on everything," Lewis said about his decision to play golf, which he does nearly every day. "I'm young. I have way too much time to do nothing but just sit there, ... I ski, I fish, I snowboard, I do everything; just because I'm missing a leg doesn't mean I'm a different person."

Lewis hasn't let his disability change his approach to parenting either. Following the ceremony, Lewis said he was embarking on a father-son camping trip.

"With us it's a challenge not only to walk, ... but it's a challenge to try and beat the two-legged guys, and I love it," said
Army Staff Sgt. Joe Bowser, who lost his leg when a 122 mm mortar struck near him on Camp Anaconda in Baghdad.

"I have (an able-bodied) friend in Cincinnati; I played on his golf course and I birdied the seventh hole," Bowser said. "The guy is almost a pro, and I rub it in as much as possible."

Judy Alvarez, PGA and Ladies PGA professional, told the audience she was deeply honored when PGA of America invited her to train wounded servicemembers participating in the
Military Golf Program. Working with disabled golfers taught Alvarez that in addition to being good exercise, golf is mentally and emotionally therapeutic.

"I challenge you when you leave here today not to look at what their disability is, but what their abilities are and how they can do something," she said.

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Navy Names Two New Guided Missile Destroyers

Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter has announced the names for the U.S. Navy's two newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyers to honor two American heroes famous for their naval service.

DDG hull number 110 will be named the USS William P. Lawrence to honor Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, who served nearly six years as a prisoner of war (POW) in North Vietnam and later as superintendent of the Naval Academy.

Lawrence was born Jan. 13, 1930, in Nashville, Tenn. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1951. At the Naval Academy, he played three varsity sports and was president and brigade commander, in which capacity he helped establish the Brigade Honor concept. He graduated from the Naval Air Test Center as an honor graduate and in 1958 was the first naval aviator to fly twice the speed of sound.

During the Vietnam War, as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 143, Lawrence earned the Silver Star for a strike against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam. He completed his mission, but was captured after his aircraft went down and he remained a POW until March 1973. He earned the Distinguished Service Medal for his
leadership to fellow POWs. Along with fellow prisoner and naval aviator, Vice Adm. James Stockdale, Lawrence became noted for resistance to his captors. Stockdale remarked that Lawrence, "repeatedly paid the price for being perceived by the enemy as a source of their troubles through his high crime of leadership. He could not be intimidated and never gave up the ship.

In August 1978, he became superintendent of the Naval Academy and subsequently served as commander Third Fleet and chief of naval personnel. Following promotion to rear admiral in 1974, he served as: commander, Light Attack Wing, U. S. Pacific Fleet; director Aviation Programs Division on the staff of the chief of naval operations; assistant deputy chief of naval operations (air warfare); superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy; commander, U. S. Third Fleet in the Pacific; and chief of naval personnel, retiring in 1986.

DDG hull number 111 will be named the USS Spruance to honor Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, whose calm and decisive
leadership in command of Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway contributed to the pivotal American victory.

Spruance was born in Baltimore, on July 3, 1886. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1906.. His career was extensive, including command of five destroyers and the battleship Mississippi.

In the first months of World War II in the Pacific,. Spruance commanded a cruiser division. He led Task Force 16, with two aircraft carriers, during the Battle of Midway. Spruance's disposition of forces and management of available aircraft proved to be brilliant. His decisions during that action were important to its outcome, which changed the course of the war with Japan.

After the Battle of Midway, he became chief of staff to the commander in chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas and later was deputy commander in chief. In mid-1943, he was given command of the Central Pacific Force, which became the Fifth Fleet in April 1944. While holding that command in 1943-45, with the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as his usual flagship, Spruance directed the campaigns that captured the Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and defeated the Japanese fleet in the June 1944 Battle of Philippine Sea.

Spruance held command of the Pacific Fleet in late 1945 and early 1946. He then served as president of the Naval War College until retiring from the
Navy in July 1948. In 1952-55, he was ambassador to the Philippines. Spruance died at Pebble Beach, Calif., on Dec. 13, 1969.

The USS William P. Lawrence and the USS Spruance will provide dynamic multi-mission platforms to lead the
Navy into the future. Using a gas turbine propulsion system the ship can operate independently or as part of carrier battle groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups. Combat systems center around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-lD, multi-function phased array radar. The combination of Aegis, the Vertical Launching System, an advanced anti-submarine warfare system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk, the Arleigh Burke-class continues the revolution at sea.

For more information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers, visit
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4

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Department Takes Steps to Ensure DoD Computer Networks Available for Operations

To ensure DoD networks are available for combat operations and critical support activities, the Department issued a directive May 14 that prohibits DoD computers from accessing specific recreational web sites. The measure preserves military bandwidth for operational missions and enhances DoD computer network security.

The selection of these particular sites was based on the volume of traffic moving from official DoD networks to the Internet. The sites include: YouTube; 1.fm; Pandora; MySpace; PhotoBucket; Live365; hi5; Metacafe; MTV; ifilm.com; Blackplanet; stupidvideos; and filecabi. Additional sites may be added in the future as part of ongoing efforts to ensure DoD networks have sufficient throughput available to conduct operational and supporting missions as well as enhance DoD network security.

This directive does not prohibit any individual, including DoD personnel or their families, from posting to or accessing these sites from personal or commercial network providers; it only restricts the use of DoD computer network resources to access these sites.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, many of these sites as well as others have been blocked by DoD for more than two years, some for as long as four years. Consequently, this directive does not prevent deployed DoD personnel from communicating with family members or loved ones. There are a wide variety of commercial communication services such as e-mail, telephone calls and video teleconferencing at many locations in Southwest Asia. In addition, the
Army Knowledge Online/Defense Knowledge Online network is available to military members and their families providing a rich information sharing environment, including email, file sharing (pictures, videos, and documents), discussion forums (blogging), instant messaging chatrooms, and video messaging.

Commercial Internet services are also provided by DoD Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) facilities, which are widely available throughout Iraq and Afghanistan and are not affected by this directive. Deployed personnel can access recreational Internet web sites from Internet cafes and other facilities in many locations around the world. These alternative sites do not rely on
military bandwidth.

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Exercise Tests NORAD, NORTHCOM Cooperation, Communication

By Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braymen, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 16, 2007 – The commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command said he is "very pleased" with the federal agency interoperability displayed in Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge '07, an emergency-response
training exercise that began April 30 and will continue through tomorrow. "Because we had good participation from all of the federal agencies, it allowed us to not only stress them -- to put them in a position where they had to evaluate and make decisions based on a fluid scenario and a fairly catastrophic one -- but also to see how all of us interface," Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart said in an interview today.

The exercise helps NORAD and NORTHCOM identify any seams and gaps in their relationships with their agency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and to then make any necessary improvements, Renuart said.

"It's also allowed us to validate the incredible amount of planning that has gone on since (Hurricane) Katrina, not only to respond to things like a hurricane, but also to ensure that the agencies responsible for homeland security and homeland defense really can work together under a series of demanding scenarios," he said.

The exercise began two weeks ago with a simulated Category 3 hurricane devastating the northeastern coast of the United States. At the request of the secretary of defense, NORTHCOM provided support to civil authorities in search-and-rescue and humanitarian-relief efforts in the area.

"We transitioned to a series of intelligence injects that had us think about things like
terrorist infiltration across our borders, terrorist attacks against some of the national infrastructure in Alaska -- the pipelines and other things -- and tracking vessels at sea," Renuart said. "(The exercise) really does span the entire scope of the missions that we train for every day at U.S. NORTHCOM and that we execute every day, as well."

Exercise participants currently are dealing with the aftermath of a simulated nuclear explosion in Indianapolis. Each of the several Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge '07 scenarios is designed to improve interagency cooperation and strengthen existing relationships among the agencies and leaders who respond to actual crises in the homeland.

"It is certainly important to U.S. NORTHCOM to be able to test ourselves and really stress ourselves against not just one scenario, but multiple scenarios," Renuart said. "It allowed us to really, not just simulate, but to exercise the participation of senior officials responsible for homeland security and homeland defense in realistic scenarios."

All agencies with roles in the exercise will participate in a comprehensive review immediately after the exercise ends to determine what went well and what could be improved.

"Many of the lessons will be technical," Renuart said, "in that we've got to figure how to get local responders, the National Guard first responders and the federal forces connected more easily, more quickly, and in a way that is responsive to the governors of whatever state might be affected."

(
Army Sgt. 1st Class Gail Braymen is assigned to the Public Affairs Office for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command.)

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Oklahoma Guard Arrives in Azerbaijan for Humanitarian Mission

By 1st Lt. Crystal Stiltner, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 16, 2007 – Oklahoma Air National Guard members arrived here May 14 to participate in Operation Cherokee Angel, a medical humanitarian mission aimed at improving the health and welfare of the local population while
training and working alongside Azeri medical personnel. Col. Samandar Mammadov, Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense General Staff's Chief of Operations, welcomed the Air Guard team to the Qaraheybat Training Center, where their eight days of training began.

"The purpose of this
training is treatment and rescue," Mammadov said. "This training exercise will accelerate our relations between the countries of Azerbaijan and the United States."

Training by the Oklahoma and Tulsa medical team includes classroom instruction on hospital site selection, field sanitation, shelter assembly, pre-hospital trauma care, patient assessment, and airway management. Classroom instruction will continue and then be practiced in the field by treating local Azeri displaced persons.

"This experience in humanitarian missions and global medicine is critical for future operations," explained
Air Force Lt. Col James Davis, a flight surgeon with the 137th Airlift Squadron at Will Rogers Air Guard Base. "We look forward to sharing our medical knowledge with the Azeri forces."

Operation Cherokee Angel is meeting mandatory training objectives for the Oklahoma Air Guard personnel and providing valuable training to the Azerbaijan
military, U.S. officials said.

The Oklahoma-Azerbaijan partnership was established in 2002 under the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program, which aligns selected states with nations around the world in an effort to promote stability.

Created in 1993, the State Partnership Program currently includes 54 partnerships worldwide. Twenty-six of those are in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, including five in Africa and 21 in Europe.

(
Air Force 1st Lt. Crystal Stiltner is assigned to the 137th Airlift Wing.)

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'American Idol' Contestant Returns to Navy Base

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Williams, USN
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 16, 2007 – Yesterday marked Phil Stacey's first full day back to duty since his "deployment" to "American Idol." Petty Officer 2nd Class Stacey departed the base Jan. 22. The
Navy musician made it into the top six finalists on Fox's "American Idol" before being voted off the show on May 2.

"It feels good to be back. I've had a lot of support and love from Jacksonville, especially the
military community. I wanted to represent the Navy and Jacksonville, but I also want to be an example for people who are set on accomplishing something they dreamed about doing," Stacey said.

Although he was voted off, former contestants return for a finale episode that takes place after the next American Idol has been selected. Stacey will return to Los Angeles today.

About his time on "Idol," Stacey admitted that he didn't expect to get as far as he did.

"Even the fact that I got to go out there was pretty amazing. I've had a lot of support from my command," he said.

Stacey said he hopes to go on the "American Idol" tour this summer, but that is still up to the
military and his leaders haven't made a decision yet.

He said the idea of auditioning on "American Idol" initially came about after he missed his friend's wedding because of a
Navy band commitment. The friend jokingly said that the only way he would forgive Stacey was if he tried out for "American Idol."

Stacey said he made lifelong friendships and had some incredible experiences during his time on the show.

"I met some amazing people: Quincy Jones, Bono from U2. I even got to meet Tom Cruise at a party, and we talked about our kids," he said. "However, my favorite part of being there was being part of ... 'Idol Gives Back,'" a two-night special charity fundraiser on April 24 and 25.

"We raised almost 70 million dollars to fight poverty," he said.

The contestants all lived in a hotel together for a month before the show even started. Once they entered into the top 12, they were moved into apartments. Stacey resided with Blake Lewis, who is still in the contest, and Chris Richardson, who was voted out with Stacey on May 2.

"I made some really great friends; the contestants in the top 12 are all like family to me," Stacey said.

"I feel blessed for all the support from the
Navy community. I especially appreciate my shipmates standing in for me while I was gone," he added. "I am very grateful."

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