NCO/Soldier's Creed of United States Soldiers

The NCO Creed

A scene right out of basic training... and Rest your cursor here for an alternate picture...This is what Army personnel look like when they are in School for thier MOSs (Military Occupational Specialties).

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Real Hollywood Heroes!

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A Battalion Run! Also, Rest your cursor here for an alternate picture...An occasion during Basic Training...the field preparation...

PT at its best and Rest your cursor here for the alternate picture of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU)...Shown to the Army on June 14th, 2004 (The Army's Birthday).

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I, this webmaster, in reference to the Creed above and the one at the bottom of this page would like to add that each NCO and Soldier (individually) supposedly has to follow the rules and regulations, that were learned, when entering the Army or any other service to the government of the United States...or for that matter, went to the NCO Academy, for thier MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). I especially enjoy the manual that states the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) rules, regulations, roles, relationships, and most especially NCO responsibilities called (I believe) FM 22-100. "Hats Off" to the Creator(s) of that Field Manual. I have not seen notes, to it, more concise in all my years connected with the US Army! NCOs please take note of this important piece of Literature! Knowledge (not Rank) is power. Not using this knowledge is a tremendous waste! (I have, personally, seen Knowledge; Experience; and Networking go farther than Rank when several people left the military for the "Private Sector" in the United States.)

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No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as "The Backbone of the Army". I am proud of the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the Military Service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety. Competence is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind -- accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my soldiers. I will strive to remain tactically and technically proficient. I am aware of my role as a Noncommissioned Officer. I will fulfill my responsibilites inherent in that role. All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment. Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, leaders!

			Education: The Best Kept GI Bill Secret The VA pays for OJT! Most veterans know that they can use the G.I. Bill to pay for the costs of education. But did you know that you can also receive up to $12,000 in tax-free benefits for training twenty-four months in an On-The-Job or Apprenticeship training program? That means that the VA will pay you up to $753 a month ($216 for Reserve) tax-free, on top of your regular salary! Here's how the GI Bill On-The-Job training program works for you! If you are a veteran or currently in the guard or reserve the On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program offers you an alternative way to use your VA (G.I. Bill) education and training benefits. While training, you can receive monthly training benefits from the Veterans Affairs in addition to your regular salary. OJT programs may be approved in a wide variety of occupations. Some in trades that may relate to your military occupation, but many that don't. Currently approved programs range from law enforcement officers to mechanics to electricians. Get Money For School Find scholarships, schools that credit military experience, distance learning programs and more. Use your GI Bill and other benefits to get ahead! Request free information from Military-Friendly schools and get the 2004 Guide to Military & Veteran Education -- free. Qualifying Jobs: To qualify, your job must meet the following criteria: � You must be supervised at least 50% of the time. � Job training must lead to an entry level position. (Management training programs do not qualify) � You must be a full-time paid employee, not on commission. � Your training must be documented and reported. � You cannot be already qualified for the Job by previous experience. � You must be recently hired (within one to two years). � The Job must require at least six months training to become fully trained. � The Employer may be private; local or state government Here is a list of well-known employers who participate in the VA's Apprenticeship Program: � Pirelli Tire Co. � Proctor & Gable Co. � Merck Pharmaceuticals � Cessna Aircraft � Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. � Lockheed Martin Corp. � Bell South � World Toyota � Comcast � Pratt and Whitney Engine Co. � Law enforcement (police, sheriff, State Patrol) � Dept. of Corrections (prisons, detention centers) � Local Fire Departments Eligibility: You may be eligible if you are otherwise eligible for the GI Bill either under the Active Duty (Veteran) or Reserve GI Bill programs and: � You are no longer on Active Duty; � You were recently hired or promoted; � it's been less than 10 years since you left the service; or � you are currently a member of the Guard or Reserve (Reserve GI Bill). So if you are qualified for the GI Bill and you have started a new job or apprenticeship program, you need to apply for this little known GI Bill benefit. This is in addition to your take home pay. In some cases the VA will even pay retroactively for OJT from the past 12 months. Note: You may not receive GI Bill OJT benefits at the same time you are receiving the GI Bill education benefits. Click here for the latest information on the exact amounts the GI Bill will pay. The next step: Your next step should be to contact your Regional VA office or local State Approving Agency (SAA). They will help you get started on the process and answer any questions you may have. Remember: If you have decided to pursue your education, many schools offer free information packets they will mail you. You can request information from multiple schools at once by filling out a form on Military.com. With no obligation or cost, learning about different schools is a great way to take the first step. Click here to request information. (http://www.military.com/Education/Content?file=Education_Best.htm&ESRC=army-a.nl) Blue to Green Program Offers Bonuses While the Army's transformation will result in a larger force, the opposite is true for the Navy and Air Force. The Navy is expected to reduce its force by 8,000 by the end of this year, and the Air Force will likely trim at least twice as much. To help meet the needs of a growing Army and retain quality, experienced servicemen from the overstaffed services, the Department of Defense launched a program last year to allow sailors and airmen, enlisted and commissioned, active and Reserve, to transfer to the Army. Under Operation Blue to Green, sailors and airmen willing to enlist for three years may be eligible for bonuses up to $40,000. Those willing to retrain in one of more than 50 priority military-occupation specialties can receive bonuses of up to $10,000. The recruiting command will determine the amount of the bonus based on the skill and availability of training. Those airmen and sailors in an MOS "equal" to an existing Army MOS may qualify to receive the Army's selective re-enlistment bonus currently offered to Soldiers re-enlisting (those amounts fluctuate). If the servicemember has a transferable job skill, he or she will attend a four-week Warrior Transition Course to learn essential skills and information needed in the Army such as rank identification, uniform policy and career progression. Those who require new skill training will attend a much more extensive course. Operation Blue to Green is open to all ranks and specialties. Officers and E-1s through E-5 will retain their rank. The rank of E-6s and above will be determined case by case. The program is also an option for Air Force and Navy ROTC cadets. The program is not designed for those who have already left the service or are being chaptered out for any reason. For more information please call 1-866-801-2980 or email: blue2green@hoffman.army.mil for more information. To learn more about transitioning, get free information now from Military.com. For more on military career opportunities and announcements, see the Military Professional Development Center. PTSD Survey Shows Increase Recent surveys of returning Iraq and Afghan units show that about 20 percent of troops who have returned from combat deployments meet the clinical criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or anxiety. Most veterans will experience readjustment challenges once home and up to 50 percent can benefit from on-base counseling and medical resources, the VA or at one of 206 Vet Centers countrywide. For veterans clinically diagnosed with PTSD -- 15 to 18 percent of troops surveyed three to 12 months after their deployments -- specific medical intervention is necessary. PTSD is a psychological condition where the mind and body are reacting to specific stressors experienced in combat. Rates for PTSD were highest among units that served deployments of 12 months or more and had more exposure to combat. And while rates were much lower for troops returning from Afghanistan than Iraq -- with 6 percent of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans surveyed PTSD symptoms -- PTSD remains prevalent in these units as well. If you or someone you know is exhibiting post-deployment readjustment or PTSD symptoms -- sleeplessness, nightmares, excessive startle and hyperactivity, anxiety, mood and anger swings, significant behavioral changes -- help is available. Contact 911 if the behavior becomes reckless or dangerous -- or -- call 1-800-827-1000 for the nearest VA, Vet Center, VA Hospital Post-Deployment Clinic or state-funded contracted providers in your area. For more articles on PTSD, see http://www.military.com/PTSD. Virtual Family Readiness Groups An Army program to support and improve how information is passed to families when soldiers are deployed will make its debut on Oct. 1. "The virtual Family Readiness Group (vFRG) is designed to replicate the major components of FRGs, but in a virtual context," said Jay M. Burcham, chief of the Deployment and Mobilization Readiness division for the Family Programs directorate at U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center here. "Soldiers downrange in Iraq, Korea or wherever they are deployed will be able to communicate with families around the world by logging into this system. Functions of the virtual Family Readiness Groups will include news and information relating to your FRG and unit, instant messaging, forums and discussion groups, document and photo sharing, a unit vFRG locator, emergency family plans, phone trees and organization charts, dedicated kids and teen areas, and blogs. Users of the site will first have to register and be authenticated by command-level administrators. Also, to support the upcoming start of the system, a waiting list area where units can sign up to establish a virtual FRG has been added to The Army FRG website. (http://www.armyfrg.org/skins/ArmyFRG/display.aspx) For another resource on deployment, including benefit guides, family checklists, and more, visit the Deployment Center. (http://www.military.com/deployment) Military Retiree Appreciation Weekend The 460th Space Wing at Buckley AFB in Aurora, Colo., will host the seventh annual Military Retiree Appreciation Weekend Aug 27-28, 2005, to honor military retirees and family members from all Services. The event starts with a breakfast from 6 to 8 a.m., Aug. 27, at the High Frontier Dining Facility. Scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. are speakers and exhibits at the Buckley AFB Fitness Center. Keynote speaker will be retired Army Maj. General William J. Matz, Jr., current president of the National Association of Uniformed Services, who will discuss issues of importance to the retiree community. Support agencies, retiree and veterans groups will provide needed information and answer questions. Also, retirees will have the opportunity to renew ID Cards, execute wills and powers of attorney. The event will end with a Prayer Breakfast in the High Frontier Dining Facility from 7 to 8 a.m. on Aug 28. For more information, contact the Retiree Activities Office at (720) 847-6693 or 9213 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by e-mail at RAO@BUCKLEY.AF.MIL. For more on retiree benefits, see Military and Veterans Benefits.( http://www.military.com/Benefits) DoDDS-Europe School Registration Registration for the 2005-2006 school year is underway system-wide at DoDDS-Europe schools. While many families registered their children before schools went on summer recess in June, those who have not or those who have more recently arrived in their communities are urged to register their children immediately. School registration for every child in DoDDS-E schools is an annual requirement by Department of Defense Regulation to determine continued eligibility for school enrollment. Parents are urged to complete their children's registration as soon as possible if they have not done so to date. In depth descriptions of eligibility and enrollment as well as a selection of forms needed to register students are on the DoDDS-E website. Some paperwork can be prepared in advance, but all parents will need to visit their children's schools to complete the registration process. Visit the Department of Defense School Registration for more information. Parents should call their children's schools for detailed instructions regarding documentation required for registration. DoDDS-E schools, except those in Bahrain, Volkel, Geilenkirchen and schools in the Benelux, will open for instruction Aug. 29. For more on military education benefits and opportunities, see Education Benefits for Military Service. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75233,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) 'Freedom Walk' Announced The Defense Department today announced the first "America Supports You Freedom Walk" to honor the victims of 9/11 and America's military personnel, as well as to celebrate freedom. The Freedom Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 in the Pentagon South parking lot, near the site where the airliner crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11. The walk route will consist of a two-mile trek through Arlington National Cemetery, over the Potomac River, and will end by the reflecting pool on the National Mall, where a free concert featuring country music star Clint Black will take place. To avoid long lines, America Supports You Freedom Walk participants are encouraged to arrive at the Pentagon South parking lot between 7 and 8 a.m. According to the Freedom Walk Website, the first 1,000 people to arrive will receive an official America Supports You campaign lapel pin. Participants also are encouraged to take the Metro to either the Pentagon or Pentagon City stations and follow the signs to the Freedom Walk staging area. Those wishing to walk in this year's Freedom Walk can register online by visiting the America Supports You Freedom Walk website. (http://www.asyfreedomwalk.com/) Volunteer opportunities also are available online. Registration is open until 10 a.m. Sept. 9. To check out other programs and events that support our troops, visit Support the Troops (http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=support_troops) at Military.com. TRICARE Builds Its Uniform Formulary The TRICARE has announced the addition of 11 new medications to the TRICARE Uniform Formulary. Additionally, they approved moving seven medications to non-formulary status. The following medications have been added to the Uniform Formulary: Levitra (PDE-5 Inhibitor); nystatin, clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, Mentax, Naftin (Topical Antifungals); and Rebif, Avonex, Copaxone, Betaseron (Multiple Sclerosis Disease Modifying Drugs). The non-formulary medications include: Viagra, Cialis (PDE-5 Inhibitors); and ciclopirox, econazole, Oxistat, Ertaczo, Exelderm (Topical Antifungals). Formulary alternatives are available for these medications at a co-pay of either $3 or $9. Beneficiaries will pay $22 for up to a 30- or 90-day supply for non-formulary medications, depending on whether they fill the prescription at a TRICARE Retail Network Pharmacy (TRRx) or through the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP). Beneficiaries will pay the higher of $22 or 20 percent in retail non-network pharmacies. The implementation date of the $22 co-payment for the topical antifungal medications is Aug. 17, 2005, and the implementation date for PDE-5 Inhibitors is Oct. 12, 2005. Patients currently using the newly designated non-formulary medications may wish to consult their doctor about formulary alternatives or if a medical necessity is appropriate for them. If medical necessity is established for using non-formulary medications, patients may qualify for the $9 co-payment for up to a 30-day supply or up to a 90-day TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP) supply. Medical necessity forms are available on the TRICARE Pharmacy Website. Procedures for completing and submitting medical necessity information may be found on these forms. For more information about TMOP, eligible beneficiaries may visit the Express-Scripts Inc. Website, or they may call (866) DOD-TMOP, (866) 363-8667. Beneficiaries may also contact the TRICARE Retail Pharmacy Program TRRx customer service line at (866) DOD-TRRX, (866) 363-8779, or visit the TRICARE Pharmacy Website. For additional information about various medications, their availability and cost, beneficiaries may use the TRICARE Formulary Search Tool. For general information on TRICARE, see the TRICARE Overview. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75243,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) TRICARE Survivor Benefits: Overview TRICARE-eligible family members, whose sponsor dies while on active duty will continue to receive TRICARE benefits. During the three years following a sponsor's death, surviving spouses and children under 21 years of age (23, if enrolled in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher learning) remain eligible for TRICARE Prime without enrollment fees and copayments. Surviving family members may enroll in TRICARE Prime where offered, but lose eligibility for TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members, if enrolled in that program at the time of the sponsor's death. Surviving family members who are not enrolled in TRICARE Prime may use TRICARE Extra or Standard, but are subject to the appropriate active duty cost shares and annual deductible requirements for each program. During the three-year survivor benefit period, surviving family members are protected from having to pay out-of-pocket expenses of more than $1,000 per fiscal year for TRICARE allowable charges for covered services. Active duty family members who accompanied their sponsor on orders outside of the continental United States (OCONUS) and reside in that location at the time of their sponsor's death are eligible for three-year transitional health care benefits under the TRICARE Overseas Program Prime. Surviving family members who are enrolled in the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) at the time of the servicemember's death remain eligible for dental care under the TDP Survivor Benefit program. Under this survivor program, the Government will pay 100 percent of the premium for three years from the month following the sponsor's death. For additional information on dental survivor benefits, beneficiaries may refer to the TRICARE Dental Program Survivor Benefit fact sheet. It is extremely important for survivors to update their TRICARE eligibility in DEERS. Surviving family members may go to the nearest Uniformed Services identification card-issuing facility , which can be found at the RAPIDS Site locator, or contact the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office Telephone Center at (800) 538-9552. Surviving spouses must contact the ID card-issuing facility in advance to determine the range and scope of available services. For general information on TRICARE, see the TRICARE Overview. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75244,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) TRICARE to All Reservists Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate armed services subcommittee on military personnel, says he will be "adamant" during negotiations with House conferees on a final defense authorization bill that it include his Senate-approved amendment to open a premium-based military health insurance plan to any drilling Reservist or National Guard member. For more details, see Graham Vows Fight to Open Tricare to All Reservists. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75249,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) Congress Seeks to Expand Death Benefits The House has passed the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 3200), which permanently increases SGLI and Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) from $250,000 to $400,000. SGLI and VGLI were increased earlier this year through emergency war supplemental appropriations, but the increases were due to expire 30 September 2005. The legislation also requires the DoD to notify a servicemember's spouse should the member decline SGLI or choose an amount less than the maximum. The spouse must also be notified should the member designate someone other than the spouse or dependent child as a beneficiary. The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) and other veterans' groups have expressed concern over this requirement, citing concerns about compromising the servicemembers' right to privacy in designating a beneficiary of his or her choice. The Senate's FY 2006 National Defense Authorization Bill (S. 1042), which will not be acted on until September, increases SGLI to $400,000 as well; however, the legislation fails to make the increased SGLI retroactive - which means that if a servicemember died on active duty in 2003, his or her family would receive the one-time retroactive death gratuity payment of $100,000, but would not be eligible for the increased SGLI payment of $400,000 (up from $250,000). The Senate also voted to permanently increase the death gratuity benefit paid to families of servicemembers killed while on duty to $100,000 (up from $12,420), and makes the payment retroactive to 7 October 2001 -- the day operations began in Afghanistan as part of the Global War on Terror. Contact your representative and let your voice be heard on this important legislation. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75247,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) Hawaii on a Budget When it comes to finding the cheapest military lodging amenities in Hawaii, the best places to look are hotels and cabins owned and operated by the Department of Defense. These facilities are made available specifically for all active duty personnel, reservists and retirees looking to take a vacation offering a wide range of rooms that can fit into anybody's budget. Lodging rates run from $51 - $190 a night depending the facility and amenities you choose. Learn more at: Doing Hawaii on a Military Budget. For more travel discounts and information on military travel benefits, see Travel Discounts and Benefits. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75250,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) Vacation Club Adds Nightly Getaways The Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC), a vacation rental program offered to military personnel by RCI (Resort Condominiums International, LLC), has added the option of nightly rental opportunities as an expanded service to eligible participants. Active duty and retired military personnel now have the option to rent a vacation condo either in seven day increments or choose to stay for one night or more, subject to availability. Rentals come in a variety of sizes: one bedroom and larger condos, studios and cottages. Many of the vacation properties come with fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, living room, dining area, swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center and handicapped accessibility features. For Nightly Getaway reservations call 1-888-338-0970. For weekly reservations call 1-800-724-9988 or go to the Armed Forces Vacation Club website. To make any AFVC reservation, members will need their AFVC installation identification number obtainable from the following offices, depending on the military installation: MWR (Moral, Welfare & Recreation), ITT (Information, Tours & Tickets or Information, Tours & Travel) and ITR (Information, Tours & Recreation). The Armed Forces Vacation Club is a space available program offering Department of Defense affiliated personnel the opportunity to take affordable vacations at resorts. For more travel discounts and information on military travel benefits, see Travel Discounts and Benefits. (http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,75245,00.html?ESRC=miltrep.nl) Judge Urged to Dismiss Gay Military Case Associated Press July 9, 2005 BOSTON - A federal prosecutor urged a judge Friday to dismiss a legal challenge to the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay service members, arguing that only Congress can change it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Quinlivan said the rule, passed in a bipartisan vote in 1993, was debated extensively before being approved by Congress and signed by President Clinton. "To say the case should be dismissed is not to say the debate on Congressional policy ends," Quinlivan said, noting there is pending legislation to repeal the law. "It is only to say it should be returned to the branch of government where it should be appropriately decided." But a lawyer for the 12 former service members dismissed from the military for being gay said the deference courts traditionally give lawmakers on military matters isn't required when constitutional rights are being violated. "Don't ask, don't tell" denies gay service members their rights to privacy, free speech and equal protection under the law, attorney Stuart Delery said. The plaintiffs argue that the matter should be revisited in light of a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down a Texas anti-sodomy law. That ruling extended a right to privacy to consensual adult sexual relationships. Quinlivan, however, says the Texas case is irrelevant to a rule that has no criminal penalty and is unique to military life. The "don't ask, don't tell" policy forbids the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members. But it requires the discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or engaging in homosexual activity if the person can't prove he or she is unlikely to engage in homosexual behavior again. U.S. District Judge George O'Toole did not immediately rule on the government's request. Plaintiff Megan Dresch, 22, of Phoenix, was discharged from the Army in September 2002, six months after she told an officer she was a lesbian. "This is my country and I want to serve," Dresch said. "I want to be able to go out and defend the freedom that I enjoy so much." Gay Soldier-Ban Challenged Associated Press June 15, 2005 NEW YORK - Critics of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy are gaining new allies, including a few conservative congressmen and a West Point professor, as they press on multiple fronts to overturn the ban on out-of-the-closet gays and lesbians in the armed forces. As part of their strategy, opponents of the policy are now highlighting the ongoing struggles of Army and Marine recruiters. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network say in a new report that many highly trained specialists - including combat engineers and linguists - are being discharged involuntarily while the Pentagon "is facing extreme challenges in recruiting and retaining troops." On other fronts: -A federal court hearing is scheduled in Boston next month on a lawsuit by 12 former service members challenging the 12-year-old policy. -In Congress, four Republicans - including stalwart conservatives Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida - have joined 81 Democrats co-sponsoring a bill to repeal the policy. Gilchrest, a former supporter of the ban, said he changed his view partly out of respect for gay Marines he served with in Vietnam and for his brother, who is gay. -A U.S. Military Academy professor, Lt. Col. Allen Bishop, wrote a column this spring in Army Times urging Congress to repeal the ban. "I thought I'd get lots of hate mail, and my colleagues would walk on the other side of the hall - but there's been none of that," he said Tuesday. Still, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has given any signal that they would drop their long-standing support for the policy, implemented in 1993 under the Clinton administration. It prohibits the military from inquiring about the sex lives of service members but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay. On July 6, the Bush administration plans to ask a federal court in Boston to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the policy. The suit cites a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that state laws criminalizing homosexual sex were unconstitutional; the government says that landmark decision has no bearing on "don't ask, don't tell." More than 9,400 troops have been discharged since the policy was implemented. Discharges peaked at 1,227 in 2001, and declined to 653 last year, a drop which critics attribute to reluctance by war-zone commanders to deprive their units of experienced gay and lesbian personnel during difficult missions. "The services are far less likely to discharge gays and lesbians serving on the front lines," Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said in its report, released Monday. It said those discharged last year included 41 health care professionals, 30 sonar and radar specialists, 20 combat engineers, 17 law enforcement agents, nine language specialists and seven biological/chemical warfare specialists. "The military continues to sacrifice national security and military readiness in favor of simple prejudice," said SLDN Executive Director C. Dixon Osburn. "Americans do not care if the helicopter pilot rescuing a wounded soldier or the medic treating that soldier is gay." The Pentagon, asked for comment on the SLDN report and Osburn's remarks, had no immediate response. Among the recently discharged soldiers is Robert Stout of Utica, Ohio, who was wounded while serving in Iraq and wanted to remain in the Army as an openly gay soldier. He is scheduled to visit Washington this week to lobby for repeal of the ban. Gilchrest, the Maryland congressman, said he was unsure how many of his fellow majority Republicans were ready to join in seeking repeal, but suggested the momentum was shifting in that direction. "When this issue comes up, members who believe that gays shouldn't be in the military are now more hesitant to voice their opinion," Gilchrest said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "Many of us who feel the other way have come out of the closet, so to speak. A year ago, I would have been uncomfortable expressing my feelings." Bishop, who teaches philosophy at West Point, said he had been troubled for years by "don't ask, don't tell" before deciding to write about it. "They can be gay, but they can't practice being gay. They can be here, but they can't tell you who they are - it seemed pretty confusing to me," he told The Associated Press. In his Army Times article, Bishop assailed the policy as contradictory to fundamental American principles. "Despite our government's claim of liberty for all, we leave homosexuals out," he wrote. "If the American military sees and is allowed to see itself as the protector of some but not all American, democracy fails." Bishop said he was heartened by the positive reaction to his article. But he predicted that military commanders would not lead the way in seeking an end to the ban and instead would defer to Congress. Earn More Money While Deployed The U.S. government offers any servicemember serving in a designated combat zone, qualified hazardous duty area, or directly supporting of a combat zone, an opportunity to participate in a savings program that is free, guaranteed and fully backed by the U.S. government. Servicemembers are able to contribute to their Savings Deposit Program account on a monthly basis. Whether active duty, Reserve or National Guard, servicemembers are eligible to contribute up to $10,000 to a no-risk, no-fee, program that pays 10 percent annual interest, compounded quarterly. Moreover, they can leave funds in the program for up to 90 days after redeployment and the account will continue to draw interest. After 90 days, the money no longer accrues interest, but no penalties will be assessed either. The balance of the account will automatically be sent to the address provided by the account holder. To stop the allotment for the program, people must submit a DD Form 2558 upon arrival at home station. For more information on allotments visit Military.com's Allotments Web page. http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourcesContent/0,13964,30830,00.html

		Army Lent Technical Support to "The Great Raid" Army News Service \| August 12, 2005 LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Hollywood and the Army continued their cooperative association with the making of the film "The Great Raid." Set in the Philippines near the end World War II, "The Great Raid" tells the true story of the rescue of 500 Prisoners of War by the 6th Ranger Battalion and Filipino guerillas. Infiltrating 30 miles behind Japanese lines, the Rangers risked everything to save men imprisoned for almost three years at the infamous Cabanatuan Japanese POW camp. To provide an accurate portrayal of events, the film makers reached out to the Army for technical assistance. "We reviewed the script for accuracy and gave advice on things unique to Army language," said to Maj. Todd Breasseale, Army Public Affairs office in Los Angeles. However, the Army support went well beyond advice on language. David Cole of the U.S. Army Center for Military History worked as the historical and technical advisor for the film. "My reviews covered historical accuracy in the storyline, appropriate military action and in some cases for continuity," said Cole. According to Cole, some of the in-depth technical information included the types of U.S. and Japanese weapons and equipment, uniforms and the specific color of paint used on equipment. Even the actual 6th Ranger stationary letterhead and maps carried during the raid were duplicated. Cole also helped locate the four surviving P-61 aircraft from World War II and provided specifications on U.S. Army Branch and rank insignia used in the southwest Pacific Area in World War II. There were also several procedural points that took persuasion. "It was difficult to get across the concept that privates don't hang around with officers," Cole said. "I still had to convince people that first sergeants do not 'take the point' during the march." Hollywood can't be expected to know every detail about the Army, officials said. They pointed out that's why the Army Public Affairs office in Los Angeles and the Center of Military History contribute an essential element to the accuracy of Army-based projects. It adds credibility to the film and provides an accurate and positive image of the Army to the American public, officials said. The film makers can use the information or choose to ignore it. But, as seen with "The Great Raid," they reached out to the Army from the beginning to make the movie as accurate as possible. "Fortunately, the crew that I worked with on this production were very professional and had a desire to 'do it right' for which I am very grateful," Cole said. See related article Great Raid at Cabanatuan depicts Warrior Ethos. (http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,usa3_081205.00.html?ESRC=army-a.nl) Iraq-Bound Troops Getting New Digitized Uniforms August 9, 2005 By Terry Boyd Stars and Stripes Mideast edition Germany-based soldiers headed for Iraq are the first in Europe to get the new digitized, permanent press Army Combat Uniform, or ACU. The new uniform replaces both battle dress uniforms, or BDUs, and desert camouflage uniforms, or DCUs, said Paul Rivera, team leader for Program Executive Officer Soldier. PEO Soldier, which is based at Fort Belvoir, Va., arms and equips soldiers. �This is the uniform for all environments � jungle, urban and desert,� Rivera said. �There will be no BDUs or DCUs. They'll all be gone,� Rivera said. �All war fighters will wear one uniform.� That will happen sooner rather than later in Europe, where soldiers with the 1st Armored Division and V Corps are getting ACUs. Units from the 1st AD, as well as V Corps troops, are scheduled to deploy to Iraq this year. Two teams are issuing the new uniforms, one at H.D. Smith Barracks in Baumholder, and one in Grafenw�hr Training Area, Rivera said. Baumholder is home to the 1st Armored Division's 2nd Brigade and Division Artillery, and V Corps units are at Grafenw�hr, one of the Army's main training areas. As of Monday afternoon, his 11-person team has issued ACUs to 4,950 soldiers at Baumholder since Aug. 1, Rivera said, averaging about 705 per day. Each soldier gets four sets of the uniform. About 7,400 soldiers in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Baumholder will get the uniforms, he said. New hot-weather boots are issued separately by Rapid Fielding Initiative teams. The teams distributing the uniforms will be on the move Thursday, with the Baumholder group heading to Darmstadt and the Graf group going to Hanau. The first soldiers to get the new uniforms � the first major Army uniform redesign since the early 1980s � were Fort Stewart-based troops with the 48th Infantry Brigade of the Georgia National Guard, Rivera said. The uniforms are radically different than the uniforms they replace, most distinctly their lack of black, according to Army documents. Black is omitted because it's not commonly found in nature. Instead, ACU colors are green �woodland,� gray �urban environments� and sand brown. The new uniform also has �Mandarin� collars with Velcro fasteners, as well as zippers for tops, rather than buttons. Pants have knee pouches for kneepad inserts. Bottom pockets found on DCUs are gone, replaced by pockets on the sleeves a la Special Forces uniforms so soldiers can use them while wearing body armor. The uniforms cost about $80, compared with about $30 for BDUs. ACUs were designed by a team of noncommissioned officers and tested by soldiers at U.S. bases, as well as in Iraq. http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,SS_080905_Uniforms,00.html?ESRC=army-a.nl Common Characteristics Found in Military Spouses Here are some of the traits that are most common among military spouses. Adaptability The ability to make frequent and rapid adjustment to new environments is refined with each Permanent Change of Station (PCS), whether CONUS or O-CONUS. Courage Sometimes, the demands of military service are unpopular with our friends and family. There have even been times when our actions are questioned through the lens of our nation and the international community. We have developed an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience. Dependability Being reliable -- either in a social or work environment -- is a trait often found in military spouses. We are fiercely loyal to our convictions and our commitments. Social Skills The military lifestyle doesn't change our basic personality styles, such as introversion or extroversion. However, military spouses often develop a robust set of social skills through strong friendships, networks and relationships within our communities. Spirit Military spouses face extreme difficulty in juggling social and professional obligations while holding down the home front, often single-handedly! In the face of hardship, our dynamic nature enables us to hold things together as we keep up our own morale, and that of those around us. Patriotism Military spouses are inspired by an intense love of country, and devotion to a life partner who serves as a defender of things held sacred and just. These broad characteristics are valuable and sought after by employers. America Supports You: 'Packages From Home' Kathleen Lewis of Glendale, Ariz., launched "Packages From Home" in March 2004 with the singular goal of sending as many helpful items as possible to troops stationed overseas. "To date, Packages From Home has shipped more than 4,000 care packages to servicemembers from every branch of the military," said David Whitten, Packages From Home director of media relations. Packages From Home is currently having a Memorial Day "Thank You for Your Service" campaign, which they estimate will generate more than 2,000 shoe-box-sized care packages destined for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Memorial Day campaign runs through May 15. For more information, visit the Packages From Home Web site . For more information on ways that you can support our troops, visit the America Supports You Web site. http://www.packagesfromhome.org/ http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/

		Military Burial Law to Be Re-Evaluated Associated Press \| August 11, 2005WASHINGTON - A Senate committee plans to review rules that govern who can - and cannot - be laid to rest in national cemeteries after the ashes of a convicted murderer were placed in Arlington National Cemetery. The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee will take up the issue in September when Congress returns from its recess, its chairman, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said Wednesday. Russell Wayne Wagner, 52, a Vietnam War veteran, died Feb. 7 of a heroin overdose in prison. In 2002, he was convicted of the Valentine's Day 1994 murders of Daniel Davis, 84, and Wilda Davis, 80, and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The victims were found bound and stabbed in their home in Hagerstown, Md. Wagner's cremated remains were placed at the cemetery July 27. Wagner had been in the Army from 1969 to 1972 and was honorably discharged, service that qualified him for interment at Arlington. Congress passed a law in 1997 prohibiting people convicted of federal or state capital crimes and sentenced to death or life imprisonment without parole from being interred at Arlington and other military cemeteries. Wagner would have become eligible in 2017 for a review that could have led to parole, according to the Maryland Division of Corrections. The law was aimed in part at preventing convicted Army veteran Timothy McVeigh, who carried out the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, from being buried in Arlington. "The Russell Wagner case troubles me greatly," Craig said. "I am sensitive to the issue of dishonoring the sacrifices made by those buried at Arlington by including among them those who were involved in heinous acts.... "At the same time I recognize that taking away veterans' benefits on account of post-military service behavior is probably more complicated than it seems," Craig said. Veterans groups worry that changing the law again on who can and cannot be buried in national cemeteries will end up excluding too many veterans. "They already drew the line," said Ramona Joyce, a spokeswoman for the American Legion, which supported the 1997 law. "They can't cherry pick when all these veterans meet the service requirement. The fact of the matter is he served the country honorably and now you're hurting his veteran status." Joyce said that while she wasn't making excuses for Wagner and that what he did was tragic, "there must be a reason he was not sentenced to life without parole." Jon Towers, a spokesman for Craig's committee, said its re-evaluation will look at "whether the present policy is good enough." Vernon G. Davis, the son of Wagner's murder victims, doesn't think it is. "These rules were made for one person. They looked down the tube and they didn't see anything else but that," said Davis, 66, himself an Army veteran. "They didn't do it right, that's for sure. They're going to have to change something. When somebody serves time in the service that's one thing, but when they turn around and come and do something like this, that's completely wrong." (http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_burial_081105,00.html?ESRC=army-a.nl) All the Sisters and All the Brothers... Erin Solaro Sergeant Danielle Dolph, Specialist Carol Russell, and Specialist Jessica Schramm, assigned to a Military Police unit, augmented the infantry in Afghanistan�particularly when it came to dealing with Afghan women. All the sisters are not brave and strong. All the brothers are not virtuous. But so many of them are, so much of the time, that the Department of Defense and the armed services must now make a decision. When reality conflicts with policy, one or the other must yield. In the matter of American women in ground combat, and the larger issue of full equality under arms: Which shall it be? In the spring of 2004, I received a grant from the Tawani Foundation of Chicago, a Pritzker family philanthropy (James Pritzker, the foundation president, is a former Army infantryman and a retired Illinois National Guard colonel) for a book on American servicewomen. I'd been pondering this subject, and living it, for 20 years, as an ROTC cadet, Army reserve officer, Marine wife, graduate student in military history, occasional defense analyst, and journalist. Now I was going to war. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer accredited me. I spent June and a bit of July in Iraq, embedded with combat troops in the Sunni triangle: the Army's First Brigade Combat Team (1st BCT), First Infantry Division, at Camp Junction City outside Ramadi; and Echo Company, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines (E/2/4), in the city. I spent February 2005 in Afghanistan, working with Provincial Reconstruction teams (PRTs) and combat troops out of Bagram Air Field near Kabul and the Army's forward operating base at Ghazni. In both countries, I went on raids, patrols, convoy security, and other operations. I lived with the troops. My purpose here is neither to tell war stories nor to push a political agenda. My goal is to report on two emerging realities, indeed two new moral norms; to suggest that it's time to face a couple facts about the past and the probable future; and to conclude that women's full equality under arms is no longer a matter of individual or group "rights." It is a military necessity, and in this case the policies and practices that ensure rights also contribute to effectiveness. The first new norm is that, in Iraq and Afghanistan, the women are fighting and fighting well. Increasingly, they are accepted by the men on the basis of the only standard that counts in combat: can they be counted on? Women do perimeter defense, convoy security, and all those moments when the war decides to pay you an unscheduled visit. But they do more. Some medics of all-male combat units are women. The 1st BCT called women combat volunteers "lionesses"�women who accompanied the men outside the wire specifically to deal with Iraqi women and children. They were also expected to fight. Captain Anastasia Breslow, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, said of her first tour in Iraq: "I never expected to find myself in combat. As a signal platoon leader, as an officer and a female, I always expected to be in rear areas, with echelons above combat units." Of her first lioness mission: "I was terrified and excited, I felt obligated; if I didn't [go], someone else would. It was a rare opportunity and scary to leave the relative safety of the base: improvised explosive devices (IEDs), sniper fire, any number of things, but I was most worried about the explosives. Everything that wasn't just [on the] road scared me, but I would never turn down an opportunity to go on a mission. I kept thinking, I'll be contributing something, I won't just be sitting back here." The Marines in Ramadi made a point of borrowing these lionesses whenever they could (women Marines were kept on the other side of the Euphrates); some Marines wanted to attach the lionesses permanently. On 6 July 2004, I interviewed then-Brigadier General Richard S. Kramlich, U.S. Marine Corps, commanding the 1st Force Service Support Group at al-Taqqadum Air Base. He told me, emphatically, that the Marines would abide by the wishes of the American people and not send women into combat. Only the desire to keep my hosts out of trouble kept me from asking if he knew what was going on in the rifle companies. The same held in Afghanistan, where I also encountered women who had been on multi-week missions with the SEALs and Army Special Forces. Command Sergeant Major Lynette Harper of the Joint Logistics Command at Bagram Air Field, told me: "The combat exclusion rule did not start becoming an issue until I realized that I could do anything the Army had to offer. . . . The reason I want to talk about this now is the great things I see and read about women doing with men. They're on patrols, they're out front. They're searching females, and with males on combat patrols here and in Iraq. Part of what bothers me is that I'm not sharing the risks of my male counterparts in those infantry battalions. When I hear Elaine Donnelly (President of the Center for Military Readiness) saying, women shouldn't be killed or wounded or raped . . . I ask, what about men�is this okay for them?" In the very early morning of 23 February 2005, I went on a raid with U.S. soldiers of the 3-116 Infantry Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, the "Blues and Grays" of the Virginia National Guard, and 1-25 Military Police Company. There were three women in the MP platoon of 27 soldiers, one of whom, Sergeant Danielle Dolph, helped out that day by dealing with the Afghan women. To my knowledge, there have been no combat failures directly attributable to the presence or the performance of women. The anecdotal evidence and, I suspect, the data, indicates the opposite. But if the women are proving they can fight, what about non-combat matters, especially prolonged integration under austere conditions and worse? Again, a new norm is emerging. Familiarity may breed contempt, but it can also breed respect. What you lose in privacy, you gain in modesty. More than once, I encountered men who weren't that unhappy to share an open-bay barracks with women; it cut down on some of the guys' more undesirable habits. Total integration also enhances female safety. Male harassers and predators, it seems, tend not to target women in their own units, perhaps not wanting to go into combat with an armed woman they've annoyed or attacked. The guys in a unit can be very protective of their sisters against outsiders. For that matter, they can be pretty protective of visiting women. I note here that there has been no post-9/11 spike in what I've come to think of as "Get Me Out of Here!" pregnancies. As of press time, although the Pentagon offered me comprehensive pregnancy statistics, it has not released them; in the past, it has told me that comprehensive statistics were impossible to compile, being held at the unit level. It did release to me pregnancy discharge statistics: 2,136 in Fiscal Year 2002, 2,643 in 2003, 2,691 in 2004, declining to 1,227 for the first half of FY 2005. Without pregnancy statistics, especially from Central Command, these numbers may indicate anything from the shaking-out of unwilling or unsuitable troops to women who have already done their bit facing the fact they cannot put their children through another deployment. In sum, I suggest here that, among the younger generations of troops and officers, new norms are emerging. To a great extent, they're making it up as they go along, driven by the exigencies of war. But it's happening. It's happening because they grew up accustomed to equality; because they're professionals; and because they're good people. It's happening because commanders and leaders at all levels are setting and enforcing high standards. Units with men-women problems usually have other woes. The GI Janes of the 507th Maintenance Company, Abu Ghraib, and Camp Bucca are not the new norm. Nor are the rapists and harassers. The new GI Jane, armed, modest, competent and accepted by her male comrades, is the norm; the same can be said for their brothers. Coming out of Iraq, I spent one night in an open-bay transient barracks at al-Taqqadum Air Base, the only unarmed woman amid dozens of armed men. I felt�and was�safer there than I was the next night in a luxury hotel in Kuwait. At Camp Junction City, men mounted informal guard on the women's shower. At Ghazni forward operating base, so remote it might as well have been on the moon, a few women lived in safety and dignity amid hundreds of men. When the plastic covering of my windows proved not quite as opaque as I'd been told, the guys asked a sister to tell me that, while they appreciated the show, perhaps I wouldn't want to provide another. Leaving Ghazni, a young soldier told me to be careful back at Bagram because there was a serial predator there. He told me that the men didn't take kindly to his activities, and were planning to convince him to mend his ways. Nor do the women take kindly to female misbehavior. Imagine that you're Private Susie or Corporal Debbie, carrying on with a guy or two or trying to get yourself a pregnancy MedEvac and not too particular about the sperm donor. Now imagine that a half dozen of your female comrades gather round your bunk and ask, "Why are you making our lives harder?" Then imagine that they go pay a similar visit to Specialist Jack and Sergeant Billy. Sergeant Norwood (left), a medic, accompanied the 1st Platoon, Alfa Company, First Engineers, on a cache search near Jazeera, Iraq. Many riflemen will identify with this picture�the smallest person on the patrol has the biggest pack. In this case, however, it contained her medical supplies. Now it's time for the Defense Department and the services, the Army and Marine Corps especially, to accept this reality, especially given current recruiting and retention problems. Before the military can face the future, however, it must come to terms with the past. In the early 1970s, a confluence of forces influenced the beginnings of gender integration. Conscription was ending; good men were hard to come by. The Defense Department decided to increase the use of women. Equality, however, measured by everything from stern prosecution of sexual offenses to repealing the combat exclusion rule, was neither desired nor intended. Then came a 30-year feminist assault: a devastating combination of political pressure, vicious scandal-mongering, and hype. The military was, in the feminist view, the last bastion of machismo, to be toppled for the sake of the toppling. The feminist view was wrong, but so was the military response. The feminists opened or, more aptly, forced open the doors. They did not determine how the new generations of servicewomen would be used or treated by the system, or how the men would be affected. There is no nice way to say this. Faced with the political pressure to integrate and expand the roles of women, the military reacted in classic bureaucratic manner, doing enough to satisfy the politicos while covering its own posterior. Perhaps it is not too much to wonder whether the military handled the integration in a way designed to alienate as many men as possible. Feminism did not mandate decades of micro-management of individual behavior, unnecessary relaxation of standards, mass polygraphs, moronic sensitivity training, the wrongful destruction of careers and reputations. This the military did to itself, and everyone who experienced those years has stories to tell about the injustices. But that was then. Thirty years ago, the military could have instituted a rational, orderly, long-term plan for full integration. It didn't happen that way. It happened grudgingly, but it happened, and now the realities of war and personnel shortfalls are finishing the job. We now have three decades of lessons-learned, and a 30-year database showing that women, properly trained and indoctrinated, can do the job. What remains is to codify the following: Repeal what's left of the combat exclusion rule, specifically the barriers against holding ground combat and special operations billets and submarine service. Institute full and equal training and equal adherence to militarily-meaningful standards, including physical capability, which has far less to do with brute strength than with low-grade endurance. Thanks to modern women's athletics, we now have a far better understanding of female conditioning, and far more young women playing sports than ever before. As a retired colonel, now a respected defense analyst, told me: "The Army sure ain't what it used to be. But neither are girls." Personally, I favor intense pre-entry fitness programs for women and boot camps that are sex-segregated and a couple of weeks longer. Enforce a zero-tolerance attitude toward all forms of genuine sexual harassment and assault. Stern prosecution of sexual offenses, within the context of unit good order and discipline. Sexual crimes are not a separate category of offense, to be condoned as "Boys will be boys" or "She was asking for it." If a male service member attacked another man and put him in the hospital, his commander wouldn't just shrug it off. Nor would he if one of his men raped a civilian woman. Finally, craft a new provision in the Uniform Code of Military Justice that addresses pregnancies, which, in the military, come in three varieties: Congratulations!, Oops!, and Get Me Out of Here! This is a professional force, older and often married, no longer a mass of unencumbered conscripts and men with stay-at-home wives. Pregnancy is a normal part of most women's lives. Most military women, I've found, attempt to schedule their pregnancies with their husbands, often during non-deployable assignments. Not everyone, male or female, can be "good to go" all the time and it's going to be a long war; they'll get their chance. Besides, we all know there's no better place for morning sickness than the Pentagon. Nothing more need be said about such pregnancies than Congratulations! Oops! pregnancies are just that. Sometimes they affect unit readiness; sometimes they do not. They range from a Military Police sergeant I was told about, who achieved a long-hoped for pregnancy just after being informed of a very short notice deployment to Djibouti (she left their child with her husband to take her troops into Iraq), to the junior enlistee who has been overwhelmed by a certain tonnage of male attention. These women should be treated on a case-by-case basis by special boards of senior officers and non-commissioned officers, with attention given to circumstance, prior service record, and desire to remain in the military. Punishment is very rarely appropriate: for good soldiers, evacuation is punishment enough. As for Get Me Out of Here! pregnancies�these constitute deliberate malingering and worse, and should be handled by the military justice system. It should be hard, very hard, to get a court-martial conviction: as hard as trying to prove desertion. But in flagrant cases, the servicewoman�and the father, if a serviceman�should receive, at the very least, a discharge under other than honorable conditions. The soldier at al-Asad Air Base who told me she'd gotten pregnant by her fiance because she was tired of being deployed does not deserve the same kind of consideration as the Marine who was so determined to deploy that she gave birth on a warship. In sum, it's time for policy to catch up with reality. But any military is more than the sum of its policies, and people deal with each other in myriad ways, not all of which can or should be micro-managed or regulated. Sociologically, the military is far more a "shame" society than a "guilt" society. Loss of reputation and acceptance, fear of shunning and ostracism, often determine behavior far more effectively than fear of punishment. When treating female comrades with anything other than the respect and dignity they've earned becomes a matter for shaming and of shame, equality�equality earned and equality lived-will be real. And the national security will be much improved thereby. Erin Solaro is a Seattle-based writer. This is from her book in progress, Beyond GI Jane: American Women, the War on Terror, and the New Civic Feminism. First Woman Gets Silver Star Since WWII Associated Press June 17, 2005 WASHINGTON - A 23-year-old sergeant with the Kentucky National Guard on Thursday became the first female soldier to receive the Silver Star - the nation's third-highest medal for valor - since World War II. Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, who is from Nashville, Tenn., but serves in a Kentucky unit, received the award for gallantry during a March 20 insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq. Two men from her unit, the 617th Military Police Company of Richmond, Ky., also received the Silver Star for their roles in the same action. According to military accounts of the firefight, insurgents attacked the convoy as it traveled south of Baghdad, launching their assault from trenches alongside the road using rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Hester and her unit moved through enemy fire to the trenches, attacking them with grenades before entering and clearing them. She killed at least three insurgents with her M4 rifle, according to her award citation. In the entire battle, 26 or 27 insurgents were killed and several more were captured, according to various accounts. Several Americans were also wounded in the firefight. "Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members. Sgt. Hester's bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism," her award citation reads. "I'm honored to even be considered, much less awarded, the medal," Hester told the American Forces Press Service, a military-run information service. "It really doesn't have anything to do with being a female. It's about the duties I performed that day as a soldier." Hester, a native of Bowling Green, Ky., joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in April 2001 and moved to Nashville in 2003, according to a biography provided by the Army. She works as a retail store manager. Her unit deployed to Iraq in November 2004 and remains in the Baghdad area, escorting convoys and assisting the Iraqi Highway Patrol. Hester's father, Jerry, also of Bowling Green, said: "I'm overwhelmed at what she's accomplished in Iraq. It's something to be very proud of and my wife and I are. Leigh Ann is a very good soldier." He added: "She played softball and basketball all through high school, and she's won a lot of games. But those games didn't mean nowhere near what this medal does and what she's done for her country." Also receiving the Silver Star for that action was Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein of Henryville, Ind., and Spc. Jason Mike of Radcliff, Ky. Five other members of their unit received other medals for the action, including another woman, Spc. Ashley Pullen of Edmonton, Ky. The awards to Hester and Pullen come only weeks after some Republicans in Congress abandoned an effort to curtail the roles of military women in combat zones. The Pentagon and some Democrats and other Republicans opposed the measure. Current Pentagon policy prohibits women from serving in frontline combat roles - in the infantry, armor or artillery, for example. But the nature of the war in Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than in any previous conflict. Household Goods Weight Allowances Legislation Introduced Representative Tom Latham (Iowa), has introduced H.R. 1406, which would increase the authorized weight allowances for the shipment of baggage and household effects of senior enlisted personnel of the uniformed services. Current weight allowances for senior enlisted leaders are inconsistent with their time in service, increased responsibilities, family size, personal status, and the respect they have earned. Servicemembers can visit the FRA's Legislative Action Center for more information. http://www.fra.org/action/index.html



	September 2005 - FLO Notes Chief's Corner: Today's Army Family still carries torch of freedom Recently I had the opportunity to visit several historical wonders that dated back to the birth of our Nation. The Liberty Bell is a sight to see for sure. As I marveled at this one symbolic reference to freedom I was humbled with the understanding that world wide there is probably no object that represents freedom more than this one item. As most tourists I had my picture taken in front of this grand monument of liberty. From the Liberty Bell I went to Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution was written in 1787. Close by are Congress Hall and Old City Hall ... all the birth place of our Nation. I was struck with reverence as to the significance of these wonderful reminders of our history and the significance of what service to our Nation really means. The tremendous risk of life and family to those who supported the Declaration of Independence is apparent. And I could imagine the great debates that must have occurred as the constitution was crafted. Just the mere reading of the Declaration of Independence was historic and carried with it a significant element of risk. I walked through these grand places of our history and found the humble notion that after it was all said and done our Soldiers and Sailors were the ones that made the real difference. Everything that happened by the historic turn of the pen was solidified by the sacrifice of our military counterparts. As it is today there was a need for jointness, civilian support and even contract support to make it work well. Service to this nation, or even more profound, to our fellow neighbor cannot be a higher calling than it was back before my time. I hear many parents of our young adults that discourage this lofty calling to military service and I am disappointed. What would have happened if this attitude had been prevalent during the birth of our nation and during times of need throughout our history? What would happen if we discouraged service in the police force, firefighters, and many other professions of service that make a difference just because it is dangerous? I certainly don't envision a nation of strength, goodness and symbolic of freedom for the oppressed. We are fortunate in the Army. We have a wide range of Soldiers, civilians, families, and contractors who share a bond to a calling of service to our nation. I hope those who follow us a hundred years from now will feel as grateful as I do today for those I know only in our accounts of American history. I hope they would be proud of us, honored that we made good their promise of a strong Nation and better world. If ever there was a way to thank those who serve it is in our commitment to succeed, carry the torch of freedom and ensure that others see the light of liberty. Anne Morse said it best in her article in the "National Review" ... "A sense of calling means that each of us does our best to help free the world from the darkness and devastation that threaten to overwhelm it. Through work well done, we witness to the One who calls us &mdas; just as Casey Sheehan did." Army launches spouse employment Web site The Army announced a new spouse employment Web site � www.militaryspousejobsearch.org � which contains more than 26,000 job vacancies, and is designed to provide spouses employment opportunities while fulfilling corporate America's demand for skilled workers. Military Spouse Job Search is a database where spouses can build their resumes and research valuable information. Spouses can also access career tools, labor market information, career assessment, training and education opportunities as well as information on colleges and technical schools. The site also has a financial aid center for spouses considering going back to school and a relocation center for families considering a permanent move or temporary change of location. The new Web site is a joint venture between Army Spouse Employment Partnership, U.S. Community and Family Support Center, and the Department of Labor. "It was easy to create an account," said Christine Jumper, an Army spouse who lives near Fort Lee, Va. "I had immediate access to the skills profiler which was great." The diversity of employable military spouses is an important factor for the corporations involved in the program, said Teresita Rivera, manager, Employment Readiness Program, USACFSC. "These partners are looking for good talent and they know that they can find it on the MSJS Web site," Rivera said. As a pre-requisite for access to Military Spouse Job Search, employers must be an inducted partner or accepted new partner in the Army Spouse Employment Partnership. Current inducted partners include Adecco USA, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Army Career Alumni Program, Army Civilian Personnel, BellSouth, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Computer Systems Corporation, CVS/pharmacy, Defense Commissary Agency, Dell, EURPAC Service Inc., Hospital Corporation of America, Home Depot, Lockheed Martin, Manpower Inc., Merck and Company, Sears Holdings Corporation, and Sprint. Army to implement Virtual Family Readiness Group A new initiative, known as the virtual Family Readiness Group, designed to support and improve how information is passed to families when Soldiers are deployed will launch October 1 on the World Wide Web. "The Virtual Family Readiness Group is designed to replicate the major components of FRGs but in a virtual context," said Jay M. Burcham, chief of Deployment and Mobilization Readiness Division for the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center's Family Programs Directorate in Alexandria, Va. "This Web System is not just a Web site. Soldiers down range in Iraq, Korea or wherever they are deployed will be able to communicate with families around the world by logging into this system. The virtual Family Readiness Group Web system will use technology to move today's FRGs into the 21st Century to meet the demands of the Army's Expeditionary Force." The initiative began in June 2004 when CFSC in support of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea created a virtual FRG to reach out to families of Soldiers who would be deployed. Most Soldiers deploy as individual replacements to Korea, which basically is a stable environment and communication with family members is routine, Burcham said. Prior to the vFRG, the families need for support was addressed by the "waiting families" program that Army Community Service operates. Families also received support from their previous unit's physical FRG. With the War on Terrorism things changed though. Soldiers were being deployed from Korea to Iraq making communication with families difficult. Adding to that, families were reading and seeing stories on the news of bombs going off in areas where their Soldiers were located. "To ease the added stress placed on Soldier's families, the 2nd Infantry Division provided up-to-date command information as well as the capability to download photos, send newsletters and organize families by location and unit," Burcham said. "This was a new concept to take the physical FRGs and turn them into a virtual context." The development and fielding of the vFRG for Korea and Iraq was completed in five weeks by DefenseWeb Technologies, Inc., San Diego, Calif. "The overall purpose of the vFRG supporting Soldiers deploying to Korea and Iraq was to provide a Web portal for official and unofficial information between the brigade, Soldiers, and families" said Tonya Bowers, Army program manager at DefenseWeb Technologies." The brigade now had the means to communicate with the families of deployed Soldiers, Bowers added. Follow-on development built functions to automate the capabilities of today's physical FRGs. These capabilities include instant messaging, forums and discussion groups, post cards, and file and document sharing. The final phase of the program broadens what was developed for the 2nd Infantry Division and provides training, outreach and support across all three components of the Army, active, Guard and reserve. When released for use by units it will feature a unit vFRG locator, a kids and teens area, a phone tree organization chart, in case of emergency family plans, blogs, a training tracker and metrics for the unit commander to determine the state of family readiness, FRG leader forums content, and more. The site will also provide a single location for users to obtain news and updates relating to FRGs and their unit. Users will be able to make updates to the phone tree and e-mail distribution list for rear detachment commanders and FRG leaders to use for mass communication to Soldiers and families. Users of the site must first register at www.armyfrg.org and be authenticated by command level administrators. This feature is very important to unit commanders concerned with maintaining Operational Security of the information that they provide to families Burcham said. "After they have been authenticated, users can go into the system, join their unit's virtual FRG, and update the information in their registration file especially if they are changing duty stations" Bowers said. "There are many benefits to using the vFRG system", Burcham added. "Members of the Army Reserve and the National Guard see this as an answer to the communications issues they have to deal with because they are geographically dispersed. Families of mobilized Individual Ready Reservists will be able to join the vFRG of the unit their Soldier is deployed with." Members of the National Guard emphasize that they see this as a great way to enhance family readiness, Burcham said. It gives them the capability to maintain an FRG and communicate with their FRG members on a year round basis, which frequently is only organized during deployments. "This vFRG allows them to stay organized throughout the year with a known place where people can login and communicate without the worry and expense of bringing families into reserve or Guard headquarters which could be 100 miles away," Burcham said. "It is not designed to replace the existing physical FRG, but to enhance them," Burcham said. To support the upcoming start of the system, a waiting list area where units can sign up to establish a virtual FRG has been added to www.armyfrg.org. For more information, e-mail armyvirtualfrg@cfsc.army.mil. Coalition supports military children To address the challenges that military-connected students face every time their parents move to different assignments around the world, the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) has created an innovative program called "Student to Student," or S2S, to help solve the problem. Starting with six schools last year, the S2S program has grown to 51 schools across the country in just one year. Most are Public schools on or near military installations. The program caters not only to issues students have at new assignments, but also to helping students getting ready to leave a place they know. The MCEC is also taking steps to support the growing number of "suddenly military" students. Because of the high number of National Guardsmen and reservists fighting the global war on terrorism, the MCEC has created a program to teach educators and others how to help "suddenly military" students of deployed citizen-Soldiers. The coalition established a workshop, called Supporting Children and Families of Guard and Reserve Institute. The institute is a professional development program to help schoolteachers, counselors, administrators and members of the Guard and reserve and their families to reach out to the children of Guard and reserve members. The workshop helps participants understand what children's reactions to a parent's deployment might be. The first such workshop was conducted in Texas in 2004, and several more workshops were piloted during the past school year, training 241 persons. The coalition plans to institute training sessions in eight more states the rest of this year. They include Georgia, Florida, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Texas and Maryland. The organization earmarked these states because of their large numbers of deployed Guardsmen and reservists. MCEC hopes to bring the workshop to 25 states annually. For more information on these and other programs, visit the MCEC's Web site. DoD launches Deployment Health, Family Readiness Library Servicemembers, their families and their healthcare providers have a new online Defense Department resource for deployment health issues. The DoD Deployment Health Risk Communication Working Group and the Joint Task Force for Family Readiness Education on Deployments have joined together to create the Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library. Ellen P. Embrey, deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness, announced the new online library Aug. 9. It is intended to provide servicemembers, families and healthcare providers a quick and easy way to find the deployment health and family readiness information they value, she said. "Information is a powerful tool. We must remain proactive in providing deployment-related health information to better safeguard our servicemembers," she said. "Most people fear the unknown. Through accurate, timely information, we are able to ensure that our servicemembers are better equipped to prepare for, cope with, and recover from the myriad health risks faced during deployments." The online library includes fact sheets, guides and other products on a wide variety of topics. The topic listing was based on feedback from servicemembers, their families, and healthcare providers, Embrey said. New information will be added to the site as new topics and areas of concern emerge. In focus-group meetings, Embrey explained, servicemembers and their families have said their need for information varies before, during and after deployments. Leaders, in particular, look for accurate information before the deployment. While the servicemembers are deployed, their families are especially interested in getting deployment health-related information, she noted, and following deployments, both servicemembers and families look for this information. Embrey said many information sources are available on line, but noted that too often it's difficult to tell if the information source is accurate. "We are absolutely committed to providing the best information found in sound science and based on medical evidence," Embrey said. "We want this site to be the authoritative source for deployment health and family readiness information. This is another step we are taking to ensure that those who protect our country and our freedoms are also protected." Fund helps troops' children, spouses Rebecca Campbell started the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund in 2003 to raise college tuition for the children of servicemembers killed in the war on terrorism. The fund has since expanded to encompass other financial needs. It now aims to provide a wide range of assistance to the children and spouses of troops who have been killed or injured. "These funds may be awarded to applicants of U.S. military families who are in need of assistance with housing, utilities, medical expenses, groceries, clothing, school supplies and other expenses deemed necessary in order to provide them with some support and alleviate their need," Campbell said. She said she feels a real need for this type of allocation because of the financial void often experienced by a death in a military family. "Often, when a loss occurs in these families, what was a two person income becomes one. The financial hardships placed on these families are very difficult to deal with," she said. CFSRF raises money through direct donations and fundraisers. The organization began collecting donations in May 2004, Campbell said. "Through the generosity of the public we have raised a little over $85,000 and have kept administrative costs in 2004 to less than 9 percent," Campbell said. "All proceeds go directly to qualified families." The nonprofit organization has also received the help of country singer Brad Cotter, the 2004 winner of USA Network's show "Nashville Star." The fund has been chosen as the beneficiary of a portion of the proceeds from Cotter's new single, "An American Dream," Campbell said. CFSRF is made up exclusively of volunteers, and in an effort to keep expenses to a minimum Campbell does most work, such as Web site design, IRS filings, printing, advertising and mailings from her home, she said. Campbell noted that none of the organization's board members has been affected personally by the loss of a servicemember. Campbell said her son, David, 25, served in Iraq for a year with the 82nd Airborne Division. "I cannot begin to explain the fearful and sleepless nights during his year of deployment," she said. "The Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund is simply a group of individuals who have a tremendous amount of respect for our servicemen and women," she said. "We are an enthusiastic group of family, friends and business people who choose to never forget the sacrifices made by others on our behalf." CFSRF began taking applications from military families in January and granted its first round of awards, totaling $17,000, to families in California, Pennsylvania and Indiana in June. Campbell concedes that there's no way to erase the pain of losing a loved one, but she aims to lessen the blow. "There is no substitute for a parent, but we strive to ease their pain and suffering and honor the memories of our fallen soldiers," she said. "I realize only too fully that each and every day that I have to live as a free person is only because of them and their sacrifices as well as their families." For more information, visit the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund Web site. DEERS registration protects newborn healthcare eligibility Any changes that impact family status � including marriage, divorce or a new child � must be reported to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Because DEERS enrollment is directly tied to TRICARE eligibility, care may be denied if the sponsor and family members are not enrolled in DEERS. A TRICARE Fact Sheet, available at www.tricare.osd.mil, outlines the procedures parents of newborns must follow to ensure continued healthcare eligibility for their child. To ensure that eligibility, servicemembers must enroll their newborn infant in DEERS as soon as possible after birth. By enrolling your newborn in DEERS, you establish TRICARE eligibility for the infant and avoid potential claims problems or other financial hardships for your family in the future. A newborn infant is covered as a TRICARE Prime beneficiary in DEERS for the first 60 days after birth � as long as one additional family member is enrolled in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote. After the initial 60 days, any claim submitted for a newborn will process as TRICARE Standard until the infant is enrolled in DEERS and TRICARE Prime, or the infant's TRICARE Standard eligibility ends. Eligibility for TRICARE Standard benefits ends 365 days after birth for any newborn infant who is not enrolled in DEERS. To establish a newborn's TRICARE eligibility in DEERS, you must: Submit a certificate of "live birth" and a copy of a verified and approved DD Form 1172 "Application for Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card" signed by the sponsor to your personnel office. Apply for your child's Social Security number. Go to the Social Security Administration Web site, www.ssa .gov, or call 1-800-772-1213 for an application. Once you receive your child's Social Security number, go to your nearest ID Card-issuing facility to update their information in DEERS. For more information on enrolling a newborn in DEERS, parents or guardians may contact or visit the nearest military personnel office, ID card-issuing facility, or the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office (DSO) at 1-800-538-9552. A list of military ID card facilities is available on the DMDC Web site. More information on DEERS eligibility is also available on the TRICARE Web site. Well-Being Liaison Office The Well-Being Liaison Office's Army Families Online Web site will soon launch a new "Forum" module, which will provide Army Families, as well as all members of the six other Well-Being constituent communities with a place to communicate freely with others about their personal Army experiences. In the recent past, the Web site's "Guest Book" has received numerous posts from family members of deployed Soldiers, who were looking to communicate with others who are missing their deployed Soldier. The new Forum will provide a place for such communications. Additionally, the Forum will provide an opportunity for users to share comments and opinions regarding Army programs and initiatives, as well as Army life in general. To ensure that our Army Families are secure and protected, registration will be required to participate in Army Families Online's moderated Forums. However all users will be able to read posted information. The target release date for the Forum module is September 6. Well-Being Liaison Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, ATTN: DAPE-HRP-FLO, 300 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0300. Toll-free 1-800-833-6622 (in all states including, AK, HI; Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Island) or call (703) 696-5393; DSN: 426-5393, e-mail: ArmyFamily.Link@hqda.army.mil, Well-Being Liaison Web site www.aflo.org. Articles are for information only and are not an endorsement of referenced sites, products, or services contained therein. WBLO support@aflo.org August 2005 - Family Liaison Office (FLO) Notes Chief's Corner: FRGs key in Army's mission success Families have been a part of Army life since its inception 230 years ago. However, until recently, the manner in which families are taken care of has not always been thought of by leaders to be critically linked to mission success. The role Family Readiness Groups play in a unit's mission has only become formally recognized by Army leaders in the last few decades, and it has continued to evolve into a structure that is much more than just a commander-sponsored program. Today families have such an impact on mission accomplishment that the Army is dedicated to ensuring that families are ready to cope with whatever the Army requires of the unit - be it deployment, training, combat or even reconstitution and transformation. Army leaders have taken this concept far beyond the era of just providing families with support - as it did as recently as the mid- to late- '90s when it referred to these groups as Family Support Groups - and with the reclassification of FSGs to FRGs Army leaders provided families with greater empowerment to be more actively aware of what's going on within the unit, how those events impact their Soldier, as well as how they impact the family. However, the credit for the evolution of FRGs by and large belongs to Army spouses, for they are the ones who have gotten actively involved and made FRGs what they are today; they have taken it upon themselves to tell Army leaders what they need to ensure the readiness of Army families and keep leaders apprised of family concerns. Today, as in the days of the Family Support Groups, leaders in FRGs are still volunteers. However, what has changed is the emphasis that these volunteer leaders, as well as FRG members, place on ensuring that Army families are truly ready to be an active part of the Army's mission. Additionally, FRGs continue to become more active in the National Guard and Army Reserve as well. This is especially important in an era where the Army's Reserve Component units are being pressed into service more commonly and frequently than in the past. As the Army continues to transform, FRGs are transforming to meet the needs of Army families in this changing environment. One such transformation initiative for FRGs is the addition of the Army Family Readiness Group Leader Assistant (FRGLA), a full-time employee who serves as a link between Soldiers, families, FRGs and community resources. The FRGLAs assist the command in properly and effectively responding to Soldier and family needs by: providing information and referrals to families who need assistance to the appropriate installation and community resources scheduling and coordinating training assisting in establishing and updating FRG rosters working with Rear Detachment Commanders to provide FRG leaders with timely and accurate information providing assistance with the preparation of pre-deployment, sustainment and reunion activities assisting with FRG newsletters and Web sites helping to "lighten the volunteer load." Now, more than ever, FRGs are communicating with each other across the Army, as well as across components. Technology is rapidly advancing the further development of FRGs on a grand scale, as FRG leaders harness the power of computers and the Internet to connect, maintain contact, and provide information to spouses and family members of all Soldiers, reach out to other FRGs and share from their experiences. As FRG leaders and members, you continue to enhance the Army's mission capability. Congratulations and thank you for caring for Soldiers and families. Keep up the good work! Horatio Alger offers scholarships The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is accepting applications from June 1 through Sept. 1, 2005 for its Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship. All applicants must send the following items with their application: A copy of the front page of your tax return (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ) for 2004 in order to verify income stated on application. Proof of service in the Iraq or Afghanistan theater during 2001 or later by submitting a complete copy of Department of Defense Form 214 (DD214). Documents should be mailed to: Horatio Alger Association, ATTN: Military Scholarship Program, 99 Canal Center Plaza, Alexandria, VA 22314. For more information or to apply, visit the scholarship page on the association's Web site - www.horatioalger.com/scholarships/index.cfm. Internet radio program keeps families informed Army Wife Talk Radio, a relatively-new Internet radio program, strives to keep families informed of issues relevant to Army life, and is available at www.armywifetalkradio.com. The program first aired on the Internet in March. Since the first show it has featured topics such as information on buying and selling a home; moving; Army programs; relationships; Operation Homefront; time management and relaxation; what JAG can do for you; and many others. The show is recorded weekly, and each episode runs between 60 and 85 minutes. The show also features guests who are invited to share their expertise in the featured area of interest. In addition to each new episode, archived episodes are also available through the site. For those on the go, and who are a little more tech savvy, the show is also available in Podcast format. Episode 12 - "Salute to Army Families," which aired the week of July 4, featured the Fisher House Foundation and Operation Hero Miles; the Well-Being Liaison Office; and Podcast to Troops. New DoD program extends childcare help America's military families have traditionally faced numerous childcare challenges, including the need to locate care many different times because of relocation, or for families living away from military installations, the ever-increasing childcare expenses which often outpace military income levels. However, a new Department of Defense initiative officially launched earlier this summer, in partnership with the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), will step in to help military families find and pay for childcare directly in their communities. Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood provides financial support and assistance in locating quality childcare for eligible military families who do not have access to the DoD's installation-based childcare options due to waiting lists or geographic location. Eligible servicemembers include recruiters, Reserve Office Training Corps instructors, Military Entrance Processing personnel and servicemembers who are serving in independent duty assignments. The largest employer-supported childcare program in the nation, the DoD child care program serves more than 200,000 children daily and has been hailed as a model of childcare quality. Unfortunately, an ever-growing number of military families do not live close enough to a military installation to take advantage of the program. "The demand for the high-quality childcare that servicemembers experience with the DoD's on-base child development programs has never been higher," said Janice Witte, director of the Pentagon's Office of Children and Youth. "The Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood program will greatly extend our ability to serve the military families who don't have access to our on-base services." Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood is a sister-program to Operation: Military Child Care, which launched in early spring. Both locate and subsidize childcare comparable to what a servicemember would receive on a military installation. OMCC is specifically focused on providing relief to the families of those serving in the Global War on Terror, including National Guard and reserve servicemembers. "Finding and paying for quality childcare is a major concern for nearly every family with young children in America," said Linda Smith, executive director of NACCRRA. "In some areas of the country, infant care can cost more than $13,000 per year. Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood not only supports the military's geographically-dispersed families, but also elevates the quality of care available in communities by certifying participating providers to meet the DoD's high standards of childcare." The MCCIYN initiative will be administered by a network of NACCRRA member agencies that will walk families through the process of locating a qualified care provider. Once approved, NACCRRA will provide financial support directly to the provider on behalf of DoD, so that servicemembers' fees can be reduced. The amount of financial assistance will vary for each family and will depend upon factors such as total family income, geographical location, military services' childcare fee policies, available funding, as well as certain family circumstances. Eligible families can call the Child Care Aware hotline at 1-800-424-2246 or visit the NACCRRA Web site for assistance in applying for the subsidy and locations. DoD announces increase in Death Gratuity, SGLI On July 1, the Department of Defense announced a significant increase in the death gratuity for the survivors of servicemembers killed in action and the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage for servicemembers deployed to designated combat zones. The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief Act 2005 (Public Law 109-13) increases this immediate cash payment from $12,420 to $100,000 for survivors of those whose death is as a result of hostile actions and occurred in a designated combat operation or combat zone or while training for combat or performing hazardous duty. The supplemental also increases the maximum amount of SGLI coverage from $250,000 to $400,000 for all servicemembers effective Sept. 1, 2005 and provides that the department will pay or reimburse the premiums to servicemembers who are deployed in a designated combat zone for $150,000 of SGLI coverage. Until the effective date for the SGLI increase, the supplemental provides for a special death gratuity of $150,000, retroactive to October 7, 2001, for survivors of those whose death is in a designated combat operation or combat zone or occurred while training for combat or performing hazardous duty. The Secretary of Defense has designated all areas where servicemembers are in receipt of the combat zone tax exclusion as qualifying combat zones and all members deployed outside the United States on orders in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom as participating in qualifying combat operations. Effective immediately, survivors of servicemembers, who die in these qualifying zones or operations, will receive the increased benefits. The services will also identify eligible survivors of servicemembers who died in these designated zones and operations since October 7, 2001 and begin making the retroactive payments within a few days. The process of identifying all eligible beneficiaries and completing these retroactive payments will take several months. Survivors of members who did not die in a designated combat operation or combat zone, but were training for combat or performing hazardous duty, will also qualify for the increased benefits. Circumstances that qualify include: aerial flight, parachute duty, demolition duty, diving duty, war games, practice alerts, tactical exercises, leadership reaction courses, grenade and live fire exercises, hand-to-hand combat training, confidence and obstacle courses, accident involving a military vehicle or military weapon, exposure to toxic fumes or gas and explosion of military ordnance. No amount of monetary compensation or level of assistance can replace a human life. However, it is our country's duty to recognize the loss of a servicemember with dignified and appropriate support for the family members left behind. These death benefit enhancements recognize the direct sacrifice of life of those servicemembers placed in harm's way and in service to the nation. All beneficiaries for retroactive payments will be contacted by mail or telephone. If someone is not contacted, but thinks he may be entitled to added benefits, he may inquire at the following addresses or telephone numbers: Army - Department of the Army Casualty Operations at toll-free 1-800-626-3317. Navy - Navy Personnel Command (PERS-62), 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38055-6200 or call toll-free 1-800-368-3202. Air Force - Air Force Personnel Center Casualty Services Branch at AFPC/DPFCS, 550 C Street West, Suite 14, Randolph AFB TX 78150-4216 or call toll-free 1-800-433-0048. Marine Corps - HQMC Casualty Office, 3280 Russell Road, Attn: MRPC, Quantico, VA 22134 or call toll-free 1-800-847-1597. Coast Guard - Coast Guard Personnel Services Center, 444 SE Quincy St., Topeka KS 66683-3591; Phone (785) 339-3570. Army programs combat rising divorce rate An increase of divorces among active-duty Soldiers has Army chaplains undertaking a number of programs to combat the rising trend and help Soldiers cope. Divorces among officers tripled from fiscal year 2002 to 2004, according to statistics compiled by the Defense Manpower Data Center. After Operation Iraqi Freedom began, there was an Armywide increase of 3,024 divorces. "These statistics are a sign of a loss of a dream. People don't get married to divorce," said Chap. (Col.) Glen Bloomstrom, director of the Ministry Initiatives Directorate for the Office of the Chief of Chaplains. Several programs now help Soldiers cope with life and parenting after divorce. Divorce Care Support groups and Divorce Parenting classes are mandatory for Soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas. "We recognize [Soldiers] come because they are required," said Lt. Col. David Scheider, director of Family Life Chaplain Training Center at Fort Hood. "But it is difficult to get time off on a duty day, so the requirement makes leaders willing to let them go." Also available is Army One Source which is a toll-free nationwide number as well as a Web site that allows Soldiers to contact a consultant regarding life's issues. Through this service, Soldiers and their families have access to up to six in-person counseling sessions at no cost to them. Although deployment is an indicator of the stress on the force, both Bloomstrom and Scheider agreed that the problem is that many couples do not have the skills needed to make their marriage work. "Anytime there is a lot of stress, there is a higher opportunity for people to stray," Scheider said. Marital skills have been studied by researchers at the University of Denver. The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health through the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program. PREP is known for thorough empirical research. Through PREP findings, Army chaplains are educating Soldiers and their families about coping skills and the skills needed to make a marriage successful. Chaplains have established several programs and services in the Army that are designed to help couples manage stresses associated with the military lifestyle. Bloomstrom said all of the programs focus on three primary areas: awareness, attitudes, and skills. The Building Strong and Ready Families program "was the first marriage education program that was systemically and systematically implemented in the Army," said Bloomstrom, who has been involved with the program since its origin in 1999. BSRF was first established at Hawaii's 25th Infantry Division Artillery. BSRF is not marriage counseling, said Bloomstrom. It is marriage education. As stated in the 2002 Executive Summary interim report of BSRF, "While the Army has developed and deployed numerous programs to treat and respond to family and couple issues, the strengths in the underlying design of BSRF lie in a focus on prevention rather than reactive, crisis management." Retreats for couples in BSRF are called Strong Bonds retreats. This year, there are about 600 retreats scheduled Army-wide, each with 20 to 50 couples attending. For National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers, there are weekend retreats. Active component Soldiers have one-day events and overnight retreats. All U.S. states and territories have an event scheduled. Soldiers and their spouses can contact their State Family Program Office to find out what is being offered in that state. Chaplains and chaplain assistants are also available to assist Soldiers wanting to talk. "They have a relationship usually with that unit," Bloomstrom said of battalion and brigade chaplains. "There is a real benefit having them involved, as opposed to someone you don't know." Scheider mentioned that Soldiers also trust the unit chaplains because of the confidential communication. There has been a doubling of total Army divorces from fiscal year 2000 to 2004 - an increase of nearly 5,000 divorces over this period. A year before Sept. 11, 2001, total active-duty Army divorces were at 5,658 among 255,353 marriages. Divorces rose a year later to 7,049 from 248,180 marriages. Still, these statistics can be misleading. Bloomstrom explains that if it is a dual military couple, the divorce counts twice. He also said the statistics do not take into account if these soldiers are married and divorcing for a second time. He points out that normally, couples face a 50-50 chance of their marriage surviving. Couples in their second marriage face a 60-70 percent chance of their marriage ending in divorce. Bloomstrom said that the Army needs to focus on its Well-Being. "We recruit a Soldier, and retain a family," he said. "We need to listen to the other part of the fighting force which is the family that stays home and supports the Soldiers." Editor's note: This article was written for the Army News Service by Monica Barrera. SCRA, USERRA protect Soldiers, families It is important that military families know about the two laws that provide financial protections for servicemembers. Here's a short summary of these laws. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): Addresses civil, judicial, and administrative proceedings, interest rates on pre-service credit cards and mortgages, eviction, mortgage foreclosure, and residential and automobile rental agreements. Provides protection to active duty, as well as National Guard and reserve Soldiers called to active duty for 20 days or more. Allows a Soldier to stay court hearings or administrative hearings if they are unable to appear due to military service. Allows a Soldier to reduce the interest rate on pre-service loans and obligations to six percent per year, if military service materially affects his/her ability to pay the debt. Requires a court order before evicting Soldier or their families from premises for which the monthly rent does not exceed $2,534.32 for the year 2005. This rental ceiling is adjusted annually for inflation. Requires a court order before foreclosure on property purchased by a Soldier prior to entry on active duty. Allows a Soldier to terminate real property leases if ordered to active duty, in receipt of Permanent Change of Station orders, or ordered to deploy for at least 90 days. Allows a Soldier to terminate automobile leases. Pre-service automobile leases may be cancelled if the Soldier receives orders to active duty for a period of 180 days or more. Automobile leases entered into while the Soldier is on active duty may be terminated if the Soldier receives PCS orders to an overseas location or deployment orders for a period of 180 days or more. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA): Applies primarily to Reserve Component Soldiers. Ensures that members of the Uniformed Services are entitled to prompt return to their civilian employment upon completion of their service. Protects individuals from discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention on the basis of present or future membership in the Uniformed Services. Requires that a person who intends to invoke these reemployment benefits must provide advance written or verbal notice of the forthcoming military service to the employer. Sets time limits for invoking the reemployment rights based on the length of the period of active service. The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary DoD organization to help Soldiers protect their rights under USERRA. For more information on protecting your rights, contact your local military legal assistance office. More detailed information on these laws can be found at the U.S. Army Legal Assistance Web site. Editor's note: Provided by the Office of the U.S. Army Staff Judge Advocate. Well-Being Liaison Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, ATTN: DAPE-HRP-FLO, 300 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0300. Toll-free 1-800-833-6622 (in all states including, AK, HI; Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Island) or call (703) 696-5393; DSN: 426-5393, e-mail: ArmyFamily.Link@hqda.army.mil, Well-Being Liaison Web site www.aflo.org. Articles are for information only and are not an endorsement of referenced sites, products, or services contained therein. WBLO support@aflo.org July 2005 FLO Notes Chief's Corner: Customer service, you Most all of you know the Well-Being Liaison Office operates the Army Information Line � 1-800-833-6622. And, many of the calls we receive through the Army Information Line have to do specifically with customer service in one way or another. Normally, when we receive a call it means that the caller either received an unfavorable comment or a level of service, from the Army agency they were dealing with, that did not meet the customer's expectation. From our point of view the customer is most always right. The solution is normally easy, and once the right person to resolve the issue is found it's not long before a successful resolution for the customer is achieved. Why should we have to go through this kind of stress in the first place? This begs the question, what level of service should the average Soldier, family member or civilian expect? My opinion is the answer should be excellent. At a minimum we should be faced with a person on the other side of the counter that is cheerful, pleasant, eager to help ... and generally happy to see you. Excellent service can sometimes mean a little hard work for an agency, if done right. The other day I took off work to go to one of our ID Card Facilities and get an ID Card for my wife. She also works so we made an adventure of the event. We were greeted by the person charged with the responsibility to provide for our need with a terse "do you have an appointment?" I replied with a polite "No." "Well," she said, "you know you are required to have an appointment to get an ID Card." We must have looked lost or pitiful because the sergeant told us she would take care of us anyway. We were the only customers and it was obvious we had made a major mistake. We had obviously taken the wrong day off. How nice it would have been if we had been greeted by someone who was happy to see us! This happens all the time and unfortunately overshadows those who really try hard and truly care about giving excellent service. It is not enough to be proficient at your job in today's Army. It is also not enough to be technically knowledgeable. Our business is not like a department store, where you can walk in and buy an item. If you don't like the item you just take it back and get a refund. You also have a choice on where to shop, so if you are not treated properly you can go to the next store down the street. In the Army there is normally one housing office, one ACS, one transportation office, one PX, the list goes on. We buy service with our sacrifice and time away from family and friends. Our civilians and families buy service with their commitment to our Soldiers and the mission. Therefore, the level of service we receive should reflect the level of dedication each Soldier has to their country. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FirstGov features wealth of military resources Whether you're active or retired, FirstGov has arranged a section with all the resources you need. From news about current military operations to information on the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), this section has it all. The site features information on benefits and retirement, family support, housing, training, education, and much more. For veterans, FirstGov.gov has organized a variety of useful topics, such as pension and health benefits, home loans, and life insurance in one easy to find place. Find out more by going to FirstGov and click on the "Military and Veterans" link under the "By Audience" section. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commissaries celebrate 138th anniversary The Defense Commissary Agency will mark its 14th anniversary Oct. 1, but commissaries have been operating considerably longer than that. It was 138 years ago � on July 1, 1867 to be exact � that every Army post in the United States was simultaneously authorized to begin selling grocery items from its subsistence warehouse "at cost" to soldiers of all ranks. This provided considerable savings compared to goods they could purchase from civilian merchants known as post traders. That was the start of what is now the oldest resale activity on U.S. military installations: the military grocery store, originally called the sales commissary but known today simply as the commissary. Many Army outposts did not immediately have fully-functioning commissaries. In those areas post traders continued to sell goods out of necessity but as commissaries spread, post traders were phased out of business by 1895. Subsequently, the Navy and Marine Corps opened their first commissaries in 1910, and the Air Force did so in 1948. Over the last 138 years, the stores have operated at nearly 1,000 different locations throughout the world. Today DeCA runs 270 stores worldwide, providing a premier commissary benefit to active duty military personnel, military retirees, members of the National Guard and reserve, and their families. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Combat-Related Special Compensation The Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) is a $22 billion program that provides tax-free monthly payments to disabled retirees of all uniformed services. CRSC payments are retroactive (to June 2003 or January 2004 depending on eligibility), supplement a servicemembers' Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability pay, and service retired pay. Eligible applicants include retirees who served 20 or more years on active duty, or as a reservist, age 60 with a minimum of 20 creditable years (per 10 USC 12731); are in a retired status; are entitled to retired pay that is offset by VA payments (a VA Waiver); and have at least a 10-percent VA disability rating. Combat related criteria include those VA disabilities that occurred under the following situations: 1. In the performance of duty under conditions simulating war (e.g. exercises, field training); 2. While engaged in hazardous service (e.g. flight, diving, parachute duty); 3. Through an instrumentality of war (e.g. combat vehicles, weapons, Agent Orange); OR 4. As a direct result of armed conflict (i.e. Purple Heart). Eligible retirees should apply today. For more information or to receive an application, call CRSC toll free at 1-866-281-3254 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Retirees can also find CRSC information and resources on the Internet at www.crsc.army.mil. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USAR goes hi-tech to reach out to families The U.S. Army Reserve unveiled a new Web portal to support deployed Soldiers and their families June 15. The U.S Army Reserve Family Programs Portal is a "one-stop shop" that provides USAR families with information and services and enhances communications between Soldiers, their families and USAR staff. There are more than 1 million Army Reserve Soldiers ready to support their active-duty counterparts and serve the nation when called upon by the President. Currently The Army Reserve has nearly 62,000 Soldiers deployed worldwide. The US Army Reserve Family Programs staff currently provides vital information and services to Army Reserve Soldiers and their families. The U.S Army Reserve Family Programs Portal, developed by DefenseWeb Technologies of San Diego, replicates this physical family support system in a readily accessible virtual environment. "Army Reserve Soldiers, unlike active-duty troops, are not centrally located on a base," said Michael Evans, USAR family programs manager. "Since Soldiers are widely dispersed across cities, towns and villages in virtually every state, communicating with them can be more of a challenge. This new Web portal allows USAR staff to quickly and effectively communicate with Soldiers and their families. The new Web portal provides Soldiers and their families with easy access to information and services to support their Well-Being." The USAR Family Programs Web Portal provides information and services to: Army Reserve Soldiers (deployed and stateside) � the latest Army Reserve news and information, links to family services and updates on Family Programs, as well as interactive online resources. Families � information on the various programs and services available to help family members adjust to change, deal with challenges related to mobilization, deployment and every day living. Employers � information to help civilian employers support their citizen-Soldier employees. Family Programs staff � a readily accessible resource for effectively delivering, tracking and reporting the status of Family Programs services provided to soldiers and their families. For more information about the U.S. Army Reserve, visit Army Reserve Web site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Survey seeks input on educating military children The education of military children is a huge concern for the military community. From maintaining on-post schools to involvement in the local community schools, military families are concerned about the quality of education of their children. Military children face very unique challenges, from the high school teens who are required to take additional testing and classes for graduation requirements for, yet again, another state due to a PCS move to parents' need for information about the schools in the area for a new school-aged child. The National Military Family Association (NMFA) is soliciting information on the children's educational needs of military families and wants to hear about your family's experience in ensuring that the educational needs of children are met. To participate in NMFA's military children education survey, log on to NMFA's Web site and take part in the "Your Child's Education" survey. Tips for PCSing The summer months are here, so too is the high-volume PCS (permanent change of station) season. If you are PCSing outside the continental United States (OCONUS), or to a remote location with family members, here are a few tips from Community Health Nursing (CHN) to make your family-member OCONUS screening hassle-free: 1. To prevent travel delays, family-member screening appointments should be scheduled upon receipt of appropriate military OCONUS travel screening forms. 2. Bring all family member medical and immunization records to the appointment. 3. Ensure family members have current and complete medical information. Children up to age 2 must have an up-to-date Well Baby visit documented in their medical records. Children 3-17 and adults must have documentation of a physical exam within the last year. (Appointments with CHN can be before your physical exam appointment with your primary-care manager.) 4. Be aware that any outstanding tests or consultations ordered by the provider must be completed prior to the final medical clearance (for example, if the provider ordered a cardiology consultation, it must be completed and the results documented in the family member's medical record). 5. Bring a copy of the current Individualized Education Program or Individualized Family Services Plan for any family members receiving special-education or early-intervention services. 6. Bring all family members 6 years old or younger to the appointment. Editor's note: This story was written by Carla Benjamin who is a community health nurse at the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center at Fort Meade, Md. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beware of hoaxes The wife of a Fort Carson, Colo., Soldier, who is deployed in Iraq, received a hoax telephone call. Reportedly, a man claiming to be a colonel called the wife to say something happened to her husband, but the call proved to be a fake. This call has been at least the second such reported hoax perpetrated on the spouses of Fort Carson Soldiers, Army officials said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scholarships for Military Children Thanks to the Scholarships for Military Children program 500 students will receive $1,500 scholarships to apply toward college tuition this fall. Eligibility includes sons and daughters of active-duty, National Guard and reserve Soldiers, as well as those of retired servicemembers. The annual scholarship program is usually announced in early November with an entry deadline of mid-February. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soldier, family life consultant initiative begins Following the success of an Office of the Secretary of Defense pilot program in the United States Army Europe, the Department of the Army "Soldier and Family Life Consultants Initiative" began in June. The program provides informal support to Soldiers and their family members, offering free, anonymous reunion and reintegration support to active-duty Soldiers, National Guardsmen, reservists and their families. For more information on this program, contact Carol Menichetti via e-mail at Carol.Menichetti@us.army.mil, or by phone at (703) 681-1545. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spouses to Teachers program unveiled Spouses to Teachers, which was developed from a program to help servicemembers become teachers, is helping military spouses already working as teachers to get certified in a different state. The program offers several forms of assistance and financial help up to $600 per person for testing and certification costs. For more information, visit the Spouse to Teachers Web site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Military Spouse Career Center The Military Spouse Career Center, commissioned by the Department of Defense Office of Military Community and Family Policy, launched in April, and can be accessed on the Internet at www.Military.com/spouse. The new resource connects America's 1 million military spouses with education options, scholarships, training programs, career planning tips and employment opportunities. For more information, visit: www.Military.com/spouse. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hot weather food safety tips No matter where you're stationed, it's a pretty good bet your weather is about as hot as a firecracker by now. It's the time of year for lazy days at the beach or pool, complete with a picnic basket of goodies, or backyard cookouts with friends and family. If you'd rather not be remembered as the host who had to serve "Alka-Seltzer" cocktails a couple of hours after the hamburgers and hot dogs, then it's a good time to review food safety basics. Knowing how to prepare, handle and store food properly is always important, but summer temperatures kick spoilage actions into high gear. Normally the rule of thumb for safely allowing foods to remain at room temperature while the meal is being served and consumed is two hours. At temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit it's only one hour. That's why it's important to know summer food safety rules and apply them properly. Keep it clean � Wash hands with soap and water often while handling food, and do the same for surfaces food will come into contact with. On a picnic, take along paper towels and hand sanitizer. Don't forget to give fresh fruits and vegetables a bath, too. Do it just before you're ready to use them, and don't use soap. Just rinse them good under cold running water, scrubbing briskly with your hands or a soft brush, then dry well with paper towels. Even produce such as cantaloupe and watermelon � with a rind that you don't intend to eat � need this same washing routine to prevent harmful organisms from contaminating the fruit's flesh when sliced open. Separate so you don't contaminate � This caution starts at the commissary and carries through to refrigerator storage, packing a cooler, and even cooking and serving. Always keep raw meat, poultry and seafood, and their leaking juices away from cooked, ready-to-eat foods and fresh produce. Before handling other foods, use soap and water to wash hands, utensils and cutting boards that have come into contact with raw meats. Never put cooked meats back on the same plate that held them raw. If raw meats, poultry or seafood must share space in a cooler with other foods, carefully pack each in sealed, leak-proof containers. Chill perishable foods promptly and thaw foods properly � Nothing provides a better environment for the quick growth of germs than the thawing of foods on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Thaw foods in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for each five pounds of frozen food to be thawed. For quick thawing, submerge foods wrapped in airtight packaging in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Thaw foods in the microwave only if you'll be cooking them immediately. Refrigerate perishable foods immediately upon returning home from the commissary, placing raw meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf to eliminate the possibility of accidental drips that can contaminate other foods. Cook it safe, test the temperature � If you're not in the habit of using a meat thermometer to verify that items like hamburgers, pork chops or chicken breasts have reached a safe internal temperature, please, do yourself and your family a favor by changing that bad habit. Even though the accepted advice is to "cook ground beef patties until the center is no longer pink," judging when food is done based on color alone has proven to be unreliable. A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that one out of every four hamburgers turns brown in the center before it reaches a safe internal temperature. If you're a fan of rare hamburgers, be aware that you are taking a calculated risk every time you eat one. Why is it okay to eat a medium rare steak, but not a medium rare hamburger? Harmful bacteria typically reside on the surface of a whole piece of meat like a steak. The high temperature and amount of time required to brown the steak's exterior will kill the surface bacteria and sufficiently warm the center to a safe level. With ground meats, surface bacteria get dispersed throughout the product in grinding. Check the accompanying chart for the safe internal temperature for steaks, roasts, poultry, ground meats and egg dishes. Then break out that meat thermometer and make temperature-taking a regular habit. Editor's note: This article was written by DeCA Europe consumer advocate Kay Blakley. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRICARE update TRICARE Standard beneficiaries who live within a 40-mile radius of a military medical treatment facility will no longer be required to obtain a non-availability statement or pre-authorization from an MTF before receiving inpatient care (other than mental health services) or maternity care from a civilian provider. DoD is still authorized to make exceptions under certain conditions through a waiver process. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well-Being Liaison Office The Well-Being Liaison Office would like to extend a warm welcome to its two newest employees � Alicia Kadesch and Kristin Kilbane. Alicia Kadesch is a constituent liaison serving on the Army Information Line staff. A 2004 graduate of the University of Florida, Alicia holds a BA in Political Science with a concentration on International Relations, and she proudly calls herself a military brat. Kristin Kilbane is the new content manager for the WBLO's Army Families Online Web site. The daughter of a retired lieutenant colonel and Vietnam veteran, Kristin holds a Masters degree from the Catholic University of America, and brings with her a wealth of experience in the field of Web editing and publishing. Well-Being Liaison Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, ATTN: DAPE-HRP-FLO, 300 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-0300. Toll-free 1-800-833-6622 (in all states including, AK, HI; Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Island) or call (703) 696-5393; DSN: 426-5393, e-mail: ArmyFamily.Link@hqda.army.mil, Well-Being Liaison Web site www.aflo.org. Articles are for information only and are not an endorsement of referenced sites, products, or services contained therein. June 2005 - FLO NOTES Chief's Corner: Sorrowful goodbye We are sad to say good bye to a friend and colleague of Army Soldiers and families worldwide. During the past two years Marion Sakowitz has served the Well-Being Liaison Office with dignity and brought a level of expertise and professional bearing to everyone she has touched. She followed in a long line of very distinguished professionals who have served this office with distinction by making a significant impact on the Well-Being of our people. Marion spearheaded the WBLO's Disabled Soldier Support System effort marking a pivotal moment in the Army's history of providing for our Soldiers who have either been hurt beyond a 30-percent disability or were severely injured. The Well-Being Liaison Office was a major element in this effort by standing up the DS3 Web site, conducting outreach operations and representing the Army family during the planning stages of this great effort. Marion was the WBLO lead in the conduct of outreach and planning stages of DS3. Because of her efforts we are proud to note that we contacted well over 700 Soldiers and family members in the past year. The WBLO's dedicated Army Information Line was the backbone of this operation with Marion as their manager. Countless hours beyond the contracted 40 hours per week mark the intensity of effort she spearheaded. Marion's actions, attention to detail, expert advice and profound caring for the welfare of our people has made a significant impact on the Quality of Life and Well-Being of the Army's Soldiers, retirees, veterans, civilians and families. I will deeply miss Marion, her gentile mentorship, guiding hand and the results of her selfless dedication to the Well-Being of our people. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free stuff for troops, families via the Internet Many organizations set out to provide support to Soldiers and their families during a period of time when our nation is actively engaged in waging a Global War on Terrorism. The following list of Internet links is a sampling of this support. Additionally, many of these sites provide information on how people can get involved, and in some cases even make donations of various types to help support the cause: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Homelink (http://www.operationhomelink.org/) Operation Homelink is a non-profit organization that exists to help facilitate e-mail communication between deployed Soldiers and their families back home. Recognizing that many lower income families are not able to afford a computer, and therefore must rely on expensive phone calls or postal service to stay in touch, Operation Homelink provides free, refurbished, computers to the spouses or parents of Soldiers in Grades E-1 to E-5. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Little (Military) Mailbox My Little (Military) Mailbox - www.mylittlemailbox.com, or www.SarahSmiley.com - "Syndicated military columnist and Navy wife Sarah Smiley, along with her site "Shore Duty," has teamed up with "My Little Mailbox" to offer unique fun and greetings for a very special group of children - the boys and girls who wait while their parent, or parents, serve overseas," according to a press release from PRWeb. Registered dependent children will receive a delivery from "My Little (Military) Mailbox" that includes a note from a favorite character or "pen pal," and a special surprise (stickers, craft, or small present). Additionally, the deployed servicemember parent will have the opportunity to select what their child's note says, which pen pal it will be from and what surprise will be included. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Uplink (http://www.operationuplink.org/) Operation Uplink keeps Soldiers and hospitalized veterans in touch with their families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone card. The program relies on contributions from supporters to purchase phone cards and distribute them to Soldiers who are separated from their loved ones. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AnySoldier.com AnySoldier.com provides contacts for where to send letter and care packages to deployed Soldiers. The site provides a listing of what Soldiers need, and ensures that Soldiers who do not receive much or any mail get a little something special. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appreciate and Thank Our Troops (http://appreciateourtroops.org/index.php) Appreciate and Thank Our Troops sponsors Operation "Mug a Troop," which affords people the opportunity to purchase a Troop Appreciation mug set. For each set sold, a personalized partner mug, which features the Soldier's name and rank, is made and sent to a Soldier. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Shoebox (http://www.operationshoebox.com/) Operation Shoebox encourages citizens to show their support for deployed Soldiers by sending shoebox-sized care packages, or posting messages of support. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blue Star Moms (http://www.bluestarmoms.org/) Blue Star Moms is a support and service group of mothers who joined together to share their worries, pride and devotion to their loved ones' service in all branches of the U.S. armed services, and is an official chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. Blue Star Moms offers two particularly interesting opportunities through their Web site. The first is Fair Military Airfare (http://www.bluestarmoms.org/airfare.html) , which features information about legislation signed by President Bush on Dec. 17, 2003, which provides for reduced airfare for active-duty servicemembers. The second is Care Packageshttp://www.bluestarmoms.org/care.html), in which the organization addresses care packages to deployed sons and daughters of families who have contacted the Blue Star Moms. Included with each care package is a letter that asks the Soldier to share the package with his or her unit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Air Conditioner, Inc. Since June 2003 Operation AC has been sending 110v single-phase air conditioners to our troops in Iraq. The organization also provides voltage converters, as many of these units are powered by 220v generators. Since the program began, the organization has also adapted their effort to include sending the troops items that may be hard to find in Iraq as well. Despite having sent more than 9,000 air conditioning units to Iraq thus far, the organization still receives many requests. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Hero Miles (http://www.heromiles.org/) Operation Hero Miles provides a way to assist Soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan by donating unused frequent flyer miles, as well as providing family members of wounded Soldiers with travel to medical facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prayer Central (http://prayercentral.net/engage/militaryprayer/daily.php) Prayer Central offers daily devotionals and prayers for our Soldiers and families. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Military Moms "Support Our Troops" (http://www.militarymoms.net/sot.html) Military Moms provides a place for family members to sign up their Soldier to receive care packages, which are built from donated items. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation Military Pride (http://operationmilitarypride.org/) Operation Military Pride is a volunteer organization with a wide range of activities - all of which seek to boost the morale of our troops deployed overseas. The organization not only sends cards, letters and care packages, but also distributes troop names and addresses to patriots wanting to send cards, letters or care packages directly to troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soldiers' Angels (http://www.soldiersangels.org/) Soldiers' Angels was founded by Patti Patton-Bader, the mother of a Soldier who has recently returned from a year's deployment to Iraq. Started in June 2003, Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer run, non-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Nevada. The organization's mission is to provide aide and comfort to any of the armed forces and their families. The volunteers of Soldiers' Angels send care to deployed Soldier's and their loved ones at home. To date they have sent thousands of care packages to deployed Soldiers, helped the wounded at three major military hospitals and provided assistance to many military families. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treats for Troops (http://www.treatsfortroops.com/) Treats for Troops was founded in early 2003 by a Denver business woman, who was determined to make it safe and simple for every American to send packages and messages of support to our men and women in uniform year round. Since the Treats for Troops Gift Shops opened in June of 2003, friends, family members, groups, organizations and individual sponsors have sent over twenty tons of treats to American Soldiers through Treats for Troops. Individuals, organizations and groups who don't personally know anyone in the military, but want to show their support can sponsor Soldiers through the organization's Foster-A-Soldier Program. Sponsors can choose their Soldiers by branch of service, home state or gender. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Army goes live with Web registry for childcare The U.S. Army Family Child Care program now offers a Web-based information and referral tool for parents considering using home-based care - www.armyfcc.com. The FCC program provides servicemembers or qualified civilians a home away from home for their children through military family members or independent contractors in individual housing units located on a military installation, in government-controlled housing off the installation or civilian housing off the installation. "We hope ArmyFCC.com will allow parents to view the program in a way they haven't been able to do before," said Marilyn Judge, FCC director at Fort Sam Houston Texas. "Getting information out to the perspective parents is very helpful to us, parents and providers." A virtual tour of an FCC home offers parents, who may be reluctant to visit a series of homes in order to make a selection, pictures and information they need to know to make an important decision. "It's making our referral process much more efficient," Judge added. "The providers will make their own updates from their home computers." The Web site also allows the providers to tell, in their own words, what they do and what is important to them and gives each one an equal chance to impress prospective parents. "It is an opportunity for us to showcase our homes and really introduce ourselves as independent businesses," said Shawn Lowery, an FCC childcare provider at Fort Sam Houston. "The program helps break the babysitter stereotype, moving us to a new category." The secure section offers protection to both the providers and the parents so that only eligible parents can view provider information. The Central Enrollment Registry staff at each installation will assist in the search process and can answer questions parents may have about individual FCC provider profiles. To make it a fair process for all families, parents must request childcare through the installation's CER office. The officials said that, although ArmyFCC.com gives parents an advance start in selecting the best placement for their child, it does not guarantee a space in a specific home and parents should not use ArmyFCC.com as a substitute for the parent and provider interview. As the number of temporary duty trips and deployments rises, the FCC program makes life easier for Soldiers and their diverse work hours by offering full-day, part-day and hourly care. FCC's special services include 24-hour and long-term care during mobilization and training exercises, evening and weekend care, and care for special needs children and mildly ill children. In order to benefit from any CYS programs, to include FCC services, families must complete a registration process and pay a registration fee, but it is not necessary to complete the registration process to place a child's name on the waiting list. The installation Central Enrollment Registry office follows DoD, Army and installation policies for managing waiting lists. When a child's name comes to the top of the waiting list, a CYS registration clerk will contact the parent to offer the vacancy and provide information on the process of selecting a program or individual provider. "I think it's great that the providers are getting this kind of support and attention," Judge said. "They put in long hours to provide childcare, and they are not as visible as an activity taking place in a facility. It gives them proper exposure." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Exercising voting rights important even in 'off' years Soldiers and citizens overseas should participate in local off-season elections, the director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program said recently. "I think it's always important for us to exercise our right to vote," Polli Brunelli said. "We've seen from past elections that our uniformed services members and overseas citizens vote in large numbers. They're engaged in the absentee-voting process, and some actually vote in person as well." Just because this is not a presidential election year does not mean this election is not important, she added. Many elections will decide state and local issues. Brunelli said it's important for absentee voters to look at all of the issues, state and local, which concern them in their state of legal voting residence. But it is up to each individual voter to decide what issues are important and to research the candidates. "[It's] a little bit easier than it used to be in the old days, where we found our overseas citizens were mostly getting information on elections from their friends and family members," Brunelli said. "They would either send them local newspapers or tell them what the candidates stood for and what the issues were." The FVAP Web site provides multiple links to states' Web sites, state associations, political party sites, and other organizations where voters can find a plethora of information. News organizations can also be accessed via the Web, she said. Voter-registration and absentee ballot-request forms are readily available as well. Brunelli said it takes research to cast an effective vote. "It's incredibly important to be informed about these issues," she said. "An informed voter is a good voter. It shows civic responsibility in that regard when you're informed." "The [Federal Post Card Application] is the easiest way to request registration and an absentee ballot," Brunelli said. "And the easiest way to get the form is from voting-assistance officers at military installations. And at overseas activities, local organizations provide them. Embassies and consulates also provide them. There are Democrats and Republicans abroad who are overseas citizens who stock these forms. And the forms are also available on our Web site, the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site." Military members or other citizens overseas can contact their unit or installation voting-assistance officer, call the FVAP, or send an e-mail via the FVAP Web site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Breast cancer awareness As cells divide when new cells are not needed, they form too much tissue. The mass or lump of extra tissue, which is called a tumor, can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Finding a lump in your breast does not mean you have breast cancer. Early breast cancer does not usually cause pain, but as the cancer grows it can cause changes that women should be alert for. Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through self-exams. Watch for: A change in the size or shape of the breasts. A discharge from the nipple. A change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast, areola or nipple (dimpled, puckered or scaly). A lump in or near breasts or underarm. Swelling, redness, or warmth that does not go away. Pain in one spot that does not vary with your monthly cycle. An itchy, sore, or scaling area on one nipple. But remember: finding symptoms is not diagnostic of breast cancer! Consult your healthcare provider. Every two minutes in the United States, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. This year more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the U.S. Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. It is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55. And breast cancer is not just a female disease. Sixteen thousand men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 400 are predicted to die. Diagnosis may use any combination of the following: 1. Palpitation. A benign lump often feels different from cancerous ones. 2. Mammography provides information about a lump. Starting at the age of 40, women should have annual screening mammograms. Today, mammography has little radiation risk. A diagnostic mammogram is used to evaluate a woman with a problem/symptom or an abnormal finding on a screening mammogram, and will be focused on the area where there is thought to be abnormal tissue. Since a small percentage of breast cancers cannot be identified by mammography, it is important to practice regular BSE (breast self-exam). 3. Ultrasonography (ultrasound) uses high-frequency sound waves to show whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid. 4. Screening and early detection is best accomplished by mammograms, clinical breast exams (by doctor or nurse) or BSE. Based on these exams, the doctor may decide that no further tests are needed. Often, however, based on the finding, fluid or tissue must be removed from the breasts to make a diagnosis. Aspiration, or needle biopsy, is used to remove fluid or a small amount of tissue from a breast lump with a needle. Surgical biopsy is used by the surgeon to remove part or all of a lump, which will be examined by a pathologist. Every woman should examine her breasts once a month to become familiar with how her breasts look and feel. The best time is about five to seven days after the beginning of her menstrual cycle. If she no longer has a cycle, she should choose a specific date each month; a date that is significant to her. Fibrocystic breast changes, lumpiness, and tenderness at certain times of the month do not increase your chance of getting cancer, but keep in mind - performing BSE will help a woman become familiar with what is normal for her breasts. While the percentage of men who are diagnosed with breast cancer is small, men should also give themselves monthly exams and note changes to their physicians. New information suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables are linked with lower cancer rates, and eating at least five servings a day can help keep your daily calorie intake low. Just take it easy on the cheese sauce! Editor's note: This article was written by Dorothy Lopez, who is a community health nurse at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center, Fort Meade, Md. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well-Being Liaison Office The Well-Being Liaison Office would like to extend a warm welcome to its newest member - Cathy Jackman, who will serve as a Special Projects Officer for the WBLO. Cathy is a senior Army spouse of 23 years, married to Maj. Gen. Galen Jackman, and the daughter of a retired Army officer. The Jackmans have two sons - David 17, and Patrick 15. Throughout her association with the Army, Cathy has volunteered her time working with a number of Army Family Readiness groups at varying levels. She has most recently volunteered as an Army Arlington Lady. Cathy has a deep appreciation for Soldiers and their families and said that she is looking forward to working as a member of the WBLO team serving all seven Army Well-Being constituent groups. While it brings us great joy to welcome a new member to our team, we are also sad to announce the departure of two other WBLO employees - Ayandria Barry and Sandra Floyd-Miller, both of whom work as staff on the Army Information Line as Constituent Liaisons. Ayandria, or Yan as we've all become accustomed to calling her, has been a dedicated member of the WBLO Staff since August 2003. She is the proud wife of an Army first sergeant - 1st. Sgt. Melvin Barry, who serves with the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davidson Army Airfield, Va. - and a mother of two children - Melody, 14; and Gabriel, 4. During her time with the WBLO, Yan has been completely dedicated to assisting Army families. She was also very instrumental in conducting a number of interviews with Soldiers as part of the Army's Disabled Soldier Support System (DS3) effort. All of us who've been privileged enough to work with Yan have come to see her as a fighter; having been diagnosed with breast cancer during her time here, she is now a survivor. With her departure from the WBLO staff, she will truly be missed. We wish her luck as she moved on to a position with the Army DS3 staff at Human Resources Command in Alexandria. Sandra, retired Army master sergeant who joined the Army Information Line staff in September 2004 is also moving on to a position with the Army DS3 staff. Since joining the staff she has been very instrumental in supporting the Army's DS3 effort as well as providing assistance to Army Information Line callers. Married to Master Sgt. (Ret.) Dlanao Miller, and the mother of four children - Gregory, 23; Janell, 22; Icess, 17 and Janita 14 - Sandra will also be missed.

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