Archive for June, 2009
June 22, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Patriotism, Podcast, Spouse and Family
Back in May, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ruth. Ruth is a recent recipient of President Bush’s Volunteer Service Award. She is a life long volunteer and troop supporter extraordinaire. In the interview linked above, Ruth shares her memories of being a little girl during World War II, and watching the changes in culture through the years.
Ruth’s love for our soldiers is contagious and inspiring.
Ruth received her service award in a ceremony where she had asked some Vietnam Vetearns to participate. Below is an excerpt of her award ceremony and some pictures:
Local volunteer honored
By Dustin Pangonis
Monday, June 22, 2009 9:27 AM
EDTSCHUYLKILL HAVEN — When Ruth Ray, 71, of Port Carbon, was given the President’s Volunteer Service Award on Sunday, she held it for just a few seconds before changing the focus and presenting a gift of her own.
“Thank you for serving, Vietnam vets,” Ray said as she handed a statuette of an American flag and a bald eagle to the Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 29.
Ray, whose history of volunteer work on behalf of U.S. troops stretches back to World War II, was honored in a short ceremony at the Schuylkill County Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
She said her first priority, even when accepting the award, was to thank the troops. Her second priority: to spread the message of volunteerism.
Most recently, Ray has been sending small care packages to soldiers. She gave a “shout-out” to the Pottsville and Port Carbon post offices, which must fill out five pages of customs paperwork for each package.
David Fessler, of both the Veterans and the Schuylkill County Veterans Affairs Office, presented Ray with the award, which is given through the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation established by President George W. Bush.
“One of the reasons we’re having it at the Vietnam Memorial is because this leads to what we’ve been saying all along,” Fessler said. “We’re not going to let the troops go through what we did. We’re going to take care of them.” LINK to entire story
Here are a few pictures:
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By Marcus
Posted in Military News
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) has added an amendment to the FY2010 defense authorization bill that aims to improve the response and investigation of allegations of sexual assault. The amendment was a direct result of the murder of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach. I’ve covered her death, the subsequent manhunt for ex-Corporal Cesar Laurean, and his court appearances over at A Soldier’s Perspective and I high encourage you to read those articles for background on why the case strikes very close to home.
Here is one portion of section 592 that grabbed my attention.
(2) INFORMATION TO MEMBERS- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, when a military protective order is issued to protect a member of the Armed Forces, the member is informed of the right of the member to request a base transfer from the command.
The language is a bit vague on what constitutes a “base transfer from the command.” I am going to assume that the base transfer does not have a minimum distance from the previous base since it is not listed specifically in the bill. This could lead to many problems.
For example, Lauterbach was stationed at Camp Lejeune. Literally down the road is New River, and within 30 minutes of Camp Lejeune is Cherry Point. The point of an MPO is to prevent contact between the alleged victim and perpetrator of a crime. Will the DoD decide what is an appropriate distance or will each branch?
I’m certain there are other areas of the amendment that will be flushed out and explained if it does in fact become law. Sexual assault is a serious matter and hopefully this amendment will help prevent future cases.
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By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Guest Blogger
This post is contributed by Dr. Diane Hassan, author of “Angels Among Us Even in Iraq”, who is currently participating in “On Loan at You Served” as a guest blogger.
When Mohammed and I arrived at Baghdad International airport, we were met by Hashim and several family members. As we were collecting our luggage, a cousin leaned over and whispered, why did you come back, for freedom I whispered.
Things were the same in Baghdad as Hashim drove rapidly to our home. I gazed out the window looking at the various places we passed, people were in the market, shops were open, business as usual. One almost doubted the formation of the coalition.
Iraq was use to war, they had just completed a long war with Iran. Nothing prepared us for war with a super power.
My neighbors,were in the garden, when they saw us arrive, they came over to welcome Mohammed me home. I could tell the wonder in their eyes, why did I return when I was safe in America.
After settling in, Hashim returned to the office the next morning, Mohammed went to school. Life was the same. I would listen to the Iraqi news and hear about the troops in Kuwait. Saddam was settling in Kuwait. I listened to the voice of America every day at 12 o’clock, in order to hear what was happening around me. I heard Saddam had taken hostages from Kuwait and brought them to Baghdad. I knew they would be alright. Saddam would never hurt foreigners, he had enough Iraqies for that.
Every day family members of the hostages would talk to their love ones. I was attached to these family members, they were talking to Iraq as well. The hostages were freed..all the American news casters that came to Baghdad to interview Saddam were gone.
The coalition was coming to free Kuwait and in every Iraqi heart, free Iraq..Freedom is not Free…
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June 20, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized
This past April, news of U.S. Navy snipers bringing a swift end to the Somalia pirate standoff captivated the world’s attention. After failing to seize the Maersk Alabama, the three remaining Somali pirates were dramatically shot dead while holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage aboard a powerless lifeboat. However, the heroic stories of the Maersk Alabama’s crew and the U.S. Navy’s courageous maneuvers have not been shared fully, until now. The Discovery Channel and Military Channel have combined forces to tell the complete story in the world premiere special, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY. This comprehensive special features compelling new footage of the pirates aboard the rogue lifeboat, first-ever broadcast interviews with members of the Maersk Alabama crew, an outline of the U.S. Navy’s efforts to successfully rescue Captain Phillips, and exclusive footage shot by Military Channel’s embedded crews aboard U.S. Navy ships leading counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY premieres Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel. An extended version premieres on Military Channel on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 9 PM ET.
John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel stated, “The world stopped and watched as the harrowing story of the Maersk Alabama unfolded. This special provides a riveting moment-by-moment account of the ship’s story – from the time the pirates boarded the cargo vessel to the safe return of Captain Phillips – in an emotional series of first-person interviews with the crew and new footage of the pirates. For the first time, viewers will hear the complete story of what really happened aboard the cargo ship. To be able to showcase the crew’s heroism as well as the U.S. Navy’s ongoing efforts to keep the waterways safe is an honor and a privilege for Discovery Channel and Military Channel.”
Using astounding footage of the pirates aboard the captured lifeboat and in-depth interviews with the men aboard the Maersk Alabama throughout the ordeal, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY provides a true understanding of the events that led to the dramatic rescue of Captain Richard Phillips. Interviews with some of the Maersk Alabama’s crew include First Mate Shane Murphy, Chief Engineer Mike Perry, Second Engineer Richard Matthews, Third Mate Colin Wright and Third Engineer John Cronin. Some interviews, including Chief Engineer Mike Perry’s, are crew members’ first broadcast interviews where they share their experiences of confronting the pirates and regaining control of their ship. It was Perry who initially turned the tables by single-handedly capturing one of the pirates, who was later held captive by some of the crew including Matthews, Wright and Cronin. After a failed hostage exchange, First Mate Murphy took control of the Maersk Alabama in Captain Phillips’ absence and shadowed the pirates until the U.S. Navy could respond to the crisis. Additionally, Vice Admiral William E. Gortney and Rear Admiral Terrence E. McKnight illustrate the U.S. Navy’s timeline of events from the Maersk Alabama’s initial distress call to the amazing conclusion featuring three simultaneous gunshots fired by U.S. Navy SEAL snipers. Kevin Dockery, Navy SEAL expert and author, discusses the expertise required to coordinate these deadly accurate shots from the fantail of a moving vessel.
“Military Channel is dedicated to honoring the heroes of the U.S. armed forces and there is no better example then this story featuring the men and women of the U.S. Navy who helped bring Captain Phillips home safely,” said Clark Bunting, president and general manager of Military Channel. “In partnership with Discovery Channel, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY showcases the skill and bravery of the U.S. Navy, which is combating the pirates who terrorize the waters off Somalia, in order to ensure the safe passage of vessels through these vital shipping channels.”
Beyond this remarkable standoff, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY also shares how the U.S. Navy currently protects the dangerous seas around the Horn of Africa, where piracy is rampant due to the lawlessness along the coast of Somalia. In March and April, Military Channel crews were embedded aboard the U.S.S. Boxer, the flagship for the Combined Task Force 151 charged with deterring and disrupting piracy activities in this region, and additional vessels within this naval force.
SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY was produced by Discovery Studios, in association with Single Malt Media LLC, for Discovery Channel and Military Channel. Christo Doyle is executive producer for Military Channel and Alan Eyres is executive producer for Discovery Channel, with Michael Masland as executive producer for Discovery Studios and Brian J. Kelly as executive producer for Single Malt Media LLC. John Ford is president and general manager of Discovery Channel and Clark Bunting is president and general manager of Discovery Emerging Networks.
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
I found the list below on the SAMHSA site.
Resources for Military Families Coping with Trauma
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June 19, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized
Over at A Soldier’s Perspective, I published a book review of Doug Stanton’s new book, Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan. With Father’s Day coming up tomorrow, I also wanted to publish a letter from the author with permission:
Author of Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan
Horse Soldiers is the untold story of a victory won by U.S. Special Forces and other Americans, alongside Afghan counterparts, at a critical time in our recent history. Part sociologist, diplomat, part foreign policy expert, the men in the book enacted a nuanced campaign that is a template for the way future conflicts can be approached, and a window to where we are in Afghanistan today.
And, according to those who know, their ethos is simpatico with emerging national policy concerning Afghanistan. In other words, these guys got it right. One of the reasons I wrote Horse Soldiers was to understand the world my children would inherit after the events of 2001.
When I was writing my first book In Harm’s Way, I witnessed the sense of sacrifice that those WWII veterans possessed. I was surprised that sometimes their grandchildren hadn’t talked to them about the historic events of that night in July 1945, when the USS Indianapolis went down. With some modest means, I started a scholarship program for the grandkids of the survivors, one of the requirements of which was that they write an essay about their grandfather. This project was meant to foster a legacy in these young people of the sacrifices made by those who had come before them.
Recently, then, I was startled and more than saddened, after hanging up the phone with Betty McCoy, of Palm Coast, Florida, the wife of Giles McCoy, of the USS Indianapolis, who told me that Gil had just passed away after a battle with cancer. My son and I had visited Gil and Betty, making a last trip to say goodbye, although I didn’t want to admit that at the time.
Gil, a WWII Marine, having survived Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and the sinking of his ship, devoted himself to a life of helping others. He was about as resilient and strong a character as you could meet, and yet alongside his own steely self-awareness he possessed real powers of empathy. He never used phrases like “everyone agrees with me so I must be right.”
This idea of legacy, of being bound together around the campfire or kitchen table of shared experience, is important, because it’s in those moments that we move to the heart of solving problems, global and local, big and small. And of all people, I have learned that the people I write about in Horse Soldiers, the modern soldiers of the U.S. Army Special Forces, are trained to walk a selfless mile in another’s shoes during often dangerous journeys meant to create change. And as with McCoy, when I call their actions heroic, I’m using a word they are too humble to use in describing what they accomplished.
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By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Guest Blogger
This post is contributed by Dr. Diane Hassan, author of “Angels Among Us Even in Iraq”, who is currently participating in “On Loan at You Served” as a guest blogger.
Saddam was becoming more powerful and the members of the Baath party were becoming weaker. Saddam moved quickly with his ideas of bringing family members in position of power and finding excuses to imprison or execute old party members. He wanted to rid himself of any threat to his reign.
When Saddam saw the change in power in Iran, when the Shaw left, he felt it was a good time to invade Iran and recapture a strip of land he felt belonged to Iraq. Saddam thought it would take only a few weeks, the war lasted 7 long years. When the Iran war abruptly stopped, I was visiting in America. I saw the people rush into the streets, shooting in the air, women ripping their clothes. They were so happy they did not know how to react. The horrible war that cost the lives of sooo many young Iraqies and Iranians was finally over.
Saddam was not over. It was just a few months of peace.
I was watching Saddam on Iraqi t.v. visiting the country side. He would tell the people, we are not afraid. I thought what is he up to now. I had the feeling Saddam was going to war again, but where?
It was summer time, My son and I left in July to visit my parents. I was in Alabama when Saddam invaded Kuwait, I realized what he was talking about when he was telling his people, we are not afraid. I watched the news daily, I felt the pain of the Iraqi people they were tired, but they had no choice. The coalition began forming, Saddam was going to be at war with the world.
I felt this time Saddam would be ousted, a new government would form, the Iraqi people would be free. I wanted to be a part of the new free Iraq. I decided to return to Iraq. Against my parents protest, my son and I returned to Iraq. Saddam sent Iraqi airways to Jordan, my son and I were on the last plane that flew into Iraq..
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June 18, 2009 By Troy
Posted in MilBlogger Interviews
7:01:47 PM: New blog entry: 061809 You Served Radio Live Blog http://bit.ly/13ye2p
7:04:29 PM: Join us now and listen to Troy, CJ and Marcus on You Served radio
7:07:14 PM: Tonight we have GEN Chiarelli on
7:13:45 PM: The President still has not called PVT Long’s family to express his condolences
7:15:32 PM: Gibbs said that they released a statement about the killing of PVT Long to a Ark Media outlet, but nobody can ID the outlet.
7:24:39 PM: We now have Mike Jones on from NotAlone.com
7:26:33 PM: @Not_Alone website is http://notalone.com/
7:29:05 PM: Soldiers are paying out of pocket to get mental health because they were worried they would hurt themselves
7:30:21 PM: Not Alone is going to be part of the TN NG and FT. Campbell’s reintigration events
7:33:50 PM: Some soldiers at Ft. Campbell are having to drive 70 miles to get psychological help and assitance
7:35:51 PM: Ft. Hood has instituted a relaxed work schedule to allow soldiers to spend more quality time with families after deployment
7:41:02 PM: Mike Jones from @Not_Alone is talking about how leaders are made in the Army to shape their soldiers to be killers and not show weaknesses
7:46:15 PM: Mike is talking about Leaders books, something we used to have.
7:47:41 PM: We are talking with Mike Jones from @Not_Alone at http://www.notalone.com
7:55:59 PM: An alarming number of family members are committing suicide
8:01:25 PM: You can donate to Warrior Legacy Fund, volunteer or sign into the forum to help @Not_Alone , http://www.notalone.com
8:05:53 PM: We are now listening to The American Storyteller
8:06:42 PM: http://www.theamericanstoryteller.com
8:13:54 PM: We just had Clayton on from Untold Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan
8:16:42 PM: Talking with Dave from Patriotwatch.org
8:27:25 PM: Please check out our You Served ebay store http://bit.ly/rlAR5
8:36:50 PM: Walter Reed has turned 100 years old
8:38:30 PM: Marcus (the Producer) is talking about he contaminated water at Camp LeJune
8:44:01 PM: We are listening to Lance Larson’s song, “Song For the Soldier”
8:48:52 PM: Lance Larson is a song writer for many popular groups and singers.
8:53:18 PM: Gen Chiarelli jsut joined us
8:53:50 PM: It is not often that you hear a 4 star call a 1SG “sir”
8:57:59 PM: GEN Chiarelli is saying Dwell time is critical and having enouch counsleors and chaplains
9:08:03 PM: GEN Chiarelli states that it is not his plan to to enforce a zero tolerance policy on drug abuse
9:10:27 PM: CJ just announced that he is coming out to seek help for PTS issues
9:15:01 PM: Show is over, we ran long but we had the General on and didn’t want to cut him off. Talk to you next week.
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By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military, You Served Radio
Troy and CJ are very happy to announce two big things about tonight’s show. First we now have a 3rd person joining us in the hosting and running of this show. It is Marcus who not only blogs regularly on CJ’s site at www.soldiersperspective.us, but he also blogs at the www.youserved.com blog too. Marcus has been friends with CJ and Troy for a while and the three have a good working relationship. Marcus will be joining the show primarily in the capacity of Producer. He will take over the primary duties of running the switchboard and participating in the chat so Troy and CJ can focus on guests, the live blogging and other aspects of running the show.
The second big announcement tonight is that we will have our first serving General Officer on the show. CJ has worked hard to line up GEN Peter Chiarelli, who is the Vice Chief of Staff for the US Army. GEN Chiarelli is currently leading up major efforts to counter the alarming rise in soldier suicides and is spearheading efforts to deal with soldier mental issues that are going on today. You can read more about GEN Chiarelli here at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_W._Chiarelli.
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
This is the first of several segments containing specific information for new Army parents (this will help spouses. Granted each branch is going to run basic training a little differently and may call certain phases of training different things, but I have tired to keep the information general enough to be an aid to anyone who comes across the article and needs a quick crash course on what to expect when a son or daughter joins the Armed Forces.
This was initiated by me in response to a friend whose son recently went to BCT. She was left holding the bag and wondering what he would be facing and when she would ever talk to him again. I remember that feeling. I had a little more information available to me, but since our family did Army life backward (son joined first then husband), I know the blackout of information that exists for a lot of Blue Star parents.
The first thing I explained to my friend was that her son did not get off a bus and start BCT immediately. He has to go through in-processing first. I told her that my soldiers have said that in=processing is the “last big warm fuzzy hug” before BCT begins. Of course they jest. In-processing can and will have restrictions already in place on new recruits. Although it is usually less restrive than BCT will be there are no guarantees of phone calls and recruits will not be free to just wander around base and call at his will. Be patient. Also be aware that the first phone call usually lasts less than 2-minutes. It’s just a call to check in and let you know they have arrived. Nothing more is usually communicated during that time.
Below is a great synopsis of the phases of BCT and AIT. I found them in a handbook online. I think they are pretty accurate and unless things have changed drastically in the last year, I venture to say they are up to date.
LINK to PDF
…
Initial Entry Training is comprised of five phases. They are the Red Phase, White Phase, Blue Phase, Black Phase and the Gold Phase. The Red, White and Blue phases are part of the Basic Training program of instruction, the Black and Gold Phases are part of the Advanced Individual Training (AIT). In an OSUT or One Station Unit Training, a training cycle is about 13 to 14 weeks long and encompasses all five phases of training. OSUT is MOS specific i.e., Infantry, Armor, Artillery, and Military Police and once a solider has successfully completed an entire training cycle he/she is awarded his/her MOS and is ready for duty in any of our war fighting divisions.
These phases vary in instructional content and intensity of training. With the passage of each phase will come increased privileges for new soldiers. The Red Phase is also known as “Total Control” – during this phase there is always a drill sergeant with the soldiers from wake up until lights out. This control gradually lessens with each successive phase. In Basic Training, graduation takes place at the end of the Blue Phase. In OSUT and AIT, graduation occurs at the end of the Gold Phase. Generally, each phase change is marked with some type of ceremony or ritual to recognize the successful progression of the soldiers.
Stay tuned for the next Posting on what to expect when your son or daughter joins the Army.
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