By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 22, 2008 - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen was one of four leaders spotlighted last night during a who's who of policymakers and policy enforcers that included scores of former heads of state, department secretaries, ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Russian piano virtuoso Evgeny Kissin in accepting the Atlantic Council's award for Distinguished Military, International, Business and Artistic Leadership, respectively, in a gala here.
"Let there be no doubt that Adm. Mike Mullen is the right man in the right job at the right time for our nation, and his entire career has contributed to leading him to this point," retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, chairman of the Atlantic Council, said before presenting the chairman the award.
Mullen, one of few senior naval officers to hold four four-star assignments, oversaw one of the most transformative eras in naval history while serving as vice chief of naval operations, Jones said. The period recognized that family readiness was critical to the Navy's readiness.
"The policies put in place under his watch ... led to historically high retention rates and significantly higher operational readiness rates Navywide," Jones said, describing Mullen's tenure from August 2003 to October 2004, as he served under then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vernon E. Clark.
Jones added that Mullen also showed exceptional leadership serving as commander of NATO's Allied Joint Force Command, in Naples, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and as the 28th chief of naval operations.
"Ladies and gentleman, we can all be thankful Mike Mullen is at the helm," Jones said. "He's calm; he's thoughtful; he's reasonable; he's insightful; and he fully understands the magnitude of that task before him."
Apparently, he also has a sense of humor and humility.
Mullen, the last speaker to address the high-caliber international audience, began his remarks, "Good evening. I certainly recognize my place in the order tonight." But as the laughter subsided, the top military officer tempered the revelry by honoring deployed servicemembers of the United States and its allies.
"As we are here this evening enjoying this celebration, I am mindful of all those men and women who are serving in all of our countries around the world," he said. "Many of them are in harm's way this evening so that we might enjoy the freedom, the privileges, the opportunity that their service, in fact, provides."
The chairman then provided a sweeping assessment of global security, including countries where troops are stationed currently and where he expects they'll be needed in future operations.
Echoing comments made this month by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Mullen said security there is improved but fragile. Furthermore, he said, security is a necessary condition, but not sufficient, as diplomatic, political and economic progress is imperative for long-term stability.
Mullen said Iran routinely pushes its way into "realms of instability," and advocated that allied countries address Iran's variform influence in the Middle East: in Hezbollah, Hamas and in southern Iraq.
"I think for the ability to create stability in that part of the world, that not just this alliance but those who are allied will have to deal with Iran in the very near future," he said.
Afghanistan is "front and center" for allied Atlantic countries, Mullen said. He added that NATO countries must ensure that their contributions are sufficient in helping establish security in Afghanistan. In related comments, he stressed the need for allied countries to address threats emanating from Pakistan.
"We also must work hard, I think, to build non-NATO relationships," he added. "And there are those countries, those allies, who have joined us in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"They represent the best of those relationships," he continued, "countries who are responsible and who recognize in that responsibility that we can meet these challenges head on together much better than we can meet them individually."
In closing, Mullen said, the strength of international partnership lies in nations' shared hope for the future.
"As a community of nations, we've elected to lead, and we've chosen to work together to create a future where parents can raise their children without fear, with dignity and with hope," he said.
The Atlantic Council of the United States promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century, according the organization's official Web site.
Showing posts with label marine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marine. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Chairman Reflects on Military Service
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 14, 2007 - In a town hall meeting here today, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the military's senior general, spoke about how proud he has been to look out for the welfare of lower-ranking servicemembers during his 40-year career. Pace is retiring Oct. 1. He has been chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2005, and was vice chairman for four years before that.
"I talk frequently on the impact of decisions on 'Pfc. Pace,'" he said. "It's my way of making sure that those of us on the high-end of the rank structure don't forget that each decision we make has an impact on a (private first class) or a senior airman or petty officer."
Pace said he is proud that civilian leaders in the Pentagon now talk about the impact of decisions on young enlisted members and officers.
"I'm happy that the dialogue includes a clear understanding that there are real people involved here and that when you say to do something in Washington, it has very specific impacts on the 'Pfc. Paces' of the world who have to make that decision work," he said.
During a question-and-answer session, a young airman asked the general if he ever thought he would reach the heights to which his career has taken him. Pace responded that he always planned to serve as long as he was needed.
Pace first entered combat in Vietnam during the Battle of Hue City in 1968 as a platoon leader in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was the third platoon leader in as many weeks. Only three Marines in his company of 156 did not get wounded in Hue. "I was one of them," he said.
In one incident, a staff sergeant walked in front of him when a sniper fired. "The (round) caught him in the side rather than me in the chest," the general said. "I walked through a minefield one day when I didn't know I was in a minefield.
"I had no idea how I had gone through 13 months in combat as a platoon leader without getting scratched and, more importantly, I lost some wonderful Marines who died following Second Lieutenant Pace's orders in combat," he continued.
He said that when he came back from Vietnam he made a promise to himself.
"For me, (service in the military) has been about trying to repay those who died following my orders," he said. "In the process, I have never thought about the next promotion, because I've always felt I would serve the nation until I was no longer needed. And I would know that when I stopped getting promoted. Whenever that happened would be just fine."
The general said the idea worked "pretty well" for 40 years.
"Now I am going home," he said referring to his retirement in October. "I am not a volunteer to go home, nor am I dragging my feet. I am sitting here saying the same thing I have said for 40 years: I love this nation, I love each and every one of you who wear the uniform, I would serve until I die if they would let me.
"But I am also very comfortable that I have fulfilled the mission that I set for myself 40 years ago. And those great young Marines who will be forever young with their names on the Vietnam Wall and those who died with us in Somalia and those who died in this conflict, I hope I have served the way I meant to serve, and that is to remember the impact on 'Pfc. Pace' and not care about whether General Pace gets promoted."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 14, 2007 - In a town hall meeting here today, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the military's senior general, spoke about how proud he has been to look out for the welfare of lower-ranking servicemembers during his 40-year career. Pace is retiring Oct. 1. He has been chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2005, and was vice chairman for four years before that.
"I talk frequently on the impact of decisions on 'Pfc. Pace,'" he said. "It's my way of making sure that those of us on the high-end of the rank structure don't forget that each decision we make has an impact on a (private first class) or a senior airman or petty officer."
Pace said he is proud that civilian leaders in the Pentagon now talk about the impact of decisions on young enlisted members and officers.
"I'm happy that the dialogue includes a clear understanding that there are real people involved here and that when you say to do something in Washington, it has very specific impacts on the 'Pfc. Paces' of the world who have to make that decision work," he said.
During a question-and-answer session, a young airman asked the general if he ever thought he would reach the heights to which his career has taken him. Pace responded that he always planned to serve as long as he was needed.
Pace first entered combat in Vietnam during the Battle of Hue City in 1968 as a platoon leader in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was the third platoon leader in as many weeks. Only three Marines in his company of 156 did not get wounded in Hue. "I was one of them," he said.
In one incident, a staff sergeant walked in front of him when a sniper fired. "The (round) caught him in the side rather than me in the chest," the general said. "I walked through a minefield one day when I didn't know I was in a minefield.
"I had no idea how I had gone through 13 months in combat as a platoon leader without getting scratched and, more importantly, I lost some wonderful Marines who died following Second Lieutenant Pace's orders in combat," he continued.
He said that when he came back from Vietnam he made a promise to himself.
"For me, (service in the military) has been about trying to repay those who died following my orders," he said. "In the process, I have never thought about the next promotion, because I've always felt I would serve the nation until I was no longer needed. And I would know that when I stopped getting promoted. Whenever that happened would be just fine."
The general said the idea worked "pretty well" for 40 years.
"Now I am going home," he said referring to his retirement in October. "I am not a volunteer to go home, nor am I dragging my feet. I am sitting here saying the same thing I have said for 40 years: I love this nation, I love each and every one of you who wear the uniform, I would serve until I die if they would let me.
"But I am also very comfortable that I have fulfilled the mission that I set for myself 40 years ago. And those great young Marines who will be forever young with their names on the Vietnam Wall and those who died with us in Somalia and those who died in this conflict, I hope I have served the way I meant to serve, and that is to remember the impact on 'Pfc. Pace' and not care about whether General Pace gets promoted."
Friday, July 06, 2007
Today's Troops Follow in Footsteps of Earlier Generations of Heroes
By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 6, 2007 – America's security has always rested on the backs of men and women willing to sacrifice whatever necessary to defend it. An old Japanese quote states, "A samurai should always be prepared for death - whether his own or someone else's." Like the samurai, U.S. servicemembers freely give their lives, faithfully serving as America's avenger, wielding her mighty sword, in conflicts of the past and present.
In every battle the nation has seen, heroes have shone as a beacon for others to follow.
Below are the stories of four American heroes. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney, Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams and Army Maj. Audie Murphy are beacons of leadership for their fellow servicemembers to follow.
Each man is the most combat-decorated member of his service. All are heroes, America's version of the samurai, faithful to their country regardless of the cost.
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney
While at basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, during the Vietnam era, Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney chose to pursue a career in pararescue, a choice that continually put him in harm's way and earned him more than 70 individual awards, including the Air Force Cross.
Hackney graduated from pararescue training as an honor graduate in every phase of the course. For this, he earned the right to pick his first assignment. Instead of choosing a lush assignment stateside or in Europe, far away from the sweltering jungle, he volunteered for Detachment 7, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Three days after reporting for duty, he flew on his first combat mission. During the mission, he was struck in the leg by a .30-caliber slug. To avoid being grounded, he had a fellow pararescueman remove the bullet on the spot. This selfless act set the tone for his career, and he participated in more than 200 combat missions in three and a half years of Vietnam duty.
On his 10th mission, while pulling a wounded Marine pilot aboard his HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter, Hackney was hit by enemy fire.
His helicopter was shot down five times over the following months, during which he earned four Distinguished Flying Crosses and 18 Air Medals for single acts of heroism.
He received his Air Force Cross while on a mission Feb. 6, 1967. He was the first living enlisted airman to receive the second-highest award for heroism given by the U.S. Air Force.
The dawn of the Feb. 6 mission started like any other. Hackney descended from his Jolly Green Giant to look for a downed pilot near Mu Gia pass, in North Vietnam. He searched for two hours, but inclement weather set in, and he was forced to return to base.
A few hours later, radio contact with the pilot was re-established and the chief went out again to attempt another rescue. This time, he found the severely wounded pilot. Hackney safely carried the pilot back to the helicopter to egress the jungle. However, before they could clear enemy air space, the chopper was struck by anti-aircraft artillery, and the compartment filled with smoke and fire. The chief strapped his parachute on the pilot's back and shuffled the pilot out the door.
He then searched the craft for a spare parachute, finding one just prior to a second anti-aircraft shell ripping into the helicopter. Before he could finish buckling the chute, the Jolly Green Giant's fuel line exploded, blasting him out the door without the chute on his back. With the parachute clenched in his arms, he managed to pull the cord before plummeting into the jungle 250 feet below. Though the chute slowed his fall, he still plunged more than 80 feet onto a rocky ledge below.
Despite being severely burned and wounded by shrapnel, Hackney managed to evade the enemy and thwart capture. The heroic rescuer was rescued by a fellow pararescueman and was returned to Da Nang Air Base. When he got back, he learned that he was the only survivor from the mission. Four other crewmembers and the pilot he rescued were lost in the operation.
For giving up his parachute and risking his own life, he received the Air Force Cross. He was the youngest airman and the second enlisted member to receive the medal. The first was Airman 1st Class William Pitzenbarger, also a pararescueman, who received the award posthumously.
After Vietnam, the chief continued his distinguished Air Force career and retired in 1991. Two years later he died of a heart attack in his Pennsylvania home. He was 46 years old.
Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller
Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history, is one of only two people to receive a Navy Cross, the Navy's second-highest decoration, five times.
Puller earned 52 separate, subsequent and foreign awards in his 37-year career with the Marine Corps.
With five Navy Crosses and a Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second highest decoration, Puller received the nation's second highest military decoration six times.
Prior to his involvement in World War I, Puller, then an Army sergeant, was accepted into the Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Va., to pursue a commissioned career in the Army.
As America's involvement in World War I intensified, the sergeant, who was nicknamed "Chesty" for his barrel chest, resigned from the college and enlisted as a private in the Marine Corps. His reasons were summed up in his quote, "I want to go where the guns are."
After his 1919 re-enlistment, he saw action in Haiti. There, he participated in more than 40 combat engagements over the course of five years.
In 1924, he returned stateside and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He spent four years at various stateside assignments before returning overseas in 1928, where he earned his first Navy Cross in Nicaragua. He spent a second tour in Nicaragua in 1933, when he earned a second Navy Cross for leading five successive actions against superior numbers of outlaw forces.
Puller earned three Navy Crosses in World War II: in Guam, Guadalcanal, and finally in Japan.
On Guadalcanal, for action that is now known as the Battle for Henderson Field, Puller's battalion was the only American unit defending an airfield against a regiment-strength Japanese force. In a three-hour firefight, his unit suffered 70 casualties while the Japanese lost more than 1,400 troops, and the American's held the airfield.
Puller was quoted as saying, "All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us. ... They can't get away this time," about the battle.
He earned his fifth Navy Cross in November 1950 during the intense Battle of Chosin Reservoir. During the firefight, then-Col. Puller was quoted as saying, "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things."
In 1966, he requested to be reinstated in the Corps in order to see action in the Vietnam War, but the request was denied on the basis of his age.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams
Born and raised in South Carolina, Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams was the most-decorated enlisted man in Navy history. He received a Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and a Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device.
The petty officer received the Medal of Honor for his service on the Mekong River in Vietnam on Oct. 31, 1966, while serving as a boat captain and patrol officer. His vessel and another river-patrol boat were searching for contraband when crewmembers spotted two speedboats. Williams pursued and sunk one of the boats, then turned and went after the second, which was hiding in an 8-foot-wide canal in front of a rice paddy.
He knew his boat wouldn't fit in the canal, but after checking a map realized he could pass through a wider canal and intercept the enemy's vessel.
He proceeded with his plan. However, after exiting the canal, he found himself and his crew in a hostile staging area where they came under heavy fire from more enemy boats and North Vietnamese troops on the shore.
U.S. helicopter support eventually arrived, so Williams moved his vessel to another enemy boat staging area down river, where another fierce battle was under way.
After more than three hours of fighting, his patrol had accounted for the destruction or loss of 65 enemy boats and more than 1,000 enemy troops.
"You gotta stop and think about your shipmates," he said during a 1998 interview with the Navy's All Hands Magazine. "That's what makes you a great person and a great leader -- taking care of each other."
Williams passed away in 1999.
Maj. Audie Murphy
Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, Audie Murphy, a 17-year-old son of poor, rural sharecroppers, tried to enlist in the military, but the services rejected him because he had not yet reached the required age of 18.
Shortly after his 18th birthday, Murphy tried to enlist in the Marine Corps but was turned down for being too short. Finally, the 5-foot-5-inch man was accepted into the Army and sent to Camp Wolters, Texas, for basic training.
During a close-order-drill session, he passed out. Fearing his apparent weaknesses, his company commander tried to have him transferred to a cook and bakers school, but the private insisted on becoming a combat soldier.
His thirst for combat was finally quenched when he was ordered to help liberate Sicily on July 10, 1943. Shortly after arriving, he experienced his first combat encounter and defeated two enemy officers. For this action, his captain promoted him to corporal.
Murphy distinguished himself in combat on many occasions while in Italy earning several promotions and decorations.
Following the Italian campaign, Murphy's unit was ordered to invade southern France. Shortly thereafter, Murphy's best friend was killed while approaching a German soldier feigning surrender. His friend's death sent him into a rage, and he single-handedly wiped out the German machine gun crew responsible. He then used the German machine gun and grenades to destroy several nearby enemy positions. For this act, he received a Distinguished Service Cross.
He was awarded a battlefield commission and given a platoon. Twelve days after the promotion, he was shot by a sniper and spent 10 weeks recuperating.
When he returned to his unit, Murphy became the company commander and was wounded by mortar rounds that killed two soldiers near him.
The next day, despite the bitter-cold temperature and more than 24 inches of snow on the ground, his unit entered the battle at Holtzwihr, France. With only 19 of his 128 soldiers engaged, his men seemed doomed. Subsequently, he sent all of his men to the rear while he continued to engage the Germans until he ran out of ammunition.
Without the means to return fire, Murphy looked to an abandoned, burning tank nearby. He secured its .50-caliber machine gun and used it to saw down German infantry at a distance. During the engagement, he destroyed a full squad of German infantry that had crawled in a ditch to within 100 feet of his position. Murphy suffered several leg wounds yet released his fury on the enemy for almost an hour.
Eventually, his telephone line to the artillery fire-direction center was cut by enemy fire. Without the ability to call on artillery, he summoned his remaining men and organized them to conduct a counter attack, which ultimately drove the enemy away from Holtzwihr. These actions earned Murphy the Medal of Honor.
During World War II, Murphy was credited with destroying six tanks, killing more than 240 German soldiers, and wounding and capturing many others. By the end of World War II, he was a legend within 3rd Infantry Division as a result of his heroism and battlefield leadership.
During his career, Murphy received 33 U.S. medals, five French medals and one from Belgium.
Despite suffering from insomnia, bouts of depression and nightmares as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder, he raised his hand and volunteered for duty when the Korean conflict broke out in 1950. However, he was never called up for combat duty. By the time he retired in 1966, he had attained the rank of major.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace is assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 6, 2007 – America's security has always rested on the backs of men and women willing to sacrifice whatever necessary to defend it. An old Japanese quote states, "A samurai should always be prepared for death - whether his own or someone else's." Like the samurai, U.S. servicemembers freely give their lives, faithfully serving as America's avenger, wielding her mighty sword, in conflicts of the past and present.
In every battle the nation has seen, heroes have shone as a beacon for others to follow.
Below are the stories of four American heroes. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney, Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams and Army Maj. Audie Murphy are beacons of leadership for their fellow servicemembers to follow.
Each man is the most combat-decorated member of his service. All are heroes, America's version of the samurai, faithful to their country regardless of the cost.
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney
While at basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, during the Vietnam era, Chief Master Sgt. Duane Hackney chose to pursue a career in pararescue, a choice that continually put him in harm's way and earned him more than 70 individual awards, including the Air Force Cross.
Hackney graduated from pararescue training as an honor graduate in every phase of the course. For this, he earned the right to pick his first assignment. Instead of choosing a lush assignment stateside or in Europe, far away from the sweltering jungle, he volunteered for Detachment 7, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Three days after reporting for duty, he flew on his first combat mission. During the mission, he was struck in the leg by a .30-caliber slug. To avoid being grounded, he had a fellow pararescueman remove the bullet on the spot. This selfless act set the tone for his career, and he participated in more than 200 combat missions in three and a half years of Vietnam duty.
On his 10th mission, while pulling a wounded Marine pilot aboard his HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter, Hackney was hit by enemy fire.
His helicopter was shot down five times over the following months, during which he earned four Distinguished Flying Crosses and 18 Air Medals for single acts of heroism.
He received his Air Force Cross while on a mission Feb. 6, 1967. He was the first living enlisted airman to receive the second-highest award for heroism given by the U.S. Air Force.
The dawn of the Feb. 6 mission started like any other. Hackney descended from his Jolly Green Giant to look for a downed pilot near Mu Gia pass, in North Vietnam. He searched for two hours, but inclement weather set in, and he was forced to return to base.
A few hours later, radio contact with the pilot was re-established and the chief went out again to attempt another rescue. This time, he found the severely wounded pilot. Hackney safely carried the pilot back to the helicopter to egress the jungle. However, before they could clear enemy air space, the chopper was struck by anti-aircraft artillery, and the compartment filled with smoke and fire. The chief strapped his parachute on the pilot's back and shuffled the pilot out the door.
He then searched the craft for a spare parachute, finding one just prior to a second anti-aircraft shell ripping into the helicopter. Before he could finish buckling the chute, the Jolly Green Giant's fuel line exploded, blasting him out the door without the chute on his back. With the parachute clenched in his arms, he managed to pull the cord before plummeting into the jungle 250 feet below. Though the chute slowed his fall, he still plunged more than 80 feet onto a rocky ledge below.
Despite being severely burned and wounded by shrapnel, Hackney managed to evade the enemy and thwart capture. The heroic rescuer was rescued by a fellow pararescueman and was returned to Da Nang Air Base. When he got back, he learned that he was the only survivor from the mission. Four other crewmembers and the pilot he rescued were lost in the operation.
For giving up his parachute and risking his own life, he received the Air Force Cross. He was the youngest airman and the second enlisted member to receive the medal. The first was Airman 1st Class William Pitzenbarger, also a pararescueman, who received the award posthumously.
After Vietnam, the chief continued his distinguished Air Force career and retired in 1991. Two years later he died of a heart attack in his Pennsylvania home. He was 46 years old.
Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller
Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history, is one of only two people to receive a Navy Cross, the Navy's second-highest decoration, five times.
Puller earned 52 separate, subsequent and foreign awards in his 37-year career with the Marine Corps.
With five Navy Crosses and a Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second highest decoration, Puller received the nation's second highest military decoration six times.
Prior to his involvement in World War I, Puller, then an Army sergeant, was accepted into the Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Va., to pursue a commissioned career in the Army.
As America's involvement in World War I intensified, the sergeant, who was nicknamed "Chesty" for his barrel chest, resigned from the college and enlisted as a private in the Marine Corps. His reasons were summed up in his quote, "I want to go where the guns are."
After his 1919 re-enlistment, he saw action in Haiti. There, he participated in more than 40 combat engagements over the course of five years.
In 1924, he returned stateside and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He spent four years at various stateside assignments before returning overseas in 1928, where he earned his first Navy Cross in Nicaragua. He spent a second tour in Nicaragua in 1933, when he earned a second Navy Cross for leading five successive actions against superior numbers of outlaw forces.
Puller earned three Navy Crosses in World War II: in Guam, Guadalcanal, and finally in Japan.
On Guadalcanal, for action that is now known as the Battle for Henderson Field, Puller's battalion was the only American unit defending an airfield against a regiment-strength Japanese force. In a three-hour firefight, his unit suffered 70 casualties while the Japanese lost more than 1,400 troops, and the American's held the airfield.
Puller was quoted as saying, "All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us. ... They can't get away this time," about the battle.
He earned his fifth Navy Cross in November 1950 during the intense Battle of Chosin Reservoir. During the firefight, then-Col. Puller was quoted as saying, "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things."
In 1966, he requested to be reinstated in the Corps in order to see action in the Vietnam War, but the request was denied on the basis of his age.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams
Born and raised in South Carolina, Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Williams was the most-decorated enlisted man in Navy history. He received a Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and a Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device.
The petty officer received the Medal of Honor for his service on the Mekong River in Vietnam on Oct. 31, 1966, while serving as a boat captain and patrol officer. His vessel and another river-patrol boat were searching for contraband when crewmembers spotted two speedboats. Williams pursued and sunk one of the boats, then turned and went after the second, which was hiding in an 8-foot-wide canal in front of a rice paddy.
He knew his boat wouldn't fit in the canal, but after checking a map realized he could pass through a wider canal and intercept the enemy's vessel.
He proceeded with his plan. However, after exiting the canal, he found himself and his crew in a hostile staging area where they came under heavy fire from more enemy boats and North Vietnamese troops on the shore.
U.S. helicopter support eventually arrived, so Williams moved his vessel to another enemy boat staging area down river, where another fierce battle was under way.
After more than three hours of fighting, his patrol had accounted for the destruction or loss of 65 enemy boats and more than 1,000 enemy troops.
"You gotta stop and think about your shipmates," he said during a 1998 interview with the Navy's All Hands Magazine. "That's what makes you a great person and a great leader -- taking care of each other."
Williams passed away in 1999.
Maj. Audie Murphy
Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, Audie Murphy, a 17-year-old son of poor, rural sharecroppers, tried to enlist in the military, but the services rejected him because he had not yet reached the required age of 18.
Shortly after his 18th birthday, Murphy tried to enlist in the Marine Corps but was turned down for being too short. Finally, the 5-foot-5-inch man was accepted into the Army and sent to Camp Wolters, Texas, for basic training.
During a close-order-drill session, he passed out. Fearing his apparent weaknesses, his company commander tried to have him transferred to a cook and bakers school, but the private insisted on becoming a combat soldier.
His thirst for combat was finally quenched when he was ordered to help liberate Sicily on July 10, 1943. Shortly after arriving, he experienced his first combat encounter and defeated two enemy officers. For this action, his captain promoted him to corporal.
Murphy distinguished himself in combat on many occasions while in Italy earning several promotions and decorations.
Following the Italian campaign, Murphy's unit was ordered to invade southern France. Shortly thereafter, Murphy's best friend was killed while approaching a German soldier feigning surrender. His friend's death sent him into a rage, and he single-handedly wiped out the German machine gun crew responsible. He then used the German machine gun and grenades to destroy several nearby enemy positions. For this act, he received a Distinguished Service Cross.
He was awarded a battlefield commission and given a platoon. Twelve days after the promotion, he was shot by a sniper and spent 10 weeks recuperating.
When he returned to his unit, Murphy became the company commander and was wounded by mortar rounds that killed two soldiers near him.
The next day, despite the bitter-cold temperature and more than 24 inches of snow on the ground, his unit entered the battle at Holtzwihr, France. With only 19 of his 128 soldiers engaged, his men seemed doomed. Subsequently, he sent all of his men to the rear while he continued to engage the Germans until he ran out of ammunition.
Without the means to return fire, Murphy looked to an abandoned, burning tank nearby. He secured its .50-caliber machine gun and used it to saw down German infantry at a distance. During the engagement, he destroyed a full squad of German infantry that had crawled in a ditch to within 100 feet of his position. Murphy suffered several leg wounds yet released his fury on the enemy for almost an hour.
Eventually, his telephone line to the artillery fire-direction center was cut by enemy fire. Without the ability to call on artillery, he summoned his remaining men and organized them to conduct a counter attack, which ultimately drove the enemy away from Holtzwihr. These actions earned Murphy the Medal of Honor.
During World War II, Murphy was credited with destroying six tanks, killing more than 240 German soldiers, and wounding and capturing many others. By the end of World War II, he was a legend within 3rd Infantry Division as a result of his heroism and battlefield leadership.
During his career, Murphy received 33 U.S. medals, five French medals and one from Belgium.
Despite suffering from insomnia, bouts of depression and nightmares as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder, he raised his hand and volunteered for duty when the Korean conflict broke out in 1950. However, he was never called up for combat duty. By the time he retired in 1966, he had attained the rank of major.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace is assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing.)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Gainey Wraps up Korea Visit, Announces Plans to Retire
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
June 22, 2007 – The Defense Department's top enlisted member said this week he has submitted his retirement paperwork, but that he plans to stay on through July 2008 until his replacement is on the job. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his week-long trip here will be his last to visit troops here. He finished a visit to camps and bases across the peninsula today.
"It was a personal choice that I felt like I had to make after 33 and a half years," Gainey said. "I think it's time to let someone else in this position."
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen, if confirmed by the Senate, will replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Oct. 1.
Gainey said his retirement timeline will give the next Joint Chiefs chairman time to select a senior enlisted advisor.
"I think I owe that to Admiral Mullen, who I think is a very fine officer," Gainey said.
Gainey is the first noncommissioned officer to hold the senior enlisted advisor post, which Pace created, and has served in the job since Oct. 1, 2005.
Since then, he has traveled the world talking to troops and hearing their concerns. Gainey said he will continue his whirlwind travel schedule, talking with servicemembers and advocating on their behalf until the day he retires.
"I'm not going to be a ROAD - 'Retired On Active Duty.' I will talk to troops until the day that I walk off the field," Gainey said. "I'm not going to slow up. I owe it to the troops."
Gainey said he will miss working for his current boss. He said it has been a pleasure working for an officer who has such a passion for taking care of servicemembers.
"He has the ability to make troops feel like they are the most important people in the world," Gainey said of Pace.
Gainey plans to retire near Fort Hood, Texas, where he and his wife of 30 years, Cindy, will build a new home. He said he plans to relax and spend time with his children and grandchildren, as serving in positions of increasing responsibility over the last 10 years has limited his time with family.
Gainey said he would like to work in some capacity that will allow him to speak on the behalf of servicemembers and "the benefits they deserve."
This week, Gainey talked with hundreds of servicemembers at town halls and on call-in radio shows and was guest speaker at a Warrior Leader Course graduation. Using humor mixed with his easy-going "South Carolinian" demeanor, Gainey put the troops at ease so he could hear their concerns about serving in Korea and about life in the military.
"What keeps you up at night?" was the recurring question Gainey posed to troops. "My roommate snoring," was one answer shot back. More serious responses included questions about promotions, uniforms, curfews, medical care, transformation and tour lengths. Gainey recorded the comments and said he will take them back to the appropriate service chiefs and to Pace.
He constantly reminded the servicemembers that he is not in their chain of command, and that he "didn't want to be another ugly picture on the wall" of a headquarters building. Gainey also emphasized that he while he would not resolve their concerns directly, he is a conduit at the Pentagon for getting their concerns to the right person.
Gainey noted the progress made on the Korean peninsula as leadership there begins its transformation from a Cold War formation and begins restructuring bases and camps to improve servicemembers' quality of life. He visited the troops serving here last year at this time.
"The biggest impression I got from this trip was the progress that was made, especially at Camp Humpreys. It was like I was walking into a totally different environment," Gainey said. "The motivation and the morale of the leadership to take care of the troops was also even greater this year."
Gainey said he would talk with the chairman about ensuring proper funding and resources be funneled to Korea to ensure the transformation is complete by 2012.
"One thing I'm going to talk to the chairman about is the commitment we made. We made a commitment ... that we would expand Camp Humphreys," Gainey said. "(Servicemembers) didn't ask to move. They were told to move. Now we owe it to them to take care of them with funding and any other resources they need."
Once the transformation is complete, Camp Humphreys will be the home of U.S. Forces Korea and Eighth U.S. Army. It will be the largest installation on the peninsula.
Gainey said he fielded more concerns this year about the Tricare military health system and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. Also significant were questions on allowing more command-sponsored families to accompany their military sponsors to the area.
Gainey also said that the troops seemed more focused and motivated this year.
"The soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines here are some of the most focused individuals you will ever meet, because they know that, just like their motto says, they could be fighting tonight," Gainey said. "When you hear the term 'train as you fight,' they truly train as they would fight."
Gainey said he will miss touring Korea. The next time he returns it will be as a civilian on vacation. He has traveled to Korea nine times during his career.
"Korea is a great place. I hear people call it a hardship tour. I can't figure it out," he said.
Nearing the end of his military career, Gainey offered simple advice to those starting theirs.
"Be the best you can be. Learn as much as you can from your leadership. Watch for the good and bad. Mimic the good, record the bad. If you remember the bad, you won't make the same mistakes," Gainey said.
Most importantly though, "Always remember nobody is greater and more important than the troops and their families you are given the privilege to serve," he said.
American Forces Press Service
June 22, 2007 – The Defense Department's top enlisted member said this week he has submitted his retirement paperwork, but that he plans to stay on through July 2008 until his replacement is on the job. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his week-long trip here will be his last to visit troops here. He finished a visit to camps and bases across the peninsula today.
"It was a personal choice that I felt like I had to make after 33 and a half years," Gainey said. "I think it's time to let someone else in this position."
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen, if confirmed by the Senate, will replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Oct. 1.
Gainey said his retirement timeline will give the next Joint Chiefs chairman time to select a senior enlisted advisor.
"I think I owe that to Admiral Mullen, who I think is a very fine officer," Gainey said.
Gainey is the first noncommissioned officer to hold the senior enlisted advisor post, which Pace created, and has served in the job since Oct. 1, 2005.
Since then, he has traveled the world talking to troops and hearing their concerns. Gainey said he will continue his whirlwind travel schedule, talking with servicemembers and advocating on their behalf until the day he retires.
"I'm not going to be a ROAD - 'Retired On Active Duty.' I will talk to troops until the day that I walk off the field," Gainey said. "I'm not going to slow up. I owe it to the troops."
Gainey said he will miss working for his current boss. He said it has been a pleasure working for an officer who has such a passion for taking care of servicemembers.
"He has the ability to make troops feel like they are the most important people in the world," Gainey said of Pace.
Gainey plans to retire near Fort Hood, Texas, where he and his wife of 30 years, Cindy, will build a new home. He said he plans to relax and spend time with his children and grandchildren, as serving in positions of increasing responsibility over the last 10 years has limited his time with family.
Gainey said he would like to work in some capacity that will allow him to speak on the behalf of servicemembers and "the benefits they deserve."
This week, Gainey talked with hundreds of servicemembers at town halls and on call-in radio shows and was guest speaker at a Warrior Leader Course graduation. Using humor mixed with his easy-going "South Carolinian" demeanor, Gainey put the troops at ease so he could hear their concerns about serving in Korea and about life in the military.
"What keeps you up at night?" was the recurring question Gainey posed to troops. "My roommate snoring," was one answer shot back. More serious responses included questions about promotions, uniforms, curfews, medical care, transformation and tour lengths. Gainey recorded the comments and said he will take them back to the appropriate service chiefs and to Pace.
He constantly reminded the servicemembers that he is not in their chain of command, and that he "didn't want to be another ugly picture on the wall" of a headquarters building. Gainey also emphasized that he while he would not resolve their concerns directly, he is a conduit at the Pentagon for getting their concerns to the right person.
Gainey noted the progress made on the Korean peninsula as leadership there begins its transformation from a Cold War formation and begins restructuring bases and camps to improve servicemembers' quality of life. He visited the troops serving here last year at this time.
"The biggest impression I got from this trip was the progress that was made, especially at Camp Humpreys. It was like I was walking into a totally different environment," Gainey said. "The motivation and the morale of the leadership to take care of the troops was also even greater this year."
Gainey said he would talk with the chairman about ensuring proper funding and resources be funneled to Korea to ensure the transformation is complete by 2012.
"One thing I'm going to talk to the chairman about is the commitment we made. We made a commitment ... that we would expand Camp Humphreys," Gainey said. "(Servicemembers) didn't ask to move. They were told to move. Now we owe it to them to take care of them with funding and any other resources they need."
Once the transformation is complete, Camp Humphreys will be the home of U.S. Forces Korea and Eighth U.S. Army. It will be the largest installation on the peninsula.
Gainey said he fielded more concerns this year about the Tricare military health system and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. Also significant were questions on allowing more command-sponsored families to accompany their military sponsors to the area.
Gainey also said that the troops seemed more focused and motivated this year.
"The soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines here are some of the most focused individuals you will ever meet, because they know that, just like their motto says, they could be fighting tonight," Gainey said. "When you hear the term 'train as you fight,' they truly train as they would fight."
Gainey said he will miss touring Korea. The next time he returns it will be as a civilian on vacation. He has traveled to Korea nine times during his career.
"Korea is a great place. I hear people call it a hardship tour. I can't figure it out," he said.
Nearing the end of his military career, Gainey offered simple advice to those starting theirs.
"Be the best you can be. Learn as much as you can from your leadership. Watch for the good and bad. Mimic the good, record the bad. If you remember the bad, you won't make the same mistakes," Gainey said.
Most importantly though, "Always remember nobody is greater and more important than the troops and their families you are given the privilege to serve," he said.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Pace Speaks About Jointness, Moral Courage
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 15, 2007 – U.S. armed services frequently work together in joint operations, and military officers also need to represent their own services in joint environments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday at the Joint Forces Staff College here. Pace delivered the Henry Clay Hofheimer Lecture to students, faculty and guests of the college. Most of the students are young officers who will move on to joint service assignments around the world.
"This is a joint school, a joint and combined environment and I like that a lot," Marine Gen. Peter Pace said. "But I ask you to not forget what uniform you wear."
The military has successfully embraced jointness, he said, and the campaign into Iraq in March and April 2003 proved the worth of the joint approach. But officers may be too quick to embrace the concept.
Pace said he knows a lot about the Marine Corps, having grown up in the culture from second lieutenant fresh out of the Naval Academy. "What I need around me are officers who will tell me what it is about the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard that I do not know, and if I did know, I could make a better decision," he said.
An Air Force officer going to a joint meeting has the responsibility to represent his service as part of his input to the meeting. "When you walk in that room, don't be bashful about explaining to the other people why certain things in your service are the way they are," Pace said. "At the end of the day, when the decision is made, of course, we all get on board and row together."
He said keeping an open mind is part of the process. It is important to articulate the service's position, but an officer needs to understand it is only one way of looking at that problem.
"Understand that you know part of the truth, not all of the truth, and listen to the folks around you," Pace said. "Then become part of the team that solves the problem."
The chairman said military personnel readily understand physical courage, but he has really come to understand moral courage.
"I have come in my last six years to appreciate and value the courage that comes with having to stand up and speak your mind when others are thinking differently," he said. "If you are wrong in combat, you might die. If you are wrong intellectually you have to live with it."
With seniority comes membership in more powerful groups, he noted. "As discussions are going in one direction, it becomes more and more difficult to say 'I see it a bit differently.' But I will tell you that the more senior you become the more critical it is that you be the person at the table who does that," he said.
Pace also spoke about the value of saying "no" to senior officials. Pace said the word "no" has an unusual effect on people. He said if there is a roll call around a table and someone says, "No" everything stops.
"Everybody listens," he said. "You will not always carry the day. But you will always be welcome at the next meeting, because people know you will always speak your mind."
The chairman also told the students that it is important to "grow where you are planted." He said some students in the class are going to assignments they would not have chosen for themselves. But, they have to give some credit to the services. The services know what they want in officers and what type of experiences they need for their officers.
"In my case, if I had done everything I had wanted to do in the Marine Corps and everything I presumed I was best-qualified for, I would long be retired," he said. "The service put me places that gave me the experiences that allowed me to compete for higher and higher jobs."
"More important than that," he told the students, "every place that we could possibly send you, there are great young men and women in uniform who need your leadership, who deserve the best you can give them. And as you already know if you take care of the folks in your charge the trip your on is amazingly rewarding and your unit just performs beyond anything you imagined."
American Forces Press Service
June 15, 2007 – U.S. armed services frequently work together in joint operations, and military officers also need to represent their own services in joint environments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday at the Joint Forces Staff College here. Pace delivered the Henry Clay Hofheimer Lecture to students, faculty and guests of the college. Most of the students are young officers who will move on to joint service assignments around the world.
"This is a joint school, a joint and combined environment and I like that a lot," Marine Gen. Peter Pace said. "But I ask you to not forget what uniform you wear."
The military has successfully embraced jointness, he said, and the campaign into Iraq in March and April 2003 proved the worth of the joint approach. But officers may be too quick to embrace the concept.
Pace said he knows a lot about the Marine Corps, having grown up in the culture from second lieutenant fresh out of the Naval Academy. "What I need around me are officers who will tell me what it is about the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard that I do not know, and if I did know, I could make a better decision," he said.
An Air Force officer going to a joint meeting has the responsibility to represent his service as part of his input to the meeting. "When you walk in that room, don't be bashful about explaining to the other people why certain things in your service are the way they are," Pace said. "At the end of the day, when the decision is made, of course, we all get on board and row together."
He said keeping an open mind is part of the process. It is important to articulate the service's position, but an officer needs to understand it is only one way of looking at that problem.
"Understand that you know part of the truth, not all of the truth, and listen to the folks around you," Pace said. "Then become part of the team that solves the problem."
The chairman said military personnel readily understand physical courage, but he has really come to understand moral courage.
"I have come in my last six years to appreciate and value the courage that comes with having to stand up and speak your mind when others are thinking differently," he said. "If you are wrong in combat, you might die. If you are wrong intellectually you have to live with it."
With seniority comes membership in more powerful groups, he noted. "As discussions are going in one direction, it becomes more and more difficult to say 'I see it a bit differently.' But I will tell you that the more senior you become the more critical it is that you be the person at the table who does that," he said.
Pace also spoke about the value of saying "no" to senior officials. Pace said the word "no" has an unusual effect on people. He said if there is a roll call around a table and someone says, "No" everything stops.
"Everybody listens," he said. "You will not always carry the day. But you will always be welcome at the next meeting, because people know you will always speak your mind."
The chairman also told the students that it is important to "grow where you are planted." He said some students in the class are going to assignments they would not have chosen for themselves. But, they have to give some credit to the services. The services know what they want in officers and what type of experiences they need for their officers.
"In my case, if I had done everything I had wanted to do in the Marine Corps and everything I presumed I was best-qualified for, I would long be retired," he said. "The service put me places that gave me the experiences that allowed me to compete for higher and higher jobs."
"More important than that," he told the students, "every place that we could possibly send you, there are great young men and women in uniform who need your leadership, who deserve the best you can give them. And as you already know if you take care of the folks in your charge the trip your on is amazingly rewarding and your unit just performs beyond anything you imagined."
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Gates, Pace: Local Leaders Critical to Success in Iraq, Afghanistan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Though strengthening the central governments is critical to success in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today, it's also important to build relationships with local leaders who play key roles in their communities. Gtes told Pentagon reporters he's been concerned that the U.S. and coalition efforts in both countries may be focusing too much simply on bolstering the central governments.
He said he has wondered since taking office in December if the focus has stopped short of recognizing the "cultural and historical, provincial, tribal and other entities that have played an important role in the history of both countries."
"I think the reality is that we need to continue our efforts to strengthen the central governments and the ministries in both countries," he said. "But I think reaching out and working with these other groups is also important."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Gates in pointing to Iraq's Anbar province an example of what this effort can accomplish.
"It was local leaders in al Anbar who made the decision that they were tired of al Qaeda (and) that they wanted to partner with coalition forces in getting rid of al Qaeda," Pace said. Working together rather than at cross-purposes, these groups have "been able to change the atmosphere in al Anbar significantly," he said.
Pace said the Anbar experience offers a lesson for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The military leadership should be paying attention to the political leadership's decisions and be ready to reinforce and help them as best they can," he said.
Gates said the benefit of this cooperation applies equally in Afghanistan, where "the importance of the village elders and others and the provincial governors is clearly important in progress."
As people tire of violence in their streets, they are more likely to collaborate with forces working to deter them, he said. "When these guys ... get impatient with the Taliban and others trying to muscle their way around their villages and begin to work more closely with (the NATO International Security Assistance Force) and with the Afghan National Army, then I think you begin to see real progress," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Though strengthening the central governments is critical to success in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today, it's also important to build relationships with local leaders who play key roles in their communities. Gtes told Pentagon reporters he's been concerned that the U.S. and coalition efforts in both countries may be focusing too much simply on bolstering the central governments.
He said he has wondered since taking office in December if the focus has stopped short of recognizing the "cultural and historical, provincial, tribal and other entities that have played an important role in the history of both countries."
"I think the reality is that we need to continue our efforts to strengthen the central governments and the ministries in both countries," he said. "But I think reaching out and working with these other groups is also important."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Gates in pointing to Iraq's Anbar province an example of what this effort can accomplish.
"It was local leaders in al Anbar who made the decision that they were tired of al Qaeda (and) that they wanted to partner with coalition forces in getting rid of al Qaeda," Pace said. Working together rather than at cross-purposes, these groups have "been able to change the atmosphere in al Anbar significantly," he said.
Pace said the Anbar experience offers a lesson for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The military leadership should be paying attention to the political leadership's decisions and be ready to reinforce and help them as best they can," he said.
Gates said the benefit of this cooperation applies equally in Afghanistan, where "the importance of the village elders and others and the provincial governors is clearly important in progress."
As people tire of violence in their streets, they are more likely to collaborate with forces working to deter them, he said. "When these guys ... get impatient with the Taliban and others trying to muscle their way around their villages and begin to work more closely with (the NATO International Security Assistance Force) and with the Afghan National Army, then I think you begin to see real progress," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Pace Says 'Surge' Progress Will Be Evident by September
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
May 18, 2007 – By September, military officials will have a pretty good feel for whether the "military part" of the president's surge strategy is working, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today. Pace spoke to about 1,000 students and alumni at the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Following his address on leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience.
On the surge, Pace explained that four of the five brigades of about 3,000 to 3,500 troops each that the U.S. military is "plussing up" are currently in Iraq. The fifth is in Kuwait and will be in Iraq by the beginning of June.
"From June until September," he said, "we'll have the opportunity to watch the increased U.S. presence on the ground, and the increased Iraqi unit presence on the ground, and the effect that it has on security, primarily in Baghdad."
The increase in troops is only one part of a three-pronged approach to ending the war in Iraq, he noted.
"Increased troop strength in and of itself is not going to be sufficient," he stressed. "You must have an increase in governance and an increase in economics."
Success in the war on terrorism, Pace said, is not like the success of World War II. The end state will be much more like the current state of a U.S. city, such as Chicago.
"Is there violence here? Yes," he said. "Is there a police force that keeps that violence below a level at which the government can function and the citizenry can go about their daily business? This is what you're looking at with the war on terror. ...
"You'll never stop all terrorist acts," he said. The goal is to have "the security is solid enough so that the government can provide leadership and so the business world can provide jobs so people can prosper."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
American Forces Press Service
May 18, 2007 – By September, military officials will have a pretty good feel for whether the "military part" of the president's surge strategy is working, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today. Pace spoke to about 1,000 students and alumni at the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Following his address on leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience.
On the surge, Pace explained that four of the five brigades of about 3,000 to 3,500 troops each that the U.S. military is "plussing up" are currently in Iraq. The fifth is in Kuwait and will be in Iraq by the beginning of June.
"From June until September," he said, "we'll have the opportunity to watch the increased U.S. presence on the ground, and the increased Iraqi unit presence on the ground, and the effect that it has on security, primarily in Baghdad."
The increase in troops is only one part of a three-pronged approach to ending the war in Iraq, he noted.
"Increased troop strength in and of itself is not going to be sufficient," he stressed. "You must have an increase in governance and an increase in economics."
Success in the war on terrorism, Pace said, is not like the success of World War II. The end state will be much more like the current state of a U.S. city, such as Chicago.
"Is there violence here? Yes," he said. "Is there a police force that keeps that violence below a level at which the government can function and the citizenry can go about their daily business? This is what you're looking at with the war on terror. ...
"You'll never stop all terrorist acts," he said. The goal is to have "the security is solid enough so that the government can provide leadership and so the business world can provide jobs so people can prosper."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
Chairman Still Motivated, Inspired by Troops
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
May 18, 2007 – What keeps a military man like Marine Gen. Peter Pace, motivated? For the Vietnam veteran with nearly 40 years service who now serves as the military's highest-ranking officer, the answer to such a question is simple: talking to the troops. "Serving the nation's men and women in uniform is not a burden; it's an honor, and I'm proud to have the opportunity to do it," Pace told about 1,000 students and alumni here today attending the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Following his speech on leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience. He talked about how he keeps his balance, his mentors, ways the public can support the troops and how he makes himself available to the American people.
Since being commissioned in June 1967 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Pace has served at every level of military command. In September 2005, he became the first Marine to be appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this position, he serves as the principal military advisor to the president, the defense secretary and the National Security Council.
Asked how he balances the daily pressures of his duties in Washington, Pace said he turns to two pictures under the glass on his desk.
One is of Marine Lance Cpl. Guido Farinaro, who died in Vietnam in July 1968 while following the orders of 2nd Lt. Peter Pace. The other is Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin, declared missing after an April 9, 2004, convoy attack near Baghdad, who up until last week, was the only unaccounted-for soldier in Iraq. Three other soldiers have been missing since a May 12 ambush.
"I keep my balance by remembering my responsibilities," he said. "We work with some incredible young men and women. If I ever start feeling down for any reason, all I've got to do is get up from behind my desk, walk out into the corridor, stop the first person walking by and just talk to him, and that boosts me incredibly."
Asked who his mentors have been, Pace replied that there have been many, so he would only name a few. The first he chose to mention were the young men like Farinaro who served under him in combat and died.
"It is their sacrifice for this country that has kept me on active duty," he said. "When I question how I serve or whether I should serve, the memory of what I owe them is very strong in what I decide to do next."
Pace said a Marine captain named Chuck Meadows taught him to make decisions. He also noted that he'd worked for former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis Reimer when Reimer was a two-star general in Korea.
"He invested his leadership time in helping me understand my potential," Pace said. "Every chance he has had a chance to say something nice about me, to be supportive of me, to point people in my direction, he has done."
Pace said he tries to give back in return the help and guidance he's been given by Meadows, Reimer and others to the young people coming up in the military today.
When a woman asked how people could best support the troops, Pace replied, "You just did."
"Whenever I travel to see the troops," he explained, "they ask, 'Are the American people still with us?' Not, 'What do the people think about the war we're in?' But, 'Do they still value our service as military men and women?'
"And it's questions like (yours) and other comments of support that I've gotten here so far today, that allows me to tell them, 'Absolutely.'"
There are many ways to show support for the troops, he added. When people thank troops they see at the airports, it resonates. When people send packages, when school children send notes and letters, that word gets out.
For specific ways to show support, he told the audience to go to www.AmericaSupportsYou.com, a Defense Department Web site that lists home-front groups that help support the troops. In Chicago, for example, he said, people can help the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, which gives the children of fallen servicemembers scholarships.
"Thank you for asking that question," Pace told the woman. "Retention and recruiting in the armed forces right now is solid, but it is fragile." He said the troops believe in the mission they've got, and "they believe the American people appreciate their service even if they don't agree on the specifics of the conflict."
When one member of the audience asked Pace if he wouldn't be better off back in Washington dealing with the war than here talking with business leaders, the slightly stunned audience broke out in chatter. But the chairman wasn't taken aback.
"I've already learned a couple of things today that, had I not come here, I would not know," he replied.
Prior to giving his speech, he noted that he'd met first with a small group of military veterans now associated with the school and then with a group of student leaders. In both of those forums, he said, he had question-and-answer periods that helped him better understand some issues.
"Each of us have to divide our time in ways that we feel are beneficial," Pace said. "I need to determine how best to spend my time, to include how much of my time I should make myself available to the citizens of the United States to be able to ask me their questions in forums like this outside of Washington, D.C.
"For me, this is time well spent, because I am learning and I'm also making myself available to the American people, as I believe our senior leadership should do," he concluded.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
American Forces Press Service
May 18, 2007 – What keeps a military man like Marine Gen. Peter Pace, motivated? For the Vietnam veteran with nearly 40 years service who now serves as the military's highest-ranking officer, the answer to such a question is simple: talking to the troops. "Serving the nation's men and women in uniform is not a burden; it's an honor, and I'm proud to have the opportunity to do it," Pace told about 1,000 students and alumni here today attending the 55th annual management conference of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Following his speech on leadership, Pace answered questions from the audience. He talked about how he keeps his balance, his mentors, ways the public can support the troops and how he makes himself available to the American people.
Since being commissioned in June 1967 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Pace has served at every level of military command. In September 2005, he became the first Marine to be appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this position, he serves as the principal military advisor to the president, the defense secretary and the National Security Council.
Asked how he balances the daily pressures of his duties in Washington, Pace said he turns to two pictures under the glass on his desk.
One is of Marine Lance Cpl. Guido Farinaro, who died in Vietnam in July 1968 while following the orders of 2nd Lt. Peter Pace. The other is Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin, declared missing after an April 9, 2004, convoy attack near Baghdad, who up until last week, was the only unaccounted-for soldier in Iraq. Three other soldiers have been missing since a May 12 ambush.
"I keep my balance by remembering my responsibilities," he said. "We work with some incredible young men and women. If I ever start feeling down for any reason, all I've got to do is get up from behind my desk, walk out into the corridor, stop the first person walking by and just talk to him, and that boosts me incredibly."
Asked who his mentors have been, Pace replied that there have been many, so he would only name a few. The first he chose to mention were the young men like Farinaro who served under him in combat and died.
"It is their sacrifice for this country that has kept me on active duty," he said. "When I question how I serve or whether I should serve, the memory of what I owe them is very strong in what I decide to do next."
Pace said a Marine captain named Chuck Meadows taught him to make decisions. He also noted that he'd worked for former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis Reimer when Reimer was a two-star general in Korea.
"He invested his leadership time in helping me understand my potential," Pace said. "Every chance he has had a chance to say something nice about me, to be supportive of me, to point people in my direction, he has done."
Pace said he tries to give back in return the help and guidance he's been given by Meadows, Reimer and others to the young people coming up in the military today.
When a woman asked how people could best support the troops, Pace replied, "You just did."
"Whenever I travel to see the troops," he explained, "they ask, 'Are the American people still with us?' Not, 'What do the people think about the war we're in?' But, 'Do they still value our service as military men and women?'
"And it's questions like (yours) and other comments of support that I've gotten here so far today, that allows me to tell them, 'Absolutely.'"
There are many ways to show support for the troops, he added. When people thank troops they see at the airports, it resonates. When people send packages, when school children send notes and letters, that word gets out.
For specific ways to show support, he told the audience to go to www.AmericaSupportsYou.com, a Defense Department Web site that lists home-front groups that help support the troops. In Chicago, for example, he said, people can help the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, which gives the children of fallen servicemembers scholarships.
"Thank you for asking that question," Pace told the woman. "Retention and recruiting in the armed forces right now is solid, but it is fragile." He said the troops believe in the mission they've got, and "they believe the American people appreciate their service even if they don't agree on the specifics of the conflict."
When one member of the audience asked Pace if he wouldn't be better off back in Washington dealing with the war than here talking with business leaders, the slightly stunned audience broke out in chatter. But the chairman wasn't taken aback.
"I've already learned a couple of things today that, had I not come here, I would not know," he replied.
Prior to giving his speech, he noted that he'd met first with a small group of military veterans now associated with the school and then with a group of student leaders. In both of those forums, he said, he had question-and-answer periods that helped him better understand some issues.
"Each of us have to divide our time in ways that we feel are beneficial," Pace said. "I need to determine how best to spend my time, to include how much of my time I should make myself available to the citizens of the United States to be able to ask me their questions in forums like this outside of Washington, D.C.
"For me, this is time well spent, because I am learning and I'm also making myself available to the American people, as I believe our senior leadership should do," he concluded.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Leadership Key to Troop Mental Health
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2007 – The military has a robust system in place to deal with mental health issues, but longer and more frequent deployments are causing strain on servicemembers, a Defense Department study has found. The fourth Mental Health Advisory Team survey, MHAT IV as this survey was called, was conducted in August and September. For the first time, the survey included Marines in the study group. The MHAT was composed of behavioral health professionals who deployed to Iraq and surveyed soldiers, Marines, health care providers, and chaplains, Army Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, the acting surgeon general of the Army, told reporters at the Pentagon.
The MHAT IV team found that not all soldiers and Marines deployed to Iraq are at equal risk for screening positive for a mental health symptom, and the level of combat is the main determining factor of a servicemember's mental health status, Pollock said. For soldiers, deployment length and family separation were the top non-combat deployment issues, whereas Marines had fewer non-combat deployment issues, probably because of their shorter deployment periods, she said.
The team recommended behavioral outreach efforts that focus on units that are in theater longer than six months and determined that shorter deployments or longer intervals between deployments would allow soldiers and Marines better opportunities to reset mentally before returning to combat.
Pollock said these findings contributed to the Army's decision to extend combat deployments to 15 months, because it gave the units waiting to deploy more time at their home stations. Congress has authorized the Defense Department to increase the strength the Army, she noted, which will help increase time at home between deployments for soldiers.
Fifteen-month deployments will be stressful for servicemembers, Pollock acknowledged, and that's why it's important for leaders to be trained in behavioral health issues.
"We've got more attention now on the importance of leadership, and I think that's one of the strengths that the team really identified, is that with good leadership, even when people may have a bad thought, they don't act on that thought," she said. "So it's very important that we ensure that the young leaders have the training so they know how to support the troops that depend on them."
For the first time since the MHAT program was started in 2003, this assessment included questions about battlefield ethics, Pollock said. Of those surveyed, 10 percent of soldiers and Marines reported mistreating noncombatants or damaging property when it was not necessary, she said.
The survey also found that only 47 percent of soldiers and 38 percent of Marines agreed that noncombatants should be treated with dignity and respect. More than one-third of all soldiers and Marines reported that torture should be allowed to save the life of a fellow soldier or Marine, and less than half of soldiers or Marines said they would report a team member for unethical behavior.
In the report, mistreating noncombatants was defined as either stealing from a noncombatant, destroying or damaging property when it wasn't necessary, or hitting or kicking a noncombatant.
These findings may seem alarming, Pollock said, but it is important to keep them in perspective. These troops have been seeing their friends killed and injured, and anger is a normal reaction, she said. However, what's important to note is that the troops who had these thoughts did not act on them and actually mistreat any noncombatants.
"What it speaks to is the leadership that the military is providing, because they're not acting on those thoughts," she said. "They're not torturing the people. And I think it speaks very well to the level of training that we have in the military today."
Other key findings of the report include:
-- The 2006 adjusted rate of suicides per 100,000 soldiers in Operation Iraqi Freedom was 17.3 soldiers, lower than the 19.9 rate reported in 2005, but higher than the Army average of 11.6 per 100,000 soldiers.
-- Soldiers experienced mental health problems at a higher rate than Marines.
-- Deployment length was directly linked to morale problems in the Army.
-- Leadership is key to maintaining soldier and Marine mental health.
-- Both soldiers and Marines reported at relatively high rates -- 62 and 66 percent, respectively -- that they knew someone seriously injured or killed, or that a member of their team had become a casualty.
-- Only 5 percent of soldiers reported taking in-theater rest and relaxation leave, although the average time deployed was nine months.
-- Multiple deployers reported higher acute stress than first-time deployers. Deployment length was related to higher rates of mental health problems and marital problems.
-- Current suicide prevention training is not designed for a combat environment.
-- Behavioral health providers require additional combat and operational stress-control training prior to deploying to Iraq.
Since the MHAT IV report was presented to the Multinational Force Iraq commander and service leaders in November, the Army and Marines have implemented changes to improve behavioral health care, Pollock said. The Army has revised teaching curriculum and operational training to include more focus on Army values, suicide prevention, battlefield ethics, and behavioral health awareness in all junior-leader-development courses, she said.
The Marine Corps has been developing deployment-cycle training since 2003, said Navy Capt. William P. Nash, coordinator of the Combat/Operational Stress Control Branch of the service's Manpower and Reserve Affairs directorate. Marines, leaders and families all receive training in identifying, managing and preventing mental health problems, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2007 – The military has a robust system in place to deal with mental health issues, but longer and more frequent deployments are causing strain on servicemembers, a Defense Department study has found. The fourth Mental Health Advisory Team survey, MHAT IV as this survey was called, was conducted in August and September. For the first time, the survey included Marines in the study group. The MHAT was composed of behavioral health professionals who deployed to Iraq and surveyed soldiers, Marines, health care providers, and chaplains, Army Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, the acting surgeon general of the Army, told reporters at the Pentagon.
The MHAT IV team found that not all soldiers and Marines deployed to Iraq are at equal risk for screening positive for a mental health symptom, and the level of combat is the main determining factor of a servicemember's mental health status, Pollock said. For soldiers, deployment length and family separation were the top non-combat deployment issues, whereas Marines had fewer non-combat deployment issues, probably because of their shorter deployment periods, she said.
The team recommended behavioral outreach efforts that focus on units that are in theater longer than six months and determined that shorter deployments or longer intervals between deployments would allow soldiers and Marines better opportunities to reset mentally before returning to combat.
Pollock said these findings contributed to the Army's decision to extend combat deployments to 15 months, because it gave the units waiting to deploy more time at their home stations. Congress has authorized the Defense Department to increase the strength the Army, she noted, which will help increase time at home between deployments for soldiers.
Fifteen-month deployments will be stressful for servicemembers, Pollock acknowledged, and that's why it's important for leaders to be trained in behavioral health issues.
"We've got more attention now on the importance of leadership, and I think that's one of the strengths that the team really identified, is that with good leadership, even when people may have a bad thought, they don't act on that thought," she said. "So it's very important that we ensure that the young leaders have the training so they know how to support the troops that depend on them."
For the first time since the MHAT program was started in 2003, this assessment included questions about battlefield ethics, Pollock said. Of those surveyed, 10 percent of soldiers and Marines reported mistreating noncombatants or damaging property when it was not necessary, she said.
The survey also found that only 47 percent of soldiers and 38 percent of Marines agreed that noncombatants should be treated with dignity and respect. More than one-third of all soldiers and Marines reported that torture should be allowed to save the life of a fellow soldier or Marine, and less than half of soldiers or Marines said they would report a team member for unethical behavior.
In the report, mistreating noncombatants was defined as either stealing from a noncombatant, destroying or damaging property when it wasn't necessary, or hitting or kicking a noncombatant.
These findings may seem alarming, Pollock said, but it is important to keep them in perspective. These troops have been seeing their friends killed and injured, and anger is a normal reaction, she said. However, what's important to note is that the troops who had these thoughts did not act on them and actually mistreat any noncombatants.
"What it speaks to is the leadership that the military is providing, because they're not acting on those thoughts," she said. "They're not torturing the people. And I think it speaks very well to the level of training that we have in the military today."
Other key findings of the report include:
-- The 2006 adjusted rate of suicides per 100,000 soldiers in Operation Iraqi Freedom was 17.3 soldiers, lower than the 19.9 rate reported in 2005, but higher than the Army average of 11.6 per 100,000 soldiers.
-- Soldiers experienced mental health problems at a higher rate than Marines.
-- Deployment length was directly linked to morale problems in the Army.
-- Leadership is key to maintaining soldier and Marine mental health.
-- Both soldiers and Marines reported at relatively high rates -- 62 and 66 percent, respectively -- that they knew someone seriously injured or killed, or that a member of their team had become a casualty.
-- Only 5 percent of soldiers reported taking in-theater rest and relaxation leave, although the average time deployed was nine months.
-- Multiple deployers reported higher acute stress than first-time deployers. Deployment length was related to higher rates of mental health problems and marital problems.
-- Current suicide prevention training is not designed for a combat environment.
-- Behavioral health providers require additional combat and operational stress-control training prior to deploying to Iraq.
Since the MHAT IV report was presented to the Multinational Force Iraq commander and service leaders in November, the Army and Marines have implemented changes to improve behavioral health care, Pollock said. The Army has revised teaching curriculum and operational training to include more focus on Army values, suicide prevention, battlefield ethics, and behavioral health awareness in all junior-leader-development courses, she said.
The Marine Corps has been developing deployment-cycle training since 2003, said Navy Capt. William P. Nash, coordinator of the Combat/Operational Stress Control Branch of the service's Manpower and Reserve Affairs directorate. Marines, leaders and families all receive training in identifying, managing and preventing mental health problems, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Marine Entry-Level Training to Go 'Back to Basics,' General Says
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Marine entry-level training will reinvigorate its values-based approach, a top Marine official said here yesterday. At both Marine Corps Recruitment Depots -- in Parris Island, S.C., and San Diego -- senior drill instructors will hold "footlocker classes" with enlistees to strengthen the mentor-scholar relationship, Marine Maj. Gen. George J. Flynn, the commanding general of the Corps' Training and Education Command, told reporters at the Pentagon.
"The senior drill instructors will have their troops literally sit on the footlockers and will have that father-son, mother-daughter talk that really instills those values," he said. "That's where a lot of the values get reinforced and introduced to the recruits."
Discussion topics will depend on when the sessions occur during boot camp, and Flynn said talks could range from what new recruits might experience when first arriving to a unit and what leadership they can expect, to financial advice and how young Marines should behave during leave. Senior drill instructors soon will receive a guide on how to approach these footlocker sessions, he added.
Flynn said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway spurred the re-examination of entry-level training. "This stemmed from his belief that the transformation from civilian to Marine is a national treasure and one that we must preserve and guard," he said.
In addition, the Corps is considering an additional week of infantry training for both infantry and noninfantry Marines, which would likely include crew-served weapons training, plus convoy and counter-improvised-explosive-device training.
In about a month, officials at Marine Manpower and Reserve Affairs should render their judgment on whether the additional week is feasible. "All these things would provide a better-trained Marine to the operating forces," Flynn said.
The general also announced a scheduling change to the 12-week Marine boot camp, involving the 54-hour endurance exercise Marines call "The Crucible." In May, recruits at Parris Island will undergo the crucible in week 11, instead of week 10, and in October the crucible exercise in San Diego will move from week eight to week 11.
"We want to make The Crucible the true culminating event that it was originally designed to be," he said. "At the end of this 54-hour event, you will be recognized as earning the right to be called a United States Marine."
The 12th and final week of training will be called "Marine Week," Flynn said.
"It's a transition from going to a very restrictive environment to learning about how you are going to function in the Marines when you reach the operating forces," he said. "You're going to get accustomed to the leadership that you're going to experience out in the fleet and also understand the role of (noncommissioned officers) and staff NCOs other than being drill instructors."
Borrowing a quote from former Marine Commandant Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, Flynn said, "An individual should be better off for their service."
"And that's really what this is all about," he said. "It's a recommitment."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Marine entry-level training will reinvigorate its values-based approach, a top Marine official said here yesterday. At both Marine Corps Recruitment Depots -- in Parris Island, S.C., and San Diego -- senior drill instructors will hold "footlocker classes" with enlistees to strengthen the mentor-scholar relationship, Marine Maj. Gen. George J. Flynn, the commanding general of the Corps' Training and Education Command, told reporters at the Pentagon.
"The senior drill instructors will have their troops literally sit on the footlockers and will have that father-son, mother-daughter talk that really instills those values," he said. "That's where a lot of the values get reinforced and introduced to the recruits."
Discussion topics will depend on when the sessions occur during boot camp, and Flynn said talks could range from what new recruits might experience when first arriving to a unit and what leadership they can expect, to financial advice and how young Marines should behave during leave. Senior drill instructors soon will receive a guide on how to approach these footlocker sessions, he added.
Flynn said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway spurred the re-examination of entry-level training. "This stemmed from his belief that the transformation from civilian to Marine is a national treasure and one that we must preserve and guard," he said.
In addition, the Corps is considering an additional week of infantry training for both infantry and noninfantry Marines, which would likely include crew-served weapons training, plus convoy and counter-improvised-explosive-device training.
In about a month, officials at Marine Manpower and Reserve Affairs should render their judgment on whether the additional week is feasible. "All these things would provide a better-trained Marine to the operating forces," Flynn said.
The general also announced a scheduling change to the 12-week Marine boot camp, involving the 54-hour endurance exercise Marines call "The Crucible." In May, recruits at Parris Island will undergo the crucible in week 11, instead of week 10, and in October the crucible exercise in San Diego will move from week eight to week 11.
"We want to make The Crucible the true culminating event that it was originally designed to be," he said. "At the end of this 54-hour event, you will be recognized as earning the right to be called a United States Marine."
The 12th and final week of training will be called "Marine Week," Flynn said.
"It's a transition from going to a very restrictive environment to learning about how you are going to function in the Marines when you reach the operating forces," he said. "You're going to get accustomed to the leadership that you're going to experience out in the fleet and also understand the role of (noncommissioned officers) and staff NCOs other than being drill instructors."
Borrowing a quote from former Marine Commandant Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, Flynn said, "An individual should be better off for their service."
"And that's really what this is all about," he said. "It's a recommitment."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
A Marine and A Sailor
Military-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing all former United States military personnel who have written books. The website added a sailor, Shane Moore, and a Marine, Robert Taubert.
Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.
One reader/reviewer of Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.” Shane Moore served in the United States Navy.
Robert "Bob" Taubert is thought of by FBI veterans as the finest firearms and tactics instructor to serve in the FBI. He has a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physical Education and served 12 years as a reconnaissance infantry Marine pulling two combat tours in Vietnam, rising to the rank of Major and serving as company commander.
Robert Taubert joined the FBI serving his country as a Special Agent for over twenty-four years. While in the FBI he was heavily involved in Special Operations and was one of the founders and trainers of the FBI’s Elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT. Bob served as the FBI SOG liaison for the USMC and US Navy special operations entities. Bob is responsible for the birth of the widely known SEAL Team 6 and assisted what was to become today’s US Navy's Development Group, in gaining official recognition as a national counter terrorism asset by the military.
Serving as the senior instructor at the FBI Academy in the FBI’s SOARS, the elite Special Operations units Robert Taubert was chosen by the DEA to train and equip DEA agents in Close Quarters Battle, SWAT tactics and combat survival skills. These agents went on to participate in some of the most highly secretive joint agency covert operations that the US has ever run. During his tours of duty with the Bureau and DEA he attended every major firearms school in the world and qualified as a Master or Expert in long and short firearms.
Following the FBI he was a staff instructor at the Smith & Wesson Academy; he is a subject matter expert in SWAT, Anti-Terrorism, Hostage Rescue and Police Survival issues; he is a Staff Instructor for the US Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and is also an adjunct Instructor at Alan Brosnan's Tactical Explosive Entry School and Kelly McCain’s Crucible Training Center. He is an accomplished author and is a staff writer for many law enforcement magazines, publications, and journals. Robert Taubert is the co-author of Soldiering on: The Stories of Two Former Kiwi SAS Men in Their Continuing World-Wide Careers of Adventure.
In addition to hosting current, former and retired military personnel who have written books, Military-Writers.com is building and extensive web-based directory of military personnel who own businesses.
Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.
One reader/reviewer of Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.” Shane Moore served in the United States Navy.
Robert "Bob" Taubert is thought of by FBI veterans as the finest firearms and tactics instructor to serve in the FBI. He has a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physical Education and served 12 years as a reconnaissance infantry Marine pulling two combat tours in Vietnam, rising to the rank of Major and serving as company commander.
Robert Taubert joined the FBI serving his country as a Special Agent for over twenty-four years. While in the FBI he was heavily involved in Special Operations and was one of the founders and trainers of the FBI’s Elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT. Bob served as the FBI SOG liaison for the USMC and US Navy special operations entities. Bob is responsible for the birth of the widely known SEAL Team 6 and assisted what was to become today’s US Navy's Development Group, in gaining official recognition as a national counter terrorism asset by the military.
Serving as the senior instructor at the FBI Academy in the FBI’s SOARS, the elite Special Operations units Robert Taubert was chosen by the DEA to train and equip DEA agents in Close Quarters Battle, SWAT tactics and combat survival skills. These agents went on to participate in some of the most highly secretive joint agency covert operations that the US has ever run. During his tours of duty with the Bureau and DEA he attended every major firearms school in the world and qualified as a Master or Expert in long and short firearms.
Following the FBI he was a staff instructor at the Smith & Wesson Academy; he is a subject matter expert in SWAT, Anti-Terrorism, Hostage Rescue and Police Survival issues; he is a Staff Instructor for the US Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and is also an adjunct Instructor at Alan Brosnan's Tactical Explosive Entry School and Kelly McCain’s Crucible Training Center. He is an accomplished author and is a staff writer for many law enforcement magazines, publications, and journals. Robert Taubert is the co-author of Soldiering on: The Stories of Two Former Kiwi SAS Men in Their Continuing World-Wide Careers of Adventure.
In addition to hosting current, former and retired military personnel who have written books, Military-Writers.com is building and extensive web-based directory of military personnel who own businesses.
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