Haiti, My Top 5 Observations

By Lt. Gen. Ken Keen
U.S. Army, Commander, Joint Task Force – Haiti

April 19, 2010 - I believe no one can come to Haiti and leave unchanged. I have certainly been personally and professionally affected by what I have experienced since Jan. 12. Over the course of three months, I’ve had the chance to take in a number of observations, too many to list in this blog, so I decided to select what I feel are the “Top 5.”

1.Respond Quickly and Effectively

2.Protect the People, Always

3.Build Partnerships with Key Players

4.Coordinate and Collaborate to Achieve Unity of Effort

5.Communicate-Communicate-Communicate

Respond Quickly and Effectively

The rapid deployment of forces and capabilities was effective, but not always efficient. In the initial hours after the earthquake, we had limited situational awareness of the extent of the damage and we were unsure of the critical needs of the Haitian people and government. In order to respond quickly, our initial “push” of forces and relief was executed outside the formal planning, sourcing, and tracking mechanisms. The only immediate lifeline to Port-au-Prince was through Haiti’s airport. Once we had the 1st Special Operations Wing, 621st Contingency Response Wing, and 24th Air Expeditionary Group on the ground, we were able to begin operating the airport. Within 28 hours of the earthquake, the pipeline of relief supplies, U.S. military forces and thousands of volunteers began to flow into country. Although it was ad hoc and chaotic at first, the U.S. military and the international response was effective enough to provide food, water, medical aid and search and rescue support, avoiding any civil unrest or unnecessary loss of life.

Protect the People, Always

We recognized early on in the relief phase of this humanitarian assistance operation that the tenets of counterinsurgency operations (COIN) were very relevant in this non-kinetic environment. Throughout the operation, Joint Task Force – Haiti sought to establish relationships with the Haitian people. “Protection of the populace” was the centerpiece of all our efforts. Leaders and troops maintained contact with the Haitians in the spontaneous camps, as well locating their operation centers in the heart of the city. While security was a concern, it was never an impediment to our ability to engage with the local populace and offer a hand of friendship. Our troops’ actions on the ground sent a clear message to the people of Haiti, “The United States cares and we are here to help.”

Build Partnerships with Key Players

Success in a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation hinges on partnerships. The partnerships we shared (and developed) with the Government of Haiti, United Nations, United States Agency for International Development and nongovernmental organizations were instrumental in the overall relief operation. My relationship with the UN force commander was an example of this strong partnership. Developing relationships and partnerships from the beginning and throughout the relief and recovery phases takes a lot of work, and leaders must devote both time and energy to make it work. I made it a point to meet daily with NGOs from the various internally displaced person camps, and I encouraged my leaders to do the same. This not only established a rapport, but it ensured a common understanding of the situation at-hand, aligned our priorities with the camp leaders and clarified misinformation.

Coordinate and Collaborate to Achieve Unity of Effort

A key to the JTF-Haiti’s success was its ability to coordinate and collaborate (C2) with all the organizations and agencies involved in the response and relief efforts. The Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center was a perfect example of how C2 should work. It pulled together the efforts of JTF-H, UN military forces, USAID, and NGOs creating a humanitarian common operating picture of exactly what assistance was required and who would provide it. The HACC was plugged into every facet of the interagency, inter-governmental, and multi-national environment, ensuring all humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts were coordinated and synchronized.

Communicate-Communicate-Communicate

About 36 hours after the earthquake, I walked onto the tarmac of Haiti’s international airport and was greeted by hundreds of news media. We knew the circumstances surrounding the earthquake would be such that the eyes of the world would be focused on Haiti. We made the decision early on that we (JTF-H) would be transparent, approachable and responsive to the public. We embedded media at every opportunity and used social media (Twitter and Facebook) to communicate to our followers, audiences and the world. One of the products that we developed in order to coordinate and synchronize our messaging within JTF-H (and outside) was the “Two Pager.” As the title implies, it was a two-page quick reference that included themes, priorities and talking points. It was updated daily and disseminated throughout JTF-H and shared within the interagency. Quite simply, it helped coordinate, integrate and synchronize our communication efforts from the strategic level down to the tactical level.

In the coming months, I am sure there will be a very thorough joint lessons learned report from the U.S. military and U.S. Government for that matter. In this blog I wanted to share my “Top 5” observations as I viewed things from my foxhole.

I depart Haiti on April 18, turning over the reins to Maj. Gen. Sim Trombitas, commander of Army South. I had the honor and privilege of working side-by-side with all our U.S. military services; Ambassador Ken Merten and the U.S. Embassy team; USAID’s Office of Response Coordinator led initially by Ambassador Lew Lucke and now by Chris Milligan; the UN Peace Keeping Forces from 18 nations led by Brazilian Maj. Gen. Floriano Peixoto; hundreds of NGOs like the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization led by Sean Penn; the Government of Haiti leadership from President Preval, Prime Minister Bellerive, to all their ministers; and the mayors and numerous community leaders in the IDP camps. All my best to everyone who has dedicated themselves to this truly noble mission and may the beacon of light continue to shine on Haiti.

Centennial Clinches Second Consecutive NJROTC Nationals Title

By Scott A. Thornbloom, Naval Service Training Command Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- For a second consecutive year, Las Vegas' Centennial High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) unit hit the jackpot at the Navy JROTC Nationals competition April 9-10.

In just their second appearance at Nationals, Centennial clinched the narrowest of victories in the event's 12-year history by edging Shawnee Mission High School of Overland Park, Kansas by three points. There were 26 teams participating in the Nationals competition representing 14 states.

"This means a lot to us," said Centennial's Battalion Cadet Cmdr. Keyawa Danai, 18, a senior who will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy next year.

"It shows that we're not just a program that can do it once but can do it twice. It shows we have great leadership that has been passed down through the years."

Centennial collected three first, three second and three third-place trophies in Academic, Athletic and Drill competitions during the two-day event leading to their overall championship. They also picked up one fourth and one fifth place trophy.

"Our kids are awesome," said the senior naval science instructor for Centennial, retired Navy Capt. Ed Hardeman.

"Of the 46 cadets we brought, 25 are new and here for the first time. We only had one other drill meet against more than one school this year. And what these cadets have done, keeping up their grades and appearance, and coming here and accomplishing something that hasn't been done in the last four years and something that has only been done once (winning consecutive titles) in the last 14 years, is truly unbelievable."

Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola and Naval Air Technical Training Center Pensacola co-hosted the event, which drew more than 1,500 cadets, naval science instructors, chaperones and family members from across the U.S.

"This 2010 event marks a new era in NJROTC competitive excellence," said retired Navy Cmdr. Mark Watson, the NJROTC operations officer for NSTC's Citizenship Development directorate.

"It is the culminating event for 26 teams that have competed in regional competitions across the nation over the past six months, in order to earn a spot at the national championship event. The competitive events focus on building teamwork, academic excellence and athleticism showcasing the Navy's top-performing NJROTC units."

The personnel inspections, academic tests, military drill and athletic competitions were each worth points. Centennial amassed a total of 5,024 points, just three more points than Overland Park, Kansas' Shawnee Mission North High School (5,021). The top five teams received overall trophies. Boca Raton (Fla.) finished third with 4,832 points; previous 10-time champion Flour Bluff High School (Corpus Christi, Texas) was fourth with 4,782 and Troy High School (Fullerton, Calif.) came in fifth with 4,709 points.

Silver Bluff High School from Aiken, S.C., was named the recipient of the prestigious Captain Jim Harvey Award recognizing the NJROTC unit that displays the highest degree of military decorum, personal conduct and spirit throughout the entire competition. "I can not believe it," said retired Radioman 1st Class and Centennial Naval Science Instructor Gail Johnson. "In October, we had 25 freshmen on a 40-person team and I thought there was no way we'd get back here. But we did and it's all because of the dedication of the kids. They worked really hard and they really wanted it."

All of the 26 NJROTC units earned their way to Nationals by excelling in regional competitions and being nominated to attend.

The Nationals competition was held at the Naval Air Technical Training Center's Chevalier Hall and on the NAS Pensacola Track and Parade Field. It was judged by more than 40 Navy instructors and Marine Corps drill instructors from Officer Training Command, Newport, R. I., and Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21, NAS Pensacola.

The awards ceremony April 10 was held at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, and was attended by guest speaker and Nationals champion awards presenter, Rear Adm. Joseph Kilkenny, commander, NETC.

"I made a point of going out to see some of the competition over the past two days," Kilkenny said."The academic, athletic and military knowledge, skills and abilities exhibited by you all were exceptional."

The NJROTC program mission is to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. NSTC, which falls under NETC, oversees more than 600 NJROTC units worldwide.

Attorney General Holder Recognizes Nine Individuals, One Organization, for Outstanding Service to Crime Victims

April 16, 2010 - Attorney General Eric Holder recognized nine individuals and one organization for outstanding work on behalf of crime victims in an awards ceremony hosted by the Department of Justice today.

The Attorney General’s annual victims’ service awards are presented as a prelude to the nation’s observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-April 24, 2010. This year’s theme - “Crime Victims’ Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect,” - highlights the importance of affording crime victims these rights and recognizes individuals and organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to this effort.

The award presentation, along with the Candlelight Observance held yesterday in Washington, D.C., was organized by the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and its Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). In addition to the Attorney General, others participating in the awards ceremony were Assistant Attorney General for OJP Laurie O. Robinson and Acting Director for OVC Joye E. Frost.

The recipients of today’s awards were nominated by their colleagues in the victim service and criminal justice fields. Their awards recognize their courageous responses in the aftermath of a crime, as well as their professional efforts to better serve the needs of victims with disabilities; to assist U.S. citizens victimized outside the United States; and to ensure that victims receive the compensation and other services available to them at the state and local level. The following awards were presented by the Attorney General:

National Crime Victim Service Award: Honors extraordinary efforts in direct service to crime victims.

Recipient: Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC), Portland, Ore., assists Americans who are survivors of domestic violence overseas. The center provides a continuum of services, including long-term case management, safety planning and relocation, legal assistance, professional counseling and assistance with basic needs.

Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services: Recognizes a program, organization, or individual that has helped to expand the reach of victims’ rights and services.

Recipient: Gael Strack, San Diego. for advocating for victims of domestic violence and their children. She co-founded the first Family Justice Center in San Diego, which integrates multiple critical services for domestic violence victims, including legal, medical and police services, along with counseling, daycare and a comforting environment. In addition, she has taught women, students and community leaders about the signs of domestic violence through her many co-authored books, articles, classes and trainings.

Recipient: Barri Rosenbluth, Austin, Texas, for her leadership in the innovative design, policy development, and community engagement related to youth victims of dating and sexual violence. She created and expanded the Austin, Texas-based Expect Respect program, which provides counseling and support groups in the Austin-area for K-12 youth hurt by dating and sexual violence. This program serves thousands of youth and adults each year, and has become a model that is nationally recognized for addressing and preventing dating and sexual violence.

Allied Professional Award: Recognizes an individual or organization outside the victim assistance field for services or contributions to the victims’ field.

Recipient: Joanne Archambault, Addy, Wash., for her dedication to ensure that crime survivors receive competent, compassionate care, and that dangerous predators are brought to justice. She served for 23 years as a law enforcement officer with the San Diego Police Department. Since retiring, she founded the nonprofit organization, End Violence Against Women International, and Sexual Assault Training & Investigations Inc., which helps thousands of multidisciplinary professionals stay current through electronic newsletters, training materials, and other resources available on www.mysati.com.

Recipient: Carolyn Morgan, Philadelphia. for being an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities, particularly those who have been victims of crime. Ms. Morgan, who is herself a person with a disability, has worked with individuals and groups on both the local and state level to build awareness, educate, and foster collaborations with first responders. She co-founded Self-Advocates United As 1, an advocacy group comprised of people with intellectual disabilities.

Volunteer for Victims Award: Honors individuals for their uncompensated efforts to reach out to victims.

Recipient: Kelly Jolkowski, Omaha, Neb., for assisting families of the missing, following her own experience of her 19-year old son who has been missing since 2001. She and her husband, Jim Jokowski, founded Project Jason, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide families of the missing with knowledge, raise public awareness about missing loved ones, and try to affect state laws with regard to the manner in which missing persons cases are handled by law enforcement. In a short time, Project Jason has assisted thousands of families, by raising public awareness through the media, disseminating posters, and providing hundreds of referrals.

Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award: Honors an individual whose leadership, vision, and innovation results in significant changes to public policy and practice benefiting crime victims.

Recipient: Larry Tackman, Albuquerque, N.M., retired as a director of the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission, and has been a diligent and progressive manager of crime victim compensation, victim assistance programs, and victims’ rights in New Mexico. Mr. Tackman was instrumental in the formation of the annual Advocacy in Action Conference and the Basic Victim Advocacy Training in New Mexico, which allows for victim service providers and allied professionals to receive the education and training needed to support the state’s crime victims. In addition, as the first president of the National Association of Victims of Crime Act Assistance Administrators, he helped establish its mission to focus on the identification and replication of promising practices to improve administrative oversight of funding programs to aid crime victims.

Federal Service Award: Honors exceptional contributions and extraordinary impact on behalf of victims in Indian Country, on military installations, in national parks, or in other areas governed by federal jurisdiction.

Recipient: Marcia L. Rinker, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Washington, D.C., for serving on the District’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board and the D.C. Homicide Coalition to develop ways to strengthen the resources available for crime victims in the District of Columbia. Ms. Rinker is the only homicide advocate and provides support to more than 30 homicide prosecutors, in addition to constantly ensuring that victims are aware of their rights and receive necessary services.

Federal Service Award: Honors exceptional contributions and extraordinary impact on behalf of victims in Indian Country, on military installations, in national parks or in other areas governed by federal jurisdiction. Recipient: U.S. Army Master Sgt. Verlean K. Brown, Deployed Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Sherwood, Ark., for implementing the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program in a combat

environment, and for establishing supportive relationship with the U. S. Air Force Sexual Assault Response Coordinators. She has assisted 100 service members and supervised and trained 200 victims’ advocates. In addition, MSG Brown has conducted more than 40 education and training classes for 2,000 soldiers, airmen, and civilians.

Special Courage Award: Recognizes extraordinary bravery in the aftermath of a crime or courageous act on behalf of a victim or potential victim.

Recipient: Michelle Corrao, Noblesville, Ind., was abducted 13 years ago at her own front door by three men. Kidnapped, raped and beaten unconscious, she was bound and thrown into a car trunk. She knew she would die, so she, with much difficulty removed her rings and bracelet and tucked them under the trunk carpet in hope that her body could eventually be identified. But from the terror and despair of the dark trunk came salvation in the face of off-duty Fort Wayne, Ind., Detective, Art Billingsley, who happened to make a stop when he saw some suspicious activity around the car. Ever since, Ms. Corrao was able to overcome her own victimization and has dedicated her career to share the extraordinary message of the profound impact that first responders have on victims to a broad audience including law enforcement, medical personnel, clergy, criminal justice students, prosecutors and government officials.

International Public Safety Leadership & Ethics Instructor Training Seminar June 7 - 11, 2010

The International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute was developed to bring the concepts of leadership and ethics to the forefront of an individual’s career, rather than waiting until a person is promoted into a supervisory position. This program is based on the belief one need not be a supervisor or manager to understand leadership principles and contribute to the leadership process. A cornerstone of the program is that effective leadership skills and influences are needed at all levels of the organization.

The Program consists of four courses of growth designed to lead the participant on a learning journey, including:

• Developing a personal philosophy of leadership and ethics
• Leading others
• Organizational leadership
• Ethics and the challenge of leadership

This program utilizes the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society Leadership Development Program as a foundational component to the learning process. Through a variety of learning methodologies such as written case studies, video case analysis, and interactive learning processes, the participant will not only study leadership, but will experience leadership within a nurturing, learning environment.

Ideally, the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute courses will be presented to an integrated group of participants from public safety professions. A focus of this program is to provide public safety members with a greater understanding and appreciation of the mutual concerns and issues, which exist within public safety leadership. Further, it is the goal of this program for each participant to exercise effective leadership in all aspects of life.

The International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute is focused on an established Vision, and supported by the Mission Statement and a Statement of Values and Beliefs.

The vision of the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute is exceptional leadership throughout public safety organizations.

Our mission is to develop quality leaders at all levels of public safety organizations through innovative leadership and ethics education. This program is designed to have

individuals develop critical thinking skills through four levels of increasingly complex learning experiences.

To achieve this mission we will:

• Assist participants in Developing a Personal Philosophy of Leadership and Ethics
• Guide participants in developing skills for Leading Others
• Prepare participants to act on opportunities for Organizational Leadership
• Guide participants through an in-depth exploration of Ethics and the Challenge of Leadership

Statement of Values and Beliefs

The International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute provides a learning and developmental experience focused on the individual as well as the larger community.

The following values and beliefs are at the foundation of the program:

• Leadership is action, not position, and in the context of community, is shared among all members
• Leaders must be able to make thoughtful, critical, and informed decisions
• Leaders inspire a shared vision
• Leaders have a broad responsibility to enhance the quality of life in society
• Communication and trust are cornerstones of successful leadership
• Leaders must truly know themselves before they can understand and effectively lead others
 Leaders value diversity, and believe that diversity fosters learning and creativity
• Leaders are anchored to positive values and ethical decision-making
• Leaders are committed to life-long learning
• Leaders are committed to service

More Information

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=iYoJdDSKFDuV4d9cFMqJYGVB1yLmy1J0gM53x7xAA4Q%3d&

PSNS & IMF Wins Governor's Commute Smart Leadership Award


April 15, 2010 - BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) received the Governor's Commute Smart Employer Leadership Award by the Washington State Department of Transportation during a ceremony at the governor's mansion April 13.

The award recognizes organizations demonstrating the highest levels of leadership in Commute Trip Reduction programs, and setting regional standards to serve as a model for other employers.

"The Transportation Incentive Program, or TIP, along with the worker/driver program is a well-established alternative to driving to work every day and searching for limited high-priced parking that is still a significant distance from the workplace," said PSNS & IMF Executive Director Richard Tift. "Most of the routes are tailored to encourage maximum participation with the least amount of additional driving for employees. An important feature is the 'guaranteed-ride-home' program, put in place in the event a participating employee has an emergency and needs to leave early or stay late."

PSNS & IMF has more than 3,500 employees currently taking advantage of the TIP program, and participation continues to increase. The command partners closely with local transit companies to provide worker/driver buses, van pools and ferry passes. PSNS & IMF's TIP program is the largest outside of the U.S. Capital region, and allows employees to commute for free through a U.S. Navy subsidy.

General Schwartz releases 2010 CSAF Reading List

by Janie Santos
Defense Media Activity-San Antonio

4/15/2010 - SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) -- The Air Force chief of staff announced his latest CSAF reading list April 1.

"I am pleased to announce my 2010 reading list, which provides valuable ways for all Airmen to further their professional education and augment their leadership skills," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said.

"Coupled with our daily professional endeavors, academic development sharpens our edge and bolsters our ability as an Air Force and joint team," General Schwartz said. "Therefore, professional reading, in equal measure to physical training, continues to be vital to maintaining our initiative today and our preparation for the future."

This year's list contains 13 books divided into three areas: Mission, Doctrine and Profession, focusing on leadership and our Air Force mission; Our Nation and World, highlighting current events that will have a lasting effect on national military strategy; and Military History, recalling lessons that, with careful consideration, could be applied today.

General Schwartz will highlight these books throughout the year, and for the first quarter recommends these four:

Lemay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis Lemay, by Warren Kozak, traces the life of General Lemay, from his firebombing of Tokyo and guardianship of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the Cold War to his frustrated career in government and short lived political run.

In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan, by Seth Jones, provides an historical review of Soviet and U.S. experiences in Afghanistan, but also assesses Pakistan's role and potential in securing Afghanistan.

A History of Air Warfare, by John A. Olsen, is a comprehensive analysis, through a compilation of 16 essays from leading military writers, of the role that air power has played in military conflicts during the last century.

Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar, by Martin C. Libicki, addresses the differences between cyberwar and war in other mediums, and describes ways that the United States could protect itself in the face of attack.

The other books in this year's reading list are:

The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One by David Kilcullen


Wired for War The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century by P.W. Singer


On Nuclear Terrorism by Michael Levi


MacArthurs's Airman General George C. Kenney and the War in the Southwest Pacific by Thomas E. Griffith


A Fiery Peace in a Cold War: Bernard Schriever and the Ultimate Weapon by Neil Sheehan


Daring Young Men: The Heroism and Triumph of The Berlin Airlift June 1948 - May 1949 by Richard Reeves


Seven Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores War in the 21st Century by Andrew Krepinevich


Guardians of the Revolution: Iran and the World in the Age of the Ayatollahs by Ray Takeyh


Rivals: How the Power Struggle between China, India, and Japan will Shape our Next Decade by Bill Emmott

Gen Lorenz on Leadership -- Motivation

Commentary by Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz
Commander, Air Education and Training Command

4/14/2010 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- These are challenging times for our Air Force. We have been engaged in combat operations since 1990 and are balancing limited resources against an aggressive operations tempo. We are once again adjusting to maintain our authorized end strength while juggling priorities within a leveling budget. Many of our aircraft are beyond expected service lives and current operations are aging them even faster. Handling all these demands will be challenging - it will not be fun.

This is where leadership comes into play. Whether at work or at home, everyone has issues. As some issues are resolved, others are always waiting in line to take their places. The "pay me now or pay me later" mindset is exhausting. It is up to each organization's leadership to set the tone, motivate the workplace and create a sustainable culture of success. After all, we want our Airmen to invest themselves in our service and our mission.

So, how can a leader attack such challenges and create sustainable excellence? We all know that it isn't easy to do. It will take dedication and objectivity ... and a lot of patience and perseverance. Along the way, tough decisions will be required and each will call for a tailored approach. In other words, leaders must adapt differently to each situation. Situational leadership is how we keep our organizations motivated and headed in the best direction.

We all have unique leadership styles. Some of us probably smile a little too much while others not quite enough. We all fit somewhere along a leadership continuum, where the ends are defined by the extremes. Although you may feel most comfortable in one region of that continuum, realize that every leader will have to utilize approaches from the full range of the continuum in response to different challenges. A career brings many leadership challenges and leaders must adapt to meet each one.

After all, some challenges will require leaders to soften their approaches. For example, someone in the organization may be directly affected by our end strength reductions. Maybe the unit will suffer the loss of one of its members. Other situations will require a stern approach. This may be necessary when accountability and disciplinary challenges confront the organization or some of its personnel. Effective leaders must be able to approach difficult decisions or situations with the entire continuum at their disposal.

In the end, a leader must approach a challenge with an eye toward crafting a solution to meet their organizational needs. They should consciously select a leadership style or customized approach in order to create a certain effect. For most situations, mission accomplishment will be the effect, the end goal. However, before one can achieve such an effect, situational leadership must be used to motivate others toward success. After all, a motivated force can move mountains.

Motivation is an interesting concept. In some situations, motivation is more spontaneous and flows from the heart. In others, motivation is far from intrinsic and needs a little added emphasis from the top. I call it "added emphasis" because sometimes your organization won't be too thrilled with the changes after they're announced. It may feel like you are marching your team uphill and into the wind.

A leader must look at each challenge, develop a plan and push for success. As part of their plan, leaders must develop the motivation necessary to assist their organizations through the challenges. In the end, people don't quit their jobs (despite all the challenges we face each and every day) - they quit their bosses. The art of motivating organizations through challenges is one of the keys to any leaders' success.

Today, more than ever before, we need leaders of intellect who value the power of thought and innovative approaches. After all, having leaders who think, assess challenges objectively, and motivate their teams to succeed is what makes us the formidable fighting force we are today.

Air Force officials name Flemming Award nominees

April 15, 2010 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Air Force officials announced the nominees for the 61st Annual Arthur S. Flemming Award.

The award honors outstanding men and women in federal government each year who have performed outstanding and meritorious work to encourage high standards of performance; enhance appreciation of our government and the opportunities and responsibilities that it presents; and to attract and retain outstanding persons to federal service.

The following are the Air Force nominees for the award:

-- Basic Science category: Dr. C. Michael Lindsay of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

-- Managerial or Legal Achievement category: Natalie L. Harrop of Hill AFB, Utah, and Capt. Justin T. Pendry of Hurlburt Field, Fla.

-- Applied Science, Engineering and Mathematics category: Dr. Gregory E. Taylor of Patrick AFB, Fla., and Capt. Judson T. Babcock of Eglin AFB.

Each of the military nominees is authorized the Air Force Recognition Ribbon. Each of the civilian nominees is authorized the Air Force Recognition Lapel Pin.

The final winners will be chosen by a panel of nationally prominent judges, and presented the awards during a program in Washington, D.C.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial

The vision of a memorial in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one that captures the essence of his message, a message in which he so eloquently affirms the commanding tenants of the American Dream — Freedom, Democracy and Opportunity for All; a noble quest that gained him the Nobel Peace Prize and one that continues to influence people and societies throughout the world. Upon reflection, we are reminded that Dr. King's lifelong dedication to the idea of achieving human dignity through global relationships of well being has served to instill a broader and deeper sense of duty within each of us— a duty to be both responsible citizens and conscientious stewards of freedom and democracy.

More Information
http://mlkmemorialnews.org/

International Public Safety Leadership & Ethics Instructor Training Seminar June 7 - 11, 2010

The International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute was developed to bring the concepts of leadership and ethics to the forefront of an individual’s career, rather than waiting until a person is promoted into a supervisory position. This program is based on the belief one need not be a supervisor or manager to understand leadership principles and contribute to the leadership process. A cornerstone of the program is that effective leadership skills and influences are needed at all levels of the organization.

More Information
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ipsleijune2010

2010 SARC Awards Presented at the Pentagon

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Andrew Meyers, Defense Media Activity Anacostia

April 10, 2010 - WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Service members, civilian employees and Department of Defense personnel gathered in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes to recognize the significant accomplishments of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program advocates from U.S. governmental facilities throughout the world April 9.

During the awards ceremony Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Plans), Gail H. McGinn presented the 2010 Exceptional Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) Award to Lawton, Okla. native Vicki Shepherd, Commander Navy Region Europe/Commander Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.

"Being a coordinator gives me a chance to connect with the community," said Shepherd. "I do this job because I love it, it's humbling to be recognized."

According to Sheperd, the SARC Exceptional Coordinator Award is designed to recognize the dedication to SARC standards, adherence to SAPR ideals and values and a commitment to train volunteers and advise and assist victims. It is important at a command, fleet and Navywide level.

"At the Navy level this program is helping with mission readiness. We are helping the command retain personnel," said Shepherd.

The new SAPR program, which replaced the former Sexual Assault Victim Intervention program in November 2009, is nearly identical to its predecessor, but serves to highlight the prevention and response activities advocates employ, as well as victim intervention.

Navy leaders are making sexual assault prevention a top priority, with prevention efforts focused on non-stranger and alcohol-facilitated sexual assaults.

According to the Navy's 2009 Annual Report of Sexual Assaults in the Military, more than half of the reports involved military subjects committing offenses against military victims.

Efforts to curb sexual assaults throughout the Navy include SARC training as part of each Sailor's annual general military training requirement, and the inclusion of sexual assault awareness questions on Navywide advancement exams could occur as early as 2011.

Navy Names 2009 Exceptional SARC of the Year

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Richard J. Stevens, Navy Public Affairs Support Element, Norfolk

April 9, 2010 - NORFOLK (NNS) -- A sexual assault and response coordinator (SARC) stationed in Naples, Italy, will be named the 2009 Exceptional SARC of the Year in a ceremony held at the Pentagon Hall of Heroes in Washington, D.C., April 9. Vicki L. Shepherd, an Air Force veteran, oversees the education, intervention, training, advocacy and data collection for sexual assault in the Naples, Italy, region.

"It's the highlight of my career to be acknowledged for something that I am truly passionate about," said Shepherd. "This program will evolve. We're not going to stand aside and continue to let sexual assaults happen. We're going to educate our bystanders, and we're going to have even better training for victim advocates."

To align with the Department of the Navy's newly established Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office, the former Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program was officially renamed the SAPR program in November 2009.

Rear Adm. Michael Browne, director of personal readiness and community support, said there are many reasons to bring awareness to this program and the issues it's designed to address.

"This program is critically important to the Navy and Marine Corps team, ultimately because it's a mission readiness issue for our forces, but more importantly a personal issue," said Browne. "First of all, sexual assault is a crime. Secondly, it's completely contrary to our core values of honor, courage and commitment."

"Although the Department of the Navy is seeing a name change from what we have known since 1994, SAVI to SAPR - it's time for change," said Shepherd. "Don't take it as an insult. We're not trying to stamp out what the Navy has always been about. We can take personal ownership for the acronym SAPR; we can become socially aware and personally responsible. We can put that information out there to help the community make the change. But we can still be 'savvy' about it."

Shepherd's role in the program is to contact the victim on a daily or a weekly basis, providing updates to their case and assisting them with interviews with Naval Criminal Investigative Service or other investigative agencies. Shepherd explained that in some cases the process can be very thorough.

"We're able to see victims succeed," said Shepherd. "They're able to regain something that was taken from them."

The goals of the SAPR program are to promote sensitive, coordinated and effective management of sexual assault cases, to reduce the incidence of sexual assault through awareness and prevention education and to standardize reporting of sexual assaults.

Thunderbird Award

NBK Commanding Officer Receives Thunderbird Award


By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW) Maebel Tinoko, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

April 9, 2010 - BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Base Kitsap's (NBK) commanding officer was presented the 2010 Chief Thunderbird Award by the Bremerton, Wash., Chamber of Commerce at a ceremony April 8 at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club in Bremerton.

Capt. Mark Olson, NBK's commanding officer, received the award for his significant involvement with the Kitsap County community.

According to Scott Bosch, past president of Bremerton Chamber of Commerce, the award's history dates back to 1968, when it was first awarded to the captain of USS Puget Sound (AD 38) for his crew's impact on Bremerton and Kitsap County.

"Each year we select four different people from the community to award, and we thought Capt. Olson would be the best recipient to represent the Navy," said Frank Gentile, operations manager from Bremerton Chamber of Commerce. "We appreciate what he does for the community and the Navy for continuing to do great things in our community."

Chief Thunderbird Award recipients are selected by the past presidents and current board of directors of the Bremerton-area Chamber of Commerce. The selection criteria includes, serving in a leadership position, making positive contributions to the community and being an exemplary role model.

Sonny Loidhamer, chief executive officer from United Moving and Storage; Comedian Cris Larsen; and Hariette Bryant, from Kitsap Young Women's Christian Association, were also presented awards during the ceremony.

Olson was awarded for his continuous engagement with community services. Olson manages 11 programs in community volunteerism such as the school outreach program, Starbase Atlantis, for young scientists. He is also the advocate for 11 strategic community alliances, including the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, the Governor's Hood Canal Restoration Council and Bremerton's United Way Chapter.

"It's a tremendous honor, and I am humbled to receive this award," said Olson. "We are partners with the community, and it's important to keep our relationship strong."

Award for Installation Excellence

DOD Announces Winners of the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence


April 9, 2010 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today the winners of the 2010 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence. They are:

Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, N.C.

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Naval Base San Diego, San Diego

Elmendorf Air Force Base, Anchorage, Alaska

Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, New Cumberland, Pa.

The Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. The five recipients of this highly competitive Presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of Department of Defense missions.

Installation excellence enables better mission performance and enhances the quality of life for military men and women and their families. Each winning installation succeeded in providing excellent working, housing and recreational conditions.

An awards ceremony honoring the recipients of this year's award will be held May 5, 2010, at 2 p.m. in the Pentagon auditorium, room BH650. The ceremony will be open to the news media.

SECDEF Addresses Brigade of Midshipmen

April 8, 2010 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- The secretary of defense (SECDEF) visited the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) April 7 to review a formal dress parade presented by the Brigade of Midshipmen and to speak to the midshipmen as part of the USNA's Forrestal Lecture Series.

This was SECDEF Robert M. Gates' third visit to the USNA since becoming SECDEF.

His visit included lunch with midshipmen in King Hall and the opportunity to speak to political science classes during the day.

Speaking to the Brigade of Midshipmen in Alumni Hall, Gates addressed some of the qualities of leadership the midshipmen will require as young officers, citing leaders from U.S. military history - such as Adm. Chester Nimitz, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Victor Krulak and Army Gen. George Marshall - as examples of these qualities.

"The qualities these legends embody have been important and decisive throughout the history of warfare, and I would contend that they are more necessary than ever in the first decades of this century," said Gates. "One of the key reasons they were successful is that they were willing to speak truth to power."

"He went straight to the point, talking about how one of the biggest lessons we need to learn here is just to go ahead and start developing our values, because those will carry on through your whole career, how to stand up for your morals," said Midshipman 4th Class Joshua Ramey, of Morehead, Ky. "It's something that we really should start thinking about."

According to Gates, a willingness to accept honest criticism from subordinates is just as important as having the courage to give it.

"In addition to speaking hard truths to your superiors, as a leader you must create a climate that encourages candor among your subordinates, especially in difficult situations," said Gates.

Gates focused on the value of listening to subordinates, the men and women "on the front lines," but also told the midshipmen that it is inevitable that some time in their career they will have to stand alone and make an unpopular, difficult decision.

"For the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism," said Gates. "I urge you instead to be principled and creative and reform-minded leaders of integrity."

Midshipman 3rd Class James Compton of Summit, N.J., said he appreciated what Gates said about not being afraid to be honest.

"He's got a unique perspective and a lot of experience as a public servant and as a senior official, and he knows firsthand what it takes to be an effective military leader," said Compton. "I thought it was great that he took the time to come talk to the Brigade."

Gates concluded his lecture by praising and thanking the midshipmen for volunteering their services in a time of war.

"You have answered the trumpet call," said Gates. "And the whole of America is grateful and filled with admiration. I salute you, and I thank you for your service."

Gates was sworn in Dec. 18, 2006, as the 22nd SECDEF. He is the only SECDEF in U.S. history to be asked to remain in that office by a newly elected president. President Barack Obama is the eighth president Gates has served.

Before entering his present post, Gates was the president of Texas A&M University, the nation's seventh largest university. Prior to that he spent nearly 27 years as an intelligence professional, joining the Central Intelligence Agency in 1966 and eventually becoming the only career officer in the CIA's history to rise from entry-level employee to director of central intelligence, a position he held from 1991 until 1993.

Candor, Courage Vital for Military Leaders, Gates Says

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

April 7, 2010 - Vision, perseverance, candor and moral courage are essential qualities for 21st-century military leaders, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy here this evening. Gates spoke at the academy's Alumni Hall as part of the Forrestal Lecture Series, named for James V. Forrestal, the nation's first secretary of defense.

The secretary cited examples from U.S. military history to illustrate his point. As a Marine Corps first lieutenant stationed in China in 1937, Victor Krulak – a 1934 Naval Academy graduate – saw Japanese forces using a ramped landing craft in an amphibious assault on Shanghai, Gates said, and he sent photos and a report to Washington.

"The report gathered dust in a cabinet with a note that read, 'The work of some nut in China,'" the secretary said. "Krulak eventually returned to Washington and doggedly pursued his idea until a Marine general put him in touch with an eccentric New Orleans boat maker named Higgins. The result was the landing craft used to carry allied forces to liberate Europe and much of Asia."

Krulak went on to earn the Navy Cross in World War II, became a leading counterinsurgency expert, and later commanded Marine Pacific forces during the Vietnam War, the secretary noted. He rose to the rank of lieutenant general and was in line for promotion, but "some choice words to [President] Lyndon Johnson about his Vietnam strategy arguably cost Krulak his fourth star and the post of Marine commandant," Gates said.

The secretary's next example was Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1905. Early in his career, Nimitz was tasked to build a submarine base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, but he was not provided with materials, Gates said. His solution was to conduct night raids on other units' surplus materials. "I wouldn't advise that today," Gates told the midshipmen.

Later in his career, Nimitz persevered against the belief that aircraft carriers negated the need for other kinds of ships. "[He] had the vision to recognize and promote the potential of the circular formation -- carriers protected by battleships -- for integrating the two capabilities," Gates said. "This insight was largely ignored for 20 years, but was later employed to great effect in World War II, and remained the basic template for carrier formations for decades afterward."

Navy Adm. Hyman Rickover, Class of 1922, defied the conventional wisdom that nuclear reactors were too bulky and dangerous to put on submarines, Gates said.

"It was through Rickover's genius and tenacity that these objections were overcome, producing a submarine fleet that included the most stealthy and feared leg of America's nuclear triad," the secretary said. "Rickover was a stickler for safety in all phases of submarine production and operations, and because of that, he was even accused erroneously of causing the U.S. to fall behind the Soviets. But he had the vision to see that even one nuclear disaster might well kill the program altogether. His legacy is that to this day, there has never been a nuclear failure in an American submarine."

For his final example, Gates chose Roy Boehm, who enlisted as a Navy diver at age 17 and served in almost every major battle of the Pacific theater during World War II and later designed and led a commando unit that became the Navy SEALs.

"In his efforts to get his men the equipment they needed, Boehm was nearly court-martialed at one point for modifying official gear and buying the weapons from commercial sources," Gates said. "White House intervention helped keep him out of jail. In 1962, Boehm was called to Washington to brief President [John F.] Kennedy on the progress of the Navy's new commando unit. When Kennedy walked in, the first thing Boehm said was, 'Well, Mr. President, I didn't vote for you, but I'd die for you.' And after a long pause, Kennedy said, 'Well, we need more guys like that.'"

The qualities embodied in the examples he cited have been important and decisive throughout the history of warfare, the secretary said.

"But I would contend that they are more necessary than ever in the first decades of this century," he added, "given the pace of technological changes, and the agile and adaptive nature of our most likely and lethal adversaries - from modem militaries using asymetric tactics to terrorist groups with advanced weapons.

"As a result," he continued, "America's military will need the maximum flexibility to deal with the widest possible range of scenarios and adversaries. And our military leaders -- like the great men I just talked about -- will have to be as flexible and agile, as resilient and determined, and, I would say, have similar moral courage."

Gates emphasized to the future Navy and Marine Corps officers that while he wasn't endorsing all of their methods, the past leaders he cited had the kind of courage that today's military leaders need.

"What strikes me about figures like Krulak and Nimitz, Rickover and Boehm, is not that they were always right, nor that they should be emulated in every way, to put it mildly," he said. "What is compelling about these leaders is that they had the vision and insight to see that the world and technology was changing, they understood the implications of those shifts, and they then pressed ahead in the face of often fierce institutional resistance. Indeed, one of the key reasons they were successful was because they were willing to speak truth to power -- willing to tell superiors what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear."

Gates told the midshipmen that General of the Army George C. Marshall, as a captain serving under Gen. "Black Jack" Pershing in 1917 during World War I, told Pershing that the lack of a manual from the general's headquarters had caused problems in an expeditionary force combat exercise in France. Pershing replied, "Well, you know, we have our problems."

"And Marshall replied, 'Yes, I know you do, General, but ours are immediate and everyday, and have to be solved before night,'" Gates said. After the meeting, he added, other officers approached Marshall, offering condolences for the fact he was sure to be fired and sent off to the front lines. "Instead," Gates said, "Marshall became a valued adviser to Pershing, and Pershing a valued mentor to Marshall."

Twenty years later, the secretary said, Marshall was sitting in the White House with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his top advisors and Cabinet secretaries.

"War in Europe was looming, but still a distant possibility for America," Gates said. "In that meeting, Roosevelt proposed that the U.S. Army -- which at that time ranked in size somewhere between that of Switzerland and Portugal -- should be of lowest priority for funding and industry." The president's advisors nodded in agreement that building the Army could wait.

But when Roosevelt asked Marshall for his opinion, Gates said, he didn't get the answer everyone in the room expected.

Marshall responded, "I am sorry, Mr. President, but I don't agree with that at all," Gates said.

"The room went silent," he continued. "The treasury secretary told Marshall afterwards, 'Well, it's been nice knowing you.' But it was not too much later that Marshall became Army chief of staff."

Gates also noted examples from his own experience of military leaders providing their best advice to presidents, including Army Gen. Colin Powell and Naval Academy graduates Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen – all chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – even when they knew that advice wasn't necessarily what the presidents wanted to hear. But the need for candor isn't limited to the highest levels of government, the secretary said.

"In addition to speaking hard truths to your superiors," he said, "as a leader you must create a climate that encourages candor among your subordinates, especially in difficult situations."

People in senior military positions, he added, would be well advised to listen to enlisted troops, noncommissioned officers, and junior officers.

"They are the ones on the front line," he said, "and will often know the real story, whether the issue is equipment needed for the mission or stress on families back home – a story that is often different from what's on the Power Point slide back at flag headquarters or the Pentagon. Being open to advice, and even criticism, will take some confidence and self-assurance."

The secretary noted that he makes it a priority to speak with small groups ranging from junior enlisted troops to field-grade officers when he visits the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Their candid observations have been invaluable and helped shape my thinking and decisions," he said. "I recall having lunch a few weeks ago in a combat post in Afghanistan with a dozen young enlisted guys, mostly E-2s and E-3s. They told me that the crotch of the field uniform pants is ill-equipped to deal with climbing over walls and fences -- that they tore out easily. As one of the specialists helpfully explained, it's a welcome feature in the summer -- but it gets pretty chilly in the winter, he added. Now, that's a piece of information and a perspective I would never get in my conference room in the Pentagon."

Gates noted that in the cases he cited for the midshipmen, straight talk, integrity and courage usually were rewarded.

"In a perfect world," he said, "that should always happen. Sadly, it does not, and I will not pretend there is not risk. At some point, each of you will surely work for a jackass. We all have. But that does not make taking that stand any less necessary for the sake of our country.

"I say this because on the larger, strategic scale, the need for candor is not just an abstract notion," he continued. "It has very real effects on the perception of the military and of the wars themselves – as well as an operational impact. World War II was America's last straightforward conventional war that ended in a regular surrender of the enemy.

The military campaigns since then -- from Korea to Vietnam, Somalia, and Iraq and Afghanistan today -- have been frustrating, controversial efforts for the American public and the armed forces, Gates said. "Each conflict has produced debates over whether senior military officers were being too deferential or not deferential enough to civilians," he noted, "and whether civilians, in turn, were too receptive or not receptive enough to military advice."

Gates told the midshipmen that a strong military establishment with close ties to Congress and industry emerged during the Cold War. "Over the years, senior officers have from time to time been tempted to use these ties to do end runs around the civilian leadership, particularly during disputes over purchase of large major weapons systems," he said.

"The first secretary of defense, for whom this lecture is named, after World War II had to contend with a Navy that didn't even want to work for him, preferring to stay an independent cabinet department despite the National Security Act of 1947," Gates said. "In the 'Revolt of the Admirals' that followed, the Navy and the Air Force went at each other, first in private, then in public, over which service was better suited to deliver the new atom bomb. These parochial tendencies must be avoided. They are also in this day and age outdated, evidenced by the fact that there are more sailors ashore than on ships in Central Command, all in support of our ground forces and the overall war effort."

The secretary told the future leaders that their integrity will be tested, and that they must weather those tests.

"The time will come for each of you when you must stand alone in making an unpopular, difficult decision -- when you must challenge the opinion of superiors or tell them that you can't get the job done with the time and resources available; or when you will know that what superiors are telling the press or the Congress or the American people is inaccurate," he said. "There will be moments when your entire career is at risk. To be ready for that moment, you must have the discipline to cultivate integrity and moral courage here at the academy, and then from your earliest days as a commissioned officer.

"Those qualities do not suddenly emerge fully developed overnight or as a revelation after you have assumed important responsibilities," he continued. "These qualities have their roots in the small decisions you will make here and early in your career, and must be strengthened all along the way to allow you to resist the temptation of self before service. And you must always ensure that your moral courage serves the greater good -- that it serves what is best for the nation and our highest values, not a particular program nor pride nor parochialism. For the good of the Navy and the Marine Corps, for the good of the armed services, and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism. I urge you instead to be principled, creative, and reform-minded leaders of integrity."

Leadership Award

2009 Director’s Community Leadership Awards


April 7, 2010 - The Jackson Division has selected Cheryl Keeton Shelton to receive the Director’s Community Leadership Award.

Ms. Shelton has provided an outstanding contribution to the school system by raising funds for a drug and gang awareness program and by spearheading "Military Buddies," an initiative for her sixth-grade class.

Cheryl Keeton Shelton is a sixth-grade Language Arts teacher at Byram Middle School in Byram, Mississippi. She has been a teacher since 1985 and has taught at Byram since 2002. She is a graduate of Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, and she is also a 2009 graduate of the Jackson Division FBI Citizens’ Academy.

For the past 16 years, Ms. Shelton has helped raise funds for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program and the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program for the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson, Mississippi. The D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. programs provide students the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. The programs are police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teach children in kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug- and violence-free lives. She has served as secretary for the D.A.R.E. board of directors.

Ms. Shelton also organized her sixth-grade class to be "Military Buddies" by preparing goodie boxes for soldiers assigned to Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Ms. Shelton, this act of kindness encourages her students to consider others instead of themselves. The first goodie box was sent in 2004 to one soldier in Iraq; now they are sending approximately 55 boxes per month and the number is increasing. Some of the soldiers have commented that the students are truly "Little Great Americans" and another stated that they are "Our Little Angels." The goodie boxes contain letters, cards, drawings, candy, crackers, peanuts, socks, foot powder, books, gum, and other nonperishable items.

Cheryl Keeton Shelton and the 120 sixth-graders at Byram Middle School were honored on February 13, 2009, by the U. S. Army with the Freedom Team Salute commendations at a special ceremony held at the school. They were honored for sending Valentine's Day goodie boxes to soldiers in Iraq and at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. They were also honored by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour who signed a proclamation declaring February 13, 2009, as Byram Middle School and Military Buddies Day. Ms. Shelton and her students were honored as Army Supporters.

Numerous thank-you e-mails have been received, and Ms. Shelton makes a point to read them to her students. She and her students were honored when one recipient of the goodie boxes visited her sixth-grade classes during the 2008-2009 school year. The soldier thanked each class and expressed how appreciative he and his troops were to have received the thoughtful packages.

Cadet of the year receives honor from Air Force chief of staff

by Master Sgt. Russell Petcoff
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

4/6/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- An Air Force ROTC cadet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received the 2009 Air Force Cadet of the Year Award from the Air Force chief of staff during a ceremony at the Pentagon April 5.

Sponsored by the Air Squadron of the United Kingdom, the cadet-of-the-year award goes to the outstanding cadet in either the Air Force Academy, AFROTC or Officer Training School. In accepting the award from Gen. Norton Schwartz, Cadet Col. Ryan W. Castonia, who is the cadet wing commander at AFROTC Det. 365 at the Cambridge, Mass., school, said the award is a reflection of his MIT detachment.

"I feel very blessed and honored to receive this award," said Cadet Castonia. "This award recognizes the outstanding training and support that the cadre at Detachment 365 provides."

He credits the "fantastic mentors and leaders in the NCOs, officers and civilians" who encouraged him to "aim for the top."

In describing the cadet, General Schwartz cited the ancient Greek word "arete," which means excellence. He said Cadet Castonia is "an example of this kind of quality." The general reminded the audience filling the secretary of the Air Force's conference room that one of the service's core values is Excellence in All We Do.

"I know I'm embarrassing you somewhat, but it's something to be proud of," General Schwartz said. He noted the cadet will graduate June 4 from MIT with bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical engineering, and is co-captain of the MIT varsity tennis team.

Representing the Air Squadron, Royal Air Force Air Commodore Ian Elliot, United Kingdom Air Attaché and assistant defence attaché at the British Embassy here, presented Cadet Castonia with a coin recognizing his accomplishments.

Cadet Castonia stated one of the things he is most proud of is to have been selected as a combat rescue officer trainee. He plans on becoming a CRO after he is commissioned this June.

"My initial plan was to fly, but that changed when I learned about the Air Force role in personnel recovery," Cadet Castonia said. "Master Sergeant Vincent Meno (former personnel manager at the detachment) talked to me one day about CROs and (pararescue jumpers) and gave me some information on what they do. I immediately fell in love with the mission and began to pursue a CRO selection."

The detachment commander praised the Whitehall, Mich., native.

"Cadet Castonia is a mature, intelligent and very well-rounded young man," said Col. Lawrence W. McLaughlin, Det. 365 commander. "His academic record is superior. When many students are struggling at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the toughest engineering schools in the nation, he is getting all 'A's.

"Even with all his accomplishments, he has remained humble," Colonel McLaughlin added. "I have met few individuals in my career who can excel at so many things and make them all look easy."

Cadet Castonia also cites the influence of his parents for his success.

"My parents taught me from a young age that if I was going to do something, such as play a sport, join an extracurricular activity or even just mow the lawn, that the expectation was that I would commit to working hard and giving it my all," he said. "I guess the saying 'If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well' really sums it up.

"My parents were also very adamant about aiming high and setting aggressive goals," said Cadet Castonia, who is the first person from his family to go to college.

Before starting college, he had ambitious plans. "When I told them I was thinking about applying to MIT, Harvard, Columbia and (U.S. Air Force Academy) as the first person in my family to go to college, they never even blinked; they told me to go for it," he said.

Colonel McLaughlin said it was difficult to narrow down Cadet Castonia's strengths that led to this honor.

"The more I think about making this list, the harder it gets to pick three or four things," Colonel McLaughlin said. "It is truly the combination of all the accomplishments and how he was able to successfully manage his time and energy is what makes him stand out for this award."

The colonel highlighted the cadet's 4.0 grade point average, participation in the Design/Build/Fly competition and his leadership in the cadet wing, physical training and intercollegiate tennis. He founded the Aero Engineering team for Design/Build/Fly that came in fourth, out of 70 entries, in 2009. This annual competition centers on designing, building and flying remote-controlled aircraft. The competition is among engineering students in student branches of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Cadet Castonia's name will appear on the Air Squadron Millennium Sword's display case in the Pentagon. The sword was presented to the Air Force in 2000 by members of the Air Squadron as a symbol of "a century of Anglo-American friendship and cooperation in the cause of peace," according to the sword's plaque.

The Air Squadron was founded in London in 1966 by a group of friends who shared a passionate interest in flying light aircraft, the organization's Web site stated. It has sponsored the cadet of the year award in the United States since 2000. Two founding members were Thomas Sopwith, maker of the famed Sopwith Camel from World War I, and Sir Douglas Bader, a legless RAF pilot in World War II credited with "no less than 21 kills," according to Air Commodore Elliot.

In addition to the Air Force, Air Squadron officials award cadet-of-the-year honors to the top cadet at RAF Cranwell, training site for RAF officers, and cadets of the South African Air Force.

(Scott Ash contributed to this story.)

Defense secretary urges Air Force cadets to demonstrate leadership

by John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

4/5/2010 - As the United States and Russia prepare to sign a historic nuclear arms reduction treaty, the Defense secretary related to U.S. Air Force Academy cadets some lessons he has learned from a government career that has taken him from the shadows of the Cold War into a much-altered security landscape as the Pentagon's chief.

Speaking to cadets at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., in late March, Secretary Robert M. Gates discussed changes in the geopolitical structure since his early days as an Air Force officer assigned to Strategic Air Command more than four decades ago.

"The world you are entering is much more complicated than it was when I was a junior officer during the Cold War," he said. "From global terrorism to ethnic conflicts, from rogue nations to rising powers, the challenges we face simply cannot be overcome by traditional military means alone."

Secretary Gates' remarks on April 2 came ahead of President Barack Obama's scheduled visit this week to Prague, Czech Republic, where he and Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev are slated to sign the new strategic arms reduction treaty. "New START," as the treaty is known. The treaty will slash each country's nuclear arsenals by a third and improve oversight of the drawdown.

But, while the move brings the world further from the specter of the Cold War, Secretary Gates implored the young Air Force officers to display the leadership and courage necessary to confront a new set of threats their nation faces.

He emphasized that junior officers should contribute to an environment in which they can offer their candid advice to superior officers. Secretary Gates related anecdotes about Air Force officers of note whose maverick -- and even tactless -- style made them alternately demonized and lionized.

"If, as an officer, you don't tell blunt truths or create an environment where candor is encouraged, then you've done yourself and the institution a disservice," he said.

Secretary Gates cited the continuing necessity for men and women in uniform "to demonstrate uncommon courage; both on the battlefield and off."

"In order to succeed in the asymmetric battlefields of the 21st century -- the dominant combat environment in the decades to come, in my view -- the Air Force will require leaders of great flexibility, agility, resourcefulness, and imagination, leaders willing and able to think and act creatively and decisively in different kinds of conflict than we have prepared for during the last six decades," he said.

Secretary Gates said such exemplary Air Force service can been seen in the skies above Iraq and Afghanistan, and even on the ground, as airmen have been called on to perform tasks far different from what they envisioned when they donned the uniform -- from convoy security to bomb clearance and disposal to search and rescue.

"I seriously doubt anyone would have believed that America's first 21st-century war would begin with airmen on horseback directing B-52s to provide close air support for cavalry charges in Afghanistan," he said. "(It's) ironic, considering that early doubters of aviation's military value feared that noise from the planes would frighten the army's horses."

The Afghan campaign, Secretary Gates said, which is in the midst of a U.S. troop surge, has put new demands on the Air Force, as the priority has shifted from Iraq, where the number of American forces will draw down to 50,000 before Sept. 1.

"I am told that since 2007, the daily traffic at Bagram Air Base has nearly doubled to roughly 900 aircraft operations each day," Secretary Gates said, referring to a main U.S. logistical hub in Afghanistan. "The surge of troops and operations associated with the president's new strategy will require yet more work, more dedications, and more sacrifice from America's airmen."

In a parting message to the cadets, the secretary noted that each of those in uniform had entered the military in a vastly different time than the Cold War era in which he began his military service.

"You entered military service in a time of war, knowing you would be at war," he said. "Theodore Roosevelt once said, 'The trumpet call is the most inspiring of all sounds, because it summons men to spurn all ease and self-indulgence and bids them forth to the field where they must dare and do and die at need.'"

"All of you have answered the trumpet call," Secretary Gates continued, "and the whole of America is grateful and filled with admiration."

TALKING STRATEGY

The New Intelligence-Driven FBI

04/02/10 - With the leadership of almost every major FBI program seated around a conference table at FBI Headquarters and the top echelons of the Bureau’s three largest field offices appearing via remote television monitors, Director Robert Mueller arrived in shirtsleeves and got down to business.

The assistant directors in charge of the New York, Los Angeles, and Washington Field Offices, along with their top managers, were present—leaning forward, ready to field questions on how they are tackling the Bureau’s top priorities and their own most pressing threats.

The meeting is called a Strategy Performance Session, or SPS. It’s a management tool to drill down and identify how well a field office knows its territory and what its investigative strengths and weaknesses are. In the corporate world, the approach might help reveal inefficiencies and save money. For the FBI, finding intelligence gaps or discovering better methods could save lives.

The two-hour, semi-annual sessions—and the preparation leading up to them—can help reveal not only how much our 56 field offices know, but how they know it. What effective techniques can be adopted by other offices?

“That’s what we’re trying to test here: Do you understand the threat in your territory?” said Thomas J. Harrington, head of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. Harrington helped develop the SPS program for the Bureau after the 9/11 attacks and the hearings that followed, which pointed to a need for a more strategic approach to threats. The SPS program is modeled loosely on a New York Police Department initiative called CompStat that uses metrics and frequent strategy meetings to measure results and accountability. In a discussion of financial threats, Director Mueller cut to the big picture. “How do we prevent a Madoff?” he asked, referring to the infamous Ponzi schemer. It’s a question the Director might get on Capitol Hill. It also illustrates the Bureau’s shift to a more threat-based approach. In the past, field offices might have described other Ponzi-related cases they were pursuing. Now they are surveying broader themes.

“The goal isn’t to review cases,” said Harrington, who leads the questions with the Director. “It’s to look at where you’re going and what your strategy is to address what you perceive to be your top threats.”

In the recent session, the New York, Washington, and Los Angeles offices were grouped together because of their similarities. To prepare, each office identifies its top two threats in its major investigative programs, such as counterterrorism, cyber, or criminal. The line of questions delves into tactical strategies and resources and gives Headquarters a clear sense of what the experience is on the street.

Joe Demarest, assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office, said the process has been one of the most effective drivers of change in recent years.

“There’s no hiding in these things, which is good,” Demarest said. “There’s an atmosphere of accountability. You’re given resources. What are you doing with your resources?”

In an exchange with an analyst at the Washington Field Office, the Director lauded her work and suggested other offices might benefit from her research. “We should put this out,” he said.

“Everyone in that room heard from the Director about what he wants,” Harrington said. By meeting’s end, action items are clear. Headquarters knows what commanders are up against, and the field has unfiltered insight into Director Mueller’s priorities. “By asking the right questions, we’re engaging them to start thinking about it.”