Read more
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A special screening
Read more
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Eagle Scouts Soar in Intel Battalion
By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke National Guard Bureau ARLINGTON, Va., July 29, 2010 - The Utah National Guard's 141st Military Intelligence Battalion will deploy to Iraq in a few weeks with 83 soldiers who have earned Eagle Scout badges from the Boy Scouts of America. "It's easy being a battalion commander of Eagle Scouts, because you don't have to worry about them," said Army Lt. Col. Matt Price, the battalion commander and a scout leader for his sons, who include three Eagle Scouts. "They have high values, because they have been taught that as young men. You can trust them." The 286-member unit is in field training at its pre-mobilization site, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. During a recent meeting with civilian employers, Price said, he asked all the Eagle Scouts in the room to stand. Almost half of his unit stood up. So during the next battalion formation, the Eagle Scouts were asked to stay behind for a group photo. That is when they counted off as 83 Eagle Scouts representing all ranks and many military occupational specialties. The unit's senior noncommissioned officer, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Lofland, is a scout master. "We feel like [part of the] the scout program," Price said. "To me, the Scout Law is similar to Army values." Price said he believes Robert Baden Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, would be proud of his creation. "We're celebrating 100 years of Boy Scouting this year, and if he could look back and see what is going on, he would be quite happy." In Iraq, the battalion will conduct human intelligence missions with Iraqi security forces. "We will be directly training and advising them how to do force protection," Price said. Price said he appreciates the uniqueness of his citizen-soldiers. They are older and college educated, with more real-world experience as teachers and police officers, he noted. "I am bringing a group of community leaders with me to Iraq," he said. Price said his Eagle Scouts also bring additional skills to the Guard. "The Boy Scout program itself teaches young men to be men," he said. "You teach them values. ... You are teaching them survivability skills. They are used to camping, and used to roughing it." Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men, according to published reports. The title is held for life. Between the ages of 12 and 18, a Scout will work to achieve Eagle rank by earning 12 required merit badges and nine elective merit badges. He also must demonstrate "Scout Spirit" through the Boy Scout oath and law and through community service and leadership, which includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads and manages. Earning the Eagle Scout's badge was "the only thing I had done in my life that led me to think that I could make a difference; that I could be a leader," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told an estimated crowd of 45,000 gathered on 12,000 acres on Fort A.P. Hill, Va., as part of the annual National Scout Jamboree yesterday. "It was the first thing I had done that told me I might be different, because I had worked harder, was more determined, more goal-oriented, more persistent than most others," Gates said. Price said the key to scouting is service to others. "To be able to protect yourself and your family but also look outwards and help others," he said. "These are different kinds of soldiers. They look beyond themselves. We are bringing a higher quality of citizen-soldier with us who is looking for ways to help other people." | ||
| Related Sites: Utah National Guard |
a tour of the Chapel Drive School Age Center
Read full story
Gates Shares Common Experiences, Vision With Scouts
By Lisa Daniel of American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2010 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addresses an audience of more than 45,000 scouts during the Boy Scouts of America 2010 National Scout Jamboree on Fort AP Hill, Va., July 28, 2010. The massive group of boy scouts from all across America came to the 12,000 acre site for 10 days to celebrate the Boy Scouts centennial. DoD photo by Cherie Cullen
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
"Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family's life," Gates told an estimated crowd of 45,000 gathered on 12,000 acres on Fort A.P. Hill, Va., as part of the annual National Scout Jamboree.
Gates, an Eagle Scout who has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts and is past president of the National Eagle Scout Association, shared his experiences growing up as a Boy Scout, earning scouting's top rank 52 years ago, and being involved in his son's Boy Scout troop. Even after serving eight presidents and years of working with world leaders, the secretary said, his memories of his Scout leaders are just as memorable.
Noting that their lives were "a bit unusual," Gates told of going on a father-son camping trip when he was CIA director. "A hundred yards from our encampment were three, large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security officers surrounding the campsite," he said. "Now there's a challenge no Scoutmaster could have anticipated."
Gates told the Scouts he was speaking to them "as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation," and said he was like most of them when he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15.
"I wasn't a straight-A student, nor was I a particularly good athlete," he said. "I wasn't really a student leader." When he arrived in Washington, D.C., at age 22 to begin work at the CIA, he said, "I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn't know a soul."
Earning the Eagle Scout's badge was "the only thing I had done in my life that led me to think that I could make a difference; that I could be a leader," he said to applause. "It was the first thing I had done that told me I might be different because I had worked harder, was more determined, more goal-oriented, more persistent than most others."
The secretary told the Scouts some of them will go on to be leaders in industry, the government and the military. But most importantly, he said, scouting has set them on the path to "becoming a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world.
"A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be," he continued. "You are role models."
In the past 100 years, Gates said, there has been no better program for preparing future leaders than the Boy Scouts. "The fate of our nation in the years to come and the future of the world itself depend on the kind of people we modern Americans prove to be," he said.
The secretary acknowledged that much has changed in the 50 years since he was a Boy Scout.
"We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease," he said. "But not in scouting."
There are too many places in American life today without the Boy Scouting values of self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity and morality, Gates said. "From Wall Street to Washington to our hometowns," he said, "in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent.
"I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men," he continued. "As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders. ...With leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world."
Biographies: Robert M. Gates
By Lisa Daniel of American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2010 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America.
"Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family's life," Gates told an estimated crowd of 45,000 gathered on 12,000 acres on Fort A.P. Hill, Va., as part of the annual National Scout Jamboree.
Gates, an Eagle Scout who has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts and is past president of the National Eagle Scout Association, shared his experiences growing up as a Boy Scout, earning scouting's top rank 52 years ago, and being involved in his son's Boy Scout troop. Even after serving eight presidents and years of working with world leaders, the secretary said, his memories of his Scout leaders are just as memorable.
Noting that their lives were "a bit unusual," Gates told of going on a father-son camping trip when he was CIA director. "A hundred yards from our encampment were three, large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security officers surrounding the campsite," he said. "Now there's a challenge no Scoutmaster could have anticipated."
Gates told the Scouts he was speaking to them "as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation," and said he was like most of them when he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15.
"I wasn't a straight-A student, nor was I a particularly good athlete," he said. "I wasn't really a student leader." When he arrived in Washington, D.C., at age 22 to begin work at the CIA, he said, "I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn't know a soul."
Earning the Eagle Scout's badge was "the only thing I had done in my life that led me to think that I could make a difference; that I could be a leader," he said to applause. "It was the first thing I had done that told me I might be different because I had worked harder, was more determined, more goal-oriented, more persistent than most others."
The secretary told the Scouts some of them will go on to be leaders in industry, the government and the military. But most importantly, he said, scouting has set them on the path to "becoming a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world.
"A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be," he continued. "You are role models."
In the past 100 years, Gates said, there has been no better program for preparing future leaders than the Boy Scouts. "The fate of our nation in the years to come and the future of the world itself depend on the kind of people we modern Americans prove to be," he said.
The secretary acknowledged that much has changed in the 50 years since he was a Boy Scout.
"We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease," he said. "But not in scouting."
There are too many places in American life today without the Boy Scouting values of self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity and morality, Gates said. "From Wall Street to Washington to our hometowns," he said, "in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent.
"I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men," he continued. "As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders. ...With leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world."
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2010 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America.
|
Gates, an Eagle Scout who has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts and is past president of the National Eagle Scout Association, shared his experiences growing up as a Boy Scout, earning scouting's top rank 52 years ago, and being involved in his son's Boy Scout troop. Even after serving eight presidents and years of working with world leaders, the secretary said, his memories of his Scout leaders are just as memorable.
Noting that their lives were "a bit unusual," Gates told of going on a father-son camping trip when he was CIA director. "A hundred yards from our encampment were three, large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security officers surrounding the campsite," he said. "Now there's a challenge no Scoutmaster could have anticipated."
Gates told the Scouts he was speaking to them "as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation," and said he was like most of them when he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15.
"I wasn't a straight-A student, nor was I a particularly good athlete," he said. "I wasn't really a student leader." When he arrived in Washington, D.C., at age 22 to begin work at the CIA, he said, "I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn't know a soul."
Earning the Eagle Scout's badge was "the only thing I had done in my life that led me to think that I could make a difference; that I could be a leader," he said to applause. "It was the first thing I had done that told me I might be different because I had worked harder, was more determined, more goal-oriented, more persistent than most others."
The secretary told the Scouts some of them will go on to be leaders in industry, the government and the military. But most importantly, he said, scouting has set them on the path to "becoming a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world.
"A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be," he continued. "You are role models."
In the past 100 years, Gates said, there has been no better program for preparing future leaders than the Boy Scouts. "The fate of our nation in the years to come and the future of the world itself depend on the kind of people we modern Americans prove to be," he said.
The secretary acknowledged that much has changed in the 50 years since he was a Boy Scout.
"We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease," he said. "But not in scouting."
There are too many places in American life today without the Boy Scouting values of self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity and morality, Gates said. "From Wall Street to Washington to our hometowns," he said, "in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent.
"I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men," he continued. "As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders. ...With leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world."
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
How to Get Blood in Emergency!!
All you have to do is just type "BLOOD and send SMS to 96000 97000" (in India )
EX: "BLOOD B+"
A BLOOD DONOR WILL CALL YOU!!
So please pass this message to all. It certainly would save many lives.
It's a Must to Know & Share. Do it now....
Forward this to all your friends whom you care ....as the minute you spare to share this information can save somebody's life with rare Blood Group ! --Sent by: Sanjeeve Batra
Monday, July 26, 2010
Amphibious assault vehicle
U.S. Marines sit in their amphibious assault vehicle in the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) while under way in the Atlantic Ocean July 15, 2010. The Marines are with Alpha Company, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion and attached to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise (CP) 2010. CP is an annual humanitarian civic assistance operation that provides humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to nations throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America. (DoD photo by Sgt. Samuel R. Beyers, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)
Assault exercise in Ancon, Peru
Provides security during a shura
Afghan National Police (ANP) officer during a tour
U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, speaks with an Afghan National Police (ANP) officer during a tour of the ANP’s Regional Training Center in Kandahar, Afghanistan, July 19, 2010. Petraeus visited the center along with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Bradley Lail, U.S. Army/Released)Adm. Mike Mullen meets with Gen. Han Min-goo
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen meets with South Korean army Gen. Han Min-goo, newly-appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a visit to Seoul, South Korea, July 20, 2010. Mullen is in Korea with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to participate in counterpart talks underscoring the alliance between the two nations. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy/Released)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Criminals Use Romance, Patriotism to Steal Money
 American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON :- Shelly is a smart, successful business owner, but a brief liaison with a man claiming to be a servicemember nearly cost her everything. Shelly was thrilled to meet a handsome Marine on a dating website she frequented. Although her contact with the military was limited, she was deeply patriotic and had a great admiration for servicemembers. After just a few days, the man began professing his love for her via e-mail and instant messaging. He said he was deployed to Iraq, and was looking for love after he had lost his wife in a car crash about two years prior. His 5-year-old boy was staying with his sister while he was deployed, he told her. Shelly was enthralled but, as a single mom, remained cautious. She began to notice some idiosyncrasies: his birth date on one website didn't match another and the picture with dark hair and eyes she originally saw didn't match the blond-haired, blue-eyed man on a different profile. About three days into their relationship, the man told her his bank account had been hacked into and $37,000 had been taken. He couldn't check his bank account from Iraq, he claimed, asking her for some money to get by. Suspicious, Shelly asked him for his military address and phone number. "I'm so disappointed you don't believe me," he said, and gave her a number that connected her to a fax machine. Fed up, Shelly called him out. Angry and defensive, he blew up at her and threatened to "get her" and "go public with who you are." "What bothers me is he has my information," said Shelly, a successful media professional from the West Coast whose name has been changed to protect her privacy. "He knows I have a son, knows the name of my company and my address." The man never admitted it was a scam, but unable to verify he was who he said, Shelly walked away. She'd like to report him but is scared of what he'll do. And the worst part, she said, is his profile is still on that site. "It's so awful that he impersonates a military man," she said. "I have deep respect for the military, and he's using these guys to scam people." Shelly is not alone in her Internet-based scare. Many people, from various backgrounds and in locations around the world, are falling victim to a wave of military-related Internet romance scams. Special agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command recently warned the American public of this scam. "We are seeing a number of scams being perpetrated on the Internet, especially on social, dating-type websites where females are the main target," Chris Grey, Army CID's spokesman, said in an Army News article. These cyber criminals, posing as military members, prey on patriotic women seeking love online, as well as others with a soft spot for military members. In many cases, they say they're deployed, whether to Iraq or Afghanistan, and claim to need money for everything from leave papers to a flight back home. They may pose as an Air Force lieutenant or an Army general, and even a fake profile of retired Army Gen. Richard A. Cody, former vice chief of staff of the Army, has popped up on several dating sites. Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, recently discovered that cyber criminals have been using his picture to ask people to send money. Odierno fought back using his Facebook page, on which he has nearly 10,000 fans. "I have never solicited [personal] information from anyone, here or elsewhere, nor will I ever," he wrote July 17. "Thank you for your concern about those posing as me; our investigators are looking into all allegations." The Internet Crime Complaint Center received nearly 340,000 complaint submissions in 2009, according to the center's 2009 Internet Crime Report. The vast majority of cases referred to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies contained elements of fraud and involved a financial loss by the complainant. The total dollar loss from all cases of fraud in 2009 that were referred to law enforcement by the center was $559.7 million, the report said. Some women, like Shelly, realized early that they were being scammed, but others are left with empty bank accounts and broken hearts. "It's not a bad thing to be patriotic, but people are trying to distort that for personal gain," Paul Sternal, the acting cyber crimes program director for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, said during an interview with American Forces Press Service. Sternal likened this wave of romance scams to a scam commonly seen within the Defense Department: the Nigerian scam. In this scam, a person sends an e-mail claiming to be overseas and in financial trouble. The person tries to entice someone to send money by promising a huge reward in return; in some cases money, or in Shelly's case, love and eventually marriage. There's a lesson to be learned from Shelly's Internet-based troubles, Sternal said. People, particularly within the Defense Department, need to be on alert for online threats. Each day, criminals ranging from individuals seeking personal gain to foreign governments looking to compromise national security, are mining the military for information, Sternal said. The networks, he said, are scanned millions of times per day and probed thousands of times per day, with increasing frequency and sophistication. "The Defense Department, by the very nature of what it does, makes it an obvious target for people who want to exploit it for information about operations, technology, and what we do to defend the nation," Sternal said. These threats can be presented in a variety of ways, from scams similar to the one Shelly faced to widespread and sophisticated phishing scams. Phishing scams are when people attempt to gain sensitive information, such as passwords and user names, by posing as a trustworthy source in an e-mail. These scammers may pose as a bank or credit card company and ask for information that the company normally wouldn't ask for, Sternal said. In a recent phishing scam, numerous fraudulent e-mails were sent to financial customers of USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union. The e-mails, which appear to originate from USAA and the credit union, ask the recipient to provide or verify personal information such as name and rank, account numbers, date of birth and mother's maiden name. "While these e-mails may appear to be legitimate, it's important to remember USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union will never ask for [personal identification] or to verify financial institution data via e-mail," a U.S. Strategic Command news release issued in response to this scam said. In some cases, the e-mail may include a link that, when clicked on, installs a malicious code. "The end game, in those instances, is not to compromise identity, but [not] to compromise information you have available to you as a Defense Department military member, civilian or contractor," Sternal said. He advised people to keep an eye out for e-mails that arrive "out of the blue." "Know what your established relationships are," he said. People need to use the same wisdom online that they use at home, Sternal said. People normally toss out junk mail, particularly when it's not personally addressed or from a trusted source. This same scrutiny needs to be applied to e-mails that arrive over the Internet, he said. Additionally, people should keep an eye out for suspicious computer activity that can signify a virus, including a suddenly slow-running system or programs that suddenly start popping up without being opened, Sternal said. Increasingly sophisticated adversaries are using the Internet to their full advantage, he said. They've gone from trying to physically smuggle a part or computer chip out of the country to trying to smuggle the design schematics online, which can have a major impact on national security. "The Internet is a great resource, and look how the Defense Department uses it to communicate the good we do, to recruit, to get information out to help people," Sternal said. "There are tremendous benefits, but we need to be smart about how we do this." To ensure the best protection of the military's information and networks, the Defense Department established the U.S. Cyber Command in May. But while the Defense Department has sophisticated protections in place, each employee has a personal responsibility to protect information as well. Sternal passed on some tips for all computer users: -- Use caution: Whether it's surfing the Internet, reading e-mail or downloading files, a savvy user exercise caution in where he goes, who he communicates with and what he accepts from other users. -- Stay smart: It's important to pay attention to security bulletins and alerts, press reports on new cyber attacks, and even the department's INFOCON levels. -- Expect it: All Defense Department employees are targets by affiliation. When deciding what to put out on the Internet – whether it's an e-mail or social networking site – consider the impact if that information ends up on the public domain or in the hands of a criminal. And if information is compromised, have a plan to respond and recover. -- Take responsibility: The Defense Department offers employees free antivirus software for home use, and people should take full advantage of firewalls, strong passwords and encryption. "If you have a home network, secure it," Sternal said. These days, he said, users have grown clever and many now hit delete rather than open suspicious e-mails. However, as computer users become wiser, so do the adversaries, Sternal said. They're using increasingly sophisticated programs that will move them beyond the delete button, he said, making it even more important for people to stay alert. As in Shelly's case, "I think people let their guard down on the Internet," Sternal said. "The thing to remember is that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is." To report a cyber crime, visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/default. (Issued on: July 22, 2010) |
| Related Sites: FBI Cyber Investigations State Department Warning Armed With Science Blog The Dangers of Friending Strangers: the Robin Sage Experiment Family Matters Blog |
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Observation Point
Read full story
Mullen arrives on the garrison
Read More Detail
Monday, July 19, 2010
Transfering a simulated casualty
U.S. service members transfer a simulated casualty to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., July 16, 2010, during exercise Global Medic. Global Medic is the U.S. Army Reserve Command's largest annual joint patient movement/medical field exercise and provides medical units with an opportunity to plan, prepare, and execute medical training as part of a deployed task force. (DoD photo by Senior Airman Jimmy L. Dang, U.S. Air Force/Released)
Amphibious assault vehicle
Colombian marines board a U.S. Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle at the beach at Ancon, Peru, July 16, 2010. Marines from 4th Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division and attached to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 24 were transporting service members from partnership nations to USS New Orleans (LPD 18). The ship will be transiting to Salina, Peru, for the final exercise in Partnership of the America's Southern Exchange. (DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Ammon W. Carter, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)
Operation Healthy Hands
From left, U.S. Army Pvt. Nicholas Lucas, Sgt. James Triplett and Pvt. Richard Franco provide security during a mission in the village of Padkhab Shana near Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, July 17, 2010, during Operation Healthy Hands. The Soldiers are assigned to Alpha Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. (DoD photo by Sgt. Derec Pierson, U.S. Army/Released)
Coast Guard 'Superstar' Wins Coveted Award
By Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Ameen U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West U.S. COAST GUARD STATION KEY WEST, Fla., July 19, 2010 - Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Carlos Camacho became an expert on his service's newest class of boats and earned a prestigious award during his first-ever tour-of-duty here.
Camacho, he said, worked hard to become an expert on the new Response Boat-Medium. "He is one of the most knowledgeable RB-M engineers in the Coast Guard," Stoughton said of Camacho. "He read the manual cover-to-cover and found dozens of mistakes and made many recommendations that ended up becoming part of the actual manual." Camacho plans to bring a lot to the table when he arrives at his next duty station: his integrity, his work ethic, and his willingness to learn what he needs to know. "I am one of those people that completely believes in the fact that knowledge is power; the more I know about something, the better I'm gonna be at it," Camacho said. While at Key West Camacho also provided more than two-dozen emergency medical training sessions to Coast Guard personnel, resulting in 67 members receiving life-saving certifications. Camacho also speaks Spanish, having been born and raised in Cali, Colombia. Camacho's duties as the Spanish interpreter at the Key West station have been critical in successful illegal migrant interdiction operations, including the safe transfer of undocumented migrants and the apprehension of suspected smugglers, Stoughton said. "Out there on the water, Carlos Camacho is a superstar," Stoughton said. "He has demonstrated maturity beyond his years, and he has the ability to communicate effectively in high-stress situations." In light of Camacho's abilities and drive, it's perhaps easy to understand why he also won the Fireman First Class Paul Clark Boat Forces Engineering Award for 2009. The prestigious annual award recognizes a Coast Guard boat forces engineer who demonstrated sustained superior performance, exception technical skills, and exemplary leadership. Stoughton said Camacho is only the second similarly ranked individual he has nominated for the award. Fifteen other nominees from throughout the Coast Guard competed for the award that Camacho ultimately won, said Stoughton, noting that most of the competitors were higher-ranking first class petty officers. "I've had a lot of great people," Stoughton said. "But, honestly, he deserved it. I wouldn't have put him in [for the competition] if he didn't, and that's how I feel." | ||
| Related Sites: U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West | ||
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Someone wants to see you happy
A new sunA new day
A new sms
Asking u to
forget all ur
worries
sorrows
& tears
for someone
who wants to
see you happy
Good Morning
A Fantastic Sentence written on every Japanees Bus Stop.....:“Only Buses Will Stop Here, not your Time..
So Keep Walking Towards your Goal” Sent by Sai Mera Rakhwala.
Now read a special message from Priya Deelchand who is MD of Success Strategies Consultants Ltd and actively working to create a new and healthy society. you may also meet her at her websites or blogs....:
| http://www.successstrategiesconsultants.com http://happinessisyourbirthright.blogspo... http://priyadeelchand.blogspot.com/ Her Facebook profile is : |
| http://www.facebook.com/priyadeelchand1 |
Now Read her message This Is Good!!! :))
My dearest friends,Hope you are doing great!
Here is the story of today.
An old story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."
"No," his friend replied, "This is good!" "What do you mean,'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."
So dearest friends, everything that happens in our life happens for a reason and it is always good!!!
Have an excellent day!
Much Love,
Priya:))
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Airdrops Break Records in Afghanistan
By Bob Fehringer U.S. Transportation Command SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., July 13, 2010 - When your unit is surrounded by an enemy hitting you with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, and mortar rounds are screaming in and you're running low on food, ammo and everything else, you can't exactly send someone to Wal-Mart for supplies.
"Sometimes these missions are like driving an 18-wheeler through a 5 o'clock traffic jam while trying to ask for directions with a cell phone that isn't getting any reception," said Air Force Capt. Scott Huffstetler, an airdrop mission planner with the 8th Airlift Squadron in Afghanistan. "Eventually, you just muscle your way through and get the job done. "The airspace in [Afghanistan] can be incredibly busy, and often times the terrain makes radio reception poor," Huffstetler added. "Last night, my crew and I flew a mission into an area of the country where the air traffic congestion could rival Frankfurt, Atlanta or Chicago." Huffstetler said communication and coordination had to be accomplished during that mission by talking with many different air traffic control areas, none of which could hear the other. "One of the biggest challenges that we face during the airdrop missions is coordinating clearance into the different airspaces within the country," Huffstetler said. "With about 10 minutes until the drop, we had four different radios which were actively being used to accomplish this. With dozens of aircraft flying a wide variety of missions, and all of them needing access to the same airspace at the same time, things can get complicated quickly. "In short," he continued, "with three pilots talking on four radios, some of which were less than 'loud and clear,' and driving 20 minutes out of our way in order to avoid traffic and blocked airspace, we successfully got the drop off and delivered the goods to the user. All of this being at night and on [night-vision goggles]." In spite of communication glitches and other problems encountered on these missions, during a recent 12-week period, about 500 bundles were dropped per week, which amounts to 450 tons dropped each week. For comparison, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, 482 tons of supplies were dropped in a two-day period in December 1944. In Vietnam, during the battle of Khe Sahn, 294 tons were dropped in a 77-day period. Air Force Col. Keith Boone, recently reassigned after serving as director of the Air Mobility Division at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia, managed airdrops since his arrival in Afghanistan last year. He's been chosen to be vice commander of the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. April set a record for monthly bundles dropped, with more than 2,700 delivered, Boone said, with April 7 setting a single-day record of 200 bundles, equaling 160 tons. "We have been steadily increasing since sustainment airdrop operations began in 2005," he said. "Undoubtedly, this is the longest aerial delivery sustainment in the history of military operations. With the exception of about five days, we have had at least one drop every day since I have been here, and I suspect that is true for the past two years." Methods of delivering supplies to troops in the field have improved dramatically since the early airdrops of World War II were conducted by pushing small crates with parachutes out of the aircraft's side cargo doors. "Lots of great innovations [are] happening in theater," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry, recently reassigned after serving as director of mobility forces and commander of Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force. "The end result is we're providing what the warfighter needs, when he needs it, and where he needs it." Faulkenberry has been selected to be deputy chief of logistics for U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Among those innovations are the Joint Precision Airdrop System, the Improved Container Delivery System and the most recent development, the C-130 "low-cost low-altitude" combat airdrop to resupply soldiers at a forward operating base. JPADS uses GPS, steerable parachutes and an onboard computer to steer loads to a designated point on a drop zone. It integrates the Army's Precision and Extended Glide Airdrop System and the Air Force's Precision Airdrop System program. ICDS allows for improved precision by factoring in the altitude, wind speed, wind direction, terrain and other circumstances that might affect the drop. A low-cost, low-altitude airdrop is accomplished by dropping bundles weighing 80 to 500 pounds, with pre-packed expendable parachutes, in groups of up to four bundles per pass. "The LCLA drops will meet the needs of a smaller subset of the units," Boone said. "This is a significant step forward in our ability to sustain those engaged in counterinsurgency operations throughout Afghanistan. "Our main method of supply will continue to be through air-land missions - landing at airfields and offloading supplies," Boone continued. "Where that isn't possible, we will deliver sustainment requirements through larger-scale [Container Delivery System airdrops] - everything from ammunition to meals." These resupply missions are coordinated by U.S. Transportation Command with its component commands: the Army's Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, the Air Force's Air Mobility Command and the Navy's Military Sealift Command. Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, Transcom commander, recently flew on one of the airdrop resupply missions in Afghanistan. "The work these airmen do every day is saving lives," McNabb said. "I am amazed by our airmen — no matter the size of the challenges they face, they find solutions and get the job done. These airdrop missions are a terrific example of how our phenomenal people in the field will always deliver to the warfighter." U.S. Central Command Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials said 97 percent of the airdrops have been on target. "Tactical airlift has never been so responsive, so agile in our [tactics, techniques and procedures], and critical in a fight," Faulkenberry said. "Airdrop is enabling the small, dispersed [counterinsurgency] unit to engage and operate. This April, we dropped 4,860,000 pounds to ground forces who needed the food, fuel, or ammo. It is taking air-ground teamwork to succeed, and together, we're making our history." | ||
| Related Sites: U.S. Transportation Command | ||
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Greets his daughter
A combined exercise
Thursday, July 08, 2010
A one-minute warning call
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Winning is NATO's Mission in Afghanistan, Petraeus Says
By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, July 4, 2010 - The objective in Afghanistan is to win, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said today as he formally assumed command of the International Security Force in Afghanistan.
"Our enemy is doing all that they can to undermine the confidence of the Afghan people," he said in front of NATO's headquarters building in the Afghan capital of Kabul. "In so doing, they are killing and maiming Afghan civilians on a daily basis." Speaking in front of assembled U.S., international and Afghan leaders, the general said the Taliban and al-Qaida are using women and children to launch attacks and to intimidate the population. Petraeus spoke directly to fears among Afghans that the United States and international partners will walk away from the country. The United States, ISAF and allied nations are committed to a sustained effort in Afghanistan, Petraeus said. "Certainly, the character of our commitment will change over time," he said. "Indeed, Afghans and the citizens of ISAF countries look forward to the day when conditions will permit the transition of further tasks to Afghan forces. In the meantime, all of us at ISAF pledge our full commitment to protect your nation from militants who allowed al-Qaida sanctuary when they ruled the country." The general called his assumption of command a change in personnel, but not in policy or strategy. The counterinsurgency effort put in place by former commander Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal will remain, he said, and protecting the people of Afghanistan is key to that effort. "To be sure, I will -- as any new commander should, together with ISAF, Afghan and diplomatic partners --examine our civil-military effort to determine where refinements might be needed," he said. "But our military objectives remain the same: Together with our Afghan partners, we must secure and serve the people of Afghanistan." A major portion of that mission is to train and support Afghan security forces and to increase the effectiveness of the Afghan government, Petraeus said, so Afghan soldiers and police and government officials can protect the people and deliver services to the population. "In pursuing these tasks," he added, "we clearly must pursue the insurgents relentlessly." The general spoke directly to the more than 130,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians of ISAF and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. "I pledge to do all that I can to provide the best leadership, direction and example that I can muster," he pledged. Recent months in Afghanistan have seen hard fighting and an increase in ISAF and Afghan security force casualties. Reducing unintended civilian casualties is a must, Petraeus told the ISAF team, but "as those on the ground strive to achieve that intent, we will not hesitate to bring all assets to bear to protect you and the Afghan forces with which you are fighting shoulder to shoulder." Unity of will and purpose are crucial to success in Afghanistan, the general noted. "We are all – civilian and military, Afghan and international – part of one team and one mission," he said. "Indeed, we all recognize the grave threat that the Taliban, al-Qaida and other associated syndicates of extremists pose to this country, to this region and to the world." The coalition and the Afghan government cannot accomplish the mission without working together, Petraeus emphasized. "Each of your organizations brings tremendous commitment and unique skills and attributes to the team or teams at work in Afghanistan," he said. "I look forward to what our organizations will accomplish together as we reinforce a culture here that recognizes that cooperation is not optional." Nothing is easy in Afghanistan, Petraeus said, and the fight is at a critical moment. The threat from al-Qaida remains, he said, and all must guard against allowing the terror network to re-establish sanctuaries in Afghanistan from which they can launch attacks on the Afghan people and freedom-loving nations around the world. Progress has taken place in Afghanistan Petraeus said, noting that more than 7 million Afghan children are in school. Immunization rates for Afghan children are between 70 and 90 percent, he added, and cell phones – once banned – are ubiquitous. "Kabul is a busy, bustling city, as are Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad," he said. "Roads and bridges and other infrastructure have been built, and the future holds even greater promise, if we can resist those who want to turn the clocks back in Afghanistan rather than let the march of progress continue. With the surge of coalition forces and the growth of Afghan partners, we have a new opportunity to do just that." During a talk with Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday, Petraeus said, he supported the president's commitment to inclusiveness, transparency, integrity and accountability. "I look forward to working with each of you to make his watchwords realities," he said. The new commander recognized McChrystal's contributions. "We have all worked hard together over the last year and a half to get the inputs right in Afghanistan – to build the organizations needed to carry out a comprehensive civil-military counterinsurgency campaign, to get the best individuals possible in charge of those organizations, to ensure we have our plans and concepts right and to garner and deploy the forces and other resources needed to implement those plans and concepts," he said. "No one did more in helping get the inputs right than General McChrystal," he continued, "and the progress made in recent months in the face of a determined enemy is in many respects due to the vision, energy and leadership he provided during his time as [commander]." Petraeus was serving as commander U.S. Central Command when President Barack Obama chose him to replace McChrystal, who resigned amid controversy over remarks attributed to him and his staff in a magazine article. As Centcom commander, Petraeus had intimate knowledge of the situation in Afghanistan and well-established relationships with allies in the region. | ||
| Biographies: Army Gen. David H. Petraeus Related Sites: Transcript of Petraeus Remarks NATO International Security Assistance Force |
U.S. troops take the citizenship oath
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)