Implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is an effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. With much at stake, the Act provides for unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability so that you will be able to know how, when, and where your tax dollars are being spent. Spearheaded by a new Recovery Board, this Act contains built-in measures to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending. See more at recovery.gov.

Implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Projects supported by these funds will not only make the country safer and more secure, but they also will create new jobs, and in some cases, save the jobs of men and women who do the work of staying ahead of those who would seek to do us harm.

St. Elizabeths/DHS Headquarters Consolidation:

• $650 million ($200 million to DHS; $450 million to GSA)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

• $720 million for construction at land ports of entry ($300 million GSA; $420 million CBP)
• $100 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology
• $100 million for border technology on the southwest border
• $60 million for tactical communications equipment and radios

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

• $20 million for ICE automation modernization and tactical communications

Transportation Security Administration:

• $1 billion for explosives detection systems and checkpoint screening equipment

U.S. Coast Guard:

• $142 million for Alteration of Bridges program
• $98 million for construction, which may include the following:
• Shore facilities and aids to navigation facilities
• Vessel repair/acquisition (includes High Endurance Cutter)

Federal Emergency Management Agency:

• $100 million for Emergency Food and Shelter Program
• $150 million for transit and rail security grants
• $150 million for port security grants, no non-federal match required
• $210 million for Assistance to Firefighter (AFG) grants for firehouse construction; maximum grant is $15.0M
• $5 million expansion in authority for FEMA Community Disaster Loans
• Requires the establishment of an arbitration panel to resolve Katrina/Rita public assistance disputes
• All non-federal matching requirements for SAFER grants waived for FY 2009-2010

DHS Office of Inspector General:

• $5 million to conduct related oversight and audit

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Family Matters Blog: Families Invited to Dial Into Helping Webinars

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2010 - The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury has released its monthly webinar series schedule for 2011, and officials there hope the topics will interest everyone from servicemembers and their families to medical professionals.
The webinar series  presents resources and best practices regarding TBI and psychological health care and offers participants an interactive environment to ask questions or comment. This past year, the series featured topics such as family support techniques, combating stigma, suicide prevention and reintegration programs.
In 2011, topics will range from the impact of war on children to post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of a natural disaster. Webinars are scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. EST.
Here's the complete schedule:
Jan. 27: Peer-to-Peer Support Model Program
Feb. 24: Compassion Fatigue
March 24: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Co-occurring Psychological Health Disorders:
Focus on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with Co-occurring Psychological Health
Disorders Toolkit
April 28: Indirect Neurotrauma: The Impact of War on Children
May 26: Operational Stress and In Theater Care
June 23: Anatomical/Physiological Changes Secondary to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
July 28: Reintegrative Medicine: Focusing on Family and Clinical Perspective, and
Adaptation Following Incident
Aug. 25: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Natural Disasters
Sept. 22: Neuropathophysiology of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Oct. 27: Generational Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Growth
Nov. 17: Holidays Apart from Family
December: No event due to the holidays
For more on the webinar series, visit the DcOE blog . To be added to the DCoE Monthly Webinar Series listserv or to sign up for upcoming webinars, e-mail DCoE.MonthlyWebinar@tma.osd.mil.
To comment on this blog, use the comment feature below. To read other Family Matters posts, visit the Family Matters website. Comments posted here may be re-posted to the Family Matters Website.

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Day 10: Coast Guard Video of the Year

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Written by: LT Connie Braesch

Welcome to day ten of voting for Coast Guard Video of the Year!
Last week, we offered you a sampling of the top 11 Coast Guard videos of 2010. Now, it is time for you to vote on your favorites and help us select your top three videos.
Our tenth video features Aids to Navigation Team Kodiak, Alaska, personnel building a 15-foot tower near Point Hope to help mariners navigate through the Bering Strait.  The aid is only one of two permanent Coast Guard aids north of the Arctic Circle.  Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Thomasson, a damage controlman, narrates the b-roll video.
Click on the image to watch the video on YouTube (click here to watch the CGVI video accessible from a Coast Guard computer).

POINT HOPE, Alaska – In this 2010 Coast Guard Video of the Year nominee, four Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Kodiak personnel completed a build of the 15-foot aid to navigation tower four miles south of Point Hope Aug. 2, 2010, which is only of two permanent Coast Guard aids to navigation north of the Arctic Circle. The aid will help vessels navigate through the Bering Strait. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn.

To cast your vote for your favorite, use any (or all) of the following ways:
1. Choose to “like” your favorite video on our YouTube 2010 Video of the Year playlist.
2. Choose to “like” your favorite video on our Facebook fan page.
3. Leave a positive comment on the Compass blog post for that video.
*Please note, YouTube and Facebook will require you to sign in using your personal account to vote
Each method will be weighted equally, worth 1/3 of the total vote. Voting will stay open until January 10, 2011 with the top three videos announced on the Compass January 11. Although you can vote for multiple videos, keep in mind you can only “like” the video once on YouTube and Facebook so you might want to save your vote for your favorite.

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Afghan, Coalition Forces Capture Haqqani Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2010 - Afghan and coalition forces yesterday captured a Haqqani network leader during a security operation conducted in Khost province, military officials reported.
Intelligence reports indicate that the insurgent leader facilitated movement of improvised explosive device-making materials from Pakistan into Khost province. He also was responsible for IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force followed intelligence tips to a compound in Terayzai district to search for the leader.
Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit peacefully before the combined security force cleared and secured the building. The Haqqani leader identified himself to authorities during questioning at which time he was detained. Two other suspected insurgents also were detained.
A search of the insurgent's house resulted in finding a mortar round and military-style equipment. The operation was conducted during hours of darkness to minimize risk to local residents. No women or children were injured or detained during this operation. Security forces conducted the operation without firing their weapons.
In other Afghanistan news yesterday:
-- Afghan and coalition forces conducted three operations against Taliban insurgents in northern and southern parts of the country resulting in several suspected insurgents being detained.
In Kunduz province, Afghan and coalition forces conducted a deliberate clearing operation aimed at disrupting the Taliban's freedom of movement in northern Afghanistan, detaining two suspected insurgents. The combined security force is continuing efforts to disrupt enemy safe havens, where Taliban leaders use villages throughout the area to conduct operational planning and facilitate their attacks. This operation focused on an area near Chem Tepa village in Chahar Darah district. Afghan and coalition forces cleared five compounds suspected of insurgent activity in the area. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the compounds peacefully before the security force cleared and secured the areas. After initial questioning, two suspected insurgents were detained.
In Zabul province, combined forces detained a man suspected of conducting IED attacks on a major southern thoroughfare. Forces conducted the operation in search of a Taliban facilitator operating in the province's Shah Joy district. He is known for conducting IED attacks against coalition forces along Highway 1, as well as coordinating command and control over terrorist operations in the district. Security forces made it a priority to secure Highway 1 in an effort to further the safety of local Afghans and coalition forces as well as provide a conduit to further stabilization in the southern provinces. This operation is one of a dozen conducted over a five-week period in the province. The major thoroughfare extends from Kabul, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, through the southern provinces and terminates on the Iranian border. Southern forces killed four insurgents including a significant Taliban leader, Amarat, and have detained more than 50 suspects in the district since Nov. 18.
In Nimroz province's Khash Rod district, Afghan and coalition forces detained two suspects during an operation targeting another Taliban leader. Forces conducted the operations in search of the leader who is involved in the facilitation of IED materials and weapons. He also directs attacks and is involved with attack coordination against coalition forces. The targeted individual conducts visual observations of coalition forces within the area to provide Taliban associates with reports of friendly forces' movements and locations. Forces followed leads to a series of targeted buildings where they questioned the occupants at the locations and conducted a search. The two suspects were detained based on initial questioning at the scenes. The combined security team conducted these operations during hours of darkness to minimize risk to local civilians. No women or children were injured or detained during these operations. The security forces conducted these operations without firing their weapons.
-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader and a Taliban facilitator during a combined security operation in Nangarhar province. Combined forces have detained six Taliban leaders and 18 suspected insurgents in the province since Dec. 1. The Taliban leader operated within Pachir wa Agam district, facilitating foreign fighters and suicide bombers to attack coalition forces and government officials in Jalalabad, Behsud and Pachir wa Agam districts. The Taliban facilitator was involved in facilitating weapons and suicide bombers as well as planning attacks in the Pachir wa Agam district. Recent reporting indicates he and several associates were acquiring compounds necessary to make suicide bombs south of Jalalabad City. Forces detained the two Taliban leaders at a targeted location in Chaparhar district. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call occupants out of the buildings peacefully before conducting a search. The men were detained after initial questioning. The joint security team conducted the operation during hours of darkness to minimize risk to local civilians. No women or children were injured or detained during this operation. Security forces conducted the operation without firing their weapons.
-- Afghan and coalition forces targeted and detained a Taliban attack leader during a combined security operation in Kandahar province. Forces conducted the operation in search of the leader, who bears the title "doctor" due to his intricate knowledge of IEDs. The leader trained Taliban members on how to build, emplace and detonate IEDs. In addition, he gave tactical guidance on where and how to conduct such attacks. He is associated with the Dec. 12 suicide vehicle-borne IED attack in Sangisar and was involved in moving money and supplies in support of suicide vehicle-borne IED operations in Kandahar City. The now-detained individual also was in direct contact with an array of suicide vehicle-borne IED cell leaders and suicide-attack facilitators.
Forces followed leads to the target location in Kandahar City, where Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully before conducting a search. The security team determined the targeted individual and one suspected insurgent would be detained based on initial questioning at the scene. The security team conducted the operation in the hours of darkness to minimize the risk to local civilians. No women or children were injured or detained during this operation. The security forces conducted the operation without firing their weapons.
 

Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Guardian of the Week – AST3 Christopher Austin

Guardian of the Week – AST3 Christopher Austin

Friday, December 31, 2010

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

With contributions from PA3 Kelly Parker.

AST3 Christopher Austin saved the life of a fisherman on his first rescue as a qualified Coast Guard rescue swimmer. U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Kelly Parker.

The Coast Guard trains its people to be Always Ready and that training is never more important than on your first search and rescue case. On Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Austin’s first duty day as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer there was no time for uncertainty – a vessel had capsized in the Pacific northwest’s icy waters and he was being called upon to save lives.
Austin and an aircrew from Air Station Astoria were airborne when the report came in that a fishing vessel had capsized with two people aboard.
With only two miles of visibility, the aircrew diverted to the opening of Willapa Bay, Wash. and spotted a debris field. The aircraft commander, Lt. Benjamin Schluckebier, turned the helicopter around to follow the debris field. That’s when despite the fact neither fisherman was wearing a life jacket, the aircraft flight mechanic, Petty Officer 2nd Class Andre Altavilla, noticed a person in the water.
“The boater rapidly deteriorated from swimming, to barely keeping his head out of the water, to being under for 10 seconds at a time when getting hit by waves, to face down in the water and not moving,” recalls Schluckebier.
Austin was lowered into the 45-degree water, and although he was on his first case on his first day of duty, the agitated waters showed no mercy as he attempted to reach the now unresponsive fisherman.
“Everything that was going through my head was all the training that I’ve had in the past two years and especially throughout A-school,” recalls Austin. “As soon as I grabbed him, I put my arms up underneath him, and a wave hit me with so much force my goggles came up off my face. I kept working, kept trying to get this guy’s head above the water.”
Austin was pummeled by waves, but with support from Altavilla who was paying out his cable, he was able to shelter the fisherman. After the ready signal was given, Austin and the unconscious fisherman were hoisted into the helicopter.
Once safely inside the cabin, Altavilla and Austin administered CPR and the man began to breathe once again.
Although Austin was the one deployed in the water, he credits the rescue to the teamwork of his aircrew.
“I didn’t see this guy – the flight mechanic found him. I didn’t jump out of the plane – I got hoisted down by the decision of the pilot. I didn’t do CPR by myself – I was gassed after getting hit by all those waves,” said Austin. “My biggest thing is that you’re not the hero, you’re not the one saving people. It’s the guys that you’re with who have your back and you have to have their back just as much to get the job done.”
Despite saving a life his first day on the job, Austin learned a hard lesson; after an extensive six-hour search for the second fisherman, by both air and surface rescue crews, the search was suspended.
“We couldn’t get the other guy and I was kind of beating myself up about that. We did everything we could to get there,” said Austin.
Thinking about the lost fisherman, it was Austin’s family who put things in perspective for the young rescue swimmer.
“When I got off the phone with my dad on Christmas my fiancé said to me, ‘You know that he [the fisherman] gets to be at home with his family for Christmas.’”

 

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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National Guard HighlightsTop 10 Missions of 2010

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Orrell
National Guard Bureau
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 28, 2010 - This year has been a busy one for members of the National Guard. Here's a look at some of the National Guard's most memorable missions and events in 2010:

Soldiers of the Alabama National Guard build and maintain miles of HESCO barriers to protect Dauphin Island, Ala., beaches from the BP oil spill,July 23, 2010. More than 1,600 National Guard members supported Operation Deepwater Horizon in four Gulf states. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

No. 10: Agribusiness Development Teams Agribusiness Development Teams comprising Army National Guard soldiers with agribusiness expertise are performing training and advising missions at Afghan universities, provincial ministries and farms.
ADTs have ensured improvements are sustainable with local assets and within the context of the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock's abilities. The ADT concept includes providing immediate agricultural expertise and security forces to enable daily community engagement.
No. 9: Homeland Response Forces
The National Guard added a Homeland Response Force package to its Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive response capabilities, providing a more robust response to any homeland incident.
When activated, HRFs perform search and extraction from collapsed buildings, victim decontamination, medical triage and transport to stabilization facilities, where doctors treat victims before they are moved to a hospital or other designated medical facility.
HRFs offer a bigger force, providing command and control of multiple CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages, weapons of mass-destruction, civil support teams and other Guard assets.
Ten HRFs -- one for each Federal Emergency Management Agency region -- are scheduled to stand up by Oct. 1, 2012.
No. 8: 2010 Winter Olympics
National Guard members from multiple states competed in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
Army Sgts. Mike Kohn and Shauna Rohbock -- both of the Utah Army National Guard and the National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program -- along with Army Sgt. John Napier, of the Vermont Army National Guard and a soldier-athlete in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, competed in multiple U.S. Olympic bobsled team events throughout the Winter Games.
Army Sgt. William Tavares -- a 26-year veteran of the Army National Guard and bobsled coach in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program stationed at Lake Placid, N.Y. -- was an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Bobsled team.
Army Sgt. Jeremy Teela, of the Utah Army National Guard and the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, competed in the biathlon.
No. 7: State Partnership Program
The almost 20-year-old, 62-nation National Guard State Partnership Program continued to flourish in 2010, recognized by combatant commanders in their annual posture statements and congressional testimony for its contributions to expanding partnership capacity.
Guard members participated in military-to-military exchanges in their home states or partner countries, senior leaders -- including country leaders -- visited at home and overseas and National Guard bilateral affairs officers served in U.S. embassies worldwide.
Citizen-soldiers served side by side with colleagues from their partner nations in Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams on deployments in Afghanistan.
Back home, a multiagency roundtable recommended enhancing the SPP as a tool for citizen diplomacy.
Originating in Europe after the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the SPP has expanded to numerous other regions of the world, most recently Africa.
No. 6: First F-22 assigned to the Air National Guard
On July 9, members of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam community gathered for a dedication service for the National Guard's first F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft.
The 199th Fighter Squadron of the 154th Fighter Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, welcomed their first F-22, a fifth-generation fighter, replacing the F-15 Eagle fighter the squadron had flown since 1987.
No. 5: Operation New Dawn
Sept. 1 marked the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the end of combat operations by United States forces in Iraq and the beginning of Operation New Dawn.
During the drawdown of forces, National Guard members conduct stability operations, focusing on advising, assisting and training Iraqi security forces.
Operation New Dawn represents a shift from a predominantly military U.S. presence to one that is predominantly civilian, as the Defense and State departments work together with governmental and nongovernmental agencies to help build Iraq's civil capacity.
The president plans to withdraw American forces from Iraq by the end of 2011.
No. 4: Pakistan flood relief
National Guard members collaborated with joint forces to provide relief to those affected by the unusually heavy monsoon rains that triggered floods through the Swat River Valley.
More than 40,000 Pakistanis were rescued during five months of operations, and C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft delivered bulk goods to distribution sites around the country, including almost 8,000 Halal meals.
U.S. aircraft delivered more than 25 million pounds of relief supplies during the operation.
No. 3: Haiti earthquake relief
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a magnitude 7.0 tremor, with an epicenter near the town of Léogâne, about 16 miles west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.
Army and Air National Guard members supported relief efforts for the almost 3 million people affected by this natural disaster.
No. 2: Supporting the Department of Homeland Security on the Southwest border
National Guard members are assisting Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on the nation's Southwest border.
Up to 1,200 Guard members are serving as criminal investigative analysts and Entry Identification Team members in the four border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
No. 1: Operation Deepwater Horizon
Citizen-soldiers and -airmen supported Operation Deepwater Horizon, the Coast Guard-led effort to corral the oil spill that followed the April 20 explosion and fire on the oil rig for which the operation was named.
More than 1,600 Guard members were assigned to the Gulf Coast states.
Troops helped clean up and contain the almost 5 million barrels, or 200 million gallons, of crude oil that leaked into the Gulf of Mexico.
 

Related Sites:
National Guard Bureau

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Colonel Cites Measurable, But Fragile, Afghan Progress

Colonel Cites Measurable, But Fragile, Afghan Progress

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2010 - Measurable progress has been achieved in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktia provinces, but it is fragile, Army Col. Viet Luong, commander of the American task force in the area, said today.
Luong spoke to the Pentagon press corps via teleconference. The commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team also said that Afghan security forces in his area are operating independently.
Task Force Rakkasan's mission –- Rakkasan is what the Japanese called the unit in 1945 –- is to protect the Afghan population and increase the capacity, capability and credibility of the Afghan national security forces in support of the Afghan government. This is counterinsurgency doctrine at its basics, the colonel said.
The unit took over its area of responsibility in February and will begin rotating back to Fort Campbell, Ky., shortly.
"In the last 11 months, we have seen gradual but measurable progress," Luong said. "First and foremost, the combined coalition/Afghan national security forces team has taken approximately 2,000 fighters out of the fight."
This security achievement has given local governance a chance to establish roots and begin serving the people. Afghan elders are taking part in regional shuras and in determining what projects are needed in their towns and villages, Luong said.
"Kids are now going to school, playing cricket, flying kites -– activities strictly forbidden under Taliban rule. To me, it's a subtle sign," he said.
Luong is hearing from the Afghan people that the improved security is making a difference. "More importantly, for the first time, they're feeling that the provincial government is now working for the people," he said. "In short, while fragile, we're seeing progress across the board in Paktia and Khost."
However, the enemy has a vote, Luong said, noting the main enemy in his area is the Haqqani network.
"I can tell you that at least in Paktia, Paktika and Khost [provinces], the Haqqani network is sort of on its heels," he said. "We have captured and killed many, many of their fighters and mid-level leaders. The senior leadership routinely hides in the tribal areas in Pakistan now for the fear of being captured or killed."
Meanwhile, Luong said, coalition and Afghan forces are keeping the pressure on the terrorist network.
"We have increased fourfold ... the number of operations and patrols, up to 12,000 in the last year, with 600 named operations," the colonel said.
Luong said the Haqqani insurgents have changed their tactics due to their losses of trained fighters and mid-level leaders.
"Lately the trend has been assassination, because that's all they can resort to doing to target a very, very vulnerable Afghan officials," Luong said. The terrorists also are responsible for a tremendous number of civilian casualties. The Haqqani plant roadside bombs and mines and launch indirect-fire attacks primarily against civilians.
"That's about all they can do at this stage," he said.
Luong said his unit also has responsibility for more than 250 kilometers of Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. The colonel has met with Pakistani officials opposite the Rakkasans and was working to coordinate operations with Pakistani units.
Unfortunately, he said, the monsoon rains pummeled Pakistan, and many Pakistani soldiers who would have participated in such border operations were assigned to the humanitarian mission.
"I know up north up in Nangarhar, Lowgar ... they were able to reach complementary operations," Luong said. "That's what we've been trying to replicate down here."
The unit that replaces the Rakkasans -– the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team -– will take up that task.

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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City opf Buffalo Committee Meetings Calendar for First Week of 2011

Committee Meetings

ANNOUNCEMENT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Note: In order to view and print these documents, your computer must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader utility installed; if this software is not installed on your system, you can download it for free from Adobe.com







The following meetings are scheduled.  All meetings are held in the Common Council Chambers, 13th floor City Hall, Buffalo, New York, unless otherwise noted.
Regular Committees

Committee on Civil Service, Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 9:45 o’clock A.M.
Committee on Finance, following Civil Service, Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 10:00 o’clock A.M.
Committee on Comm. Dev., Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 1:00 o’clock P.M.
Committee on Legislation, Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 2:00 o’clock P.M.

Donations:

Or Via Check payable to:Brian Luke 3840 East Robinson Road 3Amherst, New York 14228 Thanks

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Guardians of 2010: December

Friday, December 31, 2010

Written by: Christopher Lagan

Each week we honor members of the Coast Guard family as “Guardian of the Week” for their devotion to duty and contributions to our service. As we close out 2010, we’re looking back over the year to celebrate the contributions of the Guardians of 2010. Today, we revisit those recognized in December 2010.
LT James O’Mara – December 3, 2010

Lt. O'Mara and the Farallon crew have redefined what it means to work together as a team. Photo courtesy of LTJG Christopher O’Meara.

We’ve spent a lot of time during this Compass series talking about teamwork. So, it seems only fitting that we would kick-off December with the story of Lt. James O’Mara and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Farallon.
As Commanding Officer of Farallon, O’Mara has the responsibility to create a positive culture aboard his unit. At no time was that teamwork more evident than during a seven-day period where his crew stopped two drug smuggling ventures and one migrant smuggling attempt.
Click here to read more about the Farallon and her crew as they “Deal Justice” across the Caribbean!
SN Kristin Reger – December 10, 2010

Click on the image to watch a video in YouTube of the Coast Guard Medal award ceremony Dec. 8, 2010. U.S. Coast Guard video by PA3 Erik Swanson.

When you think of a Coastie putting his or her life on the line by jumping into the water to save a life, the first image that pops into your mind is likely a highly trained rescue swimmer. The search and rescue case that resulted in Seaman Kristin Reger being awarded the Coast Guard Medal will forever change that image.
Swimming out to an overturned sailboat Seaman Kristin Reger was not thinking of anything except the man trapped beneath the hull. With a polypropylene line connecting her to the Coast Guard Station Golden Gate 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, her training kicked in as she battled four-foot seas to reach the boat.
Click here to read more on this act of extreme daring heroism.
BM2 Joseph D’Amico – December 17, 2010

D’Amico serves as the Officer of the Deck on CGC Bear. Photo courtesy of LTJG Jason Acuna.

Command of a Coast Guard Cutter is one of the highest honors a seagoing military officer will ever hold. The responsibility of the officer of the deck (OOD) is to stand in for the ship’s captain during your watch. This position is reserved for officers and the most senior of enlisted personnel. That is what makes the qualification of Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph D’Amico as OOD for the 270-foot Coast Guard Cutter Bear just one more highlight of an outstanding cutterman’s Coast Guard career.
When D’Amico is not standing watch on the bridge, he is one of Bear’s “go to” smallboat coxswains. D’Amico proved to be an instrumental asset during the cutter’s recent patrol where the crew was involved with five separate go-fast pursuits within a two-week period.
Click here to read more on the promising career of a young boatswain’s mate.
Coast Guard Santa and elves – December 24, 2010

Santa and his elves load a Kodiak-based Coast Guard Air Station helicopter in preparation for Santa to the Villages outreach around Kodiak Island. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Jonathan Lally.

The Coast Guard is a unique military service because we live within the very communities where we operate. That makes for lasting relationships and traditions that continue on long after the change of the watch at a Coast Guard unit. One such tradition is the Santa to the Villages program.
The program, now in its 37th year, takes volunteers from the Spouse’s Association of Kodiak and teams them up with [Coast Guard Cutter] Spar and an air crew from Air Station Kodiak to deliver holiday cheer to seven remote villages on Kodiak Island: Ahkiok, Larsen Bay, Karluk, Ouzinkie, Port Lions and Old Harbor.
Click here to read more about how one group of Coasties is making a difference in the community where they live and serve.
AST3 Christopher Austin – December 31, 2010

AST3 Christopher Austin saved the life of a fisherman on his first rescue as a qualified Coast Guard rescue swimmer. U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Kelly Parker.

Think your first day on the job was tough? For one of the Coast Guard’s newest rescue swimmers, his first day involved a rescue off the always dangerous coast of Washington state and the realization that you simply cannot save every victim. Petty Officer Christopher Austin was standing his first watch after graduating from “A” school when the call came in that two fishermen were in the water after their boat capsized.
“Everything that was going through my head was all the training that I’ve had in the past two years and especially throughout A-school,” recalls Austin. “As soon as I grabbed him [the fisherman], I put my arms up underneath him, and a wave hit me with so much force my goggles came up off my face. I kept working, kept trying to get this guy’s head above the water.”
Click here to read more about what goes through the mind of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer on his first mission.
Congratulations to all of the Guardians of 2010!


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Language Training Detachment Stands Up in Europe

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2010 - With defense leaders emphasizing the importance of language and cultural training to support military operations worldwide, the Defense Language Institute has stood up a new detachment in Germany to provide follow-on sustainment training for military linguists based in Europe.
The language training detachment, at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, will provide "substantive and direct support" to linguists assigned to both U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command and their subordinate elements, Dan Rugelbrugge, who oversees the effort, said in an interview posted yesterday on the "EUCOMversations" video blog.
Previously, linguists in Europe had to rely on distance learning or mobile training teams for sustainment training after graduating from the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey in California.
With the new language training detachment, "We are going to ensure that the people we initially trained are continually trained at that level, which is a pretty high standard," Rugelbrugge said.
The detachment will operate like those DLI's Foreign Language Institute manages at more than a dozen military sites in the continental United States and Hawaii to provide operational units recurrent language familiarization and cultural awareness training.
Rugelbrugge, an Army linguistics specialist and combat veteran who has served all over the world, arrived at his new Eucom post about three months ago. He currently is assessing training requirements and plans to hire permanent teachers and other support staff as he slowly grows the program to support demand.
French language training "is constantly requested," he said, as well as training in German and Russian. In addition, the detachment is expected to support wartime requirements in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with enhancement training in the Dari and Pashto languages.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized during a visit last year to the Defense Language Institute that no training is more critical to the U.S. military than education in critical foreign languages and culture.
While language opens doors to an exchange of information and ideas, he said it also can be a window into the culture of a foreign people.
"It is really important that we listen to other people, that we listen to other cultures, that we pay attention to how they see their problems," Mullen told the DLI students. "I call that seeing it through their eyes -- putting yourself in a position that actually focuses on what they are thinking about, as opposed to how we think about them, or how we think about, in our Western ways, we might solve their problems."
 

Biographies:
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
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U.S. European Command
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Adm. Allen receives Great American Patriot Award

Friday, December 31, 2010

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

Retired Adm. Thad Allen accepts the Great American Patriot Award from the Armed Forces Insurance group during the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl halftime show at Gerald J. Ford stadium. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by PA3 Richard Brahm.

Yesterday, Adm. Thad Allen was presented with the 2010 Great American Patriot Award during halftime of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl between Army and Southern Methodist University.

SK1 Howie Groves, a Coast Guard recruiter stationed in Dallas, takes part in the opening ceremony at the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by PA3 Richard Brahm.

The award, presented annually by Armed Forces Insurance, honors an American patriot who has spent a career going above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect our country. Allen joins Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and Army Gen. David Petraeus as a recipient of the award.
Allen was recognized for his 39 years of active duty service in the Coast Guard, culminating with his selection as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard, and his willingness to continue to serve his nation as the National Incident Commander in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill after his retirement in June 2010.

Capt. Marcus Woodring, commander of Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston, swears in a group of recruits during halftime. More than 20 recruits from the recruiting office in Dallas took the oath during the ceremony. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by PA3 Richard Brahm.

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Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Meeting with Afghan President Karzai and Minister of Finance Zakhiwal

KABUL, Afghanistan—Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Minister of Finance Zakhiwal to discuss progress being made in securing the region and America’s commitment to working with Afghanistan to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in the region.
“The Obama administration remains fully committed to combating threats of terrorism in Afghanistan,” said Secretary Napolitano. “In coordination with U.S. and Afghan military forces, the dedicated civilian Department of Homeland Security personnel assisting the Afghan government with customs and border control have made significant progress in disrupting al Qaeda operations in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
In her meetings with President Karzai and Minister Zakhiwal, Secretary Napolitano discussed the Department’s ongoing efforts—coordinated with the Afghan government—to combat the illicit diversion and trafficking of precursor chemicals that terrorist and other criminal organizations use to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
She discussed DHS’ deployments of border security and customs personnel to the region to assist Afghan border police and customs officials and help establish an Afghan customs academy. In the last twelve months, DHS efforts have expanded and now more than a dozen U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are providing training and guidance to the Afghan government and sharing best practices—including the six officials that arrived with Secretary Napolitano yesterday.
Secretary Napolitano also held a roundtable discussion today with Afghan women, as well as U.S. women serving in the region, to hear about efforts underway to advance the role of women in Afghan society. During the discussion, Secretary Napolitano reiterated President Obama’s strong commitment to advancing the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The group was comprised of Afghan government officials representing the Ministries of Women’s Affairs, Public Health, Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Justice and the Afghanistan National Army and National Police, as well as women serving various non-governmental organizations and American women working to assist the Afghan people in bringing peace and stability to the region.
Yesterday, Secretary Napolitano toured border security operations at Afghanistan’s Torkham Border Crossing with Pakistan and met with Afghan and U.S. border security and customs officials working to strengthen border security along the Afghan-Pakistan border while facilitating legitimate travel and commerce. Secretary Napolitano also spent New Year’s Eve with U.S. military and civilian personnel.
Following her departure from Afghanistan, Secretary Napolitano will continue to Qatar on Jan. 2; Israel on Jan. 3-5; and Belgium on Jan. 5-6 to meet with her counterparts and discuss international efforts to ensure the security of our global aviation and supply chain systems against threats of terrorism and transnational crime while facilitating the flow of legitimate travel and commerce. More details will be provided once they are finalized.

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