NEWS OF THE FORCE: Tuesday, May 17,
2016 - Page 2
U.S. Army
Col. Stephanie Howard, commander of the 2nd
Transportation Brigade, 94th Training Division, addressed the audience during
the 94th TD's ground-breaking for its new U.S. Army Reserve Center.
Eight cadets within Stephen F. Austin State
University's Reserve Officer Training Corps have been commissioned as
officers into the U.S. Army.
The impact of a 4.3 percent cut in
Army National Guard troops at the federal level means Maine will lose
approximately 120 positions over the next three years.
U.S. military
researchers are looking to Leidos, Inc., in Reston, Va., to help design
vetronics for fast and lightweight armored combat vehicles of the future by
making these vehicles stealthy and less vulnerable to the enemy.
Michigan lawmakers are considering a bill to
require that every Army National Guard facility in the state has at least
one armed solider on duty.
And the U.S. Army is full
of people with diverse backgrounds and different childhood experiences, but it
develops its ranks with consistency and trusted battle rhythms - things Sgt.
Julienne Ashby grew to depend upon. Ashby, a property book
specialist who recently departed Headquarters and Headquarters Battery,
35th Air Defense Artillery
Brigade, at Osan Air Base, South
Korea, grew up in Casa Grande, Ariz., and spent
her childhood coping with a family that suffered from addiction. Joining the
Army was a means to make enough money to take care of herself and help her
mother, who by the time Ashby graduated high school was sober and trying to
rebuild her life. "At the time, I wanted to join the Army to
take care of my mom," Ashby said. "I was in my first year of college and working
two jobs because my mom lost her job as a teacher." She said
she tried to join the Army National Guard so she could stay close to home,
but it just wasn’t going to be enough money to make a difference. "I didn't want to leave my mom, but there were times I couldn’t pay car
insurance or even get gas to get to work and school. It was never-ending, and I
just couldn’t keep doing it," she said. Ashby, who married
her high school sweetheart shortly after joining the service, didn't realize
that normalcy was what she was seeking in her life. "People
tease me because all I want is normal. When I joined, I knew I wasn’t going to
stay in forever, but I went to some schools, did the board and got promoted,"
Ashby said. "In the Army, that’s the normal thing to do and I was looking for
normal. I found my normal in the Army." Getting married and
having a son are more steps in Ashby’s quest for a normal life. "A lot of people tell me there is no such thing as normal but all I want
is a normal life," Ashby said. "It seems funny but I don’t want a lot of things.
My husband and I would like the whole ‘house, car and dog’ thing, but in my mind
I don’t want my son to ever need something and not get it. Just the normal stuff
parents do for their kids." Another part of becoming “normal”
for Ashby involves doing CrossFit-style exercise. "I started
doing CrossFit not long after I had my son in an attempt to lose baby weight,"
she said. "My friend had a daughter two months before I had my son, and told me
she started doing it. I heard many people get hurt doing the exercises but my
friend told me it was because people go too fast and don’t follow their coach’s
direction." Ashby was convinced and gave it try at a weekend
program near Fort Campbell, Ky., where she and her husband were stationed at the
time. "I have been doing CrossFit since then, and got really
into it since arriving in Korea and I plan to continue as a civilian," she said.
"My husband purchased some gym equipment, so I almost have to continue since
everything I need will be right there in the garage. Plus, my son thinks it’s
cool that mommy works out so hard." Although Ashby relished
all that was normal about being on active duty, after having her son, there was
one aspect of the Army which helped her decide a long-term career didn't fit
into her new definition of a normal life. "I had been on the
fence about getting out or staying on active duty when I found out I was going
to South Korea for a year. My son had just turned one and I was about to leave
him," Ashby said. "The second I got on that plane I made my decision. I never
wanted to have to get on a plane, on a bus, on an anything to leave my son
again. It was the toughest thing I have ever done." Many
people may have grown up with a quiet, predictable life and seek adventure as an
adult. Ashby had all the turmoil she could handle as a child and now seeks
normalcy. "The Army is normal. I will take the normalcy I
have grown to depend on with me; the predictability to provide for your family
without many issues," Ashby said. Being a mother echoed some
lessons Ashby learned while on active duty and she plans to pass them on to her
son. "There is something more important than just you. I
think I knew that and it became more instilled when I became a noncommissioned
officer with soldiers," she said. "Then, I had my son and it wasn’t about me
anymore. In my family it was always about them, what they needed. That’s not
normal and I don’t think like them. I want my son to strive to be like the
normal I found in the
Army."
American Red
Cross
It’s National Hurricane Preparedness Week and
the American Red Cross has steps people should take now to get ready for the
Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June 1st to Nov. 30th. People
should download the free Red Cross Emergency App to select up to 35 different
severe weather and emergency alerts on their mobile device. The content includes
expert guidance on what to do before, during and after different emergencies or
disasters from home fires to hurricanes. All Red Cross apps can be found in
smartphone app stores by searching for American Red Cross or by going to
redcross.org/apps.
Jill Hofmann has
received the Clara Barton Award for Volunteer Leadership at the American Red
Cross' Central Coast Volunteer and Recognition Ceremony in Santa Cruz,
Calif.
For the second
straight year, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is pledging $1 million to the American Red
Cross.
And the Indiana
Region of the American Red Cross and Indiana University Health will combine
efforts for a comprehensive nursing service alliance.
U.S. Navy and
Marine
Corps
Military drone experts at the Raytheon Co. will
continue upgrading the MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control
system with open-systems software to enhance interoperability among military UAV
control systems, reduce costs, and facilitate future
upgrades.
Test and measurement
experts at the Lockheed Martin Corp. are fine-tuning long-range smart
munitions for deployment aboard the U.S. Navy Zumwalt-class land-attack
destroyer.
U.S. Navy shipboard weapons experts are looking
to three electronic parts distribution and logistics companies to provide
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts for shipboard missile control
systems.
John V. Kane, III, a Navy Reserve veteran and
architect who spent summers at Crystal Beach, Ontario, for decades, died on
April 21st at Westminster Towers in Buffalo,
N.Y.
The
51st annual Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition kicked off at the Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., on May 16th. The
"Service Chief's Update," a panel led by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John
Richardson, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Neller, the
Commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, and the administrator of
the U.S. Maritime Administration, the Honorable Paul N. Jaenichen, kicked off
three days of panel discussions about the state of each respective service, the
future of maritime operations and the importance of
partnerships.
Sailors aboard the guided-missile
destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) departed their Norfolk, Va., homeport
on May 14th for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet's areas of
operations. Stout recently completed a challenging training cycle in
preparation for deployment while simultaneously assisting two other strike
groups prepare for
theirs.
The
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111)
completed a four-day port call in the northern port of the Kingdom of Tonga, on
May 10th. The ship's visit marks the first time a U.S. warship has come pierside
in Tonga. In 2011, USS Cleveland (LPD 7) anchored offshore, as did
USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in 2013. During their time in port, members
of the crew attended several meetings with Tongan defense leaders, conducted
community relations projects, and held a reception on their flight deck for
local
dignitaries.
The
guided-missile destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Momsen
(DDG 92) are scheduled to arrive in Busan, Republic of Korea, for a mission
planning conference, today. The conference will finalize details for a bilateral
exercise with the ROK Navy to be held May 19-24 in the waters around the Korean
peninsula. The exercise is a defense-oriented, naval training evolution designed
to conduct maritime maneuvers, strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance, and improve
regional security. Decatur and Momsen are part of a Pacific
Surface Action Group, operating under Commander, Destroyer Squadron
31.
The
U.S 7th Fleet's flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and embarked 7th Fleet
staff returned to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan,
yesterday, concluding a three-month patrol. During the spring patrol,
Blue Ridge visited 10 ports in eight different countries,
strengthening and fostering relationships within the Indo-Asia-Pacific region
through various theater security cooperation, staff talks and ship
tours.
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 sailors completed
a mid-deployment Material Condition Inspection (MCI) while embarked on USS
John C. Stennis (CVN 74), on May 13th. Naval Air Forces Pacific performs
the MCI to ensure all squadrons of CVW 9 are meeting maintenance and safety
standards at the beginning and midway point of deployment. The air wing achieved
a passing grade on all inspections, including an inspection on the highest
flight-hour F/A-18 Super Hornet currently used in the
Navy.
The
U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future John P. Murtha (LPD 26)
during a ceremony at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard, in Pascagoula,
Miss., on May 13th. The delivery of John P. Murtha serves as the
official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy and is a major
milestone in the ship's transition to operational
status.
The
guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) was awarded the
Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F) Quarterly Cryptologic Excellence Award for
cryptologic efforts in support of theater, fleet and national tasking,
yesterday.
Chung-Hoon was also recognized in April as the Task Force
70 (CTF 70) Cryptologic Ship of the Quarter for the second fiscal
quarter.
And
Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Harry relieved Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Sims as commanding officer of
auxiliary repair drydock medium, Arco (ARDM 5) during a time-honored
change of command ceremony at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, Calif.,
on May 13th. Guest speaker Capt. Gene Doyle, chief of staff, Commander,
Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, praised Sims and his crew for their
exceptional performance on their accomplishments
together.
Feds to look at
South Carolina police
agency
The U.S. Justice Department has announced a
two-year study of the North Charleston, S.C., Police Department after last
year's shooting of unarmed black motorist Walter Scott by a white city police
officer.
Chief Noble Wray of the department's community
oriented policing services said the review was requested by the community and
city officials and will cost up to $600,000. Wray said
there'll be recommendations in about six months on suggested improvements in the
department. There will be another report six months later on
how the department is implementing those suggestions. A final report would come
a year
later.
U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says the government
has responded to a call from the community. North Charleston Officer Michael
Slager was fired shortly after the April 2015 shooting and is awaiting trial on
a murder
charge.
The review comes amid state and federal cases
against Michael Slager, the former officer captured on cell phone video firing
eight times as Scott ran from a traffic stop in April 2015. Slager was fired,
and his case inflamed a national debate about how white officers treat
blacks.
Slager's trial on state murder charges is
scheduled to begin in October. He pleaded not guilty last week to federal civil
rights
charges.
U.S. Coast
Guard
The
U.S. Coast Guard has suspended a search in the Gulf of Mexico for a female
passenger missing from a cruise
ship.
In
Connecticut, a missing kayaker has turned up safe, and called the Coast Guard to
let them
know.
U.S.
Coast Guard officials say one of two missing boaters has been rescued near
Altamaha Sound, north of Brunswick,
Ga.
And
a year-round program by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Boca Raton,
Fla., aims to save boaters' lives - and possibly their
money.
The parting shots
Don't miss tonight's episode of NCIS as
actor Michael Weatherly ("Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo") appears on the show
for the last time, at 8 p.m., Eastern time on CBS.
On this date in 1620, the first merry-go-round was
opened at a fair in Philippapolis, Turkey. In 1642, the Ville-Marie de
Montral was founded and is now called Montreal. In 1916, British Summer Time,
otherwise known as Daylight Savings Time, was introduced. In 1943, the U.S.
Army partnered with the University of Pennsylvania's Moor School to create
ENIAC, the world's first computer. In 1973, the Watergate hearings began in the
United States Senate, and was televised. In 1978, the body of Charlie
Chaplin was found after two men had taken it to extort money from his
family. In 1998, David Wells, of the New York Yankees, pitched the 15th perfect
game in baseball history. In 2004, the first legal same-sex marriage was
performed in Massachusetts. And in 2007, trains from North and South Korea
crossed the 38th Parallel in the first time they crossed
the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
Actress Sasha Alexander is 43 years old today.
R&B singer Kandi Burruss is 40; TV show host Craig Ferguson is 54; Actor
Hill Harper is 50; Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is 60; Basketball player Tony Parker
is 34; Actor Bill Paxton is 61; Baseball player Carlos Pena is 38; Rock bassist
Jaime Preciado is 30.
Actress Nikki Reed is 28; Football player Matt Ryan is 31; and actor Bob
Saget is 60.
And Massachusetts General Hospital is
making history today with the announcement of the nation’s first genitourinary
reconstructive (penile) transplant. The result of more than three years of
research, a team of 30 physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, fellows and
residents, worked to surgically graft the vascular and nerve structures. Patient
Thomas Manning, 64, who had penile cancer that necessitated removal of his penis
to cure the cancer, received the donation early this month. "Today’s announcement is a major milestone in the field of
transplantation, one of which will give hope to those who suffer from serious
genital injuries," said Dr. Curtis Cetrulo of Mass General Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery. "The entire transplant team has worked tirelessly to
ensure that our patient is on a strong path to recovery, thanks in part to the
gift of organ donation."