Saturday, April 30, 2011

Minimally Invasive Surgery to Rescue of Patients


Master Sanjay Kumar - 9/M - S/o Mr Karam Raj – a factory worker of Hisar–suffered from a serious malady called myasthenia gravis in which the muscles of the body get tired very fast. This can have serious consequences as the patient may be unable to breathe at all. The cause is an auto-immune disorder in which the body produces a poison against its own muscle receptors.  In a number of such cases cure can be got by removing a tumour called a thymoma which is present in most of these patients. The surgery requires a long cut in the front of the chest and can be quite a cosmetic problem for the patient.
Mini Sternotomy Thymectomy CMC
In such cases a unique surgery has been devised in the Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Department of the Christian Medical College & Hospital. Dr Harinder Singh Bedi – Head of CVTS – said that instead of a long midline cut and a complete division of the breast bone – an alternative is used. Here the cut is a small transverse one and the bone is cut only partially. The completeness of the surgery is not compromised in any way. The tumour was completely removed. Sanjay is now a happy boy.  His scar is not visible at all.
Such keyhole surgeries increase the acceptance of surgery in some patients esp young ladies who tend to avoid even life saving therapies in fear of perceived cosmetic disadvantage. Dr Bedi – who is a world leader in minimally invasive cardiac surgery with his name in the Limca Book of World Records for the Worlds first keyhole cardiac surgery using a cath lab in OT – told that the same technique can now be applied to other cardiac surgeries also .The other members of the team are Dr.Allen Joseph, Dr.Arun Gupta, Dr.Muneesh, Dr.Viju Abraham, Dr.Pranay Pawar and Dr.Richa.
Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC & H – said that it was a matter of great pride for Punjab as the Limca recorded World first surgery had been developed in Punjab itself. He told that the CMC was always committed to be in the forefront of any technology which will help the patients of this region.  Report from --Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria 

Marines Conduct DADT Repeal Training


By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer 
1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.:  Does a straight Marine have to live with a gay Marine? Can a Marine with a same-sex partner receive housing allowance? Will being openly gay affect recruitment, assignments or promotion?
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Marine Corps instructor Maj. Daryl DeSimone speaks to Marines with Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, during Tier 3 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal training at Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 28, 2011. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer 
Questions like these were answered here yesterday, as about 185 Marines with Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, conducted Tier 3 training to learn how the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy will affect the Marine Corps.
The current policy prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the U.S. armed forces. On Dec. 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law that set conditions for repeal of the DADT law.
One of the requirements for repeal is the implementation of training consistent with readiness and unit cohesion, while stressing that all service members should continue to treat each other with dignity and respect.
"Marines are still going to be Marines, we're still going to wear the same uniform, we're still going to respect each other and we're still going to have the same discipline," said Marine Corps Cpl. Vanessa Huff, operations noncommissioned officer, Landing Support Company, CLR-17, 1st MLG. "However, it will be with DADT being repealed."
Repeal implementation training was first given to individuals in the Tier 1 group, including unit chaplains, judge advocates, recruiters and family readiness officers. Tier 2 included commanders, senior enlisted advisors and civilian supervisors of Marines. Tier 3 training will be given to all other Marines, sailors and civilian supervisors. The majority of Marines are expected to complete the training by May 31.
The hour-long, one-time-only class is designed to educate Marines on what policies would change after the repeal of DADT –- allowing individuals to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation. The class began with a brief introduction by the regimental commander, Col. Bruce Nickle, in which he said he expects a smooth transition after the law's repeal.
"In my mind, this isn't going to be much of a challenge," Nickle said. "Why? We're Marines, and what do Marines do? Follow orders. It's not going to be any different. We'll just continue to evolve and continue to be the professionals that we are."
After the introduction, the instructor, Maj. Daryl DeSimone, answered several repeal-related questions, such as "Will I have to live with a gay Marine?" After repeal, billeting assignments will not be made with regard to sexual orientation.
"You can live with somebody in the barracks; you don't have to be their friend," said DeSimone, who added that commanders may elect to reassign roommates on a case-by-case basis if it poses "too much of a disruption for the unit."
A Marine who marries a person of the same gender, however, will not receive extra benefits, such as Base Allowance for Housing "with dependent," because a same-sex partner does not qualify under the Defense of Marriage Act, DeSimone said.
Another question raised was, "What if homosexuality goes against my religion?" Likewise, Marines retain the right to their religious beliefs, but their conduct must remain professional and they must treat fellow Marines with dignity and respect.
After repeal, sexual orientation will not bar an individual from joining the military or have any impact on assignments or promotion. What will not change after the repeal, DeSimone stressed, are the Marine Corps' standards of personal and professional conduct. Also, he added, evaluation for promotion will continue to be based on merit, fitness and capability.
"I just ask that you all remain professional, any time you're faced with situations where sexual orientation comes into play, just like you remain professional when you're faced with any other leadership challenges out there; as long as you do that, we shouldn't have any problems with the Marines," DeSimone said. "These are new challenges you will face, and we're going to have to figure that out together to move forward."
The DADT policy will remain in effect until 60 days after the President, the secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all certify that the requirements for repeal have been met.
The training, Huff said, provides the information needed to ensure a smooth transition.
"As long as our leadership is involved, our junior troops will have what they need in order for this to be a smooth transition," Huff said. "When I'm out in combat, what's going to matter is that the Marine to my left and my right will save my life, and I will save theirs." (Issued on April 29, 2011)
Related Sites:
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Special 

Friday, April 29, 2011

Guard Unit Supports Force Protection at Bagram


By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, April 28, 2011 - Awareness and vigilance remain the watchwords here as news spread of yesterday's attack at Kabul International Airport that left eight airmen and a U.S. civilian employee dead.
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Army Spcs. Joseph Deramo, left, and Xavier Flores, right, look on as Army Pfc. Audrey Triplett monitors input from one of three 107-foot Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment towers and eight other sites the 164th Air Defense Artillery operates to provide force protection at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, and for troops operating outside the wire.
DOD photo by Donna Miles 
The attack, which occurred during an uptick of enemy activity and coalition casualties coinciding with the spring thaw, resonated with a Florida National Guard unit that supports the force-protection mission on Bagram and within the surrounding Parwan province.
"When things happen in an area of operations around here, basically the information comes down and we ... look for the same patterns that happen elsewhere here as well," said Army Spc. Xavier Flores, a 164th Air Defense Artillery soldier.
"If something happens elsewhere, it is an indication that more likely something similar could happen here or somewhere else, so you just kind of tighten down on security," agreed Army Spc. Joseph Deramo.
Flores and Deramo are part of a joint, multitiered system that provides security at the largest coalition base in Afghanistan and intelligence support for troops operating "outside the wire."
Their detachment runs three 107-foot towers on the base, all equipped with cameras able to scan 360 degrees in search of suspicious activity. In addition, 18 four- and five-soldier teams provide support at eight other sites within the area of operations.
Working in conjunction with aerostats and other ground-based sensors, as well as Air Force and Marine Corps security forces and the Joint Defense Operations Center, they provide persistent surveillance for troops on Bagram and beyond its perimeter.
The unit provides overwatch for convoys and patrols outside the base as well. "We save patrols all the time," said Army Master Sgt. Wesley Erb, the detachment first sergeant, noting that tower operators have provided ground troops with their sightings of roadside bombs being planted and ambushes being staged.
One of the detachment's proudest achievements was the discovery of a homemade explosives laboratory with 600 pounds of munitions at a village northeast of Bagram, he added.
In addition, working with the 34th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Iowa National Guard -- responsible for force protection and base support operations within Bagram and the surrounding province -- the Guardsmen provided intelligence used to identify and capture a local insurgent leader.
"We are the quickest to get eyes on [developments]," Deramo said. "We keep a pretty good eye out, so if anything looks suspicious, we are going to report it up and we are going to have it checked out. If we see something suspicious, we report it to them, then we get with the Air Force as well to provide their drones accurate locations of things we have spotted."
The unit also works with defense contractors operating radar systems that detect fast-moving objects in the airspace such as rockets or mortars, and sensors that detect motion along the base perimeter.
This speeds the response, said Army Pfc. Audrey Triplitt, "because we can give them an exact grid coordinate where they can go, so their mission can go outside the wire and locate where it is and [confirm] a possible threat."
Trained to do air defense artillery support, the unit attended a two-week crash course at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., to receive tower certification before deploying here in November.
Flores admitted that when the unit first arrived in Afghanistan and hadn't yet learned the local patterns of life, "everything was a red flag."
"Anybody out there almost seemed like a threat to us," he said. Now, with five months of experience under their belt, Flores said, the team knows what to look for and is ready for what's expected to be a busy summer.
"We are all anticipating just anything," he said. "Our guard comes up come summer, because it gets a lot busier."
Deramo said the team's mission boils down to providing a watchful eye.
"By keeping 24-hour watch on the area and the surrounding population ... we can allow soldiers that have to go out and do convoys a chance to actually rest and not have to worry about what is going to happen when they sleep," he said.
Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force
Florida National Guard 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageArmy Pfc. Audrey Triplett adjusts cables to a 107-foot Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment tower the 164th Air Defense Artillery operates to provide force protection at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, and for troops operating outside the wire. DOD photo by Donna Miles
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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Senior Airman Kai Hall hugs his children

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kai Hall, with the 35th Communications Squadron, hugs his children at Misawa Air Base, Japan, April 22, 2011. Hall's family returned to Misawa on the first Patriot Express flight with more than 150 other U.S. dependents who took part in the Department of State-authorized voluntary departure program from Japan. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Marie Brown, U.S. Air Force/Released)

Paktika Task Force Honors Fallen Soldier


By Karen Parrish 
American Forces Press Service

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan, April 27, 2011 - To the strains of "Amazing Grace," hundreds of Task Force Currahee soldiers slowly filed into a warehouse-like multipurpose room here yesterday.

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During an April 26, 2011, memorial service at Forward Operating Base Sharana, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team pay their respects to Army Sgt. John Castro, who was killed April 22, 2011, by enemy small-arms fire during a battle in Afghanistan's Paktika province. DOD photo by Karen Parrish
 
At the front of the room, facing rows of simple folding chairs, were the upright rifle, boots, helmet, dog tags and photograph of a man they will never see again.
The 101st Airborne Division's "Currahee" 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Campbell, Ky., gathered to pay tribute to the 16th of its own to die since the brigade deployed to Afghanistan's Paktika province last summer: Army Sgt. John Paul Castro, a 25-year old husband and father of two, who was killed April 22 when his unit was attacked by enemy small-arms fire.
Castro's battalion commander, Army Maj. Justin Reese, spoke of the soldier who had been assigned to "Dealer Company," 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, for his entire seven-year career, deploying once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan.
Castro's last mission was "a fight that occurred at distances measured in hand-grenade range, within a complex environment of walled mazes and collapsed structures during the hours of darkness," Reese said. "It was within this context -- closing with and destroying a determined enemy force -- that Sergeant Castro gave his life."
Reese praised Castro as a loving husband and father, brother and son.
"His selfless actions will never be forgotten by his brothers, our nation, and our Afghan partners," he said. "Rest in peace, faithful warrior."
Castro's company commander, Army 1st Lt. William Weber, said although Castro had been shot during his last battle, he reported that he was fine and needed additional support.
"Unbeknownst to Sergeant Castro, the injuries he sustained were more severe than he realized," Weber said. "Sergeant Castro lost his life before he realized he needed help."
Castro's platoon leader and two of his fellow soldiers also spoke, remembering the sergeant's love for his wife and children, music and sports, family cookouts and working on cars. Army 1st Lt. Gregory Shoemaker said Castro was the sort of noncommissioned officer that every platoon leader wants serve with: a man of unparalleled distinction, the embodiment of a soldier, dedicated and mentally and physically resilient.
"To the men of 3rd platoon, he was a rock," Shoemaker said. "The man who feared nothing, and who would be the first to be there for you, no questions asked."
Army Spcs. Joseph Rhodes and Bo Rice said Castro was a dedicated leader, friend and mentor.
Rhodes said Castro was passionate about sports, and had "a fierce personality to be the best he could be," yet always was ready to make friends laugh or help them through their troubles.
As a father, Castro had no equal, Rhodes said. "His love of his children went above and beyond, and was the strongest of any man who's ever been graced to walk the Earth," he said.
"John was that guy that everyone wanted right beside them when bullets start flying," Rice said. "Here's to you, John. ... May you rest in peace."
Army Chaplain (Maj.) Randall Robison read the 23rd Psalm and spoke of the young man the assembled soldiers were there to honor. "Remembering his commitment to his family, his team, his unit and his country should inspire all of us to dig deep, to do our best," he said.
Each soldier -- two by two, then four by four -- marched to, saluted, and knelt before Castro's displayed boots and helmet. Many of them placed tokens of remembrance on and around the wooden stand supporting the boots. A video game, a card listing the Army values, various unit coins, a baseball and a baseball glove were among the offerings. One soldier ripped the airborne and division patches from his sleeve and laid them down.
The mementos will be delivered to Castro's family.
 
Related Sites:
4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
NATO International Security Assistance Force 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageBoots, a photograph, awards and dog tags represent Army Sgt. John Castro, who was killed April 22, 2011, by enemy small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Paktika province. Surrounding Castro's boots are mementos left by his fellow soldiers. DOD photo by Karen Parrish
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Evacuation Team Carries Wounded Warriors Home


By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, April 26, 2011 - By many accounts, 20-year-old Army Spc. Dustin Morrison is a living miracle – and a testament to the military medical system that's getting medical care to wounded warriors and moving them to progressively advanced levels of care faster than ever before.
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Kelli Pedersen looks on as Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Worsham, a respiratory technician with the critical care air transport team, prepares her son, Army Spc. Dustin Morrison, for an aeromedical evacuation flight from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 26, 2011, for follow-on care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. DOD photo by Donna Miles 
Morrison, an Iowa Army National Guardsman, was severely wounded April 11 when his mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province.
Army Spc. Brent Maher, the vehicle gunner, was killed, and two other members of the Iowa Guard's Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, were injured in the attack.
When Morrison's mother, Kelli Pedersen, flew to Germany after her son was flown here, the staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center laid it on the line about his prognosis. "They told me how very close we came to losing him," she said. His lungs were so severely damaged from the blast that the staff put him into a medically induced coma.
But after fighting for his life, Morrison made a breakthrough when began breathing independently two days ago, she said. And two weeks after being wounded, he was declared stable enough to transport for long-term care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.
Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Raymond Fang has seen miracles like Morrison's every day for the past seven years as director of trauma care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Battlefield casualties are getting medical treatment faster and closer to the point of injury
than ever before, he told reporters.
Thanks to advanced aeromedical evacuation procedures, he said, patients now typically arrive at Landstuhl for advanced care within three days of being wounded.
And despite what Fang acknowledged have become increasingly devastating combat injuries, he said 2010 statistics show that patients who arrive at Landstuhl have better than a 99 percent survival rate.
"That is really unprecedented," he said. "So if you are young and you get early care and you can go through our paradigm of staged care and be rapidly evacuated here, it seems to be effective. ... You have a greater than 99 percent chance of survival if you can make it to us."
Pederson reflected on the medical care her son has received as she watched two oversized ambulances deliver her son and 40 other wounded warriors to a hulking C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on the tarmac here

"I can't even express how well they have taken care of him," she said of the staff. "They have been so professional, every step of the way. But beyond that, they have been very honest. They've been able to take down their guard and be real with us, which has been so important in helping us through this process."
Now, as Morrison was about to move on for advanced care at Walter Reed, Pedersen surveyed the bustle as the 86th Airlift Wing's aeromedical evacuation team finalized the aircraft to receive the patients. With Air Force Capt. Anna Cho, a flight nurse serving as medical crew director for the mission, calling the shots, the team made final checks that the litter stanchions were secure and the tubes, cables and wires were properly connected to the medical equipment.
Then, the team worked with choreographic precision as they began hoisting litters from the ambulance and carrying the patients one by one aboard the aircraft and preparing them for the nine-hour flight to Washington.
"We do everything we can to take care of their needs," said Air Force Senior Airman Brian Fox. "The biggest challenge is staying on top of the pain curve, especially because of the vibration. We make them as comfortable as we possibly can."
Morrison, along with two of the other most critical patients, was the last to be carried aboard the aircraft, where the aeromedical evacuation team secured his litter into stanchions just a foot from his mother's jump seat.
Members of a highly specialized critical care air transport team went to work, ensuring he was secured as they hooked up a ventilator and medical equipment they would use to monitor his condition throughout the flight.
Each three-member critical care air transport team includes a physician, critical-care nurse and respiratory technician. They're trained to treat patients suffering from the most severe injuries, and they're armed with about 750 pounds of high-tech medical equipment that essentially turns an aircraft into a flying intensive-care unit.

"What we do is ensure they have the same level of care as when they were in the ICU at Landstuhl," explained Air Force Maj. Kirk Hinkley, the critical-care physician for today's flight. "That's the whole purpose of a team like this: to ensure there is no step down in care" while the patient is transported.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Worsham, the team's respiratory technician, knew he would keep particularly busy monitoring Morrison during the flight. "We're going to keep an eye on his vitals, make sure the equipment is operating properly and that his sedation levels are right," he said.
Worsham said he felt particularly grateful to be able to meet his patient's mother. "That makes this special. You don't always get to meet everyone's parents," he said.
As the ramp raised and the aircraft engines fired up, Worsham knew he was in for a long, demanding mission – but he said he wouldn't trade the opportunity to care for Morrison and his fellow wounded warriors for anything in the world.

"It's an honor to be able to do this," he said. "I feel lucky having the pleasure of taking care of these guys who have served their country and made all these sacrifices. I have the best job in the Air Force."

Click photo for screen-resolution imageAeromedical evacuation and critical care air transport team members prepare Army Spc. Dustin Morrison, an Iowa Army National Guardsman severely wounded by an improvised explosive device attack in Afghanistan, for an April 26, 2011, flight from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Washington for treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. DOD photo by Donna Miles
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageAn aeromedical evacuation crew carries wounded warriors aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft April 26, 2011, for a flight to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., to receive advanced-level care in the United States. DOD photo by Donna Miles
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageAn aeromedical evacuation crew makes final checks on wounded warriors aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft before an April 26, 2011, flight to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., to receive advanced-level care in the United States. DOD photo by Donna Miles
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageAir Force Senior Airman Brian Fox prepares ventilation equipment for an aeromedical evacuation flight from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Andrews Air Force, Md., April 26, 2011. DOD photo by Donna Miles
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Monday, April 25, 2011

Matt Zettler throws a pitch

 U.S. Air Force Academy sophomore Matt Zettler throws a pitch during a baseball game against the University of Northern Colorado Bears at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Falcon Field in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 19, 2011. The Falcons lost to the Bears 6-5. (DoD photo by Mike Kaplan, U.S. Air Force/Released)

The fleet replenishment

The fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187), left, refuels the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) during replenishment at sea in the Arabian Sea April 17, 2011. Boxer was under way supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. 










(DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Trevor Welsh, U.S. Navy/Released)

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Face of Defense: Chef Finds Success in Army


By Army Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod
1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
FORT BRAGG, N.C: When White House ushers told the auditioning chef it was a good sign if the president wanted to meet him after the third course, it was a defining moment in the culinary career of J.D. Ward, at that time an Army staff sergeant.
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Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 J.D. Ward mentors an Army cook preparing lunch at Fort Bragg, N.C., April 20, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod
 
For four years, Ward had been working nights as a contracted prep cook at the White House residential kitchen following a day shift in a Pentagon's Army kitchen, and now, he was getting a shot at the top. Thinking good thoughts, he changed into a new coat, a starched shirt and tie, a new apron on top of that, and a nice white toque hat. Then he waited.
For the Oklahoma farm boy turned big-city chef who had worked 80-hour weeks for five years in the restaurant business and who could expect pretty much the same for many years to come, enlisting in the Army had provided unforeseen and unmatched opportunities.
"Growing up on a small farm in Oklahoma, I experienced some pretty wonderful country home cooking," Ward said. "I was able to see something go from the earth to the table, and that impressed me."
Ward enjoyed college at Southwest Texas State, but he yearned for a different lifestyle. He decided to spend a year working in the best restaurant he could find and simply enjoy the food. What he hadn't counted on was how well-suited he was for the business.
"I was infatuated with that lifestyle -- the long hours and the tight-knit community within the kitchen, the environment with the wine, before-and-after dinner drinks, exposure to wonderful food and the ability to have that wonderful food available at any time," he said.
Learning the basics, Ward worked his way up, and after a couple of years, he was a banquet sous chef, an under-chef somewhat like an Army sergeant. He found himself teaching culinary arts students what they had been paying $27,000 a year to learn, and he was getting promoted and receiving accolades.
David Bull, a former boss and who now oversees culinary operations for the Austin, Texas, area's La Corsha Hospitality Group, described Ward as "dedicated, loyal, passionate and possessing a no-fear attitude and confidence to be successful in the business."
However, the lifestyle in the long term was very hard for Ward. In five years, he worked 10 different jobs in Austin and San Antonio, a typical pattern for cooks eager to learn the ways of different chefs and kitchens. Much of the time, he had a day job and an evening job, consistently putting in 80 hours a week.
"I learned traditional French cooking techniques from traditional chefs, and it was wonderful," he said. "I took a lot of pride in it."
Age and experience in the world brought new interests. He met Paula, his future wife, and a now-familiar book, "Band of Brothers," rekindled a family legacy of service.
"From the time that I was knee-high, I knew my father had been a paratrooper, and I always wanted to be a soldier," he said. "I was 24 years old, and I said, 'I have to join now, or I will be too old when it comes time to do it.'"
Ward believed he was taking a four-year break from the high-stress restaurant environment to satisfy an itch to serve and to marry Paula. Additionally, the Army would give him a secure job and benefits to begin his new family.
As a military brat, Paula said, she had vowed never to marry into the military, but she did. "He is so funny and outgoing," she said of her husband. "We were married two days before his basic training."
Ward enlisted for four years. While assigned to the Old Guard, he discovered the Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va., and in a way, he found his home.
"I went to the culinary arts competition, and I realized that I didn't know one-tenth of what I thought I knew about cooking," Ward said. This comes as no surprise to one of Ward's Army mentors, Sgt. 1st Class David Russ, also an accomplished chef before joining the Army. One of first instructors at the Army Culinary Arts School, Russ attributes 75 percent of what he knows about food to the Army.
In the Army, Ward said, he met other people who knew more about traditional cooking than he knew existed and they'd been competing on the world stage for years.
"What I thought was going to be a break ended up being something that I fell in love with," he said.
The Army provided more opportunity for quicker advancement than life as a civilian chef would have, Ward said. There were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities as well, such as being the first member of the Quartermaster Corps to guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
At a culinary arts competition, the young Army chef was recruited to work at the secretary of the Army's mess in the Pentagon, where he cooked for the most-senior members of the Army staff. One thing led to another, and after he competed in the 2006 Culinary World Cup competition in Luxembourg -- during which the Army team earned 12 gold medals -- Ward found himself auditioning to be then-President George W. Bush's chef.
"Chef, he is ready for you," the usher said.
In his fresh clothes, Ward went out to talk to the president and his wife, Laura, and their friends. They chatted about where he had cooked in Austin and the fact that he was still in the Army, and two weeks later, he was offered the job.
But to Ward's surprise, he would take another path. At the pinnacle of his culinary career, the ambitious Texan realized he didn't want it any more, and he needed a new challenge. He prepared a warrant officer packet and was accepted.
Three years later, Ward said, he realizes it was the best decision of his career. Though he virtually has given up day-to-day culinary artistry, he explained, he is far more challenged as an officer and still is able to maintain his foothold in food service, something that he will always love.
"I am learning so much more as an officer than I ever would have as a chef," he said. "I have a whole new level of experience. Now I see myself as a manager, and to some degree, a food-service executive, rather than a chef. Who knows where I could have gone in 10 to 15 years as a chef, but I've grown so much more as a man."
His wife agrees. "He's matured," she said. "He's become a more well-rounded person with organizational and leadership skills. He is a better communicator. He's always had a drive to succeed and do well, but the Army has given him advantages as a person and as a soldier. That has even translated into married life."
Now wearing the rank of chief warrant officer 2 as the command food service technician for the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team here, Ward still gets a gleam in his eyes when he sees fresh produce, said Paula, who is finishing a degree in psychology.
"He gets on a roll when it comes to ingredients," she said with a laugh. "He'll start talking about fresh herbs, and 30 minutes later, he's still talking about fresh herbs, like Forrest Gump's friend, Bubba, talking about the many ways to prepare shrimp."
She added that she can't imagine a different life. "I like the military lifestyle," she said. "We've had a lot of growth. The Army has been very beneficial to us. We have a special-needs child, and the Army Family Covenant and the Army in general have been very responsive to our needs. I know that's not always the case –- sometimes Army couples have to look for it."
Ward said he still works long hours, but now it's by his own design and it's just who he is. His job is much like running a business, with responsibility for the entire food-service operation for a brigade of 3,500 paratroopers, making sure all field equipment is ready in case the brigade is called up, managing accounts within a strict budget, attending to outgoing and incoming personnel, and more.
"Our challenge is to get our cooks to love what they do," he said. "Most come in eager to learn, but it can very quickly become a disheartening job. However, if, from the top down, people are engaged, encouraged and excited about serving lunch to a brigade of paratroopers, and they take pride in the challenge, then it's a lot more fun, and these guys love it."
Any young cook who might be discouraged in the Army's industrial food service system just needs to be exposed to the broader pieces of Army food service, Ward said.
"They have to look for it, and they have to ask," he added. "It's important to have that drive."
While some enlistees may think the Army is going to give them a professional education and experience to open a restaurant, that's not entirely true, he noted. However, he added, it can give a soldier the maturity, the wisdom, the leadership skills and the management skills they won't necessarily get coming up through the ranks of a hotel kitchen.
"If you can cook two quality meals a day for 700 troopers off a mobile containerized kitchen with a team of four cooks, then I know you can be a success in any other piece of food service if you apply yourself," he said. "It's not necessarily true that if you cook successfully in a hotel kitchen, you can also cook on an Army field kitchen."
Ward and Russ –- now a retired sergeant first class -- agree that involvement in the Army Culinary Arts School and its competition team can be a key component of an Army chef's success. Russ, who was named National Military Chef four years in a row -- he shared a spot on "The Tonight Show" with actress Sandra Bullock in 2003 -- credits the schoolhouse for raising the standard of Army food service through training.
He also stresses the importance of having leaders like Ward, who really care that soldiers receive a quality dining experience, whether at the dining facility, eating "hot A's" in the pine forests of Fort Bragg's training sites or deployed in a war zone -- leaders who, like Ward, will say and mean things like, "If a soldier's eating in the 1st Brigade, I want to be a part of it."
An entry-level Army cook may not understand why he is doing some of the job's tasks until becoming a senior leader, Ward said.
"He might spend his day preparing a single product for a field feeding exercise, but when you see from above the entire product coming together, then you understand the value that each soldier brings to the team," he explained. (Issued on April 22, 2011)

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Face of Defense: Marine Coaches Youth Wrestlers


By Marine Corps Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso
Marine Forces Pacific

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii :- When people look at Master Sgt. Timothy D. Greenleaf, they see a 6-foot, bulky, tattooed Marine. What isn't so obvious is he's enjoyed working with children for more than 18 years.

Greenleaf, war reserve chief for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific logistics, devotes a large amount of his off-duty time to being the head wrestling coach for Marine Corps Base Hawaii's Marine Corps Community Services youth wrestling team.

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Marine Corps Master Sgt. Timothy D. Greenleaf gathers the Marine Corps Base Hawaii's youth wrestling team in a huddle after a two-hour practice in preparation for their upcoming meet, April 11, 2011. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso 
Although his coaching ambitions are centered on nurturing the athletic talents of his three children, Greenleaf said, coaching also gives him the opportunity to be there for the children of his fellow service members.

"A lot of these kids have parents who are either deployed or getting ready to deploy," he said. "If I can, I'd like to fill the gap and provide them with a strong male mentor figure. My children have gone through the same thing, so this is my way of catching up."

Greenleaf began his coaching career in 1993 while stationed at Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, Fla., when he became head coach for his oldest son's Little League baseball team.

"The main reason I started coaching was because my [oldest] son was deaf, and I had to be at every practice and game to translate for him," Greenleaf said. "So I figured if I'm going to be there anyway, why not coach?"

In addition to coaching children, Greenleaf, who says he's always had a passion for physical fitness, began to coach his unit's tackle football team.

"I just knew how to organize a practice," Greenleaf said. "I took a lot of the methodologies we use in the Marine Corps and applied it to my coaching style –- warm-ups, drilling, practicing situation-based strategies -- and I really enjoyed it."

As a father, Greenleaf said, he could relate to the concerns of his young athletes' parents, a trait that has allowed him to teach the necessary discipline for sports and also maintain a good relationship with the parents.

"A parent wants a child to be cared for in a certain way, and I always keep that in mind when I'm coaching," he said. "But when you're teaching someone discipline, it sometimes takes a little tough love, which is fine as long as I let the parents know what's going on."

In 1998, he transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he continued his coaching career as the base's flag football coach and dabbled as a youth sports referee.

"For me, it's been another form of mentoring," Greenleaf said. "The more that I defined myself as a coach, the better I got at refining my coaching style. It's about getting down to the basics -- working on quickness, agility, strength and conditioning."

In 1999, Greenleaf returned to Jacksonville, where he focused on his eldest son's participation in football and wrestling.

"My son attended a deaf school, and his coaches were also deaf," Greenleaf said. "They had interpreters at their local games, but when the team traveled, my wife and I came along to help out as interpreters. We supported all kinds of programs that way."

In 2003, Greenleaf was stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, where his daughter began to show interest in athletics.

"She walked up to me one day when I was getting ready to go on a run and asked, 'Daddy, can I come with you?'" Greenleaf said. "I told her, 'Be careful what you ask for, daughter.' From that point on, she was my running partner for three years."

Although he wasn't coaching any teams then, Greenleaf began training his daughter, who was 10 years old at the time, to run five- and 10-kilometer races until she asked to join a Little League baseball team.

"My dad's great," his daughter said. "He used to go outside with me for two or three hours just helping me work on my pitching or my catching. That's just how he is. If you want to be a baseball player or a football player or a wrestler, he just wants you to succeed, and if you're willing to put in the work, he'll help you."
With his oldest and youngest children heavily engaged in sports, Greenleaf began working with his second son, who also is deaf, by taking him to the gym. He eventually convinced him to join a youth wrestling program.
In 2007, the Greenleafs were stationed in Washington, D.C., at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I streets, where he said the coaching got out of control.
"I was coaching youth baseball, and then my daughter switched to softball," Greenleaf said. "I was also coaching the Marine Corps Institute flag football, basketball and softball teams."
Earlier this year, Greenleaf returned to Hawaii, where he assumed his current duties and began coaching youth wrestling.
Although most of the Greenleaf children are adults now, sports remain a family event. Greenleaf's daughter and second son practice judo and are involved in the youth wrestling program. His second son took fourth place in the 215-pound weight class at the 2011 Hawaii High School Athletic Association's wrestling championships while wrestling for Pearl City High School.
"My oldest son is married with a baby now, and he's a coach on the [youth wrestling] team," Greenleaf said. "[My second son also is] a coach, my daughter is on my team, and my wife sits on the bleachers and is in general support. When you involve your family and invest your time in your kids, it makes it all worthwhile."
With a team of more than 30 wrestlers from ages 5 through 17, Greenleaf has his hands full, but continues to do more than he has to by offering additional one-on-one coaching time with his wrestlers and continuing to train his older wrestlers during the off-season.
"I want them to learn mental and physical discipline," he said. "Wrestling helps to build their self-esteem. Not only are they doing grueling two-hour workouts, but they have to get out there and perform in front of people. I feel that the more you put them in those kinds of positions, other things in life won't feel so daunting."
(Issued on : April 20, 2011)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

First Lady, Dr. Biden Kick Off Sesame, USO Tour


By Elaine Sanchez 
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2011 - Last week I traveled to Ohio to attend a "Joining Forces" event for local military families and community members in the Columbus area.
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First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden pose with some of the cast of Sesame Street during a "Joining Forces" community event in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. The event also kicked off the Sesame Street and USO Experience for Military Families, a free traveling tour exclusively for military families. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez 
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, hosted the concert-style event to thank military families as well as to encourage community members to support and honor them as part of the White House's Joining Forces family support initiative. The event also helped to kick off a new installment of the Sesame Street and USO Experience for Military Families, a free traveling tour exclusively for military families.
Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster and friends offered a preview of the traveling show, which features a new theme and a new character named Katie, a military child about to move. During the musical show, Katie opens up to her Muppet friends about her fears, and excitement, over her upcoming move. With the help of a few songs, Elmo and other Sesame pals reassure her that she'll make new friends while still remaining close with old ones.
The show was a blast, although my ears are still ringing from the screaming fans, particularly after singer Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers made a special appearance.
The traveling show will kick off its around-the-world tour with a stop in Alaska later this month, and will continue with stops in Hawaii, Guam, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Spain.
For up-to-date tour information, people can visit the USO website.
For more on Joining Forces, visit the White House website or Defense.gov's special report.
For more on Family Matters, visit the blog or check out Family Matters on Facebook or Twitter.

Monday, April 18, 2011

First Lady, Dr. Biden Urge Military Family Support


By Elaine Sanchez 
American Forces Press Service

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 15, 2011 - Joined by a few famous friends, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, stopped by a packed auditorium here yesterday to thank local troops and their families for their service and to encourage community members to "join forces" in support of military families.
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First Lady Michelle Obama speaks about the White House's "Joining Forces" military family support campaign to a crowd of National Guard and local families as Dr. Jill Biden stands by during a "Joining Forces" community event in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. The event was the final stop on Obama and Biden's two-day tour around the nation to spotlight communities doing outstanding work to support military families. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez 
The concert-style event, featuring performances by singer Nick Jonas and a host of Sesame Street Muppets, was the final stop of Obama and Biden's whirlwind, two-day tour around the nation to kick off the "Joining Forces" military family support campaign.
The national initiative calls on all sectors of society -- from citizens and communities, to businesses and nonprofit groups -- to honor and support military families.
Moments earlier, Obama and Biden had walked onto the stage to thunderous applause and a warm welcome from Sesame Street fan favorites, including Elmo, Grover and the Cookie Monster. Despite the star-studded presence, Obama said military families were the true guests of honor that evening and thanked them for their service.
"You're the reason that we're here," she told service members and their families scattered among the still-cheering crowd.
The first lady also thanked local community members, who came out in droves for the event. "There are a lot of community members who came out tonight, because even though you may not be part of a military family yourself, you still feel a whole lot of gratitude and respect for those who are," she said.

That's the intent behind Joining Forces, she said: to recognize, honor and support military families. "We want to give back to these families that have given all of us so much," she said.

The campaign will join forces with federal government, businesses and nonprofit organizations, Obama said, as well as with people from the entertainment and sports industries, to ensure military families receive the support they need.
Efforts at all levels are vital, "but most importantly, this effort is about all of us joining forces as Americans, as neighbors and colleagues and classmates," she said.
"And the motto for this effort is very simple," she added. "Jill and I believe that everyone -- everyone -- can do something, even boys and girls. Everyone can do something to support a military family. And everyone can ask themselves, 'What can I do? How can I give back?'"
These gestures can be simple ones, Obama noted. Children can offer to do a project to support military families at their school, and parents can offer to help out a military neighbor.
"If you're a parent, maybe you can tell that military mom down the street that you'll take her shift in the carpool, or maybe mow the lawn, or start a group at your place of worship to help lighten the load for these families during deployments," she suggested.

Obama urged people to visit the Joining Forces website at http://joiningforces.gov for ideas on how to get involved.

"In the end, I know that if we all work together, if we all join forces, then we can serve our military families as well as they've served us," she said.
Biden echoed the first lady's words and expressed her gratitude for the troops and families in attendance.
"We hope to inspire more communities out around the country to reach out to our military families just like we are doing tonight," she said. "We can all join forces."
After they spoke, Obama and Biden stepped off the stage and into the crowd to personally greet families.
Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, also attended the event and praised the efforts of communities around the nation, including those in Ohio.
"During these times of deployments, the support your communities provide to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members and their families is nothing shy of spectacular," he said. This support, he added, enables troops to focus on the mission with the comfort of knowing their families are cared for back home.
The event also served as the kickoff for the fifth installment of the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families, a free, traveling USO tour for military families. During the evening, Sesame unveiled Katie, a new character designed for the tour, who is a military child moving to a new home. Elmo and friends help Katie open up about her fears and excitement about the upcoming change.
The new show will head to Alaska later this month and then will continue on an around-the-world tour.
Earlier in the day, Obama and Biden stopped by the National Math and Science Competition at the Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., and later attended an employment event here to highlight how several major businesses have made commitments to ensure job transferability for military spouses.
They made stops April 13 in Denver, San Antonio and in North Carolina, where they spoke to troops and their families and attended a celebration for pregnant military spouses on Camp Lejeune.
Army Master Sgt. Joel Reynolds said he was thrilled that Obama and Biden made time for a stop in Ohio.
"That's huge for the families," he said. "It's not very often that we get to actually see somebody of great importance show interest in us as individuals."
While Obama and Biden were a big hit with his dad, Reynolds' 6-year-old son, Caleb, said he had his own personal favorite: Elmo.
Related Sites: 
Special Report: Joining Forces 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageFirst Lady Michelle Obama greets a crowd of National Guard and local families during a "Joining Forces" community event in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. The event was the final stop on Obama and Biden's two-day "Joining Forces" tour around the nation to spotlight communities doing outstanding work to support military families. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageDr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, speaks about the White House's "Joining Forces" military family support campaign to a crowd of National Guard and local families as First Lady Michelle Obama stands by during a "Joining Forces" community event in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. The event was the final stop on Obama and Biden's two-day tour around the nation to spotlight communities doing outstanding work to support military families. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageFirst Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden greet Sesame Street Muppets Telly and Grover while Elmo waits for his hug during a "Joining Forces" community event honoring National Guard families in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageFirst Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden pose with some of the cast of Sesame Street during a "Joining Forces" community event in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 2011. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez
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Sunday, April 17, 2011

Human Rights Report on Monday


On 7-9 October 1991 at first International Workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights held in Paris when the United Nations Human Rights Commission as Resolution 1992/54 of 1992 and Resolution 48/134 of 1993 adopted the Paris Principle. It was a historic moment and a new definition of civilization was reintroduced in the human conscience. Following the path of Paris Principle, The Protection of Human Rights Act was drafted at 1993 by which Nation Human Rights Commission, West Bengal Human Rights Commission and as well as various other Human Rights Institutions were established in India where the duties and functions of the commissions are enumerated. 
To monitor the performances of the HRIs of the countries, a new mechanism was developed at the UN. (ICC). In South Asia, ANNI(Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions) was formed. To follow this process, AiNNI (All India Network of NGOs & Individuals working with National and State Human Rights Institutions) was also formed, wherein MASUM is an active member. 
This is the demand of the hour that the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, West Bengal Women Commission, West Bengal Minority Commission and other Human Rights Institutions of this state work more actively and significantly in the field of protection of human rights. But it seems that they often failed to show such responsibilities. 
We believe the Fourth Estate, the Press and Media, has strong role in forming public opinion in a positive way and they are morally bound to advocate and highlight the social causes. 
A special report on Human Rights situation to be release at a press meet on 18th April, 2011 Monday at Kolkata Press Club at 3 - 4 pm. This Press meet has been announced for the release of the background paper and more information, data and evidence of non-fulfilling the duties of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission and other Human Rights Institutions in India and in particular, in West Bengal. 
Honourable Justice Malay Sengupta, ex Judge of Kolkata High Court, Ex Acting Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court and present Chairman of OBC Commission of West Bengal will preside over the session. Veteran writer and social activist, Ms. Mahasweta Devi will be present there as Chief Guest. Many other academics, social activists, organisations will share their experiences. 
Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
&
National Convenor (PACTI)
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity
40A, Barabagan Lane (4th Floor)
Balaji Place, Shibtala,Srirampur
Hooghly PIN- 712203

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Green Initiatives Support Energy-Savings Concept


By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2011 - Last week's groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military "going green" -– saving environmental resources and taxpayer dollars, too.
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A 1-megawatt solar array being built at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., like these solar arrays displayed at the Sacramento State Fairgrounds in Sacramento, Calif., will conserve energy and save taxpayer dollars. U.S. Army photo
 
The 1-megawatt facility, to become operational later this year, will provide one-third of the power for the nation's largest Army Reserve training post, and ultimately it will save $1 million in energy costs annually, Addison D. "Tad" Davis IV, command executive officer for U.S. Army Reserve Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., told American Forces Press Service.
Taking advantage of the post's 292 annual days of sunshine, the facility's two grids, each stretching about 40 feet by 1,200 feet over an existing parking lot, will shade vehicles below while generating renewable solar energy.
"This is pretty exciting stuff, when you think about the fact that we are able to do this and generate that much energy for this installation," Davis said.
And if the Army decides to expand the initiative into its second and third phases, it could enable Fort Hunter Liggett to become one of the Defense Department's first "net-zero energy installations," meaning it produces as much energy as it uses, he said.
Davis said he's seen the military make huge strides in energy conservation. A decade ago, as Fort Bragg's garrison commander, he introduced the Army's first installation-wide sustainability program.
Costs largely drove that decision. "As the installation commander for the largest populated military installation in the world here at Fort Bragg, I had the checkbook, and I had to pay the energy bill and the water bill every month," he said.
It didn't take long to recognize that conserving resources saved money that could be used for infrastructure upgrades and new facilities. "So it was the economics of this that really got me excited about sustainability," Davis said.
Fort Bragg's early sustainability programs addressed the broad scope of issues, from how energy, water, wastewater and solid and hazardous waste was managed to how new buildings were constructed. The result, Davis said, was more effective and efficient use of resources, reduced consumption and, as a result, cost savings that could be applied to other projects.
The concept caught on quickly, expanding to more than 30 Army installations, including posts in Germany, Alaska and Hawaii. Now, the Army hopes to take it a step further with net-zero energy, waste and water initiatives. Several pilot programs are expected to be announced during next week's Earth Day observance.
These sustainability initiatives support what Davis called the Army's "triple bottom line" that incorporates mission, environment and community.
"Obviously, the mission is most important to us -- to be able to provide our soldiers, civilians and family members for worldwide deployments and be able to go forth and conduct missions and return home safe and sound," he said.
That mission focus is accompanied with the responsibility to be a good steward of the environment, Davis said.
"This is looking at our resources and taking deliberate steps to address our consumption and reducing our impact on the environment," he explained.
It also involves working as partners with communities -- those directly on the installation as well as beyond its gates -- to pursue environmental goals. Davis pointed to the example of the Sustainable Sandhills Initiative, which was established in 2003 and brings together Fort Bragg, neighboring Pope Air Force Base and eight surrounding counties to support regional conservation programs and initiatives.
Those experiences have proven valuable in Davis' current post as CEO for the Army Reserve, with responsibility for its 1,200 facilities worldwide.
"We in the Army Reserve are inextricably linked to the communities, because our reserve centers are there in the communities," he said. "So the thought is, if we can get this [sustainability effort] distributed to as many of our facilities as possible, it will help us economically, it will help us to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollar, but it will also connect us to the communities -– many of which are trying to do much of the same thing we are doing."
Evidence of a sustainability mind set is cropping up throughout the Army Reserve. It's seen in a photovoltaic solar panel system on the roof of the 99th Regional Support Command headquarters at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; a geothermal initiative at Fort Devens, Mass.; and in renovations of older buildings to make them more efficient.
One of the most exciting new developments, Davis said, is a new reserve center being built at Las Cruces, N.M., to the most stringent Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.
"This is a really big deal," he said of the plans that will achieve either gold- or platinum-level LEED certification and exceed the silver certification the Army requires for all new buildings. "It is a huge accomplishment, by any stretch, to have a building able to meet [those] criteria," Davis said.
While the Army Reserve builds state-of-the-art facilities and renovates older ones to make them more energy- and resource-efficient, its members are identifying new ways of doing business that promote conservation. New temperature-control systems enable users to heat and cool entire facilities during high-occupancy weekend periods, but only parts of those buildings during weekdays, when they're minimally manned. New energy, water and natural gas meters are being installed to encourage conservation. Hybrid vehicles are being put to use at the Army Reserve's larger training centers, and a new emphasis has been put on buying recyclable and reusable products.
Meanwhile, the Army Reserve has joined "big Army" in expanding this focus to the operational force.
"We're trying to look at how we can apply some of these lessons learned to our forward-deployed forces, enable the mission to continue, but reduce the reliance on fossil fuel" to run generators and provide other critical support, Davis said, citing solar or wind power as possible options.
"When you boil it down to what we are trying to accomplish, we are trying to build green, buy green, go green," he said. "From the big-picture perspective, this is obviously something that is very important to the military."
Biographies:
Addison D. Davis IV 
Related Sites:
U.S. Army Reserve Command 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageLow-speed electric vehicles are in full use at the Army Reserve's largest training facilities, with nearly 4,000 already in the Army inventory as the military strives to save environmental resources and taxpayer dollars by "going green." U.S. Army photo 
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Click photo for screen-resolution imageEvidence of a sustainability approach, such as this photovoltaic solar panel system on the roof of the 99th Regional Support Command headquarters at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J, are cropping up throughout the Army Reserve and the military as a whole. U.S. Army photo 
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