The Pentagon Channel will post video on demand links for those viewers who would like to revisit any of the five US Service Academy Graduations.
Watch the US Coast Guard Academy Graduation (May 22, 2013) here.
Watch the US Naval Academy Graduation (May 24, 2013) Part One here.
Watch the US Naval Academy Graduation (May 24, 2013) Part Two here.
Watch the US Naval Academy Graduation (May 24, 2013) Part Three here.
Commander in Chief, Barack Obama has proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. From the Presidential Proclamation:
Each victim of sexual assault represents a sister or a daughter, a nephew or a friend. We must break the silence so no victim anguishes without resources or aid in their time of greatest need. We must continue to reinforce that America will not tolerate sexual violence within our borders. Likewise, we will partner with countries across the globe as we work toward a common vision of a world free from the threat of sexual violence, including as a tool of conflict. Working together, we can reduce the incidence of sexual assault and heal lives that have already been devastated by this terrible crime.
Read more information from the Department of Defense here.
DoD Safe Helpline: https://www.safehelpline.org
SAPR websites:
By Elliott Fabrizio
Call it the glass camo-netting, or maybe the glass overhead for the Navy—Whichever you go with, women in the military are shattering it and all gender-related restrictions are crumbling away in today’s armed services.
Women have served alongside men in the military since the revolutionary war, but at first they were limited to non-combat, un-uniformed support roles. But women just couldn’t be kept out of the fight.
In 1779, Margaret Corbin manned a cannon during the Revolutionary War in place of her fallen husband until she, too, was wounded. For her valor, Congress bent the rules and granted her a military pension in 1779 (141 years before she could vote). The courage women displayed in combat defied the stereotypes of the times.
Through heroic acts like this, military women marched their way to gender equality one battlefield at a time.
Now, if you pay attention, you’ll notice military women are wrapping up the final loose ends. March is Women’s History Month and, in honor, The Pentagon Channel blog presents the top 4 modern-day, historic landmarks for military women.
“We’re already in combat,” says Catherine Ross of Fort Carson. In her editorial on army.mil, Ross explains that policy does not prevent women from being in combat when they are forward-deployed despite whether their unit is combat or not.
The Pentagon was not blind to this fact. Former defense secretary Robert Gates began the process of examining this disparity.
In a Q&A session with troops Gates said “I had some women complain to me in Afghanistan…that because they’re not in a combat [military occupational specialty], they haven’t had combat training, but they’re on combat patrol.”
Former defense secretary Leon Panetta made it official on Jan. 24, 2013. He announced the elimination of the direct ground combat exclusion rule for female service members.
“I fundamentally believe that our military is more effective when success is based solely on ability, qualifications and on performance,” Panetta added.
Now that women are officially in combat, it’s time to get them some body armor that fits.
Classed among TIME magazine’s best inventions of for the year 2012, female body armor is strong enough for a man, but made for a woman. Sorry… that’s a deodorant slogan. How about this? Strong enough to save your life in combat, but made to fit securely and comfortably.
Lynne Hennessey, as cited in army.mil, says she has received nothing but positive feedback from women testing the new body armor.
“We actually took a picture of one Soldier hugging her vest, like she was immediately in love with it,” Hennessey added.
On December 5, 2012, three female officers became the first women to receive Dolphins—the nickname for the submarine warfare insignia.
The ban on women in submarines was lifted in 2010. And you can imagine the first women to go through the program were being watched carefully by all levels of brass and civilian media.
The professionalism and commitment that these female submariners demonstrate by earning their qualifications prove they’ve always had the ability to serve in these roles. It’s the policies that are catching up with them.
“Qualifying is a huge accomplishment for any submariner, and it feels no different for me, said Noonan.
After 38 years in uniform, Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody retired on August 15, 2012.
Her retirement represents the realization of a significant milestone for women in the military, and is proof positive of the equal opportunity now available in today’s military.
Gen. Ray Odierno, Army Chief of Staff, said the following during her retirement, regarding her professional achievement and rank: “It wasn’t because you were a woman. It was because you were brilliant.”
For women in the military, barriers, restriction and limitations are falling away quickly and it’s the perfect time to etch your name in military history.
It’s only a matter time before we find out who will be the first female Submarine Captain, the first female in our current conflicts to be awarded the Medal of Honor, or the first female secretary of defense.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has notified Congress that the Defense Department is prepared to implement furloughs for civilian personnel in response to the threat of sequestration. From defense.gov reporter Jim Garamone:
In a memo to all employees, Panetta vowed to continue working with Congress to avoid sequestration, which would add $470 billion to the $487 billion in defense spending cuts the department already is making over the next 10 years. If Congress cannot agree on an alternative deficit reduction plan, the cuts go into effect March 1.
“In the event of sequestration, we will do everything we can to be able to continue to perform our core mission of providing for the security of the United States,” Panetta wrote in the memo, “but there is no mistaking that the rigid nature of the cuts forced upon this department, and their scale, will result in a serious erosion of readiness across the force.”
Civilian employees will be furloughed if sequestration is triggered. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said last week that civilian employees could lose 20 percent of their normal income through September.
“Our most important asset at the department is our world-class personnel,” Panetta wrote. “You are fighting every day to keep our country strong and secure, and rest assured that the leaders of this department will continue to fight with you and for you.”
Learn more by clicking on the following links:
Read the Defense.gov web special on Sequestration here.
Read the Navy’s Rough Seas Ahead web special here.
President Barack Obama placed the Medal of Honor around the neck of former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha during a ceremony Feb. 11 in the East Room of the White House. From Defense.gov:
Romesha is the fourth living service member to receive the medal for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The former Soldier earned the Medal of Honor for actions Oct. 3, 2009, at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.
On that morning, Combat Outpost, or COP, Keating, manned by only 53 Soldiers and situated at the bottom of a steep valley, came under attack by as many as 300 Taliban fighters. During the fight, the perimeter of COP Keating was breached by the enemy. Romesha, who was injured in the battle, led the fight to protect the bodies of fallen Soldiers, provide cover to those Soldiers seeking medical assistance, and reclaim the American outpost that would later be deemed “tactically indefensible.”“When I called Clint to tell him that he would receive this medal, he said he was honored, but he also said, ‘it wasn’t just me out there, it was a team effort,’” the president said. “And so today we also honor this American team, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Included among those who died in the fighting that day in Afghanistan were, Staff Sgt. Justin Gallegos, Sgt. Christopher Griffin, Sgt. Joshua Hardt, Sgt. Joshua Kirk, Spc. Stephan Mace, Staff Sgt. Vernon Martin, Sgt. Michael Scusa, and Pfc. Kevin Thomson.
“Each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other,” Obama said. “In a battle that raged all day, that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again, Soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety, tending to each other’s wounds, (and) performing ‘buddy transfusions,’ giving each other their own blood.”
The president said on that day, it wasn’t just Romesha who earned recognition for his actions, it was dozens of Soldiers. From that battle, Soldiers earned 37 Army Commendation Medals, 27 Purple Hearts, 18 Bronze Stars and nine Silver Stars, the president said.
“These men were outnumbered, outgunned and almost overrun,” Obama said. “Looking back, one of them said, ‘I’m surprised any of us made it out.’ But they are here today. And I would ask these Soldiers, this band of brothers, to stand and accept the gratitude of our entire nation.
“God bless you, Clint Romesha, and all of your team,” the president said. “God bless all who serve. And God bless the United States of America.”
Watch the Hall of Hero’s Ceremony here.
Watch the Army tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha here.
Watch TPC coverage here.
The USO opens it’s doors to a new center – designed especially for recovering troops, their families and caregivers. The following is from blogger Sarah Camille Hipp:
More than 40,000 troops have been visibly wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more than 300,000 troops suffer from invisible wounds, like post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury. In addition, the Pentagon said the military reached a record high of 349 suicides in 2012, highlighting the need for increased mental and emotional care for America’s returning troops. While these numbers are upsetting, we have to face the fact that returning troops need us now more than ever. It is a particularly important time for recovering troops to have a stress-free and supportive environment as they heal and reintegrate into civilian life.
Since 1941, the USO has been there for our troops. As we continue to adapt to meet the needs of our military and their loved ones, we are thrilled to open the doors to a new center – designed especially for our recovering troops, their families and caregivers – in just a few days.
Located steps away from the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, the USO Warrior and Family Center at Fort Belvoir, Va., will offer activities for recovering troops, their families and caregivers that will help them relax, have fun and reintegrate into society.
A second USO Warrior and Family Center is currently being constructed at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and is scheduled for completion in early 2014. The Warrior and Family Centers at Fort Belvoir and in Bethesda are possible because of the USO’s Operation Enduring Care campaign and our generous volunteers. We could not do this without you!
Watch TPC News’ story about the USO opening here.
In addition, TPC offers you a look back at the USO through the years on Battleground. Click here to watch!
The Pentagon Channel and Pentagonchannel.mil will provide in-depth coverage of servicemember’s and military families through a long weekend of Presidential Inaugural events:
There’s an app for that! See how to use technology to get aound the 57th Presidential Inauguration here.
See an Airman stand-in for the President and other dignitaries during the Inaugural dress rehearsal here. Read about it here.
See how the DC National Guard prepared for the Inauguration here. Read about it here.
See how the Presidential Escort prepared for Inauguration here.
Be sure to tune into the Pentagon Channel for live Inaugural coverage starting Monday at 1100.
Two Airmen supporting Joint Task Force-National Capital Region Public Affairs, the military people who support the Presidential Inauguration, have created a cell phone app just in time for the inaugural festivities. The program, called “Inauguration”, is a free, user-friendly app that compiles news and other material related to the 57th Presidential Inauguration from across the Web.
Senior Airman Daniel Burkhardt, who codesigned the app, is just one of hundreds of Department of Defense military and civilian personnel sent to JTF – NCR in support of the inauguration. To encode the app, Burkhardt harnessed the knowledge and skill he gained while completing a degree in network engineering prior to joining the Air Force more than two years ago. His supervisor from Joint Base Andrews, Staff Sgt. Christopher Bevins, created the graphics and videos for the program and gathered information for Burkhardt. The program took them less than a week to create. From an NCR press release:
“It’s a huge opportunity,” said Burkhardt, a native of Perkasie, Pa., and a broadcast journalist assigned to 11th Wing Public Affairs. “I’m super excited that I could lend the experience I gained over six to eight months.”
“Inauguration,” which was designed to distribute Department of Defense-released information on the inauguration, collects real time updates from websites linked to it, offering the latest press releases, videos and photographs covering the historic event and preparation for it. It contains a map of the inaugural parade route, complete with global positioning that automatically orients the map based on the user’s location, and icons that pinpoint medical stations, and indicate road closures and walking routes. The app also includes security information released by the secret service and lists items event-goers are prohibited from bringing with them on site. On Inauguration Day, “Inauguration” will provide a live video stream of the event via a redirect from CNN.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff GEN Martin Dempsey briefed reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday, January 10. You can watch video of the briefing in its entirety here.
The U.S. military recently kicked off the 2012-2013 season of Operation Deep Freeze, the Department of Defense’s support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation. The operation began with C-17 Globemaster III operations Sept. 29 and will continue with LC-130 Hercules operations beginning Oct. 18.
Operation DEEP FREZE (ODF) has its roots in the storied history of the Navy’s explorations in Antarctica. As far back as 1839, Captain Charles Wilkes led the first U.S. Naval Expedition into Antarctic Waters. In 1929, Admiral Richard E. Byrd established naval outposts on the Antarctic coast and began conducting photographic and geologic mapping operations around the continent on snowshoe, dog-sled, snow mobile, and airplane. From the article Operation Deep Freeze main season begins:
Airlift for Operation Deep Freeze involves active duty and Reserve C-17 support from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; LC-130 support from the New York Air National Guard; sealift support from the U.S. Coast Guard and Military Sealift Command; engineering and aviation services from U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command; and cargo handling from the U.S. Navy.
Click here to see the series of stories on Operation Deep Freeze from Armed With Science.
