Published: 9/27/2012

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told reporters today that unilateral U.S. military intervention in Syria would be “a serious mistake.”

The secretary and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, focused on Afghanistan but touched on other areas as they briefed Pentagon reporters here today.

In Syria, Bashar al-Assad’s forces have battled rebel fighters for a year and a half, with the death toll rising sharply since early spring and violence increasingly focused on the capital of Damascus.

Panetta said reports that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, advocated Arab intervention in Syria don’t change his belief that the best approach remains international “diplomatic and economic pressure on Assad to step down.”

However, he added, if the international community decides military action is required, “then, obviously, we would be part of that.”

Panetta noted the United States is working with other nations to help opposition forces and provide humanitarian aid to those affected by Syria’s violence. U.S. officials also are closely monitoring chemical and biological weapons sites, he added.

Dempsey, who met earlier today with Saudi Arabia’s chief of the general staff, Lt. Gen. Huseen ibn Abdullah al-Gubayel, said his counterpart had expressed concern about Syria “based on what they assess as Iranian influence, which they also assess to be a factor to their south, in Yemen.”

Most of the meeting concerned the U.S.-Saudi partnership and “how we can continue to partner with them to build their capability – in particular, in air defense and the maritime domain,” Dempsey added.

Reporters also questioned recent reports that characterize the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, which killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, as a terrorist attack. Panetta said he is convinced by what he has learned since the attack that it was carried out by terrorists, but whether al Qaida or an affiliate was involved remains under investigation.

Noting that several terrorist groups operate in the region, Panetta emphasized, “We are not going to let people who deliberately attack and kill our people get away with it.”

Dempsey noted a “thread of intelligence” before the attack had warned of terrorist groups in the region “seeking to coalesce,” but it didn’t include specific threats.

The secretary turned to the Asia-Pacific region in response to a question on China’s view of U.S. arms sales to India. The military’s strategic rebalance to the Pacific is aimed at maintaining regional stability, he said.

While his talks with Chinese leaders during his visit to Beijing last week didn’t directly address U.S. assistance or arms sales to India, the secretary said, the two sides agreed a strong bilateral relationship between the United States and China is a key to Asia-Pacific prosperity and security.

The United States and China share regional concerns ranging from nuclear proliferation to humanitarian assistance and maritime rights, Panetta said. “It’s important for us to work to develop the capabilities of countries in that region, so that they can help secure themselves,” he said.
 

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Published: 9/27/2012

Afghan and NATO troops have resumed partnered operations which were suspended earlier this month because of a series of deadly insider attacks, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced during a news conference here today.

Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, had ordered that all combined operations below the battalion level be approved by regional commanders following attacks by Afghan soldiers and police that have killed 51 members of the coalition this year.

However, Afghan and coalition troops are now back to conducting partnered operations as before, Panetta told Pentagon reporters. The military believes some of the insider attacks were perhaps triggered by Muslim anger over an American-made internet video that defamed the Prophet Muhammad.

“I can now report to you that most ISAF units have returned to their normal partnered operations at all levels,” said Panetta, who was accompanied by Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dempsey, just back from a visit to Afghanistan, said partnering efforts are back to the level they were before the difficulties. Around 90 percent of all operations in the country are partnered.

Even with the insider attacks, Panetta said the coalition and Afghan efforts are paying off. He said the Taliban were in control of large swaths of Afghanistan and were poised to take more when the coalition surge into the country began in December 2009.

Last week, the secretary announced the end of the surge, with the departure of the last of the 33,000 troops who were ordered deployed. There are now 68,000 American service members in Afghanistan.

“[The surge] accomplished the primary objectives of reversing the Taliban’s momentum on the battlefield and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan national security forces,” Panetta said.

This will continue, said Dempsey, noting coalition troops will continue to partner with Afghan soldiers and police. The Taliban has failed to recover momentum or any territory. “Our Afghan partners are working with us to shut down the threat of insider attacks,” the chairman said. “As one Afghan army commander told me, insider attacks are an affront to their honor, at odds with their culture and their faith.”

Taliban insurgents are actively trying to infiltrate Afghan army and police formations, Dempsey said. The insurgent group is also trying to turn Afghan soldiers and police against their coalition allies.

Dempsey said coalition forces are adapting to the Taliban’s change in tactics.

“That’s what professional militaries do,” he said. “And we are doing it in a way that ensures we continue to be able to partner.”

The Taliban wants to break the coalition, the general said, but the coalition’s resolve to stand with Afghan formations is strong.

Still, it will be tough going in the country, Panetta said. “The enemy we are dealing with … is adaptive and resilient,” the secretary said. “Their focus has shifted to carrying out high-profile attacks in order to undermine the new sense of security that has been felt by ordinary Afghans.”

Panetta expects there will be more high-profile attacks like the one that struck Camp Bastion last week.

“The enemy will do whatever they can to try and break our will using this kind of tactic. That will not happen,” he said.

Afghan forces are the “defeat mechanism” of the insurgency, Panetta said.

“We have an enduring commitment to an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself and that is never again a safe haven from which terrorists can attack us,” he said. “Our men and women in uniform, our fighting forces, ISAF, Afghanistan fighting forces I think have sent a strong message to the Taliban that time is not on their side.”
 

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Published: 9/26/2012

In a message to the men and women of the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta shared his perspectives from his recent trip to the Asia-Pacific region.

Here is the secretary’s message:

This week I returned from a week-long trip to Japan, China, and New Zealand, my third trip to the Asia-Pacific region as Secretary of Defense. 

The underlying purpose of the trip was to support our new defense strategy, which calls for the Department of Defense to increase our focus on the Asia-Pacific region. This strategy is part of a government-wide effort that includes increased economic, diplomatic, development, and security efforts – all in order to renew and revitalize America’s role in a region that is becoming more critical to our future security and prosperity.

My first stop was Tokyo, a city that I have visited a number of times in previous capacities, and on my first trip to Asia as Secretary of Defense last year. I am always appreciative of the warm hospitality and genuine friendship that the people of Japan extend to me and all their American visitors. It reflects the fact that Japan is a very close ally in the region, and that our Alliance has served as the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific for more than 50 years.

This trip took place during a time of increased tensions between China and Japan over competing claims to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea – an episode that serves as a reminder of the important role the United States military continues to play in ensuring peace and security in the region. My message to the Government of Japan, which I would later repeat in China, was simple: the United States doesn’t take a position on competing sovereignty claims but we urge both sides to exercise calm and restraint, and we have an interest in seeing this dispute resolved peacefully and through diplomatic means. 

While in Japan, I had very productive meetings with Foreign Minister Gemba and Defense Minister Morimoto that allowed us to make progress on two key issues for our Alliance. First, we agreed to pursue an additional ballistic missile defense radar, directed at protecting the people of Japan, U.S. forward-deployed forces, and the U.S. homeland, from the North Korean missile threat. Second, we set the stage for an agreement, announced later in the week that reconfirmed the safety of the MV-22 Osprey aircraft, enabled the commencement of flight operations, and paved the way for the deployment of the aircraft to in Okinawa. The Osprey is an important new capability that will greatly enhance our ability to defend Japan and respond to crises in the region – with twice the speed, three times the payload, and four times the range of the platform it replaces.

Before departing Tokyo, I had the opportunity to visit with several hundred American service members stationed at Yokota Air Base – a critical hub for our activities in the region. I had the chance to describe our new defense strategy and point out that the key to our strength rests with them – the men and women in uniform serving our Nation. It’s always a highlight for me to have the opportunity to interact with service members wherever I travel in the world.

My next stop was Beijing, a visit that marked my first trip to China as Secretary of Defense. The goal of this visit was to build on the progress we have made toward establishing a military-to-military relationship with China that is healthy, stable, reliable, and continuous. Our two nations have had a series of high-level interactions this year – from the visit of Vice President Xi to the Pentagon earlier in the year to General Liang’s visit in May – that have helped to build sustained and substantive interactions between our leaders. My visit continued this trend. One of the highlights was an elaborate welcome banquet General Liang hosted in my honor at the State Guest House in Beijing, which even included a magic show and a few hundred toasts that we all survived.

In my discussions with key military and civilian leaders, the thing that most impressed me is that we are building the kind of relationship where we can talk openly and candidly about our disagreements. At the same time, we are increasingly able to identify areas where our militaries can cooperate more – such as counterpiracy and maritime security, humanitarian relief and disaster assistance, and peacekeeping operations. In that spirit, I invited China to send a ship to RIMPAC 2014 – the world’s largest multilateral Naval exercise.

I was also encouraged by my interactions with young officers and cadets at the Engineering Academy of PLA Armored Forces, where I gave a speech focusing on the United States rebalance to Asia-Pacific region and had the opportunity to join students for lunch in the cafeteria. The questions that I got from the young cadets were candid and thoughtful, and it was clear that they appreciated my message that a stronger defense relationship between the U.S. and China is critically important to security and prosperity in the 21st century. 

On my third and final day in China, I was able to fly to the coastal city of Qingdao and visit the headquarters of the North Sea fleet. There, I toured a PLA frigate and a diesel powered submarine. I was impressed with the professionalism and discipline of the PLA sailors, and it is clear that they are working to modernize their military. Throughout my visit, I stressed the importance of increasing their transparency as they undergo this modernization, so it was a positive step for me to be given a tour of these ships. 

From Qingdao, we boarded our plane for the final time in China and took an overnight flight down to Auckland, New Zealand, the final stop on this trip. 

It was the first visit I’ve ever made to New Zealand, and I was struck by the similarities in landscape between Auckland and my native Northern California. It was a special honor to be in Auckland because I was the first United States Secretary of Defense to visit New Zealand in 30 years. 

Soon after I arrived, New Zealand’s Defence Forces hosted a welcome ceremony for me that befitted the historic nature of this visit. During the ceremony, a group of Maori tribesman approached me with a ceremonial challenge. My job was to pick up a dagger while not smiling and maintaining eye contact in order to signal that I came in peace. Luckily, I passed the test.

My broader purpose in traveling to New Zealand was first and foremost to recognize that New Zealand has been a stalwart friend over the past decade of war. In Afghanistan, New Zealand has made a variety of contributions to the war effort and continues to lead the Bamiyan provincial reconstruction team. During my visit, I paid tribute to New Zealand’s war heroes at their National War Memorial Museum, and I had the opportunity to recognize five individual soldiers from the New Zealand Defence Forces with Army Commendation Medals.

New Zealand also plays an important role as a provider of security in the South Pacific, and as the United States rebalances to the Asia-Pacific region we are looking for new ways to partner together to enhance regional security. To that end, I was pleased to be able to announce while in New Zealand that the U.S. government is changing some policies that govern interactions with New Zealand’s military, which were put into effect after New Zealand passed nuclear-free legislation in the mid-1980s. Specifically, we have eliminated restrictions on discussions and exercises between our two militaries, and we have established a mechanism to authorize individual visits by ships of New Zealand’s Royal Navy to U.S. military and coast guard facilities, both in the United States and around the world. 

These changes sent a strong signal that we are entering into a new era of defense cooperation with New Zealand. More broadly, my entire week-long trip sent the message that the United States is following through with our strategy to rebalance towards the Asia-Pacific region. Throughout the week, it was heartening to hear Allies, friends and partners in the region welcome the Department’s renewed focus on Asia-Pacific. The high regard they have for the U.S. military is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of all our men and women in uniform, and the civilians who support them. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for your continued service to a strong and secure America.

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Published: 9/26/2012

The U.S.-Philippine alliance plays a prominent role in the security landscape of the Asia-Pacific region, and the Defense Department continues to build military-to-military relations with the nation, a senior Pentagon official said here today.

Speaking during a conference on the Philippines hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mark W. Lippert, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, said the relationship is “a new and exciting approach to the region.”

“I would say this is one of the most important alliances we have,” he said. “It’s a critically important part of our security discussions in Asia. The mil-to-mil relations have been on an upswing over the past decade.”

The effort has produced a true partnership, he said, and the countries now are poised for a new chapter.

Lippert said he believes working-level contacts have developed and matured, putting the United States in a strong position to work collaboratively with Manila on security-related issues. He explained a three-part approach to illustrate what the Defense Department is doing to help further the alliance.

The first point, pre-positioning of humanitarian and disaster relief supplies, also helps to enhance and upgrade the communication infrastructure so the two militaries can talk more effectively to each other, he said.

Another effort is developing a maritime awareness, with the most tangible result being a coastal watch center that was announced at a meeting of the two nations’ defense and diplomatic leaders earlier this year.

“The second line of operation is our mil-to-mil engagement,” Lippert said. “Again, that’s been going on for quite some time. It’s really reached new levels.” Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, have engaged with the Philippine military in recent months, he noted.

Exercises are another important aspect of broadening and deepening the military-to-military relationship, Lippert said.

“I think we’re really poised for a liftoff here,” he added. “I think, in part, it’s a tribute to all the good work that has been done in the past decade or so.”

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Published: 9/27/2012

Hoping to build on successes over the past year in combating piracy, the top U.S. commander in Europe and other key stakeholders in the fight gathered in London this week to help chart the way forward.

Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, who also serves as the NATO commander, joined leaders from the NATO Maritime Component Command, European Union, shipping security officials and other experts to explore ways to improve their cooperation in tackling this transnational threat.

“We face a significant global problem that has caused extensive and expensive disruptions to the global maritime grid,” Stavridis noted in his blog post on the U.S. European Command website. “In particular, off the Horn of Africa in the northern Indian Ocean, we’ve seen hundreds of pirate attacks and dozens of successful hijackings over the past years.”

He estimated costs to the international community as high as $5 billion to $10 billion per year, noting that hundreds of mariners have been held hostage by pirates for ransom.

“Although the success rate and the numbers of attacks are down this year, we still have seven ships and more than 100 hostages held by Somali pirates on the largely ungoverned east coast of Africa,” the admiral said.

NATO, the European Union and a variety of other nations, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and the Gulf States, have come together to help address this problem, he noted. With a fleet that averages 20 to 30 ships, they patrol waters stretching from the Red Sea, past the Gulf of Aden and down into the northern Indian Ocean.

Shared concern about the problem led last week to the first bilateral counter-piracy exercise between the United States and China. Crew from the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill and other Navy assets joined Chinese People’s Liberation Army sea elements, including the frigate Yi Yang, for training near the Horn of Africa.

The sailors’ focus was on bilateral interoperability in detecting, boarding and searching suspected vessels, as well as the ability of both Chinese and American naval assets to respond to pirated vessels, a USS Winston S. Churchill spokesman reported.

Meanwhile, the shipping industry has implemented best business practices: traveling in convoys, hardening their defenses such as stringing concertina wire along their decks, posting lookouts and hiring private teams, Stavridis reported. They appear to be paying off, he said, recognizing that although many ships with embarked private security teams have been attacked, none has been successfully hijacked.

Participants at this week’s conference, co-hosted by the U.N.-sponsored International Maritime Organization, discussed ways to increase cooperation between shippers and protecting forces and ways to move ashore to pre-empt pirate strikes and disrupt pirates’ bases and logistics systems.

Another focus, Stavridis said, was on building capacity within local coast guards and to applying a comprehensive approach to make piracy less attractive as an occupation.
 

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Published: 9/27/2012

Is your body feeling run down from all those dismounted patrols? Take a bite of lemon poppy seed cake in your combat rations and feel the Omega 3 fatty acids baked into it ease that inflammation.

Having trouble staying focused, or feeling generally low? Try a serving of salmon in alfredo sauce, a combat ration under development that’s bursting with Omega 3s shown in tests to elevate one’s mood and improve cognitive function.

Starting to hit the wall, but unable to hit the sack or pause for a cup of Joe? Munch on a caffeinated meat stick in your Frist Strike Ration and get the quick energy charge you need to get through the mission at hand.

Food scientists at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center here are exploring ways to enhance service members’ warfighting capability through combat rations.

Caffeine, for example, is known to increase the ability to think clearly when fatigued or under stress. So in addition to coming up with a caffeine-infused meat stick, Natick food scientists are looking at other ways to deliver caffeine, possibly through a bar, gum or candy product, Jeremy Whitsitt, technology integration analyst for the center’s Department of Defense combat feeding directorate, told American Forces Press Service.

They’re also exploring innovative ways to boost physical and cognitive performance by lacing foods with naturally occurring compounds such as curcumin and Omega 3s, he said.

Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory supplement, and Omega 3s found in fish oils promote a broad range of functions, including reducing cholesterol and heart disease. New research also suggests they play a role in preventing traumatic brain injury -- an obvious concern on the battlefield, Whitsitt reported.

Natick food scientists started exploring dietary additives more than a decade ago to enhance what warfighters could do -- how far and fast they could move and how much they could carry, for example.

But the focus has shifted to preserving warfighter capability, explained Danielle Anderson, a food technologist on the Performance Optimization Research Team. “Now, we’re looking at them to see if there’s a way to enhance their immune systems, stop them from getting sick and stop the decrement that happens” during demanding combat missions, she said.

Ann Barrett, a senior food engineer, said the effort crosses several lines. “A lot of what we do is focused on load injuries, muscle strain and pain, because soldiers have to carry very, very heavy loads,” she said.

So as an alternative to popping excessive oral anti-inflammatories that can irritate the stomach or cause other gastrointestinal distress, she and her team are looking into ways to introduce natural ingredients that deliver the same benefits into combat rations.

And recognizing the health consequences of dirty environments in which warfighters often operate, they’re experimenting with prebiotics -- ingredients found in yogurt and other food items -- that stimulate “good” bacteria in the digestive system.

Fortifying combat rations with these ingredients isn’t as simple as one might think.
Omega 3s, for example, are less stable than many other oils. They tend to get rancid and develop a “fishy” odor and flavor over time.

That can be a problem when they’re incorporated into combat rations that have to stand up to stringent shelf-life and temperature requirements. Meals, Ready to Eat, individual combat rations, must be able to maintain their quality for three years if stored at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or six months when exposed to more extreme temperatures.

As food engineers here develop prototype rations with fortified products, they subject them to some pretty intensive rigors. “We produce the food and store it for six months at high-heat conditions,” said Anderson, comparable to what they’d be exposed to during a three-year shelf life.

The next step is to assess how much of the Omega 3 oils get absorbed into the body. Barrett is writing the protocols to conduct human feeding studies, with hopes of completing them within the next few months. Once they get the required official approvals, she hopes to begin testing within the year.

The test subjects -- soldiers who pull 89-day duty tours at the Natick center serving as human research volunteers -- will eat the food, then have their blood drawn at various time intervals to measure Omega 3 levels in their blood, Anderson explained.

“Hopefully, what they will get from the stored food will be the same as [if they had eaten] the fresh food or taken capsules,” Barrett said. “That’s what we’d really like to see.”

Meanwhile, the Optimization Research Team is investigating other ways to enhance warfighter capability.

One project evaluated the use of condensed tannins found in fruits and beans to determine the health benefits. Another under way now involves phytochemicals -- compounds in cranberries and other fruits and vegetables -- to determine what happens to them during the digestion, and ultimately, how they help the process.

“We’re trying to find out the mechanisms behind what is going on when you eat food and it is introduced into your body, and how it turns into something useful,” Anderson said.

She emphasized, however, that the bottom line for all the research is to support the missions warfighters conduct -- not to create “super-warfighters.”

“The warfighter is not the same as a trained athlete doing the Tour de France,” she said. “We have to demonstrate that the product will be effective in a military-relevant setting. Everything we do here has military relevance.”
 

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Published: 9/27/2012

The Defense Department is working with airlines to implement a new flight cancellation policy that may affect air travel for some temporary duty travelers, a Pentagon official said today.

Andrea Carlock, chief of the program management branch, which serves as part of the Defense Travel Management Office, discussed the genesis of these changes and the potential impact on DOD travelers.

“Effective October 1, 2012, any authorization that has airline reservations associated with it will be canceled if not approved and ticketed at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure,” she said.

“Airlines expressed to GSA, as the program manager, that many of our government travelers were making reservations and were not canceling those reservations,” Carlock explained. “Because of the lack of cancellations [for] those reservations, the airlines were losing money. So with that, GSA implemented this new policy.”

According to Carlock, the new policy governs the time requirements for travelers and authorization officials to make and approve arrangements for flights before travel occurs.

“The government employee needs to keep in mind that when you make a reservation, be it through [Defense Travel System] or the Commercial Travel Office … you’re doing just that – making [a] reservation,” she said. “If your approving official does not approve that authorization, that ticket cannot be issued,” Carlock said. “So it could impact your mission and it could increase the cost of travel.

“How could it impact your mission?” she continued. “You could get to the airport and there are no more flights available for that particular timeframe.”

Or it could increase costs, Carlock said, if the original flight was booked in a lower class of service and now only a higher class is available. This could generate increased costs to the department if authorizations aren’t approved and ticketed in a timely manner.

Carlock explained requirements for short notice travel that service members and their authorization officials should be aware of. “If you’re going TDY on short-notice travel, and you’re traveling within 72 hours of your flight departure time, you need to ensure that your [authorizing official] improves that authorization and [it is] ticketed,” she said. 

“If they do not approve it within 24 hours of creation, the reservation will be canceled,” Carlock advised.

For travel departing within 24 hours, she said, individuals need to ensure that they get their authorizations approved and ticketed six hours prior to scheduled flight departure time to prevent cancellation.

Carlock noted this information is available through the Defense Management Travel Office website, and the Commercial Travel Office will provide information on travelers’ itineraries regarding cancellations.

A pop-up system is also being implemented for the Defense Travel System, she said, advising those intending to make flight arrangements of these new requirements.

“It’s very important for travelers to ensure that they’re monitoring their authorizations,” Carlock said. “The onus is on the traveler to ensure that the approving official approves the authorization and that they actually have a ticket that’s been issued.”

“[Additionally], travelers need to ensure that their DTS profiles are maintained, that their government travel charge card information is updated and that their travel card is activated,” she added.

Carlock encouraged travelers to ensure they take their itineraries with them to the airport upon departure.

“If they get to the airport and they do not have a reservation, the information to contact the Commercial Travel Office is located on that itinerary,” she said. “And that itinerary can be obtained at the time of booking.”
 

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Published: 9/27/2012

Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport here yesterday to learn about international F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft pilot training.

The Arizona Air National Guard was one of several stops Carter made throughout the Tucson area.

"It was very good for our airmen to see a senior Department of Defense leader visit our installation," said Air Force Col. Mick McGuire, 162nd Fighter Wing commander. "Dr. Carter left with a strong understanding of our mission and the impact of our global training success."

Carter and his staff met with students and exchange pilots from Iraq, Singapore, Japan, Denmark, Poland, South Korea, Norway and the Netherlands.

Air Guardsmen here train more than 70 international student pilots per year, offering several training programs that range from initial F-16 training to qualify new pilots to an advanced weapons course, officials said.

The 162nd is the "face of the USAF to the world" providing the best-trained coalition warfighting partners for the U.S. Air Force, officials said. The wing has trained pilots from 28 countries that fly the F-16, while developing strategic partnerships and building strong international relationships based on performance, friendship and trust.
 

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Published: 9/26/2012

Defense Department measures announced yesterday focus on military commanders, senior enlisted and frontline leaders as key in the battle to prevent and respond to sexual assault, a senior defense official said today.

Army Maj. Gen. Gary S. Patton, director of DOD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, told American Forces Press Service the department will strengthen pre-command and senior enlisted training and assess initial officer and enlisted training across the services.

“We’re doing an ongoing assessment of multiple training venues, but the first one the secretary wanted to hit was the pre-command course,” Patton said. “Commanders play a key role in sexual assault prevention and response.”

He noted commanders are responsible for enforcing DOD policies on sexual assault, and for creating a unit climate that supports victims, holds offenders accountable and encourages all service members to prevent unsafe behavior.

“We think such a culture starts with leaders and permeates down to the lowest levels,” Patton said.

In January, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta directed Patton’s office to review sexual assault prevention and response training received by officers and senior noncommissioned officers before they assume unit command or senior enlisted positions. That review generated recommendations aimed at making best practices in one service into common practices across all the services, he added.

In a memo to service chiefs yesterday, Panetta directed them to:

-- Develop and implement standardized core competencies and learning objectives applicable to pre-command and senior enlisted leader sexual assault prevention and response training;

-- Develop and implement standardized methods for objectively assessing the effectiveness of pre-command and senior enlisted leader sexual assault prevention and response training;

-- Provide a dedicated block of interactive instruction for commanders and senior enlisted leaders that allows for sufficient time to achieve learning objectives;

-- Provide program information and guidance for commanders in a quick-reference "Commander's Guide”;

-- Assess commanders' and senior enlisted leaders' understanding and mastery of key sexual assault prevention and response concepts and skills; and

-- Develop and implement commander and senior enlisted leader refresher training to sustain skills and knowledge.

Patton said his office will work with the services’ senior sexual assault prevention and response program managers to develop the required standardized core competencies and learning objectives.

“For example, all commanders must understand the reporting options available to a victim of sexual assault,” he said. Other key concepts, he added, include the wide range of victim services available and that sexual assault investigations are conducted by professional military criminal investigative organizations, not by commanders.

In reviewing existing pre-command sexual assault prevention training, Patton said, his staff saw many innovative approaches to the topic that the new standardized training will emphasize.

“Let’s get away from PowerPoint; let’s get to interactive training,” he said.

In a parallel effort, he said, the secretary of defense directed the services to examine the training environments where new service members -- officer and enlisted -- begin their military careers. Patton acknowledged the sexual misconduct cases at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, contributed to the comprehensive review.

“It’s also something the secretary of defense has been concerned about for some time, and part of a broader effort in the department to address the crime of sexual assault,” he said.

Safe, secure learning environments are critical to young soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, the general said. “We know that those youngest and newest service members are the ones most likely to experience a sexual assault,” he said.

The review will examine timing and delivery of sexual assault prevention training, processes for gathering student feedback, and trainee access to sexual assault prevention and response programs, he said. It also will examine the selection, training and oversight of instructors, instructor-student ratios, leader-instructor ratios within training units, and the potential benefit of increasing the number of female instructors, he added.

The review is aimed at achieving two ends, he said: “One is to create a safe environment for our initial military trainees; and two, deter and detect those who choose to ignore standards and engage in inappropriate or criminal behavior.”

Panetta will receive the review’s results in February, Patton noted. He said he’s confident each of the services takes the matter seriously.

“They’ll go out and give this a very comprehensive and close examination,” he said. “I know they’re all interested in making their training environments safer and better … for their newest service members.”
 

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