April 24, 2007 - "I've said it before, and I'll say it again, these ceremonies are one of the best things I get to do here at Carlisle Barracks," said Maj. Gen. David Huntoon, USAWC commandant during the quarterly awards ceremony April 24, in the LVCC.

    Huntoon went on to say that the qualities exhibited by those receiving honors were a reflection of the people on the installation.

    "Leadership is an integral part of what we do in this business," he said. "And the group here today exhibits the dedication to service and their profession."

Those recognized were the following:

• Jeffrey Hanks, ACS - 2006 Civilian Employee of the Year

• Laura Richards, DDE - Civilian Employee of the Quarter, 1st Qtr CY 07

• Staff Sgt. Frances Forand, Chapel - NCO of the Quarter, 2nd Qtr FY 07

• Spc. George Frame, HRD - Soldier of the Quarter, 2nd Qtr FY 07

• Staff Sgt. Christopher Fincham, Public Affairs Office, Army Achievement Medal for graduating
  the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course as the Distinguished Honor Graduate.

• Brenda Magnin, Seminar 21 - Outstanding Civilian Service Award          

Certificates of Achievement from the 3rd Brigade (CS) 80th Division (IT):

• Staff Sgt. Chico Wilkerson, CSL

• Sgt. Charles Herzog, HRD

• Spc. Devone Landers, DUSAHC

• Jennie Clubb, CSL - 25 Years Length of Service

Commanding General's Bonus Award Program:

• Randy Carpenter, HRD

• Jennie Clubb, CSL

• George Fritz, CEA

• Kathryn Ramsey, DDE

• Thomas Walck, AHEC

J.D. Leipold, Army News Service

Army Releases New OPSEC Regulation

    WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 20, 2007) - Changes to the Army's operations security regulation address accountability, new technology and the inclusion of all Army personnel in OPSEC practices.
        The revised Army Regulation 530-1, "Operations Security," provides updated definitions; aligns the Army's policies, terms and doctrine with the Defense Department; and brings Army Contractors into the fold while addressing the role Army Family Members have in OPSEC.
    "The change includes Army Civilians and Contractors, who are not subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice," said Maj. Ray Ceralde, the Army OPSEC program manager and author of the revision. "The reason we included Contractors in the regulation is they're more involved in operations today than ever before. If you have all your Soldiers and DA Civilians practicing OPSEC and your Contractors - who are an integral part of your operations - aren't ... well, you have a gaping hole in security that could affect everyone's lives."
    Maj. Ceralde said OPSEC is a "total Army concept" and includes Families and friends though he acknowledged they aren't subject to a commander's orders.
    "We felt it necessary to actively encourage those demographics," he said. "Much of the practice of OPSEC will be conveyed from the commander down to the Soldier who we hope will pass on the importance that what a Family Member or friend puts up on the Web can unwittingly be used against us."
    Regulation changes also address how technology, specifically the Internet, has changed the face of OPSEC since the last major revision to the regulations in 1995. A 2005 revision addressed new technology, but the new revision addresses technological concerns not covered in the 2005 revision.
    "The Internet, personal Web sites, blogs (Web logs) - those are examples of where our adversaries are looking for open-source information about us," said Maj. Ceralde. "Open-source information isn't classified and may look like nothing more than innocuous bits of information, a piece here, a piece there, like pieces of a puzzle. But when you put enough of the pieces together you begin to realize the bigger picture and that something could be going on."
    Outside of technology, Maj. Ceralde cited an example of how "innocuous" bits of information can give a snapshot of a bigger picture. He described how the Pentagon parking lot had more parked cars than usual on the evening of Jan. 16, 1991, and how pizza parlors noticed a significant increase of pizza to the Pentagon and other government agencies. These observations are indicators, unclassified information available to all, Maj. Ceralde said. That was the same night that Operation Desert Storm began.
    While Army personnel may maintain their own Web sites or post information on blogs, Maj. Ceralde said they have to be careful about what they write and what they post because even unclassified information can provide significant information to adversaries.
    "For example, photos of deployed Soldiers to share with Family and friends are acceptable. However, when the photo includes a background of the inside of their camp with force protection measures in plain view, an adversary who is planning to attack their camp and sees a photo like this on the Internet now knows how to counter their force-protection measures," Maj. Ceralde said.
    The regulation also puts a greater emphasis on commanders' responsibilities to implement OPSEC.
    "We tell commanders what they must to do to get their people to understand what's critical and sensitive information and how to protect it, but commanders have to make that perfectly clear in the form of orders and directives," Maj. Ceralde said. "The other part of this tells Soldiers that if they fail to comply they may be punished under article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for disobeying a lawful order."
    Other key changes to the regulations include the addition of punitive measures for violations of specific directives, the designation of "For Official Use Only" as a standard marking on all unclassified products that meet at least one exemption of the Freedom of Information Act, directing encryption of e-mail messages that contain sensitive information on unclassified networks, and emphasizing operations security in contracts and acquisitions.
    "OPSEC is not traditional security, such as information security like marking, handling and classifying information; it's not the physical security of actually protecting classified information though they're all related and part of OPSEC," Maj. Ceralde said. "OPSEC is different from traditional security in that we want to eliminate, reduce and conceal indicators, unclassified and open-source observations of friendly activity that can give away critical information."

Dr. Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., U. S. Army Military History Institute, U. S. Army Heritage and Education Center

This week in Army History: The Birth of Armored Forces

April 22, 2007 -- On April 28, 1918, the 1st Light Tank Battalion was organized at Bourg, France, with Lt. Col. George S. Patton, Jr., in command. Patton had been the first soldier assigned to the fledgling Tank Corps in November 1917. Shortly afterwards, he established the first Army Tank School at Bourg. The first two companies (200 men) reached the school on February 22, 1918.

    Because no American-made tanks had reached France, Patton had to rely on twenty-five borrowed French Renault tanks in training his men. Two of Patton's staff officers received orders to create a new patch for his men to wear on their uniforms. Based upon his guidance, they came up with the now familiar pyramid or triangle design with the colors red, yellow, and blue, which combine the branch colors of artillery, cavalry, and infantry. Patton immediately paid to have 300 patches sewn in nearby Langres. With this patch and other measures, Patton provided the Tank Corps with its own identity. When organized, the 1st Light Tank Battalion consisted of three companies.

    By June 6, Patton had enough officers and men in camp to organize the 2nd Light Tank Battalion, also of three companies. Patton then became commander of the 1st Tank Brigade. Word reached Patton on the morning of August 20 that he and his two battalions would soon go into combat. The brigade took 144 Renault tanks into the St. Mihiel Offensive on September 12, with one battalion each supporting the 1st and 42nd Divisions. Over the next two days, the men fought in several small actions and suffered few casualties.

    The Tank Brigade saw more action during the Meuse-Argonne Campaign from September 26 to November 2, 1918. These battles gave Patton an idea of how better tanks might accomplish greater things on battlefields of the future. He saw the Tank Corps becoming an independent combat arm. Patton himself had learned to adjust quickly to the rapidly changing events on the battlefield. He would brilliantly exhibit this trait during his operations in World War II. The Army's high command and members of the United States Congress did not share Patton's vision. The National Defense Act of 1920 abolished the Tank Corps as an independent arm, and tank units came under control of the infantry. Not until twenty years later, on July 10, 1940, was the Armored Force created. The 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions were activated five days later, and George S. Patton would become commander of the 2nd Armored Division in April 1941.

    Armored forces played a significant role in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, and the Middle East. A new heavy tank developed in November 1949 would receive the name M46 Patton. Subsequent models through the M60 would retain the Patton name. Just prior to the fighting at St. Mihiel, Patton instructed his tankers: "No tank is to be surrendered or abandoned to the enemy. If you are left alone in the midst of the enemy keep shooting. If your gun is disabled use your pistols and squash the enemy with your tracks." That spirit of the man and his 1st Light Tank Battalion lives on in the armored forces of today's Army.

The AHEC has joined with Army.mil to bring to the Army, to veterans, to the American public, and to the world the continuing history of the United States Army. Please visit this weekly feature for insights into the past, present, and future of America's senior military service. http://www.army.mil/history/
 

Carmen L. Gleason, American Forces Press Service

Why We Serve: Marine applies childhood experiences to military career

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2007 - A childhood dream became reality when a missionary couple's daughter joined the U.S. Marine Corps four years ago.

   "I fell in love with the thought of being a Marine when I was 14 years old," Sgt. Paula Payne said.
    Payne is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to participate in the "Why We Serve" outreach program to share their personal experiences with the American public. Program participants are traveling throughout the nation to speak to veterans organizations, schools and business groups.
    The 23-year-old, who lived outside of the United States for the first 15 years of her life, said she realized at a young age that she needed to find a way to pay for her secondary education.
    "Being missionaries, my parents didn't make a lot of money," Payne said. "Since going to college was important to me, I knew I had to find a way to pay for it."
    After talking to her father about several options and doing a lot of research, Payne said, the natural choice for her was to join the Marine Corps to pay for schooling down the road; so she signed up for the Delayed Entry Program while still in high school.
    Within seven months of being assigned to the 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.
    While deployed, Payne was one of the first female Marines to man checkpoints in Operation Lioness. Up until that point, Iraqi women were passing through checkpoints without being searched due to cultural sensitivities. Payne said some were being used as "mules" to traffic drugs and weapons.
    "The experience was great," the radio operator said. "That's when I realized being able to have contact with another culture was really awesome."
     She said she was surprised that many of the Iraqis coming through the checkpoints seem to love Americans. "They let their kids out (of the cars) to come and see us," Payne said. "The kids always wanted to be held, and mothers wanted us to kiss their babies."
    Payne said she was also surprised at how giving many of the Iraqis are. "They were always giving us fruit, baklava and candy," she said.
    Mission work and military service may seem to be opposite ends of the spectrum, but Payne said they have much in common.
   "My childhood up-bringing and the Marine Corps go hand-in-hand," she said. "Being a missionary kid and pastor's daughter, I was taught to care about others, be humble and self-sacrificing."
    Payne said those are principles that play a large role in being a Marine.
    Marines take care of their fellow troops, they care for the people they are trying to protect, and they are willing to lay down their lives for their country, she said.
    "A lot of the values and morals I learned as a child really have carried over to the Marine Corps," Payne said. "I've been able to apply my childhood experience to my current job."

Public Affairs staff report

Leaving Carlisle Barracks?  Here are some things you need to do

    April 26, 2007 -- The following are a set or articles designed to help U.S. Army War College students and Carlisle Barracks staff and faculty as they transition from Carlisle Barracks.

Take Your Files and Email with You

    "While you have been here at Carlisle Barracks, you have acquired and generated a number of email messages and files," said John Murray, Computer Education Center Manager. "As you prepare to depart Carlisle Barracks, you may decide that you want to make copies of some of those email messages and files to take with you to your next assignment."

    To assist you in making copies of these emails and files, the Computer Education Center (CEC) staff recommends that you complete the following steps.  Detailed instructions for completing these steps are available from the CEC. 

1. Make a copy of all the email items (messages, calendar, contact lists) you want to take with you and place them in the Personal Folder associated with your email account.

2. Determine the size and location of any files or folders you wish to copy and take with you.  This will help determine the number and type of removable media (i.e. CDs/DVDs) you will need to hold a copy of all the data files you want to take with you.

3. When you have completed steps 1 and 2 above, you are ready to copy the files and folders on your list to your removable media.  Just log on to a Carlisle Barracks computer and start making your copies. 

4. When you have completed step 3, you should check the contents of your removable media to ensure all the files are there and that you can access them.

Before You Depart Carlisle Barracks, Get your Army Knowledge Online (AKO) Account Ready

    As you prepare to depart Carlisle Barracks, the staff of the Computer Education Center (CEC) recommends that you prepare your Army Knowledge Online (AKO) account for departure as well.  To prepare your AKO account for departure, you should check the following two items associated with your AKO account.  Doing so will help ensure you can access your AKO account throughout your trip.

·         Check the expiration date of your AKO password to make sure it does not expire before you reach your new assignment.  Remember you must use a Common Access Card (CAC) logon session to change your AKO password.  This CAC logon requirement may make changing your AKO password while in transit to your next assignment very difficult.

·         Check to make sure your AKO email account is not forwarded to your Carlisle Barracks' email account.  Continuing to have your AKO email automatically forwarded to your Carlisle Barracks' email account will make it difficult to access those email messages, because your Carlisle Barracks' email account will be closed shortly after you leave.

    If you need assistance in completing these steps, feel free to contact the CEC at 245-4213 or email CECHelp@carlisle.army.mil.

Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service

Army activates new Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed

April 25, 2007 - The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded Soldiers.

   Dubbed the Warrior Transition Brigade, the unit's leaders will take control of its first company of wounded warriors April 27. Two more companies will be added when the full complement of 166 Soldiers is on the ground in June. About 600 wounded Soldiers will eventually be assigned to the brigade.
    Officials called the activation historic and precedent-setting, as it signals a fundamental shift in the way the Army manages those thrust into its sometimes confusing and bureaucratic medical system.
   The unit is called the Warrior Transition Brigade, because the Soldiers assigned there are "in a very difficult transitional period in their lives and in the lives of their families," said Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, commanding general of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
    Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston both attended the event, flanked by a host of other VIPs and congressional representatives.
   The structure of the brigade is based on a triad of support for the Soldier, the unit's commander, Army Col. Terrence McKenrick, said. It will become the model for all medical treatment facilities across the Army.
    Under the new formation, each company boasts a staff of 50, including 18 squad leaders, 12 case managers and headquarters staff. Squad leaders, case managers and primary care managers will all be integrated into the patient care plan and, for the first time, all three will be working within the same brigade.
    The three companies were given armor, infantry and artillery nicknames: Able Troop for armor, Battle Company for infantry, and Chosen Battery for field artillery.
    "Those three separate organizations represent the heart of our organization, which is the squad leader. Most of our squad leaders were chosen from the armor, infantry and field artillery units," McKenrick said. Many are combat veterans, he said.
    The squad leaders are the first line leaders for the command and will have only nine to 12 patient-Soldiers in their care.
   The unit's top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, said the squad leaders will provide hands-on, eyes-on leadership that was absent when the center came under fire for poor outpatient Soldier care.
   "That squad leader is your mother. He's your father. He's your brother. He's your best friend. He's someone you can talk to," Hartless said. "He's someone who fixes your problems."
   Also under the new structure, 28 new case managers have been added, totaling 36 for the brigade. Each company will have 12. In addition, three senior case managers will oversee the staff. All of the case managers are Army registered nurses, allowing a better understanding of the patient care plan, Brigade Surgeon Army Lt. Col. Mike Bell said.
    The additional managers allow for a caseload of one-to-17; before it was about one-to-50, Bell said.
    Each company will have a physician and staff who work with specialists in the hospital to develop a patient care plan for each patient-Soldier. Before, the military medical system assigned primary care managers from a pool of managers scattered within Walter Reed. Now a 25-member cell of physicians, nurses and support staff will focus only the primary care needs of those in the brigade, Bell said. The goal is to develop a seamless program that improves access and continuity of care, he said.
    The brigade has been receiving cadre for the past seven weeks. Most of the company-level leaders are in place, and all should be here by the end of May. Hartless said the first task for the brigade leaders will be earning the trust of the patient-Soldiers.
    "We have to gain their trust. They're scared," he said. "Things are changing again for them. Some are getting new case managers. They are getting new platoon sergeants. They are going to have a squad leader. It's unknown for them. They already trust the medical part."
    Each staff member will undergo a cadre training plan that includes 55 briefings on topics ranging from an overview of the medical command, the duties of squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the medical and physical board process.
    Still, Hartless said, he will be keeping a close eye on how the new cadre and patient-Soldiers interact.
    "I have no problem pulling a cadre member aside and saying, 'Hey, remember who you are talking to. This guy's had a traumatic brain injury,'" Hartless said. "He has an appointment at 10 at physical therapy tomorrow. You need to make sure he gets there. You may have to take him. You have to know where your people are. Go check up on them."
    The first company to stand up April 27 is made up of the National Guard and Reserve Soldiers receiving care at the center. After June 8, when the other two companies are staffed, those Soldiers will be integrated into the other companies down to the squad leaders.
    "They shouldn't be separate. A Soldier is a Soldier is a Soldier," Hartless said. "It's one fight, one team. That's what we are going to do here."

Carol Kerr, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

Tom Zimmerman, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

Youth art program has two winners in national art contest

April 17, 2007 - Success and recognition continues for the Carlisle Barracks Youth Services Art program, which once again has winners at the national level.

    Calyx Schenecker, 12 years old and Ben Ulrich, eight years old, have been named grand prize winners in the 2007 Armed Services YMCA Art Contest. This is the second year in a row that Carlisle Barracks has had two of the 12 grand prize winners in the contest. Schenecker was the overall winner for Army entries, and Ulrich was the winner for the Air Force entrants.

    "That speaks very highly for our art program, instructor Connie Barr, and the talent and dedication of the kids we have here in this small art program," said Bob Salviano, YS director. Each grand prize winner receives a $500 savings bond.

   The art contest asks children of active duty and retired service men and women from all branches of the military, as well as the National Guard and Reserve, to submit illustrations of their military families. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade are invited to submit a color drawing on a 6 x 8 inch template provided by ASYMCA.

First-place winners from each branch of service, including National Guard and Reserve, are awarded a $500 U.S. savings bond; second-place winners will receive a $100 U.S. savings bond. All winning artwork is featured on the ASYMCA Web site and on a Military Family Month poster, which will be distributed to members of Congress and Department of Defense officials.   

    The timing of the announcements is also great because the art program is also unveiling its Semi-Annual Art Exhibit in the Post Commissary this week. The art was done as part of the YS art program, which offers classes during the school year and the summer.

   "We offer two art classes each semester from 4:30 to 6:00 each Tuesday and Thursday," said Barr, the class instructor.  According to Barr, the classes generally use a building block approach starting with basic pencil drawing then moving on to charcoal, ink and wash. The class then moves on to pastels, watercolors and acrylics. Each class usually has about 20 participants. For more information or to find out how to register call YS at 245-3354.

    Barr explained that the class uses different techniques to help the youth learn about art and its different styles.

    "The class uses a building block approach starting with basic pencil drawing then moving on to charcoal, ink and wash," she said. "The students this year are very enthusiastic and talented," she said. "We are having lots of fun and learning quite a bit."

   Barr has been teaching the art class since 2003. Before coming to Carlisle, Barr had been an art teacher in high school. 

    The work from the class is now currently on display in the Carlisle Barracks commissary. 

Public Affairs staff report

Big changes coming for post email users

Carmen L. Gleason, American Forces Press Service

Army restricts spending while waiting for Congressional approval

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 - Due to budget shortfalls, the Army announced April 16 that spending restrictions will be enforced while waiting for Congress to pass an emergency supplemental for funding requirements associated with the global war on terror.

    Army budget officials said the delay is related more to the policy issues surrounding the supplemental, rather than the amount of money being requested.

    Funds for operations and maintenance have run low, requiring restrictions in other areas to ensure funds are available for the Army to execute its mission of defending the nation and prosecuting the war on terror while continuing to support military families, officials said.

    Although the restrictions are unusual, they are not unprecedented, William Campbell, deputy director for the Army budget, said. He said the Army plans to slow down spending to stretch out available funds in the interim.

    "I am confident that (the supplemental) will get passed," Campbell said. "In talking with staffers and congressmen, they are eager to get the money to the Army that it needs."

    Campbell said the guidance is in a phased plan that will begin with simple restrictions over the next six weeks before becoming more stringent.

   Beginning in mid-April, the Army will slow the purchase of non-critical repair parts and supplies, he said. Non-essential travel and supply transactions using a government purchase card and shipment of equipment will also be restricted unless needed immediately for war efforts.

   In the interim, Army officials have worked with the Defense Department comptroller to submit a proposal to Congress to borrow $1.6 billion from the Navy and Air Force that would ease the Army's shortfall through June.

   If budget issues aren't soon resolved, Campbell said that another reprogramming would be submitted in three or four weeks to carry the Army through the end of July.

    This is the second year in a row that the Army has had to restrict spending while waiting for additional money from Congress. However, DoD has taken steps toward the stabilizing of funding for the next fiscal year.

    Current policies have military branches getting a "down payment" of funds at the beginning of each fiscal year and receiving the remainder in April, May or June, said Campbell.

   "DoD has submitted, for (fiscal year 2008), a base program budget and (global war on terror) allowance for the entire year as part of the budget," Campbell said. This would allow the Army to receive all needed money at the beginning of the fiscal year, he said.

   Campbell said that commanders have been given a lot of latitude and flexibility to make exceptions in restrictions for the war on terror, family programs and national intelligence programs.

   In the worst case scenario, contracts may be deferred and civilian hiring will be restricted, but not frozen, he said.

   "At this point there is no reason to be concerned about employment," he said. "Last year we did release some temporary employees, but this year we're going to monitor it more carefully."

    Campbell said that soldiers shouldn't be too concerned because it will not affect their pay or deployment readiness. "We should be able to manage money so that it's transparent to soldiers and their families in the field," he said.

    "This is really mostly a budget drill," he said. "But it's gotten a lot of media coverage because of the policy issues surrounding it."

Dr. Anna Waggener, U.S. Army War College Director, Institutional Assessment

Executive Public Speaking class holds mock panels

April 19, 2007 -- The Executive Public Speaking held its mock panels April 3-17 with approximately 86 students participating in an elective that offers advanced practice - speaking to a public audience - of a skill introduced in the first course of the Academic Year - Fundamentals of Strategic Thinking.

    The mock panel was one of the six requirements of the Executive Public Speaking elective.  In addition to the mock panel, students gave three speeches, wrote a paper on strategic issues and communication, and completed the U.S. Speaking Requirement.

    The topics for the mock panels this year included Embedded Journalism/Reporters, Homeland Security-U.S. Borders, International Terrorism, and Troop Surge or Troop Decrease.  Each panelist presented evidence to points and counterpoints, as well as demonstrated critical and creative analysis of the topic.  Panels were followed with question and answer periods that allowed for further exploration of the topic.

    Executive Public Speaking instructors served as facilitators for the mock panels.  They were: Dr. Anna Waggener, course director, Lt. Col. Randy Readshaw, Directorate of Human Resources, Col. Guy Maillet, Department of National Security and Strategy, Col. Steve Weiler, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, Carol Kerr, Public Affairs Office, and Jenni Pritchett, Institutional Assessment. 

    The objectives of the Executive Public Speaking Program are to:  enhance students' ability to successfully formulate, organize, and persuasively express expertise and ideas, improve ability to listen and evaluate other ideas and demonstrate critical thinking skills in an extemporaneous manner.

J.D Leipold, Army News Service

Combat patches authorized at lower echelons

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 16, 2007) - The Army has changed its policy on the wear of combat patches as a result of the way Soldiers and their units now deploy.
    Since 1945 the intent behind the wear of the combat patch, known as the "shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service," was to recognize Soldiers' participation in combat operations. However, this only applied to Soldiers who were serving with such large echelon deployed units as separate brigades, divisions, corps, Army commands or higher.
    "Soldiers deploy differently now, at smaller echelon levels such as companies, battalions, combat brigade teams and as individual augmentees in support of larger echelon units," said Sgt. Maj. Katrina Easley, branch chief for uniform policy at Army G-1. "At those levels they weren't authorized to wear their unit patch as a combat patch."
   Once Soldiers report to their first units, they wear their command's patch on their left sleeves. When deployed to a designated combat zone, Soldiers may also wear the company-level or higher patch that they serve with on their right sleeves.
   In the past, confusion resulted over which combat patch should be worn by Soldiers who were cross-leveled, assigned, attached or serving as augmentees to deployed units. This also affected Soldiers under temporary duty orders in a combat zone.
   The new guidance states that when echelons below company level deploy, Soldiers in those units may now wear the combat patch of the lowest-echelon command they deploy with, as long as it's at company level or higher.
   The new implementing instructions to Army Regulation 670-1 became effective March 28 and are not retroactive.
   As before, Soldiers who have earned multiple combat patches may choose which patch to wear. Soldiers may also elect not to wear a combat patch.

Dr. Conrad Crane, US Army Military History Institute, Army Heritage and Education Center     

This week in Army history- Cerro Gordo

April 19, 2007 -- In April 1847, the war with Mexico was entering its second year. European observers and Mexican leaders had expected the fledgling American Army to be easily overwhelmed, but it had performed superbly. In the war's first twelve months, the Army had overrun New Mexico, secured the Rio Grande frontier, and carried the war into northern Mexico itself. Continuing farther south by that overland route, however, would prove difficult, if not impossible, logistically.
    Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, Commanding General of the United States Army, then launched a bold stroke across the Gulf of Mexico to capture the main enemy port and then strike westward for the Mexican capital itself. In one of the Army's earliest amphibious operations, he landed just below Vera Cruz and then captured that crucial port in March 1847.
    Now, a month later, Scott faced a serious dilemma. To advance toward Mexico City would require overcoming a more numerous enemy force, arrayed across his line of march in a strong defensive position in the rocky defile at Cerro Gordo. Delaying the assault, however, would keep the Americans in the coastal lowlands as yellow fever season was beginning. To make matters worse, he also faced the impending expiration of many of the enlistments of his volunteers.
   But half of Scott's small army of less than 10,000 were hardened regulars, and many of his junior officers were young West Point graduates destined for greatness on future battlefields. One of them, an engineer Captain named Robert E. Lee whom Scott relied upon for reconnaissance, found a route around the Mexican left flank, building upon the initial scouting of first lieutenants Joseph E. Johnston and Pierre G. T. Beauregard, also future Confederate generals. The Mexican leader, General Santa Anna, had set up a strong defense in depth with his more than 12,000 troops, but considered any route around his position to be impassable. On April 17, Scott sent a strong column under the command of Brigadier General David Twiggs along Lee's route to be prepared to assault the vulnerable flank, and on the 18th they attacked. With the rest of Scott's force storming the front of the Mexican position, Santa Anna's men soon broke and ran. The Mexican army was shattered, and the road to Mexico City, and out of the disease-ridden lowlands, was open.
    By September Scott had taken the Mexican capital. He conducted a masterful campaign featuring heroic fighting by his Army and an enlightened pacification campaign that kept guerrilla harassment to a minimum. Seeing the American flag over his capital, and reflecting upon all the lost artillery that now arrays Trophy Point at West Point, Santa Anna remarked, "if we were to plant our batteries in hell the damned Yankees would take them from us." The famous Duke of Wellington proclaimed Scott "the greatest living soldier," and urged English officers to study a campaign that was "unsurpassed in military annals." The United States Army had demonstrated its mettle and arrived on the world stage.

Upcoming Military Family Program presentations

    To find out more about what's going on at Carlisle Barracks, check the Community Calendar

• May 8 - (NEW) EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MODULAR ARMY, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK; A SPOUSES SURVIVAL GUIDE, Dr. John Bonin will give a noon time lecture on transformation and the modular Army. This is based on many requests and is your chance to get the latest update on the many changes being implemented. The briefing will be conducted on Tuesday, May 8, from 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Bliss Hall Auditorium.

• May 10 - (DATE CHANGE from 1 May) National Military Family Program (NMFA) Update, Patty Barron will give an update and status on all the issues being lobbied for by NMFA. You can also bring up issues that should be addressed by Congress to help military Families. The update will be conducted on Thursday, May 10, from  11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Bliss Hall Auditorium.

    All the presentations are open to the entire Carlisle Barracks Community, For more information call Joe York at 245-4787 or email joseph.york@carlisle.army.mil.

Army Substance Abuse Prevention/Education classes Spring/Summer 2007

    April 18, 2007 -- The Army Substance Abuse Office ensures that all military and civilian personnel are provided prevention education/training services (that is a minimum of four hours for military personnel and three hours for civilian employees). In an effort to satisfy this requirement the ASAP/Prevention Office will be providing a variety of training opportunities throughout the year. Numerous sites and topics will be available for all personnel to fulfill this obligation.

    The following is a schedule of (no more than) one-hour sessions for FY 07. Pre-registration is required, space is limited. Bring your lunch. Classes are open to family members.  For information or to schedule individual organization training, contact the Prevention Office at 245-4576.

    Classes are available to the entire Carlisle Barracks community.

DATE                           TIME                LOCATION                   TOPIC                         

Tues. May 15    1 - 2:30 p.m.     Upton Hall Aud.    Employee Assistance Program (Supervisors)

Thurs. May 24   10 - 11:30 a.m. Upton Hall Aud.     Employee Assistance Program (Supervisors)

NOTE: The above class is for supervisors only. This training will provide supervisors with information on a system that is designed to assist you in identifying and helping employees who are experiencing personal problems that may impact their work performance and work environment.  

Tues. June 5                 1p.m.                Upton Hall Aud.             Summer Sense/Alcohol Awareness

Fri. June 8                     11 a.m.             Upton Hall Aud.             Summer Sense/Alcohol Awareness

Mon. June 18                1p.m.                Education Ctr.               Summer Sense/Alcohol Awareness

Fri. June 29                   noon                 Education Ctr.               Summer Sense/Alcohol Awareness

    The above class will review safe/responsible behavior for summer activities.

DATE                           TIME                LOCATION                               TOPIC                         

Mon. July 9                   11 a.m.             Upton Hall Aud.             Drug Free in the Golden Years

Fri. July 13                    noon                 Education Ctr.               Drug Free in the Golden Years

Mon. July 30                 1p.m.                Education Ctr.               Drug Free in the Golden Years

Tues. July 31                 1p.m.                Upton Hall Aud.             Drug Free in the Golden Years

This class will explore alcohol - medication interaction. How common is it and who is at risk.

Thurs. Aug. 16               11 a.m.             Upton Hall Aud.             Stress Management

Tues. Aug. 21                1p.m.                Upton Hall Aud.             Stress Management

Fri. Aug. 24                   11 a.m.             632 Wright Ave.             Stress Management

Thurs. Aug. 30 .             1p.m.                632 Wright Ave.             Stress Management

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.

Gen. Casey Speaks to the Army Family

April 12, 2007 -- Soldiers, Civilians and Families of the United States Army,
    I am extremely proud to be taking charge of an organization that is rightly regarded as the best in the world. I have watched the men and women of our Army in action for the past several years in the most demanding combat environment. I am proud of the courage, competence, and commitment of our Soldiers and civilians both to the ideals that made this country great and to making a difference in our world. You epitomize what is best about America. You and your families carry a heavy burden in today's war, with a hard road ahead. Your willingness to sacrifice to build a better future for others and to preserve our way of life is a great strength of our Nation. In every generation, when faced with difficult challenges, Americans have risen to the occasion. Today, such heroes fill the Army's ranks. It is your efforts that will make victory possible.
    We are locked in a war against a global extremist network that is fixed on defeating the United States and destroying our way of life. This foe will not go away nor will they give up easily, and the next decade will likely be one of persistent conflict. We are engaged in a long war.
    At stake are the power of our values and our civilization, exemplified by the promise of America, to confront and defeat the menace of extremist terrorists. At stake is whether the authority of those who treasure the rights of free individuals will stand firm against the ruthless and pitiless men who wantonly slay the defenseless. At stake is whether the future will be framed by the individual freedoms we hold so dear or dominated by a demented form of extremism. At stake is whether we will continue to expand freedom, opportunity, and decency for those who thirst for it, or let fall the darkness of extremism and terror.
    We have been at war for over five years, fighting for our freedom, our security, and our future as a Nation. We have made hard sacrifices. There will be more. Faced with such a long and difficult struggle, it is useful to remind ourselves that the Army exists to field forces for victory. We are in this war to win. We have fought this way since 1775. We always will.
    As Soldiers, we will lead the Nation to victory over this enemy. Our combat veterans know well the meaning of "Army Strong". They have been "baptized in fire and blood, and they have come out as steel." That steel endures. Our Warrior Ethos has it right:
- I will always place the mission first.
- I will never quit.
- I will never accept defeat.
- I will never leave a fallen comrade.
    Seldom in our history have Soldiers faced greater challenges. We serve at a time when the stakes for our Nation and our way of life are high, and the demands on our force significant. We will continue to reflect the very best of our Nation by defeating the enemies of freedom and the proponents of terror, by defending our homeland, and by assisting our Nation to build a better future for coming generations.
    I could not be more proud to be a Soldier today and to stand shoulder to shoulder with you and your families during this time of great danger and uncertainty. Together we are, and always will be, ARMY STRONG.

George W. Casey, Jr.
General, U.S. Army
Chief of Staff

Tom Zimmerman, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

RCI update: Renovations near halfway point in Young Hall

April 10, 2007 - The first major Residential Communities Initiative project on Carlisle Barracks is nearing the halfway point.

    Renovations on the C and D bays of Young Hall are nearly complete, according to Ty McPhillips, project manager for GMH Military Housing, Carlisle Barracks partner in the Residential Communities Initiative. The bays under construction are the ones closest to the water tower in Indian Field.   

    "Right now in those areas, the plumbing has been installed, the electric is installed," he said. "Really all that we have left is the carpet installation, hang the fixtures, kitchen cabinets, basically just the finish work."

    The first family could move into the renovated rooms in June according to McPhillips. Once the renovations on the C and D bays are complete, residents living in the building will move to the renovated apartments. Army War College students will be the primary occupants of the building. As a result of the renovations, Young Hall will now have 26 housing units, between 2,000- 2,200 square foot each. In contract, the building was originally configured to have 44 units, each between 740-1,700 square feet. The entire renovation project is scheduled to be complete in June 2008 according to Bif Coyle, residential communities office housing management specialist.

     Apartments will come in three and four bedroom floor plans, and each apartment will receive new appliances, cabinets, ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchens, central air and heating units, and lighting fixtures. There will also be interior storage for each apartment.

    However, one of the main improvements will be the construction of laundry rooms in each apartment.

    "One of the main complaints in the building was the fact that residents didn't have laundry facilities in the apartment, and had to use a shared facility on the bottom floor. We've made sure to fix that with the renovations," said McPhillips. Each apartment will have hookups for both gas and electric washer and dryers.

     By providing each apartment with laundry facilities, the rooms previously used for the machines will now be converted into two community rooms for the residents use.

    "We wanted to provide the residents with a space that they could use if they needed more room for a get together, or holiday party," said McPhillips.

    While the laundry facilities will be one of the most important, one of the most noticeable improvements in Young Hall is the installation of two elevators.  

    "There will be two elevators installed, which we think will really help out the people living in the building," said Coyle. "This will really be a benefit for the families moving into the building."  

    Even though the building will be changing internally, the renovations will maintain the historic appearance of the structure originally constructed in 1936, according to Jim Hixenbaugh the renovations supervisor for GMH.

    "The building itself was designed in a neo-classical style, which is very unique to the military," he said. "We wanted to be able to preserve that distinctive look, while modernizing it on the interior."

     McPhillips added that preserving a historic structure was also a factor in renovating the building instead of demolishing the structure and building three separate structures.

    "While costs were obviously an important factor, we also knew that we'd be taking down a historic structure that was more than 70 years old," he said. "We wanted to maintain the historical integrity of Young Hall, while updating it for the future. I'm very happy with how it is all coming together, I think it's going to look great."

    What is also unique about Young Hall is the fact that the interior of the apartments all have nine foot ceilings.

    "You won't find that in many new home constructions," said Hixenbaugh. "That really makes the space more open."

    While the exterior won't be getting major work done, there still will be some minor improvements.

    "All of the railings will be replaced on the exterior, and there will be new landscaping as well," said McPhillips.

    This project is one of the largest ever tackled by GMH according to Hixenbaugh.

    "This is a very large project, but there is a great plan and team in place to execute it," he said. "We're really excited about getting this done."

RCI background

    Carlisle Barracks and Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., are part of a combined project under the RCI, a partnership between the Department of the Army and the private sector to improve housing for military families. Carlisle Barracks was originally partnered with Picatinny Arsenal and Ft. Monmouth, N.J. but the project was delayed due to Ft. Monmouth being scheduled for closure under the latest Base Realignment and Closure Recommendations in 2005.

Lt. Col. Robert Whetstone, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Officer

Hiding in Plain Sight

Presentation focuses on drug awareness for parents

April 11, 2007 -- Trust is a valuable aspect in any relationship.  It is even more magnified between a parent and child, particularly during the age of influence and peer pressure - the teen years.

    With the backdrop of a mock teen bedroom at center stage, members of the Susan P. Byrnes Health and Education Center laid out the cold, hard facts April 11, in Carlisle Barrack's Bliss Hall Auditorium. 

    The Carlisle Barracks Army Substance Abuse Program facilitated the free program entitled "Drugs 101: What Parents Need to Know" to educate the audience about the signs, symptoms and current trends associated with drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers. A crowd of about 70 parents and interested adults put the issue of trust to the test while listening intently to critical information about teen drug and alcohol abuse.

    The goal of the evening, according to Emmy Sasala, health educator from the Byrnes Center, was to present factual information about today's drug culture and show how teens can hide things in their room; often times in plain sight.   

    Parents have a bond of believability with their children, but in today's society, drugs and alcohol are a constant threat to the relationship.  Some parents may have a hard time believing their child would experiment with drugs. Drugs 101 showed how easily it can enter into a home.

    As the audience members entered Bliss Hall, they were invited to approach the stage and get an up close and personal look at the mock bedroom.  Some items in the room clearly indicated potential signs of drug use, but others were so common you wouldn't have a clue that an aluminum soda can might be used to store or smoke drugs.

    "How many items do you think are indicators of drug use in the mock bedroom?" asked Clarence Watson, a health educator from the Byrnes Center.  "There are about 55 indicators of drug and alcohol use in this bedroom."

    Most feel that substance abuse is an urban problem but, according to Watson, statistics show both suburban and urban kids who have used drugs and/or alcohol stands at about 49 percent. Therefore, we cannot pigeonhole substance abuse into a certain segment of people. Abuse has a beginning that is pretty common to all, said Watson.

   Sasala and Watson used the term "Gateway Drugs" consistently in their presentation. Gateway drugs are tobacco, alcohol and marijuana, and are an entry point to more potent forms of abuse.  Gateway drugs can lead to inhalants, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamines, just name a few. 

   Watson and Sasala also pointed out that inhalants are popular among middle school students because it reaches the body's system in three to seven seconds and can be disguised in the form of a hair scrunchy worn on the wrist, or in a turtle neck sweater. Often referred to as huffing or bagging, three out of every 10 kids are likely to die huffing for the first time, said Watson. The reason kids of such a young age are doing this is because inhalants are common household products such as whip cream cans, gasoline, compressed air cans, etc, said Sasala.  

    So what about the kids in Pennsylvania?  Sasala said a recent Pennsylvania survey showed heroin use among 12th graders in the Keystone state is 53 percent higher than the national average.

    During the session, the presenters told the parents about terminology used by youth in an attempt to cloak their activity.  One example would be "Pharming."  This is where over-the-counter drugs (normally taken from an adult's prescription) are placed in a bowl and you must take a certain number of them in order to enter the party.  Presenters also covered many of the warning signs that might indicate teen substance abuse. 

    What is ironic about the warning signs is that most are simple traits of a normal teenager; mood swings, irrational acts, secretive, change of friends, lack of concentration.get the picture?  The bottom line is that YOU know YOUR child. When you recognize that familiar nervous eye-twitch or foot-taping that gives them away, you have an avenue to communicate with them and let them know hiding in plain sight can have devastating outcomes.

    Kids love their freedom, and sometimes make bad choices.  But they need parents to be involved, caring, educated and willing to listen.

    Watson said it best at the end of the presentation, "Making an independent decision to say no is powerful for young children."  It gives them confidence.  Parents have a responsibility to provide them a variety of ways to make the right decision; a decision that could save not only their life, but the life of a friend too.  

Carol Kerr, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

Lean Six Sigma takes root at Carlisle Barracks

    April 13, 2007 -- You won't see the MWR business director wearing his green belt, but he will be demonstrating his new skills on behalf of the garrison here.

    Kevin Small earned a "green belt" in August, and others will follow here as the installation incorporates the philosophies and tools of Lean Six Sigma.

    Lean Six Sigma will be a significant part of IMCOM's future, noted garrison commander Lt. Col. Serge Dickerson recently. At Carlisle Barracks, LSS methodology will increase productivity and reduce costs at all levels of the organization.

    "Our collective efforts will maintain or improve the quality of service offered to effectively respond to Soldiers, families and Army civilians who live and work on Army installations," said Dickerson.

    Graduates of IMCOM LSS initial training are awarded a virtual "green belt" as a nod to their new mindset and skills. Lean Six Sigma is a set of processes to re-look and realign the ways we do business -- horizontally and vertically - in order to achieve more effective operations. Small will be able to apply LSS concepts to an MWR project.

   The next step was to identify the first Carlisle Barracks LSS project.

    A workshop to identify projects appropriate for Lean Six Sigma was held here in mid-March, along with Fort Detrick employees.  

    "Both garrisons were not only engaged and participative the entire time, but it's clear that they 'get' the benefit of using LSS tools, and that leadership is highly supportive of the deployment at both installations," said the workshop leader.

    The end state for the LSS workshop was selection of a good LSS project, using a LSS Prioritization Tool to review functional issues for which LSS could identify ways to optimize speed, accuracy and cost for customers.

    Directorate chiefs who participated in the project-selection workshop are developing a roster of possible projects. 

    "We are establishing an EQC to provide oversight to the LSS deployment and review the status of all active projects within the garrison," according to Dickerson. He has appointed his deputy, Joe Manning, as LSS deployment director. They are developing a charter for the EQC and guiding efforts to use LSS and help directors improve internal business processes.

    Small has proposed a small project to test new procedures for buying fuel for MWR vehicles. Traditionally, MWR employees take containers to gas stations and fill them with gas and diesel fuel. "It seems inefficient," said Small. "We can do it more efficiently on post at the Transportation Motor Pool rather than driving farther, with possible safety issues. Based on last year's consumption, we're looking at 20 percent savings."

    Projected savings will be just under $1000. While cost savings are valued, so too are criteria like safety and efficient use of time.

    "Lean Six Sigma makes you re-look the way you do business and look for better ways. It's not just about saving money. It's also about cost avoidance, safety and being more efficient."

    "It's a process to help people use time to optimal level," said Small. Lean Six Sigma gets beyond the thinking that, 'we've always done it that way,' he added. "Eventually this will become the way that government employees think."   

    Learn more about the Installation Management Command's commitment to Lean Six Sigma practices at http://www.imcom.army.mil/site/plans/lss.asp, and the AKO site at https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/281441.

 to better support the war effort while providing a more predictable and dependable deployment schedule for our soldiers and their families."

Public Affairs staff report

Spring---now time to clean your PC

    April 12, 2007 -- Spring time isn't just a good time to clean your house, it's also a good time to clean up your files on any shared drives and email.

    According to Ed Otto, Director of the Directorate of Information Management, deleting old or unneeded files provides easier file and email access/retrieval of existing information for all users

    "Users should review data currently stored within email and on their

G and U Drives in order to eliminate redundant files as well as those that are no longer needed," said Otto. "You may also choose to store your archived files on a DVD and then remove them from your G or U Drive.  Historical email that need to be retained should be stored within Personal Folders (PSTs)."

What files could be deleted?

 --Draft copies of files.

 --Double versions of files (keep the most recent).

 --Electronic files that contain information you already have in hard copy or can easily find on the internet.

    For email cleanup, Otto recommends that you clean your mailbox in this order: Inbox, Sent Items and then Deleted Items

• Inbox - Delete any messages that you do not wish to keep and move messages you want to keep into your Personal Folder.  Your Personal Folder is located on the Network and does not count against your limit.

• Sent Items - Delete any Sent Items that you do not wish to keep and move messages you want to keep to your Personal Folder.

• Deleted Items - Once messages are deleted in other folders, they are moved to your Deleted Items folder.  These items will still count against your storage capacity until you empty your Deleted Items folder by simply right clicking on the Deleted Items folder and selecting Empty "Deleted Items" Folder.

    If you need assistance with spring cleaning any of your files or email, call the Service Desk at 245-3000.

Carmen L. Gleason, American Forces Press Service

Why We Serve: Army Captain embraces life, military service

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 - Much to her parent's chagrin, when Jessica Murphy was in fourth grade she joined the boy's flag football team.
    "I was a little 4-foot, 50-pound string bean," she said. "I loved playing, but once I got to the age where the team started tackling, my mom made me quit."
    The Milwaukee native said her can-do attitude and tendency to buck stereotypes carried through to her college years when, unbeknownst to her parents, she applied for and was awarded an ROTC scholarship.
    After earning a degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2001, Murphy was commissioned into the Army's military police corps.
   She said her parents weren't exactly thrilled, but once they saw her successes and experiences within the military they were more than supportive of her decisions.
    "I've done things that others don't normally get to do," Murphy said, as she listed her experiences in meeting the secretary of defense, working on military assignments associated with presidential visits, and touring the White House.
    Murphy is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to join the "Why We Serve" outreach program. Members representing each military branch travel to communities across the nation to relate their personal military experiences through speaking engagements ranging from veterans organizations to schools to business groups.
    "I've been able to do so many things in six short years," Murphy said. "It's awesome, and I love it!"
    Although meeting such dignitaries has been an honor for her, Murphy said that her most fulfilling assignment has been serving as a platoon leader in the 300th Military Police Company at Fort Riley, Kan.
    "Honestly there is no better job on this earth," the captain said.
    Within a few months of her arrival to the unit at the end of 2002, the 300th MP Company deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Murphy served as a platoon leader for seven months before moving up to become the company's executive officer for the remainder of the year-long combat tour.
    Being in charge of every aspect of her soldiers' lives from training and morale, to job evaluations and personal finances, Murphy said that her soldiers became her family.
    "It was almost like I was their parent," she said. "I actually call them my kids and stay in touch with them to this day."
    The 27-year-old said that other aspects of military life have fit her very well.
    Sports have always played an important part in her life from cross-country running and track when in high school to rock climbing and snow boarding while in college.
    "The teamwork found among sports teams came naturally to me," Murphy said. "It's very similar to the military too."
    Murphy's enthusiasm and zeal for life is apparent when she begins talking about all the things still on her list of things to try.
    "My life is all about experiencing 'things,'" she said with a smile. "Life is too short; there are so many things out there to do, and I don't want to be limited by anything."

    For eligibility and an appointment call 717-245-3943 or (DSN) 242-3943 or email IMNE-CLB-HRB@carlisle.army.mil.

Wilson College Teacher certification classes

     All classes are open to the Carlisle Barracks Community. Students should register with Wilson College

at 1-800-421-4796 or at www.wilson.edu.  Fax: 717-264-1578.

SUMMER TERM I, 2007

1.  EDU 21820 - Reading and Language Arts in Elementary Education - Staff

Mondays/Wednesdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

May 14, 16, 21, 23, 30

June 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27

2.  EDU 21720 - Science and Health in Elementary Education - Robin Gilbert

Tuesdays/Thursdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

            May 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31

            June 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28

 SUMMER TERM II, 2007

3.  EDU 21520 - Managing the Inclusive Classroom - Peggy McCleary

Mondays/Wednesdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

July 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30

August 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22

4.   EDU 20520 - Child Growth and Development - Staff

Tuesdays/Thursdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

July 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31

August 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23

FALL TERM, 2007

5.  EDU 21520 - Managing the Inclusive Classroom - Allen Shank

  Mondays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

            August 27

            September 10, 17, 24

            October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

            November 5, 12, 19, 26

            December 3, 10

6.  EDU 20620 - Educational Psychology - Kathleen Kaminski

  Tuesdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

            August 28

            September 4, 11, 18, 25

            October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

            November 6, 13, 20, 27

            December 4, 11

7.   EDU 21620 - Social Studies and Geography in Elementary Schools - James Richardson

  Wednesdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

            August 29

            September 5, 12, 19, 26

            October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

            November 7, 14, 21, 28

            December 5, 12

8.  EDU 20520 - Child Growth and Development - Lynn Newman

   Thursdays @ 6:00-9:15 pm

            August 30

            September 6, 13, 20, 27

            October 4, 11, 18, 25

            November 1, 8, 15, 29

            December 6, 13

Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

Gates Extends Army Tours in Iraq to 15 Months

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 - All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today.

    "Effective immediately, active Army units now in the Central Command area of responsibility and those headed there will deploy for not more than 15 months and return home for not less than 12 months," Gates said, during a Pentagon news conference.

    This policy applies to all active duty Army units with the exception of two brigades currently in Iraq that have already been extended to 16 months. The policy does not apply to Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force units serving in Central Command. It also does not apply to Army National Guard or Army Reserve units deployed to the region.

    The 15-month tour applies to active duty soldiers serving in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and all the countries in the region. U.S. Central Command stretches from Kenya to Kazakhstan and Egypt to Pakistan.

    Soldiers will receive an extra $1,000 a month for each month or portion of the month that they serve longer than 12 months, Gates said.

    Gates called this policy an "interim change." The goal for active duty units is 12 months deployed followed by 12 months at home station. Ultimately, the Army would like to see soldiers deployed for 12 months and home for 24 months.

    "My objective was to set clear guidelines that our commanders troops and their families could use in determining how future rotations in support of the global war on terror would effect them," Gates said.

    Upon taking office in December 2006, Gates learned that even the sustaining the level of deployed Army forces needed before surging five brigades into Iraq would require active duty units to flow into Iraq before they had spent a full 12 months at home. He said this reality was a significant factor in his decision to recommend to President Bush that defense officials increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps over the next five years by 62,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.

    The deployment change is intended to provide better clarity, predictability and sustainability in how the Defense Department deploys active duty Army forces, Gates said.

    He said the changes produce clear, realistic, executable, and long-term policy goals to guide the deployment of active duty forces. The change will also allow the Army to support the 20 brigade goal of the surge as long as it is needed, he said.

    "Without this action we would have had to deploy five Army active duty brigades sooner than the 12-month at home goal," Gates said. "I believe it is fairer to all soldiers that all share the burden equally."

   The secretary said he realizes his decision will ask a lot of Army troops and their families.

    "We are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their commitment to accomplishing our mission," he said. "In the end, this new approach will better allow the Army

National Military Family Association release

Application Period Closes May 1 for Military Children to Attend Operation Purple Camp
April 24, 2007- Registration closes May 1, 2007 for the National Military Family Association's (NMFA) popular Operation Purple Summer Camps.  Spaces are still available. This year NMFA's Operation Purple Camps will host more than 3,500 deserving children at camps at 34 locations in 26 states.

    Operation Purple Camps provide children from military families with fun and memorable opportunities to learn new skills for managing deployment-related stress.  In response to the need for increased support for military children, NMFA developed this free summer camp program, sponsored this year by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Sierra Club, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

   A camp dedicated exclusively for the children of wounded service members has been added this year. NMFA is hosting this pilot camp in Southern California with plans to add more dedicated camps in additional states next year. Children who could benefit from this specific camp but do not live near the California location are encouraged to apply to the Operation Purple Summer Camp nearest them as all camps provide military children the support and resources they need to successfully manage the challenges of growing up in a military family.

   The Operation Purple camp program is the only summer camp program that focuses on helping kids deal with deployment-related issues.  Each camp is "purple," meaning it is open to children of any service member of the seven uniformed services. Applications for the camps are available now through May 1st, 2007 at http://www.operationpurple.org/.

   With significantly increased funding, the camp program has grown from its original 2004 outreach serving nearly 1000 children.  This year, the Operation Purple program will host more than 3,500 kids.

   Although this expansion is a step in the right direction, there is a pressing need for additional support, based on NMFA estimates that more than 220,000 children are experiencing the absence of a parent due to a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.  This statistic does not include children who have parents deployed elsewhere around the world.

Operation Purple Camp Details
   The camps, which last from five to seven days, give kids ages 7 to 18 an exciting and memorable camp experience, providing tools to help them deal with the stress resulting from a military parent's deployment.  Each camp is joint and "purple" -encompassing all Service branches, including the National Guard and Reserve, United States Public Health Service and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration - and is offered free of charge to all participants.

    Interested children from military families are encouraged to apply for the camp located nearest their home since travel expenses are not reimbursed.  More than 40 weeks of Operation Purple camps are currently scheduled at 34 locations in 26 states (Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin).  Detailed information including camp dates, site-specific activities, exact locations and other information is now available at http://www.operationpurple.org/. Applications are available only online and will be accepted through May 1st.

About NMFA
   The National Military Family Association is the only national organization whose sole focus is the military family and whose goal is to influence the development and implementation of policies that will improve the lives of the families of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For nearly 40 years, its staff and volunteers, comprised mostly of military family members, have built a reputation for being the leading experts on military family issues. Visit http://www.nmfa.org/ for more information

Upcoming Dunham Clinic changes in hours of operation

March 22, 2007 -- Dunham U.S. Army Health Clinic will close at 12:30 p.m. on April 26 for the Quarterly Commanders Forum. The pharmacy will re-open at 4 p.m., otherwise normal operating hours will resume on April 27.

    Dunham will also be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. Normal operating hours will resume May 29.

Dr. Richard J. Sommers, U.S. Army Military History Institute, U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center

This week in Army history -- One Way to End A War

April 12, 2007 -- Wars end in many different ways. Limited wars often end with negotiated settlements. The American Civil War - involving such vital issues as preserving the Union, freeing the slaves, and struggling for Southern independence - could not be settled that way. It had to be fought to a military conclusion. That conclusion came some 142 years ago this week, on April 9, 1865. After four bloody years of Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the United States Army under General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in southern Virginia. General Lee and his troops had capitulated. Even the negotiating table became a prize of war. For General Grant and his President, Abraham Lincoln, their national goal was not negotiation, not even peace, but lasting victory. They achieved that victory at Appomattox.
    Yet they understood that for victory to last, it must treat the vanquished with consideration. The surrender terms paroled Southern soldiers on the spot rather than incarcerate them in prisoner-of-war camps. Their officers, moreover, were permitted to retain their side arms, horses, and personal baggage. Allowing such retention "will have a very happy effect upon my army," General Lee gratefully acknowledged at the time. On learning that Confederate soldiers owned their military horses and mules, General Grant went on to make clear that any soldiers claiming such steeds would be permitted to "take the animals home with them to work their little farms." "This will have the best possible effect upon the men," General Lee thankfully responded; "it will be very gratifying and will do much toward conciliating our people." Thus did two great American commanders, who had clashed on dozens of battlefields over the preceding eleven months, honor each other - and their soldiers - in the course of surrender.
    Those soldiers themselves, who had gained a grudging respect for one another in four years of Civil War, also made clear that respect at the very end. On April 12, when the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia made its final march to stack arms and lay down its battle flags, the Federal division designated to receive the surrender did not mock its vanquished foe with taunts and cheers. Instead, the Federal soldiers snapped to attention and stood silent. The Graycoats returned the honor by shifting into formal marching order.
    Within three months after Appomattox, the Civil War ended. Reconstruction, readjustment, reconciliation would take decades. Our reunited country now recognizes both General Grant and General Lee, both the Federal Army and Confederate Army, as part of our common heritage. The generous surrender terms of Appomattox were the first steps on that road to reconciliation. So, too, was General Grant's realization that one of the surest roads to peace is VICTORY.

The AHEC has joined with Army.mil to bring to the Army, to veterans, to the American public, and to the world the continuing history of the United States Army. Please visit this weekly feature for insights into the past, present, and future of America's senior military service.

http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/04/08/2354-one-way-to-end-a-war/

Department of the Army release

Servicemembers reminded to check FSGLI status

April 11, 2007 --  Recent analyses by both the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense Finance and Accounting Service indicate that a number of service members are receiving FSGLI coverage but are not paying premiums as required. This situation is almost entirely due to incomplete Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System documentation.

    As DEERS is the data source to determine enrollment for FSGLI, accurate dependent data is vital. Service members must report all dependents in DEERS, including a spouse who is also a military member, even though each spouse is already enrolled in DEERS in his or her own right as a military member.

    All Soldiers, regardless of component or status (to include dual military couples) are eligible for FSGLI and are automatically covered by FSGLI unless they decline the coverage in writing. To properly decline FSGLI, Soldiers must file SGLV Form 8286a at their supporting personnel and or DEERS office. Although coverage for children is without cost to the Soldier, premiums must be paid for spouses who are not affirmatively disenrolled from the FSGLI program. Soldiers will not submit retroactive declinations. Back dating and signing SGLV Form 8286a to avoid paying back premiums is not authorized. Each married Soldier who is not paying FSGLI premiums, and has not declined coverage in writing (or cannot prove they have declined by providing a copy of their signed declination statement) owes back premiums. This includes Soldiers who were married after the effective date of the FSGLI program and who are no longer married, but whose spouses were not affirmatively disenrolled while they were married.

    For more information contact the Human Resource Directorate.

Carol Kerr, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

April winds blow NSPS into Carlisle Barracks Garrison

Suzanne Reynolds, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

Women serving their Country--from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terrorism

  March 23, 2007 -- This year's National Women's History Month program "Generations of Women Moving History Forward," was held here on March 23 in the Upton Hall auditorium.

  The event was co-sponsored by the Carlisle Barracks Equal Employment and Equal Opportunity offices.

  Lt. Col. Sergio Dickerson, garrison commander, opened the program providing insightful information on today's women in the military. Dickerson acknowledged that over 15,000 women are serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and that 91 percent of all Army specialties have been filled by women. 

  The guest speaker for the event, Melissa Wiford, Minority College Relations Program manager, and archivist in the Army Heritage and Education Center, spoke about women's services during the Revolutionary War to World War II and the history of women in the military. 

  She made note of the legend of Molly Pitcher, known for bringing water to the revolutionaries and then manning a canon at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, who by consensus, was most likely Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley.  Hays McCauley settled in Carlisle, Pa. after the war and was recognized for her heroism with a state pension.  McCauley died on Jan. 22, 1832 and is buried in Carlisle's Old Graveyard.

  Another interesting fact that Wiford provided to the audience was that during the Civil War 250 women disguised themselves as men and were only discovered when they were injured or dead. 

    "Women have always answered the call to service," said Wiford

    Era posters and photos which accompanied the presentation brought a distinct visual realization of the time.

  The program ended with the presentation of Achievement Awards to program contributors, followed by refreshments.

Army Substance Abuse Program Prevention and Education class schedule for April

    March 22, 2007 -- Civilian employees are required to receive three hours and military are required four hours of training annually. You must pre-register for each class. There must be a minimum of five people for the class to be a go.

    For additional information or to schedule individual organization training, contact the Prevention Office at 245 - 4576.

APRIL - Alcohol Awareness Month & Month of the Military Child

Mon. April 9                                          1 p.m.                           Education Center, Bldg. 609

Media Literacy - Parenting to Protect Children

Thurs. April 12 .                                     11 a.m.                         Upton Hall - Auditorium

Media Literacy - Parenting to Protect Children

Fri. April 20                                           noon                             Education Center, Bldg. 609

Media Literacy - Parenting to Protect Children

Thurs. April 26                                       1 p.m.                           Upton Hall - Auditorium

Media Literacy - Parenting to Protect Children

    The above classes will focus on: Teach Violence Prevention, Develop Thinking Skills, Guard against Drug Use and Promote Your Values.

Public Affairs staff report

Carlisle Barracks' Volunteer Week -- 'Inspired by Example'

   April 10, 2007 -- Carlisle Barracks' Volunteer Week is April 23-27 and will recognize and honor volunteers who set a standard for service to others.

    "It encourages a civic commitment as well as inspires others to make volunteering a central part of their lives," said Jeffrey Hanks, the posts volunteer  program manager.

    "Every day volunteers at Carlisle Barracks offer their time, talents, energy and compassion to make a difference in the lives of others.  Whether mentoring in our Youth program, or assisting at our Chapel, Sports program, Retiree program, Red Cross, Scouts and Thrift shop, these giving people provide help in a variety of settings and tasks," said Hanks. "Volunteers foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility for generations to come. It is through these acts of kindness that we are able to demonstrate the true character and compassion exhibited at our installation."

    Anyone who has volunteered for any Carlisle Barracks organization or installation event over the past 12 month-period is invited to the Letort View Community Center for a ceremony on Thursday, May 3  an 1 p.m.

    For further information, please telephone Army Community Service Office at 245-4357.

Tom Zimmerman, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office    

Post to celebrate 16 years of being a Tree City USA(

April 11, 2007 -- Carlisle Barracks will celebrate 16 years of being a Tree City USA and National Arbor day and Earth day, April 25 at 10 a.m. at the Post Chapel Assembly Room.

    Smokey the Bear will attend, and each person in attendance will receive their own live tree along with planting instructions. Children from the post Child Development Center will also participate in the short ceremony.

    The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.

Tree City standards:

• A Tree Board or Department

• A Tree Care Ordinance

• A community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita.

• An Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Arbor Day history

    The idea for Arbor Day originally came from Nebraska. A visit to Nebraska today wouldn't disclose that the state was once a treeless plain. Yet, it was the lack of trees that led to the founding of Arbor Day in the 1800's.

    Among pioneers moving into the Nebraska territory in 1854 was J. Sterling Morton. He and his wife had a great love of nature. As Morton was a journalist and soon became editor of Nebraska's first newspaper, he was able to spread agricultural information and his enthusiasm for trees to an equally enthusiastic audience.

    Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by the young state's Governor Robert W. Furnas on March 12, 1874. Later in 1885, the date was switched to Morton's birthday, April 22, for permanent observance.

Suzanne Reynolds, Carlisle Barracks Public Affairs Office             

Memorial Dedication to be held in honor of former U.S. Army War College Student April 24

  April 19, 2007 -- A Memorial Dedication in honor of Army War College alumnus Col. Brian D. Allgood will be held at the USAWC Alumni Memorial site on the corner of Forbes Road and Wright Avenue, on Wednesday, April 24 at 11:45 a.m.

  Allgood, USAWC graduate of the resident Class of 2002, and top medical officer for U.S. troops in Iraq, was killed on Jan. 17, 2007, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in crashed in Northeast Baghdad.  He was one of 12 Soldiers killed.  

  He is survived by his wife, Jane and his son, Wyatt.

  Allgood graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1982 and received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1986.  He completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery in 1994 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas.

  Not only a doctor, he was a top-notch Soldier who served, among other notable assignments, as the battalion surgeon in the 75^th Ranger Regiment and parachuted into Panama in 1989 in support of Operation Just Cause.

  The Memorial Ceremony will include a prelude and postlude by Col. Keith Pickens, USAWC staff; Invocation and Benediction from Col. Arthur Pace, USAWC Chaplain; tribute to the deceased by retired Col. Joe Curtin, USAWC Class of 2002; tribute by USAWC Commandant Maj. Gen. David Huntoon; unveiling of the new memorial plaque, and playing of Taps.

    The USAWC Alumni Memorial, formerly known as the Old Post Chapel Memorial, was constructed in 1987 on the site of the old post chapel.  It serves to honor graduates of the USAWC who have given their lives in combat.

    Traffic will be blocked Wednesday on Forbes Avenue in the vicinity of the ceremony site from 11:40 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

Heike Hasenauer , Army News Service

Referral Bonus Extended to Army Civilians

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 16, 2007) - The Army has expanded its $2K Referral Bonus program to include civilian employees, making it possible for them to earn $2,000 while helping the Army boost enlistments.
    Until yesterday, the recruiting incentive - known as the "$2K Referral Bonus" program for the regular Army and Army Reserve, and "Every Soldier is a Recruiter" in the National Guard - applied only to Soldiers and Army retirees who referred applicants who enlist, complete basic training and graduate from advanced individual training.
    The bonus for referring a prospective applicant who has never served in the armed forces originated in January 2006 with a $1,000 bonus. It was doubled in November 2006.
    Under the newly expanded program, a Department of the Army civilian who refers a prospective recruit before the applicant meets with a recruiter is eligible for the award. Restrictions preclude the referral of an immediate family member (including an adopted or step-child). Additionally, the referral must be made via the following Web sites, respectively, for active-duty Army prospective recruits and Army National Guard prospective recruits: https://www.usarec.army.mil/smart/ or www.1800goguard.com/esar.
    Referrals for the regular Army and Army Reserve may also be made by calling U.S. Army Recruiting Command's toll-free number: (800) 223-3735. Referrals to the National Guard may be made by calling the Guard's toll-free number: (866) 566-2472.
    "As the Army Civilian Creed notes, Army civilians are dedicated members of the Army team. They support the mission, and they provide stability and continuity during war and peace," said Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel. "I know they are directing deserving youth to recruiters now. This will not only encourage them, but also reward them for their service."
    For more information about the referral program, visit https://www.usarec.army.mil/smart/ or call (800) 223-3735, extension 6-0473.  
    (Heike Hasenauer is the senior editor for "Soldiers" magazine.)

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

Tips on how to protect your computer and personal data

    March 22, 2007 -- As the Defense Finance and Accounting Service continues to protect information and data on myPay - we want to remind customers that they too have a responsibility to take measures to protect their personal information from scams and identity theft.

    A recent Stars and Stripes story has pointed out that some employees may have had their accounts compromised by hackers. In the past several months, two private U.S. industry firms disclosed that overseas hackers broke into customer accounts. According to the chief information officer (CIO) at one of these firms, these attacks were carried out by "keylogging" software installed on users PC's. This software allowed the thieves to steal the users account information from their home computers, by capturing the user's keystrokes.

    Key logging software is often installed on systems when an individual simply views emails or clicks links that look and seem like reputable sites. . They were able to detect passwords, IDs and other personal information from a diagnostic used in the software development which is also known as "keystroke logging".

   myPay uses a variety of security features to protect data and in its transmission to users' computers.

    "The secure technology provided to myPay customers meets or exceeds security requirements in private industry worldwide," said Pat Shine, director DFAS Operations.

   The features include items such as 128 bit encryption, firewalls, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and other measures.

   "It is also important that customers do everything they can to protect data from being compromised or captured on their computers, especially when using personal computers at home," explained Shine.

   "Phishing" attacks trick people into parting with personal information by luring them to false corporate Web sites or by requesting personal information be sent in a return e-mail. According to the Federal Trade Commission, "'Phishers' send e-mails or pop-up messages claiming to be from a business or organization you would routinely deal with - an Internet service provider, bank, online payment service or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to 'update' or 'validate' your account information and might threaten dire consequences if you don't respond. You are directed to a Web site that mimics a legitimate organization's site. The purpose of the bogus site is to trick you into divulging personal information so the scam operators can steal your identity and make purchases or commit crimes in your name."

    Whether it be phishing, identity theft, government e-mail scams, credit card offers or electronic commerce fraud there are scammers on the Internet who are very creative and constantly come up with new scams or variations on old scams. The only way to fight this is with knowledge.

    Here are several things customers should consider to protect data not only when using myPay , but any electronic commerce activity (e.g. on-line banking, credit card purchases, etc.):

1. Install operating system and application software (e.g. Internet Explorer) updates regularly. Many of these updates are issued to fix security problems which have been identified.

2. Install and use anti-virus software and personal firewalls. Keep this software updated. The correct use of these programs can help protect your system from being compromised by malicious software (e.g. software which can capture information processed on your computer, etc). The DoD Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) makes this type of software available to most DoD employees (check with your agency).

3. Do not store your various User-IDs and passwords in files on your computer. If someone gains access to your computer this is the type of information they look for and would aid them in accessing your account.

4. After using your browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, etc) to access a site where you process sensitive information (e.g. myPay, your bank account, etc.) close all of your browser windows and restart a new browser session. Sometimes the browser can hold that information in memory (e.g. cache, etc) and some Web sites know where to look to find it.

5. Be very careful when installing software that gives others access to your computer. Remote service software or peer-to-peer software used for file sharing can create unintended openings into your computer that outsiders can use if the software is not configured correctly.

6. Don't e-mail personal or financial information. E-mail is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal and financial information through a Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure, such as an image of a lock or lock icon on the browser's status bar or a Web site address that begins "https:" ( the "s" stands for "secure").

7. DFAS does not send e-mail messages asking customers to update or validate information. We do send e-mail messages that provide important information about customer's pay account, but we never ask for customers to send passwords, login names, Social Security numbers, or other personal information through e-mail.

    "Maintaining the safety and security of myPay is a top priority", said Shine. "We proactively implement new security features on a routine basis to protect our customers against identity theft and scams."