Maj. Josh Neilson and Tech Sgt. Randy Powell played a role in the evacuation of fishermen badly injured off the Antarctic coast on Jan. 11, 2012. Photo by Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo

An LC-130 Hercules “Ski Bird” belonging to the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing evacuated seven badly burned crew members of a South Korean ship from the United States McMurdo Station in Antarctica to Christchurch, New Zealand, on Jan. 13.

The seven crew members–four Vietnamese and three Indonesians–were injured when the crew compartment of the 167–foot long fishing vessel Jeong Woo 2 caught fire in the Ross Sea, 372 miles from McMurdo Station and 2,301 miles from New Zealand on Jan. 11.

“Most days we transport cargo and passengers to a variety of outposts. On this day, we were the ambulance driver,” said Major Josh Neilson, the plane’s pilot.

Neilson and Tech Sgt. Randy Powell, the loadmaster on the flight, spoke to Albany, N.Y.-area reporters about the incident during a press conference on Jan. 20. They outlined the wing’s role in the rescue.

The wing provides logistic support to National Science Foundation research efforts in Antarctica and Greenland.

Nearby vessels rescued 37 of the 40 crew members from South Korea, Vietnam, Russia and Indonesia. Three crew members died.

Responding to a request by the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Center, the National Science Foundation research vessel, the Nathaniel B. Palmer, transported the injured crewmen from the Jeong Woo 2, to McMurdo Station, the United States Antarctic Program’s main research and logistical hub. Medical personnel at McMurdo then prepared the individuals for transport to Christchurch.

“When we loaded the patients, you could see the apprehension on their faces, knowing they had been rescued from a burning ship, flown by helicopter to the ice cap and loaded onto a C-130 with skis was way out of their routine,” Tech Sgt. Randy Powell, the crew’s loadmaster said.

“They didn’t speak English so our only way to communicate was with hand signals. The thumbs up and smiles we received after the 2,300 mile, eight and a half hour flight was a clear sign they were grateful and relieved to be rescued,” Powell said.

The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing, based here, flies the only ski-equipped aircraft in the United States military.

This is not the first time the 109th Airlift Wing has been involved in rescue missions.

In November 2008 a crew from the 109th Airlift Wing transported an Australian Antarctic Division employee from Antarctica to Hobart, Australia after the Australian researcher suffered multiple fractures to his leg.

And in 1999 a crew from the 109th landed an LC-130 at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to pick up Dr. Jerri Nielsen who was treating herself for breast cancer. The crew landed earlier in the Arctic spring than had ever been done in the past.

DVIDS

A Marine from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, uses a metal detector to sweep a culvert during a route reconnaissance mission of Route Red, which extends from Highway 1 to Shir Ghazay, Jan. 2. The purpose of the mission was to document inclines and declines in the route, sharpness of curves, the shortest width during the route, and where culverts were located or needed to be placed on the route to prevent wash out. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

Marine engineers with 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) have nearly completed two major route construction and improvement projects in Helmand province.

As of Jan. 3, elements of the Okinawa, Japan-based 9th Engineer Support Battalion completed the road surfacing phases of Routes Red and 611, which each provide north and south passage on their respective sides of the Helmand River. Additional measures are now being put into place over the course of the next month to ensure their permanence, while also marking total project completion.

“We’ll continue minor improvements along both routes, including culvert emplacements,” said Capt. Christopher Kaprielian, a native of San Mateo, Calif., and operations officer for 9th ESB.

The installation of culverts, Kaprielian explained, will allow for proper drainage of rain water, thus preventing the roadways from simply washing away.

Two Marines from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, use a metal detector to sweep a culvert during a route reconnaissance mission of Route Red, which extends from Highway 1 to Shir Ghazay, Jan. 3. The purpose of the mission was to document inclines and declines in the route, sharpness of curves, the shortest width during the route, and where culverts were located or needed to be placed on the route to prevent wash out. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

Work on the routes began last year with 9th ESB’s predecessors, the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 7th ESB, which completed nearly half of the work before going home in late November.

“A lot of cross coordination was involved,” said Kaprielian. “The combined effort was truly unique.”

In terms of Route Red alone, he noted expert integration across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to secure the volatile region through which Route Red intersects. Support from Regimental Combat Teams 6 and 8 was especially critical in allowing the engineers to continue construction efforts.

The enhanced roads are essential to International Security Assistance Force operations, and perhaps most importantly, the livelihoods of Afghan locals in the region due to the proximity of the routes to several major population centers. Safe roadways will present a viable means of transportation and facilitate economic expansion well into the future.

Route Red connects Gereshk and Shir Ghazay, while Route 611 serves as the main thoroughfare through the Sangin and Kajaki Districts.

Not unlike Route Red, the region through which 611 traces was also a hotbed for insurgent activity. Operation Eastern Storm, a major offensive spearheaded by the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, launched last October to secure the Upper Sangin Valley from the Taliban-led insurgency. The secured and improved route will now allow ground convoys to deliver equipment and parts required to install a third turbine at the Kajaki Dam, located northeast of the village of Kajaki.

The dam was built in 1953, and according to the United States Agency for International Development, the additional turbine is part of an ongoing project to bring more reliable power and irrigation to the region. Once operational, this enhancement will improve energy distribution through Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Story by Sgt. Justin Shemanski
DVIDS

The USCG Healy breaks ice around the Russian-flagged tanker Renda 250 miles south of Nome, Alaska, Jan. 6, 2012. The Healy is the Coast Guard's only currently operating polar icebreaker. January 6 2012. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis, U.S. Coast Guard

The convoy consisting of the USCGC Healy, a polar icebreaker, and the tanker Renda is making slow and uneven progress as it approaches the ice bound community of Nome Alaska. Wind, currents and heavy ice conditions have created conditions that have prevented the ships from sailing with any speed. The convoy is now two day beyond its original arrival date at Nome.

Latest Coast Guard report on USCGC Healy and TV Renda

The Coast Guard Cutter Healy and Russian tanker Renda are experiencing dynamic ice conditions and the transit to Nome is slow but continuous. The vessels are approximately 100 miles from Nome as of Wednesday evening.

Fairbanks Daily News reports on Tuesday’s struggles

Jason Evans, chairman of Sitnasuak Native Corp., the company arranging the delivery, said the mission remains challenging.

“I think there continues to be a lot of pressure on the ice, so when they break the ice it wants to immediately squeeze together, or the broken ice wants to shoot back into the hole they just made,” he said Tuesday.

Shifting ice, described as dynamic ice, has slowed the progress of the paired vessels. The ice tends to close in, cutting off the path between the two ships. When that happens, the icebreaker doubles back and makes a relief cut to take pressure off the tanker and open a pathway.

“I think they continue to do well with the circumstances,” Evans said.

He said the tanker and the icebreaker were expected to go through a large section of thinner ice and then encounter thicker ice again near Nome.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute has researchers in Nome evaluating the ice conditions. The Daily News reports that they are using a small drone (UAV). A pressure ridge of ice about 25 feet thick is closing the harbor.

Coast Guard Lt. William Albright and Lt. Nicole Auth prepare to mark the planned fuel transfer safety zone in the Nome Harbor Jan. 11, 2012. The safety zone will be established to ensure Nome residents are safe while the Russian tanker Renda offloads fuel to storage facilities in Nome. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Charly Hengen

Coast Guard track map for the Healy

Sailwx.info track map for the Healy

Tanker Renda Twitter account for this mission

Testimony of Jeffrey M. Garrett, Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired) December 1, 2011

With only USCGC Healy in operational condition during the upcoming year, consequences of icebreaker disinvestment are beginning to emerge. The Coast Guard has been unable to deploy an icebreaker for Arctic multi-mission purposes for over two years, and planned science missions for USCGC Polar Sea have had to be cancelled. Perhaps most ominously, a Coast Guard icebreaker will not be available for critical U.S. Antarctic Program support two months from now, after the unexpected withdrawal of foreign contracted icebreaking services. When Healy is engaged in dedicated science support, or undergoing maintenance, the Coast Guard has no polar icebreakers for other Arctic or Antarctic missions or contingencies.

Nick Dowling was in several policy making positions during the two Bill Clinton administrations. He was Director for European Affairs, National Security Council, for three years. He was the Executive Director of the Navy Globalization Study in 1999. He saw the last draw down of American military forces, both the cuts in personnel and procurement as well as the cuts in funding. In an interview by telephone on January 6, he talked about the Obama Administration’s Defense Strategic Guidance. Dowling believes that there are cuts to be made in the defense budget but the Guidance document fails to correctly anticipate military realities in the next decade.

Force Size
Dowling feels that the anticipated cuts to Army and Marine force levels are wrong. He points out that every conflict since World War II has required troops on the ground. He worries that the Army will become too small for the missions that it will be given. Underinvestment in land warfare is a mistake he sees being made in the Guidance.

Technology
The United States currently has eleven carrier battle groups and is the the process of developing a fifth generation stealth fighter. Mr. Dowling thinks that both these investments ought to be questioned. The carrier battle group was originally intended to keep the sea lanes open for supply convoys during a war with the Soviet Union. He asks “Why do we need eleven carriers?” He sees future combat in the littorals, along the coasts and in shallow waters where carriers cannot risk sailing.

Looking at fighter planes, Dowling points out that the United States is far ahead of any other nation in technology. The dogfight is the type of fight no one does anymore. Missiles have replaced aerial combat between planes. Investments in new fighter aircraft designs are misplaced, in his view.

Asia-Pacific
Dowling believes that it may have been a mistake to publicly announce that the U.S. is shifting forces to the Pacific. “I don’t see a compelling case that Asia-Pacific needs more attention than it is already receiving. We’re not good at predicting where the next war will be.” He tosses out scenarios such as intervention in a chaotic Mexico or engaging Chinese client states in Africa.

U.S. Army Spc. Tiffany Larriba, team member from Civil Affairs Team 4902, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, raises six fingers to children during the "Soldier in the Classroom" program at Karabti San, Djibouti, Jan. 3. The program is designed to teach children basic English. DoD Photo by Senior Airman Jarad Denton

U.S. Army Spc. Tiffany Larriba held her hands in front of her, fingers closed, as children from Karabti San, Djibouti, waited in eager anticipation Jan. 3.

Suddenly, Larriba smiled and raised six fingers.

“Six,” the children exclaimed in unison.

This was the children’s second exposure to learning the English language through a program Larriba, a team member with the U.S. Army Civil Affairs Team 4902, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion and Dallas, Texas, native, calls: “Soldier in the Classroom.” The program broadens the horizons of the children, while giving them a long-lasting memory of their relationship with U.S. soldiers. Karabti San is the first village to experience the program, which was introduced Nov. 29. Larriba said she hopes to see “Soldier in the Classroom” introduced in other villages throughout Djibouti.

“We wanted the kids to remember us for something good,” she said. “So we came up with this project where we go to schools or villages and teach some lesson they can’t learn anywhere else. It’s simple enough that the students understand, but yet it helps open their mind and leaves a standing memory.”

Just as Karabti San is the first Djiboutian village to receive eco-dome materials and construction training from the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, it is also the first place to experience “Soldier in the Classroom.” Larriba hopes the participation she sees here will extend to other villages.

“They are all involved in it,” she said. “Every kid [in the village], young or old, all came. They wanted to come. They made some pretty good progress.”

According to Larriba, who is affectionately referred to by the children as “Lorouba,” which means “cowgirl” in Somali, the progress will provide these children with opportunities previously unavailable.

“[We want to] help them see there is a big world out there and a lot of opportunities,” she said. “That’s our goal.”

The children are not the only ones learning from this program. Larriba said her outlook on life has changed dramatically since coming to Africa and interacting with the local population. She hopes her friends and family back home will see the change in her and embrace it themselves.

“You can be happy with the smallest things, she said. “This village, for example, they’re happy. You can live without a lot of things and still be happy.”

Larriba said the happiness she shared with the children of Karabti San is compounded and reinforced with each new lesson, with every new number learned.

“It was good. I liked it all,” said Mohamed Bourito, a student in the program. “We practice what Lorouba has taught us. After I learn the English language, I want to go to the school. I want to continue my education.”

Bourito smiled broadly after sharing his dream for the future. He held up his hands and repeated what he had learned only minutes ago, from Larriba. Slowly, but surely, he counted to ten – in English.

A Sailor aboard a safety boat observes a visit, board, search and seizure team, assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd, board the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. The Kidd's VBSS team detained 15 suspected pirates, who were holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks, according to the members of the crew. The Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Forces assigned to the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, rescued an Iranian fishing vessel from Pirates in the northern Arabian Sea, Jan. 5.

At approximately 12:30 p.m, an SH-60S Seahawk from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) detected a suspected pirate skiff alongside the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Simultaneously, a distress call was received from the master of the Al Molai claiming he was being held captive by pirates.

A Visit, Board, Search and Seizure team from the Kidd boarded the Al Molai and detained 15 suspected pirates who had been holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks. The Al Molai had been pirated and used as a “mother ship” for pirate operations throughout the Persian Gulf, according to members of the Iranian vessel’s crew.

The pirates did not resist the boarding and surrendered quickly.

“The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40-45 days,” said Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. “They were held hostage, with limited rations, and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations.”

According to members of the Kidd boarding party, the Iranian crew said they were forced by the pirates to live in harsh conditions, under the threat of violence with limited supplies and medical aid.

“When we boarded, we gave them food, water, and medical care,” said Schminky. “They had been through a lot. We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect.”

Guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd responded to a distress call from the master of the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai, who stated he was held captive by pirates.

“After securing the ship and ensuring the safety of all persons on board, we began distributing food and water to both the crew and the suspected criminals as is our standard practice in Counter-Piracy operations,” said Schminky. The pirates were detained on the Al Molai by the Kidd boarding party until the next morning when they could be transferred to the USS John C. Stennis where the matter will be reviewed for prosecution. The pirates currently remain on the Stennis.

“The Captain of the Al Molai expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them. He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” said Schminky.

A U.S. Navy SH-60S Seahawk provides support to a visit, board, search and seizure team in a 7-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd. The VBSS team boarded an Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai after the dhow's master stated he was being held captive by pirates. The Kidd's VBSS team detained 15 suspected pirates who were reportedly holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months.

Piracy is an international problem that requires an international solution and is a threat to all mariners. The presence of U.S. Navy ships in this region promotes freedom of navigation and protects the safety of those who transit the sea.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Navy – Central Command

Nome, Alaska, and the other small communities on Alaska’s west coast, rely upon the sea for most of their supplies. A hurricane-like winter storm in early November blocked access to the port of Nome with a layer of sea ice and prevented the final fuel supply barge of the year from arriving. Nome was left with a 1.6 million gallon shortfall of gasoline, fuel oil and diesel for the winter.

Officials from the Nome Sitnasuak Native Corporation searched for a solution. Airlifting in the fuel would take hundreds of flights and cost a great deal of money. The search went world-wide. Nearly all the tankers capable of breaching the ice were in use, as were the various private ice breaking ships. In the end, the Renda, a Russian two hulled tanker with proven experience in the ice, was found and contracted to supply the community.

Russian tanker MV Renda

The United States Coast Guard has only one large icebreaker operational, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy. Two others are out of service. Healy was about to depart Alaskan waters for its home port in Seattle when the call came.

US Coast Guard Cutter Healy in sea ice

Renda took on diesel in Asia and sailed to the Alaskan port of Dutch Harbor. The Coast Guard has announced that on January 3, the ship passed inspection and would be allowed to load gasoline at the port. The process is being supervised by a number of state and federal agencies, and additional safety precautions have been taken both in Dutch Harbor and in Nome.

Dutch Harbor Alaska

The plan is challenging. The USCGC Healy will lead the Renda through the sea ice to just off the Alaskan coast. The three hundred mile journey is expected to end about January 8, 2012. Renda will have to break the remaining distance herself, to a point just outside the harbor. A ridge of sea ice has built up preventing access into the harbor at Nome. The fuel will be offloaded using hoses.

This will be the first petroleum resupply in ice conditions to western Alaska. If successful, it may lead to future, similar missions that may increase supplies and reduce costs for the residents of this area.

The Coast Guard has repeatedly asked for additional icebreaking capability. The Healy is based in Seattle and used primarily for research. The Coast Guard has no permanent personnel stationed north of Kodiak Island, Alaska, and is challenged to meet all of its assigned duties in the Bering Sea and along the North Slope.

• Dakota Meyer – awarded the Medal of Honor
• Leroy Arthur Petry – awarded the Medal of Honor
• David A. Provencher – awarded the Silver Star
• William W. Rollins – awarded the Silver Star
• Women Warriors in Afghanistan

At barely 39 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the two women of Female Engagement Team 6 warmed their red, sniffling noses by drinking hot chocolate out of canteen cups. It was early morning and they had little sleep from the cold night before. The Marines began dressing in their body armor, preparing for their upcoming day of work.

Sergeants Jessica Lugo and Autumn Sekely were getting ready to go out in support of Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and the Afghan National Civil Order Police during a recent security patrol through their area of Sangin district, Helmand province.

Sergeants Jessica Lugo -left- and Autumn Sekely -right-, of Female Engagement Team 6, walk into a village leader’s compound in Sangin district, Helmand province. Sekely, of Pittsburgh, and Lugo, of San Pedro, Calif., are assigned to support 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, by engaging with the local women and children, building trust and rapport between local residents and the Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Katherine Keleher

The purpose of the day was to familiarize Marines new to the unit with the area, while also giving Lugo and Sekely the opportunity to interact with local women and children.
While supporting the infantry Marines with 2nd Marine Division (Forward), FET socialized with local children passing by, handing out candy and pencils while sharing smiling faces through the language barrier.

“Establishing a good relationship with the children and their families is very important, and it’s one of our primary tasks here,” said Sekely, a reservist from Pittsburgh. “It helps build trust and rapport. They really appreciate that the Marines make an effort to respect their culture by having FET out here.”
When wrapping up the introduction of the area to the new Marines, 1st Squad made a pit stop at one of the village leader’s compounds while on its way back to the patrol base.

The village leader opened the doors to his home with open arms, allowing FET inside to talk with his wife and children.

“The women, they stay in the compounds while the men are in the bazaars and farming fields working,” explained Lugo, also a reservist who is from San Pedro, Calif. “They hear a lot of things from the people who come in and out of their compounds. So when we get there, these women are just aching to talk. They’re just like we are, and they want their voices to be heard.”

Sergeants Jessica Lugo and Autumn Sekely, of Female Engagement Team 6, walk into a village leader’s compound in Sangin district, Helmand province. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Katherine Keleher

During their visit with the village leader and his family, the Marines and Afghans used an interpreter to discuss the possibility of building a water well in the village, as well as raising money to build a mosque.

“Things like this take a lot of money and time,” Lugo, the FET 6 team leader, told them.

While carrying on the conversation with the adults, Lugo and Sekley played with the children, giving them crayons and paper, showing them how to color.

“We have the capability of talking to one-hundred percent of the population,” Lugo, a military policewoman by trade, explained. “It’s not only engaging the women of Afghanistan for us, it’s engaging with everyone. Like today, the village leader talked to us. You would think in (this culture) the men wouldn’t want to talk to us, but they do. They’re kind of intrigued by having women in military clothing around.

“The (local residents) are very intrigued by us. They see us, the color of our skin, the color of our eyes, us carrying a rifle walking alongside the males. They see that we’re equal,” Lugo added.

Working side-by-side, FET and 3/7 have until spring to continue working together, winning over hearts and minds and helping the Afghan people toward a brighter tomorrow.

By Cpl. Katherine Keleher
DVIDS

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military personnel sustain a TBI is many ways. Non-combat related incidents such as motor vehicle crashes or falls are one way. In combat, TBI is caused by collision with another surface or the force from a blast, or both. The causes of a combat TBI and its aftereffects can be very complex.

TBI diagnoses in the military by year

220,430 – number of traumatic brain injuries in the military from 2000 – June 30 2011
169,209 – number of TBIs classified as mild in that time period (concussions)
5,929 – number of TBIs that were classified as severe or involved penetration of the skull

Severity of TBI diagnoses in the military by year

Diagnoses of TBI by military branch and year

Army data
126,545 – total traumatic brain injuries suffered by Army personnel from 2000 – June 30 2011
76 percent suffered by active duty Army personnel
17 percent suffered by National Guard soldiers
7 percent by Army Reserve soldiers

Navy data
31,167 – total traumatic brain injuries suffered by Navy sailors from 2000 – June 30 2011
93 percent suffered by active duty Navy personnel
7 percent suffered by Navy Reserve sailors

Air Force data
30,754 – total traumatic brain injuries suffered by Airmen from 2000 – June 30 2011
87 percent suffered by active duty airmen
8 percent suffered by Air National Guard personnel
5 percent suffered by Air Force Reserve personnel

Marine Corps data
31,964 – total traumatic brain injuries suffered by Marines from 2000 – June 30 2011
91 percent suffered by active duty Marines
9 percent suffered by Marine Corps reservists

Yearly diagnoses
2006 16,958
2007 23,174 – Congress directs Department of Defense to screen for TBI
2008 28,567
2009 29,255
2010 31,353

This data represents all military personnel diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. The Department of Defense points out that other data is often obtained from screening and assessment tools which are not designed to produce a diagnosis. The data analyzed does not provide the cause of the injury or the location where it occurred.

U.S. Air Force medics, Staff Sgt. April Deluna -right-, from San Antonio, assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team, and Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Rose, from Coleridge, Neb., assigned to the Nebraska Agribusiness Development Team, demonstrate proper arm-bracing techniques at the provincial women’s development center, Nov. 1. The medics taught basic first-aid skills to 13 women from the province. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Katherine Williams

Thirteen Afghan women received life-saving first aid training at a provincial women’s development center shura held in Paktya province, Nov. 1.

U.S. servicemembers assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Nebraska Agribusiness Development Team, both located on Forward Operating Base Goode, taught the women how to treat burns, lacerations and abrasions.

U.S. Air Force medics Tech Sgt. Rebecca Rose, with the ADT from Coleridge, Neb., and Staff Sgt. April DeLuna, with the PRT from San Antonio, conducted an interactive training program for the women.

During the one-hour course, the medics emphasized proper hygiene techniques such as hand washing and the use of gloves while treating wounds.

“The women learned the ‘cold, clean’ method,” DeLuna said. “They’d never heard to clean with cold, clean water and were using alternative methods to treat wounds.”

The women shared stories about their previous home-medical treatments during the shura.

“I’ve used cold potatoes on my children’s wounds to stop the burning,” one student said. “Potatoes and egg yolk both help to prevent the burn from spreading.”

Along with l training, the group also received first-aid medical kits, stocked with bandages, a gauze compress, gloves, antibiotic ointment and other supplies.

The shura was coordinated through Khalema Khazan, the Paktya Director of Women’s Affairs and the Team Paktya Women’s Advocacy Group.

The DOWA is an Afghan ministry-appointed position, with the authority and obligation to raise awareness of concerns and advocate for Afghan women.

“I want a common understanding for every woman to know their rights and freedoms under Islam,” Khazan said. “We have shuras in the women’s development center for Paktya women to teach them important skills.”

In the past, Khazan has organized town meetings, or ‘shuras,’ health workshops and media engagements for women in Paktya.

“Education is very important,” she added. “Our center is focused on teaching the more than 40,000 women in Paktya.”

DVIDS

Chaplain David Waweru, originally of Nairobi, Kenya, now serving as the brigade chaplain for the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, takes a moment to pray during a religious ceremony at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

You may have guessed by his accent that Chaplain (Maj.) David Waweru is not native to the United States of America. But, where is he from? How did he find himself serving in the U.S. Army and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom?

“I was born and raised in Kenya, Africa, in a small village about 20 miles west of the capital city of Nairobi,” Waweru, the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade chaplain. “I went to primary school in the village and later went to high school in Nairobi.”

Waweru, now a resident in Harker Heights, Texas, said after graduating high school, he began working for local church organizations. One job in particular, he said, jumps out at him as the most memorable.

“The job that really stands out to me is when I worked for Campus Crusade for Christ,” Waweru said. “This job stands out to me because that is when I had a lot of time with American missionaries, and I believe that is where my interest in coming to the United States began.”

Waweru said he worked there for 2.5 years working with local church workers teaching them how to plan church services and build churches.

It was during his time with Campus Crusade where Waweru said he felt the call to become an ordained minister for his church, the Anglican Church in Kenya. He then left to begin school at the Bishop Kariuki Bible College in Kabete, Kenya, to train for ordained ministry.

While he was attending the college, Waweru said he met his wife, Christine, who was born in the United States, but raised in both the U.S. and Kenya. David and Christine had been attending the college for the same reason, to become ordained ministers.

He said they began getting to know each other and eventually started dating. However, their time together didn’t last as long as they would have liked.

“One year later, Christine was offered a scholarship for a school in the United States,” he said, “so, she took it and returned home to the United States to continue her education toward her bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry.”

Waweru, still in Kenya attending the Bishop Kariuki Bible College, continued his education and kept in touch with Christine through letters and phone calls every once in a while.

Waweru completed his degree at the Bible college and transferred to St. Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya, to obtain a bachelor’s in divinity. All through this time, David and Christine kept their relationship strong even though they were on opposite sides of the world.

“I think this time apart helped us build trust,” Waweru said, “and I feel this was good training that helped me in becoming a chaplain in the years to come.”

He also said he believes, even though he had no way of knowing at the time, this time apart was preparing him for his three combat deployments with the U.S. Army.

Christine returned to Kenya during David’s second year at St. Paul’s, and they decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. On Dec. 3, 1988, David and Christine made their vows to each other and became husband and wife.

“We got ordained at the same time,” he said, “and began ministry together at the Anglican Church of Kenya.”

After a few years, the Waweru family picked up and came to the United States together and David continued to further his education at Princeton University, N.J., to obtain a master’s degree in theology.

“While I was at Princeton, I met a U.S. Army chaplain who was studying the same program. He and I became good friends during our time together, and throughout that friendship,” Waweru said, “I guess he was recruiting me into the chaplain’s corps.”

Upon graduation, Waweru said he faced two choices, to continue his ministries in the church, or to become a chaplain in the United States Army.

“I decided to try a new venture,” he said, “so I decided to become a United States Army chaplain.”

Waweru received his commission as a first lieutenant on July 4, 1994 and is is now a major on his third combat deployment, and his first to Afghanistan.

His first was to Iraq in 2005, followed by his second back to Iraq in 2007.

Today, he is in Afghanistan with the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, serving as the brigade chaplain on FOB Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

His mission is to keep the soldiers of the brigade strong and help them through their times of trouble.

“It is never easy,” he said. “It is always hard to be away from family. With this being my third deployment, I have been better able to prepare myself and help others through my experiences.”

The chaplain wants soldiers to know if they need anything, he is here to help them.

“I offer encouragement and insight based on my experiences,” he said. “I encourage soldiers to work on their relationships while they are away from their families, and I encourage them to be spiritually fit.”

At the end of the day, Waweru is happy he made the decision to become a chaplain when he could have otherwise made the choice to minister in the church as a civilian.

“I enjoy my ministry in the Army,” he said, “I love soldiers, I love talking to soldiers, interacting with soldiers. I love being part of a bigger family than myself. We will suffer being away from our Families together, and we will pull through it together.”

Story by Spc. Darryl Montgomery
DVIDS

An SH-60F helicopter assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14, supports members of the Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team and the Royal Thai Armed Forces in assessing damage caused by flooding in the Bangkok area. U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Jennifer A. Villalovos

Defense officials are carefully monitoring the situation in Thailand as that nation faces the worst flooding it’s had in more than 50 years.

Recent flooding across Thailand has killed more than 360 people, and more than 2.5 million people have been affected, Thai government officials said.

When the flooding started, U.S. Pacific Command ordered the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, which was conducting a port visit to Singapore, to get underway earlier than scheduled to pre-position in case assistance was required. The command sent a 10-Marine humanitarian assistance survey team from Okinawa, Japan, to Bangkok, Thailand, to assess the situation in the country.

After meeting with Thai officials, the team determined that U.S. military assistance was not needed.

“The Thai government and military have led a tremendous effort to protect and help its citizens during the recent flooding,” Pentagon officials said.

The Navy ships have been released to participate in a previously scheduled annual exercise with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, Pentagon officials said. The destroyer USS Mustin now plans a previously unscheduled port visit to Laem Chabang, Thailand, to conduct community service events and military-to-military engagements.

Pacific Command officials are working with the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to determine if U.S. military assets are needed to support the Thais.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

A child from the local community holds a sign thanking the U.S. Sailors from the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) and members from the Royal Thai Armed Forces during a community service event organized by the Princess Pa Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society. More than 40 Sailors from Mustin volunteered their time with the local community and members from the Royal Thai Armed Forces with assisting in preparing more than 5,000 packages. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos

The guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) arrived here Oct. 21 for a port visit and to participate in community service events in order to strengthen ties between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Thailand.

The U.S. Navy extends its sincere condolences to the people of Thailand in the aftermath of the recent flooding that has affected the nation.

While in port, the crew of USS Mustin will participate in community service projects in an effort to build upon existing ties between our two nations. The crew will also engage with their Royal Thai Navy counterparts to build on the relationship they have established with their ally.

Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Blanca Marin, assigned to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89), sits with members from the Royal Thai Navy and seals prepare packaged goods kits organized by the Princess Pa Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society, during a community service event. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos

“Our ship visited Thailand earlier this year and received a very warm welcome from the Thai people,” said Mustin’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Scott A. Tait. “The men and women of Mustin are truly looking forward to return their kindness. We are looking forward to engaging the community in any way we can.”

Seventh Fleet
US Navy

Contractors lift the brow from USS George Washington -CVN 73- prior to the ship getting underway from Changi Naval Base in Singapore. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group departed early from Singapore Oct. 16 to better position themselves for potential humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, if needed, in support of the government of Thailand following significant flooding there. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jacob D. Moore

The nuclear aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its strike group are cutting short a port visit in Singapore. The U.S. Navy ships are moving to be in position to assist the Kingdom of Thailand with the heavy monsoon flooding it is now experiencing. Deploying with the Washington are USS Dewey, USS Mustin, USS Kidd and USS Wayne E Meyer.

The ship movements come after the arrival of a U.S. Marine Corps humanitarian assistance survey team from Okinawa in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 15. The ten Marines are part of the pre-planning team from the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). Their assessment will provide the groundwork for any Marine humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The George Washington Strike Group and the III MEF played vital roles in the aftermath of the March 11 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The United States military, as a whole, has been a key component of relief efforts worldwide.

Southeast Asian nations have been suffering from the combination of a heavy monsoon season and the impacts of three tropical storms since September 26. Thailand has suffered the greatest impact and the most flood related deaths. The UN reports at least 269 flood deaths in Thailand. The American Embassy in Bangkok warns that flooding in and around the Thai capital is expected to peak between October 16-18.

The Thai capital of Bangkok straddles the Chao Phraya River. An ancient network of canals adds to the glamour of the city as well as to the threat from flooding. The Kingdom is engaged in extensive efforts to prevent urban flooding in Bangkok.

The flooding extends to other SE Asian nations. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are all experiencing deaths and damages from the high water. At this time, only Thailand has requested U.S. assistance. The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has released $100,000 from its emergency fund to the Thai Red Cross for flood relief.

The USS George Washington and its strike group have the distinction of being forward deployed, home ported in the city of Yokosuka, Japan. The carrier last made a port call in Thailand in early August 2011. The ships of the strike group will be able to provide nearly two dozen helicopters for rescue, survey and humanitarian efforts, as well as personnel, supplies and pure drinking water.

The impact of the flooding on the city of Bangkok and the Kingdom of Thailand continues and can only worsen. The U.S. Consul General in Chiang Mai, Thailand, writes on his blog that rumors and poor communication are causing a great deal of uncertainty in the Kingdom. If and when the U.S. military receives orders to assist the Thais, the uncertainties ought to be markedly reduced.