Tuesday, August 03, 2010

July Update from "Tijuana" -- Reservists Have a Lot to Offer

As is often the case, a reservist generally brings a variety of skills to his/her military profession that an ordinary active duty Soldier cannot. This point was recently highlighted by LTG Jack Stultz during a visit to the Horn of Africa.

"The thing that impresses me with these civil affairs teams, you have these young captains and sergeants out there on their own just doing great stuff for the local [African] community, whether it is building schools, or digging wells ... just a lot of good things improving lives of citizens," said Stultz.


"What they bring to the table is their civilian background," Schultz said. "A lot of these civil affairs NCOs and officers are law enforcement or they teach. They bring that skill actually to the civil affairs community, the individuals they are working with and the community they're in. So it is important."


Stultz is keenly aware of the importance of Reservists to the U.S. Army, and all branch services. "We see it over and over again, the real value that's added with the Reserve Soldier, whether it is Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Air Force Reserve. It's not the military skills, although that's part of it, but the added value is the civilian skills. You'll find out your radioman or civil affairs Soldier back home is a lawyer, or they may be some kind of information technology guru," he said.


-- From a Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Larry Foos. Read more...

Here are "Tijuana's" observations and perspetives from his July, 2010 work in Iraq.

"As July comes to a close I wanted to thank everyone for your support of the military and the mission that we have over here. My role keeps me constantly involved in programs designed to build the capacity of the Iraqi government and rebuild some of the neglected infrastructure. Luckily with all of the training I received at my civilian job, I am able to successfully negotiate contract closures with the Iraqi officials. That is not a skill that many other military, state department, justice dept. or USAID folks have in my Provincial Reconstruction Team. My job consists of projects, programs, contracts, vendor selections, non-conformance, contractual closure...Essentially I am helping to finish the work we started and making sure we conclude our projects/programs with successful results.

In several of my civilian corporate meetings before I mobilized, we had tense moments and even yelled, walked out of meetings and generally took a strong stance. Over here, negotiation with a loaded weapon on my side and equally armed opponents makes the situation a little bit more difficult. The same principles apply and my old boss Tammy’s voice hits me every time, “what is your strategy.” Maybe I’ll learn something from this.

I spent a week in Baghdad earlier this month for training at the embassy compound and also spent a few days in Kirkuk (another province here in the North). The pictures of agriculture, farming and actual terrain features is not the Iraq you are expecting. The northern parts are very different from the deserts of the south.

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I have included some pictures from a recent trip where we are rebuilding a medical clinic that should be done within the next 90 days accepting patients. Some of the other pictures are taken from the air – so nobody is allowed to tell my mom that they are letting us ride around in Hueys with the doors open (just like they did it over 40 years ago). I think I logged about a thousand miles with the doors open this month. I prefer to fly with the military in blackhawks instead of the state dept. in Huey’s.

Yes, that is a rubber duckie…his name is Rambo.

The picture of my watch shows the temperature of 112 degrees…it was much cooler in the air that day!"

~~ Tijuana

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Changes to Army Basic Training

This year, Basic Combat Training has gone through a transformation. Some of the changes you'll see in Basic and OSUT starting this month: BCT is more challenging; rifle marksmanship is more extensive; and combatives are tougher and more relevant.

Read more...

What do you think about the changes to Army Basic and OSUT?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP)

I'm sharing another update from one of my buddies from my MCAQ Course -- Team 41. "Navy Guy" is stationed in Iraq and attached to an Army Civil Affairs unit. Like "Tijuana", also from Team 41, "Navy Guy" is a liaison between military, government (both Iraqi and U.S.) and aid agencies and is working to build infrastructure, security and financial solvency to the people in his AO. Here are a few words from my buddy, "Navy Guy".

"Well, I’m about settled into a routine however I still have a lot to learn but it's an office job (Well Some days) so I can't complain too much. I'm working within the Army G9 position CMO (Civil Military Operations) where decisions are made using what's called Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP). In a nut-shell we decide what emergency funding is need to help stabilize the Government here and aid the local economy. CERP provides funds for construction materials for schools, supplies, equipment, hospitals, roadways, bridges, power and lights. Basically, anything that can help aid the legitimacy of their country, and get their Government to take ownership and embrace the responsibility of running it. There is a lot of going back-and-forth between our legal teams (JAG) and being the Liaison between our Military forces, contractors and the Iraqi's themselves. It's very interesting but tedious work. I’m not complaining though, someone surly has it worse than I do!

Here is a photo taken at the Al Ban Markets. This particular day we were verifying that equipment that was purchased with CERP Micro-Grants by local store owners, was actually spent as requested. “Trust, but verify when spending our US Tax Dollars”. The Iraqi store owners are all very grateful for the assistance to provide them the essentials for repairing and reestablishing their stores, for economic sustainment and a prosperous future."

~ Navy Guy


By the way, Team 41 rocks! Just ask us!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Drowning Pool - Feel Like I Do

Get your free download of Drowning Pool's Top 5 active rock smash Feel Like I Do!

Feel Like I Do is the band's second consecutive Top 5 hit and the first single from their new self-titled album (Drowning Pool, Eleven Seven Music), which was released on April 27th and debuted at #35 on The Billboard 200, #3 on Billboard’s Hard Rock and #5 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums charts in its first week. Drowning Pool has also donated a signed guitar and other items that was raffled off during the May 11-16 G.I. Film Festival at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC.

Read Full Press Release








Wednesday, June 09, 2010

It's Not All Bad

Following is a note from a friend and fellow United States Army Reserve Officer serving in Iraq. He is a Civil Affairs officer working as a liaison between Iraqi officials, contractors, the U.S. Government and a myriad of other agencies and organizations. This is a tough job but I can think of no one better qualified to do it than my friend, "Tijuana" (call sign).

"I can’t believe it is June already. Time is going by very fast.

In the last 30 days I have started to get to know my job fairly well. We have processes in place when dealing with the Provincial Governor’s Team (with action item lists). I have a reconstruction engineering team that works to ensure we spend Iraqi money before we spend US Government money. I have met quite a few mayors, deputy mayors, muktars, sheikh’s and other leaders in these communities. I feel like we are engaging at the right level to make a difference. In our spare time, we recommend projects and help with local businesses like setting up internet cafĂ©’s for profit, bridal shops, sewing associations that benefit widows and a few others that are in-work. I am currently the project manager for 28 projects worth over $600k (some Iraqi funded, some US funded).

The work is rewarding and very time consuming. I have spent the last week at our Tal Afar branch office sitting in for the Team Leader while he is on vacation. Being integrated so closely with the district and sub-district governments really adds flexibility and being able to propose new ideas quickly. The good always comes with the bad, I was stuck out at a checkpoint on the Syrian border in very austere conditions for a night trying to get back to our branch office yesterday so I am just now catching up on my workload.

Things are moving fast and the drawdown is happening all around me. Mid-tour leave will be here in less than 3-months – can’t wait. "


-- Tijuana

It's great to hear news from someone with "boots on the ground," particularly when it is positive. It is far too easy to get sucked in by all the sensationalism that is on network television and in print media. Dispatchs such as this give us reason for hope and optimism.

Monday, June 07, 2010

The Technicality Generation

By LARRY PRESSLER
Op-Ed Contributor
Published: May 18, 2010

THE problems faced by Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut’s attorney general, over his depiction of his military service are indicative of a broader disease in our society. The issues of integrity in business and politics that plague us today — the way elites are no longer trusted — are rooted in the dishonesty that surrounded the Vietnam-era draft.

The Vietnam War drove members of my generation in different directions. Some served because they believed in the war, others didn’t believe in the war and protested, but when drafted felt an obligation to go. Others were simply drafted. Some refused service out of principle, others out of fear, and still others because they felt that taking the time to go to Vietnam would slow their careers.

Many of those who didn’t serve were helped by an inherently unfair draft. I don’t fault anyone for taking advantage of the law. Where I do find fault is among those who say they were avoiding the draft because they were idealistically opposed to the war — when, in fact, they mostly didn’t want to make the sacrifice. The problem is that for every person who won a deferment or a spot in a special National Guard unit, someone poorer or less educated, and usually African-American, had to serve.

Thus, many in my generation knew they were using a broken (but legal) system to shirk their duty. They cloaked themselves in idealism but deep down had to know they were engaging in a charade. (I, too, was against the Vietnam war and felt that people should protest, but not dodge their draft responsibility.)

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Monday, March 22, 2010

Turning on Word Verification

Unfortunately, I've had to turn on "Word Verification" for blog comments. This may seem like an inconvenience to some, and I agree that it can be a pain in the fourth point of contact, but it has become a necessity for me due to the number of bogus, anonymous comments I've been receiving. They range the gamut from Viagara advertisements to seemingly innocuous comments like this, "Good fill someone in on and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you as your information. "

Here's how it works.

Word Verification prevents "automated systems from adding comments to your blog, since it takes a human being to read the word and pass this step. If you've ever received a comment that looked like an advertisement or a random link to an unrelated site, then you've encountered comment spam. A lot of this is done automatically by software which can't pass the word verification, so enabling this option is a good way to prevent many such unwanted comments."

Just wanted to let all my followers know about the change and hopefully it won't stop you from posting comments.

Regards,

Citizen Soldier Sojack

Thursday, February 25, 2010

New name for Iraq war: Operation New Dawn

Staff report
Posted : Sunday Feb 21, 2010
9:05:54 EST

Say goodbye to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Effective Sept. 1, the war in Iraq will acquire a new official moniker: “Operation New Dawn.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced the move Wednesday in a memo to Gen. David Petraeus, chief of U.S. Central Command, that was first reported by ABC News.

In the brief, one-paragraph memo, a copy of which also went to Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gates said the name change is designed to coincide with “the change of mission for U.S. forces in Iraq.”

“Aligning the name change with the change of mission sends a strong signal that Operation Iraqi Freedom has ended and our forces are operating under a new mission,” Gates wrote. “It also presents opportunities to synchronize strategic communication initiatives, reinforce our commitment to honor the Security Agreement, and recognize our evolving relationship with the Government of Iraq.”

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Remember the Fallen

On this last day of 2009, take a moment to remember our fallen comrades.

"We came upon him sitting in the sun,
Blinded by war, and left. And past the fence
There came young soldiers from the Hand and Flower,
Asking advice of his experience.

And he said this, and that, and told them tales,
And all the nightmares of each empty head
Blow into air; then, hearing us beside,
'Poor chaps, how'd they know what it's like?' he said.

And we stood there, and watched him as he sat,
Turning his sockets where they went away,
Until it came to one of us to ask
'And you're--how old?
''Nineteen, the third of May.'"

--The Veteran, Margaret P. Cole

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

TRICARE Program for Gray Area Reservists On Its Way

December 17, 2009
No. 09-76
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - A new program will offer "gray area" reservists the
opportunity to purchase TRICARE health care coverage.

While qualified members of the Selected Reserve may purchase
premium-based coverage under TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), retired National
Guard and Reserve personnel did not have TRICARE health coverage options
until they reached age 60.

Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for
2010, that's all changed.

The new provision will allow certain members of the Retired
Reserve who are not yet age 60 ("gray-area" retirees), to purchase TRICARE
Standard (and Extra) coverage. TRICARE Extra simply means beneficiaries
have lower out of pocket costs if they use a network provider.

"We're working hard to coordinate all the details of
eligibility, coverage and costs, and expedite implementation of this
important program," said Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the
TRICARE Management Activity. "This is a major benefit program with
implementation on the same magnitude as TRS. It will require detailed
design, development and testing, but qualified retired reservists should be
able to purchase coverage by late summer or early fall of 2010."

While the health care benefit provided for gray-area retirees
will be TRICARE Standard and Extra - similar to TRS - the new program will
differ from TRS in its qualifications, premiums, copayment rates and
catastrophic cap requirements. The program is tentatively called TRICARE
Retired Reserve.

The new statute requires premium rates to equal the full cost of
the coverage. That is the major difference contrasted with TRS, where the
statute provides that Selected Reserve members pay only 28 percent of the
cost of the coverage. Premiums for the new gray area retiree program will be
announced after program rules are published in the Federal Register.

This new program offers an important health coverage option for
Reserve and National Guard members who served their country honorably before
hanging up their uniforms at retirement, said Hunter. For more information
about TRICARE benefits go to http://www.tricare.mil.

About TRICARE Management Activity and the Military Health System
TRICARE Management Activity, the Defense Department activity that
administers the health care plan for the uniformed services, retirees and
their families, serves more than 9.5 million eligible beneficiaries
worldwide in the Military Health System (MHS). The mission of the MHS is to
enhance Department of Defense and national security by providing health
support for the full range of military operations. The MHS provides quality
medical care through a network of providers, military treatment facilities,
medical clinics and dental clinics worldwide. For more about the MHS go to
http://www.health.mil.