Iowa (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

 

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DES MOINES	831	831	831	831	927	1146	1185	1290	1383
AMES	720	720	720	720	807	918	966	1107	1149
WATERLOO	687	687	687	687	765	834	921	1026	1050
DUBUQUE	804	804	804	804	933	1032	1074	1149	1188
CEDAR RAPIDS	609	609	609	609	723	783	813	879	930
SIOUX CITY	699	699	699	699	780	909	924	984	1071
IOWA CITY	840	840	840	840	930	1059	1128	1275	1326

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DES MOINES	1095	1095	1095	1095	1230	1530	1581	1638	1731
AMES	960	960	960	960	1077	1221	1281	1347	1461
WATERLOO	915	915	915	915	1008	1089	1098	1107	1131
DUBUQUE	1074	1074	1074	1074	1119	1251	1287	1323	1386
CEDAR RAPIDS	813	813	813	813	843	1011	1065	1122	1239
SIOUX CITY	873	873	873	873	927	1212	1233	1254	1299
IOWA CITY	1119	1119	1119	1119	1239	1410	1470	1536	1662

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DES MOINES	1149	1287	1392	1542	1596
AMES	921	1104	1155	1236	1296
WATERLOO	879	1023	1053	1092	1101
DUBUQUE	1053	1146	1191	1260	1296
CEDAR RAPIDS	801	876	933	1023	1089
SIOUX CITY	912	981	1080	1218	1236
IOWA CITY	1074	1272	1332	1425	1485

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DES MOINES	1533	1605	1677	1749	1836
AMES	1224	1308	1386	1488	1608
WATERLOO	1092	1104	1116	1140	1170
DUBUQUE	1254	1302	1347	1398	1461
CEDAR RAPIDS	1014	1089	1161	1269	1398
SIOUX CITY	1215	1242	1269	1311	1362
IOWA CITY	1413	1497	1578	1695	1833

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DES MOINES	1230	1362	1530	957	1188	1422	1587	1623	1677	1710
AMES	1077	1140	1221	846	1038	1170	1287	1383	1398	1416
WATERLOO	1008	1044	1089	822	978	1059	1098	1104	1113	1134
DUBUQUE	1119	1179	1251	1026	1104	1203	1290	1311	1347	1374
CEDAR RAPIDS	843	915	1011	780	831	951	1086	1242	1254	1266
SIOUX CITY	930	1053	1212	819	927	1110	1233	1248	1269	1293
IOWA CITY	1239	1314	1410	999	1200	1350	1476	1581	1599	1614

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DES MOINES	1593	1665	1764	1263	1524	1674	1869	2010	2031	2052
AMES	1296	1374	1506	1092	1218	1383	1653	1845	1863	1881
WATERLOO	1101	1110	1143	1017	1086	1113	1179	1230	1242	1254
DUBUQUE	1293	1341	1407	1134	1248	1344	1482	1581	1599	1614
CEDAR RAPIDS	1077	1149	1290	861	1008	1158	1446	1656	1671	1689
SIOUX CITY	1236	1263	1317	957	1206	1266	1380	1461	1476	1491
IOWA CITY	1482	1566	1716	1260	1407	1575	1887	2109	2130	2151

• 2011 BAH Iowa
• BAH Location
• BAH FAQs

Hawaii (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

 

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
MAUI COUNTY	1218	1218	1218	1218	1404	1572	1641	1779	1902
HONOLULU COUNTY	1461	1461	1461	1461	1701	1866	1977	2100	2235
HAWAII COUNTY	954	954	954	954	1059	1284	1305	1464	1560
KAUAI COUNTY	1242	1242	1242	1242	1341	1485	1536	1728	1827

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
MAUI COUNTY	1599	1599	1599	1599	1701	2097	2187	2286	2475
HONOLULU COUNTY	1860	1860	1860	1860	1899	2487	2637	2802	2979
HAWAII COUNTY	1272	1272	1272	1272	1401	1713	1740	1770	1830
KAUAI COUNTY	1527	1527	1527	1527	1665	1980	1989	2001	2100

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
MAUI COUNTY	1575	1776	1914	2121	2211
HONOLULU COUNTY	1869	2028	2238	2523	2676
HAWAII COUNTY	1287	1464	1569	1719	1746
KAUAI COUNTY	1488	1725	1836	1983	1995

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
MAUI COUNTY	2100	2229	2349	2520	2721
HONOLULU COUNTY	2490	2703	2907	3006	3123
HAWAII COUNTY	1716	1752	1788	1845	1911
KAUAI COUNTY	1983	1995	2010	2136	2292

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
MAUI COUNTY	1701	1875	2097	1497	1665	1953	2199	2343	2367	2397
HONOLULU COUNTY	2004	2157	2487	1818	1980	2274	2655	2751	2907	2964
HAWAII COUNTY	1401	1539	1713	1143	1359	1599	1743	1761	1788	1824
KAUAI COUNTY	1665	1803	1980	1392	1317	1866	1992	1998	2007	2046

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
MAUI COUNTY	2208	2331	2550	1746	2088	2346	2799	3123	3153	3186
HONOLULU COUNTY	2670	2877	3024	1965	2475	2898	3168	3357	3390	3423
HAWAII COUNTY	1746	1782	1854	1437	1707	1785	1935	2043	2064	2085
KAUAI COUNTY	1992	2004	2160	1701	1974	2007	2352	2601	2628	2652

• 2011 BAH Hawaii
• BAH Location
• BAH FAQs

Georgia (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
ATLANTA	822	822	822	822	948	1038	1083	1197	1269
ALBANY	708	708	708	708	783	831	900	984	1047
FORT GORDON	720	720	720	720	807	969	1017	1110	1179
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	780	780	780	780	843	882	948	1044	1125
FORT BENNING	891	891	891	891	993	1056	1119	1215	1260
ROBINS AFB	882	882	882	882	966	1008	1023	1104	1212
SAVANNAH	957	957	957	957	1125	1215	1248	1329	1395
ATHENS	723	723	723	723	846	927	966	1038	1080
DAHLONEGA	678	678	678	678	765	891	939	1035	1092
FORT STEWART	888	888	888	888	1002	1062	1098	1170	1266
MOODY AFB	732	732	732	732	822	885	924	1014	1077

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
ATLANTA	1080	1080	1080	1080	1149	1383	1416	1449	1545
ALBANY	894	894	894	894	969	1026	1137	1260	1395
FORT GORDON	960	960	960	960	1062	1290	1356	1425	1548
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	945	945	945	945	1014	1158	1260	1368	1500
FORT BENNING	1116	1116	1116	1116	1185	1335	1425	1527	1626
ROBINS AFB	1023	1023	1023	1023	1038	1122	1290	1470	1617
SAVANNAH	1245	1245	1245	1245	1284	1506	1530	1560	1641
ATHENS	966	966	966	966	1008	1149	1179	1209	1341
DAHLONEGA	903	903	903	903	996	1188	1254	1326	1410
FORT STEWART	1083	1083	1083	1083	1110	1416	1464	1512	1623
MOODY AFB	921	921	921	921	969	1179	1206	1239	1347

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
ATLANTA	1053	1194	1275	1392	1422
ALBANY	867	981	1050	1077	1164
FORT GORDON	972	1107	1185	1308	1371
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	918	1041	1128	1185	1284
FORT BENNING	1089	1212	1266	1356	1449
ROBINS AFB	1017	1053	1215	1230	1332
SAVANNAH	1233	1326	1404	1512	1536
ATHENS	948	1035	1083	1155	1224
DAHLONEGA	894	1032	1098	1203	1269
FORT STEWART	1074	1167	1275	1428	1473
MOODY AFB	900	1011	1083	1185	1215

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
ATLANTA	1386	1428	1472	1572	1689
ALBANY	1029	1185	1338	1416	1509
FORT GORDON	1293	1383	1470	1578	1704
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	1161	1305	1440	1524	1623
FORT BENNING	1338	1467	1590	1641	1698
ROBINS AFB	1128	1362	1587	1629	1677
SAVANNAH	1509	1542	1578	1668	1773
ATHENS	1152	1191	1233	1380	1557
DAHLONEGA	1191	1284	1371	1425	1485
FORT STEWART	1419	1482	1545	1653	1785
MOODY AFB	1182	1221	1260	1377	1521

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
ATLANTA	1149	1251	1383	1011	1125	1299	1419	1446	1470	1500
ALBANY	969	993	1074	819	945	1053	1158	1272	1338	1365
FORT GORDON	1062	1164	1290	855	1026	1209	1362	1470	1485	1500
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	1014	1077	1158	873	990	1131	1272	1368	1440	1467
FORT BENNING	1185	1251	1335	1044	1161	1281	1437	1494	1590	1623
ROBINS AFB	1038	1164	1227	1005	1032	1218	1308	1413	1587	1617
SAVANNAH	1284	1380	1506	1209	1269	1425	1533	1551	1578	1608
ATHENS	1008	1071	1149	921	993	1098	1221	1434	1449	1464
DAHLONEGA	996	1080	1188	813	963	1119	1260	1302	1371	1398
FORT STEWART	1701	1875	2097	1497	1665	1953	2199	2343	2367	2397
MOODY AFB	2004	2157	2487	1818	1980	2274	2655	2751	2907	2964

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
ATLANTA	1422	1464	1590	1176	1380	1470	1734	1926	1947	1965
ALBANY	1161	1314	1431	975	1023	1332	1545	1698	1713	1731
FORT GORDON	1371	1458	1596	1086	1287	1467	1755	1959	1980	1998
KINGS BAY/BRUNSWICK	1281	1419	1539	1029	1155	1434	1662	1824	1842	1860
FORT BENNING	1446	1572	1650	1200	1332	1584	1722	1815	1833	1851
ROBINS AFB	1326	1554	1635	1047	1119	1578	1698	1779	1797	1815
SAVANNAH	1536	1572	1683	1308	1500	1575	1812	1983	2004	2025
ATHENS	1185	1224	1407	1023	1146	1230	1626	1914	1932	1950
DAHLONEGA	1269	1359	1434	1017	1185	1368	1509	1611	1626	1641
FORT STEWART	1473	1536	1674	1443	1410	1542	1836	2046	2064	2085
MOODY AFB	1215	1251	1401	993	1176	1257	1575	1806	1824	1842

• 2011 BAH Georgia
• BAH Location
• BAH FAQs

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2012) -- Military recruits who wear glasses won't be issued S9s or "birth control glasses" anymore -- the nickname given to the iconic BCGs because many service members believe that while wearing the frames, it is impossible to appear attractive.

Beginning this month, Fort Leonard Wood's basic trainees will be fitted with a new frame, the 5A.

"Currently, the trainees at Fort Leonard Wood are given S9s for Boot Camp and Advanced Individual Training," said Sgt. Brant Fechter, 43rd Adjutant General (Reception) Battalion Optometry Clinic noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "The projection is that the 5As will start to be issued this February to promote usage and comfort."

Fechter expects the new frames to be a welcome change for troops.

"The style of the new basic issue will resemble a slimmer and lighter glasses that many of the trainees arrive to Fort Leonard Wood already wearing, which is an indicator that the new issue will be a hit," Fechter said.

One of the last basic trainees to receive the S9s, Pvt. Michael Beebe, was issued his glasses during a visit to the 43rd Reception Battalion Optometry Clinic on Jan. 31.

"They are really big and fall down my face," Beebe said.

Beebe wished he was processed just a few days later, as he could've been issued the new 5As.

While inspecting the contemporary frames, he said, "They look a lot smaller, lighter and more comfortable. I would rather have those."

Also in the clinic that day, Pvt. Michael Lopez, wearing his S9s, agreed.

"I have my pair already, because I have been through basic training. They are really sturdy," Lopez said. "But I like the new ones better. They look better."

Despite the S9s' thick frame being part of pop-culture's current fashion trend -- complete with Facebook page, "Birth Control Glasses (BCGs) are making a comeback!," Lopez said he only wears them because he has to.

"I'm required to wear them. I personally wouldn't wear them out and about," Lopez said.

Soldiers and retirees will still have the ability to order the brown S9 glasses after the 5A change-over is implemented.

"The durability of the S9s might be better than the new 5As because the frames are thicker; however, Soldiers will wear the new issue more often, which will improve training and performance," Fechter said.

Beebe said if he was fortunate enough to don the new 5As, he would be more careful with the thinner frames.

"They might break a lot easier, but I would take better care of them," he said.

By Rob McIlvaine
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2012 – The Army is investigating how post-traumatic stress disorder is diagnosed to ensure consistency at all hospitals, the service’s surgeon general told Congress yesterday.

Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho and the surgeons general from the Air Force and Navy testified at a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee.

Horoho addressed concerns over closure of the intensive outpatient center at Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., reportedly because the staff concluded too often that patents suffered from PTSD. She said she has launched an investigation to look into the variance of behavioral health diagnoses at Madigan, and to investigate why the intensive outpatient center was closed, whether undo command influence contributed to the closure, and whether patients were negatively affected.

A forensic psychiatrist there who screened patients for PTSD and allegedly made inappropriate remarks was removed administratively from clinical duties until the investigation is finished, Horoho said.

The center’s capabilities have not gone away, Horoho said, explaining that they have been merged into other behavioral health programs at Madigan.

“Having said that, we are going to investigate to make sure that’s actually true and that we’re providing the best care to our service members,” she said. She denied that the Army is pressing medical personnel to ensure soldiers return to duty.

“Absolutely, the Army is not putting pressure on any of our clinicians,” she said.

Horoho said she has asked the Army’s inspector general to evaluate and investigate the situation at Madigan, noting a variance there that involved patients going through the Integrative Disability Evaluation System who had their records screened without face-to-face diagnosis.

When the disability evaluator was unsure of whether the patient suffered from PTSD, she explained, he would refer the case to forensic psychiatry, and the diagnosis would then be made using administrative data without a patient encounter.

That’s not the way PTSD diagnoses are made across Army medicine, Horocho said, and she wants to ensure no Madigan patients were put at a disadvantage.

“Our commitment,” she told the subcommittee, “is to ensure we optimize the delivery of health services to ensure our medical support to each of our services while reducing redundancy by maintaining unity of effort and focusing on health.”

The recent merger of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., was another topic at the hearing.

Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. (Dr.) Matthew L. Nathan, who commanded the former Navy facility at Bethesda and then the consolidated Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, thanked the subcommittee members for their support and pledged continued high-quality care as budget constraints loom.

“I recognize that we are in somewhat unchartered waters, as we say in the Navy, as we look for new footing and a new landscape to find a governance structure that will accommodate these efficiencies and these transparencies and at the same time preserve the amazing combat warfighter support that has been evident over this last decade, resulting in the greatest survival rates and the lowest disease nonbattle injury rate in military history,” Nathan said.

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2012 – Military women, particularly soldiers, will see more than 14,000 new job or assignment opportunities because of policy changes the Defense Department announced today.
The changes are included in a report the department submitted to Congress today, based in part on findings the Military Leadership Diversity Commission reported in March.

Today’s report includes a “vision statement”: “The Department of Defense is committed to removing all barriers that would prevent service members from rising to the highest level of responsibility that their talents and capabilities warrant.” A Pentagon news release accompanying the announcement quotes Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta as saying women have proven themselves in and out of battle.

“Women are contributing in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission,” he said. “Through their courage, sacrifice, patriotism and great skill, women have proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles on and off the battlefield. “We will continue to open as many positions as possible to women so that anyone qualified to serve can have the opportunity to do so,” the secretary added.

The biggest barrier DOD is lifting is a 1994 policy prohibiting women from jobs -- such as tank mechanic and field artillery radar operator -- that take place near combat units. With that bar removed, more than 13,000 Army jobs will be available to women soldiers for the first time.

The second change is an “exception to policy” that will allow the Army, Navy and Marines to open select positions at the battalion level in jobs women already occupy. The current policy, also set in 1994, bars women in jobs such as intelligence, communications and logistics from assignment at units smaller than a brigade. Nearly 1,200 assignments will open to women soldiers, sailors and Marines under the exceptions. As the law requires, the Defense Department will not implement the new policies until Congress has been in continuous session for 30 days, which should happen later this spring.

The report notes the policy changes reflect conditions already common in the past decade’s wars, where attacks can occur without warning and battle lines can shift to formerly “rear echelon” areas. “The dynamics of the modern-day battlefield are non-linear, meaning there are no clearly defined front line and safer rear area where combat support operations are performed within a low-risk environment,” the document’s authors wrote.

Pentagon statistics show 144 military women have been killed and 865 wounded in combat and noncombat incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some 20,000 of the 205,000 service members currently serving in Afghanistan are women, and they make up about 280,000 of the more than 2.3 million troops who have served in operations over the past decade.

The 1.4 million-member active-duty force now serving includes about 205,000 women. The report notes the changes will expand career opportunities for women, provide a greater pool of troops from which combatant commanders may draw, reduce the operational tempo for “male counterparts” by increasing the number of service members available to support direct combat forces, improve consistency in assignment policy, and give field commanders more flexibility in meeting combat-support mission requirements.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters the policy changes follow an extensive review that involved input from all the services. “We believe it is very important to explore ways to offer more opportunities to women in the military,” he said.

Little said the department will continue to look for ways to increase opportunities for military women. He acknowledged most of the positions involve the Army, as the nation’s primary ground force. “Most positions in the Air Force are already open to women,” Little noted. “The vast majority of positions in the Navy are already open to women, so most of these positions do involve the United States Army.” The report states that 99 percent of all Air Force positions, officer and enlisted, are open to women. The figure is 66 percent for the Army, 68 percent for the Marines, and 88 percent for the Navy.

The 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule identified five elements affecting women’s military service: direct ground combat, berthing and privacy, collocation, long-range reconnaissance and special operations forces, and physically demanding tasks.

Today’s report addresses two of these with full or partial policy changes, and addresses the others by stating department officials are working to establish gender-neutral job standards. “This will mean a thorough analysis of job-related physical requirements … expected of service members,” the report reads in part. “These standards will help determine which specific positions presently excluded under the special operations and physical standards criteria are suitable for general assignment of both genders.”

The report’s authors acknowledged there are “practical barriers that require time to resolve to ensure the services maximize the safety and privacy of all service members while maintaining military readiness.” The secretary directed the services to report results, six months after the policies take effect, on their implementation of the new assignment standards and their progress developing gender-neutral physical standards.

On Jan. 6, 2012 the U.S. Army and the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their partnership and launch of the U.S. Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence Program. The program, announced by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, highlights the achievements of student-athletes across the country.

The program will be open to all United States sophomore and junior level high school athletes. Athletes must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and also be active members in their communities to qualify.

“Athletes and Army Strong Soldiers possess a unique and similar set of strengths,” said Lieutenant General Benjamin Freakley, U.S. Army. “We are excited to be partnering with the Pro Football Hall of Fame to help recognize outstanding student-athletes across the country; athletes who not only excel in their area of sport, but also excel academically and are upstanding members of their communities. We look forward to working with schools across the country to highlight their student athletes’ successes and achievements.”

Formal nominations will be accepted from Feb. 6, through midnight EDT on Apr. 15, 2012. A judging panel comprised of Pro Football Hall of Fame representatives will review submissions and nominate 10 finalists on May 15, 2012. Each of the 10 finalists will receive a special recognition at their school during the fall and will travel to the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The winner of the Award for Excellence will be announced during the Bowl’s formal Awards Dinner on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013.

For more information on this program, nomination process and to download nomination forms please visit www.profootballhof.com/Army.

February 10, 2012
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes RC-East PAO

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Someone once said Egypt was a place flowing with milk and honey, but for the local Afghan people the El Salam Egyptian Field Hospital gives so much more.

The El Salam Egyptian Field Hospital is a part of the coalition forces that helps and provide medical care for the people of Afghanistan.

The hospital, operating out of the wooden B-huts that dot the entire base, offers surgery and outpatient care, with specialists in many disciplines, including dentistry, ophthalmology, gynecology and pediatrics.

Since December the hospital has seen over 5,000 patients including Afghans and American civilians.

“We treat and see civilians that work on Bagram and Afghans.” said Col Reda AL. Shanawany, the Commander of El Salam Egyptian Field Hospital. “If there is something we cannot find a solution on, we will refer all of our patients to Craig Joint Theater Hospital,” said Shanawany

The hospital offers many different kinds of treatment, but more often Afghans are treated for Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B.

“The two most common cases that we see is TB [Tuberculosis] and Hep B [Hepatitis B],” said Capt. Ahmed Moheb, the Chief Medical Doctor of the El Salam Egyptian Field Hospital. “People come from a long distance, so I think they need us here to make sure that their getting cured.”

Afghans have come from all over the country to this hospital, the Egyptians said, but most are from the area.

Some Afghans travel from far distances to receive medical treatment, and some come with no shoes and with little to eat, but once they get to the hospital all of those needs are meet.

The staff not only treats all of its patients it feeds them as well.

“Before the Afghan people leave, we always give them food for their trip back home,” said Col. Shanawany.

Regardless of how far they may have to travel, Afghans know this hospital will treat them and make sure their needs are take care of.

“I spend over an hour of walking to get here, so it’s refreshing to know that all my needs will get taken care of,” said Mohamand Khanagha a patient at the Egyptian Field Hospital.

The Egyptians enjoy taking care of their patients and they want to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

“We want to teach the Afghans how to support themselves to live successfully without us,” said Moheb. “In the future I would like for all the Afghan people to be safe and their medical needs meet.”

February 10, 2012
Office of the White House Press Secretary

Department Continues Transformation to Meet Veterans' Needs

What: Press conference on the Department of Veterans Affairs
budget request for fiscal year 2013
Who:

• Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik K. Shinseki
  
• Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould
  
• Chief of Staff John R. Gingrich
  
• Chief Financial Officer Todd Gramms
  
• Other senior departmental leaders

When:Monday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m.
Camera pre-set begins 3:30 p.m.

Where:VA Headquarters
810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.

The briefing will be live-streamed on both the VA website (http://www.va.gov)
and on VA's main Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs?sk=app_196506863720166).

ContactsPhil Budahn, phil.budahn@va.gov, 202-431-5845, OR
Randy Noller, Randal.noller@va.gov, 202-725-8359

2/9/2012
By Cpl. Thomas A. Bricker


ONTARIO, Calif.- When "the boys" get together to watch "the game," for Sunday night football, they expect to see large male athletes kicking the field goal as time expires to send the game into overtime.

When the members of the Single Marine Program aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow attended the Lingerie Football League Eastern and Western Conference Championships held at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif., Jan. 29, they were introduced to a whole new view of how the popular full-contact sport is played.

The LFL started as a pay-per-view event during halftime of the National Football League’s Super Bowl and has developed into an all-female, indoor, tackle, traveling football league with 12 teams. The seven-on-seven games are played with 17-minute halves.

The professionalism displayed by the players impressed several members of the SMP.

The games caught some Marines off guard when they witnessed the reality of the LFL.

“I had an idea of what to expect but I had no clue it was going to be what I actually saw,” said Lance Cpl. Aaron Thornton, a calibrations technician with Fleet Support Division aboard the base, talking about the intensity of the athletes playing in the games. “It’s like they’re there to look good for the crowd but at the same time want to just play good football,” he added.

Others with the SMP weren’t too surprised with the ladies’ smash-mouth tactics. Cpl. Michael Pressler, an artillery mechanic with FSD is a regular follower of the LFL.

“It’s fun to see these girls play tackle football. Some might think they’re just exploiting the women who play, but I think it’s just a bunch of female athletes who love to compete,” he explained. “All in all, I think it’s a great time to watch these games.”

The games featured the two best teams from each coast in the U.S. For the West Coast, the defending champs, the Los Angeles Temptation beating out the Las Vegas Sin for their conference title while the Philadelphia Passion ousted the Tampa Bay Breeze. This year's Lingerie Bowl is set to be a rematch of last year’s game between the two teams. The league was created because of its vast appeal to both sports fanatics and lingerie aficionados.

“We try to get events for the single Marines that will get their participation with the program,” said A.J. Jacobs, the SMP coordinator on base. “We want to get as many active with the SMP as possible but to have a good time while doing it.”

Jacobs explains that the SMP is set in place to improve the quality of life of the bachelor Marines. The SMP allows several outlets for the Marines to have fun while building camaraderie simultaneously.

Overall, the event garnered positive reactions from the SMP attendees and posed a possible revisit in years to come.

“I was really glad to see them enjoy the games as much as they did,” Jacobs said of the Marines attending the games. “If we get this reaction from them in possible future visits to the league, we may even make them a regular visit,” Jacobs concluded.

February 7, 2012

ARLINGTON, Va. - In an effort headed up by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, a survey site has been developed to get feedback from the field about the Improved Physical Fitness Uniform.

This survey is for all Soldiers (Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve) and you must have AKO access to participate.

The survey is in response to the Chief of Staff of the Army and Sergeant Major of the Army's approval of the Army Uniform Board's recommendation and tasking to do a complete review of the IPFU requirements.

The survey site officially launched Monday and will remain active for 30 days, so make sure to take the time to offer your input and make your voice heard.

Links to the survey can be found at:

CAC enforced https://ipfusurvey.natick.army.mil
NON-CAC https://surveys.natick.army.mil.

SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS
The U.S. Army is conducting a survey of the IPFU. Your responses to the following questions will influence decisions on this item, so please consider each question carefully before answering. Please be sure to respond fully for each question. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Purpose(s): To evaluate clothing and individual equipment under development or consideration by the Army; to determine acceptability of clothing and equipment items in consideration of procurement. To locate individual/s who participate in a user assessment or evaluation at the end of the test period, to complete a questionnaire on the test item.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses: In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b) of the Privacy Act. These records or information contained therein will not be disclosed outside the DoD. Reports published on findings do not contain any personal information, but lists demographics in the aggregate. The "Blanket Routine Uses" set forth at the beginning of the Army's compilation of systems of records notices apply to this system.

Harley-Davidson announced that the Company helped raise more than $160,000 on behalf of the United Service Organizations (USO) throughout November and December, which will be used to send care packages to troops overseas in the coming year. Donations were collected by Harley-Davidson dealerships and Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) chapters around the country in honor of Military Appreciation Month and the holiday giving season between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2011.

Harley-Davidson issued a challenge to local H.O.G. chapters to each collect $500 or more, and more than 200 chapters, along with dealerships from coast to coast, rose to the challenge to help raise the money to support the USO and U.S. troops stationed overseas.

“We’re incredibly grateful to our loyal customers and dealer partners who helped us make this partnership a big success,” said Mike McCann, Director of Core Customer and Military Marketing for Harley-Davidson. “We’re always looking for new ways to support our military men and women, and we’re proud to have been able to work with the USO on this effort.”

The largest donation came from the Wild Prairie H.O.G. Chapter from Wild Prairie Harley-Davidson in Eden Prairie, Minn. The group collected $10,853, and they will be honored for their efforts at their chapter meeting Thursday, Feb. 9 by Harley-Davidson staff, members of the military and representatives from the USO.

In addition to the snacks, toiletries and phone cards included in every standard care package, every package sent from the USO this year will also include two complimentary tickets to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee – approximately 250,000 tickets in total.

“These care packages are very important to our troops,” said USO Sr. VP and Chief Development Officer Kelli Seely. “They provide them with a touch of home and a way to connect with their loved ones. We’re thankful that Harley-Davidson was able to step up and support an effort that means so much to the USO and our troops.”

Harley-Davidson’s history with the U.S. military dates to World War I and World War II.

Today Harley-Davidson supports U.S. military personnel through programs like Harley’s Heroes®. In 2007, The Harley-Davidson Foundation made its first $1 million grant to Disabled American Veterans to support its Mobile Service Offices that travel throughout the U.S. to provide counseling and assistance to help veterans and their families secure the benefits they earned through their service. The program has become known as Harley’s Heroes. Last year, the Foundation made a second $1 million grant to continue its support of the program.

Harley-Davidson also recently sponsored three tours of Bikes Over Baghdad, which brought a team of the biggest names in action sports to bases in Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the Middle East to perform BMX shows for thousands of troops. For two of the three tours, Harley-Davidson sent one of its own employees along to show the company’s personal gratitude.

For more about Harley-Davidson’s Military Appreciation Month activities and the company’s longstanding commitment to the U.S. military, visit http://www.harley-davidson.com/military.

About Harley-Davidson Motor Company:
Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s website at http://www.harley-davidson.com.

About the USO:
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

Dozens of members of Congress are upset that the Air Force has removed "Deus" the Latin word for "God" from the logo of an Air Force acquisitions office.

Led by Rep. J. Randy Forbes, co-chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, 36 lawmakers Monday (Feb. 6) sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz objecting to the removal of "God" from the logo of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.

After objections from the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, the logo was removed. The action taken by the RCO suggests that any and all references to "God" in any context or form, must be removed from the Military.

Jason Torpy, president of the association, said the word "God" had no place in the logo because not all members of the military are religious. "We just hope (the Air Force) can provide more equal opportunities for atheists and humanists in the military."

According to the lawmakers, all members of the bipartisan prayer caucus, the RCO patch logo previously included the motto "Opus Dei Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus" meaning, "Doing God's Work with Other People's Money", an inside joke among RCO members.

Caucus members say it was changed to "Miraculi Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus" meaning, "Doing Miracles with Other People's Money".

The letter argues that "courts consistently have upheld the constitutionality of our national motto, 'In God We Trust,' despite the obvious mention of God."

What do you think of this objection? Tell us here!

February 9, 2012

Michelle Obama landed at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas on the second stop of her four-state tour to announce a new initiative to upgrade the quality of food at military bases.

Now attired in a charcoal-grey suit, a red brooch, and patent-leather flats (she had worn a striped knit top and slacks at the rally in Iowa), Mrs. Obama was briefed by AF officers about how the base was upgrading its menus with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Little Rock is one of six bases that are testing a pilot program to serve healthier food (the program is being expanded to seven more bases). The staff said the new offerings were great for business, bringing in more soldiers and military families.

The "food transformation initiative," the first lady was told, depends not only on providing healthier food, but changing the eating habits of service people.

Mrs. Obama perked up at the mention of both an upgraded "cold" and "sizzling" salad bar (with stir-fry vegetables and the like).

Mrs. Obama asked how eating habits affected service readiness (DoD estimates that nearly a quarter of Americans between 17 and 24 are too overweight for basic training).

"I'd love to hear a bit about what you all are seeing over this particular generation," she said.

The staff told her that the military had made strides in promoting better fitness among recruits, and was now focusing on healthier food.

Brigadier Gen. Eden Murrie, director of Air Force Services, told FLOTUS that "we are working hard to make healthy sexy."

Turning to the economic implications, Mrs. Obama said, "A lot of people think eating healthy costs more. But time and again, the military has shown that you can do both."

Later, Obama was given a tour of the dining facility, where staff members showed her an array of fresh fruit cups and a plentiful salad bar.

Mrs. Obama then moved into an adjacent dining hall, where she was greeted by airmen and women seated at rectangular tables. They were staring warily at half-eaten plates of greens, broccoli, and slices of chicken. Each had a bottle of water.

The dining hall was the site for DoD's announcement that it would upgrade menus across the armed forces for the first time in 20 years. DoD said it spends $1.4 billion a year on weight-related health problems for active and retired service people.

Addressing the group, Mrs. Obama said, "Thank you for eating your vegetables. We need you strong."

"This is a big day," she said of the DoD commitment to new menu standards. "This isn't just a drop in the bucket. This is a big splash."

Obama noted that obesity is not just a public-health problem, but a national-security problem. She said the military could set an example for the country in healthier eating habits.

"When you make healthy eating a priority in your lives," she said. "The rest of us are more likely to make it a priority in our lives."

After speaking, Mrs. Obama shook hands and spoke briefly with many of the soldiers. Pool was out of earshot of most of the exchanges, but did hear Obama tell one airman, "Don't worry; you'll be a vegetable guy soon."

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2012 – While the U.S. military will shrink in the coming years, the contracting career field will buck the trend and grow, officials at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center said.

The field is open to officers and enlisted soldiers, and the total Army population in the military occupational specialty will double by the end of fiscal 2013, officials said.
Those selected will become part of the Army Acquisition Corps.

The Corps needs more officers in functional area 51 and noncommissioned officers in military occupational specialty 51C.

On the officer side, the Army typically looks for officers in their sixth or seventh year of service. “We would like to have them starting to look at the career field when they are lieutenants, but they transfer to the career field after they have their branch qualifying job as a captain,” Army Maj. Anthony Maneri said during a recent interview.

The enlisted side is a bit different. The service targets sergeants and staff sergeants under 10 years of service. “They must be in balanced or overstrength military occupational specialties,” said Army Master Sgt. Jason Pitts, a specialist at the center. “There are over 180 MOSs, and there are only nine that are not eligible, so pretty much any soldier is eligible.”

Those interested must send in a reclassification packet. The Acquisition Support Center at Huntsville, Ala., holds a quarterly board composed of sergeants major and lieutenant colonels to select the best-quality soldiers for transfer. Soldiers selected for the 51C MOS may qualify for a $2,000 transfer bonus. There is no re-enlistment bonus, because “right now our people are staying in,” Pitts said. “It’s a great job.”

No unit ever goes on deployment with everything it needs, Maneri said. Army contracting specialists work with commanders to get exactly what a unit needs in the field. This runs the gamut from food and water to building materials to plasma screens and so on.

The force views these contracting specialists as force multipliers. “You are the procurement guy for the guys in the field,” Maneri said. “You also are a business advisor to the battalion or brigade or division commander.”

In the field, acquisition experts work on four-member teams -- a major, a captain and two NCOs. They work at every level from the company up to division.

The specialists speak the language of the military and also the language of business. “I spent 14 years in the infantry,” Pitts said. “I understand the commander’s mission. And I understand how I can use procurement to support that mission.”

The officers and NCOs help to push technologies downrange. For example, contracting specialists helped in getting improvised explosive device jammers to soldiers quickly in 2003 and 2004.

That led to a breakthrough in how commanders viewed contracting specialists, Maneri said. “In the early days, commanders weren’t sure what we could do for them,” he said.

“After a few successes, warfighters started understanding the other aspects that we could offer to help them do their jobs.”

Army Lt. Col. Matt Schramm, another specialist at the center, said there’s little difference between the officer and enlisted training. “It’s essentially the same training that people in private industry receive,” he said. “This enables us to speak the same language that they do at Coca-Cola or Boeing or Google or wherever.”

February 7, 2012
By Maria Gallegos

Born and raised in California, Capt. Brendan Graham never imagined winning big on a game show.

In January 2012, that is exactly what he did. Graham, a pathologist at San Antonio Military Medical Center won $47,602 on 'Jeopardy' during his three-show stint.

After his first win on the show, Graham and his wife Lindsey, also a physician at San Antonio Military Medical Center, or SAMMC, agreed to donate half of their winnings to three charities: the Wounded Warrior Project, the Fisher House and the Archdiocese for the Military Service -San Antonio.

As military physicians, working and collaborating with the Wounded Warrior Project and the Fisher House organizations were well-known by the Grahams.

"I saw these organizations almost every day. When a patient arrives at the hospital, a representative from the Wounded Warrior Project is always there to assist the patient and their well being," Graham said. "And the Fisher House project offers a free place to stay for families while their loved ones recover from their injuries."

"Another charity I failed to mention on the show was the Archdiocese for the Military Service - San Antonio. We are giving a third of our winnings to this organization," Graham said. "As devoted Catholics, this was a natural decision for us make."

According to the website, the organization provides the Catholic Church's full range of pastoral ministries and spiritual service to those in the United States Armed Forces.

"I am grateful and blessed for what they [three charities] do for our patients," he said. "My wife and I are simple people. Winning lots of money was not my priority on the show. I was more interested in beating other competitors and demonstrating to the world, we have very intelligent people in the military who can compete with very intelligent civilians in the world."

The Grahams' are expecting their second child in March and their personal plans to use the money are small but meaningful.

"My wife wants to buy a rocking chair that is wide enough so both of our children can sit in the rocking chair with her while she reads to them," he said.

For more information on the charities:

• Fisher House at http://www.fisherhouse.org
  
• Wounded Warrior Project at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
  
• Catholic Charities: Military Archdiocese of United States at http://www.milarch.org

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy (AFNS) -- Airmen looking to trade in their stripes for a set of bars can take advantage of five different commissioning programs offered by the Air Force.

According to Melanie Mendez, 31st Force Support Squadron education and training specialist, enlisted Airmen have an advantage when applying for commissioning programs.

Being enlisted puts Airmen a cut above in the application process, said Mendez. It circumvents a lot of the red tape civilians usually go through and demonstrates how an enlistment and military experience have matured and made Airmen a valuable asset as a leader.

Officer Training School, Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program, Leaders Encouraging Airmen Development, Scholarship for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC and Professional Officer Course Early Release Program are the five programs offered.

Each program has different requirements. Which program a member qualifies for depends on their qualifications, lifestyle and family situation.

Graduates of all programs are commissioned as second lieutenants with a minimum four-year active-duty contract.

Officer Training School
Airmen applying for this program must have a bachelor's degree or higher. The 12-week program focuses on military customs and courtesies; military history; leadership and officership techniques; small arms training; combat skills; physical training; drill and ceremonies.

"I really feel that my prior military experience really helped out since you are competing against the civilian sector as well," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Fowler, 31st Munitions Squadron, who was recently selected for OTS. "I have really worked hard throughout my career to stay ahead of the game as far as my work is concerned and I believe that showed through on my [enlisted performance reports.] The board doesn't necessarily want someone that excels in only one or two fields, but is more spread out across the board. This means volunteering, working with squadron events, being involved in professional associations, and anything else that would show that you are the 'whole package.'"

Airmen Scholarship and Commissioning Program
Airmen must separate from active-duty service and join an Air Force ROTC detachment to earn their degree. Members can receive scholarships of up to $15,000 for two to four years plus a $750 book allowance and monthly stipend of $250 to $400.

Leaders Encouraging Airmen Development
Airmen must be nominated for selection to this program by unit commanders. Airmen are selected based upon demonstrated leadership skills, SAT scores and high school grade-point-average. Once selected, Airmen will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy or Academy Preparatory School based on their credentials. Every year there are 85 slots reserved for prior enlisted Airmen directly to the Academy and 50 slots reserved for the Academy Preparatory School. To apply for LEAD Airmen must be at least 17, but less than 23 years of age by July 1 of the year they would enter and they must be unmarried and without dependents.

"This is where being prior enlisted is a huge advantage," said Mendez. "The only nomination required of enlisted Airmen applying to the LEAD program is a letter from their immediate commander, whereas civilian applicants require a congressional nomination. Also, enlisted Airmen who are selected to attend the preparatory school portion of the LEAD program get to retain their enlisted rank for the duration of the school, keeping their current pay a little while longer before entering the academy."

Scholarship for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC
Airmen must separate from the Air Force. Members can receive scholarships of up to $15,000 per year in tuition and fees plus a monthly stipend of $250 to $400. Only 50 slots are available per year in this program. It is open to all college majors.

Professional Officer Course Early Release Program
Airmen must have completed at least two years of schooling toward their degree. Airmen will be released early from active duty to attend Air Force ROTC and attend school full time.

To learn more about or sign up for any of these programs Airmen must contact the education office and attend a commissioning briefing. At the briefing, an education and training specialist goes through the specifics of each program and talks with each attendee to find which program fits best. The specialist then goes through the package checklist step-by-step and details what needs to be done to be selected.

Before being considered for any of the programs, Airmen must take the Air Force Officer Qualification Test, a standardized test similar to the SAT or ACT that measures the test takers learning aptitude. The AFOQT can only be taken twice and examinees must wait at least 180 days between tests.

"It is important to remember that the AFOQT is only a portion of the package and not to get too caught up on the scores," said Fowler. "Don't just assume you have it in the bag with 99's across the board, or vice versa that you don't stand a chance with lower scores."

Applicants must also include a commander's recommendation and a completed Air Force Form 56. The Air Force Form 56 gives applicants an opportunity to show selectors why they deserve to be selected. Board members also look at college transcripts and enlisted performance reports.

"The board members are evaluating the applicants using the whole-person concept," said Mendez. "Three main scoring areas are evaluated: education and aptitude; experience; and potential and adaptability. Selectors review an applicant's GPA and AFOQT scores to determine a candidate's education and aptitude levels. EPRs are used to determine an applicant's experience and to see if they took on a greater scope of responsibility. EPRs also reflect leadership abilities and potential as well as community involvement.

"The commissioning program boards are very competitive," continued Mendez. "I would advise Airmen to take advantage of opportunities to excel both on and off duty. Competing for awards, maintaining a strong grade-point-average and serving the community by volunteering are all great examples. It is also recommended that you complete your Community College of the Air Force degree and work toward another because you are furthering your education and showing initiative."

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 6, 2012) -- The Army wants Soldier input about a potential upgrade to the Army's physical fitness uniform.

Soldiers are being asked to complete an online survey, developed by the Training and Doctrine Command, to answer questions about how they use their current physical fitness uniform, how they would prioritize changes to the uniform, and what capabilities they are looking for in a new physical fitness uniform.

The survey site officially launches Feb. 6, and will remain active for 30 days. The survey is for all Soldiers, including active duty, Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Access to AKO is required for Soldiers to voice their opinion.

The uniform Soldiers currently wear during physical fitness training is called the "Improved Physical Fitness Uniform," or IPFU. The IPFU provides Soldiers with a multifunctional uniform for physical training and other Soldier-related activities.

Results from the online survey will help the Army decide if a new uniform is needed, and if so, what changes are being asked for by Soldiers.

The potential uniform upgrade will focus on comfort, fit, appearance, durability, reflectivity and ease of maintenance. A new uniform might also feature quick-drying capability and antimicrobial properties. The potential new uniform must also provide a full range of motion and accommodate the full range of seasonal environments without compromising Soldier performance.

The survey was created in response to the chief of staff of the Army and sergeant major of the Army's approval of the Army Uniform Board's recommendation and tasking to do a complete review of the IPFU requirements.

The survey can be found through the CAC-enabled site https://ipfusurvey.natick.army.mil, or through the non-CAC site at https://surveys.natick.army.mil/Surveys/ipfu.nsf.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, Feb. 7, 2012 – Bernadine Green stands tall amid a group of young military recruits in training, assessing their behavior for signs of future excellence.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Russell Minta, senior noncommissioned officer for the Defense Department's Military Working Dog Breeding Program on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, plays with a puppy. The program provides working dogs to every service branch and numbers among the largest military breeding programs in the world.

In the coming months, some of these troops will “wash out” of training, while others will go on to serve their nation, saving lives and ensuring security in locations around the world.

But for the moment, Green is content to just stand back and watch. These future troops are, after all, just a few weeks old and of a much different sort -- or, to put it more accurately, breed -- than their military training counterparts.

While Lackland is known for its basic military training -- a grueling eight-and-a-half week program that turns young men and women into airmen -- it’s also home to the Defense Department’s Military Working Dog Breeding Program, which provides working dogs to every service branch and numbers among the largest military breeding programs in the world.

Green, the program’s deputy director and a former Maryland State Police canine handler, is among a team of dog experts that breed, train and raise Belgian Malinois to serve alongside other military working dogs, a select group used by DOD and other government agencies for patrol, drug and explosive detection, and in specialized missions both stateside and overseas.

The breeding program, administered by the 341st Training Squadron, is an important DOD asset, Green told American Forces Press Service as she cradled an 11-week-old Belgian Malinois named Donja in her arms. “We can provide a product that’s specially tailored for our needs,” she said. “We can start these puppies from birth … and really start guiding them along the DOD training path.”

At the heart of the program are the breeders -- known as stud dogs and brood bitches -- which are selected for their outstanding performance as military working dogs. Experts select only Belgian Malinois for this purpose, Green explained, because that breed tends to make outstanding working dogs, able to carry out their mission equally well on an installation or in a combat zone.

Once a litter is born, the puppies progress through three phases that help determine their suitability to become a military working dog. The first phase, called whelping, takes place from until the puppies are 8 weeks old. This early on, whelping care attendants mainly are getting a feel for the puppies’ personalities and exposing them to a variety of sounds.

Meanwhile, trainers and development specialists are keeping an eye out for the attributes that bode well for a successful working dog, Green said as she gestured toward a litter of puppies -- fourth-generation DOD -- tumbling over each other in a small playhouse. She ticked off a list of those qualities: not afraid of noises, inquisitive, eager to check out new places, sociable, not overly aggressive, and eager to play with objects, such as toys and balls.

As if on cue, Donja -- whose birth name is Ddonja, in keeping with the program’s official double-letter naming convention -- wiggled out of Green’s arms and began gnawing on a rope. DOD-bred dogs’ names all start with double letters, she explained, to distinguish them from other military working dogs.

At about eight weeks, the puppies are placed in a foster home, where they stay for about five months. Foster families are volunteers from San Antonio and outlying communities. Some are service members or veterans, while others have military affiliation, but all share a common desire to serve.

“Families love to do it,” Green said. “It’s their way of giving back to the community and the military, and also for the sheer pleasure of caring for a puppy.”

The foster phase serves several purposes, she explained. By living in a home versus an austere kennel, they learn social skills and are exposed to a variety of environments. “Families take them everywhere -- to school, playgrounds, stores, work,” Green said. “It broadens the puppy’s horizon.”
Having foster homes also keeps the program’s costs manageable, she added.

“This phase is probably the most integral part of the program,” Green noted. “Without these foster parents raising puppies, … we don’t get well-rounded dogs.”

At about 7 months old, foster families return the puppy to Green and her colleagues, a challenging time not just for the puppy, but also for the families who have grown attached to their now-beloved family member.

“We have a lady who fostered 13 puppies and one of the brood bitches,” Green said. Each time she returns a puppy, she added, “she cries a blue streak.” The transition also can be tough on the puppy, Green noted, which now must adjust to sleeping in a kennel instead of their home. “They’re taken care of, but it’s not the same as being with their family,” she said.

Some puppies don’t recover from the loss, which is a strong indicator the dog isn’t suited for military work. In that case, the dog is put up for adoption, Green said, noting there’s a long list of people waiting to adopt DOD dogs.

The puppies that adjust well enter adolescent training, an intensive phase that lasts about five months and serves as a precursor to working dog training. Trainers use this time to expose the dogs to situations and environments they may encounter on an installation or in a combat zone, such as aircraft, vehicles and strange buildings, and to sounds such as gunfire.

“We evaluate how they are environmentally, their object drive, how long they’ll play or interact with us,” Green said. “This all leads to the ability to train as a detection dog.”

When they’re about 12 months old, the dogs are evaluated for entry into the 341st Training Squadron’s Military Working Dog Training Program here, which is about 120 days long and teaches the dogs how to patrol and detect drugs and bombs worldwide. The squadron also trains all handlers, kennel masters and specialized mission function dog teams for the Defense Department.

Puppies that enjoy biting on balls, rags and “bite sleeves” tend to make good patrol dogs, Green explained, which are dogs tasked with security. They work with a handler to protect government assets, to track and apprehend, and to search buildings, among other tasks. Dogs that prefer to use their nose versus their teeth most likely will excel at detection work, she added, such as sniffing out explosives.

The program’s goal is to produce about a third of DOD’s working dog requirement, or about 270 dogs militarywide, Green noted. While most of these dogs are assigned to military installations worldwide, based on demand, some may be sent to another government agency, such as the Transportation Security Administration. The 341st supports the TSA canine detection program with shared training facilities and working dog procurement.

“Right now, the need is great for detection dogs,” she said, noting that the demand for these dogs skyrocketed after 9/11 and continues with the ongoing dangers posed to troops by homemade bombs. “These puppies will save more people with their nose than they ever will with their teeth.”

Army Sgt. 1st Class Russell Minta, the program’s senior noncommissioned officer, credits his former military working dog for his safe return from two deployments in Iraq. “He took care of me downrange,” he said. “No one ever got within a leash length of me, and I was never worried about running into a bomb of any type. He cleared thousands of homes and roadways and fields.”

As Green headed back to a private room to check on a new litter of puppies, she noted her pride at taking part in a mission that saves lives and protects troops in places such as Afghanistan.

It’s a mission she expects to continue, particularly since it ensures a steady supply of quality working dogs to the military. “We have a homegrown source right here,” she said.

Florida (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
EGLIN AFB	927	927	927	927	1044	1107	1140	1206	1254
GAINESVILLE	828	828	828	828	951	1020	1101	1203	1227
JACKSONVILLE	885	885	885	885	1011	1089	1173	1287	1329
PATRICK AFB	843	843	843	843	945	1101	1140	1302	1368
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	1386	1386	1386	1386	1575	1680	1770	1896	1947
ORLANDO	1032	1032	1032	1032	1209	1299	1311	1353	1383
PANAMA CITY	954	954	954	954	1044	1095	1137	1215	1266
PENSACOLA	831	831	831	831	948	1011	1032	1089	1137
TALLAHASSEE	948	948	948	948	1068	1131	1149	1194	1236
TAMPA	1053	1053	1053	1053	1173	1332	1389	1554	1641
WEST PALM BEACH	1158	1158	1158	1158	1320	1557	1608	1761	1884
OCALA	819	819	819	819	948	1017	1044	1128	1209
KEY WEST	1461	1461	1461	1461	1656	1800	1959	2169	2235
VOLUSIA COUNTY	870	870	870	870	1005	1083	1167	1275	1302
POLK COUNTY	690	690	690	690	786	861	924	1020	1059
FORT PIERCE	942	942	942	942	1062	1194	1233	1359	1449
FT MYERS BEACH	921	921	921	921	1053	1281	1368	1467	1566

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
EGLIN AFB	1137	1137	1137	1137	1173	1332	1407	1485	1626
GAINESVILLE	1098	1098	1098	1098	1185	1272	1347	1434	1575
JACKSONVILLE	1167	1167	1167	1167	1257	1398	1482	1575	1704
PATRICK AFB	1122	1122	1122	1122	1260	1467	1518	1572	1689
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	1764	1764	1764	1764	1863	2031	2091	2154	2301
ORLANDO	1311	1311	1311	1311	1329	1437	1476	1518	1647
PANAMA CITY	1134	1134	1134	1134	1179	1347	1395	1449	1545
PENSACOLA	1032	1032	1032	1032	1056	1215	1257	1302	1404
TALLAHASSEE	1146	1146	1146	1146	1164	1305	1341	1380	1512
TAMPA	1365	1365	1365	1365	1500	1776	1854	1938	2082
WEST PALM BEACH	1542	1542	1542	1542	1683	2073	2145	2223	2388
OCALA	1044	1044	1044	1044	1074	1341	1389	1440	1521
KEY WEST	1950	1950	1950	1950	2124	2340	2466	2604	2793
VOLUSIA COUNTY	1161	1161	1161	1161	1254	1350	1419	1494	1602
POLK COUNTY	921	921	921	921	990	1128	1194	1263	1368
FORT PIERCE	1212	1212	1212	1212	1302	1590	1644	1704	1770
FT MYERS BEACH	1227	1227	1227	1227	1335	1707	1824	1953	2088

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
EGLIN AFB	1125	1203	1260	1350	1425
GAINESVILLE	1065	1200	1230	1290	1368
JACKSONVILLE	1131	1284	1332	1419	1503
PATRICK AFB	1104	1299	1374	1482	1530
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	1728	1893	1953	2046	2103
ORLANDO	1305	1350	1386	1446	1485
PANAMA CITY	1119	1212	1269	1359	1407
PENSACOLA	1023	1086	1143	1227	1269
TALLAHASSEE	1140	1191	1239	1314	1350
TAMPA	1335	1551	1650	1794	1872
WEST PALM BEACH	1560	1758	1896	2091	2163
OCALA	1032	1125	1218	1353	1401
KEY WEST	1884	2166	2241	2373	2499
VOLUSIA COUNTY	1128	1272	1305	1365	1437
POLK COUNTY	894	1017	1065	1143	1209
FORT PIERCE	1197	1356	1458	1605	1659
FT MYERS BEACH	1284	1410	1569	1737	1854

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
EGLIN AFB	1335	1440	1536	1662	1809
GAINESVILLE	1275	1383	1488	1608	1749
JACKSONVILLE	1401	1521	1635	1731	1842
PATRICK AFB	1470	1542	1608	1716	1848
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	2034	2115	2193	2340	2517
ORLANDO	1440	1494	1545	1686	1854
PANAMA CITY	1350	1416	1482	1569	1674
PENSACOLA	1218	1275	1332	1431	1545
TALLAHASSEE	1308	1356	1404	1551	1725
TAMPA	1779	1887	1992	2118	2665
WEST PALM BEACH	2076	2178	2274	2433	2619
OCALA	1344	1410	1476	1539	1614
KEY WEST	2343	2523	2694	2829	2988
VOLUSIA COUNTY	1353	1449	1542	1626	1725
POLK COUNTY	1131	1221	1308	1389	1485
FORT PIERCE	1593	1668	1743	1779	1824
FT MYERS BEACH	1710	1878	2037	2109	2193

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
EGLIN AFB	1173	1242	1332	1101	1161	1275	1413	1578	1596	1611
GAINESVILLE	1185	1221	1269	1008	1155	1239	1356	1524	1539	1554
JACKSONVILLE	1257	1320	1398	1074	1227	1347	1491	1554	1635	1668
PATRICK AFB	1260	1353	1467	984	1215	1392	1524	1578	1608	1641
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	1863	1935	2031	1668	1830	1971	2097	2148	2193	2238
ORLANDO	1329	1377	1437	1296	1323	1398	1479	1641	1656	1674
PANAMA CITY	1179	1254	1347	1089	1164	1287	1401	1431	1482	1512
PENSACOLA	1056	1125	1215	1008	1047	1158	1263	1335	1347	1359
TALLAHASSEE	1164	1227	1305	1128	1158	1254	1344	1554	1569	1584
TAMPA	1500	1620	1776	1233	1455	1677	1863	1920	1992	2031
WEST PALM BEACH	1683	1857	2073	1401	1635	1935	2154	2247	2274	2319
OCALA	1074	1191	1341	1014	1062	1245	1395	1425	1476	1506
KEY WEST	2124	2220	2340	1773	2064	2262	2481	2562	2694	2748
VOLUSIA COUNTY	1254	1296	1350	1071	1221	1314	1425	1470	1542	1572
POLK COUNTY	990	1050	1128	849	966	1077	1200	1257	1308	1335
FORT PIERCE	1302	1428	1590	1119	1269	1485	1650	1686	1743	1776
FT MYERS BEACH	1389	1509	1707	1119	1371	1572	1839	1914	2037	2079

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
EGLIN AFB	1422	1521	1683	1191	1329	1533	1866	2106	2127	2148
GAINESVILLE	1365	1473	1629	1194	1269	1485	1803	2031	2052	2073
JACKSONVILLE	1500	1617	1746	1272	1395	1629	1887	2070	2091	2112
PATRICK AFB	1530	1599	1737	1284	1464	1605	1896	2106	2127	2148
MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE	2103	2184	2367	1881	2028	2190	2583	2865	2892	2922
ORLANDO	1485	1536	1713	1341	1434	1452	1917	2187	2208	2232
PANAMA CITY	1407	1473	1587	1197	1344	1479	1716	1887	1905	1923
PENSACOLA	1266	1323	1449	1074	1212	1329	1590	1779	1797	1815
TALLAHASSEE	1347	1398	1578	1179	1302	1401	1791	2070	2091	2112
TAMPA	1869	1977	2139	1530	1770	1989	2322	2559	2586	2610
WEST PALM BEACH	2163	2259	2460	1728	2067	2268	2691	2997	3027	3057
OCALA	1398	1467	1551	1101	1335	1473	1641	1764	1782	1797
KEY WEST	2496	2667	2853	2148	2337	2685	3051	3309	3342	3375
VOLUSIA COUNTY	1434	1527	1641	1263	1347	1539	1764	1926	1944	1965
POLK COUNTY	1206	1296	1404	1005	1125	1305	1521	1674	1692	1710
FORT PIERCE	1656	1731	1785	1332	1584	1740	1839	1911	1929	1947
FT MYERS BEACH	1851	2013	2121	1377	1698	2031	2226	2361	2385	2409

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Google has a new addition to their scholarship family called the Google Student Veterans of America (SVA) Scholarship. In partnering with the non-profit Student Vererans of America (SVA) Google will help provide veterans with all the resources, support, and advocacy they need to succeed. The scholarship is available for the 2012-2013 academic year for student veterans who are pursuing degrees in computer science and related fields.

The goals of the Google-SVA Scholarship are to:

*To identify high-performing student veterans in the Computer Science field, and to reward achievement and encourage further study through the scholarship program.

*To affect the retention of student veterans in the Computer Science field by providing recognition and funds needed for university expenses, such as tuition, books and lab fees.

*To help foster communities of students through Google sponsored events like the Annual Scholars' Retreats, which is an all-expenses paid retreat for that year's scholarship winners. It enables top students from across the U.S. network with each other and with Google engineers in a fun environment.

Dan Cross, Software Engineer for Google, states that "Google’s commitment to military veterans extends beyond our educational outreach efforts. The Google Veterans Network, one of our 18 employee groups dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion at Google, fosters a community of support for our military veterans, reservists, guardsmen, family members and friends." In 2011, Google introduced a job search engine called the Veterans Job Bank in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as launching Chrome for Wounded, Ill and Injured Warriors.

Google Creative Lab also partnered with members of their veterans' community to create Google for Veterans and Families, a new resource that brings together their free products and platforms for service members and their families. Cross says that, "As a Google engineer and a Marine veteran, I’m proud of our commitment to diversity and of our efforts to bring other veterans into the world of technology and computer science."

The deadline to apply for the Google SVA Scholarship is March 15, 2012.

For complete scholarship details, visit Google's scholarship programs page.

Delaware (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

 

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DOVER AFB	888	888	888	888	1020	1179	1221	1287	1398
REHOBOTH BEACH	1143	1143	1143	1143	1182	1215	1287	1416	1494

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DOVER AFB	1152	1152	1152	1152	1215	1572	1629	1689	1800
REHOBOTH BEACH	1284	1284	1284	1284	1365	1620	1698	1782	1890

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DOVER AFB	1182	1284	1407	1584	1644
REHOBOTH BEACH	1251	1413	1503	1641	1719

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DOVER AFB	1575	1653	1731	1827	1941
REHOBOTH BEACH	1623	1734	1836	1911	1998

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DOVER AFB	1230	1371	1572	1086	1224	1443	1635	1671	1731	1764
REHOBOTH BEACH	1365	1476	1620	1200	1338	1527	1707	1758	1836	1875

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DOVER AFB	1641	1719	1845	1254	1563	1728	1986	2172	2193	2214
REHOBOTH BEACH	1716	1821	1923	1392	1614	1833	2031	2172	1273	2214

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Washington DC (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

 

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DC METRO AREA	1428	1428	1428	1428	1602	1866	1935	2181	2301

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DC METRO AREA	1902	1902	1902	1902	2106	2487	2583	2682	2826

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DC METRO AREA	1869	2178	2313	2511	2604

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DC METRO AREA	2490	2622	2748	2853	2979

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DC METRO AREA	2106	2274	2487	1698	2037	2349	2592	2652	2748	2802

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
DC METRO AREA	2601	2730	2874	2148	2481	2742	3030	231	3264	3297

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Colorado (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DENVER	1041	1041	1041	1041	1164	1251	1398	1563	1575
COLORADO SPRINGS	870	870	870	870	996	1083	1164	1284	1341
FORT COLLINS	834	834	834	834	912	963	1026	1113	1143
BOULDER	1008	1008	1008	1008	1125	1329	1431	1554	1698

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
DENVER	1389	1389	1389	1389	1551	1602	1644	1692	1833
COLORADO SPRINGS	1158	1158	1158	1158	1248	1428	1509	1599	1701
FORT COLLINS	1020	1020	1020	1020	1089	1197	1293	1398	1506
BOULDER	1341	1341	1341	1341	1500	1773	1911	2058	2262

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DENVER	1529	1560	1578	1611	1656
COLORADO SPRINGS	1125	1281	1344	1449	1530
FORT COLLINS	993	1110	1146	1221	1317
BOULDER	1332	1551	1701	1806	1944

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
DENVER	1605	1662	1725	1875	2052
COLORADO SPRINGS	1431	1545	1656	1716	1788
FORT COLLINS	1200	1335	1464	1524	1593
BOULDER	1776	1971	2154	2304	2478

Officers (Without Dependents) Location O-1E O-2E O-3E O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6 O-7 DENVER 1551 1572 1599 1227 1497 1581 1650 1806 1824 1842 COLORADO SPRINGS 1248 1326 1428 1071 1218 1362 1518 1572 1656 1689 FORT COLLINS 1089 1137 1197 951 1065 1158 1305 1365 1464 1494 BOULDER 1500 1620 1773 1185 1446 1704 1926 2121 2154 2196 Officers (With Dependents) Location O-1E O-2E O-3E O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6 O-7 DENVER 1653 1713 1902 1557 1599 1722 2121 2409 2433 2457 COLORADO SPRINGS 1527 1638 1728 1269 1425 1650 1818 1935 1953 1974 FORT COLLINS 1314 1446 1533 1101 1194 1458 1617 1731 1746 1764 BOULDER 1941 2127 2331 1530 1767 2145 2547 2829 2856 2886

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Super Bowl festivities were in full swing last night at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here, as hundreds of wounded warriors and their families gathered for the big game.

The party, the largest since the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and the National Naval Medical Center here merged in September, featured live entertainment, celebrity guests, door prizes and other giveaways, activities for the kids and all the traditional Super Bowl fare.

Wounded warriors and their families gathered around tables in the new wounded warrior barracks complex to cheer on their favorite team and enjoy the entertainment, both on and off the TV screens positioned around the hall.

Actor Jon Voight, former NFL stars Roy Jefferson and Carlton Kammerer and Washington Redskins cheerleaders mingled among them, shaking hands, posing for photos and thanking them for their sacrifices.
Professional impersonators brought the personas of Lady Gaga, Bette Midler, Elvis Presley and other stars to the party, and members of the New York Fire Department crooned the national anthem and other selections.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins player Roy Jefferson said he felt honored to be able to join in the party. “For me, it’s a no-brainer. I want to do as much as I can for them, because they have all given me so much,” he said.

Meanwhile, a balloon artist entertained the kids, who also got a chance to do handicraft projects between visits to an egg cream soda station. Other goodies served up during the party included pulled pork and chicken, as well as side fixings and finger foods ranging from Buffalo wings to pizza and nachos.

The event, hosted by Rolling Thunder, the Yellow Ribbon Fund, the USO and the New York City Fire Department, was designed to ensure every wounded warrior felt special, said Gary Scheffmeyer, national president for the Rolling Thunder veterans organization.

Rolling Thunder hosted Super Bowl parties at the now-closed Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the past six or seven years, he said, and joined this year with other groups to throw the biggest Super Bowl bash yet at the integrated Bethesda facility.

“Our major goal with these parties is to make sure these troops get what we didn’t,” explained Scheffmeyer, who recalled the poor reception he and his fellow Vietnam veterans received when they returned home from that conflict. “The bottom line is, this is good for the troops.”

Scheffmeyer said the Super Bowl is a particularly special time to celebrate. “Whether you are a Giants fan or a Patriots fan, this is the Super Bowl,” he said. “These troops get to watch it. They get to party. They get a break from their medical treatments. So it’s a really good reason to have a party.”

“The Super Bowl is real American tradition, one of the biggest events of the year in America,” agreed Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) Alton L. Stocks, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center commander. “So it’s a particularly important time for us to be able to say ‘Welcome home’ to these service members and make them feel at home.

“It’s a lot of fun for everyone, but it’s also a big part of the healing process,” Stocks said. “As these wounded warriors physically heal, events like this help them heal emotionally as well.”

Marine Cpl. Jesse Fletcher, a sniper wounded in Kajaki, Afghanistan, in October, said the Super Bowl party offered far more than the chance to cheer his New York Giants on to victory.

“The socializing here is great for us,” he said. “It’s great for our state of mind and outlook, and a great way for us to work on our recovery.”

Marine Sgt. John Peck, a quadruple amputee who was wounded two years ago in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, sported a New England Patriots jersey for the party. And although his team ultimately lost to the Giants, 21-17, the Super Bowl party made him and his fellow wounded warriors feel like winners. “It means people still care and show their support,” he said. “That means a lot.”

Army Sgt. Kevin Gatson, a 101st Airborne Division soldier wounded in Afghanistan in July, wasn’t going to let the fact that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t playing keep him from wearing their team colors to the party. It’s the same attire he wore to last year’s Super Bowl, which Gatson watched at the White House with a personal invitation from President Barack Obama.

For Super Bowl XLVI, Gatson declared himself an “honorary Giants fan” and said he planned to spend the night rooting for a Patriots defeat.

But regardless of which team would win or lose, Gatson said, he was up for a good time. “This a fun time, getting everyone together and rooting for their teams and enjoying good camaraderie and good food,” he said.

Voight, who gave the wounded warriors autographed photos with notes of appreciation, said he wouldn’t miss the chance to share the Super Bowl with them.

“These guys are the reason we are living in peace and freedom,” he said. “All of us are in their debt, and every free American should find a way to do whatever they can to support these great heroes and their families.”

"Lindsay A," as one of the Redskins cheerleaders is known, said she developed a soft spot for military members spending time with them during a goodwill tour to Iraq.

“I’m really excited about seeing them home and in such good spirits,” she said. She said she hoped her squad’s presence, along with the other Super Bowl festivities, would help give them an emotional boost.

Diane Shoemaker, a volunteer for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, which assists families as their loved ones are receiving care here, said throwing a big-scale party sends a strong message to the wounded warriors. “We want the injured service members to know that they are cared about,” she said. “So for me, being a part of this is very personal. I feel like they are my own family. I love them all.”

About 30 members of the New York City Fire Department knew they had plenty of options for watching their home team take a Super Bowl victory, but elected to spend it hosting wounded warriors.
“This is a way to give back, and to thank them for their service,” said Bill Rautenstrauch. “I feel honored to be in their presence.”

February 6, 2012

WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) gunnery sergeant was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for conspiring to steal at least 55 electrical generators from USMC bases in Iraq in 2008.

Eric Scott Hamilton, 40, of Carrollton, Ga., also was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs in Greenville, S.C., to three years of supervised release following his prison term. In addition, Hamilton was ordered to pay $124,944 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Hamilton pleaded guilty on Aug. 10, 2011, to a criminal information charging him with two counts of conspiracy to steal public property.

According to court documents and information presented at his plea hearing, Hamilton was stationed from May to September 2008 at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, where he was in charge of a military storage yard containing electrical generators and other equipment for use by USMC units in Iraq. Hamilton admitted that while he was stationed at Camp Fallujah, he entered into a scheme with a USMC officer to facilitate the theft of electrical generators from the base by private Iraqi contractors.

Hamilton admitted that he identified the generators to be stolen, painted markings on them to designate them for theft by Iraqi contractors, and facilitated access to the storage yard by the contractors’ trucks to load and remove the generators. Hamilton also entered into a separate scheme with a private Iraqi contractor to facilitate that contractor’s theft of electrical generators from the base.

Both of these theft schemes continued after the USMC closed Camp Fallujah in approximately October 2008 and relocated personnel there to Camp Ramadi, Iraq. According to court documents, Hamilton was assigned at Camp Ramadi from October to December 2008.

In pleading guilty, Hamilton admitted that he received more than $124,000 in payments from the USMC officer and the Iraqi contractor in return for facilitating the theft of at least 55 generators from Camps Fallujah and Ramadi.

Hamilton received the funds through cash payments in Iraq, checks issued to Hamilton’s wife in the United States by the USMC officer’s wife and wire transfer payments to a bank account in the United States. Hamilton sent home approximately $43,000 of the cash he received from the thefts at Camp Fallujah by concealing it among American flags contained in foot lockers that he mailed from Iraq to his wife.

The investigation in this case continues.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Lucius from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and Special Trial Attorney Mark Grider of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, on detail from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). The case is being investigated by SIGIR and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

On Wednesday, February 29, 2012, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host a dinner at the White House to honor our Armed Forces who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn and to honor their families.

This dinner --- an expression of the nation's gratitude for the achievements and enormous sacrifices of the brave Americans who served in the Iraq War and of the families who supported them --- will include men and women in uniform from all ranks, services, states and backgrounds, representative of the many thousands of Americans who served in Iraq.

The White House has been working with military and civilian leaders from the Department of Defense on this tribute, and will release more details regarding the dinner when they are available.

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 6, 2012 - Obama continued his commitment to improving employment among veterans by introducing an initiative to hire them as the country’s first responders.

"In my State of the Union address, I proposed a new initiative called the Veterans Jobs Corps to put veterans back to work protecting and rebuilding America," he said. "And today, we’re laying out the details of this proposal."

Speaking at a fire station here to veterans, firefighters, police officers and national park employees, Obama shared the venue’s significance before his remarks.

"This is a fire station that holds some special significance for our country," he explained. "On September 11th, the firefighters of this house were among the first to respond to the attack on the Pentagon.

"You guys answered this nation’s call during its hour of need," Obama added. "And in the years that followed, as Americans went to war, some of you answered that call, as well."

The president encouraged the hiring of veterans to replenish the ranks of the nation’s first responders.

"First, we want to help communities hire more veterans as cops and firefighters," he said. "Over the past few years, tight budgets have forced a lot of states, a lot of local communities, to lay off a lot of first responders."

The country already has made progress in veterans’ employment, Obama said.

"Already, we’ve helped 600,000 veterans and their family members go back to school on the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill,” he said. "We've hired over 120,000 veterans to serve in the federal government [and] we’ve made it easier for veterans to access all sorts of employment services."

When he first became president, Obama said, one of his first actions was to ensure state and local governments received assistance through the Recovery Act to avoid laying off first responders.

"Thousands of firefighter jobs were saved because of the actions we took," he noted. "But budgets are still tight, and that's a problem we need to fix. Jobs that protect our families and our communities shouldn't be the first on the chopping block. They should be one of our highest priorities as a nation."

Obama emphasized he wants to restore local communities and national parks, noting Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's presence. The Department of the Interior manages and sustains the country’s lands, water, wildlife, and energy resources, among its other responsibilities.

"He needs some help," Obama said of Salazar. "And our veterans are highly qualified to help him. They've already risked their lives defending America. They should have the opportunity to rebuild America. We’ve got roads and bridges in and around our national parks in need of repair. Let's fix them."

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said in a conference call with reporters yesterday that the new three-part Veterans Job Corps initiative "will ensure our veterans don't have to fight for jobs once they come home."

Shinseki called on employers to "enlist veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation."

The nation owes those who volunteered to serve in uniform after 9/11 "a debt of gratitude," Shinseki said, "and we must ensure that veterans who come home from Afghanistan and Iraq get the opportunities they deserve."

Obama lauded veterans for their resolve and "unparalleled skills and experience."

"They've saved lives in some of the toughest conditions imaginable,” he said. "They've managed convoys and moved tons of equipment over dangerous terrain. They've tracked millions of dollars of military assets.

"They've handled pieces of equipment that are worth tens of millions of dollars," he added. "They do incredible work. Nobody is more skilled, more precise, more diligent, more disciplined."

Obama noted these are "challenging" times for America, but "we've faced challenging times before."
"On the grounds here you've got a stone from the Pentagon and a beam from the World Trade Center," he said. "And that reminds us of our resolve as a people.

"They remind us that when we come together as one people and as one community, one nation, then we prevail," Obama continued. "That's who we are."

America exists because of values and teamwork -- generations of Americans working together to build it, the president said.

"This is a nation where, out of many, we come together as one," Obama said. "Those are the values that every veteran understands."

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs partnered with the First Army at Camp Shelby, Miss., to launch a streamlined version of its online application for VA health benefits (VA Form 1010EZ) for Servicemembers returning from deployment. VA will introduce it at demobilization sites nationwide by early spring 2012.

“This online application demonstrates VA’s commitment to work with the Department of Defense to make it easier for Servicemembers to get the care they earned by their service,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The new, online system noticeably reduces the paperwork and reduces a 10-day process to three days.”

The application is used to enroll in the VA health care system, which has more than 1,000 sites of care across the country.

Enrollment for VA health care is done as part of a Servicemember’s demobilization. The online form allows the application to be completed during a regularly scheduled briefing for all Servicemembers on VA benefits.

Quick enrollment is important for returning troops because recently discharged combat Veterans are eligible for five years of cost-free care and medications for conditions potentially related to combat service.

The new application was piloted as part of the demobilization process at Camp Shelby. Based on the results, VA plans to collaborate with DoD to offer this online application at all 61 demobilization sites nationally.

For more information, Servicemembers may contact VA at 1-877-222 VETS (8387) or visit VA’s health eligibility website at www.va.gov/healthbenefits.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2012) - Service members now will receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas, Pentagon officials said here today.

The change, which took effect yesterday, was included in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law Dec. 31.

"Members will see the prorated amount in their Feb. 15 pay records," Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said.

The act called for DOD to pay service members imminent danger pay only for the time they spend in areas that qualify for the pay. In the past, service members received $225 per month if they spent any time that month in an area where the pay was authorized.

"This is a more targeted way of handling that pay," Kirby said.

Now, service members will receive $7.50 a day for days spent in these areas. Personnel who travel to the designated areas for periods less than 30 days should keep track of the number of days they are in the area to verify that they are paid for the correct number of days, officials said.

The military services are working to waive or remit debts for members who may have been overpaid for January, officials said. The services can waive this "when there is no indication of fraud, fault, misrepresentation, or when members were unaware they were overpaid," Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said.

Proration is based on a 30-day month, which translates into a rate of $7.50 per day. It does not matter if the month is 28 or 31 days long, officials explained; if service members serve in affected areas for the complete month, they will receive the full rate of $225 per month.

The Defense Department defines imminent danger pay areas as places where members are subject to the threat of physical harm or imminent danger because of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism or wartime conditions.

Service members who come under fire, regardless of location, will receive the full monthly hostile-fire pay amount of $225.

Service members will receive notification of the change via emails, on the MyPay system, on social media sites and via the chain of command.

February 3, 2012
White House Office of Communications

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for a new Veterans Job Corps initiative to help our returning veterans find pathways to civilian employment. The Administration’s new veteran employment initiatives, coupled with the work that President Obama has already accomplished in creating employment opportunities for veterans, will help put tens of thousands of veterans back to work.

The President’s Commitment to Veteran Employment

Today the President will announce new details of his Veterans Jobs Corps initiative which will help put veterans back to work on a range of projects that leverage skills developed in the military:

New incentives to hire veterans as first responders: The President will announce $166 million in 2012 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Grant funding and $320 million in 2012 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. The President will also announce that preference for these grants will now be given to communities that recruit and hire post-9/11 veterans to serve as police officers and firefighters. The COPS funding preserves law enforcement jobs and spurs new ones by making grant awards to communities across the country. SAFER grants provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations in order to help them increase and retain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities, enhancing the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards.

Hiring veterans to protect Americans as first responders and law enforcement officers: Today, the President announced he will include in his FY13 Budget the $4 billion in COPS funding first proposed in the American Jobs Act to spur police officer hiring in 2012. The Budget will also include $1 billion for SAFER grants, as proposed in the American Jobs Act, to encourage firefighter hiring. Preference for these grants will also be given to communities that hire post-9/11 veterans.

Supporting veteran entrepreneurship by building our next generation of small business leaders: The President will propose an expansion of entrepreneurship training opportunities for separating service members and veterans. As part of the VA-DOD Task Force for a Career Ready Military that the President established in August of last year, the Departments of Defense and Veteran Affairs, working with the Small Business Administration, are developing a two-day entrepreneurship program as part of the Transition Assistance Program that will be available to all service members. In addition, once service members separate, SBA will offer veterans more in-depth entrepreneurial training through an 8-week online training program that will teach the fundamentals of small business ownership to over 10,000 veterans annually, as well as an expansion of the existing suite of programs and public-private partnerships supporting entrepreneurship and small business development opportunities for veterans and veterans’ families, including an intensive entrepreneurship boot camp.

Since taking office, President Obama has taken key steps to support veterans in developing skills and finding work, including by:

Creating two new veterans' tax credits: In November 2011, the President signed into law two new tax credits for hiring veterans, both of which were included as part of the American Jobs Act. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides an incentive of up to $5,600 for firms to hire unemployed veterans and the Wounded Warrior Tax Credit doubled the existing tax credit for long-term unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities to $9,600.

Challenging the private sector to hire or train 100,000 veterans and their spouses by 2013: Since the President issued his challenge to the private sector in August 2011, already more than 40,000 veterans and the spouses have been hired and 1,500 companies have committed to hire or train 135,000 veterans and their spouses by the end of 2013 through the leadership of the First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and their Joining Forces initiative.

Increasing access to intensive reemployment services: Post-9/11 veterans are now able to download the Veteran Gold Card, which entitles them to enhanced reemployment services including six months of personalized case management, assessments and counseling at the roughly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers located across the country. This will help serve the 250,000 unemployed Post-9/11 veterans.

Developing online tools to boost veteran employment: The Administration launched the Veterans Jobs Bank, an easy to use tool to help veterans find job postings from companies looking to hire them. It already searches over one million job postings and is growing. Additionally, the Department of Labor launched My Next Move for Veterans, a new online resource that allows veterans to enter their military occupation code and discover civilian occupations for which they are well qualified.

Increasing hiring of veterans in healthcare-related fields: The President challenged Community Health Centers to hire 8,000 veterans – approximately one veteran per health center site – over the next three years and the Health Resources and Services Administration pledged to open up career-paths beyond nursing and expand opportunities for veterans to become physician assistants.

Washington, DC - According to an article published in the Marine Times, all active duty Marines will now be required to have annual hearing tests. The mandate includes noncombat troops who may also be exposed to loud noises.

The article cites the Marine administrative message (MARADMIN) of January 12, 2012, which states that Marines who have not had a hearing test in the past year must get one before May 5, 2012. The message further states that the goal of the new policy is “100% hearing readiness.”

Additionally, active-duty units are required to have a “hearing-readiness training standdown” within 4 months of the MARADMIN message date; reserve units will have 6 months.

A “standdown” is the military's term for a temporary stop of offensive military action. Therefore, all members will be required to take time off from their normal active duties in order to participate in a course on hearing conservation.

Marines who work in noisy environments such as aviation, artillery, infantry, and armor have always been required to have hearing screening tests, but even service members working in non combat environments, such as kitchens, are subject to high levels of noise from industrial-sized blenders, dish washing machines, and other industrial food preparation machines.

The MARADMIN also requires units to conduct baseline inventories of noise levels and mitigation measures, including proper fittings of ear protection for Marines.

You can read the MARADMIN HERE>>.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2012 – The deadline is swiftly approaching for the Fisher House Foundation’s 2012 Scholarships for Military Children Program, conducted at military commissaries worldwide.

Applications must be completed and delivered – not postmarked, but delivered – to a commissary by close of business Feb. 24, according to an agency release. People can pick up applications at their local commissary or download it from the scholarship program’s website.

A minimum of one $1,500 scholarship will be awarded at every commissary location where applications are received. The Defense Commissary Agency operates nearly 250 commissaries on military installations around the world, according to its website.

The program is open to currently enrolled or college-bound children of active duty, reserve or retired military commissary customers.

The scholarships are primarily funded through the manufacturers and suppliers whose products are sold at military commissaries, according to the program’s website. The scholarship provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other related expenses.

The program is in its 11th year. In its first 10 years, nearly 5,500 students have shared more than $8 million in scholarship grants.

For more information on this and other scholarships, visit the Scholarship Programs of the Fisher House Foundation website.

For more military family-related posts, visit AFPS' Family Matters blog.

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 31, 2012) - Amidst concerns of budget and troop reductions, Reserve Soldiers remain a critical component of America's defense, said the chief of the Army Reserve.

During his visits around the force, Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief, Army Reserve said the No. 1 question he's asked by Soldiers is "what's going on" with regards to budget and force cuts. Those Soldiers, Stultz said, are concerned about the future of their jobs and their relevance in America's defense.

"My answer to the Soldiers is, 'You are going to become even more relevant than you've ever been to our national security strategy,'" Stultz said, Jan. 31, at a meeting of the Reserve Officer Association in Washington, D.C.

The active duty Army will draw down from 570,000 Soldiers to 490,000 Soldiers over the next six years. The growth to 570,000 Soldiers was a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time, Stultz said, the Army relied heavily on the Reserve to fulfill important combat support and combat service support missions. The Reserve, he added, is where the bulk of combat support, or CS, and combat service support, known as CSS, Soldiers reside.

"To the point where today, if you're in the transportation community in the Guard and Reserve, you represent about 80-85 percent of the Army's capability," Stultz said, adding that for engineers, that number is about 75 percent. The Reserve components also represent about 70 percent of the Army's medical capacity, about 85 percent of its civil affairs capacity, about 66 percent of the Army's logistics capacity and about 70 percent of its military police.

The Army will continue to lean heavily on the Reserve components for these services after it draws down its own Soldiers.

"Our nation and our military are going to be dependent on access to the Reserve components," Stultz said. And the nation expects the Reserve to be ready.

OPERATIONAL RESERVE

Stultz said the Reserve will be an "operational reserve," a term he said has been in use now for a number of years. Being an operational reserve involves capability, modularity and employer support.

An operational Reserve, he said starts with capability. That means a force with capabilities that can be maintained, that is ready on short notice without the need for a lot of additional training, and that is accessible.

"That, to me, is the start of a definition of an operational Reserve," Stultz said.

An operational Reserve is a force made of Soldiers who are also civilians. Those Soldiers must be able to maintain their military skill set even when they are not in uniform -- so when they are called upon, they are ready. To make that happen, Stultz said, the Reserve must focus on being a force that provides skill sets that are shared among both the military and the civilian communities.

The Reserve component is able to maintain a ready cadre of Soldiers in the medical field because many of those Soldiers are working related jobs in the private sector. There, Stultz said, they are getting great training -- sometimes even better than what's available in the military. The same is true for engineers and other "hard skills" like electricians, carpenters and plumbers.

"To me, an operational Reserve is where you can have those capabilities," he said.

Stultz also said the future of the operational Reserve is going to involve modularity.

"The role of an operational Reserve in the future is going to be plug and play," Stultz said. "Where do we need these capabilities, and can you scale them either up or down to fit what we need?"

Stultz said a modular operational reserve could provide the capability needed, in the right amount.

"If I need some engineer capability, but I don't need a whole battalion, can you give it to me?" he asked.

Soldiers in the Reserve components need jobs, and they need employers that understand their service commitment. At the same time, the civilian employers of those Soldiers need some stability from their employees.

"If we don't have the employers and we don't have the families, we won't have the Soldiers," Stultz said. "We have to make the employers part of this equation."

The Army Reserve championed the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces program, before it was transitioned to the Department of Defense. That program now involves more than 25,000 civilian employers. The partnership provides good job opportunities to Soldiers, and quality employees to civilian employers -- employees, Stultz said, with background screenings who are drug free, healthy, and who possess a set of skills that are applicable in the civilian world

"There's a value of having a Soldier as an employee," Stultz said. "If we are going to have this operational Reserve, we are going to have to have some confidence we can get to them when we need them, and have the employers say, 'We support you.'"

WHAT SOLDIERS WANT

Soldiers have asked for three things from the Reserve, Stultz said. They want predictability -- and their civilian employers do too, they want the Reserve to put them and their skills to good use and above all, they don't want their time wasted.

Stultz said the Reserve recognizes that Soldiers have been to Iraq and Afghanistan -- they've trained hard for that, and they've got combat experience under their belts. Now, he said, they want to maintain that experience and skill -- they don't' want their time wasted with what they consider irrelevant training.

"Don't expect me to show up at a drill hall and sit in a classroom and listen to some PowerPoint presentation -- that's not relevant," he said, relaying sentiments he's heard from Soldiers. "Make the training worthwhile."

To that end, Stultz said, the Reserve is investing in simulator training, including those for weapons systems and vehicle simulators. "That is what we want that Soldier to experience when he comes to that drill -- something realistic."

Trained Reserve Soldiers want to put their skills to use, Stultz said. And the Reserve knows how to do that.

"That's were that predictability, that five-year model comes into play," he said. Four years at home for a Reserve Soldier means predictability for him, his family and his employer -- after that, they want the opportunity to put their training to use doing something meaningful for the Reserve.

"If you look at what's a huge demand now, it is a lot of stability, theater-engaged, security-cooperation types of work that we've been doing," he said. Included in those kinds of engagements are medical readiness exercises abroad in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia and Haiti.

In the past, units might have deployed to such missions for a month. Now, Stultz said, he could let units go for three months or more.

The Reserve could provide hospital units to the Southern Command, for instance, allowing expansion of engagement opportunities. Engineer units, he added, could be deployed a company at a time, for 90 days each and overlapping -- "Let them build a school all through the year."

SOLDIER FOR LIFE

Stultz said he told the Army's chief of staff if he could change one thing about the Army, he'd like to create an Army culture that supported the notion of "a Soldier for life."

Such a culture, he said, would provide Soldiers with the opportunity to move more easily, in either direction, between the Reserve and active components.

"We have to be able to provide this continuum where you can move back and forth, as you or the Army desires," he said.

Even Soldiers in the Individual Ready Reserve would be assigned to a particular unit for both muster and support. The effort gives Soldiers the ability to move back to military life if they want.

A "Soldier for life" culture, he said, provides Soldiers a way to continue to serve their country full time, or part time -- explaining that some Soldiers might want to serve part time, but simply don't' know how to make it happen.

For the Army, he said, it helps to prevent the loss of years of training and skill.

"If we're going to come down from 570,000 to 490,000 on the active side, think of the investment that is going to walk out the door if we don't have the right transition program in place," he said.

The Reserve is working closely with the Army to minimize that loss of investment, Stultz said. He also stressed the importance of informing Soldiers of their options as they prepare to leave the active component. Additionally, the important relationships the Reserve has built with civilian employers makes it easier for Soldiers to find jobs as they prepare to move out of the active Army -- and that makes it easier to choose to stay in the Army as a member of the Reserve.

"For every one of those that transitions into the reserve, that's one less recruit to pay a bonus to, that's one less triaging seat at Fort Jackson (S.C.) or Fort Benning (Ga.) -- because we've already invested in that Soldier," Stultz said.

California (FY2012)

Find your Location and the corresponding Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) in the pay tables below. All pay is listed in terms of dollars per month.

 

Enlisted Personnel (Without Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
OAKLAND	1530	1530	1530	1530	1701	1851	2052	2310	2403
SAN FRANCISCO	1926	1926	1926	1926	2238	2418	2580	2772	2814
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	681	681	681	681	780	912	981	1059	1176
FRESNO	855	855	855	855	969	1047	1119	1242	1302
LEMOORE NAS	774	774	774	774	876	1050	1098	1152	1245
CAMP PENDLETON	1386	1386	1386	1386	1617	1743	1836	1950	1974
VENTURA	1353	1353	1353	1353	1500	1584	1671	1794	1848
VANDENBERG AFB	993	993	993	933	1146	1254	1335	1455	1539
MARIN/SONOMA	1497	1497	1497	1497	1641	1713	1740	1818	1896
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	711	711	711	711	816	876	933	1023	1071
EDWARDS AFB / PALMDALE	828	828	828	828	930	1086	1143	1227	1311
SAN BERNADINO	936	936	936	936	1026	1080	1143	1236	1293
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	699	699	699	699	810	879	933	1023	1071
BEALE AFB	903	903	903	903	1014	1164	1248	1392	1452
SACRAMENTO	1248	1248	1248	1248	1425	1527	1626	1743	1758
STOCKTON	984	984	984	984	1059	1098	1128	1212	1293
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1257	1257	1257	1257	1479	1590	1596	1614	1620
LOS ANGELES	1473	1473	1473	1473	1620	1716	1857	2034	2076
SAN DIEGO	1470	1470	1470	1470	1671	1806	1968	2145	2160
MONTEREY	1362	1362	1362	1362	1515	1749	1914	2091	2235
BAKERSFIELD	735	735	735	735	846	918	969	1029	1104
RIVERSIDE	1185	1185	1185	1185	1317	1443	1590	1767	1800
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	774	774	774	774	900	1020	1134	1260	1356
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	1716	1716	1716	1716	1971	2106	2187	2310	2373
SAN LUIS OBISPO	999	999	999	999	1152	1453	1476	1521	1683
BRIDGEPORT	1017	1017	1017	1017	1209	1308	1338	1389	1419
EL CENTRO	744	744	744	744	852	945	1002	1116	1170
FORT BRAGG	852	852	852	852	933	1110	1170	1243	1350

Enlisted Personnel (With Dependents)

Location	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
OAKLAND	2040	2040	2040	2040	2268	2469	2688	2925	3204
SAN FRANCISCO	2568	2568	2568	2568	2742	2883	2931	2982	3222
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	909	909	909	909	978	1215	1311	1410	1566
FRESNO	1113	1113	1113	1113	1203	1395	1422	1452	1554
LEMOORE NAS	1008	1008	1008	1008	1086	1401	1467	1536	1632
CAMP PENDLETON	1830	1830	1830	1830	1929	2019	2130	2250	2406
VENTURA	1665	1665	1665	1665	1761	1932	2052	2187	2361
VANDENBERG AFB	1323	1323	1323	1323	1401	1668	1779	1899	2019
MARIN/SONOMA	1740	1740	1740	1740	1767	2019	2169	2331	2478
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	927	927	927	927	987	1146	1209	1275	1365
EDWARDS AFB / PALMDALE	1077	1077	1077	1077	1170	1449	1524	1608	1746
SAN BERNADINO	1140	1140	1140	1140	1209	1335	1446	2566	1725
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	930	930	930	930	990	1152	1227	1305	1413
BEALE AFB	1203	1203	1203	1203	1350	1551	1665	1788	1917
SACRAMENTO	1620	1620	1620	1620	1728	1785	1872	1965	2118
STOCKTON	1128	1128	1128	1128	1158	1419	1437	1458	1533
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1596	1596	1596	1596	1605	1638	1758	1893	2037
LOS ANGELES	1848	1848	1848	1848	2001	2148	2325	2514	2703
SAN DIEGO	1959	1959	1959	1959	2133	2184	2232	2286	2409
MONTEREY	1815	1815	1815	1815	2019	2331	2550	2790	2979
BAKERSFIELD	939	939	939	939	978	1224	1290	1362	1461
RIVERSIDE	1581	1581	1581	1581	1743	1857	1878	1902	2031
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	1032	1032	1032	1032	1071	1362	1515	1680	1806
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	2181	2181	2181	2181	2268	2475	2568	2667	2796
SAN LUIS OBISPO	1332	1332	1332	1332	1419	1935	1968	2004	2127
BRIDGEPORT	1407	1407	1407	1407	1425	1467	1524	1587	1686
EL CENTRO	993	993	993	1077	1260	1338	1422	1515	1494
FORT BRAGG	1080	1080	1080	1080	1182	1479	1560	1644	1800

Warrant Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
OAKLAND	1950	2307	2406	2523	2742
SAN FRANCISCO	2502	2769	2817	2895	2943
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	915	1023	1179	1239	1359
FRESNO	1080	1239	1308	1401	1428
LEMOORE NAS	1053	1146	1257	1416	1482
CAMP PENDLETON	1791	1947	1977	2046	2157
VENTURA	1629	1791	1851	1962	2085
VANDENBERG AFB	1260	1485	1548	1656	1746
MARIN/SONOMA	1710	1890	1941	2031	2112
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	993	1131	1191	1287	1344
EDWARDS AFB / PALMDALE	1170	1293	1407	1578	1671
SAN BERNADINO	1134	1284	1353	1470	1569
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	915	1056	1137	1188	1305
BEALE AFB	1227	1524	1572	1656	1749
SACRAMENTO	1506	1764	1794	1863	1992
STOCKTON	1107	1254	1293	1350	1389
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1569	1629	1680	1767	1869
LOS ANGELES	1839	2199	2238	2343	2541
SAN DIEGO	1914	2052	2115	2223	2334
MONTEREY	1740	1983	2079	2247	2418
BAKERSFIELD	936	1038	1158	1179	1302
RIVERSIDE	1437	1614	1686	1788	1827
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	1035	1119	1242	1395	1476
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	1920	2124	2208	2334	2394
SAN LUIS OBISPO	1488	1581	1755	1995	2055
BRIDGEPORT	1326	1386	1422	1479	1542
EL CENTRO	1020	1131	1182	1266	1341
FORT BRAGG	1161	1335	1425	1572	1686

Warrant Officers (With Dependents)

Location	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
OAKLAND	2475	2784	3078	3252	3456
SAN FRANCISCO	2886	2952	3018	3297	3630
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	1218	1350	1476	1602	1749
FRESNO	1398	1434	1473	1584	1722
LEMOORE NAS	1404	1494	1584	1650	1728
CAMP PENDLETON	2022	2178	2328	2436	2562
VENTURA	1935	2109	2271	2394	2538
VANDENBERG AFB	1671	1830	1977	2037	2106
MARIN/SONOMA	2022	2178	2328	2436	2562
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	1149	1236	1320	1380	1455
EDWARDS AFB/PALMDALE	1452	1560	1662	1779	1914
SAN BERNADINO	1338	1494	1644	1755	1887
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	1155	1260	1356	1434	1521
BEALE AFB	1554	1716	1866	1938	2019
SACRAMENTO	1788	1908	2025	2151	2301
STOCKTON	1422	1446	1473	1560	1662
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1641	1815	1980	2061	2157
LOS ANGELES	2154	2400	2634	2730	2844
SAN DIEGO	2187	2253	2319	2442	2583
MONTEREY	2337	2649	2943	2991	3051
BAKERSFIELD	1227	1320	1407	1479	1566
RIVERSIDE	1860	1887	1917	2076	2265
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	1365	1581	1785	1815	1851
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	2478	2610	2733	2820	2922
SAN LUIS OBISPO	1938	1983	2031	2166	2328
BRIDGEPORT	1470	1548	1626	1707	1803
EL CENTRO	1263	1371	1476	1530	1593
FORT BRAGG	1482	1593	1701	1836	1998

Officers (Without Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
OAKLAND	2268	2358	2469	1809	2190	2409	2712	2901	3078	3138
SAN FRANCISCO	2742	2805	2883	2394	2685	2832	2937	3222	3252	3285
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	999	1092	1218	837	984	1182	1356	1536	1551	1566
FRESNO	1203	1287	1395	1023	1173	1326	1425	1494	1509	1524
LEMOORE NAS	1110	1224	1401	927	1101	1287	1473	1515	1584	1614
CAMP PENDLETON	1929	1968	2019	1731	1896	1986	2142	2214	2328	2373
VENTURA	1761	1836	1932	1572	1728	1869	2067	2145	2271	2316
VANDENBERG AFB	1401	1518	1668	1242	1374	1572	1791	1863	1977	2016
MARIN/SONOMA	1767	1878	2019	1710	1758	1929	2185	2280	2436	2484
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	987	1056	1146	870	966	1089	1215	1254	1320	1344
EDWARDS AFB / PALMDALE	1170	1293	1449	981	1146	1347	1533	1644	1662	1695
SAN BERNADINO	1209	1263	1335	1068	1185	1299	1458	1614	1644	1677
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	990	1062	1152	870	969	1092	1233	1281	1356	1383
BEALE AFB	1350	1440	1551	1056	1302	1479	1677	1749	1866	1905
SACRAMENTO	1728	1752	1785	1512	1692	1764	1881	1950	2025	2067
STOCKTON	1158	1272	1419	1095	1149	1326	1440	1452	1470	1500
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1605	1617	1635	1587	1602	1626	1773	1851	1980	2019
LOS ANGELES	2001	2067	2148	1692	1950	2097	2343	2454	2634	2688
SAN DIEGO	2133	2157	2184	1782	2073	2166	2238	2268	2319	2367
MONTEREY	2019	2175	2331	1608	1950	2241	2574	2715	2943	3000
BAKERSFIELD	978	1086	1224	900	972	1137	1299	1341	1407	1434
RIVERSIDE	1743	1791	1857	1422	1689	1815	1881	1983	2001	2022
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	1161	1317	1365	990	1137	1362	1530	1629	1785	1821
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	2268	2358	2475	2094	2238	2400	2577	2637	2733	2787
SAN LUIS OBISPO	1482	1647	1935	1248	1479	1749	1971	1995	2028	2070
BRIDGEPORT	1425	1443	1464	1392	1419	1452	1530	1566	1626	1659
EL CENTRO	1077	1158	1260	906	1047	1194	1347	1395	1476	1506
FORT BRAGG	1182	1314	1479	975	1173	1374	1569	1743	1761	1776

Officers (With Dependents)

Location	O-1E	O-2E	O-3E	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7
OAKLAND	2736	3033	3282	2292	2463	3066	3534	3867	3906	3942
SAN FRANCISCO	2940	3009	3348	3757	2880	3015	3759	4296	4338	4380
CHINA LAKE NAVWEPCEN	1329	1458	1623	1005	1212	1470	1806	2046	2067	2088
FRESNO	1428	1464	1605	1224	1392	1470	1773	1992	2013	2013
LEMOORE NAS	1482	1569	1662	1122	1395	1578	1758	1884	1905	1923
CAMP PENDLETON	2154	2304	2454	1938	2016	2322	2613	2820	2847	2874
VENTURA	2082	2247	2415	1779	1929	2265	2592	2826	2853	2883
VANDENBERG AFB	1806	1956	2046	1431	1665	1971	2133	2244	2268	2289
MARIN/SONOMA	2202	2406	2505	1794	2013	2427	2592	2703	2730	2757
BARSTOW/FORT IRWIN	1221	13078	1392	1005	1143	1317	1482	1599	1617	1632
EDWARDS AFB/PALMDALE	1542	1647	1800	1200	1443	1659	1968	2190	2211	2235
SAN BERNADINO	1470	1623	1776	1221	1332	1638	1938	2151	2172	2193
TWENTY NINE PALMS MCB	1242	1344	1446	1008	1149	1353	1557	1701	1719	1734
BEALE AFB	1689	1845	1950	1374	1545	1860	2052	2187	2208	2229
SACRAMENTO	1890	2007	2175	1734	1785	2019	2358	2598	2625	2652
STOCKTON	1440	1467	1575	1188	1413	1470	1704	1872	1893	1911
VALLEJO/TRAVIS AFB	1788	1956	2076	1608	1635	1971	2193	2349	2370	2394
LOS ANGELES	2361	2601	2748	2019	2145	2625	2889	3075	3105	3135
SAN DIEGO	2244	2310	2463	2139	2181	2316	2640	2871	2898	2928
MONTEREY	2598	2898	3000	2052	2325	2931	3072	3168	3198	3231
BAKERSFIELD	1305	1395	1494	1005	1221	1404	1599	1740	1758	1776
RIVERSIDE	1881	1911	2106	1755	1854	1914	2337	2643	2670	2697
HUMBOLDT COUNTY	1548	1755	1821	1104	1356	1776	1866	1926	1944	1965
SANTA CLARA COUNTY	2589	2715	2835	2292	2469	2727	2961	3126	3156	3189
SAN LUIS OBISPO	1977	2022	2190	1476	1923	2028	2388	2649	2676	2703
BRIDGEPORT	1536	1614	1722	1428	1464	1623	1839	1992	2013	2031
EL CENTRO	1356	1461	1539	1098	1257	1470	1617	1719	1737	1755
FORT BRAGG	1578	1686	1863	1215	1473	1695	2061	2322	2346	2370

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