http://www.militaryspot.com/news/index/ en aerynb@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-10T15:54:14+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/bye-bye-bcgs-new-glasses-issued-to-trainees/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/bye-bye-bcgs-new-glasses-issued-to-trainees/ 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. Army, News 2012-02-10T14:54:14+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/army-pushes-for-consistent-ptsd-diagnosis/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/army-pushes-for-consistent-ptsd-diagnosis/ 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. Army, Benefits, News, Resources 2012-02-10T15:20:28+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/dod-opens-more-jobs-assignments-to-military-women/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/dod-opens-more-jobs-assignments-to-military-women/ 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. Army, News 2012-02-10T14:15:34+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/u.s.-army-pro-football-hall-of-fame-award-for-excellence-program/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/u.s.-army-pro-football-hall-of-fame-award-for-excellence-program/ 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. Army, News 2012-02-10T14:05:35+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/egyptian-hospital-provides-medical-care-for-locals/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/egyptian-hospital-provides-medical-care-for-locals/ 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.” Benefits, News, Resources 2012-02-10T15:00:54+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/va-rolls-out-fy-2013-budget-request/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/va-rolls-out-fy-2013-budget-request/ 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 Benefits, Education, VA, Money, News, Pay, Resources 2012-02-10T05:20:55+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/marines-take-break-from-nfl-to-enjoy-lingerie-football/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/marines-take-break-from-nfl-to-enjoy-lingerie-football/ 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. Benefits, Marines 2012-02-09T22:32:10+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/army-wants-you-to-sound-off-about-your-pt-uniform/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/army-wants-you-to-sound-off-about-your-pt-uniform/ 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. Army, Benefits, News 2012-02-09T16:08:45+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/harley-davidson-helps-collect-more-than-160000-for-uso/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/harley-davidson-helps-collect-more-than-160000-for-uso/ 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. News 2012-02-09T14:03:47+00:00 http://www.militaryspot.com/news/air-force-removes-god-from-logo/ http://www.militaryspot.com/news/air-force-removes-god-from-logo/ 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! Air Force, News, Personal 2012-02-09T15:01:57+00:00