Meet Your Military
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Engineers assigned to the 452nd Civil Engineer Squadron at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., and the 934th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station, Minn., train at Fort McCoy, Wis., for a deployment to Afghanistan. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hickey[/caption] MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – As 22 combat engineers from the 452nd Civil Engineer Squadron prepared to deploy throughout southern and eastern Afghanistan recently, one airman stepped up to ensure they were ready for the job at hand.

Knowing his experience on a similar deployment would be an asset, Air Force Capt. David Simons Jr., the squadron’s chief of operations, volunteered to serve on active-duty orders to ensure the logistics of the squadron's deployment preparation ran smoothly.Embedded with Army units at six locations, the deployed engineers have an opportunity to directly affect troops’ living conditions and improve the quality of life for Afghans in nearby villages, the captain said. "I've been very impressed and proud of these airmen and their determination," said Simons, who returned from a deployment to Afghanistan in the fall. "I can see it in their eyes. They want to go over there and make a difference. "Because of what we do and our skill sets, we can affect people's lives in ways that go on and on for generations," he added. As the father of three young girls, Simons said, he felt most connected with the youngest generation of Afghans, the children he would see playing in the streets as his convoy drove through villages. He said it was heartbreaking to know the children's only source of water was from ditches, rivers and shallow wells that were contaminated with high counts of cholera bacteria from fecal matter and urine, and frequently tainted with improperly disposed engine oil. When Simons and his team would drill wells for the forward operating bases, they sometimes were able to divert a portion of the clean water to local villages. Some of the airmen who are now deployed will have the opportunity to build wells like these directly inside the Afghan villages, he said. "Thirty years from now, it will be my children's responsibility to work with these children on a global scale," the captain said. "We have the opportunity to make the children's lives better. This will help them grow up healthy and educated, making it easier for the next generation of Americans." During his deployment, Simons and his team built seven new forward operating bases and combat outposts and helped to bring up to standard the infrastructure of countless outposts by installing wells, plumbing, electricity, roads and bridges. Many forward operating bases, he said, were built using expedient methods, usually converting old Russian bases, he said. "They weren't done with thoughts of waste, sanitary sewer issues and water," he explained. The 452nd Civil Engineer Squadron combat engineers who are now deployed are responsible for similar projects in some of the same remote, and often hostile, regions of Afghanistan. "It's always a high ops tempo," Simons said. "You always have to be thinking four or five steps ahead, especially when it comes to what the enemy is doing and how are you going to stay safe. Then, you're still expected to go out and do your job, which, along with holding a weapon and walking around a city, includes doing such things as plumbing, electrical, [heating, ventilation and air conditioning], and surveying." Simons estimated that he spent 75 percent of his deployment outside the wire, and his team frequently encountered small-arms fire, improvised explosive devices, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. Sometimes, he said, when there wasn't enough daylight to return to a forward operating base after a day's work, the team would set up watches and sleep under the stars. "We're taking ordinary airmen … and putting them in extraordinary situations, expecting them to fight and still do their job," he said about the engineers who are now deployed. "They're going to excel at this." Simons helped the engineers before their deployment by showing them photos and videos of his deployment and talking with them about what to expect. "Almost all of them had never deployed before, and many of them were apprehensive," he said. "Once they knew more about what to expect, they were excited to be able to help the fight." (Air Force Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hickey of the 934th Airlift Wing contributed to this story) April 19, 2011: By Megan Just- 452nd Air Mobility Wing
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Army Lt. Col. Larry Daley listens during a conference with members of the Afghan national security forces April 5, 2011, at the operational coordination center in Afghanistan’s Wardak province. Daley coordinates the efforts of Afghan forces in the province. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Adam L. Mathis[/caption] WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The screen at the head of the two tables in the operational coordination center here displayed statistics about coalition and insurgent activities in the area. Members of the Afghan security forces listened as one of their countrymen briefed the data.

Seated quietly at the table, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Larry Daley listened to his interpreter translate the fruits of his team’s labors.Daley says his job as senior U.S. advisor for the operational coordination center here is the future of the coalition presence in Afghanistan. The Preston, Minn., native, who is attached to the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Task Force Patriot, has worked since November to foster better cooperation among the Afghan security forces components in Wardak province and to improve their ability to handle security. Daley’s position in Wardak came about by order of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who established the a system of operational coordination centers in Afghanistan’s provinces. Originally, the centers coordinated efforts related to elections and natural disasters, but they worked too well to stay within such narrow parameters, Daley said. “It has evolved into a way that all of the entities of the Afghan national security forces can be integrated for operations and have a unity of effort in securing the population,” said Army Lt. Col. Michael Kelley of Newnan, Ga., the coalition’s regional operational coordination center commander for southern Afghanistan and senior advisor. The coalition presence in the centers is in an advisory capacity, Kelley said, helping the Afghan security forces work together and share information, he said. Brig. Gen. Muhammad Daood, an Afghan army officer who serves as regional operational coordination center commander for the south, said he is encouraged by the growth of cooperation among Afghan forces in his area. “I hope one day we’ll be able to provide security in the whole province,” he said through an interpreter. To get there means a lot of drinking for Daley. “A lot of late-night chai sessions is how you get it done,” he said. Chai, or tea, is a means of overcoming a problem that sometimes shows up in organizations: a lack of communication. The various branches of Afghan forces have not been sharing the data they collect in Wardak, Daley said, noting that that the U.S. military was no different before the 1980s. Before congressional action forced jointness on the services, he explained, each U.S. service had its own set of data and did not necessarily share it with the others. Daley said drinking tea, a ubiquitous custom in Afghanistan, helps him to develop personal relationships. By establishing friendships and respect among the representatives of the Afghan security forces branches, he added, he is able to improve cooperation. “Maybe the organizations don’t really care for each other a whole lot, but if, as individuals, we can get along, we can make things work,” Daley said. “It’s something you’ve got to work at every day. If you’re not working at it every day, you’re probably going backwards.” Daley recently began teaching Afghan personnel how to analyze data and ask what is causing those statistics. The result, he said, was a desire on the part of some Afghans to learn more. “We’re getting there,” he said. “It’s just taking time to make them sit down and think through very complex problems.” April 14, 2011: By Army Spc. Adam L. Mathis- 17th Public Affairs Detachment
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Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Derrick Butler, who had a gap of almost 12 years between his first and second enlistments in the Corps, is a construction wireman stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, based on Okinawa, a prefecture of Japan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jovane M. Holland[/caption] WASHINGTON – On Dec. 7, 1987, Derrick Butler raised his right hand and swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as a United States Marine.

More than a decade later, on July 6, 1999, he swore the oath a second time.Although the circumstances behind each oath were radically different, both carried great pride and a sense of achievement, said Butler, a St. Louis native. “My first enlistment was the result of a Marine Corps recruiter calling for my friend, and me picking up the phone. It was completely by chance,” Butler said. “The second time I enlisted, it was because the company I was working for shut down, and I missed the military way of life.” Working as a cook throughout his first enlistment, Butler was unable to re-enlist at the end of his contract and left the Corps as a corporal. He moved to Missouri, where he worked at a manufacturing and exporting factory. When the factory closed its doors in 1999, he re-enlisted in the Corps. The Marine Corps he returned to had undergone major changes since the late 1980s, but Butler, now a staff sergeant, said his love of camaraderie in the military has not changed. “The Corps is still near and dear to my heart, no matter how much it has changed,” said Butler, who now serves as a construction wireman at Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler on Okinawa, a prefecture of Japan. “No challenge I have faced since my return has been too overwhelming to face. I just adapt and overcome,” Butler said. Butler’s comrades are glad he’s back. “Staff Sergeant Butler is a mainstay in his junior Marines’ lives, because he has the ‘Marines are family’ mind set everyone needs when things get rough,” said Marine Corps Sgt. Benjamin Martin, a telephone surveyor who has known Butler since 2002. “He’s the Marine that gives you the safety brief and instills in you the pride in watching out for the Marine to the left and right of you. I couldn’t ask for a better staff noncommissioned officer.” Butler said things have changed since his initial enlistment. “We fought hard and played hard back in the day, but the day-to-day battle is much harder now than it was back then,” he explained. “I’m so glad the tools I acquired in the past help me to relate to and teach the new generation of Marines today.” Butler plans to retire in five years and said he hopes to pick up promotion to gunnery sergeant before that time comes. For young Marines who struggle with or experience regret over their decision to join, Butler shared some words of advice. “Boot camp may not be a dreamboat, but to travel, see the world and embrace so many different cultures can be inspiring,” Butler said. “People look up to who we are and what we do for the world. Many of them only dream of living the life we live. We live it every day.” April 13, 2011: By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jovane M. Holland- Marine Corps Bases Japan
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Army Sgt. Mark Arnett and Army Spc. Kathy Ogburn, military police officers assigned to U.S. Army Garrison-Kaiserslautern, Germany, examine a lesson plan for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. National D.A.R.E. Day was April 7, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Rick Scavetta[/caption] KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – As Army Sgt. Mark Arnett wraps up his tenure here teaching kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, he can look back knowing he made an impact on children's lives.

For the past two years, Arnett has taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the Kaiserslautern Military Community's fours elementary schools. "It's been great for me to see the difference D.A.R.E. is making in kids' lives," Arnett said. "The light bulb goes on and the wheels are turning," he said of how quickly children understand the message about the risks of drug and alcohol use. Since 1983, D.A.R.E. has taught millions of students worldwide about the dangers associated with using alcohol and drugs. National D.A.R.E. Day is observed each April in the United States by a presidential proclamation, community events and other activities. This year, President Barrack Obama declared April 7 as National D.A.R.E. Day. It's been a few weeks since Arnett taught his final D.A.R.E. class here. He departs Kaiserslautern soon for Fort Knox, Ky., where he’ll serve with the 1st Infantry Division. Meanwhile, Arnett said when kids see him in the Kaiserslautern community, they ask him to come back. "That's rewarding, to know that they learned and that it was a fun experience for them," he said. During a previous duty tour at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Arnett donned the McGruff the Crime Dog suit and shook hands with kids. He had never been in front of a classroom, but in becoming Kaiserslautern's D.A.R.E. instructor, Arnett learned the subtleties of teaching. "As a soldier, you instruct your peers," he said. "It's totally different in front of fifth graders, trying to get them to listen to you." Department of Defense Dependents Schools students here complete 10 lessons over several weeks, working from D.A.R.E. planners, Arnett said. Weekly lessons include students acting out skits on peer pressure and watching videos about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. In Europe, where beer and wine are often part of the local culture, alcohol is easier to obtain at a younger age. Children living overseas know that, Arnett said. "We stress the impacts alcohol has on young bodies, the adverse effects that it can have," he said. "Kids are pretty smart. They know it's bad for you, just not how bad it can be." What kids learn in D.A.R.E. can have a ripple effect within their families, Arnett said. One Kaiserslautern fifth-grader recently brought her lessons home and helped her mother quit smoking, he said. Staffing a D.A.R.E. officer for Kaiserslautern Military Community schools make sense, as police in military communities mirror the work of their civilian counterparts, said Master Sgt. Kenneth Pryor, U.S. Army Garrison-Kaiserslautern’s provost sergeant. "It gives us an opportunity to have an officer go into the classroom, so the kids don't just see a police officer as a cop," Pryor said. "It humanizes the individual." In February, Lt. Col. Kevin Hutchison, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Kaiserslautern, spoke at the Kaiserslautern Elementary School graduation. He thanked Arnett for his efforts in making the D.A.R.E. program a success. "He is the face of D.A.R.E. in our community," Hutchison said. Arnett will pass the D.A.R.E. teaching reins to Army Spc. Kathy Ogburn. In less than four years as a military police officer, Ogburn has served at Fort Hood, Texas, and helped train local police in Afghanistan. She said she’s excited about taking on new challenges here. "I've worked the road and I've deployed," Ogburn said. "Now, I get a chance to do something completely different." April 12, 2011: By Rick Scavetta- U.S. Army Garrison-Kaiserslautern
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Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Fletcher sits on a forklift at Sendai Airport, Japan, March 20, 2011. Fletcher is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 353rd Special Operations Group's air transportation team. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse[/caption] SENDAI, Japan – A little more than 14 years ago, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Fletcher, who then held the rank of airman basic, was lost on the streets of Tokyo.

It was the first weekend of Fletcher’s first week at his first assignment in Japan at Yokota Air Base. Fletcher said two Japanese couples observed his predicament and escorted him to the correct train, and then rode with him all the way to Yokota. When Fletcher tried to pay his newfound Japanese friends for their time and kindness, he recalled, they said they were just happy to speak English with someone and were happy to help. Fletcher said that’s when he decided Japan would be a good place to be stationed. "I've been in love with Japan ever since," he said. Fletcher is an air transportation specialist with the 353rd Special Operations Group based at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Now, he's deployed to Sendai Airport, where he oversees cargo-loading operations with a four-person crew. Fletcher and his team are supporting Operation Tomodachi, the relief effort that’s aiding the Japanese people following the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Fletcher was part of the initial team sent here to help the Japanese recover and reopen the airport. Since Fletcher and his crew arrived, he said, air transporters have unloaded millions of pounds of water, food, blankets and other relief supplies, in addition to all of the equipment they needed to keep their part of the operation going. "This is the kind of thing most of us joined the Air Force to do," Fletcher said. "I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. We were told the Japanese people needed help, and well, they helped me the first week I lived here. Of course I want to do whatever I can to give back." Fletcher and his team live in the airport’s passenger terminal along with scores of airmen, soldiers and Marines also supporting the relief mission. The group has an electric generator to run the computers needed for air traffic control and cargo shipment manifests. There's little to no heat in the building, Fletcher said, so the days and nights are cold. "It's freezing in the terminal, but at least I have a roof over my head," he said. "We see it snowing outside and realize that we're the lucky ones. We've heard there are half-a-million people displaced, out of their homes and living in shelters. “So it's cold, but it could be a lot worse," he added. The Japanese people’s strength, kindness and generosity greatly impresses U.S. service members involved in Operation Tomodachi, Fletcher said. "One day, a Japanese man came all the way out here with a big bag of apples, just to thank us for what we were doing,” Fletcher recalled. “That was the first fresh fruit any of us had had in eight days. I swear that was the best apple I'd ever tasted. I ate everything down to the seeds." Fletcher said he and his crew are optimistic and focused on the task at hand. "Every time the back of a plane opens up and it's a pallet of water, I can say for a fact, 'Somebody needs that,'” Fletcher said. “So when we get supplies off a C-130 and onto a helicopter, we know this whole thing is for a good cause. "If I retired today, this would be the highlight of my career," he said. April 11, 2011: By Air Force Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski- 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs