-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 0036. Reserve component commanders visit Turkey by Staff Sgt. Jim Verchio Operation Northern Watch Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) -- Recently, two of the most influential people of the Air Force air reserve components visited Incirlik to meet with the men and women of the Guard and Reserve here serving in support of Operation Northern Watch. Maj. Gen. James Sherrard III, Air Force Reserve Command commander, and Maj. Gen. Paul Weaver, Air National Guard director, came to emphasize that even though still in its infant stages, the expeditionary air force concept is a huge success. "The (aerospace expeditionary force) and what we've done is an absolute success story which will be, I believe, one of (Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan's and Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters') greatest legacies," Weaver said. Although reserve-component units have been flying in the aviation arena and various aviation packages for 10 years since Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Weaver acknowledged the reserve component was not participating in the area of expeditionary combat support. "We just wanted to be invited to the party," Weaver said. "During this last year, we sent thousands of people through the eye of the needle. Historically, we have never done that before." Sherrard agrees the EAF concept has proven to be more successful than anyone imagined. "The decision and direction to go the way of the EAF has been the right thing for our Air Force," he said. "It's the right thing for our nation in terms of what our Air Force is being asked to go do and how we can best execute our missions -- EAF is the way to do business." With the EAF concept comes predictability and stability. Not only for the active force, but also for the air reserve components as well. With the Guard and Reserve playing more of a role in what the Air Force is doing today, that means for every guardsman or reservist deployed, an active-duty person is at home with his or her family. The air reserve components work from a 15-day construct -- a system which is the basic building block that determines the tour length of guardsmen and reservists. Weaver said the construct makes managing the force more challenging. However, for him there is no alternative. "If one of our guardsmen or reservists weren't here under the 15-day construct, there would be an active-duty person here away from his or her family. The (personnel tempo) would be even greater," he said. "When you look at our perstempo today, we're 500,000 workdays above the peak of Desert Shield and Desert Storm," Weaver said. "We've never been busier, and the reserve component's retention rates have never been higher. We love to be busy, and we love doing what we're trained to do." With this basic system in place, units are able to plan out taskings 15 or even 30 months in advance. It also provides a chance for the active-force to get more familiar with the guard and reserve and vice versa. Senior leaders are looking at new and innovative ways to work with people wanting to stay in theater longer, Weaver said. He also said by extending the time in theater there is a better chance for unit cohesion, continuity and the chance for guardsmen and reservists to take command. There is no difference between the active air force and the air reserve components, according to both leaders. Both point out the Air Force has been doing it smart right from the beginning by training its reserve components to the same standard as the active force and verifying this standard through inspections conducted by the active force. "We no longer need a 'gen-up' time: a time where we need to practice getting our bombs on target, or a time to learn our trade better," Weaver said. "We train hard at home so when we walk into the theater we are ready to go." There was a time when there was a 90 to 10 percent split in mission responsibility between the active forces and the air reserve components. Weaver said, those numbers are now 60 to 40 percent. He believes that now more than ever the air reserve components are totally involved with the active force. 0040. Commission stresses beefing up intel, changing focus by Army Sgt. 1st Class Kathleen T. Rhem American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Defense Department must view terrorists as a "relentless enemy" and confront them "with the same intensity and discipline that we have used in the past to defeat conventional antagonists," Defense Secretary William Cohen said Jan. 9. Cohen was quoting the unclassified USS Cole Commission Report, which was released that day. The report was co-authored by retired Army Gen. William W. Crouch and retired Navy Adm. Harold W. Gehman. Cohen requested the report following the Oct. 12 bombing of the USS Cole in Aden, Yemen, that killed 17 sailors and injured 39. The report recognizes the military has dramatically strengthened force protection procedures since the 1996 terrorist attack against Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia. But notes terrorists are determined to try to intimidate U.S. forces and prevent the United States from pursuing worldwide national security interests. "They will continue to tenaciously look for exposed seams in our force protection armor," Cohen said during a Pentagon news briefing. "Since Khobar Towers, Department of Defense has made tremendous improvement and paid a tremendous amount of attention to force protection," Crouch said. "We have focused on installations and fixed facilities. ... Nevertheless, as (Cohen) said, the terrorist, who is very persistent, has gone after our vulnerability." The commission wasn't intended to place blame for the tragedy, but to find areas in which to make improvements to military force protection plans, Cohen said. There should be no zealous search for accountability, which, carried to the extreme, would lead to "an imbalance where commanders in the future would fail to take action for fear of any repercussions." DOD owes it to the families of those killed and injured in the blast, and to all servicemembers, to at least look at the matter of accountability, Cohen added. "There's a delicate balance that has to be maintained," he said. Cohen also directed Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Henry Shelton to review the commission's report and a forthcoming report from the Navy's Manual of the Judge Advocate General and advise Cohen on "matters associated with this incident, including issues of accountability." The instructions to Shelton came in a Jan. 9 memo that also reminded that the chairman is "the principal advisor and focal point ... on all anti-terrorism and force protection issues." The commission's report found ships in transit provide a weak point. "There are institutional changes that have to be made and improvements which have to be made to try and prevent this from taking place in the future," Cohen said. "(But) as good as we get or will get in the future ... terrorists are bound to examine other ways of finding vulnerabilities. We saw when we started to really strengthen the force protection elements for fixed sites (after the Khobar Towers bombing) ... they moved to our embassies, bombing the embassies in East Africa. And as we take additional measures here with our fleet, no doubt they will look for other softer targets to go after." The 30-member USS Cole Commission examined five areas: organization, antiterrorism and force protection, intelligence, logistics and training. The report lists 30 findings within these areas and accompanying recommendations. A major issue the commission focused on is that the Cole did not have specific intelligence tailored to its visit to Aden. Cohen said the members of the Cole Commission found this to be a shortfall for all ships in transit. "There was not specific intelligence communicated to the captain of the ship; ... the warnings that were received were general in nature and not directed against this ship; and ... they preceded this tragedy at least a month prior to that time," he said. "So one of the recommendations would be to get much greater focus on intelligence that is focused for the ships and for all the commanders." The commission found no credible intelligence that could have predicted this attack. The commissioners noted transiting ships do not have enough intelligence analysts, but rely on support from outside agencies. "We recommend that ... the theater intelligence centers focus some resources on tracking, dedicating intelligence products, overwatching and advising these transiting units as to the risks into the areas in which they are going," Gehman said. He also said units in transit need to be better trained to demand this type of intelligence support. "They need to ask more difficult questions." Gehman praised DOD and the intelligence community for shifting analysis resources to the anti-terrorism mission. He said these efforts must continue and grow, particularly assets related to human and signals intelligence. The report recommends the defense secretary consolidate all functions related to combating terrorism under one individual at the assistant secretary of defense level. The commission also recommended DOD work more closely with other Cabinet agencies that work significantly outside the United States. "The Department of Defense is not the only department that's conducting engagement activities," Gehman said. "Treasury, Commerce, State, as well as Defense and others all have engagement activities. And we believe that further coordination and consolidation of activities would be to the benefit of everybody." The third recommendation concerns host nations providing security to transiting U.S. forces. "It's in the department's best interest that host nation security forces be capable and willing to help us with our force protection roles," Gehman said. "In many of these places that we visit, the host nation is either unwilling or unable to provide that support. We're very, very good at military- to-military support. What we're talking about here is military-to-non-military support, and we would like to see that process streamlined." The commission made 13 anti-terrorism/force protection recommendations. They include changing the term "threat condition" to another term that better reflects its purpose such as "alert states" or "force protection posture". Threat condition is too easy to confuse with threat level, and the term does not clearly convey that it is an operational posture, not an explanation of conditions in an area, Crouch said. "If the terminology is not easily interchanged, we think it will be of real benefit to users," he said. The commission also found the standing rules of engagement in place in the region were adequate and "fundamentally sound," and saw no reason to revise them. Other recommendations include: -- Providing full-time force protection officers to commanders-in-chief and their component commanders; -- Augmenting units moving through high-threat areas with force protection experts; and -- Giving the geographic CINCs responsibility for assigning the threat level for countries within their areas. Logistics recommendations include directing the services to update their respective logistics doctrine to include force protection issues regarding transiting units and to incorporate anti-terrorism and force protection concerns into "the entire fabric of logistics support," Crouch said. Gehman said force protection training should take on a higher priority, "up to a priority which is equal to a unit's primary mission." He acknowledged this would take more time and resources, but said the ends justify the means. "What we are trying to do here is suggest that the training needs to be of sufficient sophistication to be able to recognize the unexpected rather than just react to the expected," he said. Cohen took the opportunity to laud America's uniformed services. "And as I noted during the memorial service for the victims of this attack, every night all of us sleep under this blanket of freedom because men and women in uniform sail and patrol in harm's way," he said. "And as secretary of defense, I understand that even America's best efforts cannot remove every risk that our soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines are going to face, although we will always strive to do exactly that. "We have to continue what we started, and that is to protect our nation's interest, to protect our men and women in uniform, and to subdue the enemies," Cohen said. "And we have to continue to thank the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen, and Marines, and their families, for all that they do to protect us." 0039. Cohen: handled properly, DU poses no risk by Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- If handled properly, depleted uranium, known as DU, poses no risk to American or allied forces, according to Defense Secretary William S. Cohen. "We have been using depleted uranium weapons for decades," Cohen said Jan. 10. "Depleted uranium is also used in most of our aircraft and most of our ships. It's used as ballast. So it's around us all the time and it doesn't pose an unreasonable risk." Cohen responded to European claims that some allied troops have died after being exposed to DU used during NATO air operations in the Balkans. The 15-nation European Union has asked its scientists to determine whether illness and death among Balkans peacekeepers could be linked to ammunition containing DU. "If there were any deficiency to be found," Cohen said, "it would be in the failure to pick up fragments of destroyed vehicles or tanks in which the depleted uranium projectiles were used." U.S. officials are confident scientific inquiry will convince European allies that DU is not linked to leukemia or other forms of cancer as some have alleged, Cohen said. "We will persuade our allies that this has been a responsible thing to do, and we intend to continue to use this depleted uranium," he added. DU is about 40-percent less radioactive than natural uranium, according to U.S. defense officials. The U.S. M-1 Abrams tank, Bradley fighting vehicle and other weapon systems use ammunition containing needle-like DU penetrators that can punch right through conventional armor. Armor containing depleted uranium is used in the Abrams tanks, Phalanx gun systems and some cruise missiles, as well as A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, Marine Harriers and other military and civilian aircraft. DU is used in armor because its superior strength, hardness and density can defeat conventional armor-piercing ammunition. U.S. armed forces first used DU munitions and armor during the Gulf War and decisively demonstrated its effectiveness. Pentagon officials have said there is no lingering danger in the Gulf from the substance. After a round containing DU hits a target, Cohen said, it releases alpha, beta and gamma rays. "The alpha rays do not penetrate the skin," he said. "The beta rays don't penetrate clothing. The gamma rays are such low level they don't pose a health hazard." In some circumstances, however, DU can be hazardous. "Where it's unsafe, it's like leaded paint," Cohen said. "Leaded paint does not pose a problem to you unless it starts to peel and then children or others ingest it." If inhaled, dust particles emitted when a DU round explodes can pose health problems, he said. "But once the operation has been complete, usually rain washes the oxides away and there's no health hazard." Cohen said U.S. military officials urged all allied troops to use caution when working around weapons containing DU. DOD issued instructions to allied forces regarding necessary precautions, such as how to handle tanks and metal fragments exposed to DU, he said. "I think adequate warnings were given, and there is a very low risk of coming into contact with this, provided there is sufficient protection taken," Cohen said. Currently, U.S. officials have not considered imposing a moratorium on DU munitions while the European investigation is ongoing, Cohen said. 0035. Military pay information line expands ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) -- Active-duty, reserve, National Guard and recently separated military people can now access expanded pay information through a new Military Pay Interactive Voice Response System. Servicemembers in the continental U.S. can access the pay IVRS by using toll-free numbers. While overseas, members can access the system using DSN and commercial numbers. By using a pre-established personal identification number, the Military Pay IVRS will automatically determine the member's status -- active duty, reserve or separated -- and provide appropriate menu selections. Active-duty people will be able to access their payday deposit information, a list of current allotments, the number of bonds in safekeeping, their leave balance, tax filing status, exemptions and year-to-date wage and withholdings information. Reserve and National Guard members have access to their payroll deposit history, current deduction for Servicemen's Group Life Insurance, tax status and withholdings information. Separated members will be able to research the last payment made on their pay account. All customers will have access to instructions on how to get replacement W-2s. General information recordings will be available for people not eligible for or who do not want to establish a PIN, including, how-to information on reporting missing allotment payments, getting estimated earnings for conversion of military time to civil service retirement, and requesting safekeeping bonds. Air Force active-duty and Reserve members who established a PIN for use with the earlier version of IVRS will be able to use the same number on the new system. Secondary-user PINs, generally given to spouses, will no longer be valid. Temporary PINs have been issued to all other servicemembers by mail. Upon receipt of a temporary PIN, servicemembers will be able to access the pay line. Temporary PINs must be customized within 120 days of issuance. The Employee/Member Self-Service allows people to make changes to their pay account. Personal identification numbers for this service may not be used with the pay IVRS. People may contact the centralized customer support office at 1-800-390-2348 for PIN-related questions for either system. Automated access to the military pay line is available 24 hours a day by calling toll-free 1-800-755-7413, commercial 303-676-1281, or DSN 926-1281. 0038. Overseas EQUAL set for release Feb. 6 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- The newest Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing of available enlisted assignments overseas arrives at military personnel flights and on the Air Force Personnel Center's Web site Feb. 6. This list includes assignments for overseas jobs opening October through December. Personnel officials recommend assignment preferences should be updated by Feb. 16 to ensure the information is in the computer system before actual assignments are released around March 5. EQUAL advertises upcoming assignment requirements, by Air Force Specialty Code and rank, and gives people a chance to update their assignment preferences to match vacancies that need filling in a particular cycle. People should review, prioritize and list specifically those assignment options available to them on EQUAL. Separate listings for assignments available at overseas locations as well as assignments available for those returning from overseas areas are published quarterly. Special-duty assignments appear on the EQUAL-Plus listing and are updated weekly. Military personnel flights and commanders support staffs will have copies of the listings and can help people update their preferences. People who are on temporary duty during the advertising period should contact the nearest personnel office for assistance. People can also access the list on the AFPC Web site at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil. (Courtesy of AFPC News Service) 0037. Air Force selects 50 for intern program RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- The Air Force selected 50 captains to take part in the 2001 Air Force Intern Program. The board convened at the Air Force Personnel Center here Dec. 11, choosing the 50 from a field of 352 line and non-line officers nominated for the program. Wing commanders or the equivalent could nominate up to 7 percent of their captains who had less than three years time-in-grade to meet the AFIP board. The board selected 45 line officers and one primary from the Nurse, Biomedical Service, Medical Service, Judge Advocate General's Department and Chaplain Service Corps. Those selected will begin the first phase of AFIP June 15. AFIP, in its seventh year, provides a unique opportunity for captains to sharpen their leadership skills. It's a fast-paced 13-month program designed to develop tomorrow's leaders, according to Maj. Richard Young, chief of AFIP and professional military education outplacement at AFPC. "AFIP combines hands-on experience as an intern on the Joint Staff, office of the secretary of defense, secretary of the Air Force, or Air Staff arena with graduate courses in leadership and management at George Washington University," he said. Beginning June 15, the new interns will begin a month-long orientation to give them a better feel for how the Air Force interacts with other military organizations and federal agencies to provide for the defense of the nation. Orientation activities will include tours of the Central Intelligence Agency, the naval facilities at Norfolk Naval Base, Va., and Marine Corps operations at Quantico, Va., plus sessions with members of the National Security Council and the Department of State. Additionally, representatives from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal organizations will brief the interns on the operations of their agencies. After this month-long orientation, all interns will take graduate-level classes in leadership and management at George Washington University throughout the fall. The interns will work two six-month rotations in positions on the Air Staff, the Air Force Secretariat, the Joint Staff, or Office of the Secretary of Defense. "To expand the functional knowledge and experience of these young officers, one six-month rotation will be in an area related to the intern's primary career field," Young said. "The other rotation will be served in an unrelated area to broaden their experience base." Upon completion of the intern program, participants return to the field to capitalize on their experiences. They will not be retained on the Air Staff or secretariat and in most cases, will return to wing level. (Courtesy of Air Force Personnel News Service) 4005. Commentary: Proud to serve in my 'family business' by Chaplain (Capt.) Travis Yelton 314th Airlift Wing MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- I have a confession: I am an airman who considered becoming a conscientious objector about 10 years ago -- but only briefly. It was during the fall semester in college, right before Operation Desert Storm. My professor -- who had come of age during the Vietnam era -- addressed my classmates and me about becoming conscientious objectors to avoid serving involuntarily in the Persian Gulf conflict. Until I faced a war that could potentially bring back the draft, I never considered becoming a conscientious objector. It was unthinkable. I respected other people's freedom to choose this path, but my desire to work in the "family business" would not be suppressed at that time or later. I say the family business because that is how I explain my reason for joining the U.S. Air Force. As a young man, I realized how my family -- through the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of others -- protected and provided for my freedom. In choosing my life's work, I felt a sense of obligation to at least give back to the business that had taken care of me. I might have made more money working for someone else, but I wanted to help the family by offering a portion of my life. After all, grandparents like Billy Mitchell helped start the family business while enduring numerous hardships. To me, that was no small matter. As I consider the future of the family business I hope to see it remain strong, building upon its rich heritage while maintaining a forward-looking philosophy. To be a player in the future of the business was another reason I decided to serve the family instead of going outside. What little I can contribute, I will. I thank my professor for challenging me to do something else, because in considering his challenge I discovered the difference between a calling and a career. I could work for other businesses, but to me, no one comes close to my family. (Editor's note: Chaplain Yelton wrote this commentary while attending the Aerospace Basic Course at Maxwell Air Force Base) *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. 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