"You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth- and the amusing thing about it is that they are."
- Father Kevin Keaney 1st Marine Division Chaplain Korean War
Chairman commends Marines for impact; new mission
By Army Staff Sgt Michael J. Carden, American Forces Press Service
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 11, 2008 – The U.S. military's top-ranking officer met today with U.S. Marines based just northwest of here who are charged with the "critical, top-priority mission" of training the Afghan National Police.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Infantry Regiment, at Camp Barber to encourage the Marines and remind them of the important role they're playing in improving the country's security.
"You represent a different mission than other units," Mullen said to the Marines. "You're really on the leading edge of the kind of change that's going to continue with our presence here in Afghanistan."
The unit is one of two recently deployed Marine battalions that arrived in Afghanistan in early April. The 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Infantry Regiment, based out of Kandahar is focused on counterinsurgency operations, while the 2-7th Marines' mission primarily is training. Both are the first U.S. Marine battalions to deploy to Afghanistan since the initial phases of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Marine battalions are operating in the Regional Command South battle space and are conducting their missions in areas that, in the past, haven't seen much U.S. and coalition force presence, Mullen said.
Because of the new force presence in the region, coupled with the freedom insurgents have to cross the Pakistani border into Afghanistan, attack levels and casualty numbers have gone up throughout the past months, he said. Since their arrival, more than 50 2-7th Marines have been wounded, and 10 have been killed. However, their unique mission under the difficult circumstance of heavy combat hasn't deterred from their perspective and positive impact, the chairman said.
"I recognize the sacrifices you've made and the casualties you've taken," he said. "This is not just a basic training mission. We've got to get these forces up on their feet, so they can begin taking care of themselves."
Training the Afghan National Police isn't, by any means, an easy task, the admiral noted. Unlike Afghan army troops, who are known for their focus and being led well by their commanders, the police have been known in the past for their corruption.
"With respect to the police, they have a history of corruption, and they've had challenges with this in every local area and district," he said. "Up until now, they haven't been trained very well, so we start with a significant deficit, and it's going to take some time to catch up.
"The national police are significantly behind in police development and training and very much behind the [Afghan army]," he continued, "so what [2-7th Marines] are doing is a very critical, top priority mission in a very tough environment."
Mullen added that there is no more critical mission in Afghanistan than training the national police. He said the Marines' mission came about because of the growing requirement for police.
Although embedded police training teams made up of 10 to 20 U.S. servicemembers have been in place across Afghanistan and Iraq, the need to employ an entire battalion with the mission was a conscious decision made by U.S. military officials, Mullen noted.
The admiral commended the Marines for the impact they've made in the short period they've been here. Even with the recent spike in violence, the mission is well under way, he said, and the fact that the Marines have focused on training the police as well as taking the fight to insurgents has made them an extremely valuable asset, he said.
"[The Marines] are executing a vital, new changing mission, and they're doing it at the highest possible standard," he said. "I'm constantly inspired by their dedication and patriotism. Their ability to execute very tough missions in very austere environments continues to make a difference."
Texas A&M University; Free Entrepreneurship Program for Disabled Veterans
They sacrificed for our country.
We want to give something back.
Do you know a veteran disabled as a result of service in Iraq or Afghanistan who wants to start a business? Would he or she benefit from a free course in business ownership and operation?
This August 16-23, Texas A&M's Mays Business School will offer the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), an intensive course in business start-up and management for those injured in the line of duty since 2001. The program integrates world-class faculty, entrepreneurs, disability experts and business professionals. This is a valuable opportunity for the many veterans for whom traditional employment may be a struggle due to injury.
This training is provided cost-free for participants, including travel and lodging expenses. The program is being underwritten by the generosity of several Aggie alumni who believe in the importance of opportunities for those that have served in the armed forces.
The EBV program is offered in three phases: an online self-study, a nine-day classroom session on campus, and 12 months of ongoing support and mentorship from the faculty experts at the EBV universities. Applications are accepted on a rolling admissions basis, so there is no set deadline for applying. However those that wish to participate in the program this August must apply soon.
EBV is also offered this year at Syracuse University, UCLA, and Florida State. More details and a downloadable application are available at http://whitman.syr.edu/ebv/.
If you, or someone you know, have questions about participating, please contact Richard Lester, director of EBV at Mays, at rlester@mays.tamu.edu or (979)862-7091.
DOD to Delivers More, Improved Child Care
By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – Last week’s ribbon-cutting at the largest military child care center underscores the Defense Department’s commitment to providing more and better child-care for military families, a senior defense official said.
A July 15 ribbon-cutting at Fort Myer, Va., marked the official opening of a new 50,831-square-foot facility that serves children from birth to age 12. The space can serve up to 438 children, with an atrium, activity rooms, computer labs, multipurpose room, kitchen, laundry and space for outdoor activity, post officials reported.
The new center represents another step toward the Defense Department’s goal of opening 20 new child-care centers this fiscal year, Barbara Thompson, director of the Office of Family Policy’s children and youth directorate, told American Forces Press Service. By Sept. 30, this will provide 5,025 additional child-care spaces, she said.
President Bush called on Congress during his State of the Union address Jan. 28 to provide more quality-of-life support for military families, including expanded access to child care.
The result is an accelerated military construction program that squeezes six years of planned child-care-facility projects into fiscal 2008 and 2009, Thompson said. During fiscal 2008 alone, the department has committed $210 million to build 20 new centers.
The new facilities bring more capacity to the world’s largest employer-sponsored child-care system that already serves about 200,000 military children every day at 300 military installations in the United States and overseas, Thompson said.
These centers offer full-day, part-day and hourly child care, as well as part-day preschools and before- and after-school programs for school-age children. Many operate with extended hours to accommodate long military duty days.
But recognizing that 70 percent of military families live off base, defense officials also are seeking additional child-care spaces closer to their homes where it’s more convenient.
“We are looking at growing the number of spaces both on and off the installations, … and trying to see how we can partner with the civilian community to provide high-quality, accessible child-care space,” Thompson said.
As the military services strive to provide more child care, they recognize that quality is just as important as access, Thompson said. “It is the quality of the arrangement that is critical for children to thrive – and for families to thrive knowing that their children are well cared for,” she said.
Military child-care facilities regularly score high marks in the quality of care they provide, Thompson said. Ninety-seven percent of all military development centers are accredited by a national accrediting body, compared to about 8 to 10 percent of civilian facilities.
“So we have a very high track record of being the model for the nation,” Thompson said. “Not only are we the largest employer-sponsored program in the nation, but also the highest quality.” - Photos courtesy DoD archives
WWII Factoid - Maps on silk?
Beginning in the early 1940s, increasing numbers of British airmen found themselves involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape. Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful, accurate map, one showing not only where-stuff-was, but also showing the locations of "safe houses" a POW on-the-lam could go to for food and shelter. Paper maps had real drawbacks: They make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear-out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush.
Someone in the MI-5 branch got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise whatever. At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington, Ltd.
When approached by HM Government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort. By pure incidence, Waddington's was also the U.K. licensee for the popular American board game, Monopoly. As it happened, "games and pastimes" was a category of item qualified for insertion into "CARE packages" dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war. Under strictest secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps were located (Red Cross packages were delivered to prisoners in accordance with that same regional system). When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece. As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add: A playing token containing a small magnetic compass, a two- part metal file that could easily be screwed together and useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian and French currency hidden within the piles of Monopoly money! British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first missions, on how to identify a "rigged" Monopoly set - by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square!
Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, perhaps one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely - HM Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in another, future war. The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony.
At any rate, it's always nice when you can play that "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
Here's a link to an article by a British Library staff person with more info on how silk maps were distributed, with some pictures of the maps themselves: http://www.mapforum.com/04/escape.htm
*Source: unknown, and the facts of this story have not been verified. It's presented here as interesting historical information that may or may not be factual.
Useful Military Links
Defenselink -- The OFFICIAL source of news and information from the Department of Defense, related agencies and all military branches. Multi-National Force - Iraq -- Official website of MNF-I. Multi-National Corps - Iraq -- Official website of MNC-I, "Leading the transformation of Iraq." International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) -- Official website for coalition forces in Afghanistan The Pentagon Channel -- 24-hour broadcasts of official military news and information for members of the US Armed Forces through select stateside cable systems, and overseas via American Forces Network (AFN). My AFN.mil -- American Forces Network (AFN) provides multi-channel, broadcast-quality radio and television services and expanded internal information products to all DoD members and their families stationed overseas, on contingency operations, and onboard Navy ships around the world. We Bring You Home. Military Homefront -- A DoD Web portal for reliable Quality of Life information designed to help troops and their families, leaders and service providers. Whether you live the military lifestyle or support those who do, you'll find what you need! Stars & Stripes -- The DoD-authorized UNOFFICIAL daily newspaper for US Forces overseas, printed in European, Pacific and Mideast editions. Department of Defense Educational Activity (DoDEA) -- DoDEA operates more than 218 public schools for grades K-12 in 14 districts located in seven U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 12 foreign countries to serve the children of military service members and Department of Defense civilian employees. Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) -- The military's largest retailer. A mission-essential, and the premier quality of life provider for all DoD military members, civilians, contractors and their families worldwide. Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) -- The Navy's Family Store providing quality goods and services at a savings and supporting the naval quality of life programs. Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) -- Delivering the premier quality-of-life benefit to military members worldwide. United Service Organizations (USO) --The USO supports U.S. troops and their families wherever they serve. Across the United States and around the world, the American military knows that the USO is there for them. Until Every One Comes Home. Space Avaliable Travel fact sheet --Answers to the most common Space A travel questions, courtesy of the 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, CA. OFFICIAL SERVICE BRANCH MAGAZINES: NAVY - All Hands MARINE CORPS - Marines ARMY - Soldiers AIR FORCE - Airman COAST GUARD - Coast Guard Navy World Wide Locator -- For locating individuals on active duty, those recently discharged, and current addresses for retired Navy service members. Navy Retired Activities Branch -- Keeps the retired community informed of their benefits and provides customer service to Navy retirees and their families. Shift Colors -- The Magazine for Navy Retirees.
UNIFORM REGULATIONS: NAVY - NAVPERS 15665I MARINE CORPS - MCO P1020.34G ARMY - AR 670-1 AIR FORCE - AFI 36-2903 COAST GUARD - COMDTINST M1020.6E Global Terrorism Incident Map If you want to know what is going on in the world of terrorism, threats, explosions, airline incidents, etc., keep this web page. It's not just about terrorism - it's about what is happening every day, every minute some place in the world that could affect all of us in some way. It updates every 30 seconds, constantly. You just click on any map icon for full info at any time. Global Incident Map
Free Maps - Iraq & Afghanistan
Free, downloadable full color maps of Iraq and Afghanistan in Adobe PDF format, courtesy of the military's only UNOFFICIAL daily newspaper, Stars and Stripes.
You must have Adobe Reader 8.0 to view the document. If you need to download Reader, get it here.
From our Marine Humor Board - "Dumb kid?"
A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you."
The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?"
The boy takes the quarters and leaves.
"What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!"
Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. "Hey, son! May I ask you a question?
Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?"
The boy licks his ice cream cone and replies,"Because the day I take the dollar, the game's over."
There are two ways in which Marines you served with can contact you via the TWS website: the first is via your "public" e-mail address displayed in your Personal Details on your Profile Page; and the other is by leaving a message in your Message Center Inbox. The latter triggers an advisory e-mail, sent to your "private" e-mail address to inform you that you have received a message and who it's from. Your "private" e-mail address, which is the one that TWS uses, is contained in your Account Details at the top of your Profile Page which you can modify at any time. TWS Members' "private" and "public" e-mail addresses are usually the same. So, please regularly log-in and update any changes to your e-mail addresses both in the Account Detail and Personal Detail sections of your Profile.
Summer picnic season has arrived! Time to pack a basket filled with your favorite goodies and head to the beach, the park or a mountaintop.
What you want to leave behind are food-borne bacteria that multiply and grow best in warm temperatures, leaving you a nasty case of the "summer bug" (symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). To keep food-borne pests from interfering with your summer plans by following some of these summer-specific food safety tips.
1. Start Clean and Stay Clean The best way to keep bacteria from ruining your outing is not bring them along!
* Clean preparation is essential. Wash hands and work areas; be sure all utensils are clean before preparing food. * Make sure to wash hands before eating. Bring along disposable moist towelettes or wash cloths in resealable bags if there is no running water available at your destination.
2. Keep Perishable Food Cold * Perishable foods, like meat, poultry, eggs and fish need to be kept below 40 degrees, so plan to keep them on enough ice in your insulated cooler to keep that temperature for the duration of your trip. (A block ice keeps longer than ice cubes.) * Foods to be cooked ahead should be prepared in plenty of time to cool thoroughly in the refrigerator, before they are packed in the cooler. * Start with cold or frozen food -- pack directly from the refrigerator to the cooler. * Pack foods in reverse order of how you'll eat them. * A full cooler stays cold longer than one that is only partially filled. Fill remaining space with more ice or with fruit and nonperishable foods. * Don't put the cooler in the trunk; carry it inside the air-conditioned car.
3. Follow The Two-Hour Rule * Perishable food should not be out for more than two hours, and no more than one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees. Food left out beyond that time isn't safe and should be discarded. * Place leftover grilled foods in the cooler right after grilling or serving. Any left outside for more than an hour should be discarded. * If you have leftovers, put perishable foods back in the cooler right after eating, don't leave them out, even under the shade. * If there is still ice in the cooler when you get home, and the food did not sit out for over one hour, the food is okay to save.
4. At the Beach * Plan some take-along foods that don't require refrigeration, like peanut butter, fruits, nuts and crackers. * Keep your perishables in a separate cooler from the drinks, since the drinks cooler is opened more often. * Keep the cooler out of the sun. Put it under your beach umbrella, partially bury it in the sand, or cover it with a blanket for further insulation. * Spray insect repellents away from the food.
5. Out On the Trail * For weekend trips choose foods that don't require refrigeration. Pasta, instant rice, peanut butter and jelly, nuts, dried fruit, dried meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried soups, breads and crackers, powdered milk and fruit drinks, dehydrated foods, etc. * Always assume that lake, pond, stream and river waters are not safe to drink. Buy purification tablets or filtering equipment from camping supply stores and learn how to use them effectively. Bring along some bottled water. * Cleanliness is paramount. Bring soap for hand washing and dishwashing, or use disposable wipes to clean your hands. Wash dishes immediately, before bacteria has a chance to grow on your plates and utensils. * Pack carefully to use fresh foods for meals the first day. Cold or frozen, prepared foods can be packed with a cold source. Freeze water in a plastic jug and wrap it with the foods in a plastic bag, then stuff the bag inside a sleeping bag or jacket inside your backpack. This will keep the food cold while you hike.
Ohio Colleges will be FREE for Veterans!
Gov. Ted Strickland made a promise to American veterans living around the world today: Come to one of Ohio's public colleges and pay nothing.
His offer piggybacks onto the newly expanded federal GI Bill by charging in-state tuition to any veteran who qualifies for a free ride in their home state.
That will mean a free ride here, once the new GI Bill takes effect in August 2009. Until then, some veterans will go free and others will pay less, depending on how much money they receive under the current GI Bill. "Who better to have as part of Ohio's colleges and universities, work force and communities than the veterans who have served, led and protected our country," Strickland said. Strickland and Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut unveiled "The Ohio GI Promise" as part of their effort to attract 230,000 more students to the state by 2017. National numbers were not available yesterday, but 46,812 Ohioans were deployed from Sept. 11, 2001, to April 30, 2007.
The hope is that they will stay after graduation, increase the number of skilled workers and help repopulate areas of the state that have been depleted by military deployments to places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, they said. It also could boost the number of citizen soldiers in the Ohio National Guard, said Greg Wayt, Ohio's adjutant general.
"They already have all the skills and will become the standard-bearers," Wayt said.
The spouses and children of veterans who become "honorary Ohioans" also would be able to attend college in Ohio at in-state rates. In some cases, veterans would be able to transfer their benefits so relatives can go free.
Ohio's colleges would lose the money they would have earned by charging these veterans out-of-state tuition. At Ohio State University, for example, the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is $13,239.
Bruce Johnson, president of the Inter-University Council of Ohio, said the state would have to increase its support to colleges beyond previous promises if it wants to pay for the new services while meeting other goals, such as catching up to the national average in per-student spending.
"I have no doubt the governor, chancellor and legislators will try to honor their continued commitment to higher education," said Johnson, who supports the expanded veteran benefits. "The real question is, will that be possible with today's economy?"
Fingerhut agreed that their will be an extra cost involved, but said the state still needs to figure out how much extra support to give to colleges.
Ohio is the first state to extend in-state benefits to veterans from other parts of the country, which makes it hard to project how many people will take advantage of the new program, Strickland and Fingerhut said.
Both think other states likely will follow Ohio's lead.
"It's a brilliant plan," said Molly Broad, president of the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C. "It's the right thing to do for veterans, and it's great for the state and nation."
Columbus State Community College officials applauded the program but said schools near the state border are more likely to draw huge numbers of new veterans. Last year, 557 attended Columbus State.
At Ohio State, where veteran enrollment has been holding steady at about 1,200, officials expect to attract more people. But the program would be worth it even if it didn't, they said.
"They bring a maturity and have demonstrated service to their country and good judgment," said Katherine Meyer, associate provost of undergraduate education.
The new GI Bill was signed into law last week as part of a $162 billion spending package, mostly to finance the Iraq war.
Under the expanded law, veterans who served after the 9/11 attack will receive benefits to cover the cost of in-state tuition at the most expensive public college in their state, a monthly housing stipend based on location ($1,400 in Ohio) and an extra $1,000 annually for books. Veterans also will be eligible for money for tutoring, as well as certification and licensing tests.
Currently, GI Bill benefits are worth approximately $1,250 monthly. Unlike when the program was created, that is not enough to pay for college because of tuition inflation.
The new federal benefits will go into effect Aug. 1, 2009.The Ohio expansion, meanwhile, goes into effect immediately.
Rick Arreguin, a 30-year-old Hilliard native in the 612th Engineering Battalion of the Ohio National Guard, said the new benefits would help him finish his logistics degree.
Arreguin went to Columbus State for three years using past GI benefits, but he hasn't taken any classes since spending a year in Iraq in 2005.
Being able to transfer unused benefits to his 3-year-old daughter's future education also offers him peace of mind.
"This is really exciting. I've been really worried about how I would pay for my daughter's college," Arreguin said.
Additionally, if your company has any positions suited to Marines seeking employment, you are very welcome to post these on the Job Board. This is a FREE service to TWS subscribers Post a Job on TWSCurrently Posted Positions
Marines.TWS Forums and Chat Boards - Sound Off!
What was your best duty station or assignment and why? What is the recipe for that good chow you know how to make out of an MRE? Where's the coldest beer on on WestPac? Do you have any tips about keeping healthy, or things to watch out for if you have a disease? These are just a few of the topics that are covered by the many Forums on Marines.TWS. These forums provide you, the members, a variety of places to discuss with other members the many topics we have in common. Those members still on active duty would probably like to know about good assignments when they make out their "dream sheets" or talk to their Monitors. Those who have worked as Monitors or served on a board might want to provide a few tips for members in preparing to talk about their next assignment. If you have a disease like diabetes, what tips can you give others about the disease and things to watch out for with diabetes? Encourage a fellow Marine to keep on top of a health problem so he stays with us for a long time. These are but a couple of topics that are available for you to offer advice, warn others about, discuss with other Marines, etc, or just vent your frustrations about. So pull up a foot-locker and start shooting the breeze, the forums are for you.
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Comments/Suggestions
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For every five Marines who join TWS from your invitation, you'll be rewarded with 6 months FREE Full Membership allowing you special access to all the premium areas of the TWS website!
Your support will also be recognized by a special "Recruiting Ribbon" placed on your LH Profile Page -- and a bronze star for every five new members you invite!
To simplify the process, TWS Invite Cards are Free for the Asking!
The invite cards are now two-sided (sample below) and include a spot for you to print your member number and instructions for your invitees to credit you with the invitation. As a reminder, you get 6 months of free premium access for every 5 members you invite that create a profile page.
There's also a new feature in the registration process as now new joining members are asked to include the member number of the person that invited them while they are registering. If you simply write your member number on the invite card, your invitees can enter your member number as they register and you'll automatically be credited for the invite.
These cards are a great ice-breaker to start conversations with other Marines and they're the perfect tool to help Spread The Word about TWS. We've mailed out over 40,000 of these cards in the last year. Please drop us a note to share any success stories you've had using these cards to meet other Marines.
If you'd like to receive a batch of these free cards please send an email to invitecards@marines.togetherweserved.com and tell us how many you'd like to receive and the address to send them to.
By inviting other Marines to join this site you not only greatly increase the chances for Members to find others with whom they served, but the site becomes even more enjoyable through the increased interaction between Marines from all eras. Inviting other Marines to join couldn't be simpler, just click the Invite tab at the top of the page and fill out the form, TWS will send the invite for you.
The "Guidon" - MTWS Monthly Newsletter
A monthly online publication of Marines.TogetherWeServed.com, a commercial entity in no way affiliated, authorized or endorsed by the US Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, or any of its agencies.
Opinions and views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Marines.TogetherWeServed.com, the U.S. Government, Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.
The GUIDON - MTWS Newsletter is published and distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered official Marine Corps policy, regulation or doctrine. Contact your command's administration section concerning all current Marine Corps policy, regulation and doctrine issues.
All photos used in this online publication are official US Navy/Department of Defense imagery and cleared for public release, unless otherwise indicated.
Please forward this on to any other Marines you know. As TWS grows so does its potential to find old buddies and new friends as well as creating a vibrant and enjoyable Marine Community representing all eras from WW2 to present day.
Fix your Medals Marine...
Marines who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq might need to update their record of personal decorations
As published in the Marine Administrative Message 299/08, which was released in May, U.S. Forces Central Command has broken down operations in Afghanistan and Iraq into phases, and depending on the dates Marines were deployed there, they may rate more campaign stars for correlating medals.
Its a good thing to come out with something that can show multiple deployments, said Master Sgt. Damian Moreno, a veteran of two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and senior advisor to the sergeant major of the Marine Corps. It matches up with what has been done in the past.
There is currently no deadline for Marines to update their campaign stars as it is ongoing, said Sgt. Jonah Aycox, unit diary chief for Headquarters Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Arlington, Va. However, awards must be entered in a Marine's service record before the recipient can wear new medals or devices.
Active duty and selected Marine Corps reserve unit commanders are authorized to issue campaign stars to Marines who meet the criteria.
"The majority of our Marines have deployed to either Afghanistan or Iraq, so the commanding officers and (administrative offices) have a large task ahead of them to ensure all Marines' records are properly updated," said Lee Freund, Headquarters Marine Corps military awards branch head in Quantico, Va.
Freund also said Marines who deployed in support of the Long War need to pay special attention to their time in country because they rate a campaign star for just spending 24 hours in one of the Afghanistan or Iraq phases.
"Marines should understand that the campaign stars weren't intended to reflect the number of deployments a Marine has made or the total amount of time the Marine spent in Iraq or Afghanistan," said Freund.
Military officials recognized that service members with multiple deployments wanted to have some visible recognition of each operation beyond the basic award of the Afghanistan Campaign Medal or the Iraq Campaign Medal, said Freund.
Therefore, the war in Afghanistan has been broken down into three phases and Iraq operations have been separated into four.
"This follows the same model as the engagement stars on the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Southwest Asia Service Medal," said Freund.
The Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals were approved by Congress in 2005. Marines who earned the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for deployments prior to May 1, 2005, may still elect to receive the Afghanistan or Iraq Campaign Medal in lieu of the expeditionary medal.
However, if a Marine decides to retain the expeditionary medal from their deployment, that time will not be counted toward determining the number of campaign stars for either campaign medal.
Receiving the campaign and expeditionary medal for the same deployment period in Afghanistan or Iraq would be duplicating the intended use of these awards and is prohibited under Department of Defense policy, said Freund.
Individuals can check Marine Online to see if their campaign stars have already been updated.
-Liberation of Iraq: March 19, 2003 - May 1, 2003 -Transition of Iraq: May 2, 2003 - June 28, 2004 -Iraqi Governance: June 29, 2004 - Dec. 15, 2005 -National Resolution: Dec. 16, 2005 Present
Source: 7/18/2008 By Lance Cpl. Bryan G. Carfrey, Division of Public Affairs
*The ribbon/medals display on your Marines.TWS profile has been updated to accurately reflect these award changes. If you need to update our display, please login to your profile today and make the necessary adjustments.
Summer Safety: "101 Critical Days of Summer"
WASHINGTON - Midway through the "101 Critical Days of Summer," 50 servicemembers have died in off-duty accidents, half on motorcycles, defense officials reported. The 101 Critical Days of Summer refers to the period between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day that typically sees a spike in vehicle and recreational accidents. "It's the time when more people get outside and enjoy off-duty activities and more people are traveling," said John Seibert, the Defense Department's assistant for safety, health and fire. "But unfortunately, it's also a time when we see more accidents."
Motor vehicles remain the No. 1 cause of off-duty military deaths, and despite broad safety awareness efforts militarywide, that trend shows no sign of diminishing this summer. Thirty-seven servicemembers have died in motor vehicles since May 23.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates noted in a safety message to the field sent just before Memorial Day that 77 servicemen and women were killed in private motor accidents during last year's 101 Critical Days of Summer.
Officials say they're particularly concerned about the incidence of motorcycle deaths 25 militarywide since Memorial Day weekend. Citing high fuel prices and cash accumulated during deployments that are driving up motorcycles' popularity within the force, officials say they fear these numbers will only go up.
Eighteen of the Army's 23 off-duty fatalities since Memorial Day have involved privately owned vehicles. Of those, 12 soldiers were killed riding motorcycles and one, an all-terrain vehicle, reported J.T. Coleman from the Army's Combat Readiness and Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala.
Similarly, 10 of the 12 sailors who died in off-duty accidents since May 23 were involved in vehicle accidents, according to April Phillips from the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk, Va. Eight of the Navy fatalities involved motorcycles.
The Marine Corps reported eight off-duty losses since the 101 critical days of summer campaign launched. Six of the eight Marines died in vehicle accidents, with three killed on motorcycles, said Marine Lt. Col. Mike Miller, who heads up the Corps' ground safety branch in Washington.
The Air Force, experiencing one of its safest summers in a decade, reported seven off-duty deaths since the Memorial Day weekend. Of those, one involved a four-wheeled vehicle and two involved motorcycles, said Jewell Hicks from the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
That's a significant improvement from last year, when 19 airmen died during the 101 critical days. Fifteen of those deaths resulted from vehicle accidents, and seven of the airmen were riding motorcycles.
Air Force Chief of Safety Maj. Gen. Wendell Griffin blamed speeding, loss of control and improper techniques while rounding curves as the leading causes behind the motorcycle deaths. He noted in a videotaped message to the Air Force launching this year's 101 Critical Days of Summer campaign that failure to wear a helmet and mixing alcohol with riding contributed to some of these crashes.
But Miller cited the growing popularity of sport bikes as another factor driving up motorcycle accidents. These high-performance motorcycles travel at extremely high speeds and can be difficult to control.
"It truly is like trading in your Dodge minivan for a Ferrari," Miller said. "You don't so much ride one of these as hang on for dear life."
It's little surprise that young servicemembers, attracted by the adrenaline rush sports bikes promise and their relatively low cost, are lining up to buy them. And while disturbing, officials say, it's also not surprising that they're contributing to more military deaths.
For example, 19 of the 21 motorcycle fatalities so far this fiscal year occurred on sport bikes, Phillips reported. Nine of the Army's 12 off-duty motorcycle deaths since the Memorial Day weekend involved sports bikes, Coleman said.
Miller said that while he doesn't yet have statistics to back up his hunch, he's sure they're driving up Marine Corps fatalities, too. He noted that the Marine Corps lost 19 Marines to motorcycle deaths during fiscal 2007. With almost a full quarter of fiscal 2008 ahead, that number hit 18 on July 10.
Intent on bucking this trend, the military is taking action. In addition to the basic motorcycle safety course all military riders must take, the services now promote specialized training for those who ride high-performance motorcycles.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Military Sport Bike Course is now mandatory for all sailors who ride sport bikes, Phillips said. The course also is being offered to soldiers at a growing number of Army bases.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Fort Lejeune, N.C., which is leading the Marine Corps' sport bike safety effort, is contracting with a professional motorcycle school and expanding the training to several Marine Corps sites, Miller said.
The Air Force's Air Mobility Command developed a sport bike safety class that's mandatory for all its airmen. It provides the training materials on request to all other Air Force installations, explained Frank Kelly at the Air Force Safety Center.
Meanwhile, as the 101 critical days of summer continue, military leaders are urging vigilance and a focus on safety.
Gates emphasized in his safety message to the field each servicemember's responsibility in promoting motor vehicle safety. "Know that the choices you make at sporting events, barbecues and other summer activities can impair your judgment and reaction times, all of which are necessary for safe driving," he said.
He reminded servicemembers that most vehicle accidents involve alcohol, fatigue or excessive speed, and most are preventable. "Don't put your life or the lives of others in danger by making poor decisions," he said. "Your safety and the safety of those around you is in your hands."
Army Brig. Gen. William Forrester, commander of the Army Combat Readiness and Safety Center, cited the 2008 July 4 holiday as the first in decades with no fatal off-duty accidents within the Army. "To put this into perspective, this is the first recorded fatality-free Fourth of July holiday period the Army has experienced since the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center began keeping records in 1974," he said.
Forrester noted, however, that three reserve-component soldiers who were not in a duty status were killed in motorcycle accidents during the holiday weekend.
The Air Force and Navy also reported fatality-free July 4 weekends in terms of off-duty accidents.
The Marine Corps suffered two off-duty fatalities during the holiday weekend. A corporal died July 5 after his motorcycle hit a curb and threw him onto the street, officials said. A staff sergeant was killed July 6 when his motorcycle veered off the road, struck a curb, then ran into a tree.
Rear Adm. Arthur J. Johnson, commander of the Naval Safety Center, reminded the fleet this week it's not too late to begin a summer safety campaign. "Now that we're back from the Fourth of July holiday, it's time to take a hard look at the job we've done managing risk to far this summer," he said. That, he said, includes reinforcing behaviors and attitudes that can make the all-important difference between life and death.
Militarywide, officials emphasized the importance of leadership in promoting safety awareness and preventing off-duty accidents.
Forrester said engaged leadership lays the foundation for the cultural shift needed for troops to take personal responsibility for their own safety. This, he said, will help drive down accidental losses. Griffin said in his 101 Critical Days of Summer video that every day offers an opportunity for servicemembers to help identify unsafe practices that can save a comrade's or buddies' life.
Ultimately, safety boils down to a readiness issue, because the military needs every single member to carry out its mission, Griffin said. "As we continue to wage the global war on terror, we can't afford to lose a single one of our most precious resources," he said, the men and women in uniform "who make the mission happen every day."
General James F. Amos - new Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (ACMC)
HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS: General James F. Amos pinned on his fourth star, and assumed his new duties as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps during a ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington.
Amos relieved Gen. Robert Magnus, who served as the Assistant Commandant since September 2005. Magnus will retire later this month.
Amos graduated from the University of Idaho in 1970, and was designated a Naval aviator in 1971. He served numerous tours with Marine squadrons, flying both the F-4 Phantom II and the F/A-18 Hornet.
Amos has served with NATO, where he was the deputy commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and the U.S. deputy commanding general, Fleet Marine Forces, Europe, Naples, Italy. During this tour, Amos commanded NATO's Kosovo Verification Coordination Center, and served as chief of staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil during the air campaign over Kosovo.
Other highlights of Amos' career include: commanding various units from the squadron to the Corps' largest air-ground task force, the Marine Expeditionary Force. During the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Amos commanded the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. He later served as the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force from 2004- 2006.
His previous duty assignment was the commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
Featured Upgrades this Month
New Site Map Feature To make navigation easier, especially when you are looking for a feature you have seen before but can't find any more, we have added a Site Map. This is easy located under the last tab on the right page so it is never more than a click away. Grouped by subject are most of the key features of the site - one line per feature. This is an example of part of the page:
Improved Shooting Badges We have received better quality graphics for some of the shooting medals, especially the Annual Rifle Squad Combat Practice Competition badges. Those of you qualified to wear these badges should already have noticed the improvements:
Edit Name Button If you need to change your first, last, middle or maiden name we have moved control of these fields to a new button just below your actual name, right at the top of the profile page:
Originally the name fields were in the Personal Details section which was the top section and there was no confusion. However when we later moved Personal Details below Service Details, there was some user confusion about how to edit the name fields and so we have given them their own edit button right at the top.
Videos This Month
YouTube video of the Month...
TWS Marine Store - For All Your Marine Merchandise Needs!
Pay a visit to our online TWS Marine Store. For all your Marine Merchandise needs - Shirts, Jackets, Hats, Jewelry, Footwear, Medals, Patches and much, much more!
(The Marine Store can also be found under the "Marine Store" tab or on the left hand Home Page just as you log into TWS)
Over 9000 Quality Items at lowest prices and a 30 day money back guarantee! Here are some brand new items just arrived:
"I'm, a new customer, and a satisfied one at that. Your service is excellent, and so are your prices - talk about time to receive items! Its service like the old days. Semper Fi"
Thank you for your support of the TWS Marine Store. All Store proceeds go towards advertising the TWS website, bringing more Marines to the TWS Community.
Mullen: Iraq Drawdown Timeline Would Be Dangerous
By Fred W. Baker III American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – Setting a timeline for U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq would be “dangerous,” and troop reductions there should continue to be made based on security conditions on the ground, the nation’s top military officer said today.
President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki agreed to set a general “time horizon" for bringing more U.S. troops home from the war, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” but he added that to his knowledge, the agreement does not include specific dates. “I think the consequences could be very dangerous in that regard,” he said.
The admiral stressed his view that troop-strength decisions must be conditions-based, but said he wants to see more U.S. forces come home. “I think the strategic goals of having timed horizons are ones that we all seek,” he said, “because eventually we would like to see U.S. forces draw down and eventually all come home,” he said.
Though he said he worries that a “rapid” movement of U.S. forces out of Iraq could create instability, Mullen said he found during a trip there two weeks ago that security conditions were better than he expected they would be, and that could mean more troops can come home if the trend continues.
“If conditions continue to improve, I would look to be able to make recommendations to President Bush in the fall to continue those reductions,” Mullen said.
With the return home this month of the last “surge” brigade, commanders will spend the next several weeks assessing post-surge conditions in Iraq, including political and economic progress, before making their recommendations concerning future troop levels.
“We’re engaged very much right now with the Iraqi people,” Mullen said. “The Iraqi leadership is starting to generate the kind of political progress that we need to make, [and] the economy is starting to move in the right direction.”
The admiral said he doesn’t know if that means more troops could be home by the end of this administration in January. Logistics and other security details would factor into that, he explained.
“There is a physical challenge with respect to moving troops around,” he said. “You just can’t do it overnight.”
Asked about recent struggles in Afghanistan, Mullen said safe havens across the border in Pakistan are allowing extremist groups free movement into the region.
“[It] is big challenge for all of us, and it’s having an impact on our ability to move forward in Afghanistan,” he said.
A “syndication” of various extremist and terrorist groups in the region is creating a more intense internal threat, the chairman said, and recent attacks have become more serious and sophisticated, such as the attack last week on an outpost in which nine U.S. soldiers were killed. However, he said, commanders on the ground say that forces are making progress and moving into villages and territories previously out of reach.
Mullen acknowledged that progress has been mixed, but he said he is “not concerned at all that we are losing at all in Afghanistan.”
Concerning Iran, Mullen said he is “encouraged” by talks between Iran and the European Union yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, and that the international community needs to continue its pressure on Iran’s nuclear weapons development program.
“I fundamentally believe that they are on a path to achieve nuclear weapons in the future,” he said. “I think that’s a very destabilizing possibility in that part of the world. We don’t need any more instability in that part of the world.” -USN photo by MC1 Chad McNeeley
Member Comments
"Great site! I already found someone I served and went to college at Norwich with. I was told about this site by fellow Marines at work. Only in the Marines would this be possible! Thank you, Mike." Giglio, Mike, Cpl
" This is an AMAZING site! I've only been on for less than 24 hours and can't believe how quickly I've reconnected with some long lost friends. Not to mention the networking aspect! Thank you Sir, for putting it all together, and keeping the spirit alive, especially for those of us whom are no longer active. Semper Fi, Giselle Sterling, Former Sgt, USMC" Sterling, Giselle (Model Marine), Sgt
"This is an awsome way to keep intouch and find friends that I served with. I've just sent an E-Mail to a Marine that I have not contacted for 15 years." Bernstein, Guy (Bernie), Cpl
"This website is Badass! I'm able to locate past Marine a lot easier this way. Also love how you got the website set up for ordering uniform items." McLain, Robert (Rob), Sgt
"Several months ago when I first became aware of "Marines - together we served" while looking for buddies I had been having a real problem finding any . Now I have had the opportunity to contact three who are still alive, and have talked with a number of widows of buddies who became deceased in the past couple of years. Semper Fi! Al Klashak" Klashak, Alpheus (Al), Sgt
"I've reconnected with so many Marines; some I served with and others that I recruited into the Corps. We've even had some "reunions" already to catch up on the years that have passed. No one, anywhere, has come up with a plan of attack for reconnecting with long-lost Marine brothers that is as effective as what you've given us. Thank you so very much." Perron, John, Sgt
TWS Cafe - Coins Coffee & More!
We're proud to announce the opening of the new "TWS Cafe!"
In partnership with our friends at Devil Dog Brew, we've created the TWS Cafe where you can purchase custom coffee blends of "Devil Dog Brew" and "Snipers Brew" at a discounted price especially for TWS Members.
In addition to coffee, initial product offerings include the Marines and Navy TWS Challenge Coins shown below. (more products are coming soon, i.e,. custom TWS logo bumper stickers and coffee mugs!)
The coins are solid metal, 1 5/8" with an epoxy covering over the image.
Coins and coffee can be ordered directly from the TWSCafe page with payments accepted via credit card.
Coin prices are a flat $10 each which includes shipping.
Coins may also still be ordered via PayPal or Check/Money Order.
For PayPal, send an email payment (from within your PayPal account) to: merchandise@tws-advisor.com
For Check Orders: Send Checks payable to: TWS Events; P.O. Box 50, Bryantsville, KY 40410 -
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS AND SPECIFY WHICH COIN YOU WANT with your check or PayPal order!
Customer Comments:
" Major, I want to say that I am very impressed with the coins that I bought from TWS. I want to thank you for having them so that they can be bought by us Marines. They are very hard corps coins that I will sure show off to my family and friends. Thanks again for having them and anytime something like this comes around, if you think of it, please let me know so that I can buy them. Thanks,Nathan." Blevins, Nathan, LCpl
Special thanks to LtCol Pat Riley of Lexington Metal Products Inc. for his design assistance and production of these coins. LtCol Pat Riley
Complimentary Upgrade to Those Serving in OIF/OEF
TWS proudly provides a FREE 12 month Premium Membership to any deployed service member.
Just let us know who you are, on the honor system and we'll upgrade your profile. email TWS Admin
GOVERNOR VISITS - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visits with members of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group at McClellan Airfield, CA to thank them for their service in assisting with the California wildfires. - USAF photo by SSgt. Hector Garcia
GLAD TO BE HOME -Former hostage Keith Stansell, gives a smile and thumbs-up as he arrives at Lackland AFB, Texas. Stansell was one of three American defense contractors captured and held hostage for five years by Colombian guerillas after their plane crashed in the jungle in February 2003. - USAF photo by Lance Cheung
A MEMORABLE MEMORIAL SUNSET -The sun sets behind the USS Arizona Memorial as seen from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) on Independence Day. - USN photo by MC3 John J. Mike
PICNIC GOODIES - Army SGT Robert Wilson, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, fills his plate at Camp Eggers' Independence Day celebration in Kabul, Afghanistan. Servicemembers participated in a myriad of traditional Fourth of July events including a basketball tournament, horseshoes and a pie-eating contest. - USAF photo by SSgt. Beth Del Vecchio
MAKING FRIENDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD -Marine LtCol. Chris Landry says hello to local kids as the Iraqi Army and national police conduct a sweep to eliminate illegal weapons and criminal elements in Husseniaya, northeast of Baghdad. Landry is the senior Military Transition Team advisor assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division Quick Reaction Force.
MASS JULY 4th RE-UP - More than 1,200 US troops re-enlisted in Baghdad on July 4, during a ceremony in the Al Faw Palace rotunda led by Multinational Force-Iraq Commander Army GEN David Petraeus. - Photo courtesy MNF-I Public Affairs
LIFESAVERS IN MALAYSIA - Coast Guard Health Specialist 2nd Class Tania Goicuria-Diaz (left) and Malaysian Army Captain Faizul Nordin, Royal Medical Corps (right), examine a youngster at the Kebangsaan School during the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise. CARAT is an annual series of training exercises between the United States and six Southeast Asian countries. - USCG photo by PA2 Eric J. Chandler
Member Submitted photos of the month
TWS now hosts more than 605,000 member submitted photos - here's a sample of some of your photos...
TWS Fallen Marine Project
TWS is a place to honor the service history of all Marines who served including those who fell in combat. So that they will not be forgotten, we have created a special facility where any TWS Member can post a Remembrance Profile for a Fallen Marine they knew or would like to honor, and this can be accessed via the "Remember a Marine" link on the LH Home page. We have also developed an important feature which will enable TWS Members to adopt the Profile of a Fallen Marine already posted on the site. TWS has already researched and compiled comprehensive information on all 14,387 Marines who fell during the Vietnam War, 1965-1975, and these are now installed as Fallen Profiles accessible via the LH Home Page link. As no one is assigned to maintain these Profiles, we invite TWS Members to adopt one or more Fallen Profiles as custodian and researching and adding any additional information when available. 4,700 Vietnam Fallen Profiles have already been adopted by TWS Members and there are just over 9,600 remaining. To adopt the Profile of a Fallen Marine from the Vietnam War, please click on the Adopt a Fallen Marine Profile link on the left hand Home Page after you log in or click here
Reunions & Get Togethers
The TWS Reunions & Get Together's Forum Board has grown into a clearing house of information and we're happy to feature any specific announcements you may have. If have reunion or get together information you'd like to have published let us know. Email your command/club/association reunion announcement as early as possible to: news@marines.togetherweserved.com
Announcements received this month:
The Women Marines Association: will hold its biennial convention and conference in Houston, TX at the Westin Galleria Post Oak hotel - 28 August - 3 September 2008. Featured Speakers include Gen. Angela Salinas, CG USMCRD SDiego and the Commandant of the USMC. info available at www.womenmarines.org
2/5 (Vietnam Veterans) Reunion, August 2009, Las Vegas, NV. POC Merle (Igor) Jeffries; mejeff69@comcast.net Info at this website
The 6th Marine Division Corpsmen's Association will meet with the 6th Marine Division Reunion Association in Oklahoma City, Tuesday. September 16th - Saturday, September 20th. This is our Annual Reunion and will be at the Biltmore Hotel in OKC. Details are available from Jack Rice, Director, 6th Division Medical Battalion at jaxjack77@aol.com or 904-744-0921. We are seeking Corpsmen having served with us.
1st Heavy Artillery Rocket Battery(HARB) will hold a 50+ year reunion on May 14-18 2009 at San Diego CA. all former members of 1st HARB are invited to attend. More info & sign up to attend POC: Mike Meade marinemike1@juno.com, phone# 208-377-3806, Via mail 8723 Westbrook Dr. Boise, Idaho 83704-3359
A reunion of Marines from VMFP-3 out of MCAS El Toro is in the planning stages, hopefully for mid August at MCAS Cherry Point, NC. For more info contact: Marc Iseli Email: rf4bphantom@sc.rr.com This is possibly a once in a lifetime event. Email Marc for more info.
The U. S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association will hold its annual conference at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas - 11-15 August, 2008. Contact Jack Paxton at 352-748-4698 for more info.
Trade Banner Links with TWS
If you operate a Marine orientated website and are willing to trade links with TWS, click here for information on posting a TWS banner on your site. In return, please contact us at admin@marines.togetherweserved.com with your site's URL, up to 100 words describing your website and a 468x60 website banner in jpeg format, if available. We'll be happy to post a reciprocal link in our Preferred Marine Links Section in the category of your choice. TWS Marine Links Pages are conveniently organized under different categories including Marine Associations, MCL Detachments, Marine Businesses, Marine Charities and others.
Can you find Marines on TWS? More Success Stories this month
"I have found 30 brothers that I served with at NWS Yorktown, Virginia from 1984-1988. We have planned a reunion for this Labor Day weekend in Quantico to visit the new Museum. This is a great site."
"Buddy found in under a week! On Monday, I posted on this message board under 'name?', within hours there were several responses. By Wednesday, I had four numbers, one of which was the man we were looking for. thanks again to CPL. Reilly." Anthony, Charles (doots), PVT
"I found a few...I still feel I have many more to find, but it is so refreshing. I feel like I am at a time in my life when I can reconcile my past and include it in my life today thanks to TWS. This week I got in touch with a buddy from Cobra Gold, and I love hearing that old friends are doing well with families and great lives. Thanks TWS" Johnson, Meiko (Brumfield), Sgt
"A special thanks to Cpl George Reilly, TWS member, for finding a Nam buddy of mine who served with me in Kilo 3rd Bn 4th Marines. I just recently found that he had been wounded outside of Khe Sanh after I left the unit to serve in the c.a.g. program. That information was on a fallen Marine friend's profile page. I created a unlocated profile for Richard Silvestri today, and George found him TODAY! I called Richard and invited him to come check out this site. I really hope he comes aboard to see the many friends that are here. Semper Fi, well done George!" Young, Eddie, Cpl
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 11, 2008 – The U.S. military's top-ranking officer met today with U.S. Marines based just northwest of here who are charged with the "critical, top-priority mission" of training the Afghan National Police.
They sacrificed for our country. 
square-foot facility that serves children from birth to age 12. The space can serve up to 438 children, with an atrium, activity rooms, computer labs, multipurpose room, kitchen, laundry and space for outdoor activity, post officials reported.
The result is an accelerated military construction program that squeezes six years of planned child-care-facility projects into fiscal 2008 and 2009, Thompson said. During fiscal 2008 alone, the department has committed $210 million to build 20 new centers.
warm temperatures, leaving you a nasty case of the "summer bug" (symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). To keep food-borne pests from interfering with your summer plans by following some of these summer-specific food safety tips.
What was your best duty station or assignment and why? 
Motor vehicles remain the No. 1 cause of off-duty military deaths, and despite broad safety awareness efforts militarywide, that trend shows no sign of diminishing this summer. Thirty-seven servicemembers have died in motor vehicles since May 23.
days. Fifteen of those deaths resulted from vehicle accidents, and seven of the airmen were riding motorcycles.
"It truly is like trading in your Dodge minivan for a Ferrari," Miller said. "You don't so much ride one of these as hang on for dear life."
Safety Center, cited the 2008 July 4 holiday as the first in decades with no fatal off-duty accidents within the Army. "To put this into perspective, this is the first recorded fatality-free Fourth of July holiday period the Army has experienced since the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center began keeping records in 1974," he said.
HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS: General James F. Amos pinned on his fourth star, and assumed his new duties as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps during a ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington. 
said he wants to see more U.S. forces come home. “I think the strategic goals of having timed horizons are ones that we all seek,” he said, “because eventually we would like to see U.S. forces draw down and eventually all come home,” he said.
TWS is a place to honor the service history of all Marines who served including those who fell in combat. So that they will not be forgotten, we have created a special facility where any TWS Member can post a Remembrance Profile for a Fallen Marine they knew or would like to honor, and this can be accessed via the "Remember a Marine" link on the LH Home page. We have also developed an important feature which will enable TWS Members to adopt the Profile of a Fallen Marine already posted on the site. TWS has already researched and compiled comprehensive information on all 14,387 Marines who fell during the Vietnam War, 1965-1975, and these are now installed as Fallen Profiles accessible via the LH Home Page link. As no one is assigned to maintain these Profiles, we invite TWS Members to adopt one or more Fallen Profiles as custodian and researching and adding any additional information when available. 4,700 Vietnam Fallen Profiles have already been adopted by TWS Members and there are just over 9,600 remaining. To adopt the Profile of a Fallen Marine from the Vietnam War, please click on the Adopt a Fallen Marine Profile link on the left hand Home Page after you log in or click 
"I have found 30 brothers that I served with at NWS Yorktown, Virginia from 1984-1988. We have planned a reunion for this Labor Day weekend in Quantico to visit the new Museum. This is a great site."
"Buddy found in under a week! On Monday, I posted on this message board under 'name?', within hours there were several responses. By Wednesday, I had four numbers, one of which was the man we were looking for. thanks again to CPL. Reilly."
"I found a few...I still feel I have many more to find, but it is so refreshing. I feel like I am at a time in my life when I can reconcile my past and include it in my life today thanks to TWS. This week I got in touch with a buddy from Cobra Gold, and I love hearing that old friends are doing well with families and great lives. Thanks TWS"
"A special thanks to Cpl George Reilly, TWS member, for finding a Nam buddy of mine who served with me in Kilo 3rd Bn 4th Marines. I just recently found that he had been wounded outside of Khe Sanh after I left the