Here's offering a Crisp Hand Salute to all our or Marine Brothers and Sisters who are currently serving in harms way, far away from family and friends.  Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers for a safe return, and that we Thank You for your continued service! 

It's appropriate during this season to take a pause from our busy lives and consider those who are serving to benefit all of us, and those who are less fortunate.  It's true that times are tough all over right now, especially for the kids.  If you can find the time or the resources, please consider supporting a charitable organization in your community this holiday season.  Toys-for-Tots is an outstanding Marine Corps program that most definitely needs your support this year. 

You have all contributed to make 2009 a great year for TWS and we are proud to have you aboard and to continue being of service to you in the years to come.  So from all of us here at TWS to all you, Thank You!  Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a most enjoyable Holiday Season! 

Semper Fidelis,

Maj Wes Prater (Ret)
Co-Founder/Administrator
TogetherWeServed.com

...Me and My Drum...

Field drummers from the 1st Marine Division Band perform the classic holiday song "The Little Drummer Boy" at Camp Pendleton's base theatre during the Marine Corps Community Services-sponsored Holiday Concert and Expo. More than 200 Pendleton families attended the festive event.

- Photo by  LCpl. Damien Gutierrez

Operation COBRA'S ANGER Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger. Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in the Now Zad region, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. - Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino

'NO REGRETS, JUST REVENGE'
Marines assault into Now Zad

Story & photos by LCpl. Walter Marino
Regimental Combat Team 7 Public Affairs
 
NOW ZAD, AFGHANISTAN -- After many months of planning, the Marines of Alpha Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment arose to Afghanistan's 3 a.m. cold winter chill to kick off Operation Cobra's Anger. An unusual silence surrounded the Marines as they boarded their vehicles.

No jokes, no talking, just business. The stoic faced Marines in the six wheeled, armored vehicle, known as the "Cougar," listened intently to the chatter over the radio.

"The Afghan army just got their first kill in combat," said a Marine on the communication line.

Stoicism turned into wide grins after hearing the news.

A Marine steps through the rubble that once served as cover for Taliban fighters in the aftermath of combat operations  in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger.

A few minutes later the convoy stopped. They had reached a river bed too deep to cross. Bulldozers were brought in to fill the bed with sand in order to make a bridge for their vehicles. They had entered enemy territory.

The road to Now Zad was known to be infested with roadside bombs. So rather than take a chance, assault breacher vehicles fired numerous line charges, which demolished the road ahead and detonated any possible roadside bombs in a massive explosion.

With the road to Now Zad clear, Marines from 3/4 and 2nd CEB blasted music from their vehicles and attacked into the Now Zad Taliban stronghold.

At this point, radio chatter flooded the communication lines again

"We have one on the second floor!" a Marine yelled over the line.

"I'm going to take him out right now," responded a Marine calmly.

Many Marine faces were smeared with green, black and brown camouflage paint. They wore it not for its traditional purpose, but for the same reason many of the Marines pinned American flags to their gear.

"Considering our unit has had a fallen comrade, it was [good] to give them a taste of their own medicine." said Cpl. Trevor W. Curtis, a vehicle gunner for Lima Co., 3/4. "Ever since we lost our boy our motto has been, 'no regrets, just revenge.'"

Emotional motives were fueled, when operation Cobra's Anger began. The mission not only gave the Marines an opportunity take the fight to the enemy, but was designed to destroy the Taliban presence in Now Zad, destroy their weapons and give the Afghan people their city back.

Marines encountered enemy fire once they breached the city.

"An insurgent shot at us and we saw him peeking from behind a corner shooting rounds at us," Curtis said. "Once we had him spotted, one of our gunners shot at him with a .50-cal. machine gun and I unloaded my Mark-19 on him."

"After we shot, a tank fired at his building and all that was left was rubble," Curtis said.

Marines moved cautiously from compound to compound. When there wasn't a clear route, heavy equipment operators used bulldozers to plow through walls, creating their own doorways through Now Zad. During these brief moments, Marines received a few short moments of rest before moving on to the next house to clear.

"Not knowing what was on the other side was exciting," said Cpl. Nathan Lepage, a heavy equipment operator for Alpha Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion. "It felt good to know I was making it safer for them to go through the city. If I wasn't there, it probably would have taken them longer and there would have been more risk."

While the grunts cleared houses, combat engineers used metal detectors to keep the Marines safe from IED's and used their C4 to destroy dozens of enemy bunkers, and uncovered Taliban weapon caches.

A bulldozer from 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion moves sand and gravel into a dry river bed in order to make a bridge for vehicles while another Marine keeps watch.

Inside the city, the threat of IED's still lingered and Marines constantly yelled out 'dispersion' to remind each other to keep a proper distance from one another.

Marines patrolled through alleyways and trees, and sometimes would come to a dead end. Combat Engineers resolved that problem with C4, breaching new doorways for the Marines to enter and always keeping an eye out for roadside bombs.

Infantry Marines appreciated the extra fire power the combat engineers provided.

The engineers found pressure plates that could have injured Marines, explained Curtis, from Colorado Springs, Colo.

"It's [good] to have a guy capable of blowing up an enemy bunker," said Curtis. "The engineers are an invaluable asset. Now Zad was the Taliban's center of gravity. Now that we have it, it's definitely going to take a turn for the worst for the Taliban."

In one day, the Marines arrived, saw and conquered the Taliban in Now Zad.

"I thought they'd put up more of a fight," said Cpl. Cody P. McGuire, a combat engineer for Alpha Company, 2nd CEB. "This was a hot spot, but there was very little resistance, except for IED's. I was there three days and found three IED's. They have the capability to put up a good fight. But we rolled in with assault breacher vehicles, tanks and air support. I think they were intimidated."

The next step for the Marines is to open the city to the Afghan people.

"As far as bringing the people back into the city, we are about 50 percent, because we have to de-mine the place and clean it up," said 1st Lt. Mathew M. Digiambattista, 1st platoon commander, Alpha Company, 2nd CEB. "Given the right tools and time, we can accomplish anything."

What does TWS mean to you!

Maj Hank Salmans recently posted this essay competition on the forums, issuing a challenge to all members to put into words what TWS means to you.  Here is the submission of Cpl Mike Siers, one of the winners:

What Together We Served Means To Me
by Corporal M. J Siers, USMC (1999-2003)
 
There are ingrained truths that are pressed into the soul of a man or a woman who decides to settle their feet upon those yellow foot steps. The tremulous night, the bus ride, the tension filled mystery as the gates open to either Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego or the infamous Parris Island. For our officers that journey begins at Officer Candidates School in Quantico. One thing is certain, whatever happens afterwards will most certainly change who you are for better or worse. We here at TogetherWeServe discover the end result was not only for better but something that would last far beyond the end of active service one chooses. Whether it is four years, eight years, or the magic twenty plus when warriors lay their weapons to rest upon retirement; a complete transformation. (We all know however --- none of us retire)

The truths prevail beyond life in the Corps. Honor, Courage, and Commitment extend beyond one’s last boot step off the active pavement. Stalwart and never ending discipline for some may seem as a caricature of an outspoken and sometimes stubborn individual. An individual that not only refuses to quit when faced with the impossible, but also carries a certain command presence that for those not accustomed to it, will find it overly abrasive if not intimidating. Pay no mind ladies and gentleman of the civilian class, it’s just a regular Marine doing his or her thing.

These three principle truths are also found in what I would like to call the Marine Corp’s sub division, TogetherWeServed. True TWS isn’t officially tied to the Department of Defense (just letting that one out so the good Major* doesn’t have a cow), it instead represents military bonds from past generations to the present. We share what we have learned from our experiences from Corps’ life, and pass it on to younger warriors who have taken the torch firmly and dutifully within the celebrated traditions of the Marines.

Marines from the Frozen Chosin, Vietnam, Beirut, The Gulf War, Somalia, to our current operational theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a hall of heroes; living or fallen heroes all. TogetherWeServed is not a perfect affair, it works as the hooks, jabs, and gritty barrack’s life did while in. Some of us are blood brothers and others have their heavy spats, disagreements, arguments and down right toe to toe engagements. But like our old motto, we are always faithful to our family, and no one promised us a rose garden to begin with. The good thing simply is, after the dust settles, hearts are just as green and every Marine member is ready to leap upon a grenade that’s intended for their fellow brother or sister.
 
We sometimes cater ‘Get Togethers’ where brothers and sister meet each other for the first time (truly never strangers) but becoming great friends from all four corners of the country. Together we often offer both emotional and physical support. Special brothers like Frank McGuigan (Oldcorps52), through his own time and energy, give individuals plaques in their own honor - reflective of their TogetherWeServed profile page; a snapshot of their life in the Corps. No one asks Frank but faithful to his personal mission he remains because the brotherhood/sisterhood from our community re-fuels our Old Marine Corps Spirit. The same Spirit that’s sung about around camps and far off places where Devil Dogs train hard to fight hard from, East to West, in every clime and place, wherever our services are required. This is the feeling one gets after being here a while. Our many forums, both serious and down right entertaining, characters that would make you laugh, cuss, cry, and have a strange hair raising need to stand up and pop a salute to Chesty**. When we lose one of our own, not only is it a personal tragedy, but we also honor that individual with kept memorials both past and present. Here we discuss and share information about organizations that help Devil Dogs in need. We discuss charities and events promoting various military causes as well as programs that aid veterans such as those with health problems or even in need of the simple necessities of life.

Together here we hold the line. We extend that line when you’re in a tight spot, and the only thing you have left is that Marine coming to your aid and the best prayer you can find in the Good Book. I was one of those Marines, and I’ve been helped by a good and generous many who did so because of that rare bond regardless of generation, age, color or creed. You don’t throw away nor forget that kind of love. It’s a love made from a mother’s brew, it’s a steel reinforcement that never buckles, and it’s damn sure the very ink that never lets our colors run.
 
The brotherhood bridge is strong. Even if one must leave this community, it is a certainty they’ll miss its camaraderie, but more importantly, they’ll keep in touch with those they personally came to know or rediscover. When someone leaves they are missed. When someone returns, they are celebrated with honor and kindness. Our front porch light is always on and there’s always someone waiting at the door. Here you’ll find a fine crowd to keep you company during the best days of your life and when darkened shadows cast troubles your way.

TogetherWeServed is the mirror reflection of the ever watchful rifleman who finds sleep to be worth more than gold, giving up is something of a cardinal sin, and his life dedicated to the preservation of his country, the Marine to the left and right, and the family he provides safety to. Whatever and whoever you’ll find here is and will be the best and the last you’ll ever want to meet and know.

All wounds to the front, none from any one’s back --- that’s TogetherWeServed.

Semper Fi
Corporal M. J “Soap Box” Siers
 
*Major refers to Major Wes Prater founder of TogetherWeServed

** Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller is the most decorated U.S. Marine in history, and the only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses, the United States Navy's second highest decoration after the Medal of Honor. Many Marines can still be heard saying goodnight Chesty before dozing off to sleep.

Video of the Month

A tribute to our our Marine Brother's and Sisters who are still serving in harms way - may God Bless and keep them...

CJCS tours Afghanistan market with Marines

Story & photo by Sgt. Brian Tuthill
1st Marine Division, Regimental Combat Team 7 Public Affairs

PATROL BASE JAKER, AFGHANISTAN -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Patrol Base Jaker to tour the base and the Nawa district center and spend time with Marines and sailors assigned here.

Navy Admiral Mike Mullen accompanied Marine Corps Brigadier General Lawrence D. Nicholson, commanding general of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan, and Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Baker, commander of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, on a tour of the district's downtown market area just outside the patrol base.

The group walked the streets with only a security team and without body armor.

While in the market, Mullen spoke with Nawa district residents about their security and needs. He also spoke with Adbul Manaf, the district governor, about the changes brought to the area by Marines since the arrival of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in July.

Abdul Manaf (left), governor of Nawa district in Afghanistan’s Nawa province, expresses to Navy ADM Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his happiness with the progress made in the district. Mullen visited Patrol Base Jaker and the Nawa district center to see the progress since July's assault on Taliban forces and to meet with Marines of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

"One of the reasons [for my visit] is to see and recognize the improvement and change which has happened here since the Marines came into this area," Mullen said. "I was here within two weeks of when the Marines came in here initially, so it's very easy for me to observe where we were then to where we are now."

Manaf told Mullen how happy he is having Marines in Nawa since their arrival months ago, and added that he hopes they can find a way to stay longer in Afghanistan to maintain Nawa's security.

"The plan for all of us is to transition security to the local forces," Mullen said, reinforcing President Barack Obama's 2011 plans for U.S. forces to leave Afghanistan. "I am confident the Afghan national security forces will be able to do this job. I can fully understand the governor's elation [with our presence] because of the changes here.

"He's so excited about the positive changes, and it makes sense he would want us to stay, but when that security prevails when we leave, he will still be happy," he continued. "To be able to walk through places like this, I see how it has literally turned over from an insurgent stronghold to a town that is open and violence-free."

Mullen returned to Jaker and spent a few moments with Marines and sailors there. He explained how their seven months serving here in harm's way will pave the way for the security of the region, and that he fully understands this sacrifice can be harder during the holidays.

"It's great to be able to come out here and see you," Mullen told the platoon assembled before him. "I've been around Marines my entire career, and I can tell you I'm very proud of the work you're doing right now."

The chairman answered questions from the platoon, and then shook each servicemember's hand and presented them his personalized challenge coins before departing.

"It was great to see him come out here," said Marine Sgt. Khristopher L. Privitar, a police mentoring team section leader. "We hear about celebrities coming out to bigger camps, but they're not really in harm's way. I think it's great for us to see the senior officer in the military out at our level, where the troops are fighting here in Helmand province."

"It's good for the Marines' morale,” the Universal City, TX, native continued, and we could all see he really cares about how we're doing and what we need out here. He made sure we all got his coin, and that made it special for us. We'll all be able to look back on the day Admiral Mullen came to see us in Nawa."

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 in Japan?
- 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. Our 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 Career Planner.

Those who have worked as Career Planners or served on a selection 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...or just vent your frustrations.

So pull up a foot-locker and start shooting the breeze, the forums are for YOU!

AN UNOFFICIAL TRADITION CONTINUES
Volunteers place 16,000 wreaths at Arlington

Story by Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Photos by Bill Auth, USO

WASHINGTON -- The Arlington Wreath Project, an unofficial national tradition, prompted about 6,000 volunteers to wake up extra early this morning to help place 16,000 wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

An army of volunteers prepare to lay wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. The volunteers placed more than 16,000 wreaths in honor of the nation's fallen heroes

"It's really nice that America still remembers our troops," said Nikki Bunting, the widow of Army Capt. Brian Bunting, who died in Afghanistan in February 2009. She visited her husband's grave with their children, 2-year-old Connor and 5-week-old Cooper.

“It's a sad sight, but it's really beautiful. It reminds us that people care,” she said.

Morrill Worcester, president of Maine-based Worcester Wreath Company, started the tradition in 1992, although the seeds for the idea had been planted 30 years earlier. The cemetery’s hallowed ground first impressed Worcester in 1962, when the 12-year-old Bangor [Maine] Daily News paper boy had won a paper-sponsored contest and a trip to Washington.

“It struck me and I just never forgot it,” Worcester recently said about the cemetery. “It was just such a big place and the stones are all nice and straight. I saw the Tomb of the Unknown [Soldier] and the changing of the guard.”

Fast forward to 1992, when Worcester discovered his company had 5,000 surplus wreaths near the end of the season. He made arrangements to place the wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

“The first 13 or 14 years of the Arlington Wreath Project I just did it because I wanted to do it and it was kind of a private thing,” Worcester said. “We didn’t want any publicity or anything else. We just did it.”

For more than a decade, he sponsored the Arlington Wreath Project, with the mission to “Remember, Honor, and Teach,” and managed to keep it small and relatively anonymous.

That is until 2005 when an Air Force photographer happened to capture an image of the annual honor. “Things just totally changed,” Worcester said.

After the photo hit the Internet and made its way around the world, the tradition grew exponentially. This year 151,000 wreaths were placed in more than 400 cemeteries across the country by 60,000 volunteers as part of Wreaths Across America Day. Individuals and companies sponsored all but 25,000 of the 151,000 wreaths, Worcester said.

“I love seeing the participation,” he said. “I’m very proud of the fact that I started it, but it’s certainly not me anymore.”

Worcester may love seeing the huge numbers of volunteers, but it presents interesting challenges for Wayne Hanson, who volunteers through the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., to coordinate the Arlington Wreath Project. The Vietnam veteran also sits on the board of Wreaths Across America.

“We started off with just a handful of people helping Mr. Worcester put the wreaths down. It would take us the better part of a good day,” Hanson said. “People would hear about it and want to help, so we would end up with 2[00] or 300 volunteers as the years progressed.”

Though the mercury started out below 20 degrees and only climbed to the low 40s this year, it didn’t deter those wanting to honor the nation’s fallen heroes at the holidays.

"The community of surviving families and TAPS [Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors] are very grateful to Wreaths Across America, the USO, and other organizations for their support,” said Ami Neiberger-Miller, public affairs officer for TAPS. Her brother, Army Spc. Christopher Neiberger, was killed in action in Iraq in August 2007. “Our families know that their loved ones are not forgotten.

A mother speaks to her daughters about the value of freedom after placing a wreath on a grave during Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery. This was the 18th year that the Maine-based Worcester Wreath Company has donated wreaths to honor our country’s fallen servicemembers.

“Many families who bury their loved ones at Arlington National Cemetery do not live nearby, and so it means a great deal to them to know that America cares and is honoring the resting place of their loved ones," she added.

Though Hanson asks for a moment of silence for those who died in recent conflicts and are buried in Section 60, wreaths are not typically placed on those graves. This year, however, the USO asked to sponsor 1,000 wreaths specifically for that section, which is set aside for U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 300 volunteers, including 125 military family members, helped place the wreaths in less than an hour.

The organization’s president noted that the gesture is meant to highlight the sacrifices made by all servicemembers, however.

"This effort is not about just Arlington National Cemetery," said Sloan Gibson, president of the USO. "The USO hopes to encourage Americans to recognize the service and sacrifice of veterans who are interred at veterans cemeteries across the country."

While the day concluded with 16,000 wreaths placed in under two hours, it actually began yesterday at the Pentagon, when Wreaths Across America expanded its mission again.

“We’re doing something, which is in addition to what we’ve done in the past,” Worcester said in an earlier interview. “We’re placing a wreath for every victim of 9/11 for the first time.

“There’s going to be a big decorated area at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, and there’s going to be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon and another one at the field in Pennsylvania,” he added.

The TWS Persons Locator Service has been a resounding success in a very short time! 

There have already been dozens of "buddy finds" over the last few weeks, from all services!

This service is free for all Full TWS Members.  Regardless of whether or note the person you're looking for is registered on TWS or not, odds are we can help you find them!  Our TWS PLS Team is headed by  prior serving USAF SMSgt Jim Franklin and USMC Cpl George Reilly.  The TWS PLS uses only publicly available information sources. 

A special PLS form will be installed on the left hand Home Page shortly however you are now welcome to submit your request to personlocator@togetherweserved.com - please limit your request to only one submission at a time.

Please supply the following information on the person you are seeking as accurately as you can. Your submission will be acknowledged along with an approximate turnround time to respond. Your search will be conducted as thoroughly as possible and chances of a successful find depends on accuracy of information supplied.


1. First Name,
2. Middle Name
3. Last Name
4. Approximate Year Born
5. City/State Born or Raised
6. Single or Married
7. Name of Spouse
8. Year Last of Contact
9. Last Known Address
10. Branch of Service
11. Last Known Rank
12. MOS/AFSC/NEC/NOC
13. Home of Record (If known)

Please let us know how you like this service!

"Thanks to George Reilly I found & talked to 2 buddies that I have not talked to since 1951 & 1952.
THANKS AGAIN GEORGE.l"
Simmons, John (Skeeter), Sgt

"I joined TWS about two weeks ago, and have since been reunited with:
GySgt Carlos Pujols - 21 years lost (MCAS Yuma, 1988)
MGySgT Kenneth Thomas - 12 years lost (Okinawa, Japan, 1998)
LtCol Warren G. Leonard - 20 years lost (Fiscal Officer, MCAS Yuma, 1989; found on Okinawa in 1993, then lost again)
Maj Gary Manley (retired) - 21 years lost (Fiscal Officer, MCAS Yuma, 1988)"
...I am so greatful to have found this site.  OOHRA!
Henderson, Elizabeth (Edwards), Sgt

"Through the TWS Site and the persistant digging of George, Smitty, and Joe Madagan I was able to locate two(2) old buddies and possibly a third one. One Buddy was my section leader in Machine Gun platoon 51 Years ago. I have his E-Mail and we have chatted on the phone and we will again. The second one I hadn't heard seen or any contact in 48 Years. We have talked on the phone and will again. hank you for this site Major. You and several other Marines have done a great job and provided a good service. "SEMPER FI" DEVIL DOGS"
Rose, Roger (slats), Sgt

CJCS sends Holiday message to troops, families

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued the following Holiday message:

As America celebrates this holiday season, our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen are serving around the world. Families and friends at home can enjoy the holidays in peace thanks to your sacrifice. In the midst of glad tidings, we honor your service and that of your families who serve along with you.

Our thoughts and prayers are especially with our wounded warriors, their families, and the families of the fallen. They bear solemn burdens often made heavier by absence. We all must do our part to honor them and ensure they do not shoulder their cares in solitude this holiday season. America’s finest families richly deserve the love and thanks of a grateful Nation, and we will never forget their sacrifice.

On behalf of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and our families, I thank you for all you do for our country. We wish you and your families a joyful holiday season, and all of the blessings of a very happy New Year.

Sincerely,

M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, US Navy

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!

Over 9000 Quality Items at lowest prices and a 30 day money back guarantee!

Some featured items this month:

This deluxe neoprene laptop sleeve features your Marine Corps logo in bold print and is perfect for making a statement. Approximately 10.5" X 14". Fits up to 15" laptops.

This durable polyester Marine Corps flag can be displayed either indoors or outdoors. Contains two hosting grommets to attach to pole. 3' x 5'.

Marine Corps Crest bumper Sticker.  3" x 7". Made of white vinyl.

The TWS Marine Store - Get your Marine Corps gear this Birthday season and display it proudly!

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR DECEMBER 7, 1941 Ninety-year-old William E. Greenhouse, a Pearl Harbor attack survivor, leaves the remembrance service held at Oceanside Harbor, CA, Dec. 7. Greenhouse was then a 26-year-old Marine Pfc. who served as a truck and tractor driver with Headquarters Squadron, Marine Air Control Ground 2 at the time of the Japanese attack. - Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Boothe Members of the US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps perform at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, TX in ceremonies commemorating the 68th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. - Photo by Cpl. Bobby J. Yarbrough Corporal Marcus Smith plays Taps to recognize the four Marines who lost their lives at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa during the Pearl Harbor attacks at what remains of the West O'ahu field in Hawaii. The former site of MCAS Ewa could be the spot where US service members fired the first shots of WWII, according to John Bond, the event coordinator and avid historian. Smith is a Musician with the Marine Forces Pacific Band. - Photo by Sgt. Juan D. Alfonso

FAMILY MATTERS
Law allows spouses to keep residency while under orders

Story by Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- A new law protects military spouses from being taxed for work performed in states where they’re living outside their home states as a result of military orders.

President Barack Obama signed the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, an amendment to the 2003 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, on Nov. 11.

“This act, among other things, would provide that when a servicemember leaves his or her home state in accord with military orders, the servicemember's spouse may retain residency in his or her home state for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that state to accompany the servicemember,” the president said in a Nov. 12 White House statement.

The new law means a change in fundamental tax law for military spouses, said Army Colonel Shawn Shumake, director of legal policy in the office of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

“If a spouse accompanies a military member to a state that is not the spouse’s [state of legal residence] and does so solely to be with the servicemember under military orders, then the income the spouse earns from services performed in that nondomiciliary state cannot be taxed,” he said in a recent Pentagon Channel interview.

But, he warned, some states interpret the act to apply only if the military servicemember and the spouse live under the same roof. “A number of states believe that to get this tax break, or tax exemption, the spouse and the servicemember must have the same domicile,” he said. “Different states interpret this possible requirement differently.”

The law does not necessarily mean that someone who makes their permanent home in one state will never be taxed in the state they’re living in because of a servicemember’s military orders, Shumake said. In fact, he explained, the act states only that income earned from work performed in the nondomiciliary state is not taxable. That doesn’t mean the spouse wouldn’t have to pay income tax on such income to the state of legal residency.

“Of course, there are those states that don’t have any income tax at all,” Shumake said. “If the spouse were a legal resident of those states, then they would likely not pay income tax from [work] performed in any state.”

Understanding the meaning of “domicile” and knowing how to prove it are keys to understanding the law, Shumake said.

First, he said, the terms “domicile,” and “legal residence,” are synonymous. A person can have only one domicile at a time. It is one’s primary home or permanent residence, and it’s formed by being physically present in a state and simultaneously forming the intent to remain there for the indefinite future.

“You have to prove your intent by establishing certain contacts with the state, such as voting there, buying property there, getting your professional license there, claiming in-state tuition rates there, registering a vehicle or obtaining a driver’s license there,” Shumake said. “Of all of those, voting may turn out to be the most important for proving your domicile for the purposes of the [Military Spouses Residency Relief Act].”

The act also has an effect on personal property taxes, Shumake said.

“The [act] now says that a nondomiciliary state cannot tax personal property such as automobiles and boats if that property is in the state only because the spouse is with the servicemember in that state in compliance with military orders,” he said.

For all the positive benefits the law offers military spouses, it can be confusing, Shumake acknowledged.

The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act addresses only tax law concerning income earned in nondomiciliary states, the colonel said, and doesn’t change the rules for establishing and proving legal residency.

“One common misperception is that the new law allows a spouse simply to ‘choose’ his or her spouse’s domicile. This is not true,” he said. “Domicile must still be demonstrated or proven under the rules that have always been in place. Likewise, a spouse does not ‘inherit’ the domicile of the military member through marriage.”

Spouses also should be aware that the law doesn’t allow them to recapture or regain a previously abandoned domicile, he added.

“For example, if the spouse established a Texas domiciliary status and then moved to Virginia under orders with the [servicemember], and while in Virginia the spouse registered to vote and bought property in Virginia and got a real estate license from Virginia, then it looks like the spouse has established Virginia as the new domicile,” Shumake said. “The [law] is not likely to allow the spouse to abandon Virginia and resume or recapture Texas domiciliary status while still in Virginia.”

It seems the matter of how the law affects driver’s licenses has left some in a bit of a quandary, as well.

Whether a spouse needs to obtain a new driver’s license in each new state the spouse lives in is a matter of state law and completely unaffected by the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, Shumake said.

While the new law can be confusing, help is only as far away as the nearest legal assistance attorney, Shumake said. He also suggested checking with appropriate state tax authorities for any rules they may have put out, especially with respect to refunds for tax year 2009.

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COMBAT TECH
'First-strike ration' aims for better nutrition

Story by Christen N. McCluney
Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON -- Several military organizations are working together to provide servicemembers with healthy, good-tasting, sustainable and nutritionally sound combat rations.

"We're charged with a fairly awesome task, and that is to fuel the Defense Department's most flexible and adaptable weapons platform, and that, of course, is the individual warfighter," said Gerry Darsch, director of the Defense Department's Combat Feeding Program at the Massachusetts-based Natick Soldier Systems Center during a Nov. 23 interview on the Pentagon Channel podcast "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military.

Darsch was joined by Andy Young, chief of the Military Nutrition Division at the US Army Institute of Environmental Medicine.

Because many military personnel have jobs similar to those in the civilian sector, their nutritional requirements aren't going to be very much different from those of their civilian counterparts, Young said, but some servicemembers in operational specialties do require more fuel and energy then most civilians. Achieving their nutritional requirements while working in the field can be especially difficult, he added.

The MRE -- short for Meal, Ready-to-Eat -- is the standard military ration. Each meal provides one-third of the military-recommended dietary allowance and must meet a variety of requirements, including long shelf life, tolerance of changes in temperature and stability in varying conditions, Darsch said.

"We do have a business philosophy here, and that is, 'Warfighter recommended, warfighter tested, and warfighter approved,'" he added. "And that is driving our continuous product-improvement program."

One of the latest developments that has come out of this program is known as the first-strike ration, or FSR. Before its introduction, servicemembers who were outside of a forward operating base for two to seven days were given MREs to travel with. Because of space limitations, they would field-strip the meal and throw away more than half of the food, including a large portion of nutrients.

"The first-strike ration, in essence, is issued at one per warfighter per day, instead of two or three MREs," Young said. It reduces the weight and volume of the MRE by 50 percent, and also is more cost-efficient.

"The first-strike ration provides all the components that can be easily eaten on the move," Young said. "And we now can regain control, if you will, of nutrition and make sure that those warfighters are getting the nutrients that they so desperately need to maintain (or) enhance both cognitive and physical performance."

Working with specialists at the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, the group convened a panel of nutrition experts from all over the world, many of whom had served in the military, and challenged them to get the best nutrition possible into a limited amount of space.

"After that, it was simply a matter of testing the actual performance improvements and capabilities of the ration in human subjects in the field conditions that would be used," Young said.

Focus groups and surveys revealed what products were being left behind, and from there, a list was put together of items that servicemembers wanted.

Packaging was one of the main issues, Darsch said. When the design of an electrolyte drink was changed into an hourglass-shaped package with a feature that allowed water to be added directly from a canteen or CamelBak, the consumption rate went from 33 percent to more than 70 percent.

The addition of a shelf-stable, pocket-style sandwich was another request from servicemembers. Because microwave ovens and frozen food items aren't available in the field, the combat feeding team's technologists used "hurdle technology," a packaging process that balances water, atmosphere and acidity in the package, creating hurdles to bacterial growth and keeping the products shelf-stable.

The groups did field tests with members of the US Forest Service, testing the rations on forest firefighters who have similar metabolic and work demands as servicemembers on the ground, Young said. They later tested the rations at Fort Benning, GA, on Soldiers of the 75th Ranger Regiment's Pre-Ranger Course and with Marines at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA.

Darsch said the next goal is to expand the first-strike rations menu from three to nine meals and to go into the field and allow warfighters an opportunity to rate the new menus.

"The most important thing about the (FSR) in particular, and nutrition in general, for the warrior in the field is, it's not nutrition unless it's eaten," he said. "So it doesn't do you any good to take the package; you've got to actually eat it. And that's why the (FSR) is such an important step forward for the particular audience it was targeted at.  That it actually improves consumption, and that, in turn, improves the nutrition."

Complimentary Upgrade to Combat Troops Serving in OIF/OEF

REPORT CARD RELEASED
Transparent look at quality & safety gives VA high marks

WASHINGTON -- For the second consecutive year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released a “hospital report card” as part of VA’s effort to provide the public with a transparent accounting of the quality and safety of its care.

“This report demonstrates VA’s determination to be open and accountable,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “As a health care organization, transparency of information is essential to providing quality care for our Veterans.”

In addition, for the first time, data from both the 2008 and 2009 reports will be available to the public in machine-readable format on Data.gov.  To empower Veterans and the public at large to track quality, safety and access to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, VA’s hospital report cards include raw data on care provided in outpatient and hospital settings, quality of care within given patient populations, and patient satisfaction and outcomes.

VA issued its first facility-level report on quality and safety in May 2008.  As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to open government and accountability, VA highlights its rigorous quality programs and actions taken to address the issues VA identified from the last report.

The report gives the health care system high marks, with VA facilities often outscoring private-sector health plans in standards commonly accepted by the health care industry.

“Patient-centric care is our mission,” said Shinseki. “As Secretary, I am committed to continuing to meet and surpass our high standards of care each and every day.”

In addition to allowing VA to demonstrate the quality and safety of its care, the report card provides opportunities to enhance health services.

Some of the marked improvements that VA showed in 2009 include:

• Smoking cessation counseling provided to 89 percent of Veteran patients, a 6 percent improvement from 2008; and

• Among all ages at risk, 94 percent of Veterans received a pneumonia immunization, a 4 percent improvement.

The report notes there is more to be done for women Veterans.  To address this priority and provide women Veterans with the highest quality care VA has implemented several initiatives, such as placement of women advocates in every outpatient clinic and medical center, and creating a “mini-residency” program on women’s health for primary care physicians. 

The report also found minority Veterans are generally less satisfied with inpatient and outpatient care than other Veterans.  In addition to targeting outreach efforts to these Veterans, a minority Veteran program coordinator has been placed in every medical center. 

“VA’s hospital report card will become a valuable resource of information for Veterans, stakeholders and the department.” said Shinseki.  “It will allow VA’s health care system to be forward looking and focused on advancement.”

VA’s 2008 and 2009 hospital report cards can be found at http://www.va.gov/health/HospitalReportCard.asp.

Military housing allowance rates set for 2010

Story by Army SFC Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- Military members will see an average raise of 2.5 percent in housing allowance rates in 2010, a BAH program analyst for the Defense Department said recently.

The increase comes to average of around $37 per month for the more than 900,000 servicemembers expected to draw the basic allowance for housing in 2010. Some areas will see a higher increase, while others will see less, Cheryl Anne Woehr said.

The 2010 raise is down from 2009’s 6.5 percent average, and is the smallest percentage increase since the inception of the BAH program in 2000. This is due the past year’s recession and declining housing market, she said.

“Rates are set based on actual housing data, so as the economy has declined, vacancy rates have increased [and] rental prices have declined, which results directly to lower BAH rates in various areas,” Woehr said.

Those who do notice the BAH rates lower in their area than last year shouldn’t worry, she said, because an individual rate protection law is in place. The policy protects those who already are under a rental agreement. So if BAH rates in their area are lower Jan. 1 than on Dec. 31, the previous, higher rate applies.

“Servicemembers are able to take advantage of the increase in rates, but are not affected by decreasing rates,” she said. But servicemembers who change duty stations, change dependency status or get promoted on or after Jan. 1 will be affected by the new rates, she added.

Woehr stressed that it isn’t necessarily bad news for the servicemember in areas that see a decrease in rates. “Servicemembers who are newly reporting to an area get to take advantage of the lower market when they arrive,” she said.

The BAH program is designed to benefit the servicemember, but it’s not designed to pay 100 percent of housing expenses, Woehr said. The rate is intended to cover rent, renter’s insurance and utilities based on pay grade and dependency status.

The local market economy determines annual BAH changes and sets the next year’s BAH rates. Military housing offices from each installation begin collecting data on the local rental market as early as January each year. The offices research the current rates for two-bedroom houses, townhouses, single-family homes and the different standards and profiles for homes, Woehr explained.

Typically, rates are higher in larger, more heavily populated metropolitan areas, such as New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Rates in rural areas usually are more stable, and although they may increase to some degree, the rise doesn’t have the same impact as in larger cities, she said.

An estimated $19 billion in BAH will be paid to nearly 1 million servicemembers in 2010, Woehr said.

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Member Comments

USMC/TWS is one of the best sites to help me and other reconnect with long lost brothers and sisters.  I have always missed the closeness that being a member of a rifle platoon brings out.  The cameraderie and love for your brother is hard to find in the civilian world.  You make friends when you all live in the same squadbay or out in the bush.  It was a time when the government wasn't trying to take away to your right to bear arms, because we all had to carry a piece.  TWS means reconnection with those of us who elected to serve in the world's toughest clan of warriors.  Everybody is supportive and looks out for one another.  That's totally opposite of the civvie world where everyone may have your back, but it's there to steady their hands when they want to stab you in the back to get ahead.  There is no Esprit de Corps on the outside, but there is plenty of it here.

McTernan, Larry (Doc McTee), HM3


on june 10 1995 i broke my neck in a swiming pool,funny how fast your buddy's stop calling or coming bye.one day while trying to look up marines i served with i ccame to this site.since then i have got in touch with some and meet many new brothers and sisters.who if i mise a day checking in i get a call just to see if im ok or need anything.while looking up a old freind who at age 6 was just like my uncle,his name was ronald ashburn who lost his life in nam june 10 69 i met a brother on here who served with him and even pulled his body from the feild that day.it has helped me heal wounds i have felt since age 6 and came to know that you all have my back in life or even in death.thank's to you all and the founders of this site.                    
Carden, Steven (steve), LCpl


SINCE COMING BACK FROM VIETNAM IN APRIL 1969 I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I EXPERIENCED THERE. NOW I CAN. SINCE JOINING TWS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE I SERVED WITH IN VIETNAM. I HAVE ALSO CORESPONDED WITH MANY PEOPLE I DID NOT KNOW BUT WERE THERE EITHER IN VIETNAM OR AT THE VARIOUSE DUTY STATIONS I WAS ASSIGNED.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECONNECT TO A PART OF MY LIFE THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTENT TO ME. I FOUND OUT JUST HOW MUCH I MISS THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS I HAD DURING MY TIME IN THE CORPS.
THE USE EVERY DAY OF THIS OUTLET HAS BEEN VERY GOOD FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH.
THANKS PEOPLE, SEMPER FI,DON STOVER
Stover, Donald (Smokey), 1stLt

Sincerely,
The TWS Administration Team
http://marines.togetherweserved.com