JCOC

Statement from Tom Garfinkel

2011-07-29T10:20:00.002-04:00

This past week, I had the honor to be part of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, the oldest outreach program hosted by the Secretary of Defense. Together with 38 other civilian leaders, including

a former U.S. Attorney General, Deans and Presidents of Universities, Mayors of large cities and heads

of large foundations, businesses, associations, and healthcare institutions, we spent every waking hour

for five days immersed in the rigors and experiences of the men and women of the United States Marine

Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Harry S. Truman once said, "America was built on courage and an unbeatable determination to do the

job at hand." This statement profoundly describes the spirit of every one of the men and uniform we met this past week, from Generals and Admirals to Privates and Seamen.

We began our journey at a dinner in Alexandria, Virginia, on the evening of Sunday, May 1. An Army

Colonel told us about a young Lieutenant who put himself in harm's way on the battlefield by replacing

the position of the Colonel in formation after gaining intelligence that the enemy had learned of the

Colonel's location. His loyalty to his Colonel and his Country cost the young Lieutenant his life, the

victim of an enemy sniper's bullet. His wife and children now continue to pay the price of the ultimate

sacrifice. The Colonel finished his story by telling us proudly and with as much sincerity as have ever

witnessed, "I am a United States soldier, and I will die for you." As I prepared to retire for the evening,

still thinking about the young Lieutenant, I turned on the television and learned that Osama Bin Laden

was dead.

Over the course of the next five days, we spent from 0530 to 2230 learning about our military. We met

with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the Pentagon. We traveled to

Quantico, Virginia where we met the men and women of the United States Marine Corps and observed

and participated in the training of the Marines. We attended the Memorial at the Pentagon for the

victims of 9/11. We traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and met with the Army Rangers and took part

in war-game simulation and training. We consumed MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) for lunch with the

soldiers. We traveled to Joint Base McGuire-Dix, Lakehurst, New Jersey and learned about the Air Force

Expeditionary Center and the Air Force Ravens. We went to the Naval Submarine Base in New London,

Connecticut and learned about submarine warfare training. And we went to Coast Guard Sector Boston,

Massachusetts, and took part in Coast Guard rescue operations and search and seizure procedures.

We fired multiple types of weapons and participated in training exercises. We traveled on Air Force

planes and Marine helicopters, and we toured nuclear submarines and rode in Anti-Mine Vehicle Protection System (AMVPS) and amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) convoys. But most importantly, and certainly most impressively, we met and spent significant time with the men and women who have dedicated themselves so selflessly to service in the Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Free, and the Coast Guard. We learned about their way of life and why they serve. We heard their stories of courage, valor, and honor; and of hardship, loss, and sacrifice.

We heard stories about continuous and ubiquitous courage and valor that you could only imagine to

exist in Hollywood scripts; of young men in their early twenties willingly and without hesitation sacrificing their lives to save the lives of their fellow soldiers on the battlefield. We heard stories about soldiers and Marines losing limbs from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The first words out of their mouths to their comrades while lying on the ground with an arm or leg missing was always, "I'm sorry." Some of them have returned to battle to be with their fellow warriors and fight for their country; wearing prosthetic limbs. We heard stories about the proliferation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how one soldier's son told his Dad, "I haven't seen you smile in two years."

We heard stories about being gone for six months at a time, away from families and children. We heard stories of soldiers who have missed most of their kids' childhood; and children and spouses who go without a parent or spouse for long periods of time. We heard stories of married couples going a year or more without seeing each other because they are both on multiple deployments to different places. And we heard stories of those who didn't return from deployment; of the sacrifice of life itself and the impact it has on all of those left behind.

I read a political cartoon in the USA Today two days after Bin Laden was killed. It was a picture of two

soldiers, one reading about Bin Laden's death and commenting to the other, "Does this mean we get to

go home now?" After having spent the day with the Marine Corps Special Forces, it immediately occurred to me how unfortunately out of touch the cartoonist and Editor must be and how absurd the cartoon really was. In spite of their hardship and in spite of the multiple sacrifices they make, not one of the servicemen or women we met ever complained about anything. Not one of them had any hint of entitlement, martyrdom, self-pity, or fatigue. Every single person we met demonstrated pride, commitment, loyalty, honor, and respect for their command, their Country, their duty, and for each other. I

John F. Kennedy once said, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any

price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assume the survival and success of Liberty." The one percent of Americans who serve in the Armed Forces are living Kennedy's promise. They live it so that we can experience nearly ten years since 9/11 without a successful terrorist attack on our soil. They live it so that we can go to Little League games, and love and

laugh and play in peace. They live it so we can educate ourselves, worship as we choose, say what we

want out loud, and realize our dreams in a free society; whatever those dreams may be.

Relative to some other times in American history, citizens are supporting our troops with vigor. But the

ninety-nine percent of us who do not serve can always do more for those who do. There are multiple

organizations for us to give our time or money to who support our troops and their families who make

so many sacrifices. You can go to http://www.ourmilitary.mil/ to learn more about organizations that support ,

our military. I encourage you to do something to actively support them - do it today. !

If you do nothing else, the next time you see a man or woman in uniform, simply walk up and say "thank

you.”

Tom Garfinkel

President and Chief Operating Officer

San Diego Padres Baseball Club

May 8, 2011

JCOC 80 Poem by Dr. Harris Pastides

2011-07-29T08:57:00.002-04:00

Dedicated to a fantastic group of fellow travelers, the Men and Women of JCOC 80

We all met on a Saturday, an Armed Services adventure,

With very little detail on where we were to venture.

It started on a somber note, the day was 9/11,

We prayed for fallen heroes and raised our heads to heaven.

We left from Andrews Air force base, on a shiny limousine

But never had we seen this kind, our own C 17!

We oohed and aahed and snapped our photos of airmen very fine,

And better than any airport, not one security line!

First stop was San Diego, and the Navy was our host.

We took off on the Freedom, of that we will always boast.

It revved its massive engines, it took off like a jet,

But alas with no drug thugs around, we would not need to get wet.

And then we toured the Vinson, a carrier with much might,

And imagined ourselves landing and screeching out in flight.

Our limo whisked us off again to a cooler destination,

In five hours we had arrived, at Elmendorf Air Station.

We talked to many young officers who shared the Alaskan way,

And then the Air Force and Army shared us for an unforgettable day.

We witnessed aircraft scramble, intercepting was their role,

And we even did our own part, by slidling down the pole!

We sat right in a Blackhawk, as pilots we were faking,

But all we really wanted was to have our photo taken.

The low point of the trip was upon us, and it wasn't the high seas,

It was on the bus when they handed out...those dreaded MRE's!

The Soldiers armed our learned group, and presented us a thriller,

But little did they anticipate, we were all natural born killers!

We donned our armor, blew up doors, and climbed in all those Hummies,

We invaded suspect houses, and took out all the dummies!

It's a good thing that we fired blanks because we Rambo's would not be defeated,

If the M4s had been loaded, we would have returned very much depleted!

We witnessed 19 paratroopers practice making war,

Or were they just reclaiming the HumVee pushed out the door?

At night we were royally treated to dinner, music and wine,

And a beautiful well-trained eagle, who sat there so sublime.

On Tuesday we were dealt a blow by Mother Nature acting on cue,

Who sent the fog to Kodiak, and cancelled our overboard rescue.

No worry for our weary team, who cancelled their alarm from beeping,

By now our greatest passion, was for showering and sleeping!

The day was quickly reclaimed, by morning's early light,

with news from Our Coast Guard leader, the mighty Ryan White.

We got to know the Coast Guard as they told us of their roles,

And later went to Anchorage, to shop and eat and stroll.

On Wednesday we prepared ourselves, when waken from our dreams

For one whole day of dust and guns with the United States Marines

We saw much urban combat, and learned how to react

When bad guys mix with good ones in planning their attack

We fired guns with live ammo but marksmen we were not,

When the dust had cleared we were happy to see that no one had been shot!

And now back at the Pentagon, we prepare for our re-entry

From a journey so rewarding, and from bounties oh so plenty.

We are grateful in a new found way for our beacon Motherland,

And for all our unsung heroes, on sea, and air and land.

There is no way to repay this debt that provides us with our freedom,

We can barely even recognize the heroes' families burden.

So instead we will simply stand and salute those who we will never forget,

Airmen, soldiers, sailors, marines, and the brave Coast Guard cadets.

We leave here as resolved Americans, our commitment much more weighty,

The fifty intrepid travelers now friends from Conference 80.

Harris Pastides

September 11-16, 2010

Memorial Day Message from Mr. Larry Feldman

2011-07-29T08:55:00.002-04:00

To the men and women warriors of the United States Armed Forces,

On this special day of remembrance, from the safety of our homes, thanks to you, we pause to remember you and those before you, as you continue to give your lives to ensure the safety of the United States of America. Your unselfish sacrifices and acts of courage while in harm’s way, speaks of your love, patriotism, and loyalty to a country that puts freedom and those who fight for freedom as the highest calling here on earth.

Today, as we celebrate your heroism through the recognition by President Obama <http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Barack_Obama> as he presented a Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award for valor, to an Army sergeant who ran into enemy fire to aid fellow soldiers during an ambush in eastern Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta became the first living service member to receive the honor for action during any war since Vietnam.

As the President called Staff Sgt. Giunta "a soldier as humble as he is heroic, "Giunta, symbolic of the all warriors said, "I would give this back in a second to have my friends with me right now." We are reminded through his eyes, his actions, and his words of your daily trials, concerns, and core beliefs. We are reminded how fragile your lives are and how much each of you performs heroic deeds every day. We are reminded of your love of life and your compassion for others as he proclaimed that as a mediocre solider if he received the Medal of Honor can you imagine what our extraordinary warriors deserve.

And yet, we can do more than just thank you or remember you; we can continue to remember your dedication, commitment, integrity, and love of country. We can remember that you, too, have personal families in addition to those that you serve with. We can remember that you have earned the respect of a nation through your personal actions and not unsupported words. We can remember to say a kind word each time we pass a warrior in uniform. We can remember that we, as a country, owe you a “returned’ life, a meaningful and worthy job, and a health system that must provide you with unabated care; a care that is equally tied to your unabated service away from home. We can remember that your children live with a ‘fear’ that we will never know, but one that we must understand and soothe. We can remember that we have a responsibility to ensure that your children are taken care of, understood, and educated along as our own while you are away protecting us. We can remember that we, too, have a mission and that is to care for your families until you come home.

So on this day, I say thank you to the warriors of the United States Armed Forces that I met during JCOC 79; National Security Forum 2010; 482 Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base; the Golden Knights, and USSOCOM, SOCSO. And we as a nation offer you our heats and an equal dedication as we pray that the Lord will keep you in his countenance, grant you peace, and bring you home safely. May God bless you all.

Larry Feldman

JCOC 79 – NSF 2010

Comments From Alumni

2010-07-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

“As a member of JCOC 79, I can attest to the many benefits of this program in conveying the value of the US Military and the US Defense Department. While I have always had great respect for US Military and the job it does in protecting our country, you can be assured that I will use the additional information that I learned and experienced during JCOC 79 in supporting the Defense Department, Special Operations Command and the roles they play defending our nation and its interests.”
--Arthur Savage
JCOC 79

“It was truly a life altering experience that I look forward to sharing with
everyone/anyone who will listen.”
--Elon Boms
JCOC 79

“There are simply no words to express my feelings about the most memorable,
moving, and exciting week of my life.”
--Ted Bell
JCOC 79

“YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MEMORIES TO CHERISH AND STORIES TO TELL FOR A LIFE
TIME. THANK YOU.”
--Steve Weber
JCOC 79

“While it was great fun to ride in the planes and boats and to play with the
"toys", the thing that I will most remember is the skill and dedication of
the military people with whom we interacted.

I have always had great respect for the men and women who so bravely serve
our country but this past week has increased my admiration of them a
thousand fold. Their training and commitment was indeed awe inspiring.”
--Rod Brayman
JCOC 79

“I am, and continue to be, honored by my association with
the men and women and their children of the armed forces. Their sacrifice
is only the tidal pool of a sea of emotions that carry them on the waves of
humanity…

Upon reflection, i am taken by the passion, the determination, the dedication, and the gentleness of our special forces warriors. The way they conduct themselves, express their humanity, and share stories of family stirs the human spirit. I imagine the intense nurturing, high level academic learnings, and the percolation of leadership that enters their world once they enter the event horizon. The remarkable relationships that bind these warriors are linked as closely as the mitochondria of our existence - strong enough to ensure that no one is left behind, no one leaves their wing man, the swift and silent defines the trade, and the skill sets that make up their tool belt is simply unimaginable to most of us walking this planet.”
--Larry Feldman
JCOC 79

“Every time I work out, I, at my age or 76 am consciously trying to look like
a Marine. You have made my life so much fuller and better!!!!”
--Arnold Crane
JCOC 77

“My thought is more of a question. How many of you found "re-entry" into civilian life a bit of a challenge? Sitting on the Acela up to NYC last Friday surrounded by the life that only nine days earlier was mine, I couldn't help but think of the remarkable men and women we met "inside the bubble" of JCOC 76 and how this was not where I belonged. But, the bubble wasn't the Wall St bubble or the Hollywood bubble or even that of the Hill. It was an amazing, humbling bubble of life with our troops. Still now almost five days later, I think how much I miss
those young men and women that we saw so fleetingly.

The story. Master Sergeant Darryl Brown shared with me a story on our leg home that really stuck with me. The 701 AS was tasked for an emergency medivac for a single US Army PFC burn victim. The young soldier in question was burned so badly that he had to be flown directly from Baghdad to Wilford Hall in San Antonio, TX. The entire C-17 was dedicated to this young man. A five man crew, just like we
had. An additional five medical professionals on board for the entire flight. Three mid-air refuelings for the non-stop flight that burned about 350,000 pounds of fuel. We all heard and saw first-hand about the commitment of our soldiers to each other and to our nation. This was the truest example of the senior commander, flag officers and civilian leaders showing their commitment to each and every soldier…”
--David Burke
JCOC 76

JCOC Alumni visit Balboa

2008-11-24T13:20:00.003-05:00

(l. to r.) American Forces Press Service writer Fred Baker and JCOC alumni Denis Bilodeau, Nicole Clay, Kerry Evers, Jason Reed, Sean Bailey, and Arwen Dayton don disposable coveralls before entering the surgical suites at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

JCOC Alumni visit Balboa

2008-11-24T13:15:00.003-05:00

Jennifer Town, director for Naval Medical Center San Diego's Comprehensive Combat & Complex Casualty Care (C5) program explains some of the features of the center's courtyard to JCOC alumni (l. to r.) Jason Reed, Sean Bailey, Denis Bilodeau, Arwen Dayton, Kerry Evers, and Nicole Clay.

USNS Mercy Hosts JCOC Alumni Visit

2008-11-24T13:03:00.004-05:00

JCOC alumni Jason Reed, Sean Bailey, Arwen Dayton, and Denis Bilodeau listen as Captain James P. Rice, commanding officer of Mercy, explains the function of one of the hospital ship's medical spaces.

JCOC Alumni on USNS Mercy

2008-11-24T12:54:00.004-05:00

Commander Carolyn McGee, director of nursing and clinical support services aboard USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) meets JCOC alumni during their visit to the hospital ship.

Alumni Spend Time With Medical Pros

2008-11-24T12:43:00.005-05:00

Friday was a typically beautiful San Diego autumn day. And for the six JCOC alumni spending their day touring the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and being granted a behind-the-scenes look at Naval Medical Center San Diego it was a long series of "gee whiz" moments.

Rather than muster up at the "normal" JCOC time of 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., we started our day at the more civilized time of 9:30 out of consideration for those driving in for the day. Introductions, followed by a brief ride to San Diego Naval Station brought us pier side one of two hospital ships in the U.S. Navy, USNS Mercy. There we were met by Commander Carolyn McGee, director of nursing and clinical support services, Captain James Rice, commanding officer of the Mercy, and Tim McCurry, deputy director of Military Sealift Command San Diego.

Rather than simply provide us with the standard "Welcome Aboard" briefing, our hosts instead chose to tell us about heir latest deployment to the south Pacific for Pacific Partnership 2008 earlier this year. During the deployment they treated patients in the Republic of the Philippines, Micronesia, New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Vietnam. At times, the Mercy's medical teams were seeing up to 1,500 patients a day, working alongside the medical professionals of the host nation.

After the brief and a tour of the ship, we shoved off for an afternoon at Naval Medical Center San Diego. First stop: lunch, where we learned that "Balboa," as it's known, has a staff of more than 6,000, evenly divided between military and civilians. And that the staff sees more than 4,000 patients and delivers 10 babies (on average) each day and dispenses 2.4 million prescriptions a year (that's the same as 25 of your local Walgreen's). Our guide for the afternoon, Michael Wiener, first took us to C5 (Comprehensive Combat & Complex Casualty Care) so we could see some of the work being done with returning veterans. We saw how they are using motion capture video to do gait studies, virtual reality simulators to help alleviate the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, and have established a website to help veterans identify resources available to them.

Later, Ms. Belle Esposito, manager of the newly constructed Fisher House, showed us the new facility designed to house families while they stay in San Diego to be at the bedside of their recovering servicemembers.

Our afternoon continued with a tour of Radiology where we saw a CT Scan machine that is able to render an image of a beating heart in a matter of minutes. And if that's not enough, the doctors can manipulate the image on the screen in order to look at it from any angle.

The last stop of the day was the operating rooms. There we saw an overwhelming amount of equipment and associated technology that is literally saving lives 24/7.

Earlier in the day I saw a quote that, when taken in the context of the entire day's experiences, may be the impression these medical professionals leave on our wounded warriors.

"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel."
Maya Angelou

Guest Blog Post - Ted Mundorff

2008-10-15T09:48:00.001-04:00

Thanks and pride.

After JCOC 76, I am instilled with unparalleled thanks, pride and admiration for the men and women of our armed forces. Their level of competence, passion, determination and focus that I witnessed has been burned into my memory. Our military, not our elected politicians, truly represent America and what it stands for...really understand what it means to believe in liberty, justice and freedom for all. My week getting to know these incredibly smart, hard working, committed individuals has made me more proud of our country than I ever dreamt possible.

---Ted Mundorff JCOC '76

Guest Blog Post - Linda Osmundson

2008-10-14T07:47:00.002-04:00

JCOC 3

We get settled in the nicest Holiday Inn most of us have experienced in Stuttgart.

We ended going out trying to find a place to dance last night. We started at an Irish Pub. We took about four taxis there so there were so many of us the bar regulars were crammed together standing almost out the door. Tonight the pilots are with us again but they are not drinking because in 24 hours they will be flying us home. I respect how conscientious they are about following the rules. One buys me a Sprite to drink.

When the rain eases up we migrate a few blocks to another bar and then migrate to yet another bar to find some dancing music. Our group shrinks and just the diehard dancers (mostly the younger staff and me) are left. We get in a little dancing and then taxi back to the hotel.

This time it is 6:30 AM when Ryan calls me. I’m already awake. We head to a special conference room where we have vast breakfast choices. I try not to eat too much. Then we depart on busses to SOCEUR (Special Operations Command Europe) on a military base in Germany that once was the vast operations center for Hitler. Blue Team is hustled off to another firing range. This time we are standing or sitting behind more big guns and a pistol but not wearing all the body armor and helmets. I feel more in control because I can at least sight on the targets without a helmet falling over my eyes. I am again surprised by the kick that I feel even from shooting a pistol!

After we shoot we are taken to a high platform overlooking an urban setting used by the Green Berets to practice Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain. We watch from above as military masquerading as repairmen drive their van to a particular spot and lift a manhole cover as if they are working on a utility under the road. A sign is given and they “kill” the guard across from the van. Another small team of soldiers comes over a wall and breaks into a home quietly and goes inside searching for their target. We hear shots inside and the team emerges, apparently accomplishing their mission.

Afterwards the Army Green Berets participating in the exercise introduce themselves to us and we are offered the opportunity to individually talk with them and ask questions. I choose a handsome young man who is from Pensacola, FL who says he is 27, slightly older than most of the other enlisted men we have met other days because he has had more special training to become a Green Beret and has made a longer commitment. He is married to a German woman and they live in military accommodations. He has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other dangerous places during his tour of duty. He tells me his father and grandfather was each in the military before him. When he graduated from high school he felt like he didn’t have much direction so he joined the Army and became a Green Beret! I asked him why he chose such dangerous work and he says, “Somebody has to do this and everyone is going to die some time.” Then he turns his back on the rest of the group so they cannot see his face and says, “I’m going to tell you a secret. My mother has cancer. She and I are just closer to knowing about death than most people.” I am startled by this statement and immediately tears come to my eyes and start to fall down my cheeks. He turns around abruptly and walks away from me a few steps, I imagine so I cannot see his own emotions, then he turns around again and shakes my hand and says, “Thanks for coming. I’m pleased to meet you,” and he walks away again. This was one of my most poignant memories of the trip.

We have a German lunch catered for us at a place on the base called Garden of Eden and then depart for an operations brief at EUCOM, the headquarters for the European Command. As you have noticed, everything has an abbreviated name. Our hosts do their best to remember to translate the abbreviations so we civilians will understand what they are talking about. They take us to a large, windowless building and we are instructed to leave all electronic devices, cameras and cell phones on the bus. We are ushered into a room with tiered seating and surrounded by electronic bill boards and computer screens that we have been told have been “sanitized” for our visit. We are in a real command center where decisions about the world are made by the top military leadership in Germany and we are briefed by General Brilakis.

We return to the Holiday Inn with some promised time to shop but by the time we arrive, there is no time to shop and we go up to our rooms and I rested for a few minutes before it is time to meet downstairs to go to Schoss Weitenburg, a beautiful German castle where we are to have our last dinner. We are introduced to the proud Baron who is our host and the castle resident. We have a beautiful view of the countryside from the huge windows of the room where we are to dine. I am honored to be chosen to sit at the table of the most important General. Protocol dictates that he is served first and takes the first bite before the rest of us.

Each team chooses someone to speak for their group. We all laugh when Jon from the white team introduces himself as the “commie pinko liberal” of the group. I guess I am the other one. Each speaker thanks our hosts, team leaders and staff and we each agree that the week has been enlightening, fascinating and educational. We are each leaving with a new appreciation and respect for the US military.

On the last day they let us sleep in until 7:30 and we have brunch in the hotel and have a panel discussion with military who have recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. This was a fascinating discussion and we asked many questions until it was time to load us on another bus and board the C-17 for the trip home. We were issued one more pair of earplugs as we boarded. Eight hours later we arrived back at Andrews AFB.

Sometime enroute, I discover that I have lost my little fanny pack that I have been using as a purse and I think I have left it in the hotel bathroom. I have no money, camera, Treo (cell phone), driver’s license or credit cards. Fortunately, Commander Perry has my passport so at least I have ID. I spend time up with the pilots watching them fly and we are able to call the hotel to see if they have found my little red pack. They have difficulty understanding our English on the phone and tell us to call back in an hour. When we call back they still have no information.

I had planned to spend the night in a hotel since my flight out was not until the next day but since I have no credit card or money, Commander Ryan Perry offers to take me home and let me spend the night with his family and he will bring me to the airport in the morning. This was way above the call of duty but I agree and I am privileged to meet the entire Perry family. Ryan’s wife, MJ, is also in the Navy and a higher rank than Ryan. She works in Human Resources at the Pentagon. I meet their two sons Blake (15) and Raden (7) and daughter Malia (2) as well as Mother, Janet and Ryan’s sister, Alison. It takes quite a team to keep a military family going when both parents are officers who might be deployed. I had a wonderful evening with the family. We went out to dinner and watched one of the debates together and Raden gave up his bed for me. Ryan made repeated calls to Germany to check on my purse. At one point they said it was found but when we called again, it was a red jacket and not a purse. In the morning, Ryan loaned me $200 and sent me on my way to Asheville to begin my bike ride. The happy post script to my story is that the pack was eventually found on the C-17 after it ended up in S. Carolina. They made contact with my assistant and when I arrived back at my office a week later it was in a box sitting on my desk with everything in it. Yes, there are honest people in the world, especially in the US military!

What an amazing experience. I am still digesting it all and will be for a long time.

Guest Blog Post - Linda Osmundson

2008-10-14T07:38:00.002-04:00

JCOC 2

Hi All

It is now the 5th day of JCOC. I have not been able to get to a computer before this. This is a German computer with a few letters in different places so bear with me.

Monday we were still on the Island of Crete. We spent the day with the Coast Guard on board of the Dallas. I was especially interested in this one because I live just below a Coast Guard station and because they do a lot of search and rescue work as on the US coastline as well as search and rescue in places where there is war. We spent some time watching a demonstration of law enforcement tactics and learning how to handcuff someone. The most fun part was riding on an Over the Horizon boat, a small boat that goes really fast. We sat on seats mounted like horses and really flew around the harbor. We also learned how to put out fires which are common on board. They have had 5 in less than a year. I got to handle a fire hose that took more effort to hold on to than I expected. We also visited the engine room where it gets to be 130 degrees! We had lunch with young Coast Guard enlisted folks and it was enlightening to ask why they joined...mostly to see the world and to go to school and to do something different than everyone else in the small towns where grew up. Again, the amount of responsibility vested in very young people was remarkable and they seemed very proud of that.

Dinner was at a nice restaurant with a beautiful view. Went out dancing again...took us 3 bars to find music on a Monday. The younger military folks still seemed surprised I liked to dance so much. Wake up call was a very early 5 AM. This time we flew in a C17 sitting facing each other on the sides of the plane. I got to spend some time in the cockpit and it is amazing. The plane is quite old from the 1970s and being phased out. We had to fly in the smaller plane because we were landing on a very short airstrip. We did an assault landing which was sort of straight down and BUMP. We watched a Special Tactics Squad demonstrate a parachute jump and a simulated air refuel (amazing) and a guided air strike. They can strike within a few feet of a target. We had lunch with airmen in their mess hall. Pretty decent food.

Then we had a busy afternoon learning about weapons and we got to get into the cockpit of F 15 fighter planes and talked to the pilots. One of my favorite parts was a demonstration of working attack dogs. Such discipline. They attacked a padded bad guy with incredible energy and took him down and then immediately released him upon command. We also got to see huge engines and they told us about how they worked and how often they were broken down for repair. We also got to use fighter plane simulators. Incredible technology. I got killed pretty fast in the simulator and crashed into the ground and then got up and flew again!

Breakfast was supposed to be at the hotel but apparently the cooks did not show so plan B was to go to the base and eat. It was a great breakfast with individually made eggs.

We flew again to Cambridge and had dinner in the Great Hall at St. Johns College, a very handsome, historic building. I spent some time with a female colonel who was sort like the City manager of the base and loved her job as well. Afterwards we went to a historic pub from WW II.

Another very early wake up and we flew to Grafenwoehr, the Joint Multinational Training Command where they train not only American military but other forces that fight with the US. Today we got MREs to eat for lunch. Even here there is amazing technology. You pour a little water into a special bag and it gets hot and you drop in another little bag and in a minute or two you have hot food. Mine tasted like Chef Boy-R-Dee with a small bottle of tabasco to spice it up. Had a brownie that tasted like chocolate sáw dust and a tasty cracker with jalapeno cheese whiz. Not bad considering everything.

We visited the medical simulation unit where they have programmable dummies and soldiers practice deciding triage on the battle field with battle noises and guys yelling all at the same time. Again amazing technology and they say with this training they are saving lots more lives.

In the afternoon I shot all sorts of big guns. (M4s, M2s, M249s, and M240Bs) I was frankly pretty scared but I made myself shoot. We wore helmets and ´body armor that was pretty uncomfortable. My helmet kept getting pushed over my eyes so it was hard to see into the sights and shoot somewhere near the target. One gun ended up sort of kicking me in the face into my teeth and nose. For the rest of the day people kept asking me if I was ok. When I finally looked into a mirror I found out I had a big red bruise on my nose and chin. Battle scars.

Tonight we had a German dinner at the General's house in sort of a barn and I sat with the General. He and his wife were very interesting. Their oldest son was wounded and had his foot amputated and was finishing a PhD and was going to teach to military as a civilian. Their next son was 17 and had Downs Syndrome and was functioning very well and their youngest was in high school and doing well. She is German and spoke English with only a slight accent. She dressed in a traditional German country outfit that made her look sort of like a sexy Heidi. When dinner was finished we boarded C 130s to fly to Stuttgart.

Tomorrow we get to sleep until 6:30 which seems like a luxury. I am sitting in the business center typing this while some of my compatriots hang at the hotel bar next door. What a whirlwind this trip has been.

Linda O

Guest Blog Post - Linda Osmundson

2008-10-14T07:35:00.002-04:00

JCOC 1

Hi All

This week I'm in Europe traveling with the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC). John Stross past chair of the CASA Trustees nominated me and I am here with almost 50 other "community leaders" including only 10 women. You can google JCOC and follow along with JCOC 76 and you will hear more about our adventures and you can read the bios of the rest of the group. It's a very impressive group! JCOC is part of the public relations for the Department of Defense for which you get nominated and chosen. We arrived in Washington Friday and only knew that we were going to Europe. There they told us we would be going to Crete, Spain, UK and Germany. On Friday we toured the Pentagon and the new 9/11 memorial. It is quite impressive. We received briefings by generals and could ask them questions. The most interesting question was about Pakistan and what are we doing there. The general gave a political non-answer and we all laughed.
After dinner they loaded us on a huge C-17 and we flew overnight to Souda Bay on the island of Crete. The plane is a generally used to transport troops and equipment. It has no windows. We were issued earplugs, blankets and pillows. They also gave us nice back packs, jackets and JCOC polo shirts. There were cots stacked three-high for some of us so I got a little sleep. We arrived in Crete and had a couple hours off so I walked through the town and back on the beach. There was a great dinner and another briefing by the General Fitzgerald who is in charge of EUCOM which includes all of Europe and Africa. Africa will be split off as its own command this fall.
Afterwards a group of the younger folks, mostly young Marines and Navy guys who are escorting us and some of the staff and I went out bar hopping and dancing. I don't drink but had great fun dancing with young guys half my age even though we were all pretty tired. The next morning we boarded a bus and went to to the base where we were given helmets with ear covers amd goggles and loaded on 5 helicopters. It was thrilling because I have never been in a helicopter before. I was so excited I couldn't help grinning the whole time. We landed on the deck of the USS Iwo Jima, an aircraft carrier with about 2500 sailors and Marines. We ate lunch with the troops and talked a little to them about their tour. Most joined because they wanted to help their country. Some had already been to Iraq and were hoping to go to Afghanistan. My young escort joined after 9/11 at age 25, a little older than many. They were all so young and many had huge, important responsibilities. We were welcomed by the Captain and the Commodore and toured around the ship in small groups. Everywhere we went there were Marines and sailors standing at attention, greeting us and shaking our hands. It was a rabbit warren of passage ways. After lunch I was led to a bathroom and then had no idea how to get back to the group until they assigned a young Marine to lead me back.
We toured the medical area where they proudly explained they provided the first "airport" and hospital for Katrina victims. They have full hospital and surgical capabilities. They showed us weaponry and armored vehicles. Then they issues helmets and earplugs again and took us to the deck where we watched helicopters and Harrier planes do a fly-by and then land. The Harriers actually hover and move sideways and drop straight down to land. When they take off they go straight up like a helicopter. I've never seen anything like it. WOW! We also saw a craft that hovered on an air cushion that could also go on land and was used to transport various land vehicles.
We ended the evening with a wonderful Greek dinner in a lovely local restaurant that took hours! Tomorrow we get up at 6AM to fly to Spain.

What an incredible experience!

Linda O

Special Forces Demonstration

2008-09-28T08:31:00.004-04:00

While in Stuttgart, JCOC 76 participants watched as members of Special Operations Command Europe demonstrated a technique used when assaulting several buildings simultaneously.

Guest Blog Post - Chris Van Gorder

2008-09-28T08:23:00.002-04:00

Final JCOC Update

Today we started our last full day in Europe with the U.S. Marine Corps Europe for a demonstration and display of the non-lethal tools they use. We were transported to Marine Forces Europe Headquarters (MARFOREUR) at the Panzer Kaserne Base. We were met by Marine Corps Colonel Brad Shumaker who introduced us to the topic for this session.

One does not think about the Marine Corps as a "non-lethal" organization but they are the lead armed service in evaluating and training of non-lethal tactics and equipment. This morning, the Marines described and demonstrated their use of non-lethal weapons including the use of piercing sound to discourage attack, weapons that fire rubber balls and paint to injure and mark a subject that might be involved in civil disobedience or an attack, tasers, riot gear and tools used to disable vehicles that might try to roll through a road block. All very interesting. Law enforcement has been using these tools for years but it is interesting to see the military adopt these tools in an effort to minimize collateral injuries or death even in a combat situation.

We then drove to the U.S. Special Operations Command led by Air Force Major General Frank Kisner.

The facility they use in Stuttgart is very large with facilities and open area in which to train.

The Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) provides operational direction and control of special operations, civil affairs, and psychological operations forces stationed in Europe. From a variety of assets, SOCEUR forms task forces capable of executing special operations as well as conducting assessments and response to crises throughout EUCOM.

SOCEUR's activities include Joint/Combined Exchange Training events, the Joint Contact Team Program, the African Crisis Response Initiative, and humanitarian demining operations.

Readiness to respond to crisis is SOCEUR's highest priority as reflected in its motto - Semper Preparate (Always Prepared). SOCEUR sustains its unique capabilities to respond to a full spectrum of crisis - from trans-national threats, through smaller scale events, to major war.

The JCOC members were split into two groups to experience and work with some of our Army and Navy Special Warfare Operators. My group went to the KD firing range first to use the same weapons the special forces use in combat. We were able to fire handguns, shotguns, specially designed rifles and automatic weapons like the M4, MP5 and others. We had a special warfare soldier or sailor with us at every station for a quick brief and then they let us fire away.

We then met with some of the special operations sailors from the Navy - Navy Seals - to see their equipment and spend some time talking to them about their experiences.

Our team was then driven to the large open area designed for Special Warfare Training. This is a huge forest area built with a driving area for convoy and on-road tactical training and at least one area of buildings designed for assault practice.

We were taken to these buildings and escorted several stories high in one of them so we could listen to a presentation about the Special Warfare capabilities and to observe an assault or " Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain (MOUT) Demonstration. The assault was to be conducted by three special operations squads on two different buildings at the same time. One building had an armed enemy guard.

As we watched, the rain started to come down but that won't stop this type of operation. We observed two workmen and a work truck parked on the road next to the closest building that was to be assaulted - the one with the armed guard.

In the distance we observed one special ops squad come out of the forest and surround the far building to be assaulted. Since the squad was in sight of the workmen, it became obvious to us that the workmen were also special ops. As the distant squad approached the house, the two workmen approached the guard and engaged him in conversation. At that time an explosion went off at the distant house drawing my attention. I looked back to the close house and saw that the guard was down - taken out by the two special ops soldiers. Another squad exited the forest and entered the close building after another explosion to breach the door - or stun the residents. As both squads entered the buildings, two heavily armed Humvees came up the road to provide support and cover fire for both special ops squads. And, as fast as they entered, they exited having completed their assignment and jumped on the Humvees for a quick exit from the scene.

This all took just a minute or so.

We were then given the opportunity to meet each of the special ops soldiers that conducted the assault. Each was a bright professional soldier who had completed many years of training to qualify for special ops. The entire group had just returned from Iraq where they had conducted more than 100 missions. One of the NCOs I spoke with pointed out a friend who had been wounded by a hand grenade. An insurgent had been killed. As the soldier approached the insurgent, a hand grenade fell out of the dead mans hand exploding. His body armor saved his life but he got shrapnel in his leg. He went to the hospital but returned to his squad within three weeks.

One of my JCOC colleagues asked him if it was true that things were slowing down in Iraq. The soldier smiled and said, "not where they send us."

We all went back to the KD Range to have lunch at the "Garden of Eden." This is a restaurant that is used by the special ops group for meals and parties. The photographs and notes hanging on the wall had a lot of special warfare history.

I spoke to one NCO at lunch about HALO parachute jumping. HALO stands for "high altitude - low opening." He gave me a detailed explanation and told me of his highest jump - from almost 25,000 feet. Of course he had to pre-breathe oxygen and carry oxygen along with all of his other equipment. In this jump, he opened his chute at 18,000 feet so he could fly the parachute twelve miles to a landing zone - silently. Using timing, proper altitude and good flying with precise navigation, he came through the clouds at about 5,000 feet and the landing zone was directly ahead. Amazing!

We then went to a high security windowless building - the EUCOM Operations Center for a briefing by BGen Mark Brilakis. Everything in the Operations Center was "sanitized" so no sensitive information was shared. The briefing was excellent and a description of activities and the people who staff the center 24-hours a day was also excellent.

We went back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then went out to our last dinner. We were hosted by General Bantz J. Craddock, U.S. Army - Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, United States European Command. He is also the NATO Commander - a position the United States has always held. By the way, the Supreme Allied Commander is the same position General Eisenhower held during World War II.

General Craddock was joined by several other Generals, Colonels and high ranking civilian staff from the command.

The dinner was held at the Castle Schloss Weitenberg. The castle is operated by the owner as a hotel and restaurant. The current owner, Max-Richard Baron von Rassler met us and thanked us for coming. He told us we helped maintain the castle.

The castle was originally built in 1062 and purchased by the Baron's ancestors in 1720. The family has owned it since that time. In 1954, the hotel and restaurant was developed to help fund the maintenance of the castle.

The dinner was wonderful - many comments from General Craddock, Air Force BGEN David Cotton who joined us for this trip and members from each team to give the audience some idea of our take-aways.

The short presentations were excellent - all teams believed the highlight of the trip was meeting our service personnel - soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, coastguardsmen, NCOs, officers and general officers - all volunteers and all committed to keeping us free and safe. There were comments about the technology used by the services, the cooperation between the different service branches and other affiliated agencies. There were comments about how patriotism grew this week.

But it all came back to the people - and I remembered what Staff Sergeant Edward Mosley told me yesterday when I asked him what we could do for him and his colleagues. He did not ask for more money, more time off or more technology or equipment - he just said,

"Don't forget us."

Thank you DOD and EUCOM and to all of you who will be standing watch tonight - and tomorrow..........

Guest Blog Post - Capt. Christian Hodge

2008-09-28T08:20:00.001-04:00

Tuesday - U.S. Air Forces Europe

“One more day down, another closer to Air Force day,” is what I told some JCOC participants as we wrapped up Navy and Coast Guard days. Those days were fantastic, of course, but I knew we had a pretty cool day in store for the folks on Mildenhall and Lakenheath Air Bases in the UK. I’d told the participants Air Force today would be the best day!

After we landed and disembarked from the C-17 we entered the PAX terminal and met General Hunt from U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE), and the Wing Commander and Vice Wing Commander from Mildenhall and Lakenheath, respectively. We were then treated to a mini airshow, showcasing some of the weapons systems and capabilities of USAFE. Special Tactics Squadron members parachuted in, F-15s, F-16s, A-10s flew overhead and simulated dropping ordnance, and a C-130 did a tactical landing and quick pick-up of troops on the ground.

After the airshow General Hunt gave a robust briefing on all things USAFE. The guests were impressed by this tough and intelligent man, and personally I think he’d make a fine Army or Marine general or Navy Admiral (but thankfully he’s Air Force). After the briefing we had lunch with Airmen in the chow hall (dining facility), which was one of the highlights of the day. The JCOC participants were impressed with how bright and squared away America’s young Airmen are.

After lunch we went to a flightline hangar and after breaking into teams were privy to a carefully orchestrated display that showed weapons loading, an IED removing robot, Special Ops (with cool guns), a jet engine, fighter jet simulators and a KC-135 tanker. However it was the two awesome and impressive F-15s in the hangar that stole the show. Seeing the aircraft close-up, loaded to bear, huge-sleek-and-deadly, is what I feel had the most impact on the guests. Many were able to get into the cockpits and speak with the pilots, and witnessed firsthand why the U.S. Air Force is the world’s premier air, space and cyberspace force.

The evening concluded with dinner at the great hall in St Johns college in Cambridge. The food was surprisingly not-bad (for British food), but the atmosphere, camaraderie and spirits (St John’s beer) were definitely fantastic. General Hunt was presented a gift on behalf of JCOC 76, and as we wrapped up the night I did indeed have many JCOC participants come up and tell me that today, Air Force day, was their best day!

Guest Blog Post - G. Bradford Bulkley

2008-09-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

An impression...

A glaring irony strikes me as we go from location to location on this trip. It is the fact that as we greet the troops and they act impressed w our group's corporate titles and credentials, what they don't realize is that we are the ones who are truly in awe of them. Our men and women of the armed forces are very impressive, from their leadership, teamwork, to their visible unbreakable spirit even in the face of danger. You can read about them in books or the press, but I've now seen the "real" armed forces and met the best of the best. They are the men and women of our armed forces.

Guest Blog Post - W. Allen Morris

2008-09-28T07:55:00.000-04:00

JCOC-Report #5 (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference)

Yesterday was a Looong, but good Day! I'm even getting used to "reporting with baggage at 5:30AM"!

By 8:30AM we had flown 3 hours, arriving at Mildenhall Royal Air Force & US Air Force Base.

They put me back in the Cockpit of the C-17 Globemaster III Transport,
and it's beginning to feel quite comfortable...I just LOVE the smell of Jet Fuel in the Morning! (0;

Forgive the pilot in me, but I am so impressed with the versatility & performance of this plane which can cruise for 13 hours at 450kts, carry an M1 Tank or 3 helicopters (often it's Air Force One Helo!) or 200 para troopers and land in 2,500' on a dirt strip...like my little PC-12!!! Incredible!!

I now know that heaven for a pilot is a Full Day Indoctrination at a US Air Force Base! But the Air Force does one heck of a lot more than fly planes!

As soon as we landed they initiated a simulated assault by the USAF Special Tactical Squadron (STS) to take and capture a hostile major airport. As the STS Paratroopers dropped from the sky, an infiltration team arrived on ATVs/motorcycles with electronic gear to orchestrate the Air Assault, orchestrating:
- F-16 Strike Eagles delivering Laser & GPS guided Smart Bombs
- A-10 Warthogs w 20mm cannon attacks against enemy vehicles
- a Tactical Assault Landing (read VERY steep approach!) of a C-130 to load up & evacuate all personnel & vehicles!
- an F-15 squadron in low level formation with their KC-135 Refueling Tanker

Then on to a broad-view briefing of the Far Reaching Activities of our Air Force European Command by Major General James Hunt, USAF, Director Air & Space Operations Europe... Which has also included Africa!

I furthered my love affair with the F-15, climbing all over, on top of & under & inside with her pilots! They even let me fly the F-16 360 simulator against surface to Air Missile Attacks!! I tried to escape from the group to take up residence in the Simulator Center... But they found me!! (0;

Nuggets:
#1. USAF has transported 55,500 patients out of Iraq & Afghanistan!

#2. Our Air Force trains & helps emerging nations: Romania, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine... and provided troop transport for
African Nation Peacekeepers (not US soldiers) in Darfur, who did not have transport capabilities!

#3. Our fleet of A-10s & F-16s are avg 35 & 25 years old!!! Older than the pilots who fly them!

Big smile on my face today!! (0;

More tomorrow,

Allen
PS. The STS has the BEST Hi-Tech Toys!!

Guest Blog Post - W. Allen Morris

2008-09-28T07:54:00.000-04:00

JCOC-Report #4 (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference)

How do you follow something as dramatic as the USS Iwo Jima? We all thought a Coast Guard Cutter could not compare! It did!

I had lunch & dinner yesterday with Captain Bob Wagner of the USCG Cutter Dallas at the US Naval Base in Rota, Spain, near Gibraltar, headed back FROM 4 months in the Black Sea!

We actually have 6 US Coast Guard Cutters currently in the Persian Gulf tasked to the Navy, supporting our troops.

The 378ft USCGC Dallas was loaded with Humanitarian Relief Supplies for Georgia. The first time a US War Ship has ever visited some of these ports in Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey & Ukraine. Many of these countries are anxious to qualify for membership in NATO and the people Love America, especially after generations of Soviet domination!

They also visited ports training local Coast Guards/Navys in the Gulf of Guinea, an area on the west coast of Africa, where countries are asking for help to protect their Maritime borders against massive oil theft and active piracy.

They have been the visible presence of The United States in a very positive way promoting good will & teaching Maritime Law Enforcement in these important places.

We all felt this was every bit as important, though very different, than the combat capabilities of The Iwo Jima.

I especially liked driving their high speed (50mph), inflatable, long range, 5-man, intercept boat OTH (Over the Horizon)! And handling their 25 Caliber machine gun & 50mm guns used to shoot out the engines of belligerent ships!

I do always love the toys! (0;

Nugget:
#1. The US Coast Guard, with it's 252 Cutters, would make it the 7th Largest Navy in the World!

#2. 18% of America's oil comes from the Gulf of Guinea!! Seriously Important! Go look at your map!

#3. Average Age on the Cutter Dallas...23 years old! Wow!

More tomorrow from Mildenhall Air Force Base in England!!!

Allen

Guest Blog Post - W. Allen Morris

2008-09-28T07:53:00.002-04:00

JCOC Report #3 (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference)

Greetings from Naval Air Station, Rota, Spain, near Gibraltar!

On Sunday, we flew out in a formation of 6 UH-46 Helicopters & landed on the USS Iwo Jima Marine Assault Aircraft Carrier in the Aegean Sea north of Crete.

The Iwo Jima has a population of 3,000 Sailors & Marines running a huge ship, an airport, a truck depot, a boat yard, maintenance and repair facilities and a fully staffed hospital with doctors & nurses and 4 operating rooms.

The ship has transport & attack helicopters, Harrier Jump Jets, 3 huge Hovercraft assault ships for beach landings, armored humvees, trucks, and all manner of weapons, missiles, and defense systems all to support the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

I met and had lunch with lots of the sailors, marines & pilots.

I learned how to load, aim and fire the Humvee-mounted Tow Anti-tank missile, the shoulder-mounted MK135 missile w Thermal sights, the new 240 machine gun 7,62mm. And a very long briefing on the mechanics & capabilities of the Harrier Jet. (0;

The put on quite a show of precision airmanship and seamanship and marine deployment from the Helos! Impressive!

This whole floating city, airport, industrial plant is run by some
very impressive sailors & marines with huge responsibilities.

Average age on board the Iwo Jima?

22 years old!!! Some as young as 17.

And all of them are capable professionals, anxious to get in to help our troops & the citizens in Afghanistan!

To say I am impressed is an understatement. I am so proud & grateful for what these young men & women are doing to serve our country & the citizens we are liberating from Taliban oppression!

One nugget:
Since we liberated Afghanistan, 68% of the girls/women now have an Education available to them for the first time!.

Next stop the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas!

More later,

Allen

Guest Blog Post - W. Allen Morris

2008-09-28T07:53:00.001-04:00

JCOC Report #2 (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference)

Wow! I feel there is so much I would like to tell you, but don't want to overwhelm you with words...

Our group includes CEOs, University Presidents, judges, top corporate execs. Very interesting people...

I am at Souda Bay US Naval Base on Island of Crete...great olives, stuffed grape leaves & baklava!

Pentagon Briefing-DoD has 2.5million employees. Including 2.1 million in uniform!

Biggest changes: organizing new US Command for Africa, preparing for change of Administration in time of war. First time change of US Administration in time of war in 30 years. Observer who has been thru 8 changes of Admin said the best one was "ugly"! Preparing budgets, recommendations for whoever new admin will be...

New Pentagon 9/11 memorial is very creative, powerful, touching & respectful. Don't miss it, next time in Washington.

Briefing last night by Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander US Naval Forces Europe. Headed US Humanitarian Mission to Georgia. Behind the Scenes: We parked US C -17 on Georgia Airfield, to keep Russians from bombing field! Russians broke into shipping crate at Georgian port and stole 5 US Humvees, calling it "trophies of war".

Taking off on helos for Marine Carrier USS LHD Iwo Jima.

More later...

Allen

Guest Blog Post - W. Allen Morris

2008-09-28T07:50:00.001-04:00

JCOC Report #1 (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference)

Sept. 19, 2008

I am very excited to have been selected for the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference of the US Secretary of Defense.

47 of us from around the country are at the Pentagon for a briefing from the Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, and the Joint chiefs.

Our destinations this week have been classified until this morning. I just learned that we will be flown out tonight on a C-17 transport to a Marine Helo Carrier off the coast of Greece, then US bases in Spain, England, and US European Command HQ in Stuttgart, Germany, before we return next Friday!!

I'll keep you posted, in case you're interested, when I can get a cell signal, in the days ahead.

Allen (0;

Guest Blog Post - Bill Leighty

2008-09-28T07:10:00.001-04:00

JCOC Day 5

We started early today; our wake up call was at 05:00. Despite the early time, the JCOC members began gathering in the hotel lobby almost a half hour earlier than requested because everyone remains excited about each day.

We left Spain on schedule for a three hour and forty minute flight aboard the same C-17 that has been with us throughout the trip. Our destination: Royal Air Force Base, Mildenhall, Cambridge, UK.

There was something different about boarding for today's flight. Unlike previous flights, each seat had an "air sickness" bag on it. We took this as a sign of bad weather ahead. As we approached the UK, the pilot came back to our seating area to explain to us that they were going to do some training on the approach and landing. He said they were going to execute a "tactical descent," demonstrating how they drop down from 33,000 feet to 10,000 ft in about two minutes. (If you do the calculation that is speeding toward earth at 185 miles an hour) This is done to avoid enemy fire in hostile zones. He also stated that our landing would be an "assault landing" to demonstrate how quickly they can land and get off the runway. He said it would be like a "theme" park ride.....just with no windows.

He went back to the flight deck and initiated the maneuvers. To drop out of the sky so quickly, they reverse two of the four engines (normally they reverse all four, but with such precious cargo on board they were being conservative). The first sensation is the shuddering of the entire plane as the two massive engines reverse. The shuddering is strong enough to capture your full attention but then you suddenly realize your stomach has moved way up in your throat. The sensation is like the first hill on a roller coaster, except it lasts about two minutes.

Upon arrival, we were briefed by Major General Hunt, Director of Air and Space Operations, US Air Forces, Europe (USAFE). General Hunt gave an engaging briefing about the history and strategic vision of USAFE (U-Saw-fee). Following our briefing we observed training exercises here on base. Airmen of the Special Tactics Squadron (STS) of the 352nd Special Operations Group (SOG) parachuted onto the field in front of us to secure this "hostile" airfield. Additional airmen arrived on ATVs and motorcycles with special weapons and laser guided targeting equipment. Airstrikes, composed of F-15 Eagles and A-10 Thunderbolts dropped simulated bombs with real explosions in front of us. Once the "enemy" was suppressed and the area secured, we saw a KC-135 refueling four F-15 Eagles. Finally a C-130 flew in, demonstrating its ability to land in a 1,000 yard landing area. The KC-130 picked up the STS and flew off.

We had lunch with Airmen and Airwomen at the chow hall. Once again we were amazed at the stories they tell of the reasons they join and stay. I met Airman Kenny Cotton from Minnesota, who has been selected to be "Airman" of the quarter this next quarter. Airman Cotton implemented an innovative way of mapping every building on the base; locating hazardous materials so that firefighters can know in advance of arriving on scene.

After lunch we went to RAF Air base Lakenheath for a series of demonstrations including weapons loading of F-15 Eagles. We were able to climb in the refueler's station of a KC-135 Tanker and sit in the cockpit of the F-15 Eagle (both the C and E models).

We received briefings on the F-15 Pratt and Whitney 229 engines, chatted with special operations (SOG) airmen, with hands on displays of their weapons. Of special note were the displays and descriptions of their drone and Predator operations.

We also had demonstrations on the use of the "Military Working Dogs" used for security and explosive location. The Explosive Ordinance Detection Unit demonstrated how they disarm bombs once found, and we were given an opportunity to don this fashionable gear.

Finally each of us was given an opportunity to fly an F-15.

Ok so it was in a simulator. But it might as well have been the real thing because the feeling was just as intense for us. My assessment? I have no idea how the pilots can do all of that stuff at once, especially when they started shooting missiles at me. The trainer said I did really well. When I crashed the impact only drove me 1,500 into the ground. I got really good at rolls and loops. I never realized that these techniques help the plane gain an advantage in a dog fight by dramatically changing the operational air speeds of the plane. I always though all that looping and spinning was to dodge bullets an missiles. As "simulated" as this experience was, the wozziness and wabbling I did walking back to the bus was real.

We ended the day exhausted. But yet we had to eat! Dinner was at St John's Hall at St John College of Cambridge University. The Hall, like the great dining hall in Harry Potter, was impressive. After only one meal there I immediately felt much smarter.

Finally we had to visit an English pub despite our fatigue. But not just any pub. We visited the oldest pub in Cambridge. Established in 1799, the Eagle is where the crew of the "Memphis Bell" hung out. The pilot's signature is on the wall under glass. The crew's names are written on the ceiling from the flames of their "zippo" lighters.

Now really exhausted we went to bed. Tomorrow will come early and I am sure the organizers have planned a bang up day for us!

Cheers, Bill

Guest Blog Post - LTJG Ryan White, USCG

2008-09-23T19:31:00.005-04:00

Day Four came a little faster than we expected. After the 6:45 AM bag staging we had breakfast. The bags were being moved to the C-17 ahead of time so the plane would be ready to go upon arrival of the group. We had been notified the night before that we would be experiencing strong headwinds and the pilots wanted to get a jump on the flight so our arrival to Naval Station Rota, Spain would be nearly on time.

Three short hours later, our C-17 touched down. We were met by the base commanding officer, Captain Mosk, USCGC DALLAS commanding officer, Captain Robert Wagner, and USCGC DALLAS executive officer, Commander Bob Hendrickson. We were taken to a conference room where we received welcoming remarks from Captain Mosk. Captain Wagner proceeded to give the Coast Guard 101 brief, followed by a recap of their past 4.5 month patrol.

USCGC DALLAS was completing a patrol of the African coast and Mediterranean Sea when Russia invaded Georgia. Tripoli, Libya was DALLAS’ next port call however they were diverted to Souda Bay, Greece to receive humanitarian aid supplies for Georgia.

Once we were aboard, and despite the scattered rain showers, the crew energetically answered questions during a lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers with fries on the flight deck.

After lunch the groups were split into four groups, each group rotating to various stations located throughout the cutter. One group remained on the flight deck to receive law enforcement training from members of the DALLAS crew. JCOC members used a padded baton after being instructed by crew members on where to strike the instructor to compel compliance.

Another group could be found on the forecastle of DALLAS receiving instructions on damage control procedures and training. Some JCOC members could be found on the pier with the cutter rescue swimmer, learning how to heave lines and about the various pieces of equipment that a cutter rescue swimmer maintains.

The most popular station (so popular that Sky Dayton did it twice) was the Over-the-horizon (OTH) boat ride in the harbor. At this station people were given high speed rides, quick turns and precision handling. Never did the OTH return with a quiet boatload.

As the Coast Guard day came to an end it became very clear that the members of JCOC 76 had learned quite a bit about the smallest branch of the US military. They were given the chance to speak to other “Coasties” and had discovered their great sense of pride and satisfaction in a job that needs to be done.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ryan White
United States Coast Guard

Guest Blog Post - Chris Van Gorder

2008-09-23T19:24:00.010-04:00

Today we were up very early to fly from Rota Naval Base, Spain to Royal Air Forces Mildenhall in Great Britain and Royal Air Forces Lakenheath.  We will stay in Cambridge tonight.

Our U.S. Air Force day started even before we landed.  Our C-17 flight crew decided to demonstrate a "modified assault landing" - the same type of landing required in combat situations - the same type of landing used in Iraq.

The safest place to avoid being shot at or shot down is right above the airport or air base.  As a result, during this combat landing maneuver, the C-17 makes a rapid descent over the airport by making tight turns and dropping altitude quickly - we were told it is a 180 mph descent dropping from about 30,000 ft to 10,000 feet in a matter of a few seconds.  We were prepared by the crew and all loose material secured so it would not fly around the cabin during the maneuver.  We were also well secured with our seat belts.  The Crew Chief/Loadmaster, gave us a warning and then. As the maneuver started, turned the cabin lights from white to combat red and down we went.  It was steep and noisy but easy to tell that this was a maneuver our crew had well in hand.  The lights in the cabin were turned from red to green as we got to our proper altitude.  The second step would have had us drop right down to the runway but British air traffic controllers would not let our crew proceed with the second step due to weather.  Instead, we made a short runway landing which required full reverse on the jet engines and heavy breaking when we touched down - and our huge C-17 stopped on the landing in about 1,000 ft.  This was an amazing demonstration of flying, tactics and it was great fun for us too - roller-coaster in the sky.

After we got off the aircraft at Mildenhall, we were met by Col. Eden Murrie - Commander of the base and her Vice Commander, Col. Scott Brumbaugh.

The weather was heavy overcast but we were told it was the best weather the base had seen in several days.  The command planned an air show for the JCOC but had not been able to practice due to very poor weather yesterday.  Nevertheless, the demonstration went on.

We were taken to an observation deck above the base air terminal and the show began.  We saw a KC-130 fly by in a simulated refueling of several F-15 strike fighters.  We also saw the Air Force Special Operations team attack the airfield on their quads and motorcycles in a simulated attack coordinated with the special operations team that parachuted out of a C-130.  This Special Ops unit coordinated with the assault team on the ground and the supporting F-15s and A-10 Warthogs.  The ground assault called in support from the aircraft and they did their jobs.

When the demonstration was complete, our Air Forces Europe Briefing was conducted by Major General James Hunt - Director of Air and Space Operations USAFE.  General Hunt made an excellent historical and detailed presentation regarding the history of USAFE and current activities.  He also discussed NATO and the desire of former Soviet Bloc nations wanting admission to NATO.  He told us of a member of the Polish government who commented at a reception the General attended  - "We have been waiting for you for 40 years - don't ever leave us again."

The Air Force staff we saw today was generous with their time and with many of their resources.  The rest of the day was spent watching a weapons load demonstration (wow, do those airman do that fast - but with precision); F-15 engine display; KC-130 display with the same pilots that flew the demonstration in the morning; a visit with F-15 pilots and their aircraft; explosive ordinance detection unit; Special Tactics Unit; Military working dog demonstration and a chance to fly an F-15 in a simulator (yes, quite a highlight).

We also had lunch with Air Force officers and enlisted personnel.  I was able to share lunch with Senior Airman Keith Garrie.  Keith is an Air Policeman, loves his job and had nothing but positives to share about his military experiences.

The day concluded with a dinner at 500 year-old St. John's College in Cambridge.  Beautiful and historical.

To cap my day off, I was able to meet and have dinner at St. John's College with Colonel Kenneth McDonnell, M.D. - Commander of the 48th Medical Group.  The 48th Medical Group is called the "Liberty Medics."  Given what we both do for a living we had a wonderful discussion of challenges and opportunities with Air Force medicine and private sector medicine.  As I left for the evening, Col. McDonnell gave me one of his personal "challenge coins."  Many of you will know what that means.

Tomorrow - up again very early for a flight in a C-130 for a day with the U.S. Army Europe.

Until next time -

Chris

Guest Blog Post - Bill Leighty

2008-09-23T19:22:00.000-04:00

Day 4 began early with a wake up call at 05:45

We had breakfast and proceeded to NSA Souda Bay where we said our goodbyes to Captain Thomas McDonough, our host for the last two days. Captain McDonough, a "hollywood handsome" Bostonian with a resume that would make any fortune 500 CEO envious,  commands the 500 men and women of NSA Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. The base at Souda Bay is a US facility, but it is also a NATO Base and a Greek Air Force Base. Stop and think about the that complexity and the international relations these men and women must handle just to conduct routine daily operations. Nearly 150 of the compliment here are security personnel.

We flew almost due East in our C17 Globemaster with Europe on our right and Africa on our left.  Rota Spain was our destination. The route took us over Mt Aetna on the island of Sicily, clearly visible and smoking below. The
Mediterranean Sea below resembled an interstate highway more than a sea. The maritime traffic was dense and it was a perfect foreshadowing of the day to come.  As we approached Spain we passed over the Straits of
Gibraltar, with the Rock of Gibraltar clearly visible to our right and the vastness of Africa on our left.

While in flight, I had a chance to talk to the "Loadmaster" of the plane. Master Sargeant Darryl Brown, at my request, he briefed me on the operational characteristics of the C17. At 3/4s the size of the C5 it is far more versatile. If you need to haul a tank, a helicopter or a fire truck anywhere in the world, the men and women of the 701st Airlift Wing out of Charleston South Carolina are your "go to" people. MSgt Brown showed me a video of the team in action. Another notable facet of the mission of the Air Force is the humanitarian missions they fly. Flying mine rescue equipment to disasters for example.

We landed at Naval Air Station Rota, Spain and were met by the Commanding Officer, Captain William Mosk. We proceeded to a briefing by Captain Robert Wagner of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Dallas. Most of us were surprised to see a Coast Guard Cutter in the European theater, but Captain Wagner's briefing quickly informed us that it is not all that unusual. The briefing, which began with the strategic plan and operational strategies of the Coast Guard, was a real education for those of us who traditionally think of the Coast Guard as a rescue organization.

Aboard the 185 foot USCGC Dallas, we received demonstrations and briefing from members of the 178 person crew. These young "coasties" demonstrated the weaponry of the Dallas, the damage control procedures, self defense training used while boarding vessels, swimmer rescue overviews  and zodiac boat rides.

For me, handling the fire hose and spraying the adjacent pier was a highlight, for many others the "over the horizon zodiac boat" ride was the favorite. These boats are named for their ability to both see and operate beyond the horizon of the tendership.

The men and women of the USCGC Dallas are amazingly dedicated. Each was eager to tell their story. Each had more than one job. But it was clear from their enthusiasm that they don't consider the myriad responsibilities jobs at all, but opportunities to learn new things and take on greater responsibilities.

We ended our day with a dinner on the beach at our hotel, the Elba. The talk at dinner was about how impressive the Coast Guard day had been.

Buenas Noches, Bill

Enforcement

2008-09-23T19:17:00.002-04:00

While learning about the US Coast Guard from the crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Dallas during a port call in Rota, Spain, some JCOC76 participants also learned some of the law enforcement techniques employed by the Coast Guardsmen.

Boat Ride

2008-09-23T19:12:00.006-04:00

The high point of many of the JCOC76 participants day with the US Coast Guard was when they were given the opportunity to pilot one of the Coast Guard high speed inflatable boats.

Rescue Line demonstration

2008-09-23T19:00:00.003-04:00

While visiting the US Coast Guard Cutter DALLAS in Rota, Spain, JCOC 76 participants were given the opportunity to learn to throw rescue lines just line the members of the Coast Guard do... with varying degrees of success.

Inflight entertainment

2008-09-23T18:51:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, during longer flights, the staff must resort to extreme measures to entertain participants.

Guest Blog Post - Chris Van Gorder

2008-09-22T16:52:00.002-04:00

Friends,

I promised an update this evening.

Upon arrival at Rota Naval Base in Spain (south east of Spain) this afternoon our JCOC group was taken to visit the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas which was docked at the port after a several month deployment to the coast of west Africa, the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The Dallas is an older Cutter having been commissioned in 1967 at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. A 40 year old warship does not have all of the latest technology and equipment but the crew was proud of their ship and its accomplishments on this cruise. The Dallas is leaving Spain on Wednesday heading home to Charleston, South Carolina but according to its Captain, the Dallas will go back to sea about ten weeks after it arrives home. We don't have very many of these large cutters in the Coast Guard today so they are used constantly.

The Dallas is commanded by Captain Robert Wagner. He is the 23rd commander of the ship. He told us there is only room for one more Captain's name on the plaque in the ship and he does not know what they will do if the Dallas has more than one more Captain in its career (joking, of course). Captain Wagner stated that the Dallas will be in commission for about 5 - 10 more years before it is replaced.

The Dallas is the sixth cutter to bear the name of Alexander Dallas, the Secretary of the Treasury under President James Madison. I know what you were thinking - you thought it was named after the City of Dallas - didn't you?

The Dallas has served well during its long life. It conducted seven combat patrols off the coast of Vietnam during the war. In 1980, the Dallas was the command ship during the Mariel Boatlift, during which 125,000 Cuban refugees set sail for the shore of Florida.

During this most recent cruise, the Dallas delivered over 76,000 pounds of supplies to the Republic of Georgia after the invasion by Russia. The arrival of a U.S. Flagged warship provided a much needed morale boost for the citizens of Georgia.

In June and July, the Dallas patrolled the Gulf of Guinea, West and Central Africa to work with those countries and to assist them in developing skills and capabilities to deal with drugs, piracy and human trafficking. The Dallas then continued its patrol with stops in Spain, Gibralter, Malta, Crete, Bulgaria,Turkey, Romania and of course, the Ukraine and Georgia.

The Dallas was well received by the government and citizens of Georgia. Captain Wagner told us a Russian Frigate came very close to the Dallas as it approached Georgia - and the Frigate had plenty of cameras on board checking out the Dallas' cargo which was placed on the rear flight deck. Fortunately, there was no trouble. This operation was called "Operation Assured Delivery" and after the mission was completed, there were more than 1.6 million Internet hits regarding the event - yes, it was noticed world-wide.

After the briefing, we broke into teams and toured the ship, participated in law enforcement drills, hopped into their fast boat that is used for rescues or by the law enforcement team for boarding. This craft can travel up to 50 miles per hour and can go about 300 miles on a single tank of fuel. It was raining during parts of our visit and that rain can sting when traveling fast in the small boat - but it was fun, nonetheless.

We also observed and participated in a fire/damage control demonstration among other activities.

The crew was in very good humor and realized they made some history on this cruise. They are heading home and are all excited.

Air Force General David Cotton who has joined us for this trip and Allison Barber - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (also on this trip) were piped aboard when we arrived and our entire JCOC were piped ashore when we left after an exciting day.

The adventure and experience continues.

Chris

Guest Blog Post - Bill Leighty

2008-09-22T16:39:00.002-04:00

Day 3

What we did today is going to be a hard day to describe because "awesome" just doesn't cut it.

We had a wonderful European style breakfast at the hotel and headed to Naval Support Activity Souda Bay where we were assigned into six different "sticks" and strapped into safety gear. Each "stick" was assigned to fly on a CH 46 Sea Knight helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima.

Because of the noise levels we followed the directions given to us by hand signals and loaded on the choppers. It was a busy trip because we were taking it all in as we flew in formation with our sister aircraft clearly visible on our flanks. Upon arriving on the Iwo we were greeted by the Commodore of the battle group, Brian Smith. We also met the Commanding Officer of the Iwo, Captain Robert P Irelan and the Commanding Officer of the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) 26, Colonel Desnes. A MEU is a force of about 2,200 - 2,400 battle ready Marines capable of quick reaction and projection into an operational area. The Iwo and the 26th MEU are here in the Mediterranean Sea for six months, just in case they are needed for rapid deployment anywhere in Europe, Africa or the Middle East.

Needless to say, for this old Marine it was quite an honor to be on the decks of the Iwo. She is relatively new to the Navy, (only 7 years old) and was designed from the ground up to do exactly what she does (what Marines specialize in): amphibious warfare. She houses an array of aircraft; helicopters and AV8 Harrier fighter jets. The deck was busy with flight operations and activities.

After a short briefing we headed to the "mess deck" and paired up with a Marine or Sailor for lunch. Since it was Sunday we had brunch. I sat with Lance Corporal Anthony Artis from Virginia. He told me about his role as a administrative specialist keeping the training rosters and records straight. Although trained as a supply clerk, he is enjoying this temporary assignment. Virtually everyone aboard has more than one occupation.

We went below decks to the "hold" to see how the combat support equipment is stored and prepared for deployment. To say the hold is packed tight would be an understatement.

We had a briefing in the hold and saw three LCACs. (Landing Craft, Air Cushioned). These landing craft are the only ships in the Navy with an entire crew that are all enlisted. The pride displayed by the crew was very evident. After briefing us on the statistics of the ship (It can carry 75 tons at speeds up to 50 knots and can move up to 200 miles inland in smooth terrain) our briefer was asked by one of the women in our group to tell us something about himself. His reply, " I am a cancer and I enjoy long walks on the beach....."

We proceeded to the hanger bay below decks for a series of briefings on the weapons carried by the MEU. We held, mounted and otherwise familiarized ourselves with a wide assortment of rather lethal weapons. Each weapon demonstration was manned by a team of Marines both helpful and knowledgeable about these weapon systems. My favorite; the MK (Mark) 19 grenade launcher. Capable of a sustained firing rate of 60 grenades a minute, the weapon is mounted atop a Humvee. When deployed side by side, two of these are capable of creating a complete "wall of steel shrapnel" because each grenade has a 5 meter "kill zone." The Mark 19 has a range of 1500 meters with a computer assisted targeting capability.

We observed an LCAC in operation and received a demonstration by Marines of a rapid rope decent to the deck of the hanger from a helicopter located on the flight deck. The display was damn impressive. When these professionals finished and took off their helmets you could see how remarkably young they are, yet with so much responsibility.

We returned topside for a hand to hand combat (martial arts) demo. All Marines now must receive this training. They demonstrated a wide variety of ways to incapacitate an opponent. Interestingly, for each hour of instruction a Marine receives on how to utilize these potentially lethal techniques, he (or she) is given four hours of instruction on when it is
appropriate to use such techniques and on respect for life. The goal is not to kill, but to gain the respect of your adversary so that the world knows that US Marines can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. So, from the design of the ship to the individual training of the troops, there is a huge awareness (and quite frankly pride) by all that while fighting is one option, humanitarian missions are a critical component of what today's military must do.

We then went to the vulture's nest, (a observation area just below the ship's bridge) were we observed launching of AV8 Harriers doing flight operations. They did vertical take off and landing procedures. Wow! We observed a Navy chopper rescue operation and had a final briefing in the ships wardroom by the officers.

We were just plain worn out but no less excited as we returned to our helicopters and headed back to Souda Bay. We had a traditional greek dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Mylos (the Mill) and called it a day. And what a day it was.

Tomorrow will be a surprisingly different day.

Yassou, Bill

Guest Blog Post - Chris Van Gorder

2008-09-22T16:01:00.000-04:00

Our JCOC flew in our C-17 Globemaster to Rota, Spain this morning. As usual, the team managing this week operated with expected military efficiency - nothing is left to chance. The JCOC participants have become very comfortable with each other and the schedule.

A lot of research material has been made available for us including several books with bios and descriptions of the countries, commands, ships and equipment we will see and visit. I will try to summarize some of the data during the next few days.

Spain - Spain and the United States have a long relationship. In addition to US and Spanish cooperation in NATO, defense and security relatiosnips are regulated by the 1989 Agreement on Defense Cooperation, revised in 2003. Under this agreement, Spain authorized the US to use certain facilities at Spanish military installations - the Naval Base at Rota, Spain is one of these bases.

After the terrorist attacks on the US on 9/11/2001, Spain became a key US ally in the fight against terrorism. Spain backed military action against the Taliban in Afghanistan and took a leadership role within the European Union in pushing for increased international cooperation on terrorism. The Spanish government, with a rotating UN Security Council seat, also supported intervention in Iraq.

Spain and the US also cooperate in other areas - NASA and the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) jointly operate the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex in support of Earth orbital and solar system exploration missions. The Madrid Complex is one of the three largest tracking and data acquisition complexes comprising NASA's Deep Space Network.

The area of the Kingdom of Spain is 194,884 square miles, including the Baleric and Canary islands; roughly the size of the states of Arizona and Utah combined. The population of its capital, Madrid is approximately 5.5 million.

Today we visit the our second of the United States Armed Services - the US Coast Guard at Naval Base, Rota.

The Coast Guard is one of the five Armed Forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. As the principle Federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and stewardship, the Coast Guard protects the economic and security interests of the United States including the maritime public, our natural and economic resources, global transportation system and the integrity of maritime borders.

Interesting facts:

* Coast Guard has 40,698 members - the smallest armed service.

* The Coast Guard traces its roots to the creation of the "System of Cutters" in 1790 and later the Revenue Cutter Service.

* Since its creation in 1790, the Coast Guard and its predecessors have been involved with every American war.

* The first naval shot of the Civil War was fired by the Revenue cutter Harriet Lane when it challenged the steamer Nashville with a shot across its bow.

* On an average day, the US Coast Guard saves 14 lives and assists 98 people in distress.

* On an average day it conducts 74 search and rescue missions (cases).

* On an average day it interdicts 17 illegal migrants at sea.

* On an average day it seizes or removes over 1,000 pounds of illegal drugs ($12.9M value).

* On an average day it escorts over 20 larger passenger vessels, military outload vessels, high interest vessels or vessels carrying especially hazardous cargo.

We have arrived in Rota, Spain - more later tonight.

Hope all is well back home.

Chris

Guest Blog Post - Chris Van Gorder

2008-09-22T15:53:00.002-04:00

Good evening (or morning or afternoon in California),

Today our JCOC is going to visit the USS Iwo Jima today just off the coast of Crete.

The USS Iwo Jima is one of the Navy's largest Amphibious Assault Ships which provides the Marine Corps with a means of ship-to-shore movement by helicopter in addition to movement by landing craft.

The Iwo Jima was launched on Feb 4th, 2000. The ship was accompanied on her maiden voyage by more than 2,000 World War II veterans, many of them survivors of the Battle of Iwo Jima on June 23rd, 2001.

Anyway, after our preparation, we were flown out to the amphibious assault ship in five Marine Corps CH-46 "Sea Knight" helicopters. Those of us in San Diego see that helicopter regularly - it is the tandem rotor (or banana) helicopter used to transport equipment, supplies and Marines (now JCOC members).

Our group was briefed, safety checked and given our helmets, goggles and life preservers before we left Souda Bay Naval Air Station. Our flight of five CH-46 helicopters taxied southbound on to the runway and then one-by-one, took to the sky in single file making a slow right turn to the north crossing over the airport and heading out to the USS Iwo Jima which was cruising about 25 miles off shore.

We had landed on the port or left side of the ship at the stern since we were the 5th of the five helicopters - all on the designated landing spot - precisely. When it was safe to exit the aircraft, the rear ramp was lowered and we exited to be met by a line of officers and sailors all making sure we walked exactly where we should. I could see they wondered who we were but nobody asked. As we walked around the "island" or main control tower on the ship, our safety gear was collected and we were met by the ships Captain, Capt. Robert Irelan, his Executive Officer and the Commodore of the squadron of ships. I apologize, but I did not get their names.

We were taken below to the Officers Mess and immediately broken up into groups for our day-long tours.

My group started with having breakfast/lunch with the enlisted crew, never mind that we had just finished breakfast before we left for the ship. But the breakfast was not important - meeting the Marines and sailors was. I sat with a young Marine Corp enlisted man - 20 years old just yesterday (about the age of my youngest son) - by the name of Mike Morales. He told me this was his first cruise. He also told me about his mother - a first generation immigrant from Colombia, who started work in the U.S. making $.67 per hour and now is a DEA Agent assigned to the Washington DC area. Mike told me how proud he was of his mother and how - after he re-enlists for a second tour of duty - he wants to follow in his mothers footsteps in the DEA.

He asked me what I did and I told him about my background and several others in the JCOC. Mike told me he was very impressed that this group would come and visit. I told him not to be - that we all came to see him and his buddies - to tell them how much we appreciated their commitment and sacrifice. I told him he was a hero in our eyes.

Our conversation continued until breakfast was over but before it ended, I asked him for his mothers e-mail address so I could send her a note to tell her that her son was well. He gave me the address and told me his mother would be surprised. I sent her a note a few minutes ago.

I think that was the highlight of the day for me and yet the day had just begun.

We toured the ship, saw "fast rope" rappel demonstrations my some very young - but well trained and disciplined Marines. We saw static displays of weapons, vehicles, aircraft; combat marshal arts, and the "well deck" where $24 million amphibious hover craft (the same kind we see up at Pendleton) were loaded up and ready to go to war - or rescue - if necessary.

We also saw a Marine Corps Harrier Jump Jet take-off (photo attached), fly by and demo along with a helicopter search and rescue (one of my favorites for obvious reasons) demonstration.

At the end of the day, we had the chance to purchase some gifts from the ship, met with the Captain and Commodore for a debrief, put our safety gear back on and headed back to Souda Bay. As we walked around the corner of the island to walk to our aircraft, the enlisted personnel were lined up for us to walk in between. They did a "piping ceremony" and saluted as each of us walked through. Quite an honor for a civilian guest of little importance. Like the rest of my colleagues, we just walked through mouthing thank you to each of the heroes paying us this honor.

I wish I could find a better way to honor them.

Chris

Tomorrow - off to Rota, Spain and the U.S. Coast Guard. Cvg

Day 3 - Aboard USS IWO JIMA

2008-09-21T16:54:00.006-04:00

While spending the day with the men and women embarked aboard USS IWO JIMA, the Marines of 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) provided the JCOC participants with a brief demonstration of hand-to-hand combat techniques.

You can watch the video here:

Guest Blog Post - Brigadier General David Cotton

2008-09-21T16:37:00.001-04:00

JCOC 76 - Day 1

Excited anticipation by the participants about the itinerary as they gathered and met each other for the first time…many were almost giddy at the prospects.

The participants have come from across the country, each with their individual talents and passion not only for what they do, but for adventure and exploration of the unknown. I find it interesting, and refreshing, this group of highly successful leaders who are used to being in the position of deciding and directing most of their day, would agree to participate in JCOC without knowing where they would be visiting on their trip.

After the “unveiling” of the itinerary the excitement remained with the unknown location replaced by the unknown adventure and opportunities at each location. To a person, each expressed in some way their acknowledgement the dedication in our force they shall experience in meeting our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.

Our soldier and Marine tour guides were excellent examples of the professionals in the force while they took the group on a tour of the Pentagon. Their knowledge of the DoD’s and nation’s history was appreciated. The visit to the 9/11 memorial inside the Pentagon, at the location of the aircraft’s impact point, was moving, with an understandable soberness and reverence to the time we spent there. However, for many, the most meaningful point of the day was the visit to the newly opened memorial on the grounds adjacent to the building, where the 184 people who lost their lives in the attack are memorialized.

Lieutenant General Jay Paxton, the Joint Staff Director of Operations (J3), provided an overview of all combatant command and how each relates in accomplishing the nation’s objectives.

After leaving the Pentagon we moved on to Andrews Air Force Base where the wing commander welcomed JCOC and thanked them for taking the time and showing the interest in meeting some of the military’s finest. The commander has only been in command for two weeks, having just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

At 9:30 pm we boarded our Charleston based C-17 Globemaster III for our flight to Souda Bay, Greece, on the island of Crete.

Brigadier General David Cotton
HQ USEUCOM/ECJ6

Guest Blog Post - Bill Leighty

2008-09-21T00:32:00.000-04:00

Day 2

At 14:23 local time (that is 2:23 in the afternoon local time and 8:23 am eastern time for you non military types) we arrived on the Island of Crete, Greece. Our landing field was Naval Support Activity Souda Bay. We arrived three hours ahead of schedule because we were able to skip refueling in the Azores (Portugal).

We had dinner in the hotel restaurant overlooking the beach on the Sea of Crete (Southern Aegean Sea). Our speaker was Admiral (four star) Mark P. Fitzgerald.  He commands all naval activity in Europe and also has considerable responsibilities with NATO. His talk was detailed and very informative. While there are about 45 of us on the trip the dinner group was well over 80 people. Also with us were many of the sailors and airmen from NSA Souda Bay. The organizers of this trip are making a real effort to give those of us on the trip an opportunity to interact directly with the troops.

At one point one of the participants, a woman, asked a young Marine that is travelling with us, "How did get such a great assignment?" With the typical Marine strict straight faced posture he replied, "Well ma’am, the Marines are very particular about their image and for that reason alone they select only their most handsome Marines for these assignments!" He never smiled, leaving a definite punctuation mark that the statement must be true.

But talking to these young men and women is compelling. Their personal stories of what motivated them to join, and to stay, despite the demands placed upon them is inspiring to say the least. The level of responsibility they hold and the type of work they do at their amazingly young ages is mind boggling. In fact, the level of responsibility they hold is a common theme in why many of them have chosen to stay.  They understand that in the
private sector they never would be given the kind of opportunities to command and direct such large operations. Yet when they get out and come home, our society and our employers do not recognize, well enough, the tempered and tested value they bring to the table.

It is 4:30 am here and I am up and excited about the day before me. In fact my mind is spiraling upward at the prospect of what the day will bring.

Yassou,  Bill

Guest Blog Post - Bill Leighty

2008-09-21T00:04:00.005-04:00

Day 1

As many of you know, at the invitation of the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, I am attending the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC 76) this week. This program is a week long immersion into military operations. The program takes between 40 and 50 civilian leaders from across the country and uses this time to help the civilian world better understand the military world. On this trip there are mayors, judges, corporate CEOs, senior VPs and non profit leaders from all over country. And then there is me.

We are traveling to the European Command, EUCOM, and will be seeing firsthand how the military operates around the world. I will be sending out daily "travelogs" at the end of each day. Our future schedule is confidential for security reasons.

Day 1 began at the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City where we "inprocessed" our paperwork, received a briefing and learned about protocol and our itinerary.

We then went to the Pentagon as "special guests" at a parade on the Ceremonial Lawn of the Pentagon. This multi service (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine units marched) parade was commemorating our POWs/MIAs. It was a moving ceremony, punctuated with a flyover by both helicopter and fighter formations in a "missing man" formation; appropriate for this occasion. For those of you who don't know, the "missing man" formation leaves one aircraft out of the traditional four aircraft "wing" formation (between the second and fourth aircraft) to honor those who have died, been held prisoner or are still missing in action. This formation is not flown by the military lightly, it is a solemn event.

We were then personally greeted by Deputy Secretary of Defense, Gordon England. At 71 he made me a tad bit embarrassed to have retired at 55. His words, delivered with enthusiasm, energy and passion made me feel very good about the current leadership at the Department of Defense (DoD).

We then had a tour of the Pentagon which included an excellent lunch. The building houses 24,000 employees and has 17.5 miles of corridors. As magnificent as the building is, the 911 Pentagon Memorial can't really be described in words; it needs to be experienced.

The design and construction of the Memorial reflects a level of thoughtfulness and consideration that is extraordinary. There is a bench for each of the 184 victims from the Pentagon and from Flight 77. The first bench is for the youngest victim, a three year old baby on Flight 77. From there the benches, each with the name of a victim, array outward to the north, spaced according to the victims age. The benches commemorating victims from flight 77 point toward the Pentagon at the exact angle of incidence of the plane's impact. The Pentagon victim benches point away from the building. Each of us chose our own way of marking the visit to the memorial; the commonality among us was the silence.

We then boarded buses for Andrews Air Force Base. We have now learned to "count off" to speed up assessment of who is on board the bus before moving out. I never dreamed I would be doing that again!

We had dinner at the Andrews Air Force Base Country Club. Nice. But nicer still was the chance to sit with general officers of our country's military leadership and just chat.

At dinner. I found myself seated next to an Admiral in the Coast Guard. This old staff sargeant (me) was so stunned by the thought of sitting next to so much brass that I failed to get her name, but she spoke to an oil company executive at our table about petroluem production and distribution in a level of detail that displayed quite an expertise. Then she switched to talking to a judge about the differences in judicial and administrative systems in Florida and Texas. Next she conversed with a county commissioner from one of the fastest growing counties in the US about pandemic flu preparations for citizens and how to handle local responses. I was impressed.

At the time I am writing this I am 33,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. We are moving at 620 miles per hour with a 105 MPH tail wind (yes that is a hurricane force wind) and it is minus 56 degrees outside. I know these numbers because I just spent the last half hour with the pilot and co pilot on the flight deck.

They have told us where we will be are landing after our 11 hour and 40 minute flight. But I can't tell you until tomorrow.

Cheers, Bill

JCOC76 Begins!! Guest Blog Post - Allison Barber

2008-09-20T18:48:00.004-04:00

JCOC 76 is underway and so far, so good. The day at the Pentagon had moments of great reflection—beginning with a ceremony to honor POW/MIA’s and finishing with a tour through the new Pentagon Memorial that just opened on 9-11. The day also had some “cool” factor as we witnessed two flyovers and a military parade.

We heard from Deputy Secretary England, General Paxton and Bob Hastings. They shared their insights and overview of the work at the Pentagon and around the world. The thing they all had in common was jealousy. Each of them want to be on JCOC with us!!!!

After a day at the Pentagon—which included a lot of walking—(the Pentagon has 17 miles of hallway…we left our footprints on several miles!!!!!) We went to Andrews Air Force Base to have dinner and then we were on our way to the C-17 Globemaster III. Everyone was hoping for a seat in first class—once they got on the big cargo plane, they realized how lucky we were to actually just have seats!!! Not only do we have seats, we have cots. Thank heavens since we just flew 11 hours to Greece.

Not sure how people survived on JCOC before ipods and dvd players. Maybe they read!!! Kind of hard to do when you are so tired your head keeps falling off of your neck.

We are about to land so everyone is awake, drinking coffee, eating fruit and granola bars (notice the constant that every few hours, we are eating?) Trying to gear up for dinner…which is what we will do when we land in Greece. Due to the time difference, our bodies think it is morning but the clocks on the wall say it is dinner time. Oh well, we will work off all of the calories when we hang out with the Marines!!!

The JCOC participants are terrific. Great energy, enthusiasm and curiosity!!! It is going to be a great week…

Following a 45 minute drive through some Greek villages right off of a postcard, we have arrived at our hotel. And, like clockwork, room keys were distributed and bags either picked up or delivered very quickly. Our earlier than planned arrival here afforded everyone an opportunity to freshen up before dinner. More than one person was very grateful for that extra time.

The highlight at dinner (not counting the fantastic Greek cuisine) was having the opportunity to listen to Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces in Europe and Commander of NATO's Southern Command. He kept everyone engaged as he described the range of his responsibilities. Our time with him went by entirely too fast and we soon had to say "good night" to him and begin moving to our lodgings for the night. As usual, there's just not enough hours in the day. But, tomorrow is going to be a great day with the Navy!

Allison Barber

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

Guest Blog Post - Dirk Beveridge

2008-04-28T01:20:00.003-04:00

When you think of the military it is easy to get caught up in the technology and power at its disposal. But what stood out most was the human element.

Our 8 day conference (JCOC 75) having visited troops at Guantanamo Bay, USS George Washington, Tolemaida & Cartagena Colombia, San Cano Honduras, and Key West Florida was amazing. But the real amazement was in the hearts, and minds of the amazing and phenomenal people in uniform that we met and the goodness that flowed from everyone of them.

Those that we met are good! Intelligent! Professional! Honorable! Have purpose! Selfless! We could go on but suffice it to say they truly are the best of what we have!

The bottom line is that they are where they are for you and me. They are where they are for our families. They are where they are as Secretary England said - so that we can wake up in freedom rather than terror and chaos.

Upon return to the States I penned a note to two sons - one 11 and the other 9 - of a reservist I met at Guantanamo Bay. I believe this note captures the essence of every service man and woman we met throughout the conference:

Marcus & Thomas - I wanted to write you after meeting your father down at Guantanamo Bay. When he spoke of you both his eyes lit up with pride and love. He told me how precious the two of you are and I know he misses you so very much.

Your father is a very special man and I was honored to meet him. I think of the word "goodness" after talking to your dad. Many years from now - when you begin to raise your own family, I know that you will tell stories about how your dad was in the middle of history ... doing not what was easy, but what was right.

Your dad is making this world a better place to live.

Marcus and Thomas I know that it is not easy for you to be away from your father - from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the two of you for allowing your father to make a real difference in the world.

With the deepest respect,
Dirk Beveridge

Dirk Beveridge
President, 4th Generation Systems
800-BBS-IDEA
http://www.4thgenerationsystems.com/

We're Back! So Now What?

2008-04-26T15:04:00.004-04:00

I'm on the C-17 headed from Miami to Andrews Air Force Base.

So we've had our last event. It was our farewell dinner hosted by SOUTHCOM commander Admiral James Stavridis. A great event, with each of the JCOC teams giving summaries, thoughts, etc. Our conference senior representatives, Mr. Kevin Wensing (from Deputy Defense Secretary England's staff) and Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul M. Van Sickle (from SOUTHCOM staff) , also spoke. This was also a chance for many of us to see some of the photos captured from the week, expertly taken by our two conference Air Force photographers, Tech Sgt. Jerry Morrison and Master Sgt. Kevin Gruenwald.

So now what?

That was a constant question coming from so many of the JCOC participants themselves. And they WANT to do something with these experiences, for sure.

Without exception, the JCOCers spoke about how important the trip was and how they need to take this new knowledge and move forward. With so many ways one could think of taking further action, the imortant thing is to not be overwhelmed into paralysis and do nothing.

Many JCOCers plan to call the parents or spouses of service members they met along the way. Some talk of planning local military support activities, and others of doing humanitarian assistance themselves as JCOC alumni to further support what the military is doing. There were recurring comments that this was just the beginning. If that's the case, I ask each JCOC 75 member...

So now what?

My hope is that each participant in JCOC 75 gained a more clear picture of the myriad activities of their armed forces around the globe, maybe clearing up previously held misconceptions along the way. I'd love to see several (or ALL) of these great JCOC alums out in their communities speaking about what they have seen, experienced and learned.

This has been a stellar opportunity to continue to build on JCOC alumni and what they can do to further educate their own communities about the military -- based on their new-found direct experiences through JCOC.

Many participants departed from Miami, and the rest of us will soon be landing in the D.C. area to go our separate ways.

I can say I had a great time leading the Blue Team, getting to know them, as well as so many others from all our JCOC teams. Red Team, Green Team, Blue Team or White Team -- all the teams were full of superb leaders from around the nation. This was an energized group and we all learned a lot from our hosts throughout the SOUTHCOM area of focus. Thanx everyone!

I will continue to post any additional guest blog inputs from JCOCers as they send them to me.

And maybe we'll get a few lines of blog discussion along the way too!

Until then, as we say in the Navy. . .

Fair Winds and Following Seas,

Brook DeWalt
Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy
Blue Team Leader and Conference Blogger, JCOC 75

Guest Blog Post - Gail Werner-Robertson

2008-04-26T14:55:00.002-04:00

My favorite memory of JCOC 75 was my overnight stay on the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George Washington. Of course it was thrilling to see the night flight operations; but even more impressive were the many conversations we had with the crew. Every person, from the lowest ranking to the admiral, all showed tremendous pride in their mission.

Let it be clear, everyone knew what the mission was, how they contributed to the mission and the importance of what they were doing. It sounds trite, but these crew members really did exemplify the best of what this country has to offer. These special interactions gave me tremendous pride in not only my country but also the youth who are so proudly protecting our freedoms.

Gail Werner-Robertson, JCOC 75
Founder and CEO, GWR Wealth Management / Sunshine Autism Foundation
Omaha, Neb.

Guest Blog Post - Karen Johnson

2008-04-26T14:43:00.002-04:00

This has been an amazing trip. As a resident of Northern Virginia, I am aware of the military, but not fully familiar with its intricacies -- as a matter of fact, I had not toured the Pentagon until this trip, although I live near it, have run through its parking lot during several Marine Corps marathons and have had several friends who have worked there!

In short, I am stunned by the diverse role our military plays in the southern hemisphere. I am also extremely proud of the stability and support we are bringing to the countries we work with.

For instance, in Colombia we learned that a U.S. Army Ranger working with our Embassy raises money and collects clothes for an orphanage in a town several hours outside of Bogota -- this is in addition to the organized efforts of the military to assist those in need in-country.

We saw that unique American spirit at every stop -- men and women proud to be representing our nation thousands of miles away from their family and friends.

Nowhere was the American justice and humanity more evident than at GTMO. Isolated from the U.S. and prohibited from going into Cuba, at GTMO we met a dedicated and close knit group of soliders who are resposible for the care and detainment of suspected terrorists. At GTMO we were able to see the detainees and tour both the minimum and maximum security facilities where they are kept. Having personally viewed these facilities and met the people who guard and care for these detainees, I can say that they are extremely well cared for and that their living conditions are clean and comfortable. The men and women who guard these detainees have extremely stressful and high risk jobs. For instance, the maximum security facility is constantly being modified to protect guards from feces and other substances that the detainees "collect" and either throw on the guards or drop from one level of the facility to another. Guards names are not on their uniforms for fear that detainees will utilize their sources and do harm to the guards and/or their families.

There are so many aspects of this trip that I could highlight, as each stop was a fascinating experience.

I was one of the lucky few who was allowed to spend the night on the USS George Washington. After an exciting and exhausting day of touring the ship and watching a series on night takeoffs and landings, we finally made it to our berthing. I took the top bunk, and the gentle rock of the ship along with the soothing hum of the engines put me right to sleep! The men who traveled with us weren't so lucky. Their accomodations were a little more "luxurious" but they were beneath the flight deck. So while the women had purring engines, the men had a night full of chains being dropped and equipment moving overhead!

As I told my father in an e-mail the next day -- it was perhaps the best sleep I had had in a long time.

During our trip we flew on a C17 and a C130. I had always heard horror stories about military aircraft. Not true!!! I much prefer flying with the U.S. military over commercial any day! The crew was oustanding. Their dedication to safety beyond compare! Plus, on a military aircraft, you get to wander around and chat with friends, sleep on a cot, or even the floor! One of my seatmates would depart shortly after takeoff and find his bed -- which he created on the floor of the loading area!

I am especially pleased that we were able to visit SOUTHCOM -- the area of Central and South America so vital to the U.S. politically, economically and militarily. It was great to see America's leadership and partnerships at work.

General VanSickle and his staff are to be commended for their outstanding work on behalf of our nation. I am indeed lucky to have had these experiences and make new friendships.

Karen Johnson, JCOC 75
Senior Vice President, Valente & Associates
Alexandria, Virginia

Guest Blog Post - Meredith Iler

2008-04-26T14:36:00.002-04:00

The following text was e-mailed in by JCOC 75 participant Meredith Iler...

What started out as a gesture of gratitude to one of our heroes for serving our nation, ended up demonstrating just how small our world can be.

JCOC participant Meredith Iler was on a routine tour on base in Honduras when her “Red Team” entered the hospital facility to be briefed on Medivac procedures. Within minutes, Sgt, Stevan Crowder who worked in the facility but was not participating in the JCOC visit recognized her. He came up to her and asked “Are you the one with the foundation to build homes for our severely wounded heroes?” Meredith immediately replied yes since she chairs the HelpingaHero.org’s Wounded Hero Home Program. He then told her that she had given her first class seat to him when he deployed to Honduras a few months earlier.

Meredith remembered him vividly as that was the first time she had ever flown with an entire unit on a flight and had asked the Colonel in charge if it would be OK to give her seat to one of his team. With his permission, she gave her seat to Sgt. Crowder who was at the airport with his beautiful wife and 2 small children as tears streamed down all of their faces at the thought of being separated for the next 6 months.

Thanks to JCOC, the two have been reunited and were able to exchange contact information. They plan to get together in Oklahoma City with their spouses later this summer.

Meredith Iler, JCOC 75
President, Strategic Alliance
Cypress, Texas

Guest Blog Post - Hon. Terry Strle

2008-04-26T14:22:00.002-04:00

On Thursday I met an ER team member by the name of Bingham (not sure if he is a doc or of his rank). We met during the Mobile Surgical Team demonstration in Honduras. Bingham has just a short time left in Honduras, then he will be headed to Ft. Washington in Fairbanks, Alaska, where he will work in the ER at our new base hospital. How cool is that!!! He will arrive later this summer and he promised to look me up.

The longer we JCOC members are together as a group, the funnier we get. And while I like to think things are mostly about me (;-0), this is really about our men and women out on active duty and reserve military.

What an outstanding bunch of people. Mission driven, positive, polite and focused. It has been an honor to see them in their element.

Army Strong!

Terry Strle, JCOC 75
Mayor, City of Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska

Key West and the Coasties

2008-04-26T14:11:00.003-04:00

Thursday night we flew from Honduras to Key West. It was another late night arrival followed by another early morning wake-up call. After a great breakfast, although rushed as usual to keep on track with our very tight schedule, we took a quick bus ride to the headquarters of Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-South, or JIATF-S.

We received a brief from the task force's deputy director and intelligence operations director. This gave us deeper insight into the multitude of U.S. and foreign agencies working together to deter, identify, track, intercept and prosecute those who engage in the trafficking of illegal items or people into the United States and elsewhere. We were given great examples of how these efforts are indeed paying dividends. While there is no overnight answer, JCOCers left saying there's a need for continued determination and updates to policy to best facilitate success.

Upon our departure from JIATF-South, we stopped to look at a seized submersible vessel previouly used to move illicit items without detection. Again, the JCOC team was impressed with what they learned here.

The team then moved on to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West. After a group operations briefing, we gathered at the sea wall to witness a search and rescue demonstration. We then again broke into smaller teams for a more personalized, hands-on experience. We toured a medium endurance Coast Guard cutter, checked out USCG's ability to rapidly deploy communication assets in a time of crisis, spoke with Coasties assigned to their depolyable operations group (or DOG) and tactical law enforcement team (and just how great they are at disabling fast boats that need to be detained), participated in a use-of-force demonstration for non-compliant vessels (going fast and seeing their waterborne tactics), and learned about some of the latest biometrics technologies used to better identify and potentially track those folks detained by the Coast Guard.

It was another hot (and humid) day, but time passed quickly as all the JCOCers were so pleased with the level of access and what they were learning. This was an impressive day of events lined up for the JCOC participants.

Now back to the C-17 aircraft and another jaunt -- this time to Miami -- in advance of our JCOC 75 farewell reception and dinner! Of course, we have only a matter of minutes to get to our rooms, change, and get downstaitrs again! But that is the fast-paced schedule of JCOC! No "Hollywood Showers" for any of us! Time is not something we have a lot of, esecially on this trip!
Hasta,
Brook

Guest Blog Post - Lou Kerr

2008-04-25T13:18:00.002-04:00

Being a member of the JCOC Clas 75 has truly been a life changing experience.

As days pass, friendships develop, knowledge is gained and awareness creeps into one's conciousness.

Being with bright, dedicated people serving in every aspect of our military has given me an appreciation of caring I had not experienced before.

Young men and women who take their duties seriously; who find time to be excellent fathers and mothers but still have time to give generously of their time to volunteer to elp improve the lives of others seems to be just a part of every day living for our troops.

Men and women who have served in the war zone chose to re-up to be a part of a military effort i didn't know existed.

Building schools, raising funds, digging ditches to laying their lives on the line to help other countries fight crime, drugs, or being available for disaster relief is a daily part of their lives.

The friends of JCOC have lots to be thankful for and seeing how our troops go beyond their requirements was witnessed by each and every one of the JCOC team.

More can be done to help the humanitarian efforts that the military is doing so effectively.

Private partnerships need to be formed with the military so more can be accomplished by these caring young people who have inspired and motivated us by their unselfish acts of humanity.

Ms. Lou Kerr, JCOC 75
Chair and President, The Kerr Foundation
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Guest Blog Post - Leo Bustad

2008-04-25T12:13:00.002-04:00

I was repeatedly impressed with the U.S. military personnel at every level -- their professionalism and commitment is enexelled. Their graciousness flowed from the heart, every interaction ws pleasant and they all voiced they were proud to be serving.

Dr. Leo Bustad, JCOC 75
Cardiologist, Alaska Heart Institute
Anchorage, Alaska

Guest Blog Post - Madelyn Hammond

2008-04-25T12:10:00.001-04:00

Being in the Honduras village of Barrio and seeing the faces of the children made me realize how fortunate I am and how important the trip has been to broaden my perspective of the world outside of Hollywood.

Madelyn Hammond, JCOC 75
Chief Marketing Officer, Variety Magazine
Los Angeles, Calif.

Guest Blog Post - Lucia Dougherty

2008-04-25T12:01:00.002-04:00

The JCOC trip had so many outstanding moments, such as the visit to Guantanamo and seeing first hand the care, compassion and restraint the military men and women demonstrated under stressful circumstances; staying overnight on the George Washington aircraft carrier; repelling with the Colombian military and riding on a black hawk helicopter.

However, the most important experience for me is the ealization that our military is held in great esteme in many countries in this hemisphere where they are helping diplomacy by building schools, providing medical care and assisting the local military with equipment and services.

My fellow participants and leaders of this trip from SOUTHCOM and the DOD made this trip a once in a lifetime experience.

Lucia Dougherty, JCOC 75
Principal Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig
Miami, Fla.

Guest Blog Post - Robin Reiter-Faragalli

2008-04-25T11:55:00.002-04:00

What a thrilling and exhilirating trip this has been. Pride in our military doesn't begin to describe the incredible feelings. The depth of their commitment, passion and willingness to serve is inspirational.

Highlights include the unexpected overnight on the George Washington and the strength and determination of the people of Colombia. I am in awe of our service men and women and must find a way to honor their service and share our appreciation. WOW.

Robin Reiter-Faragalli, JCOC 75
Principal, Reiter & Associates, LLC
Miami, Fla.

Guest Blog Post - Steve Lee

2008-04-25T11:42:00.003-04:00

To me the whole trip comes back to one thing - our men and women in uniform, the Pride of America. From Guantanamo Bay to the George Washington or to Colombia, at each stop there is dedication and enthusiasm in howthey are serving our country.

Of course, they are far away from home and for a long time. Being a parent I certainly admire their moms and dads and how they must miss them.

Talking to the troops, they are so happy and proud to share what they do and see the expression in their eyes of their patriotism for the USA. It gives me cause to appreciate the sacrifice of those who gave all, the wounded, and those who are serving all over the world... and of course the families, wives, children, brothers, sisters, moms and dads.

Being here on this trip also has given me time to reflect on a fine American family, the Maupins of Cincinnati, Ohio, whose son until recently was missing for four years in Iraq. They have been ruly an inspiration to all.

Each and every day I find new reasons and gain more connection to Support Our Troops the Best I Can! Until they all come home, what a privilage it is to serve those who serve.

Steve Lee, JCOC 75
Senior Vice Prsident of Investments
UBS
Cincinnati, Ohio

Guest Blog Posts Coming from JCOC 75 Participants

2008-04-25T11:37:00.004-04:00

I've been asking various members of JCOC 75 to send me their input if they'd like to share some thoughts on this program -- overall experiences, particular items that stuck out in their minds, ah-ha moments, or anything else as it relates to JCOC 75. These are to be their thoughts, their words. I've received a handful and will post them throughout the next fews days as they come in. I hope they can provide some added context to our journeys and the JCOC program. Thanx!
Hasta,
Lt. Cmdr. Brook DeWalt, U.S. Navy
Blue Team Leader, JCOC-75

Honduras -- Humanitarian Assistance, Hot Temperatures, and a Hurt Ankle

2008-04-25T11:11:00.004-04:00

So the rest of our Thursday in Honduras was busy and hot...

The JCOC participants had lunch with Joint Task Force Bravo personnel. The meal? A variety of MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat). The location? Wherever their JTF Bravo personnel chose to take them -- their work spaces, their berthing, outdoor under a tree, or wherever else seemed like a good place to figure out how to eat an MRE and learn more about the service members assigned here.

After lunch, the JCOCers split into three teams (Blue Team divided up betwen the Red, White and Green teams) to see other aspcets of JTF-Bravo activity. They witness humanitarian assistance and visited a localsmall town, delivering sports equipment for the children and seeing the construction of foundations for new buildings -- part of their Beyond the Horizons Exercise. They also visited with the Mobile Surgical Team (MST), and witnessed a firefighting demonstration -- with a few of the JCOCers geared up to help in the demo! And finally, they were able to try their hands at the repelling towers.

It was here at the repelling towers that we had a bit of an unfortunate issue. One of the mighty "Go Navy" Blue Team members left with a broken ankle. Doing well and still tagging along as we near the end of our journeys, this JCOCer has another unique "sea story" to add to the diary of JCOC 75.

The full group then met up for a final dinner and "Warrior Party" hosted by JTF-Bravo. That was some great food! And some great discussion with the various personnel from JTF-Bravo and other SOUTHCOM region nations.

The JTF-Bravo visit was a great experience for all the JCOCers I spoke with throughout the day. They could not believe the impact our personnel are having with so many poeple so far from home -- particularly with the youth of Honduras.

It wasn't long before we headed back to the airport en route to our next stop, Key West, Florida. Arriving late Thursday night, we were then prepped for a day of learning about Coast Guard operations and the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force - South.

More soon!
Hasta,
Brook

An early up, and off to Honduras

2008-04-24T14:30:00.003-04:00

To catch you all up, the JCOC group spent Wednesday evening back in Bogota. The group gathered at Club Colombia, listened to some local musicians and discussed their observations of the conference thus far. It was a comfortable and early evening, with most participants back to the hotel by 11 p.m. Why, you might ask?

Wake up calls were at 3:30 a.m. for our next country destination, Honduras. We were en route by 4:40 a.m. and arrived in country after a nearly 4-hour flight.

JCOC was greeted on the tarmac by the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, as well as members of Joint Task Force Bravo.

This place in the heart of Central America, like so many other parts of the SOUTHCOM area, is hot!

After a bag breakfast, a briefing by the ambassador and JTF-Bravo, and some Q & A, we were headed to the field.

As I type this blog entry, I am standing in a large dry field. Two UH-60 helicopters are in the process of demonstrating sling-load operations. The JCOC members are participating as well. The helicopters are guided in, loaded with personnel (JCOCers), and further guided in to connect to their sling load. In this case today, the two loads they are carrying are a Humvee and a bundled pallet of food and water. The group is getting another direct example of what the military practices to ensure their ability to get the mission done. The JCOC members are sling-loading, directing traffic, and travelling with the helos, all under some exceptional direction by JTF-Bravo personnel.

Also, a group of military personnel from 19 SOUTHCOM nations have just arrived to further interact with our group.

OK, I think we are beginning to wrap up this part of the day's itinerary. I'll leave it here and catch up with you again shortly!

Hasta,
Brook

Off to the port city of Cartagena

2008-04-24T06:37:00.003-04:00

So I'm writing this from a seat on the C-130 flying back to Bogota. Let me back up so you are filled in for the day.

We were up at 5:45 a.m. and pulling away from the hotel at 6:45. The Wednesday morning destination was the historic walled city of Cartagena, about a 90-minute flight from Bogota. A bit of a bumpy ride and tight seating, but no surprises. We arrived and headed straight for the Colombian Naval Base and Coast Guard Headquarters. There, the JCOC group received operational briefs, as well as tours of two naval ships, one of them being a historical sailing ship.

Next we headed into the old walled part of the city for a quick tour and about 30 minutes of shopping - something this group does not get a lot of time to do as we keep them fully engaged in learning about the DoD mission in the region. The tour part was rather short, as the group really wanted to take advantage of this rare chance to gift shop. So what did we do? Of course, we adapted and overcame - and got the shopping done. About a half-hour later, we re-boarded the buses and headed back to the airport for the C-130 flight back. And that brings us all up to date!

Did you know? - that we have been giving many of our JCOC participants the opportunity to ride in our aircraft cockpit jump seats? Yes, we rotate jump seaters and we are trying to give maximum opportunities so the JCOCers can observe firsthand how our air crews operate these aircraft.

More later!

Hasta,
Brook

Editor's Note

2008-04-23T13:03:00.002-04:00

The last 3 posts were in succession today as Lt. Cdr. Dewalt had Internet connection troubles but was finally able to email us his posts.

- Jack

So much to do in such little time!

2008-04-23T12:50:00.002-04:00

Wake up call at 5 a.m.! Everyone looks refreshed this morning at breakfast. Within the hour we were being escorted to the airport for a trip to a Colombian military base in Tolemaida. This time we were flying in a C-130. Imagine two long rows of mesh military seats facing each other with only a few inches between your knees. A new experience for our JCOC group and another example of how travel for many military operations. We were soon airborne again!

Interesting... About 20 minutes into our flight to Tolemaida, our aircraft took defensive measures to include a few sharp turns and the release of chaff. Then as quickly as it happened, it was back to the routine flight. I'm told it was simply a precautionary measure for travels in the region. And I'm willing to bet that very few of our participants even noticed, assuming it was just part of our short but bumpy ride. For those who did notice, it was just another interesting little part of the journey!

We arrived in Tolemaida and exited the plane to a warm, high altitude location with clouds below us, yet surrounded by many more mountains. It is beautiful here!

While in Tolemaida, we were kept fully engaged with an initial brief by the local Colombian military commander, and a series of stops around the base. We received field presentations by their special forces - the Lanceros- who then allowed the group to try their hands at the military repelling stations - 18 meters up. Many JCOCers took part. They also had a batch of local snakes on hand, who seemed to enjoy wrapping themselves around us all for photos! The special forces event lasted quite a while, and it was clearly appreciated by our group to see how they train.
Next, we witnessed a live-fire house-clearing demonstration, watched a .50-caliber target shooting demonstration followed by a chance to shoot the weapon ourselves to feel what it is like, and an impressive humanitarian assistance display with a variety of scenarios being demonstrated. It was a full morning that really showed how the Columbian military, along with U.S. assistance, is engaging in a variety of activities related to drug interdiction and humanitarian aid.

After a short plane trip back to Bogota, we were quickly en route to the U.S. Embassy where we had a working lunch with Deputy Chief of Mission Brian Nichols and the country team. We learned more about local missions for USAID, the Pol-Mil section, economics and drug eradication. We all wished we had more time for deeper discussion, but it was a good overview.
Later, we broke into smaller team groups and visitied the Columbian Urban Counterterrorist Special Forces to view a live-fire house clearing demo and to speak with Colombian commandos. We were dressed with appropriate safety attire and we got up close, watching the scenario unfold from a catwalk overhead. It was a powerful example of the intricate training necessary to do what they do. The groups also visited the local DEA headquarters where we learned about the cocaine production problems in the area, as well as cooperative erradication, interdiction, and plans to move the region forward.

As if that was not enough, we were off again! We chanted a few rounds of the JCOC cheer and we were going again! "We're not tired. We're not sleepy! We feel good!"

Last night (Tuesday evening) we attended a reception at the home of the ambassador. This was another great opportunity to speak with Colombian and U.S. personnel about the regional issues.
And everyone was off to sleep in advance of another busy day ahead!

Hasta,
Brook

Touchdown in Bogota!

2008-04-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

We arrived in Bogota, Colombia, late afternoon Monday night. There, we boarded buses and were whisked across town to our hotel. This is a country still dealing with many issues and security is not taken lightly. As such, we've been given hefty security for all our travels. As a matter of force protection, it would not be prudent to go into specifics while the trip is under way, but I can tell you that the Colombian government and our U.S. Embassy here are taking the necessary steps to watch over the distinguished JCOC group. I recommend you take a look at some of the related photos posted to the JCOC Web site!

Our evening activity was rather tame when compared to the bulk of our itinerary. We had dinner in the hotel, followed by shopping with some local merchants. It was a nice, comfortable evening.

Most folks then headed for bed, while a few stuck around in the hotel lounge and chatted about the trip thus far. For me, I unpacked, reviewed the next day's plan and headed for bed. It was the first hotel bed for 19 of us since leaving the country! Yes indeed, this program really keeps everyone going at full speed in a military environment!

The time isn't always what it seems to be...

2008-04-23T11:24:00.003-04:00

So half the group is overnighting on the carrier, while the other half are spending the night in Rio de Jainero. Not bad either way in my book! I'm with the former, on board USS George Washington.

For the evening, the men were put up in staterooms on the 03 level, just below the flight deck. These are two-person rooms for officers located where most air wing officers live. Being just below the flight deck means that you get experience much of the related flight deck activity - jets landing, taking off, etc. In our case, we heard lots of chains and equipment movement as the ship prepared to pull into Rio the next morning. The women were one deck down on the 02 level and I'm told they had a much more quiet evening.

We were ready for reveille at 6 a.m., followed by another busy day. And sure enough, we heard the loud bells and announcements and we were up and running. But it wasn't until many of us were ready to go that we realized the ship moved the "up time" ahead by one hour due to port visit preparations! Yes, it was only 5 a.m.! But that was OK, as we had plenty to do. One of the best things we had access to was a ship full of sailors. Just lots of officers and enlisted personnel to talk with and learn their stories. And much of our talking was done over meals. You certainly will not go hungry in the Navy.

Throughout the ship you could feel the buzz about pulling in to Brazil. As we approached the harbor, the flight deck was flooded with sailors and ourselves taking pictures of the city and surrounding landscape. Corcovado, the Christ statue overlooking the city, was a sight to see. But there was much more for us to do before leaving the ship...

We then resumed our "revised" schedule and had detailed looks at the air operations center, air traffic control and the medical department. We also received additional operations briefs from the ship's commanding officer as well as the strike group admiral. Yes, the ship could not have been more accommodating.

So it was about time for the 19 of us to leave the ship and rejoin the rest of JCOC 75. As the ship was anchored out in the harbor, we needed to take a ferry to shore. It was only about a 15 minute trip. We were met by U.S. Embassy personnel and JCOC staff for loading and a quick van ride back to our C-17 aircraft. Everyone else was already on board for the nearly six-hour flight to Bogota, Colombia.

The JCOCers spent the time sharing stories of the night at sea. We also learned details of the great dinner in Rio with the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil and other officials. We also got the news that crime is indeed everywhere. Unfortunately, one of our participants had his PDA stolen out in town. Luckily, he is just fine, but it does bring home the point that we all must be caeful and use the buddy system! And as he put it to me shortly after the incident, it'll be a story to tell! We also learned that the hotel in Rio gave some unexpected early wake-up calls to a few JCOCers. Some of them were up and about before realizing it was a hour-plus ahead of the planned calls.
It was a quirky similar experience for most of JCOC 75 at the same time, whether at sea or on land - with all of our travels, the time isn't always what it seems to be!

More notes along the way are coming very soon!

Hasta,
Brook

Change happens!

2008-04-20T22:30:00.013-04:00

It's 11:30 p.m. or so and I'm typing this following a most unexpected of days... but more on that later.

Getting you a bit updated since the last post, we were at Guantanamo Bay learning a great deal about Joint Task Force Guantanamo and related issues. After a most impresive day of activities, the group was hot and much in need of a shower. It may not sound like a big deal, but it was. Having been so busy all day, we were all a bit in need of this pit stop. So off we went to use the facilities at Camp Justice! It gave us all a small sense of the living facilities used by these service members. And we were soon revved up and ready to go again. Following a farewell reception hosted by the task force commander, we were boated back to the other side of the bay and boarded our military flight. Destination: Brazil.

We had an overnight flight that was relatively quiet. We were all so energized from the visit, but also so wiped out and ready for some nap time! Next thing we knew, we were landing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And we were soon en route to other aircraft to take us out to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to see Navy operations up close.

Half of the group had a scheduled visit and witnessed flight operations (while standing on the flight deck practically next to the aircraft!), toured command and control areas with senior leadership, and meet Sailors doing their work throughout the ship. The JCOC members were again impressed with how such young adults had so much responsibility. The group returned from the ship more energized, although a bit worn from the intensity of the ongoing operations they were a part of today.

But then there was the other half of the JCOC group... And here's where thing took a bit of a unique turn...

Military operations happen, and change happens, and we got both. I was part of the second group, so I can give a firsthand account. The second half of the JCOC group was delayed with an aircraft maintenance issue. Anyway, it's better to be safe, so we certainly didn't mind the wait! So while the others toured the ship, we went to lunch at a nearby Brazilian steakhouse, and it was fantasic. We ate probably more than we should have, but we convinced ourselved that we'd need the energy! After some delay at the airport, we got the news that the first half of JCOCers would soon be returning from the ship, and that we'd be headed out soon after they returned. Super!

But wait! The day is getting late! How could we visit the ship with such little time? Well, the great folks aboard "GW" rearranged plans and provided us the opportunity to stay the night on the carrier! It has been an absolutely incredible day and evening. Seeing a Sailor about 19 or 20 years old driving an aircraft carrier, and other young Sailors briliantly maneuvering multi-million dollar aircraft on the flight deck in the pitch dark of night -- these are images that will be with all of us for years to come. These are the images of JCOC.

I've done a tour on board an aircraft carrier, and I'm well familiar with the operations. But as a JCOC escort, tonight I got to see how this visit was impacting our JCOC participants. It makes me so very proud of all our enlisted Sailors here and around the globe.

So half of us are at sea tonight, while the other half is engaged with JCOC activities ashore. This was a great example of the flexibility in military operations, and we got to live it for a short window of time. Change happens, and we can adapt!

I encourage everyone to take a look at the photos that will be posted on the JCOC site. I'm hoping to gather up some inputs from our JCOCers to add to these posts, just as soon as we can do so. And I also hope to include other team leader inputs!

There's so much more to say about these days, and I hope we can get some more posts soon. Until then, JCOC charges on!

Take care,
Brook

We Are Under Way!

2008-04-19T17:53:00.002-04:00

By way of introduction, I'm Lt. Cmdr. Brook DeWalt - the Navy Team Leader for JCOC 75. I'll be gathering some of the thoughts and comments from our JCOC participants as we make our way through the conference program. It's my first time serving as a JCOC escort, so I'll be going through the week with eyes as big as everyone else!

After a day of introductions and Pentagon tours, we were jostled awake in the wee hours of the morning to make way for our first in the Southern Command area of focus. After a blurry-eyed trip to the airport, our eyes widened considerably as we approached the C-17 aircraft that would take us south. The sheer size of the aircraft, as well as having a few opportunities to travel in a cockpit jumpseat really made the morning. And a few short hours later, we were landing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba!

It's been a long day down here, with only a few hours of sleep followed by an incredibly busy schedule. We've experienced weapons training, fast-boat trips en route to the other side of the bay, tours of Camp Delta where detainees are being held, and a look at Camp Justice in advance of Military Commissions.

The JCOCers are commenting on a few particular "big bucket" items today --
- You're just never going to be prepared for the sheer intensity of this agenda. It's go, go, go right from the onset...
- Guantanamo Bay is huge (very spread out), compared to what you might think from what you see on TV...
- Today, seeing joint operations in action, really gives you a very clear picture as to how well all the services work together (even though there's a bit of team rivalry between breakout groups chanting "Go Navy, Beat Army!" and other such phrases)...
- You are immediately hit with the sense of service and dedication of all our young men and women serving in uniform.
- And the mix of active duty, reserve and National Guard personnel is impressive!
- And I am also personally impressed with the JCOC participants, their thoughtful questions and genuine interest in our military system.

The JCOC participants have fully embraced their "JCOC Cheer" to keep them going. Whenever their batteries need a quick charge, someone starts and they all join in -- "I'm not tired, I'm not sleeply, and I feel good!" And that really is the case.

Keep an eye out for another update soon! I'll look for others to provide some blog input here so you may get a variety of thought and maybe a more broad picture of the JCOC program as it happens.

Let's keep rolling!
Brook

JCOC Program

2008-04-17T13:19:00.001-04:00

The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) is a Secretary of Defense sponsored program for America's leaders interested in expanding their knowledge of the military and national defense. JCOC is the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program and has been held more than 74 times since its inception in 1948.
JCOC participants attend briefings by senior military and civilian officials followed by hands-on experience observing exercises, participating in training and interacting with troops stationed across the globe.
Find out more about participating in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. -->