Happy Birthday US NAVY!

It's time again to honk our collective horns, shoot the fireworks and strike up the band...

1775 - This is the date that the Navy recognizes as it's "official" birthday.

Our Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which the Continental Congress established on October 13, 1775 by authorizing the procurement, fitting out, manning, and dispatch of two armed vessels to cruise in search of munitions ships supplying the British Army in America. The legislation also established a Naval Committee to supervise the work.

All together, the Continental Navy numbered some 50 ships over the course of the war, with around 20 warships in active service at its maximum strength. After the American War for Independence, Congress disbanded the Continental Navy, released the seamen and officers, and auctioned off its warship fleet.

Later, the Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1789, empowered Congress "to provide and maintain a navy." Acting on this authority, Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates in 1794, and the War Department administered naval affairs from that year until Congress established the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798.

In 1972, however, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) the late Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt authorized recognition of October 13, 1775 as our Navy’s birthday.

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234th US Navy Birthday Message

As delivered by ADM Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ,

The Pentagon, Washington DC.

On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and passed legislation creating what would become the United States Navy. America celebrates this day every year, marking the service, sacrifice and devotion to duty of our Sailors around the globe.

 

Over 45,000 Sailors are supporting joint, interagency, and multinational operations throughout the world – building, engaging, and securing – as always delivering peace through strength. 

 

They serve on nearly 200 ships and submarines underway at any moment providing critical capabilities for ballistic missile defense, counterterrorism operations, anti-piracy efforts, and humanitarian relief missions. Their impressive and persistent presence, however, would be impossible without the steady support of our Navy families. Without them, we could not accomplish a single mission.

 

On behalf of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I congratulate you and your families on 234 years of proud Navy service.  Your rich heritage, combat readiness, and relentless tenacity make us very proud of you all.

 

Bravo Zulu and Happy Birthday, Shipmates!                                                 

                                                         

M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, US Navy

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WE GET LETTERS...
Here's a couple of emails to share from fans of TWS' power of connectivity...

HEY, really great layout...very eye-appealing...and I do know what I'm yakkin' on there 'cause in a 30-some-odd-years career as civilian and military "journalist" was frequently doing the "makeup" for civilian and military newspapers and a lot of balance and eye appeal involved. Appreciate more than I can say the "adventures" and acquaintances that glow among your "pages". TNX with great respect for the professionalism you folks manifest.

- MSgt. Howard A. Ellis, USAF, ret.

Fifteen years ago, my dad's B-17 crew all came to Omaha for a reunion. They had dinner at my parents house. My five brothers and I were invited. My dad's ball turret gunner, Marty Knapp, told us, "Your dad is the reason we are all still alive." He told us how my dad maneuvered inside the formation, turning towards the flak. The Germans would adjust fire only to miss on the other side. They always considered our dad their pal. That's the same way all of us felt about him too.

- Family of Arthur C. "Art" Jetter, Jr

Just want to inform you guys I am currently deployed to Al Asad, Iraq on an IA (individual augmentee) billet where I have been since April 11 of this year. Please keep up the good work you guys have been doing for the past year and I do look forward to this site to keep in contact with past and present friends I have made in service to this great country. Thank you so very much.

- CPO(AW/SW) Steve Hodge, USN

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We want to hear from you!!
This is YOUR newsletter, folks...

Got an interesting story to share? Had a brush with a historic figure in Navy history? Want to tell us about an assignment that beat all others? Do you have photos of what life was like when you served in Navy Blue?

Drop us an email any time to ntws.editor@gmail.com. We'll be glad to hear from you!

Until next time...

Featured Updates


Shadow Box Profiles
TogetherWeServed is proud to announce the launch of our new Shadow Box views - with a single preference setting you can make your profile available to friends and family in a neatly framed 'Shadow Box' presentation. This new display supersedes the older Public Profile view and can be previewed from within the site as well as by non-members (if you choose). An example of the format is shown below:

To enable your Shadow Box public view*, just visit Account Details on your profile page and turn on the flag marked "Allow Shadow Box View". You will be given an abbreviated URL that can be shared with friends and family such as:

http://navy.togetherweserved.com/profile/50174

By following that link they will be able to view your profile, without needing member access to TWS.

*Please note - public viewing of your shadow box profile requires full membership.

DoD to Compensate 'Stop Loss' Troops
Story by SFC Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- The Defense Department will implement a new program to compensate former and current servicemembers for each month they involuntarily served from Sept. 11, 2001 to Sept. 30, 2009, a defense official said.

Congress approved an appropriation bill last summer, giving the department $534 million over the next year for an estimated 185,000 servicemembers affected by the “Stop Loss” authority since 9/11, said Sam Retherford, director for the department’s officer and enlisted personnel management office.

In an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service, Retherford explained that qualified servicemembers will receive $500 for each month served past their contracted end-of-service, resignation or retirement date.

“Stop Loss is very difficult,” he said. “Members have obligations and have intended periods of service, then they have plans for themselves and their families afterward. So we’re doing everything we can to discontinue the use of this authority and compensate our members.”

Survivors of servicemembers killed in combat or who died after their service will be allowed to make claims. Retherford said those families are entitled to the compensation and shouldn’t be forgotten. “We’ve asked the services to go out there and identify those who’ve passed away subsequent to their military service or in the conflict,” he said.

Those seeking claims have until Oct. 20, 2010 to do so. The services were directed to develop their own online application process and Web sites defining criteria, as well as their systems for seeking out those who qualify and may have lost contact with their service, he said.

Here’s where to get information from each service:

-- Army: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil or e-mail to RetroStopLossPay@conus.army.mil

-- Navy: E-mail to NXAG_N132C@navy.mil

-- Air Force: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/

-- Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss or e-mail to stoploss@usmc.mil

Servicemembers must have been discharged honorably, and have sufficient documents proving their case. Servicemembers who were affected by Stop Loss, but later decided to extend or re-enlist also qualify.

“You’ll have to submit documentation to show that you were Stop Lossed -- certificate of discharge, separation orders, retirement orders, memoranda from previous commanders or organizations,” Retherford said. “Even if you don’t have all the correct documentation, we encourage you to submit and articulate the claim, because the service may have the documentation.”

The process shouldn’t be difficult for most applying for claims. The military departments will verify eligibility to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. “So all the work will be done right up front,” Retherford said. “All DFAS will have to do is issue payment.”

For those who don’t have documents and believe they should qualify, the department included a provision in the policy memorandum that allows them to make their case through a memo from their former chain of command.

Locating former servicemembers and survivors is the most challenging aspect of the program, Retherford said, and the program was designed with that in mind. The department tasks each service to develop its own initiatives to seek out those who qualify.

“Getting the word out is our No. 1 challenge,” Retherford said. “Many are former members. Many have no obligation to the military anymore and are scattered across the world right now. Getting the word out for people to solicit the claim is our first challenge.”

The retroactive special pay isn’t an official end to the Stop Loss authority, but the department plans to phase out its use in fiscal 2011. The department retains the authority in case of a national emergency.

“In this case, we’ve been frustrated in our attempts to minimize Stop Loss because of the persistent and dynamic nature of the conflict,” Retherford said. “The secretary of defense has already established a plan, and we’ve reduced Stop Loss significantly.”

WASHINGTON -- As shipments of some 3.7 million doses of H1N1 vaccine ordered by the Defense Department continue to arrive from the manufacturer, more than enough will be available for all military personnel and their beneficiaries, military medical experts say.

Navy Commander Danny Shiau, division chief for the Bureau of Navy Medicine and Surgery’s force health protection, and Dr. Robert Morrow, the bureau’s preventive medicine programs and policy officer, took questions about the military’s seasonal flu and H1N1 preparedness efforts during an Oct. 29 “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable.

Immunization for both seasonal flu and H1N1 is mandatory for all military personnel and it is highly recommended for beneficiaries. When the first cases of H1N1 were diagnosed in April, Morrow said, the department bought 2.7 million doses of the vaccine for mission assurance purposes.

At the time, it was unclear how many doses, per person, would be needed. But a single dose has been determined to be effective, Morrow said. The Health and Human Services Department distributed 1 million doses of the vaccine, Sanofi Pasteur, to the department, “so that’s a total of 3.7 million individuals for [Defense Department] active duty, reservists, civilians and essential contractors,” he said.

First priority for the vaccine will go to deployed forces, Shiau said, first in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, then to ships, trainees and health care workers based on prioritizations.

Priorities for beneficiaries in the United States will follow federal and state guidelines, whether beneficiaries opt to get the H1N1 vaccine at military treatment facilities or at non-military clinics, Shiau said. In either case, since the vaccine is free, and there will be plenty of it, it will not matter whether they get their shot from the military or civilian supply.

Overseas, civilian defense workers and beneficiaries will be able to get the H1N1 vaccine at military treatment facilities.

Shiau added that so far, the general severity of cases seen has been mild to moderate and there’s been no operational effect on defense. But, he said, those with symptoms should contact their doctor or treatment facility before heading to an emergency room, because some facilities have special procedures. “The bottom line is, you don’t want to spread it in the ER,” he said.

The extra care being taken may be because “this is the first time that we’ve had two different kinds of influenza going around at the same time and two different kinds of influenza shots going around at the same time, and it’s very confusing, even to those who do this day in and day out,” Morrow said.

His best advice is that when you have questions, “ask and clarify.” Shiau added that to help prevent spreading seasonal and H1N1 flu, people should wash their hands thoroughly, cover their mouths when coughing and, when possible, do not go to work sick.

Gates calls on ROK to expand security role
Story by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

SEOUL, South Korea -- Lauding progress toward transferring wartime operational control of South Korean troops to their own country in 2012, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on the longtime US ally to assume a larger security role on the Korean peninsula and beyond during his recent vist.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gives his remarks to US, KATUSA and ROK soldiers during a town hall meeting at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul, South Korea. Gates was in South Korea to discuss a broad range of defense issues with local leaders. - DoD photo by MSgt. Jerry Morrison, USAF

Gates told a gathering of about 150 US and South Korean troops at Yongsan Garrison here that he’s impressed in strides the South Korean armed forces have made toward assuming the lead defense role in their national territory. These efforts, along with a bold modernization effort, have built a force he called “poised to lead the defense of your homeland and protect your nation’s security interests around the world.”

Gates called on South Korea’s political leaders to invest more in their country’s defense, at a level “appropriate to Korea’s emerging role as a contributor to global security, and commensurate with the threat you face on the peninsula.”

North Korea -- the impetus for the long-term US security commitment here -- has become increasingly lethal and destabilizing, he said. Though North Korea still has the capacity, although degraded, to strike south of the demilitarized zone, he noted, that threat pales in comparison to current developments that “threaten not just the peninsula, but the Pacific Rim and international stability as well.”

“Today, it is North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and proliferation of nuclear know-how and ballistic missile weapons and parts that have focused our attention,” Gates told the audience. “We do not today, nor will we ever, accept a North Korea with nuclear weapons. We will work, as an alliance and with other allies and partners, for the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea.”

Gates reiterated the US commitment to using the “full range of American military might” to provide extended deterrence. This includes everything from the nuclear umbrella to conventional-strike and missile-defense capabilities, as well as the continued U.S. military presence in South Korea.

But meanwhile, he added, the US-South Korean alliance needs to continue to evolve to stand up to mutual security commitments, including those beyond the Korean peninsula.

Gone are the days, Gates said, when South Korea deployed forces -- in Vietnam and Iraq, for example -- seemingly as a gesture for the United States.

“Going forward, Korea’s international military contributions should be seen as what they are: something that is done to benefit your own security and vital national interests,” he said. “The will and the ability of the Republic of Korea to act regionally and globally are entirely consistent with your obligation to lead the defense of this peninsula.”

Some Sailors puzzled over new GI Bill transferability
Story by MC1(AW) LaTunya Howard
Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

MILLINGTON, TN -- According to an online poll conducted by Navy Personnel Command, Sailors still don't quite understand how the Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability option works.

Sixty-two percent of Sailors who responded thought they could wait until after retirement to transfer benefits to their children.

"Based on the calls that we're receiving, we're worried that the perception is out there that you can wait until you retire to transfer your benefits and that's not the case," says Kathy Wardlaw, Navy active duty GI Bill program manager. "You have to do it before you leave the Armed Forces."

Sailors with 90 days of active duty service after September 11, 2001, have earned education benefits under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, with no buy-in costs. This benefit can now be transferred to family members shown in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.

The first thing Sailors can do is read NAVADMIN 203/09, which provides the requirements for transferring Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

"Normally an enlisted member needs to check with their career counselor because there will be an obligation required," said Wardlaw. "Sailors will need to obtain the obligation through either re-enlistment or extension. Officers can sign a Page 13, and they need to see their administrative officer to do that."

Sailors need to ensure that their obligated service is reflected in their electronic service record before their request for transferability will be processed. A four-year obligation is required for the transferability option.

Since July 2009, 12,000 Sailors have taken advantage of this relatively new education benefit option. This is below the estimated 15,000 the Navy GI Bill office expected.

"I have a nineteen-year-old currently attending Mississippi State University," said Vicky Gallagher, a Navy Reservist. "It's an out-of-state college, and it's expensive to pay that bill as a single parent on one income. With tuition, books and housing, I'm saving nearly $12,000 annually. This money is going to help me quite a bit."

For more information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability program, read NAVADMIN 203/09 or visit the Post-9/11 GI Bill page at npc.navy.mil.

Navy ship commanded by former refugee to visit Vietnam
Commander 7th Fleet Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan -- A refugee picked up as a young boy off the coast of Vietnam by a US Navy vessel will return to his birth country next month as an American naval officer in command of a warship.

Commander Hung Ba "H.B." Le will visit Vietnam in November with his ship, the guided-missile

CDR H.B. Le assumes command of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82), during a change of command ceremony in April at Fleet Activities Yokosuka. - Photo by MCSN Charles Oki

destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82). Lassen is the first US Navy warship to be commanded by a Vietnamese-American.

Le and his family left Vietnam in 1975 during the final days of the Vietnam conflict. The goodwill visit by his ship will mark the first time Le has been back to Vietnam since he left the country at the age of five.

"My crew and I are proud to be able to represent our country to the people of Vietnam," said Le. "This visit is a symbol of the friendship between our two nations, and we are deeply honored to be a part of it."

Le was born in Vietnam's ancient capital city of Hue. On May 2, 1975, Le and his family were picked up at sea by the amphibious landing ship USS Barbour County (LST 1195). Le's family immigrated to the US, settling in northern Virginia, where he became an American citizen in April 1985. Le went on to attend the US Naval Academy, where he graduated with merit in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and was commissioned as a US Navy officer.

"This will be an incredible experience for me personally, to return to the land of my birth for the first time since I was a child," Le said. "My memories of Vietnam are very few, yet I still feel very drawn to it, to its culture, and to its people."

Le assumed command of USS Lassen and its crew of nearly 300 in April. The ship is forward deployed to Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the US 7th Fleet.

The port locations and dates of USS Lassen's visit to Vietnam will be announced at a later date.

Download Iraq and Afghanistan maps here.

RECRUITING GOALS MET OR EXCEEDED
Services Show Record Recruiting Year
Story by Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- The military services’ active and reserve components notched record recruiting numbers and signed up the highest-quality recruits ever in fiscal 2009, senior defense officials said today.

It is the first time that all active services and reserve components met or exceeded their numerical recruiting goals and exceeded their recruit-quality benchmarks since the start of the all-volunteer force in 1973, Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, told Pentagon reporters.

While Carr acknowledged that the current economic downturn probably is having a positive effect on recruiting, he also pointed to the sterling efforts of military recruiters for the superb results and noted the military deployed a robust bonus program in which 40 percent of recruits received an average bonus of $14,000.

The recruiting success achieved in fiscal 2009 is even more impressive, Carr said, considering that 70 percent of today’s high school graduates – the military’s target recruiting pool – go on to college upon graduation. In the 1980s, he noted, only about half of American high school students went on to college.

A rising propensity for young people age 17 to 24 to be obese, Carr said, also complicates the military’s recruiting mission.

“If we look back to the 1980s, one in 20 young people were obese,” Carr said, as compared to today’s ratio of 1 in 4 young people being categorized as obese. “And, that creates a tighter constraint as you seek to find fully qualified recruits,” he added.

However, he said, the number of waivers issued to recruits with medical or conduct issues is trending downward.

Here are the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force recruiting results for fiscal 2009:

• -- The Army had 70,045 accessions, making 108 percent of its 65,000 goal.
• -- The Navy had 35,527 accessions, making 100 percent of its 35,500 goal.
• -- The Marine Corps had 31,413 accessions, making 100 percent of its 31,400 goal.
• -- The Air Force had 31,983 accessions, making 100 percent of its 31,980 goal.

• -- The Army National Guard had 56,071 accessions, making 100 percent of its 56,000 goal.
• -- The Army Reserve had 36,189 accessions, making 105 percent of its 34,598 goal.
• -- The Navy Reserve had 7,793 accessions, making 101 percent of its 7,743 goal.
• -- The Marine Corps Reserve had 8,805 accessions, making 122 percent of its 7,194 goal.
• -- The Air National Guard had 10,075 accessions, making 106 percent of its 9,500 goal.
• -- The Air Force Reserve had 8,604 accessions, making 109 percent of its 7,863 goal.

Attrition losses in all reserve components are among the best in recent years, officials said.

Carr also attributed current recruiting success to the “Millennial” demographic of young people that includes those born between 1978 and 1996. Generational studies show, he said, that these young people – who’ve lived during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States – are more inclined to perform public service.

Additionally, Carr said, Congress continues to provide the Defense Department with sufficient funding to sustain the all-volunteer force.

Studies also show that young people can make a good living in the military, Carr said, as compared to their civilian peers with equitable workplace experience and education qualifications. Generous pay raises provided to junior officers and mid-level noncommissioned officers in recent years, he noted, have boosted those servicemembers’ earning capacity.

“It has been a banner year for recruiting,” Curtis L. Gilroy, director of accession policy, told American Forces Press Service and Pentagon Channel reporters during an Oct. 9 interview at the Pentagon.

Gilroy, too, saluted the “outstanding” performance of the services’ military recruiters. His directorate is a component of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Fiscal 2009’s crop of recruits also represents the best quality ever, Gilroy said, noting 96 percent of active-duty recruits and 95 percent of reserve-component recruits possessed a high school diploma. The Defense Department benchmark for recruits with high school diplomas is 90 percent. Studies show, he added, that 80 percent of servicemembers with high school diplomas complete their initial term of service.

Gilroy said 73 percent of active recruits and 72 percent of reserve-component recruits scored average or above average on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. The AFQT measures an individual’s math and verbal ability, which indicates aptitude for military service. The department sets a benchmark of 60 percent of all recruits scoring at or above the 50th percentile on the AFQT.

“As you can see from these numbers,” Gilroy said, “the services have far exceeded those benchmarks” in fiscal 2009 for signing up recruits with high school diplomas and those with average or better AFQT scores. Increased capabilities demonstrated by the majority of the nearly 300,000 active and reserve component recruits signed up in fiscal 2009, he added, will result in higher performance in the field and will enhance readiness.

President Visits NAS Jacksonville
Story by MC2 Daniel Gay
Navy Public Affairs Support Detachment Southeast

NAS JACKSONVILLE, FL -- President Barack Obama visited Naval Air Station Jacksonville to meet with and deliver remarks to 3,500 service members and their families Oct 26.

"It is great to be here at one of Americas finest Naval Air Stations," said Obama as he took the podium.

Obama held a town hall-style rally where he talked about his commitment to the military and discussed the importance of military families and service.

"Military communities like this one take care of their own," said Obama. "It's not the remarkable platforms that give the United States its military superiority… its not the sophisticated technologies that make us the most advanced in the world…no, we have the finest Navy and the finest military in the history of the world because we have the finest personnel in the world."

During his remarks Obama also spoke about the duties and responsibilities that military members accept.

"We are a country of more than 300,000,000 Americans, but less than one percent wear the uniform," said Obama. "That one percent, you and the ones in uniform bear the overwhelming burden of our security."

Before departing the podium Obama spoke about his greatest privilege as president.

"Of all the privileges I have as president, I have no greater honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief."

After his remarks, Obama went into the crowd to meet, shake hands and sign autographs amongst hundreds of servicemen and women in attendance.

As part of his visit Obama also met privately with a dozen of NAS Jacksonville's top Sailors for a few words and a personal greeting. The Sailors that met with the president said they felt honored to have been selected to meet their Commander-in-Chief.

"I am speechless," said Information Systems Technician 1st Class Stacey Thinn. "It was such a great honor, he is such an inspirational person and it was just an awesome experience all around."

President Obama was visiting NAS Jacksonville as part of a way to personally thank uniformed service members for their sacrifice for their country.

TWS is proud to announce the addition of AFLAC benefit eligibility for TWS Members at a discounted rate not available to the general public. This is the same coverage available from employers nationwide, offered to you by virtue of your TWS Membership!

Do you have a Plan B? No one likes to think about getting seriously ill or injured. That’s why it’s so crucial to have a Plan B. Your Plan B has a name:  AFLAC.

Click the banner above to find out how AFLAC can protect you and your family.

Among others...

If you or someone you know provide a product or service that you are willing to offer for Free or at a deep discount to the Sailors of TWS please let me know so that I can add you link on the TWS Home page and possibly feature it in a future Newsletter.  Please email the link to me at admin@togetherweserved.com

...word on the street
Getting Your Reunion Notice (and noticed) in The HOIST
Story by Jon Yim
Editor, TWS Newsletters

SAN DIEGO -- Sooooo...your reunion group just tapped you to get the word out on the street about your upcoming get-together shindig. And you want your announcement to appear in our monthly newsletter.

Pull up a seat...Welcome to "How To Submit A Reunion Announcement to The HOIST!"

We keep it simple over here at the NTWS Newsletter, folks...all you have to do is shoot us an email following this simple format:

Information WE WANT:

- WHAT is the name of the unit/organization organizing the event?

To avoid confusion or mis-identification, please SPELL OUT the name of your reunion group, such as "USS Neversail (TFFG-1)," "H Co., 1st Bn., 135th Armor Bde" or "152nd School Training Squadron"

- WHEN is it happening?

Unless the event is in 2010 or 2011, just send us the month and the days of the event and omit the year.

- WHERE is it being held?

Just give us the CITY and STATE; if it will be overseas, the CITY and COUNTRY; or the name of the CRUISE SHIP and its departure date from port.

We do not publish the names of resorts, lodges, inns, restaurants, theme parks, entertainment venues or hotels.

- WHO is/are the point(s) of contact for this?

The name(s), contact email address (if available), and a phone number in this format example: (890) 123-4567. You can also include a website address (URL) if your group has one.

Also, to be fair with space and to protect privacy, WE DO NOT PUBLISH POSTAL ADDRESSES unless it is the only way of contact.

You can see examples of how announcements are formatted in the left-hand column of the REUNION ANNOUNCEMENTS section.

You only need submit your announcement details once. That's right -- ONCE.

USS NEVERSAIL (TFFG-1), Dec. 23-27; Anytown, USA. Contact: Rick Recruit, (619) 555-1212, or reunion@neversail.org; website URL: www.neversail.org

As it's received, it will be published in the following issue of The HOIST, and repeated up to the month before your event. That's plenty of time to get the word out on the street.

On the other hand, information WE DON'T NEED:

•     "LOOKING FOR" POSTINGS
•      SCANS OF ANNOUNCEMENT FLYERS
•      ACCOMMODATION RATES, PACKAGES & TARIFFS
•      POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS & PDFs
•      REUNION FEES
•      BANQUET/CATERING MENUS
•      PLANNED EVENTS, TRIPS, GOLF TOURNAMENTS, MEMORIALS, SHOPPING EXCURSIONS, TOURS
•      PHOTOS
•      COMMAND CRESTS, SHIELDS, LOGOS
•      LINKS TO HOTELS, RESORTS AND ATTRACTIONS

Save all that for our REUNIONS AND GET-TOGETHERS FORUM on the NTWS board. You can post expanded reunion details with all the stuff we've listed above...and we give you lots of room to do that!

Any questions? Drop us an email, and we'll be happy to assist you.

REMEMBER: THE FURTHER IN-ADVANCE YOU SUBMIT YOUR REUNION DETAILS, THE MORE "FACE-TIME" IT GETS IN THE HOIST!

Class dismissed...

Waiting for your educational cash?
SECVA OKs advance payments for 9/11 GI Bill bennies

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has authorized advance payments up to $3,000 for Veterans who applied for VA educational benefits and who have not yet received their monthly education payments. For details, go to AdvancePay GI Bill site.

If you are a Veteran who has applied for one of VA’s education programs and have not yet received your monthly benefit payment for the Fall 2009 term, you can request advance payment through this website, www.advancepay.gibill.va.gov.

You can also visit one of VA’s 57 regional offices* across the country to immediately receive an advance payment. You will need to bring a government-issued photo ID and your course schedule when you visit the regional office.

The advance payments will be reconciled with future education payments owed to you. Visit this link for advanced payment questions and answers.

If you are a Veteran-student who received an emergency check and your bank has not yet made your funds available, or you are a bank representative with questions about this process, the VA is soliciting the support of local and national banks to honor and cash these emergency checks written to our Nation's Veteran-students.

In many cases these checks are handwritten and could pose concerns of fraud from banks. Therefore, VA has established the following special customer service call-in numbers for banks to verify the validity of any US Bank check brought to them by a Veteran.

1-800-827-2166

Banks calling this number will be connected directly to a VA employee who can access all necessary information to verify who the check was issued to, the check number and dollar amount of the check, and whether the check was previously cashed or not.

* Please Note: Intake sites are military installations. They are not sites where emergency checks are being distributed. Veterans are encouraged to find the nearest VA regional office in their state.

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Parkinson’s Disease, two other illnesses recognized
VA extends “Agent Orange” benefits to more veterans

WASHINGTON -- Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.

The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present.  Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service.  This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”

Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:

• · Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
• · Chloracne
• · Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• · Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
• · Hodgkin’s Disease
• · Multiple Myeloma
• · Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• · Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• · Prostate Cancer
• · Respiratory Cancers, and
• · Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

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News from our allied military partners

RN chefs get Gordon Ramsay's restaurant seal-of-approval
UK Royal Navy

DUBAI, UAE -- The crew of HMS Cumberland (F85) proved that it’s not just an Army that marches on its stomach when they were treated to a ‘flight-deck masterclass’ by Gordon Ramsay protégé Matthew Pickop.

From left to right: Able Seaman (WS) Chris Railton, Chef Matthew Pickop, and Able Seaman (CIS) Laura Tobbell

Over half way through their six-month deployment, some of Cumberland’s 273 strong company, joined by forces-favourite Jim Davidson, gathered under Dubai’s azure skies to cook ‘al-fresco’ with the top chef.

Logistics Officer and self-confessed food junkie, Lieutenant Commander Wayne Middleton, 37, from Sheldon near Birmingham originally had the idea to invite Matthew onboard. He said “Cumberland’s galleys were no stranger to publicity having been involved in the ITV series ‘Britain’s Best Dish’ so we thought we’d see how they measured up against the world’s finest.”

“Knowing that we had two weeks in Dubai, I was keen to get Matthew and his team onboard to teach us some of his team’s most famous recipes.”

Pickop, executive chef of Ramsay’s Dubai outpost ‘Verre’, confessed that he receives many an invitation but that this was one he found impossible to refuse, his Dad having served with the Royal Navy onboard HMS Broadsword in the Falklands War. “I know what these guys go through and how hard their work is” he said, adding that, owing to the peculiarities of life onboard a warship, there was a ‘massive difference’ to the environment in which Naval chefs worked, when compared with life ashore.

“These guys manage to cook almost 400 meals every service,” he exclaimed. “They have so much against them…facing all sorts of challenges holding down their Naval roles as well as being chefs – plus they have to solely with the ingredients they have for long periods of time.”

As Matthew was to discover, catering for nearly 300 individuals on a thrice-daily schedule is no mean feat. Keen to demonstrate their talent before Matthew got cooking himself, Cumberland’s chefs, led by Petty Officer Darron Knowles, pulled out the stops to lay on a bespoke feast of scallops on an avocado tortilla, roasted fillet of beef and home-made treacle tart. “We were keen to give Matthew and his team the very best that the Navy had to offer,” Darron noted. “After all, my team and I train for 30 weeks to gain a place in a galley warmer and busier than most on dry land!”

As Matthew ate with Cumberland’s Commanding Officer, Captain David Dutton OBE, the remainder of his brigade sat alongside the Captain’s own team in the Wardroom. Later, Matthew described his experience as “filled with inspirational people, fantastic hospitality and stunning food to boot.

 

"I have met such a great bunch of people, who not only do an amazing job in difficult circumstances, but who welcomed with open arms a team of people they did not know, as if they were related. The guys and girls onboard HMS Cumberland are not only a credit to Captain Dutton, but a credit to The United Kingdom and Her Majesty's service.”

On the flight deck, two of the volunteer chefs for the day were AB (Communications and Information Systems) Lauren Tobbell, 21, from County Durham and AB (Warfare Specialist) Chris Railton, 18, from Darlington who were shown how to cook Verre’s signature chocolate fondue. AB Tobbell, who claims her signature dish as ‘a shepherd’s pie to die for’ said that although she had never had a chocolate fondue before, she would ‘definitely be cooking one for her family’ when she got home. 

Railton, who admitted a culinary prowess limited to the ‘fish finger sandwich’ said that the experience had ‘really inspired’ him to get cooking. “I’ve never actually cooked anything in my life,” he said. “Now, I’m pretty sure if you put the ingredients in front of me I’d be able to hold my own!” Both added that what they were most looking forward to was the familiar taste of home-cooked food on their return.

Summing up his experience onboard, Pickop noted that “the crew gave such a great reaction to a very hot live cooking demonstration, it was not only fun to demonstrate, but great to be a part of a fun filled afternoon."

After their experience onboard, a group of 8 personnel visited Matt in the more familiar surroundings of Dubai Creek’s Hilton Hotel where they were treated to dinner in return, cooked by themselves but under the watchful eye of Matt and his team.

The group spent the day at Verre, cooking a variety of dishes including Pan-fried breast of duck with orange-braised endive and a tomato gazpacho. Descibing it as ‘the opportunity of a lifetime’ Lieutenant Commander Middleton and the team were shown just how the experts do it. “It was like stepping into the set of the F-Word,” he said.

Matthew summed up the day again: “The guys who joined us for the Master class on dry land were of a mixed bunch of abilities but all of them did an amazing job in replicating the dishes on the menu. I felt a special hand was deserved for the engineers who managed to swap their spanner for a whisk, and their overalls for an apron!”

Grant Parry, Verre’s Sous-Chef noted that “everyone put their heads down and got on with the task in hand… the interest from everyone was inspiring [and it was] a pleasure to work with the guys, not only for us to show them what we do, but also to learn what they do on our behalf.”

The British warship, currently on Counter Piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, called into the UAE for a scheduled maintenance period prior to resuming her tasking. She is due to return to her native Devonport in December.

-Photos courtesy Royal Navy, Crown Copyright

FAMILY MATTERS
Chairman's wife vows support for military families
Story by Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

NEW YORK CITY -- Deborah Mullen, wife of the nation's most senior military officer, had a message for military families while on the Sesame Street TV set earlier this month: servicemembers and their families have a wealth of support behind them.

"I just would like to assure people that there are folks who care, who are working diligently to try and make it better," Mrs. Mullen said as she sat at the counter in Mr. Hooper's Store on Sesame Street. "I think we can't exactly understand what they're going through, but we all want to make sure that we provide whatever it is they need, whether it's resources, (or) education."

One resource military officials have had a hand in providing since the initiative began in 2006 is the Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen, Connect." The multi-media campaign includes two videos, which Defense Department specialists and other experts consulted on, that address ways for military children to handle separation, reintegration and changes in parents who return from deployment.

The third video, the taping of which Mrs. Mullen, wife of Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was on set to observe, deals with the death of a loved one.

WORD ON THE STREET -- Deborah Mullen (right), wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy ADM Mike Mullen, and Sandee Cartwright, wife of Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, JCS vice chairman, talk with Sesame Street camera operator Frankie Biondo between takes at the Kaufman-Astoria Studios in Queens, NY. The military's top spouses were there to support the production of a new Sesame Workshop video aimed at helping military children and their families cope with the loss of a loved one. - DoD photo by Elaine Wilson

"I can only think that, given the trust that children have with the Sesame Street characters, that this will be a benefit that we will see ... make a difference," Mrs. Mullen said. "Hopefully we will help children be able to address grief in whatever way that's right for them.

"Families deal with things in different ways," she added. "I think it's difficult to say what works for one family is going to work for another."

Keeping families connected with other families or to military installation programs is key to helping them deal with difficult times, Mrs. Mullen said.

"I think that the more isolated a family is when they're dealing with ... the separations (and) these issues of reintegration, I think it's more difficult on families," she added. "I think it's important for, particularly National Guard (and Reserve) families, that they are connected to the school where their children attend."

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is looking at developing training to help civilian counselors and teachers understand problems military children face, Mrs. Mullen said.

Adding these types of resources is important as military officials continue to look for ways to help its children, she said.

Some programs include a recently expanded YMCA child care program and the nonprofit National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camps, which are being expanded to include family retreats as well.

"When I speak with families, particularly families whose loved one has returned from a deployment, they really talk in positive terms about family retreats, how important it is to bring the family back together to try and regain some normalcy, with the understanding (that) everyone will have changed," Mrs. Mullen said. "It doesn't matter where the deployment is, how long it is, whether or not it was in a war zone."

Mrs. Mullen also noted the new Military Child and Adolescent Center of Excellence at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, WA, is available for military families. The center focuses specifically on families of servicemembers with multiple deployments and those who come home wounded, she said.

"They're working very hard to try and help and also to let the families of those who have lost someone, the surviving families (know) that we will never forget, that we will always be there, and that we will work diligently to make sure that they're OK," she said.

OFF DUTY
Take steps now to avoid Holiday debt
Story by Elaine Wilson
Special to TWS Newsletters

In my early 20s, I was high on pre-approved credit card applications and seemingly no-strings-attached loans.
 
I charged with a blissful abandon and let the resultant bills pile up in the corner of my rickety side table. Every now and then I’d glance over at the dusty stack, but couldn’t bring myself to touch it, let alone open the envelopes stamped with increasingly urgent late notices.

My consumer frenzy came to an end when the applications quit coming and the bill collectors started calling. Overwhelmed by the thought of a penniless future, I opted for the bankruptcy route, a path I regretted taking for the next 10 years.

It took me more than a decade to rebuild my financial standing and I’ve become very protective of it, flaws and all.
 
But each holiday season, I feel like my makeshift financial life raft is about to sink again. Not surprising since it’s overloaded with Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas decorations and gifts, holiday parties and plane trips to see family and friends.

I start out with the best of intentions. I carefully set a budget, assign an amount to each person’s gift, and save all receipts to keep track. And each year, I throw all caution to the wind sometime after the turkey leftovers are gone and shortly before the caroling begins.

That impulse is common, experts say. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the holiday frenzy and then feel the pain of the spending hangover later on.
 
But it’s definitely possible to weather the holiday storm without getting blown away, particularly for our military families who have excellent financial resources at their fingertips.

I did some research on Military OneSource  and it turns out I was on the right track with the idea of a budget, although I frequently veered off course. An important step to avoiding massive holiday debt is to set a holiday budget, the site says.
 
First, figure out how much you’ll be spending for gifts, entertaining, travel and decorating:

– Gifts: Figure out who you want to buy gifts for including teachers, mailmen and co-workers. Then set a price limit for each gift. Don’t forget to add in the cost of shipping and wrapping paper, OneSource advises, or you could be underestimating the expenses.

– Entertaining: If you’re having a party, estimate how much it will cost. Don’t forget to add in the cost of bringing dishes to other people’s events. You can cut corners in this area by having a potluck or a cookie swap rather than providing all of the food yourself, OneSource says.
 
– Travel: Figure out how much you’ll be spending on transportation, including gas.

– Decorating: Estimate how much you’ll spend on holiday decorations. I’d check last year’s holiday bins before hitting the department stores. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much you already have that you forgot about.

After you tally up the estimates from these areas, figure out if the total is more than you can afford. If it is, then find areas within the categories where you can cut back. Here are some budget-conscious tips I found on Military OneSource to help:

– Set expectations with friends and family. Let them know if you’ll be cutting back on the number of gifts or how much you plan to spend. This is especially important for children, who often have unrealistic expectations about gifts.

– Cut back on the number of gifts you buy. If you have a large family or group of friends, ask if they’d like to draw names out of a hat and give one gift per person. Or give family gifts, such as a board game, a “movie night” with gift certificates to a video rental store and snacks, or passes to a local museum.

– Consider giving homemade gifts. There are many heartfelt, thoughtful gifts that don’t come with a sales receipt. You could cook some treats; put together a photo album; make a themed gift basket full of smaller items, like tea, paperback books or gardening tools; or give the gift of your time.
 
– Be sure to use your Exchange. In addition to the usual tax savings and price-matching benefit, you’ll find special holiday discounts.

– Make a shopping plan. Don’t head out to the mall without a specific list of gift ideas. This is how you end up spending more than you budgeted for. Look through catalogues or on Internet sites for ideas and create a list before you even step foot in a store.
 
– Look for bargains. Try to buy several things from one catalogue or Internet site to save money on shipping, or better yet, look for sites that offer free shipping.
 
– Cut back on mailing expenses. If you always send gift boxes or holiday cards to loved ones far away, think of ways to save on or eliminate shipping costs this year. Buy magazine subscriptions or send online gift certificates instead of shipping gifts. And be sure to mail things early so you don’t have to pay extra for fast shipping.

– Make careful travel plans. If your holiday plans include a trip, be sure to investigate all of your options as early as possible. For example, can you drive instead of fly? Stay with a friend or relative instead of in a hotel room? Spend time looking for the lowest-price ticket. You can save a lot of money by flying immediately after the holidays rather than before.

– Use your credit card wisely. Be very careful about using your credit card to pay for holiday expenses. Don’t use your card unless you know you can pay if off right away. You don’t want to start the New Year off with an oversized credit card bill.

Once you’ve set a budget and cut corners, then it’s time to start saving. Set aside some money each paycheck or find a layaway program you can pay off in increments.

With a little belt-tightening and number crunching, you’ll make it through the holidays debt hangover free. I know that’s my goal this year.

If you have any tips for holiday saving, don’t hesitate to share.

Please send any comments, quality improvement suggestions or story ideas to: editor@navy.togetherweserved.com or ntws.editor@gmail.com.

Jon Yim - Editor

Sincerely,
The NTWS Administration Team
http://navy.togetherweserved.com