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T H E F I R S T M U LT I C U LT U R A L M I L I TA RY M A G A Z I N E
June - July 2010
Leaders Salute Fallen Troops at Arlington Obama Heralds West Point Graduates Readjusting to Family Life Requires Communication Deployed Mom Finds Inspiration from her Own Military Linguists Learn Language Skills Vital to Operations
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Publisher’s Page War and the Unknowns
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ar, in all its horrendousness, not only brings devastation to countries upon which the battlegrounds are carried out and to the soldiers who are its main participants but also to the countless number of families and loved ones who must cope with the customary loss of life that invariably accompanies its aftermath. If there is a ubiquitous grim reminder of the tragic loss of life due to the various wars that have been fought over the years, it is no doubt those picturesque serene green plots of land found in virtually every city; the cemetery. All of us have passed by them or paid a visit to a now deceased loved one at some point in our lives. Some of us prefer to ignore them and feign as though they don’t exist; as if to deny our own mortality and the stark reality that we too, eventually, shall meet a similar fate. Of the thousands of cemeteries that exist in the US, one holds a special significance in our hearts for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while defending our country; Arlington National Cemetery. From its inauspicious beginning in 1864, when the Union Army confiscated land from Colonel Robert E. Lee to bury the ever growing number of dead Union troops during the Civil War, Arlington National Cemetery has soldiers buried on its grounds from every conflict and war that the US has fought. Arlington has more than 300,000 interments and contains the second-largest number of people buried of any national cemetery in the United States; save for Calverton National Cemetery on Long Island. What no doubt distinguishes Arlington from the rest is its Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which garners many visitors from around the world on an annual basis. However, it’s the time honored tradition of laying a reef on the Tomb by US Presidents and Vice Presidents on Memorial Day that has served as a national day of reflection for the brave men and women who’ve lost their lives in service to their country. This year’s Memorial Day was no exception as Vice President Biden paid his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown. However, it is my hope that, on Memorial Days to come, we not only pay homage to those in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice but will also ponder the insanity and futileness of war itself and why nations continue to resort to it as a means of settling disputes; a deplorable practice that, rather than ensuring an enduring peace, contributes ever more to the plethora of unknowns already interred at Arlington and other cemeteries like it around the world.
Shawn Lindsey Publisher ctt3navy@aol.com
CEO Leon Thompson, Jr. Publisher Shawn Lindsey Editor-in-Chief Brian S. Bentley Editor Geddes Ince
Entertainment Editor Mike Jones Special Features Editor Lisa Richardson-Lloyd East Coast Representative Selma Lindsey Marketing/Advertising Director Christy Harris Graphic Design COS Viva Vision Public Relations Edward Brantley Advertising & Editorial Offices: PO Box 45589, Los Angeles, CA. 90045 Phone: (310) 628-5621 Fax: (323) 291-2280 email: colorofservice@aol.com website: www.colorofservice.com Subscriptions: Color of Service [ISSN 1520-7544] is published bimonthly by Color of Service Magazine, Inc. Domestic (includes APO/FPO addresses) subscription rates are: US $14 (6 issues) 1 year, $26 (12 issues) 2 years, $40 (18 issues) 3 years. International subscription rates are: $30 (6 issues) 1 year, US $54 (12 issues) 2 years, US$82 (18 issues) 3 years. All subscription inquiries/address changes should be directed to: Subscription Department, PO Box 45589, Los Angeles, CA. 90045, or emailed to: colorofservice@aol.com. It is the responsibility of the subscriber to insure that all mailing information is correct and current. Color of Service is not liable for undeliverable magazine copies of subscription accounts that have either changed without proper notification (at least six weeks in advance) or due to the expiration of postal mail forwarding privileges. Past issue single copies may be obtained at $6 each from the Subscription Dept., PO Box 45589, Los Angeles, CA. 90045. Single article requests should be directed to: (310) 628-5621. All articles are the property of Color of Service unless stated otherwise. No portion of Color of Service may be reproduced or transmitted, in whole or in part, for mass dissemination (for profit or otherwise) by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, by any information storage or retrival system, without the expressed permission in writing from the publisher. Color of Service is a trademark of Color of Service Magazine, Inc.
June-July 2010
Contents
FEATURES
COVER STORY
Leaders Salute Fallen Troops at Arlington
Obama Heralds West Point Graduates for Service to Country Readjusting to Family Life Requires Communication Military Linguists Learn Language Skills Vital to Operations Deployed Mom Finds Inspiration from her Own Photo Essay: Women in the Military
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DEPARTMENTS 3 CAREER CORNER ‘Operation Education’ Provides Net for Veterans
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6 FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE Servicemembers Employ Recession Buffers 16 ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS Movie and Video/DVD Releases
SECTIONS 22 HEALTH & FITNESS Kickboxing 28 MILITARY CUISINE Spaghetti with Grilled Shrimp Zucchini & Salsa Verde
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Career Corner
‘Operation Education’ Provides Net for Veterans By Joni Kirk
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ne decision turned Chase Clark’s life upside-down, but another is helping him realize the dreams he didn’t think were possible. While still in high school in rural Blackfoot, Idaho, Clark signed up for the Army National Guard because of the great benefits and the “opportunity to make something” of himself. Immediately following graduation, he took advantage of the educational benefits and enrolled at Idaho State University. “I never expected to get activated, but I knew it was a possibility,” he said. That’s exactly what happened his first semester, however. Clark found himself serving in Iraq, where he was wounded in combat. He won’t discuss his injuries, though, because of the emotional trauma he still suffers. Upon his return home, Clark was discharged from the Army National Guard, but found the battle was only beginning. “Veteran wounds can suck you down and hold you within yourself. I was in a deep, dark place,” he said. Eventually, Clark realized he needed to escape the demons that haunted him. Intent on obtaining a degree in landscape architecture, he took another gamble and headed to the University of Idaho. This time he won the jackpot. Soon after his arrival, Clark learned about a scholarship created specifically for disabled veterans: the university’s “Operation Education” scholarship program. Operation Education has three components customized to meet the personal needs of each scholar. Each plan provides financial, academic and social support for the diverse challenges that go with a return to civilian life, adjusting to life with a disability and working to earn a college degree. The program also is available to veterans’ spouses.
According to John Sawyer, a veterans’ advisor at the University of Idaho, a college degree can lead to a new life and career opportunities. “For many disabled veterans, returning to a productive and satisfying life is about more than just money,” Sawyer said. “Rather, it is about the need for comprehensive and integrated support. We will do whatever it takes for these veterans to succeed in the classroom, on campus, in the community and, ultimately, in society by helping them complete a college degree.” “I know a lot of wounded vets who have had a tough time getting their benefits and aren’t getting paid, which is stressful on their families,” Clark said. “This scholarship is not like that at all. The people with Operation Education get things done. They make things happen. More than that, they take care of anything needed for my education.” For Clark, the package has included physical therapy, assistance with vocational rehabilitation, social support, financial assistance for extra expenses, and more. Because he doesn’t have to worry about the “behind the scenes” efforts, Clark said, he is able to focus on his course work. With help from Operation Education, he was able to take a sixweek landscape architecture course in Italy. He also plans to study abroad in New Zealand in the spring. “Studying internationally allows me to glean from the foundations and traditions of landscape architecture,” he said. “There are great examples of city form, land planning and landscape design that can serve as inspiration for contemporary design and planning.” Clark’s also developing his skills closer to home. This year, students in the university’s landscape architecture program are working in Cascade, Idaho, to develop and realize a community vision. “It’s a project where we impact real people directly,” Clark said. “It made me realize what I can become. I’m developing both as an individual and as part of a team. It’s very inspiring and presents me with new challenges and ideals.” He credits the university and its scholarship program as being a “grounding rod” for disabled veterans. “Operation Education is more than a scholarship – it’s a support web,” Clark said. “It allows me to be flexible in exploring the different avenues and opportunities of my education. I can focus on learning without being hindered by all the details. “I encourage other vets who may think that they can’t go to school to reconsider.”
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Obama Heralds West Point Graduates for Service to Country U.S. Army photo by Tommy Gilligan
By Donna Miles
P
resident Barack Obama praised the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 2010 at its graduation and commissioning ceremonies for choosing to serve their country during wartime at a pivotal time in its history Recognizing the vast demographic differences among the class’ 1,002 graduating members at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y., the president cited the unified sense of duty and commitment to their nation’s security they all share. “Here in the quiet of these hills, you have come together to prepare for the most difficult tests of our time,” he said. “You signed up knowing your service would send you into harm’s way, and did so long after the first drums of war were sounded. “In you we see the commitment of our country, and timeless virtues that have served our nation well,” Obama said. The president recognized the Class of 2010’s motto, “Loyal ‘Til the End,” as a hallmark that will guide the new officers during their military careers, particularly while serving in the combat theater. The president last addressed the “Long Gray Line” of cadets here in December, when he announced
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his Afghanistan strategy. Today he acknowledged that “a tough fight” remains in ensuring its success. “There will be difficult days ahead,” he said, conceding that “the threat will not go way soon.” The international effort to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda is a “necessary and just” one that’s changed over the past nine years but remains “no less important than it was in those days after 9/11,” Obama told the cadets. Despite “more success in eliminating al Qaeda leaders in recent months than in recent years,” he acknowledged that the enemy “will continue to recruit, plot and exploit our open society. But we will adapt, we will persist,” Obama said. “And I have no doubt that together with our Afghan and international partners, we will succeed in Afghanistan.” He promised the full support of the United States as the military helps the Afghan people confront extremism and bolster their own national security forces while promoting economic progress and civil development. “We have brought hope to the Afghan people,” he said. “Now we must see that their
U.S. Military Academy Class of 2010 President Arron Conley of Compton, Calif., presents a cadet saber to Barack Obama, President of the United States, as a gift from the class during graduation ceremonies at the academy in West Point, N.Y., May 22, 2010
country does not fall prey to our common enemies.” Obama also reiterated his pledge to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq this summer. He defined success there as “an Iraq that provides no safe-haven to terrorists [and] a democratic Iraq that is sovereign, stable and self-reliant.” The president paid tribute to the 78 West Point graduates who have died in the war on terror, and recognized the military’s steadfast support in confronting challenges facing the United States. “You, and all who wear America’s uniform, remain the cornerstone of our national defense, and the anchor of global security,” he told the cadets. “And through a period when too many of our institutions have acted irresponsibly, the American military has set a standard of service and sacrifice that is as great as any in this nation’s history.” But Obama also emphasized that military might alone won’t ensure success against current or future threats. “The burdens of this century cannot fall on American soldiers alone,” he said. He pledged to shape a new, international order based on global cooperation and partnerships
that address not just military, but also economic and environmental challenges. “The international order we seek is one that can resolve the challenges of our times,” he said, ticking off examples: “countering violent extremism and insurgency; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials; combating a changing climate and sustaining global growth; helping countries feed themselves and care for their sick; preventing conflict and healing its wounds.” The United States will use these principles as its guide as it faces the future, the president said. “We are Americans, and our destiny is never written for us, it is written by us,” he told the cadets. “And we are ready to lead once more.” Army Lt. Gen. Franklin L. “Buster” Hagenbeck, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, recognized the graduating class for distinguishing itself through academic and athletic excellence. “You have met all the challenges of West Point,” he said. “Now you are ready to assume the mantle of leadership” and to play “a decisive role as leaders of character.” Nearly all of the graduating cadets were commissioned as Army second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. One was commissioned into the Air Force, one into the Navy and three into the Marine Corps.
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Financial Independence
Servicemembers Employ Recession Buffers By Lisa Daniel
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ilitary members receive some buffers from hard times through benefits like housing and meal allowances, commissaries and a strong support network. But they feel the crunch of increasing prices like everyone else. Finance professionals who work directly with servicemembers say they are seeing more requests for help from soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. “We’re really seeing a lot of people asking for assistance,” said Kelly Stewart, a community readiness consultant who counsels airmen about their finances on Andrews Air Force Base, Md. “It just seems to get worse with the economy.” On Camp Pendleton, Calif., “We’re seeing the military folks cut back on food,” said Mike Hire, director of the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society there. “Just like with other Americans, folks are looking for bargains and store brands, and they’re buying things that go further. Maybe you haven’t eaten rice or spaghetti as much as you do now.” The pinch has been especially hard on young servicemembers who aren’t old enough to remember the last economic slowdown, let alone have never juggled finances through a recession, financial advisors say. Where people tend to make mistakes is in not having enough savings to cover unexpected costs, Hire said. When people put pen to paper and create a budget, most draw a fixed income line and fixed expense line. That’s a mistake, Hire said. “Expenses are never solid. They move up and down all the time. That’s where people get into trouble,” he said. Lynn Olavarria, manager of the financial readiness program on Fort
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Bragg, N.C., agreed that education and self control on spending are key to keeping finances in check. “What I’m seeing is young people coming out of their parents’ home and they have no kind of background for dealing with finances,” she said. “Everybody wants everything now. I’m seeing that change more all the time. It’s the instant-gratification generation. They incur debt quickly because we all know how easy it is to get credit.” Servicemembers go to financial counselors for basic budgeting, referrals for interest-free loans, and sometimes because they are in danger of losing their security clearances due to financial problems, Stewart said. “Some clients I see have hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt - credit card debt, judgments, it varies,” she said. Finance experts have this advice for military members to improve their financial shape: Take advantage of your benefits and support network; make smart spending choices; and save more. There are many programs set up for military members to save money. The Military Savings Deposit Program allows those deployed to combat zones to have money automatically taken out of their paychecks and placed into a savings account. Servicemembers earn 10 percent on the balance of the savings up to three months after their deployment ends, said Maj. Burke Beaumont, comptroller of the 316th Mission Support Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Military members also must be careful not to use
predatory lenders that charge very high interest, solicit around military bases, and make it simple to get a loan, Beaumont and other financial advisors said. The problem has gotten so bad that Congress last year passed a law that caps the interest rate on loans to military members at 36 percent. Predatory or “payday” lenders have gotten so common around bases that most financial readiness programs offer free classes on base to teach about their dangers, the financial advisors said. Also, Army Emergency Relief has started a new program that soldiers can use in place of private lenders. Under the Commanders’ Referral Plan, a soldier can receive interest-free loans of up to $1,000 twice per year with a commander’s referral, Olavarria said. An Army Community Service office is located on every post and can help soldiers or give referrals of help for almost any problem, she said. Furthermore, all installations and their surrounding communities sign onto what is known as an Army Family Covenant, which is a vow to support soldiers in any way possible, she said.
pride
history respect courage
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I t has been more than nine years since the start of the Iraq War and the men and women of the US Armed Forces continue to be steadfast in their commitment to the defense of this nation. Although there has been a draw down of troops of sorts from Iraq and an increase in Afghanistan, the men and women in the military need the support of American citizens more than ever. Color of Service salutes all the dedicated, professional and brave service personnel who continuously place themselves in harm’s way on a day to day basis.
Photo Essay
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Book Notes
mong America’s Special Forces, the Green Berets stand out because they can “do it all,” according to this enthusiastic account of their training. Ex-SEAL Couch (Down Range) explains that Green Berets not only fight, they teach: living in the world’s hot spots, they speak the language, win the trust of the locals, and train and fight alongside them to defeat a common enemy. They are the “Peace Corps with guns” and the key to winning the war on terror, he asserts. Only the most fit, smart, stable and multilingual need apply, but training is so rigorous that recruits first undergo 25 days of pretraining, from which only one-third proceed to Green Beret school, where attrition continues.
Dick Couch
Bruce Gamble
ruce Gamble’s “Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942 - April 1943” is a magnificent and important work on this often neglected part of World War II. Mr. Gamble has paid the price in research. The accounts he collected from participants in the campaign, the US and Australian archives, and the official records of the US, Australian, and Japanese clarify and punctuate the events. You experience Rabaul and New Britain through his graphic description of the topography and weather while getting a clear understanding of the volcanic origins of the Rabaul and the impact the volcanoes and volcanic activity to include earthquakes have on the land and inhabitants.
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Keith W. Nolan
earch and Destroy: The Story of an Armored Cavalry Squadron in Vietnam: 1-1 Cav, 1967-1968 by Keith W. Nolan. The late Keith Nolan does an excellent job of telling the story of the 1-1 Cav, from January 1967 through the unit’s deployment to Vietnam in August 1967 and follows it to December 1968. He takes the unit from their training at Fort Hood, Texas to South Vietnam. His describing the atrocities committed by the men of the 1/1 Cav as well as the random acts of violence committed by the young troopers upon civilians and enemy prisoners is eye-opening.
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Bob Bergin
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Stephen Bungay
he Most Dangerous Enemy: An Illustrated History of the Battle of Britain” is spectacular. It merits a five-star rating. It is in a large-format of 11.9 x 9.8 x 1.1 inches. The quality of the book is immaculate. If you are a history buff with an interest in the Battle of Britain this is the book for you. The book is divided into three sections: Part 1: Build-up, Part 2: Battle, and Part 3: Aftermath. It takes you on a journey of understanding where you learn all about of the organization of the air forces.
pies In The Garden: A Novel of War and Espionage by Bob Bergin takes place during the Japanese invasion of Burma and China. The book centers on the actions of the Flying Tigers (the American Volunteer Group). The book provides a good history of the Flying Tigers wrapped around the story. I enjoyed his description of the pilots and their actions. The story begins in November 1941. The fictional hero, Harry Ross, is an American spy working undercover as a writer. He witnesses their early training. The Flying Tigers improve as the story advances into a force feared by the Japanese.
Readjusting to Family Life Requires Communication By Mary Markos Special to American Forces Press Service
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ll Eva Creel wanted for 12 months was for her husband to come home from Afghanistan to be by her side. When he returned, she found she wanted nothing more than her own personal space. Creel – like many spouses of soldiers returning from deployments – discovered firsthand that the rush of emotions after redeployment can both draw a couple together and pull them apart. “When they’re gone, you miss them terribly, but you become very independent,” she said. “I had my routine, my schedule and my plans. He kind of got in the way of all those things.” Redeployment is an overwhelming a rollercoaster ride of emotions,
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joy and including
everything from feelings of guilt from a newfound independence to the insecurity and frustration of getting to know one another again. But these emotions are 100 percent normal, according to Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David Scheider, deputy chaplain for the U.S. Army Garrison here. The key to getting back on track, he said, is communicating expectations and emotions with one another. During extended separations, Scheider said, it is common for couples to develop unrealistic expectations of a physical and emotional reunion. One of the most common types of expectation building is for soldiers to develop an unrealistic image of their spouse in their minds. A very high number of deployed
troops do this, the chaplain said. “There is really not much of a place to get away from it all [while deployed],” he explained, “So they develop a place in their brain to go to, in their memories. And they start to build this safe place. The star of that safe place in their mind is usually their [spouse]. “After awhile, they’ll begin to develop this expectation of [the spouse] as this perfect person,” he continued. “It is totally unrealistic. It is half fantasy and half reality.” Back at home, Creel said, a spouse may experience the same thing. “I did turn him into this perfect husband [during the deployment],” she admitted. “The reality is different.” To prevent reality shock from upending the marriage, the soldier and spouse should reevaluate the “fantasy” image they have created of their loved one, Scheider said.
Because everyone changes during deployments, he said, couples must evaluate the reality of who they have become and get to know each other again when they’re reunited after a deployment. In doing so, he added, they shouldn’t take anything for granted. Couples should
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oldiers who experienced a high level of stress during the deployment may feel shame for something they did or guilt for something they did not do in combat. This can be a contentious area. communicate even the most obvious expectations and desires, even something as simple how much time you expect to spend alone together
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or who will take out the trash, the chaplain said. Some spouses look forward to handing over the job of disciplinarian and household organizer to the redeploying soldier, Scheider said, but recently returned servicemembers often can’t make this decision because they are unsure of what the rules were in their absence, or what the rules should be. At the same time the spouse is ready to hand off the disciplinarian hat, the soldier, having missed birthdays and other important family events, is ready to make up for lost time by overindulging the child. Talk, talk and more talk is the key, Scheider said, as maintaining open communication – detailing both large and small expectations – is one of the only ways to weather the emotional storm of reintegrating. Another sticking point, the chaplain said, is when increasingly confident spouses who have grown independent during the deployment, begin to resent when their redeployed soldiers expect them to put their lives on hold and devote all of their time to them. While each couple will experience variations of these common scenarios, each relationship and every individual is unique, Scheider said. The bottom line and the driving factor for a smooth reintegration, he said, is to make reconnecting as a couple a top priority. Soldiers may find themselves feeling both hurt and proud that their spouse coped so well without them, the chaplain noted. They may question whether
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or not they are needed in the relationship, and may even feel like an outsider in the family. Spouses should understand these feelings and attempt to make the soldier feel needed, he advised. Both spouses will need affirmation that their relationship is as strong as ever, or at least growing,
Scheider said, but connecting on an emotional level after redeployment may take some time. Soldiers who experienced a high level of stress during the deployment may feel shame for something they did or guilt for something they did not do in combat. This can be a contentious area, the chaplain said. “The most hurtful thing [to a spouse can be] wanting to have that significant reconnection, waiting for this time to really sit down and talk, and [the soldier] stiff-arms her, thinking, ‘I want to protect her from who I am,’” he explained. While spouses may be curious about their soldier’s experiences, the chaplain said, the best thing they offer the servicemember is space to work through their feelings. Spouses should avoid asking questions about what happened in combat and never
should pressure the soldier for details, he said. Soldiers still struggling after six weeks, Scheider said, should seek help. Throughout reintegration, as soldiers readjust to their new home life, they may seek a comrade in arms to confide in and relate to, the chaplain said. This may leave the spouse feeling unloved and alone. “It calls into question the whole relationship -- the loyalty and the bond,” he said. Soldiers, he added, should resist the urge to close their circle of support to only those they served with. And just as soldiers do, he noted, spouses learn to rely on those around them for support and assistance during the deployment. When troops return, they may experience hurt feelings and disappointment if those support groups begin to crumble. “I had a few friends whose husbands were deployed at the same time as mine,” Creel said. “We were like family. We talked to each other every day. They were in my routine. But when our husbands came back, we barely talked to each other. It is sad that you lose that friendship.” It is important, however, Scheider said, for the marriage, not the friendships, to be the couple’s main priority. For couples who still are having trouble reconnecting on an emotional level after six weeks, Scheider suggested reaching out for professional help. “Healthy couples,” he said, “gang up on the problem, not each other.” (Mary Markos works in the U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr Public Affairs Office.)
Entertainment Focus
Inception
Takers
Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive
A notorious group of criminals continue to baffle police by pulling off perfectly executed bank robberies. They are in and out like clockwork, leaving no evidence behind and laying low in between heists. But when they attempt to pull off one last job with more money at stake than ever before, the crew may find their plans interrupted by a hardened detective who is hell-bent on solving the case.
Video & DVD Two men from opposite sides of the law are undercover within the Massachusetts State Police and the Irish mafia, but violence and bloodshed boil when discoveries are made, and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy’s identities.
Richard Kelly (Cedric Sanders), a young black man with a promising career ahead of him in the corporate world finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is sentenced to serve probation at an all-white seminary that is looking to break the color barrier.
The Departed
The Least Among You
Expendables
M ovies
A group of mercenaries is hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things aren’t quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge.
Cash
A man meets up with two “good guys” to recover what is unlawfully his, taking them on his whirlwind ride, doing things they never would have imagined, just to survive.
The American
As an assassin, Jack is constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside. He relishes being away from death for a spell as he holes up in a small medieval town. While there, Jack takes an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde
Kick-Ass
It has been a long time since I have left a screening with endorphins pumping through my body and the strong urge to learn a martial art but Kick-Ass did exactly that; I felt like I could take on the world! An explosive ride that covers insane action sequences, intelligent superhero parodies and intense dramatic turns, Kick-Ass is a welcome addition to the realm of the comic-book movie. COLOR OF SERVICE 17
Photo: R. D. Ward
LS Arlington FallenTroops
Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, commander of the Military District of Washington and Joint Force Headquarters, National Capitol Region, salute at the playing of Taps by the lone buglar during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery
eaders alute at
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By Gerry J. Gilmore
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Our men and women in uniform know full well that the promise and the peril of this time have never been greater; the threats to American security are more widespread, geographically, than ever before.
Biden, the keynote speaker at the observance held in the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater, was joined by Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The vice president previously laid a ceremonial wreath at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknowns, which contains the remains of unidentified soldiers from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. More than 300,000 people rest in peace at Arlington, including veterans from all of the nation’s wars – from the American Revolution through Iraq and Afghanistan. Biden said he’d met with a group of Gold Star Mothers at the White House earlier today. Gold Star Mothers is an organization of mothers who’ve lost a son or a daughter in military service to the country. The Gold Star families “know all too well the price
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ice President Joe Biden hailed the unselfish service and sacrifices of past and present generations of U.S. servicemembers during the annual Memorial Day observance held at Arlington National Cemetery. “Collectively, the generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have served and sacrificed for us are the heart and soul, and I would say, spine, of this nation,” Biden said. “And as a nation, we pause today to remember them; they gave their lives fulfilling their oath to this nation and to us and in doing so,” he continued, “they imparted a responsibility on us to recognize, to respect, to honor and to care for those who risked their lives so that we can live our lives.”
of their loved ones’ patriotism,” Biden said. “None,” he said, “should be asked to sacrifice that much.” Biden observed that many people in the amphitheater possibly were awaiting the return of loved ones deployed overseas in harm’s way. Others, he added, may have waited in vain. “To those who have lost a loved one in the service of our nation, I recall a famous headstone in Ireland,” Biden said. “And the headstone reads as follows: ‘Death Leaves a Heartache No One Can Heal; Love Leaves a Memory No One Can Steal.’ “No one can steal the memory from you,” Biden continued. And the pain and heartache now felt by the survivors of departed military members, he said, eventually will “be replaced by the joyful memory of the son or daughter, husband, wife, father, mother that you loved so dearly, and lost.” Memorial Day “is a day in which sorrow mixes with incredible pride,” Biden said. “We mourn those we’ve lost and we hold fast to their memories and we take pride – great pride – in the lives they’ve lived and the service they’ve provided.” American servicemembers who serve and sacrifice on far-flung battlefields are motivated by love – not hate, Biden said. “Love is why we’re here today,” he said, “to show our love for the men and women who died showing their love for this great country and [to] honor their families who share that love even more deeply.” Biden wondered aloud what previous generations of U.S. servicemembers might think of today’s world that’s been made smaller - and sometimes more COLOR OF SERVICE 19
turbulent - by globalization. “And as the world around us shrinks it means trouble halfway around the world can – and will – visit us, no matter how high our walls or how wide our oceans,” Biden said. “Our men and women in uniform know full well that the promise and the peril of this time have never been greater; the threats to American security are more widespread, geographically, than ever before.” Current threats to America, Biden said, include the spread of weapons of mass destruction and dangerous disease, economic dislocations, a growing gap between the rich and poor, ethnic animosities in failed states and radical fundamentalism. Today’s generation of U.S. servicemen and women now “stands watch, protecting America’s interests against all of these new threats,” Biden said, “and it will take - and it has taken - equally great sacrifice as those who have gone before them.” America has lost 4,391 servicemembers in Operation Iraqi Freedom and during follow-on operations in Iraq, Biden said, and 1,074 troops have died in Operation Enduring Freedom and follow-on operations in Afghanistan. These departed servicemembers “were the best of us; they were our blood … and treasure,” Biden said. American force of arms, he said, has protected America’s freedoms and way of life since the nation was established. That will not change, he said. And, as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, the U.S. government, Biden said, has “a sacred obligation to provide these warriors with everything they need to complete their mission, and everything they need – and I might add, deserve – when they come home.”
Today’s servicemembers, as were their predecessors, are “bright, educated and committed,” Biden said. And the source of America’s ultimate strength, he said, emanates from its values. “In upholding our values, we’re made stronger,” Biden said, noting radical fundamentalists want “to change what we value, to change how we live our lives, to change what it means to be an American.” However, America is defended by “the finest military the world has ever produced - period,” Biden said. And, America’s servicemembers at rest at Arlington and elsewhere, he said, have fought and sacrificed for their fellow countrymen. “They lived with integrity; they served nobly; they gave everything,” Biden said. “They fought for what they believed in and maybe most importantly, they believed in something bigger than themselves. “They believed in all of you, they believed in all of us and they believed in America,” the vice president said. “So on this day, this solemn day, let us strive once again to be individuals in a nation worthy of that belief.” Lynn’s and Mullen’s remarks preceded Biden’s.“We gather today to honor our fallen in a sacred place,” Lynn said. “Arlington Cemetery stands as one of our nation’s greatest symbols of the sacrifices made for our freedom and our way of life. We have carried our fallen heroes to these fields for 146 years.” Arlington’s “rows of marble headstones,” Lynn continued, “are a testament to how one generation defends the next; to how our nation is built upon unimaginable heroism and sacrifice; and to how these sacrifices stretch from our forefathers to the present day.” Less visible at Arlington, he said, are the sacrifices made by the
Vice President Joe Biden lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the national Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.. Photo: Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley 20 COLOR OF SERVICE
surviving loved ones of departed servicemembers. “For every fallen hero laid to rest there is a mother and father who will not see their child through life’s milestones,” Lynn said. “For most, there is a spouse who must live without the spouse they chose. And for many
there is a child who will not have a parent to guide them.” The sacrifices of war, Lynn said, ripple outward like water splashed by a stone. “So today we honor not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice; we honor all those who have shared the loss,” he said. Servicemembers who’ve fallen in Iraq or Afghanistan are laid to rest at Arlington in Section 60. The people buried there represent every race and creed, Lynn observed, noting the headstones bear symbols of several religions. “Their graves are topped by the cross, the crescent moon and star, [and] the Star of David,” he said. Arlington’s fallen servicemembers, “reflect the more perfect union they died to defend,” Lynn said. “In Arlington, like nowhere else, we can see freedom blossom and know its price.” Mullen echoed Lynn’s touching sentiments. “Every year since Civil War reconstruction Americans have set aside this day to pay tribute to service and to sacrifice,” Mullen said. “No place, more than Arlington, reminds me of what we owe them and their families for what they have given to us.” Around the globe -- on the land, on the sea and in the sky -- generations of young Americans “have fought for each other, fought for their families and fought for us,” the admiral said. “Now they peacefully rest in cemeteries, unmarked battlefield graves and in the deepest oceans around the world.”
Each servicemember’s gravesite “enshrines a unique story and we remember the sacrifice, the humanity and the service each name represents,” the admiral said. Mullen recalled that the famous World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle would often come
upon letters from home, blank writing paper, photographs and other personal items belonging to servicemembers that were killed in action. “I believe each story, each letter, each item they’d carried sends a powerful message,” Mullen said. “It’s not about how they died, but how they lived and what they cared for.” Times have changed, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are different than past conflicts, the admiral said, noting today’s troops may carry fewer physical keepsakes than their forebears did. “But they will always carry and cherish the love of their family, the respect of their fellow citizens and an abiding hope for a safe return,” he said. The admiral recalled what an Army corporal had written to his family in his final letter before he was killed in Afghanistan. Mullen said the corporal wrote: “‘Know that you all are the reason that I am here and to give my life for that is nothing to me.’” At Arlington, “centuries guard the stories of those who gave their lives; those who willingly sacrificed all that they carry,” Mullen said. “And such stories of courage, love and hope will be our continuous renewal, as grass comes through the freshly turned soil of Section 60. “Our treasured keepsakes will be the lives we celebrate, every Memorial Day and every day of the year,” the admiral said.
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Health & Fitness
Kick Boxing
by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
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re you looking for a total body workout that totally kicks butt? How about a way to increase your stamina, flexibility, and strength while listening to your favorite dance mixes? If this sounds good to you, keep reading to find out what you need to know before you take the kickboxing challenge.
Why Kickboxing? Besides keeping your body fit, kickboxing has other benefits. According to a study by the ACE, you can burn anywhere from 350 to 450 calories an hour with kickboxing! Kickboxing also reduces and relieves stress. Its rigorous workout — controlled punching and kicking movements carried out with the discipline and skills required for martial arts — can do wonders for feelings of frustration and anger. Practicing kickboxing moves can also help to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance. What Is Kickboxing? Although the true roots of kickboxing date back to Asia 2,000 years ago, modern competitive kickboxing actually started in the 1970s, when American karate experts arranged competitions that allowed fullcontact kicks and punches that had been banned in karate. Because of health and safety concerns, padding and protective clothing and safety rules were introduced into the sport over the years, which led to the various forms of competitive kickboxing practiced in the United States
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today. The forms differ in the techniques used and the amount of physical contact that is allowed between the competitors. Currently, one popular form of kickboxing is known as aerobic or cardiovascular (cardio) kickboxing, which combines elements of boxing, martial arts, and aerobics to provide overall physical conditioning and toning. Unlike other types of kickboxing, cardio kickboxing does not involve physical contact between competitors — it’s a cardiovascular workout that’s done because of its many benefits to the body. Cardio kickboxing classes usually start with 10-15 minutes of warm-ups, which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks and pushups, followed by a 30-minute kickboxing session that includes movements such as knee strikes, kicks, and punches. Some instructors may use equipment like punching bags or jump ropes. After this, at least 5 minutes should be devoted to cooling down, followed by about 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning. Stretching is really important because beginners can strain (“pull”) their muscles, and slow, proper stretching helps relax muscles and prevent injury. Instructional videos and DVDs are also available if you’re interested in trying a cardio kickboxing routine at home.
Military Linguists Learn Language Skills Vital to Operations By Samantha L. Quigley American Forces Press Service
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oreign languages are vital to an effective military force, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center’s provost said in an interview here. “It’s absolutely vital that we have people on the ground who can speak [the native language],” said retired Army Col. Donald C. Fischer, a former military linguist. To ensure the military has those resources, DLI instructs military student linguists in 24 languages requested by the services. Many of those languages must be taught beginning with the most basic concepts, said Madhumita Mehrotra, a native of India and a Hindi language instructor at the center.“We started with basic sounds and script, [and] within three weeks, they get to know sound and script,” she said of her current class, which is 33 weeks into its 48week program. Mehrotra is particular about how her students learn her native language. “I’m very much particular with their pronunciation, because Hindi is such that one additional … hard vowel attached to the consonant, it changes the whole meaning of the word,” she said. “So they have to be very, very particular with what … kind of sound they are making. It makes the whole word change. “They’re doing pretty good,” she added. “They are at the level where they should be at this time.” Despite the difficulty of learning the language, Air Force Airman 1st Class Chelsye Shaffer said she is enjoying the challenges it presents. “It’s a great
“I
was completely ignorant to the Middle East. I had no knowledge of it [or] the culture of Islam”
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photo: Samantha L. Quigley
Air Force Airman 1st Class Alvertis Bishop, left, and Air Force Airman 1st Class Chelsye Shaffer listen as Madhumita Mehrotra explains the subtle differences between two Hindi words,
language,” she said. “The teachers are awesome, [and] they help a lot.”Air Force Airman 1st Class Alvertis Bishop agreed, but showed his hand when he explained why he likes studying Hindi. “I’ve been telling people that I wouldn’t want any other language, because we get all the festivals,” he said with a smile. The two Hindi students sang and Shaffer recited a Hindi poem during an August celebration of Indian culture for their 11student class. It’s one thing to study a language in a classroom setting, but quite another to put it, and a knowledge of the culture, to use in real life, a former Marine who’s now a soldier has learned. The Army staff sergeant, who requested his name not be used for security reasons, served a tour in Iraq with the 1st Marines. On patrol near Baghdad one morning,
the members of his unit reached the location where they’d been told to establish a roadblock and wait for trucks to come and pick them up. A group of Arabic-speaking men approached them and began talking. None of the Marines spoke or understood Arabic, but they soon learned the men had been relaying information back to counterparts. Suddenly, the group of men was gone, and three rocket-propelled grenades landed near the Marines, starting a “full-on fight,” the staff sergeant said. “If we would have known any Arabic, we would have caught on to what they were doing before it started,” he said. “So I just didn’t want to go back without knowing Arabic.” But it’s not easy for a Marine to switch from infantry to linguistics, which is classified as an intelligence job, he said, so he decided to switch
to the Army with the intent of studying Arabic at DLI. Now about a year into the 18-month Arabic program, he said he realizes how important it is for servicemembers to understand both the language and the culture of other lands. “When I went there, I had no clue,” he said. “I was completely ignorant to the Middle East. I had no knowledge of it [or] the culture of Islam. There’s a lot of things that if you do wrong [in] their culture, then they can take that really offensively. It can antagonize them, and it can actually create a fight that didn’t need to happen.” Just a little bit of knowledge and understanding on servicemembers’ part goes a long way, he added, noting that DLI conducts culturally based instruction that includes cultural immersion activities. “Just understanding them, I think, allows them to respect us more,” he said.
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Deployed Mom Finds Inspiration From Her Own By Army 1st Lt. Carolyn Frazier Special to American Forces Press Service
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mother’s job is not easy duty, especially for a soldier mom serving in Iraq, thousands of miles away from home. That’s why one servicemember looks to her own mother to help with her four children. “She is the love of my life. … I am very, very close to my mom,” said Army Staff Sgt. Tonya Harvey, an automated logistics specialist with the 3rd Infantry Division’s 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team. “Without my mom, I wouldn’t be able to do it, because she is my backbone.” Harvey is a single mother who said good-bye to her kids in October and has seen them only once in the past 12 months. She has three months remaining before she returns home to them. By 2 p.m., the days in Iraq turn hot and steamy, and that’s when she performs her favorite duty in Iraq: calling her children. “I try to call every day before they go to school,” she said. Her daily phone calls are her time to give encouragement and motivation to Tekera, 14, Tekeyla, 12, Kawania, 10, and Tia, 6. She also chats with them online every evening to hear about their day and to make sure they are all right, but most importantly, she said, so they know she is with them, no matter the distance.
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Army Staff Sgt. Tonya Harvey, a material handling supervisor for the 3rd Infantry Division’s 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, holds a picture of her four children at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq,
Harvey said she could not serve her country without the help of her mother, Connie, a single mom herself. Harvey’s children stay in Chauncey, Ga., with their grandmother, who also took care of them during two previous deployments to Iraq and while Harvey served in South Korea in 2004. She has had Tia since the child was 6 months old, when Harvey deployed to Iraq for the first time. “When I came back, [Tia] didn’t know who I was,” Harvey said. But by the time she returned from Iraq and Tia was beginning to get used to her, it was time to move to South Korea. She took her oldest three children with her and left Tia with her mother. It was a tough time, Harvey said,
and one of the many trials of being a mother in the military. Harvey said she realizes her children are getting older, and her concerns grow as they enter their teen years. “It’s time to be home and focused,” she said. With their grandmother’s help, Harvey’s children are involved with church activities. All the children participate in the choir, while Tekeyla and Tekera also are on the church’s dance team. In addition, Tekeyla is on the cheerleading squad, Tekera runs track and Kawania plays football and basketball. Harvey’s exhusband is stationed in Charlotte, N.C., so her children see him often. In Iraq, Harvey serves as the
material handling supervisor in Company A’s Supply Support Activity platoon. She manages four soldiers from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m. to ensure operations run smoothly during the mid-shift hours. The SSA receives and stores equipment and supplies for more than 120 supporting units throughout the Vanguard area of operations, from bottled water to packaged meals and other equipment. No matter what she does or where she goes, Harvey said, the support and strength she gets from her mother inspire her to drive on. (Army 1st Lt. Carolyn Frazier serves in the 3rd Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)
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Military Cuisine
Spaghetti with Grilled Shrimp, Zucchini & Salsa Verde
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ummer is the perfect time for this colorful pasta窶配ucchini is in abundance, and recipes that make good use of the outdoor grill are in demand. Both the squash and the shrimp here take their turn on the coals before being tossed with the spaghetti. If you crave the dish in the winter, cook the zucchini and shrimp in the broiler. INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup lightly packed parsley leaves 3 tablespoons drained capers 1 clove garlic, chopped 4 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon anchovy paste 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, shelled 3/4 pound spaghetti DIRECTIONS Put the parsley, capers, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper into a food processor or blender. Pulse just to chop, six to eight times. With the machine running, add the 1/2 cup oil in a thin stream to make a coarse puree. Leave this salsa verde in the food processor; if necessary, pulse to re-emulsify just before adding to the pasta. Light the grill or heat the broiler. Brush the zucchini with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Grill or broil the zucchini, turning, until just done, about 10 minutes in all. When the
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slices are cool enough to handle, cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and put them in a large bowl. Thread the shrimp onto skewers. Brush the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Grill or broil the shrimp, turning, until just done, about 4 minutes in all. Remove the shrimp from the skewers, slice them in half horizontally, and add them to the zucchini. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta to the grilled zucchini and shrimp and toss with the salsa verde.