Take Opportunity for Action in Sri Lanka

Amnesty International Urges Human Rights Council

Washington, DC:  In reaction to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s transmission of the findings of his expert panel’s report on Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Council, Amnesty International said: 

"For months we have been waiting for the report’s findings to be presented to the Human Rights Council. Now there can be no more excuses for inaction or delays," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director. 

The panel of experts report, made public in April 2011, found "credible allegations" of war crimes and crimes against humanity by all sides to the Sri Lankan conflict. 

"The panel of experts produced a strong, credible report - for the first time an international body acknowledged the extent of human rights abuses committed in the last days of Sri Lanka’s brutal conflict, when at least 10,000 civilians were killed," said Zarifi. "It’s time for the Human Rights Council to act on the panel of expert’s findings and hold those responsible for massive atrocities in Sri Lanka to account. The thousands of victims have waited long enough." 

Amnesty International also reminded the Human Rights Council of ongoing human rights abuses the organization has documented in Sri Lanka since the conflict ended in 2009. These include lack of humanitarian access to displaced communities, lack of consultation with communities in the resettlement process, and threats to media freedoms. 

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. 

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Haematology and BMT services are at a turning point

Ludhiana, 10^th September,  Haematology, Oncology and Bone marrow transplantation services are at a turning point in our country with increasing number of patients requiring the need for these services.  With a projected increase in chronic diseases in India and increasing life span, patients with these diseases are on the rise.

The caregiver at the bedside has a very important role in the outcome of cancer patients. On this behalf Christian Medical College, Ludhiana conducted a unique national conference for the nurses and physician assistants working in the field of cancer and bone marrow transplantation. This is the first time in this region such a conference is held on the theme ‘Importance of Nursing care’focusing on ‘Quality, Competency and Research’.

This was attended by more than 300 delegates from 10 different states of the country and 25 different institutions.

The meeting was inaugurated by the Chief guest Dr Kim.J.Mammen and Dr Kunal Jain gave the welcome speech.

While Mrs Abanti Gopan from Kolkota spoke about quality in nursing care, Ms Swapna Joshi from TMH Mumbai, detailed on how to go about research in nursing care and Dr M Joseph John from CMC Ludhiana mentioned clinician’s view point on nursing care and emphasized that Indian nurses can be as good or better than nurses from abroad by giving adequate training more responsibility.

Ms Jyoti Sahni from PGI, Chandigarh talked about the infection control in specialized units and Ms Joylen Jonahs from Pune explained the details of managing central lines.  Mrs Selva Titus from Vellore expounded on the importance of filtration technology in Haematology-Oncology and transplant units to reduce the incidence of infections.

Ms Anita Desouza from Mumbai gave the details of maintaining a clean environment for BMT and leukemia units and Ms Margaret from Vellore gave the details of stem cell handling. Ms Deepshika Gupta from Ludhiana mentioned about the ways to prevent and manage extravasations.

Post lunch there were panel discussions on training avenues for nurses and physician assistants, attrition among nurses, optimal manpower in a specialized unit and maintaining interpersonal relationships in a unit. This was followed by quiz for the audience and organizing secretary Dr M Joseph John gave the vote of thanks.

Asmita weekend theatre workshop on Saturday

The Asmita weekend theatre workshop, conceptualised by Mr Arvind Gaur Director Asmita theatre group, is the first of its kind. This workshop provides working professionals a platform to pursue theatre on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The uniqunes of this workshop lies in the selection of its content, chosen to study contemporary acting. Socio-political issues become a subject of discussions, improvisations and script reading.Voice and speech work, quintessential in acting are taught by means of physical exercises, street plays and monolouges.
15 years of knowledge and experience of Asmita Theatre Group is carefully filtered into the minds of students by the senior most actors of Asmita, under the critical guidance of Mr. Arvind Gaur.
Finally the three month workshop culminates in a public production.
"Kharashe" a play based on short stories by Gulzar was performed by the second batch of Asmita Weekend Theatre Workshop at I.H.C on the 26th and 27th of july.A comprehensive documentation of this play is available at the Asmita Weekend Theatre Group on Facebook.

For More Details Contact: Shiv Chauhan-9958793683,Shilpi Marwaha-9540656537, Arvind Gaur-9899650509

8th Ophthalmic Quiz organized

Ludhiana, 9^th September: The Department of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College and Hospital successfully organized the 8^th Ophthalmic quiz for undergraduate medical students in the hospital auditorium on 9^th September 2011. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr.A.G.Thomas, Director, CMC & Hospital. He encouraged the participating teams and appreciated the efforts of the department in making this academic venture a much awaited annual feature of the institution.

Among the 30 undergraduate teams, 5 teams qualified for the quiz following the preliminary round. Dr.Nitin Batra and Dr.Gurvinder Kaur conducted the finals. Anjali B Susan and Anu Sara Philip (Batch of 2008) were the winner & Nayana Sebastian and Dona George (Batch of 2006) were the 1^st runner up.

Dr.S.M.Bhatti, Principal CMC, was the guest of Honour and presented a special Award of Merit to an outstanding student, Geetika Gera (Batch of 2007). Gayatri Bhatia (Batch of 2008) presented an interesting talk titled ‘Hall of Fame’, which gave a brief history of legendary ophthalmologists.

Soldier Recalls Helping New York Citizens During 9/11

By Stephanie Hoff 1st Infantry Division FORT RILEY, Kan., Sept. 7, 2011 – A decade ago, then-paramedic Peter Rosie was on his day off hanging around his apartment in New York City. Army Staff Sgt. Peter Rosie with the 1st Infantry Division pulls security duty during his unit's deployment to Iraq in 2009. Rosie had served as a civilian paramedic with the New York City Fire Department during 9/11. Courtesy photo    Rosie was in his eighth year with the New York City Fire Department, where he served the residents of the Harlem community. A phone call from his girlfriend instructing him to turn on the television caused Rosie to spring into action. "I saw the first plane hit [the North Tower] on the TV. We had a small TV so you couldn't make out the magnitude of it," Rosie recalled. "All I had to do was walk one flight to the roof, and then I saw the second [plane] hit in front of me. My first thought was, 'I better go to work.'" Today Rosie is an Army staff sergeant serving here with the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 4th Cavalry Regiment. On Sept. 11, 2001, he experienced the horror of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers. Rosie is native of Scotland who’d previously served in the U.S. Army and later with the British Army before joining the New York City Fire Department. On 9/11, he hopped on his son's bicycle to report to Bellevue Hospital Center. Throughout the following Weeks, the facility would be one of New York's busiest centers to treat the wounded and later assist with identifying the deceased. Within 10 minutes Rosie was handed a two-way radio and assigned to a partner and an ambulance for assistance at the World Trade Center. "They threw a radio at me and said 'Here's your partner' and we started going down [to the WTC]," he said. "All I knew was it was bad." He would soon be a first-hand witness to the sheer magnitude and danger of the day's tragic events when his ambulance began to arrive on the scene just as the South Tower [the first of the two towers to collapse] began to fall and nearly struck his vehicle. "We were driving into it as it was coming down. We're talking seconds,” he said “If we had been a little bit earlier -- goner. Then, it just went black." Rosie recalled that the closer they traveled to what is now known as "ground zero," the harder it became to keep their bearings due to the amount of smoke and falling debris. The first patients he assisted included a police officer suffering from a heart attack and another person who’d lost a limb. "It was that first transport that was the worst," he said. "We backed up into Bellevue and there's just a sea of scrubs, just people waiting.” When Rosie returned to the site, the second tower had also collapsed and he recalled how first responders were still attempting to establish a command post and a means of communications between emergency personnel. "By that point, no one knew what was going on,” he said. “We were hearing and getting all kinds of information. At one point we thought the Holland Tunnel was blown up." Rosie recalls he functioned on “auto-pilot” the rest of the day and ensuing night, with numerous patient transports to the hospital and treating patients’ respiratory distress and eye injuries. He recalled that smoke would continue to rise from the site for weeks and by then emergency crews had switched from rescue missions to recovery missions to retrieve the deceased from the debris. For the following year when Rosie wasn't on his scheduled shift at the fire department, he would be found volunteering for recovery missions at ground zero. "For the next year if I wasn't working at Harlem, then I was working down at ground zero," he said. "There was a lot of camaraderie. It was good, but tiring.” There were 343 New York City firefighters who’d lost their lives on 9/11, Rosie said. His experiences during 9/11 in New York City caused Rosie to eventually rejoin the U.S. military. "I knew that everything had changed,” Rosie said, “and I wanted to go back into the Army." Unfortunately, Rosie’s age was working against him. He was over the Army's maximum enlistment age. However, as though fate granted his wish, the policy was temporarily changed. Rosie again donned a U.S. Army uniform after nearly 26 years. "I guess they were getting hard up and taking old men," he chuckled. Four years later, Rosie finds himself assigned to the historic 'Big Red One' here, preparing to embark on his third deployment with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. "I thought I had bit off a little more than I could chew initially. But I persisted and I ended up doing real well," Rosie said of his success in achieving the rank of staff sergeant after returning to the Army as a specialist. Rosie visited New York this July. The trip, he said, marked the first time he’d returned to the city since re-enlisting in the Army. "I don't think about Sept. 11 too much,” he said. “I'm not sure if it's some sort of coping mechanism, but I think it's why I never went back to New York [before].”

Related Sites: Special Report: Remembering 9/11 First Infantry Division and Fort Riley

Survivor Supports Families in Wake of 9/11

By Elaine Sanchez American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2011 - It's been a decade since American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, but Bonnie Carroll vividly recalls the aftermath. Bonnie Carroll, president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, assisted family members of the fallen in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. TAPS provides resources and support to family members with a fallen military loved one. Courtesy photo  As a family-support volunteer, she spent hours "listening and sharing" with families who were waiting to be notified about a missing loved one.Carroll, president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, was among a team of volunteers who responded in the wake of the devastating terrorist attack that took 184 lives at the Pentagon. That day "changed everything about the world in which we live," she said. "It gave every American an appreciation of those on the front line protecting freedom -- a renewed sense of appreciation." Carroll was at home in Anchorage, Alaska, when the news broke about the terrorist attacks here and in New York, and she immediately felt compelled to help -- both as an Air Force reservist and as the president of TAPS. She had founded this organization to offer support to survivors of fallen military loved ones after her husband, Army Brig. Gen. Tom Carroll, died in an Army C-12 plane crash in 1992. In her reserve capacity, she was assigned to the Pentagon's office of national security and emergency preparedness and had just wrapped up reserve duty there and returned home. But when she heard the news, she put on her uniform and was on the first plane out of Alaska. Carroll put a call out to her TAPS peer mentors to come to Washington at their own expense to help. More than 200 responded in a "tremendous response," she said. She arranged to have them serve six to 10 at a time in weeklong shifts offering 24/7 support to family members in the Pentagon Family Assistance Center at Crystal City's Sheraton Hotel in Virginia. The center opened the morning of Sept. 12 and remained open around the clock until Oct. 12, helping both Defense Department victims' families and families of the passengers aboard Flight 77. Along with TAPS volunteers, the center was staffed by military community and family policy specialists, plus thousands of volunteers. "We had folks who were surviving family members there to just be a comfort, to sit and hold hands," Carroll said. "We had really, really tremendous people who stepped forward. "It was just beautiful," she added. "So much healing took place in that little closed environment. So much love and care and support, and the bonds that were formed exist to this day." To avoid burnout, Carroll scheduled the volunteers in one-week blocks so the peer mentors and survivor support team were "alert, fresh and ready," she said. "A big part of the effort ... was providing tremendous care to those 500 families at center, but also care to our team members who also were survivors," she noted. The organization also brought in grief and trauma experts from around the nation. "We were focused on getting the best, most appropriate support in place that would complement the support provided by the DOD," she said. In time and as reports rolled in, Carroll said, the atmosphere of hope shifted into a time of solace and support. Twice a day, she recalled, now-retired Army Gen. John A. Van Alstyne, then deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy, briefed the families and take their questions. The general offered families a fact-based, sometimes graphic briefing, and on some days, asked everyone to stand up and sing "God Bless America," Carroll said. And then "he would remind everyone to breathe. People didn't realize they were holding their breath." Carroll said the general often remarked, "Regardless of their job -- whether a contractor, DOD civilian or military member -- the day of their death, they were on duty for America." Carroll vividly recalls the family members she met and their reactions in the aftermath of the attack on the Pentagon. She remembers standing in the hall with Pat Hogan, an Air Force doctor who lost her Army major husband in the Pentagon. They were talking, when then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Erik K. Shinseki and his wife, Patricia, walked up. Carroll said Hogan looked Shinseki in the eye -- just days after her husband had been killed -- and said, "I have no children; I have no husband. Nothing is holding me back. I want to transfer to the Army and I want to go to the front lines." "I would have thought he would have patted her on the head and told her to take time to grieve," Carroll said, choking up. "But he said, 'You got it.'" However, the Air Force chief of staff at the time, now-retired Gen. John P. Jumper, got wind of the conversation and asked her to stay in the Air Force. He said he'd send her with pararescue personnel to Afghanistan so she could serve as their doctor. "She left soon after," Carroll said. "She's amazing." Carroll also recalls the Hemingway family from Kansas, who lost their son, a father of two. "They hung in there all day every day for six weeks," she said, "and then they were the last family to be told that nothing of their son could be identified. There was nothing found." After six weeks, the support center closed down, Carroll said, but TAPS volunteers continued to support the families of the fallen -- the same mission that continues today. The organization's support includes peer-based emotional support, a 24/7 help line, support groups, seminars and one-on-one counseling. In turn, many of the 9/11 surviving family members became staunch supporters of TAPS, she said. Lisa Dolan, whose Navy husband died in the Pentagon, started a therapy dog program for TAPS' Good Grief Camp, which offers support to children of fallen service members. Another survivor, Joyce Johnson, who lost her husband, works for TAPS as part of the adult survivor support team, which reaches out to those with newly lost loved ones. Their contributions speak to their resilience, she said, as well as the resilience of the nation. This year marks a decade since the tragedy occurred, but Carroll said Americans are reminded of the attacks every day. "Every time we go through airport security or see a flag-draped coffin on the front page of the paper, every time we hear about security concerns," she said, "we're reminded of where this journey began and the precious nature of our freedom and the fragile world in which we live." �

Related Sites: Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

AN APPEAL for PEMA from LEH

Pema is 30-year old lady from Leh, Ladakh, with four children, who recently underwent a urinary bladder reconstruction operation in the Department of Urology, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana. She had a diseased urinary bladder which was small in capacity and could not store urine due to tuberculosis of the kidney and bladder. Her left kidney was also diseased and non-functioning due to tuberculosis. Her right kidney was also obstructed due to tuberculosis and this was also set right surgically.

Pema had urinary incontinence and she was always wet and stinking with the smell of urine. Her clothes were always wet due to dribbling of urine without her knowledge. It was an embarrassment for Pema to meet her friends & family, and she could not move out of her home. She then decided to come to CMCH for further treatment. Dr Kim Mammen, Professor & Head, Department of Urology, CMCH

, and his team of doctors and Nurses performed reconstruction of the urinary bladder using an intestinal segment and increased its capacity to store more volume of urine for curing her urinary incontinence. As she was recovering from this major surgical procedure, she developed weakness of all her four limbs due to tuberculosis affecting a portion of her brain, making her unable to walk and use her hands. She is on treatment for her TB and on rigorous physiotherapy and rehabilitation therapy to get the function of her limbs back to near normal. Doctors, Nurses and Physiotherapists at the CMCH are working very hard to get Mrs Pema back to normal. Her husband went back to Leh, Ladakh, to sell all the jewelry and household assets to bring some more money for Pema’s treatment. The hospital authorities have subsidized her treatment and given her a lot of financial assistance, writing off a significant portion of her escalating treatment bill.

Her total cost of treatment would come to Rs 2.5 Lakhs. Pema and her husband had come to CMCH from Leh with only Rs 30000.00

and nothing more. This was the maximum amount they could collect from contributions from their family and friends. Kind hearted philanthropists and well-wishers can help this poor and truly deserving lady by sending in their contribution to the Medical Superintendent, CMCH, by a crossed cheque in favor of “CMC Ludhiana Society” with PEMA’s name and C/O Urology Department mentioned at the back of the cheque, along with a covering letter. All contributions are exempt from income tax under Section 80 G of the Income Tax act. 

Dr Kim Mammen,

Professor & Head, Department of Urology,

Christian Medical College & Hospital,

Ludhiana-141008, Punjab.

Mobile: +91 9814034185.

Senior Defense Leaders Meet in Chile

U.S. Southern Command News Release SANTIAGO, Chile, Sept. 2, 2011 - Military and civilian defense leaders from a dozen Western Hemisphere nations met here from Aug. 31 until yesterday to discuss future military support for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in the region. From left, U.S. Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser, commander of U.S. Southern Command, Chilean Defense Minister Andr�Allamand, Chilean President Sebastian Pi� and Chilean Army Lt. Gen. Hern�Mardones, chief of the Chilean Armed Forces' Joint Staff, join senior military and civilian defense leaders from 10 nations during a meeting hosted by the president at his executive office in Santiago, Chile, Aug. 31, 2011. The leaders were in Chile to attend the 3rd Annual South American Defense Chiefs Conference, held Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, 2011. Photo courtesy of the Chilean Joint Staff of the Armed Forces  The leaders gathered during the 3rd Annual South American Defense Chiefs Conference, co-hosted by the Joint Staff of the Chilean Armed Forces and U.S. Southern Command.U.S. and Chilean representatives were joined by counterparts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, as well as observers from U.S. Northern Command, the Inter-American Defense Board and Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. Chilean Defense Minister Andr�Allamand joined Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser, Southcom's commander, and Lt. Gen. Hern�Mardones, chief of the Chilean Armed Forces, in delivering opening remarks during the event commencement. This year's conference included briefings, roundtable discussions and meetings focused on improving collaboration and coordination among regional defense forces assisting civilian agencies during international relief missions. The focus of this year's conference supports an initiative announced by senior civilian defense leaders in November 2010 during the IX Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The initiative calls for the development of a common-technology platform to facilitate information sharing and a military assistance collaboration cell to enhance the interoperability of regional armed forces supporting civilian emergency response agencies in future humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. In response to the ministerial announcement, regional defense leaders and experts conducted working groups in Lima, Peru, and San Jose, Costa Rica, to develop a framework and explore implementation options for the initiative. "This conference will allow us to support the multinational military coordination efforts of the working groups," Fraser told attendees prior to the start of the conference. With that aim, participants also examined lessons learned during prior missions, explored improvement opportunities, and considered recommendations to further the goals of the Santa Cruz conference initiative. Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven Shepro, director of Southcom's strategy, policy and plans directorate, briefed attendees on U.S. humanitarian assistance and disaster relief collaboration efforts and described the varying levels of interagency and multinational integration observed during past operations. "The folks in the field naturally jump into coordination and collaboration," Shepro explained, adding that similar cooperation and coordination at the operational and strategic levels -- where interagency and multinational planners are often geographically separated -- is more challenging to jumpstart. Because a common technology platform would facilitate greater information sharing and potentially improve coordination and collaboration at all levels, many conference participants expressed their support for further developing the concept and implementing it during future exercises and operations. Though exactly what the platform will look like and how it will be managed has yet to be determined, the working groups have identified what users will want, Shepro said. "I think the consensus of the [working] groups ... is that it be participant based ... and meet their level of comfort to report what assets they can provide and to provide their understanding of the situation," he said. Speaking to his counterparts about the Santa Cruz meeting's agreement to establish a military assistance coordination cell, Fraser shared his perspective about the cell's potential role in future multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. Fraser proposed that the cell not be permanent, but have protocols allowing for its activation and deployment to support militaries in countries impacted by disasters when their government's request for international assistance includes military components. "Dealing with a disaster within a country is a full-time job for each of us," Fraser said. "And to have a cell that can take some of the load off, but provide capacity as required, is very beneficial." Ideas and recommendations proposed in this year's South American Defense Chiefs Conference will be shared with future working groups, who will use the input to formulate proposals for regional defense ministers to consider during the next conference in 2012. The South American Defense Chiefs Conference is one of three regional security conferences sponsored by Southcom each year to provide forums for dialogue and exchanges among defense and security leaders from the Caribbean, Central America and South America. This year's conference in Santiago follows previous conferences with defense and security leaders from Central America and the Caribbean in San Pedro, Belize and Port of Spain, Trinidad. �

Biographies: Air Force Gen. Douglas E. Fraser  Related Sites: U.S. Southern Command  News Release

Airman Honors Vets Via Baseball

By Jose T. Garza III
502nd Air Base Wing
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, Aug. 24, 2011 - Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig LeBlanc said the opportunity to honor U.S. veterans and meet with baseball heroes during a near month-long journey from New Orleans to ground zero in New York City earlier this year was an experience he'll never forget.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig LeBlanc, who was a member of the "Heroes of the Diamond" baseball club earlier this year, stands alongside U.S. Navy veteran Everett Swanson, a survivor of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor that caused America to enter World War II. LeBlanc is a military training instructor assigned to the 331st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Courtesy photo

LeBlanc, an instructor assigned to the 331st Training Squadron here, was selected as one of several military ambassadors for the "Heroes of the Diamond" club, a national team chartered with promoting goodwill and military awareness through the sport of baseball."It was truly a privilege," LeBlanc said about playing on the HOD team. "I was given the freedom to play baseball, and it was an honor to represent the Air Force. I know what the flag means to me and what it represents. I'm proud to be wearing the red, white and blue."
Team members began their tour Jan. 1 from New Orleans. They traveled to Philadelphia and several other cities, where they displayed the ground zero flag to thousands of Americans, including service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Though LeBlanc since has returned to his instructor duty, the team continues its journey across the United States. It's scheduled to arrive at its final destination in New York on Sept. 11, officials said. There, at the site of the former World Trade Center towers, the flag will be presented and permanently displayed.
As a military ambassador for the HOD, LeBlanc met several baseball legends at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., including Pete Rose, Ozzie Smith and Yogi Berra.
"Meeting Yogi Berra was one of the coolest times ever," LeBlanc said. "He is a baseball legend, and it is not every day you get to shake the hand of a baseball legend."
The tour also provided opportunities to meet with military veterans, and families of the fallen from the 9/11 attacks, LeBlanc said. Hearing their stories, he said, made him realize how fortunate he is.
"I always tell my wife and kids that I love them," LeBlanc said. "Life is too precious to let it go to waste."
LeBlanc said he was proud to be wearing the red, white and blue on his chest as part of his HOD baseball uniform. Every player on the team, he added, wears a number that represents a historic day or figure in American history.
"I wear No. 21, which represents the Tomb of the Unknowns [at Arlington National Cemetery]," LeBlanc said.
Cutting the trip short and returning home before this year's 9/11 observance in New York City was difficult, he said, but duty called and airmen must place service before self, he added.
�

Chaplain Ministers to Many Faiths

By Marine Corps Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
1st Marine Logistics Group
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Aug. 25, 2011 - Navy Chaplain (Capt.) Michael A. Mikstay was just a small boy when he first heard the calling to become a priest.

Navy Chaplain (Capt.) Michael A. Mikstay, 56, was a civilian Catholic priest in Ohio until he decided to join the Navy's Chaplain Corps in 1992. U.S. Marine Corps photo

"I began to be interested in priesthood in second grade," said Mikstay, a Canton, Ohio, native who serves here as the head chaplain of the 1st Marine Logistics Group. "I went to Catholic school, and I saw the priests very involved in the lives of people."At that point, I thought that would be a wonderful thing to do," he continued, "and I believe as I got older, that calling and attraction got stronger and was affirmed by numerous people."
Mikstay, now 56, realized his dream, and served as a civilian priest for several years, until the first Gulf War.
"I had been a priest in the town of Poland, Ohio, and we had a number of parishioners whose family members were being activated in reserve and Guard units," Mikstay said. "It became a very difficult time, so I felt a need to respond to the crisis that the nation and the world was experiencing."
Mikstay, then 37, joined the Navy's Chaplain Corps in 1992. He was too late for Operation Desert Storm, but he found himself in the middle of a different fight just a few months later.
"My first unit was with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit -- we went to Somalia," he said. "Six months out of chaplain's school, in downtown Mogadishu, I found myself praying, 'Oh God, what did I do?'"
In Somalia, Mikstay traveled between his ship and forward operating bases in the region to provide services, along with religious and spiritual guidance and counseling.
"I had a whole lot of opportunity to get around," Mikstay said. "I went around with all aspects of the MEU." In addition to providing religious services, Mikstay said, he helped to distribute food and water to residents of Somalia.
After service with the 24th MEU and Somalia, Mikstay served with 5th Battalion, 10th Marines, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.; and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Serving in the military has helped his growth as a priest, Mikstay said.
"[My service in Somalia] set the stage for my life in the military," he explained. "Being at the MEU level was a great experience, and it allowed me to be involved in many of the operations that the Marine Corps is involved in.
"Civilian ministry and military ministry are different in many ways," he continued. "Civilian ministry is geared toward a denomination, church or parish. Military chaplains serve people of all faiths."
Mikstay may be a Catholic priest, but as a Navy chaplain he facilitates religious services for troops of all beliefs.
"When you get down to it, the primary reason we have military chaplains in any of the services is because our nation is adamant about the fact that we provide for the free exercise of religion," Mikstay said. "It's one of our constitutional rights to be able to exercise our religion, and chaplains are here to guarantee that, regardless of what faith you believe in, or even if you have no faith whatsoever."
Mikstay said becoming a Navy chaplain is a calling, much like the priesthood, noting he enjoys sharing his experiences.
"It's a response to your faith," he said. "At this point, I've been promoted to a position that is supervisory, so I now have an opportunity to pass on to younger chaplains and [religious program specialists] my experiences and knowledge."

The hospital ship

The hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is anchored off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during Continuing Promise 2011 Aug. 20, 2011. Continuing Promise is a regularly scheduled mission to countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, where the U.S. Navy and its partnering nations work with host nations and a variety of governmental and nongovernmental agencies to train in civil-military operations. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric C. Tretter, U.S. Navy/Released)

State Level Haematology Quiz held at CMC

North Zone competition on October 5^th in PGI 

CMC Ludhiana and Patiala to represent Punjab in the zonal round

Ludhiana, 26^th August, 2011: On behalf of the ISHTM (Indian Society of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine), the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh State level quiz was held in CMC Ludhiana.  Six different medical colleges with post graduate courses from CMC Ldh, DMC Ldh, GMC Patiala, GMC Amritsar, Adesh Institute Bhatinda and RPG medical College Kangra participated in the quiz.

In closely contested competition, Drs Neha Talwar, Navin Mathew and Jessita from CMC Ludhiana were the winners and Drs Kavita,  Vivek Rana and Amit Madaan from Govt College, Patiala were runners up. DMC Ludhiana got third prize.

This was conducted as part of the 1^st National Haematology quiz for post graduates.  The state and zonal co-ordinator Dr Naveen Kakkar said that the unique nature of the quiz was that it was a 3 member team with post graduates from medicine, paediatrics and pathology.

The national co-ordinator Dr M Joseph John, Associate Professor & Head of Clinical Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at CMC Ludhiana commented that the goal of initiating this event at the national level was to increase the awareness of Haematology as a sub-specialty among the students and the 3 member team would stress on the importance of clinicians and pathologists working together to render the best care for the patients. 

The winners and the runners up would be taking part in the North Zone competition on October 5^th in PGI Chandigarh.  The grand finale would be held at the same venue during the national ISHTM conference on 11/11/11 at 11 am.

‘Cry Against Corruption of all Political Parties is Hoax

-Anna should demand stepping down of Most Corrupt ‘UPA’ 

Nagpur- Dated 25^th August 2011

The complete U tern of UPA government after all parties meet yesterday is clear sign that all political parties don’t need watch dog independent of existing corrupt political system which has ruined this country in last 66 years .the civilian unrest and massive protest of millions of common masses has given authority to Anna Hazare to ask this most corrupt UPA step down and allow country to elect new political alternative to existing rotten and corrupt political system .India is threshold of economic and social freedom and civil unrest in clear indication of revolution but Team Anna is limiting it ‘JANLOKPAL’ and ‘LOKPAL’. country wants to get rid of these corrupt leaders and executives and demand eradication economic and social corruption hence Anna should extend the demand from ‘JANLOKPAL’ to change present corrupt Govt. and people of Indian will force them to step down ,Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti urged Team ANNA today.

‘in fact rural India’s 70% population of farmers ,tribal and land labors are real victims of massive economic corruption due to wrong policies of state .the well-established policies of giving subsidies, license and free trade ,globalization ,GM food and privatization of health care, education and rural employment are basic issues of corruption which are beyond scope individual base and policy base corruption hence Anna demand even it is conceded today will same fate that was of first lokpal bill 1069 hence present momentum and public unrest is right opportunity for civil society to uproot this US-UK-USSR BASE corrupt political rulers system to allow young generation to take over the power .India needs change and Anna’s civil movement can do it other wise bloody revolution will follow hence Team Anna should expand demand and get ready for long fight as common man is behind them,Tiwari added.

Even after 66 years of so called freedom 90% population is denied food, shelter, healthcare ,education and forced to die due to starvation ,despair and distress then there is need to change system and policies and year 2011 is set to have that change and Anna Hazare’s movement against graft is the beginning of that revolution and we urged all section to civil society to join the second freedom movement in order to save million of dying vidarbha farmers and tribal who are innocent victims of this post-independence hostile systematic political and administrative corruption , Kishore Tiwari said

“2,30,000 Indian farmers suicides in last decade is largest genocide in world history of mankind is result of on going corruption at high level that is resulting in wrong anti-poor and farmer policies and vidarbha is capital of that genocide hence our protest and support to anti-graft agitation is much more valid and legitimate hence to echo this mass genocide in all civil disobedience agitation we have been participating and extending support actively and this time too we are joining Team Anna for the same ”Tiwari added.

‘If Annaji can sacrifice life then why we should not spare come on the road to make ‘corruption free India’ ,we have decided that whole vidarbha agrarian community will join the agitation along with civil society to take issue to the final conclusion’ Mohan Jadhav of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed.

Marine Locates Enemy Fighters

By Marine Corps Cpl. Bryan Nygaard
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2011 - As a torrent of bullets whizzed past their heads, the Marines in Observation Post 8 quickly dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding what could have been their deaths. As they lifted themselves off of sandbags covering the bottom of the small bunker, they looked up to see Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christopher Sharp smiling down at them.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christopher Sharp prepares for Operation Black Sand in an observation post in the southern portion of the Musa Qalah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Aug. 5, 2011. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Nygaard

"What are you ducking for?" Sharp asked with a chuckle. "They're not going to hit you. They're too far away."
Sharp quickly turned around in his seat, a makeshift wooden bench situated toward the front of the bunker, and raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes. The small-arms fire that caused the Marines behind him to fall prone continued to buzz past their heads. The Marines were at the post providing support for Operation Black Sand, a mission designed to destroy a bazaar being used by insurgents to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices.
Sharp, a native of Mesa, Ariz., is the chief for Supporting Arms Liaison Team Delta, 1st Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, at this combat outpost on the western side of the Helmand River, across from Sangin and on the southern tip of the Musa Qalah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province.
With five combat deployments under his belt, Sharp is no stranger to being shot at. As a joint terminal attack controller in a unit that specializes in coordinating close air support for ground forces, Sharp has had his share of close calls.
"As a Marine I'm taught that once you take ground, you don't give it back, so I'm not going to duck down," Sharp said. "I'm going to try to [locate] where the enemy is so that I can fire back or direct the fire back on to it."
During Operation Black Sand, while the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion used assault breaching vehicles to move into the bazaar, Sharp primarily stayed inside the small, cubicle-sized sandbag bunker that overlooked their position. His mission was to be the liaison between his team and the combat engineer battalion's mission commander, Marine Corps Capt. John Shubeck. Throughout the operation, Sharp and his Marines provided the engineers with surveillance, reconnaissance and close air support.
"As long as the CEB commander is up here, I'm up here," Sharp said. "I'm supporting him. So whatever support he needs, I want to be right next to him to provide it for him."
The operation lasted about a week. Sharp was busy about 20 hours each day, wearing a radio headset and peering through binoculars that seemed to be permanently attached to his eyes. For hours on end, Sharp scanned for insurgents firing at the coalition forces, trying to get eyes on suspicious activity.
"The real challenging part about this operation is trying to find where the enemy is, which is kind of fun when they're firing at you," he said. "The real hard part lies with [the combat engineers]. They're the ones that have to destroy this bazaar and clear out all the IEDs. Those are the guys that are really in danger out there. I'm just here to support those guys -- making sure that the danger they can't see, I can see and [trying] to help mitigate them from taking small-arms fire through close air support or artillery."
During the operation, the night offered no rest to Sharp. Late one night, intelligence reports said insurgents were approaching the coalition forces who were protecting the engineers near the bazaar. Sharp got on his radio and ordered a pair of illumination rounds to be fired.
"It lets them know, 'Hey, I see you. You better relax and not start anything,'" Sharp said.
The rounds burst a couple of hundred yards over the insurgents' heads, giving away their position. The insurgents quickly scattered. Once Sharp was convinced the threat was neutralized, he caught a few hours of shuteye with his rifle, radio and binoculars by his side.
In addition to providing fire support, Sharp also coordinated casualty and medical evacuations.
On the morning of Aug. 6, a 2nd CEB Marine was hit by an IED and needed immediate evacuation. In less than a halfhour, the wounded Marine was on a helicopter and headed to a nearby trauma unit.
Shubeck said he has had 29 Marines in his command become casualties, and that he never had seen a medical evacuation executed so quickly.
"Twenty minutes from IED strike to the Marine being on the bird, ... you don't see that often," said Shubeck, a native of Centerville, S.D. "That's just a testament to how well-versed [Sharp] is at his job."
"I'm glad we were able to get the aircraft in fast for him," Sharp said. "That's the only thing I was worried about – making sure we we're able to save his life. That's the rewarding part right there: knowing that at least he survived. ... That, and harassing the [insurgents]."
Ultimately, Operation Black Sand was deemed a success. The combat engineers leveled the Ladar Bazaar using line charges packing more than 1,700 pounds of C4 explosives. While the line charges were being detonated, Afghans from surrounding villages came out to watch the fireworks show. Many of them were children. Sharp just shook his head.
"The kids around here have to grow up in this kind of environment," he said. "I've got two children of my own, and I'd never want them in this kind of environment. I don't even tell them what I really do over here. I don't tell my wife that stuff until I get home, because I don't want her to worry.
"As long as she thinks I'm safe and good to go," he added, "then everything is kosher."

Related Sites:
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SAD PANTHIC AGENDA FOR SGPC ELECTIONS

SGPC TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN AGAINST

SOCIAL EVILS-BADAL

Chandigarh, August 20:-- The Shiromani Akali Dal Patron and Chief Minister, Punjab S. Parkash Singh Badal appealed to the sikh masses that to maintain Supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, management of Sikh Shrines in the best possible way, upgradation of Sikh educational institutions and to defeat the forces inimical to the panth, they should vote for SAD-Sant Samaj candidates in the general elections to the “Parliament of Sikhs”, the SGPC. 

  Releasing the Panthic Agenda of SAD-Sant Samaj Combine at the 26^th death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal S. Badal said that Sikhs have made huge sacrifices and fought numerous battles to get Gurdwaras vacated from the “Mahants”. He said that a number of “Morchas” were organised by the community including Saka of Nanakana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Jaito Morcha, Guru ke Bagh Morcha and Chabian da Morcha besides others. He said that hundreds of Sikhs were martyred, thousands were imprisoned and thousands other were brutally tortured by the British regime.

Describing SGPC as “Parliament of Sikhs” the SAD Patron said that Shiromani Akali Dal has the honour to claim that right from the time of its inception in 1920 till today the sikh masses have always trusted the SAD for the management of sikh shrines. 

Releasing the agenda, S. Badal said that people were aware of the fact that right from the establishment of SGPC, the Congress party had always tried to interfere in the religious affairs of the Sikhs with an intention to get the control of SGPC.

Briefing about the document released today  S. Badal said  that  for the information of the masses, the achievements of the SGPC in the last seven years and earlier, have been included with self explanatory photographs of all important educational institutions, sikh missions, Gurmat Vidyalas and Sarai (inns) built for the convenience of pilgrims.

  S. Badal complemented SGPC for establishing Sikh University and described it as a historic achievement of the Khalsa Panth.

 S. Badal further expressed satisfaction over the performance of all 110 education institutions run by SGPC and informed that 74745 students are getting quality education at a cheaper rate in these institutions.

Panthic Agenda begins with the three page impressive appeal  of the SAD President S. Sukhbir Singh Badal. In his appeal S. Sukhbir Singh Badal has described the menace of drugs, female foeticide, environmental pollution as the big challenges before the Khalsa Panth. He stressed that there should be a quality school, a well equipped hospital and a nice play ground along with each and every Gurdwara Sahib being managed by SGPC.

S. Parkash Singh Badal said that a long pending demand of direct telecast of ‘Shabad Kirtan’ from Sri Harmandir Sahib has been fulfilled. He also lauded the use of Internet and other modern techniques by the SGPC for preaching  sikh religion.

          Disclosing about the future agenda of the SGPC, S. Badal said that apart from establishment and up-gradation of the education institutions, a campaign against the drug abuse, female foeticide and social reform would be a launched by the SGPC. He also said that Institute of Advanced Studies in Sikhism in the name of former President of SGPC Panth Ratan Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra would be completed in time. Similarly, the most important job of authentic translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is under progress, will be completed in the shortest possible time and it would further be translated to different languages so as to spread the message of social equality and universal brotherhood enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib to whole of mankind. He said that SGPC would establish a wonderful Museum with a cost of Rs. 100 crore at Akali Market Sri Amritsar and  Rs. 25 crore would be spent of construction of Sarai (inn) at Saragarhi site. He said that Langar building at Sri Harmandir Sahib is being upgraded with Rs. 20 crore.

         

Congratulating the SGPC on successful conduct of ‘Khalsai’ sports S. Badal said that sports is the need of the hour and ‘Khalsai’ sports will continue with the same vigour in the times to come for the better future of the sikh youth.

( Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema )

Secretary & Spokesman,

Shiromani Akali Dal. 

64477 cusecs water was discharged from the Pong Dam

BEAS, SATLUJ WITNESS INCREASED DISCHARGE
PONG DAM WATER LEVEL TOUCHES 1387.48 FEET

Chandigarh August 21: Beas and Satluj rivers in Punjab witnessed increased discharge from Pong Dam, Naushera Mirthal and Dhilwan   in Beas, Harike and HussainiWala in Satluj.

       64477 cusecs water was discharged from the Pong Dam against the inflow of 76674 cusecs. There was discharge of 54500 cusec in Beas at Naushera Mirthal and 122500 cusecs in Dhilwan .  Satluj also witnessed the  discharge of 67746 cusecs from Harike and discharge of 51537 cusecs from Hussainiwala.       

       According to an official spokesman the water level in Pong Dam was 1387.48 feet against it maximum capacity of 1390 feet. Last year on this day it was 1370.28feet.        

Due to continuous heavy rain fall in the state, the water level in Bhakra Dam has been increasing. The water level at Bhakra Dam today touched 1667.35 feet water mark whereas its capacity was 1680 feet. According to an official spokesman water level on this day during the previous year was recorded at 1670.83 feet.        

The water level at Ranjit Sagar Dam has touched 518.69 meter whereas its capacity was 520.94 feet.     

He said that the data received from the Department on 21-8-2011 indicates the level of rain fall during last 24 hours in Madhopur 7mm, Ranjit Sagar Dam 8 mm, Shahpur kandi 7.8 mm , Shena Khera 4.00mm, Mallanwala 2 mm, Kandukhera 5 mm Sidhwan 6mm, Moga 3mm, Bhoond 6.40mm, Khairy 5.60 mm ,Basoli 4.40mm  and Chamba 9.40mm.

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