Fallen Marine's Family Adopts His Best Friend

By Randy Roughton Defense Media Activity-San Antonio LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, Feb. 4, 2011 - "Whatever is mine is his," Marine Corps Pfc. Colton W. Rusk wrote about Eli, his military working dog, in the final days of their deployment in Afghanistan. Brady Rusk, 12, gets a somber kiss from Eli, a bomb-sniffing military working dog, during a retirement and adoption ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 3, 2011. The Labrador retriever was assigned to Brady's older brother, Marine Corps Pfc. Colton Rusk, who was killed in Afghanistan. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III  Yesterday, Rusk's family helped to prove his words true when they adopted the black Labrador retriever in a retirement and adoption ceremony at the military working dog school here. After Rusk, 20, was killed Dec. 5 in Afghanistan's Helmand province by Taliban sniper fire, Marine Corps officials told Darrell and Kathy Rusk, his parents, that Eli, the young Marine's infantry explosives detector dog, crawled on top of their son to protect him after he was shot. The Rusks drove here from their home in Orange Grove, Texas, along with their sons -- Cody, 22, and Brady, 12 -- as well as Rusk's aunt, Yvonne Rusk, and his grandparents, Jan Rusk and Katy and Wayne O'Neal. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jessy Eslick of the Defense Department's military working dog research and development section handed the leash to the family, praising Eli as "a dog that brought Marines home to their families." Eli immediately began licking Kathy Rusk's palms and fell into the arms of his former handler's father. "In his last letter we got the day before we buried him, at the very top was a little smudge that said 'Eli's kisses,'" said the fallen Marine's mother, who wore a two-sided pendant with a photo of her son on one side and another snapshot of him with Eli on the other. "[Colton] thought whatever was [his] was Eli's. "We're Colton's family, so it's just right that we're Eli's family now." Eli, who was trained in the military working dog program here, reportedly is the second working dog the Marines discharged to permit adoption by a fallen handler's family. Cpl. Dustin J. Lee's family adopted his German shepherd, Lex, after the Quitman, Miss., Marine died from wounds he received in a mortar attack in Iraq's Anbar province March 21, 2007. The corporal's family worked for nine months with an online petition and congressional help to secure the adoption. Kathy Rusk said her family didn't have as many obstacles in their quest to adopt Eli. Texas Gov. Rick Perry started the process of working with the Marines on the dog's discharge, and Scooter Kelo, who trained Eli and also taught Rusk on working with the dog, also helped to make the adoption possible. "It gets our mind off the sadness of losing Colton," she said, "just knowing we're going to have a little piece of Colton in Eli. I just wished he could talk and tell us some stories. Just to know we're going to be able to share the love we have for our son with something that he loved dearly." Rusk joined the Marines after he graduated from Orange Grove High School and committed himself to the Marines the same week that his best friend, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Justin Rokohl, lost both legs in southern Afghanistan. Rusk deployed to Afghanistan on his 20th birthday, with Eli, as part of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment, from Camp Pendleton, Calif. "He wanted to be a Marine since he was 10 years old," his mother said of her fallen son. "We talked to him about maybe going to college first, but he said he had to fight for his country first." Rusk often told his parents how dogs like Eli were well-trained here and in South Carolina, where he was trained as a bomb detector dog handler. "We've had dogs all of our lives," Darrell Rusk said. "Since all of the boys were babies, they had one. Colton was probably the better handler of the bunch. When he went to train in South Carolina, he said, 'Dad, we don't know how to train dogs. These dogs here will bring you a beer, they'll open the can for you, but sometimes they'll drink it for you, too.' He said that was how well-trained the dogs were, and he was really amazed how much you can do with a dog once you've worked with them." The dog Rusk liked to call "My boy, Eli" earned a reputation for wanting to be wherever his handler was. Eli didn't want to sleep on the ground; he slept in Rusk's sleeping bag. They even ate together outside after Rusk found out that Eli wasn't allowed to eat in the chow hall. "He told a story of when they were in the chow line one time," the fallen Marine's father said. "One of the Marines kicked at the dog one time and told him to get the dog out. Colton and the Marine got into a little scuffle. They told Colton he could stay inside and leave the dog outside, but from then on, Colton and Eli ate outside. That's how tight he and the dog were." The family met Eli once when they visited Rusk at Camp Pendleton the week he deployed. After the retirement and adoption ceremony, the Rusks took Eli to their home on more than 20 acres of land, which he will share with the family, their horses and three German shepherds. Jan Rusk said this was another way to honor her grandson's memory, but it also will help the family as they continue to cope with their loss. "Eli was a part of Colton, and now they have a little part of Colton back," she said.

Eli, a bomb-sniffing military working dog, was assigned to Marine Pfc. Colton Rusk, who was killed Dec. 5, 2010, in Afghanistan. Eli loyally stayed by his handler's side, even biting at Marines trying to move their fallen comrade. Rusk's family traveled to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 3, 2011, after officials granted permission for them to adopt the dog. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III The family of Marine Corps Pfc. Carlton Rusk, who was killed Dec. 5, 2010, in Afghanistan, greets Eli, his bomb-sniffing military working dog at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 3, 2011. Defense Department officials granted the Rusk family permission to adopt the dog. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III

Amnesty Calls on Maoist Armed Group

Posted on Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 9:02 PM

Washington, DC: The Communist Party of India (Maoist), an armed opposition group, must immediately release a civilian and five officers of the Chhattisgarh state armed police force whom they have been holding as hostages since January 25 and must ensure their safety and well-being as long as they detain them, Amnesty International said.
The five police officers – Ramadhar Patel, Raghunandan Dhruv, T Ekka, and two constables Ranjan Dubey and Manishankar – and the civilian were traveling in a civilian transport bus at the time of their abduction at Kungera village. They were traveling from Dhanora post to Narayanpur town.

The Maoists, in a communication to the media issued by their East Bastar committee, have demanded that the authorities should stop plans to establish a new training centre on jungle warfare in Chhattisgarh to be run by India’s armed forces. The state authorities recently allotted 310 square miles in Abhujmaad, a dense forest believed to be partly under Maoist control.

The Maoists believe that this move could be the first step towards "eventual deployment" of the armed forces in the operations against them. The authorities maintain that the army’s plans are limited to training purposes and would not extend to combat operations.

The taking of hostages is prohibited by international law. It is contrary to fundamental principles of humanity, as reflected in international humanitarian law, to seize or detain anyone and threaten to kill or harm them if the authorities do not comply with the hostage-takers’ demands.

Amnesty International urges Maoists to stop threatening to kill or harm these police officers and guarantee their lives and safety.

According to latest reports, there have been attempts through informal channels to secure the release of the abducted police officers.

For the last five years, Chhattisgarh has witnessed operations by the state police, the central paramilitary forces and the Salwa Judum, a private militia widely held to be state-sponsored, against the armed Maoists who claim to be fighting on behalf of adivasi (indigenous) communities. Both sides have routinely targeted civilians and indulged in unlawful killings and abductions.

In the latest instance, the Maoists had abducted, on September 19, 2010, eight police officers in the forest areas on the state’s border with Andhra Pradesh demanding that the authorities halt ongoing operations against them and stop targeting of adivasi villagers and release those arrested on charges of having supported Maoists. The Maoists then killed three of the abducted policemen before releasing the others.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 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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Abhi to main jawan hoon....

By Iftikhar Chaudri

Abhi to Main Jawan Hoon.....!

Malika Pukhraj (b1912 – 4Feb 2004) was a highly popular singer of Pakistan. She was generally called as "Malika" meaning "The Queen." She is extremely popular for her rendition of Hafeez Jalandhri's song, Abhi to main jawan hoon ("I am still youthful"), which is enjoyed by millions not only in Pakistan, but also in India. Her popular numbers were,Lo phir basant aaya and Quli Qutub's Piya baaj piyale piya jaye na and Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Mere qatil mere dildar mere paas raho. Malika Pukhraj, was born in village Mirpur, on the banks of the River Akhnoor, 16 miles from Jammu, and as she grew up her mother moved to Kanak Mandi area of Jammu, in present Jammu and Kashmir, where she spent early years of her life, she was given the name "Malika" at birth, by 'Majzoob', 'Baba Roti Ram, a spiritualist, in Akhnoor area, and named Pukhraj by her Aunt Malika Pukhraj who was coached by Ustad [Ali Baksh Kasuri-father of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan]. At age nine, At nine she visited Jammu and performed at coronation ceremony of Maharaja Hari Singh, who got so impressed by her voice that she appointed a court singer in his Durbar, and stayed there for another nine years . 

Malika Pukhraj in 1920s in Kashmir

Over the next 8 decades she captivated her audience with her command over the singing genres of Thumri, Ghazal, Bhajan and folk Pahari Geet, including Dogri folk songs . She was among the greatest singers of British India in the 1940s, and after Partition of India in 1947, she migrated to Lahore, Pakistan, where she received further fame, through her radio performances with composer, Kale Khan.

In 1980, she received the Presidential Pride of Performance Award, Pakistan. In 1977, when All India Radio, for which she sang until Partition, was celebrating its Golden Jubilee, she was invited to India, and awarded with the 'legend of Voice' award. Malika Pukhraj also recorded her memoirs in the novel Song Sung True.
Malika Pukhraj, died in Lahore on February 4, 2004. Her funeral procession started from her residence West Canal bank, and she laid to rest at her ancestral 'Shah Jamal' graveyard in Lahore.
Malika Pukhraj was married to Syed Shabbir Hussain Shah, a Government Officer and had 6 children, including Safiea, her eldest daughter; Tahira Syed, one of Malika Pukhraj’s two daughters, emerged as a well-known singer in her own right. Her other daughter, Tasneem, is married to famous lawyer and senator S.M. Zafar. Her eldest son Tauqeer lives in Model Town, Lahore, and his wife Shahnaaz, her other son is, Maj. (R) Syed Tanveer Hussain. 

Gifted with a melodious voice that cascaded like a mountain, she sang both Hindustani and Dogri songs, interspersed with ghazals. This songstress of the hills was like a belle who unburdened her heart with natural ease and grace that never gave the impression that her music was being forced on the listener. It had the smoothness of a silken texture from which all crudeness had been eliminated so that the senses were not jolted but lulled into the realm of a dreamland, where soft rhythms merged with the morning breeze Naseem that seemed to waft through the assembly before which she performed. Mallika used to wear dark glasses all the time as though to escape the harsh realities of life, but still her vision was not blinkered. Her youthful daughter Tahira was there to remind one of Mallika's pristine beauty. 

This scribe tried to interview Mallika Pukhraj after the show but she held up her still dainty hand with the exclamation that the performance had tired her and she would expect people to judge her on the basis of hunar-e-mosiqui (talent of musical diction) to convey all that she had to say and stood for. Tahira was more forthcoming, her pretty face making her views and feelings more expressive as she spoke about her mother's love for India and the Dogri culture which she missed very much in Pakistan. After that brief meeting with Mallika Pukhraj one couldn't help drawing comparison with Begum Akhtar. To Jigar Moradabadi and Josh Malihabadi she was bulbul-ki-awaz, the sweet voice of the bulbul. Both were among the Begum's intimate friends who knew her even before the days when Munna Khan played the tabla at the Chowk in Lucknow, where she and her mother shared a kotha during the early years of World War II. Jigar's ustad, Asghar Gondawi was, according to some, her first husband. 

Iftikhar Chaudri

One never thought of Begum Akhtar as the courtesan of Faizabad because that part of her life was over by the time one got to know her. The days in Rampur with the nawab and the jewel scandal, the rivalry with Siddeshwari Devi and Rasoolan Bai and even Mallika Pukhraj of "Abhi to main jawan hoon" fame had also become part of drawing room whispers by then.
Tahira now thinks of Begum Akhtar as an aunt whose voice she heard distinctly even in the far-away Lahore while Mallika herself had only fond memories of her, with hardly a trace of envy. Yet some of those who saw the Begum would wish that she had the face and figure of Tahira, for that is the sort of beauty people who never met her link with that throbbing voice. But to come back to Mallika Pukhraj, one is sad that she is no more and sadder still to know that Tahira and her lawyer husband have separated after an acrimonious divorce. Her voice is reminiscent of her mother's with the sort of pathos one associates with the grieving heart of the beloved stranded in the wilderness. Every so often it pierces the heart and one sees in the mind's eye a nose-ring flashing through a half-open curtain, lightly painted cheeks and lips from which emanated that song of eternal love blending with the irony of an aging singer. To sustain such pathos long after being part of the big glamour show was Mallika Pukhraj's speciality.

Uganda-born Army Officer Pursues Dreams

Posted on Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 7:51 PM
By Vince Little 
The Bayonet
FORT BENNING, Ga., Feb. 3, 2011 - As a boy growing up in Uganda, Joseph D'costa became inspired by America's role in World War II and told his teacher he wanted to go to the U.S. Military Academy someday.

Army Reserve Lt. Col. Joseph D'costa receives the Order of St. Maurice, awarded by the National Infantry Association and the chief of infantry for the U.S. Army for significant contributions to the infantry, during a transfer-of-authority ceremony held at Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 11, 2011. U.S. Army photo by John Helms

"She laughed at me for my dream of going to West Point, telling me it would be impossible because I wasn't an American and Uganda had no ties to the U.S.," he recalled. "I still remember that to this day."
The 13th of 14 children raised by an Indian father and an African mother, D'costa was exiled to Austria at age 7 following Idi Amin's 1971 rise to power in Uganda. Two years later, he came to the United States and ultimately got into West Point on a third and final attempt, earning his commission in 1989.
Now a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, D'costa just completed a 10-month mobilization here as commander of 1st Battalion, 378th Infantry Regiment, a Lafayette, La.-based unit activated to augment basic combat training for the 192nd Infantry Brigade on Sand Hill.
"When we talk about the diversity of soldiers across our Army, Lieutenant Colonel D'Costa's life story is one that tells a great story and serves as a motivational and inspiring example for our soldiers, [Defense Department] civilians and the nation's civilian population," said Army Lt. Col. Roger O'Steen, the brigade's executive officer.
Shortly after Amin seized the Ugandan presidency in a military coup, D'costa's mother fell ill with pneumonia-like symptoms. Because of her religious faith, however, she didn't get proper treatment as Amin decreed that anyone who was not a Muslim would get sent to the back of the line for health care. She died at age 42.
"For me, it was very devastating, to realize the person I depended on so much was no longer there," said D'costa, who was 6 years old at the time. He said Amin then declared that anybody who wasn't 100 percent black had a choice: leave Uganda or face execution.
D'costa's father fled to India. A brother and sister got sent to Italy, and D'costa took exile in Austria with five other siblings. Three stayed behind.
"I was half, so I was considered impure and had to leave," he said. "Here's a black man saying, 'You are not the perfect race.' When you experience racism from your own race, ... I was not expecting that.
"Idi Amin was killing so many innocent people when they weren't leaving the country fast enough," he continued. "Books were burned. Even educated blacks got killed, because they were considered threats to Amin."
The "Butcher of Uganda," as Amin became known, ruled over the nation for eight years. The number of opponents killed, tortured or imprisoned varies from 100,000 to a half million, according to biographical accounts. The dictator was ousted in 1979 by Ugandan nationalists, and he fled into exile.
In Austria, a Catholic priest looked after D'costa, who spoke Swahili in Uganda and never learned English. In time, he learned German.
D'costa said he told the priest about his desire to attend West Point. The priest was a friend of then-U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, who arranged for 9-year-old D'costa and several siblings to go to the United States. He went to live with an older brother in Englewood, N.J.
After graduating high school in 1983, D'costa applied to West Point, but he was turned down.
"They said I'm not American and don't speak English well enough -- the very thing that teacher was telling me would happen," he said.
So he joined the Army ROTC cadet corps at Providence College in Rhode Island. Following his freshman year, the department head offered him a full scholarship, but he'd have to abandon his West Point dream and remain at Providence.
"It would've been the easy way out," he said, "but I needed to know how far I was willing to commit. I had given up on that, but [the ROTC department head] said, 'If West Point is in your heart, you need to apply again.'"
D'costa submitted a second application, but West Point was already at its 1,500-cadet limit, so he had to go to the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School at Fort Monmouth, N.J., for a year and then apply again. If turned down, he would have been too old for another shot, but he finally was accepted and became a 21-year-old "plebe."
D'costa served in the Gulf War as a field artillery officer. He left the Army in 1994, but joined the Army Reserve two years later. Since then, he's deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, and he has supported military relief missions following Hurricane Katrina and the Pakistan earthquake.
At a ceremony in Lafayette on March 12, he'll turn over the battalion command that he's held since 2008. He's set to leave Fort Benning on Feb. 11.
"I credit every success I've had to my faith in Jesus Christ, because I shouldn't be alive today," he said. "My life should've ended in Uganda. All these people I encountered along the way were put into my life to help me reach my goals. ... I never looked at my skin color as a reason I did not get to West Point at first. They were looking for certain qualities and tools I needed to learn."
D'costa will return to work in the private sector, but he's expected to graduate from the U.S. Army War College by July. From there, he'll learn if the Army has any further plans for him.
The lieutenant colonel praised the U.S. military for preserving freedom around the globe and said he stays in the Army Reserve to serve his country.
"The United States could've said 'no' to me," he said. "Putting my life on the line for a country that took me in is a small price to pay. ... Freedom is so priceless, and all I have to do is serve in the reserves to continue saying 'thank you.' Until the Army tells me to get out, I'll stay.
"This is the greatest country in the world," he continued. "When I say that, I'm not just saying it because I heard it from somebody else. ... The majority of Americans don't know what it's like when you have no freedom."
D'costa said he hopes ultimately to work for NASA. In the late 1990s, he spent two years with the agency in a liaison role for a civilian company.
"West Point seemed like an impossible goal, ... but I kept pursuing that goal till I made it happen," he said. "You can achieve anything you want -- you just have to put a little effort into it." 

"We took too much money away--Says Mullen

By Lisa Daniel of American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2011 - The importance of strong civilian-military partnerships has never been greater, and the secretaries of state and defense are setting the example for how to build and sustain those partnerships, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at the inaugural Global Chiefs of Mission Conference at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Feb. 2, 2011. DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley  Navy Adm. Mike Mullen made the comments to more than a hundred Foreign Service officers at the State Department's inaugural Global Chiefs of Mission Conference here. "Thanks for what you do, thanks for what you do for our country and for people around the world," he said. "Your participation and feedback is absolutely critical in everything we're doing." Mullen added that in his four decades in the Nav,y he was "trained very early on in ports around the world how important the country teams were. I can't say enough about the importance of the team right now." Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton are setting an example for diplomats and service members at every level to follow in breaking with history to create a close working relationship, Mullen said. "My capstone view is to be fortunate enough to literally watch two masters in Secretary Clinton and Secretary Gates," he said. "Many of you have grown up in this business where the secretaries of state and defense did not have each other over for dinner very often. It's actually fun to listen to Secretary Gates regale me with stories of the past. But those stories are in the past. "We cannot, in this world we are living in right now, live without the kind of relationship we have between these two secretaries," the chairman continued. "The difference that they make in terms of setting the example ... resonates in both organizations. You see it from the very top to the most junior people we have in the field. I think it is an example for the 21st century that we fundamentally need to adopt." Mullen noted that he and Gates sometimes appear before the House and Senate foreign relations committees, and that Clinton has appeared before armed services committees – often at the same time. And Clinton, in introducing Mullen, said they frequently meet to talk through complex international issues. The chairman, she said, "grasps in a very deep and profound way a vision of an integrated American power." "Time and time again, he has brought sensitivity and insight into causes of dilemmas we are watching unfold, and the forces at work," Clinton said. Mullen said he tries to stay focused on the next generation of leaders and has been impressed with both the military members and civilians serving around the world, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he said the wars "changed us" into realizing the need for collaboration. "I have great confidence in our future, because this young generation is wired to serve," he said, "and we just have to figure out how to give them the paths to serve, because we all will transcend this business to another part of our life. Military relations in places such as Pakistan, Colombia and Haiti have been made easier due to the judgment and leadership of the State Department's ambassadors, Mullen said. "That's changing the world," he said, "and we do that in ways now that some of us couldn't imagine a few years ago." To continue with such progress, Congress must fund the State Department at appropriate levels, Mullen said. "We have got to get the State Department budget right," he said. "We took too much money away. And when you take money away from the State Department, you take people away, and people are your main effort. Having a robust enough budget to meet the needs of our time is absolutely mandatory. "I'm not going to go so far as to say you can have some of mine," he continued, drawing laughter, "but I recognize that if these teams are going to work together, their budgets need to be about right."

Biographies:  Hillary Rodham Clinton  Navy Adm. Mike Mullen Related Sites:  State Department

A movement to counter drugs and depression

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, Dear Gursikh Veerji & Bhenji In 1908, the passion to uplift the Sikh Panth led to the creation of Punjab & Sindh Bank. (It was a part of the Gurdwara Sudhar movement.) With his far-sighted visionary friends like Bhai Vir Singh, Sunder Singh and Tarlochan Singh they created this bank. To honour such great people and to change lives of several in the panth, Sukrit Trust has embarked upon a unique mission "KIRAT CARNIVAL"

VISION MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE Panth Ratan, Dr. Inderjeet Singh Founder of Punjab & Sindh Bank

A movement to counter drugs and depression by promoting work  culture in Punjab was started here today under the auspices of  Sukrit Trust.Dedicated to the birth centenary of Legendary  Banker and Nation Builder, Dr. Inderjeet Singh,former Chairman,  Punjab and Sind Bank, the Sukrit Trust is organizing Kirat  Carnival 2011.  More than two lac students are expected to participate in 7  different competitions as well as events like panel discussion, debates etc. S Jaswinder Singh Khalsa UK, Chairman of the Organizing  Committee disclosed that as many as 100 seminars will be  organized on Kirat Culture and the various dimensions of  promoting  smart and hard work as a way of life among the youth. Of  these about 60 seminars will be in Punjab, 30 in rest of  the country and rest 10 in USA, Canada, UK and other  European countries. The National Organizing Secretary of Kirat Carnival 2011,  Dr.Renuka Sarabjeet Singh said that the Kirat Carnival will  emphasize on the fact that we are what we think. Who assume  defeat are defeated and who imagine victory, win the battles  of life. Work is the panacea of all our ills as it gives a  genuine feeling of fulfillment. The colorful brochure of the Carnival was released here by  eminent social workers S. Ujagar Singh and S Sukhbir Singh.  It is noteworthy that Dr Inderjeet Singh was a legendary  banker in the history of modern India who pioneered in  small lending and agricultural loans. He provided employment  to over 18,000 youth. He focused on opening the branches of  bank in the rural areas of Punjab. The enthusiasm of Dr. Inderjeet Singh can be guessed  from the fact that he started a new bank –  Bank of Punjab - in 1995,  when he was at the age of 84 years.

Two brothers were decorated for combat actions

Posted on : Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 8:47 PM By Army Sgt. Scott Davis of Regional Command East BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: Two brothers in the 101st Airborne Division were decorated for separate combat actions during their deployment to Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Jason Busch, left, and his brother, Army Cpl. Josh Busch, were decorated for combat in Afghanistan. The soldiers, who are from Seymour, Wis., both serve with the 101st Airborne Division. Courtesy photo  One received a Silver Star Medal in December for actions during a five-day firefight in Kunar province, and the other received a Purple Heart in January after a firefight at Forward Operating Base Andar. Army Cpl. Joshua Busch of Company D, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, was on a mission in November when insurgents attacked his platoon. "We got hit pretty hard," said Josh, the younger brother. "By the end of the first night, I was the highest-ranking soldier in the platoon as a corporal, so I took charge as the platoon sergeant." By the end of the fight, his platoon of 22 was down to nine uninjured soldiers. He was decorated Dec. 7 for his heroic actions during that battle. Army Sgt. Jason Busch, Company A, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, recalled the battle that took place about a month later in which he earned his Purple Heart. "The enemy was hiding in a basement. ... Two Afghan national policemen were going to go in, and I was to follow," he said. "They kicked down the door, and as soon as they started to enter, they both got shot and fell down. I looked in and saw the enemy about 10 feet away. We both started firing at each other at the same time. I got hit as I was getting down into a prone position." Jason kept firing even after he was shot. "Right away, I started coughing up blood and could barely breathe," he said. "I shouted for a medic, but they couldn't help me, since the insurgent was in the room in front of me. When I realized they couldn't get to me, I somehow stood up, stumbled over to the medic and collapsed. Doc slowing my breathing saved my life. I was medically evacuated about 10 to 15 minutes later." The soldiers, who are from Seymour, Wis., are proud of each other and what they had to go through. "When my brother got decorated, I felt a lot of pride for him, but I also felt a lot of sadness for what he had to go through to get that medal," Jason said. "I wish that I could have been there instead." Though both had planned to get out of the Army, they decided to stay with their platoon for this deployment. Josh extended his enlistment, and Jason re-enlisted for two more years. "I actually re-enlisted for four more years less than a week before I got shot," Jason said. "I'm going to stay in and possibly pursue a career as a flight warrant officer." Josh said he and his brother always have been close. "My brother joined when I was in high school," he said. "I think he joined because he knew I was going to and didn't want me to go through it alone." When Josh got to basic training, the drill sergeants asked if anyone had siblings in the Army. Josh said yes and was given the chance to be stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., with his brother, though they are in different brigades. Josh will finish his deployment soon, while Jason is recovering in the United States. "It's got to be tough on our parents having two kids deployed at the same time," Josh said. "Our mom is a worrier, and she tries to find out anything she can about what we are doing out here. We try not to tell them too much about what goes on out here to keep them from worrying more."

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

National Guard ready for Winter Storm

Posted on Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 7:39 PM

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Orrell of National Guard Bureau WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2011 - In response to blizzard conditions and strong winter storms across a third of the country, six governors have declared states of emergency and about 1,100 National Guard members from 11 states have been activated or are on standby, National Guard Bureau officials said. Soldiers with the Illinois National Guard's 3637th Maintenance Company load their Humvees before moving out to provide roadside assistance to stranded motorists on Illinois interstate highways, Feb. 1, 2011. Courtesy photo  As of 6 p.m. EST yesterday, the governors of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin had declared states of emergency, and the Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin National Guard had activated. Meanwhile, Guard members in Indiana, Kansas, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania were on standby, officials said. A day after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency, the Missouri National Guard called up more than 600 soldiers and airmen to conduct emergency missions throughout the state. The Missouri Guard members will be spread over three task forces, Army Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, adjutant general, said. "Our force is seasoned by dozens of overseas deployments and 18 state emergency missionssince 2005," Danner said. "Our citizen-soldiers and airmen are ready to protect their fellow Missourians in their time of need, whether they are conducting door-to-door safety visits or clearing critical paths for emergency vehicles so first responders can do their jobs." Soldiers and airmen with Task Force East, based in St. Louis; Task Force Northwest, based in Kansas City; and Task Force Southwest, based in Springfield, are making door-to-door safety visits, providing critical infrastructure power generation, helping stranded motorists, conducting presence patrols and clearing emergency routes to support first responders. The Missouri Guard also has sent liaison officers to emergency operation centers. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has activated more than 500 Illinois National Guard members to help stranded motorists. They will be stationed at rest areas along Interstate 70 and other highways and will coordinate with the Illinois State Police to ensure the safety of travelers stranded along the roads. "We must do everything we can to keep motorists safe during this massive winter storm," Quinn said. "Illinois Department of Transportation crews are working nonstop to clear roadways, and the Illinois State Police will also be closely monitoring our highways. These troops from the Illinois National Guard will help ensure public safety along the roadways, and I urge everyone to exercise caution when traveling." Guard members stationed along the highways will provide water, snack bars and roadside safety tips to stranded motorists and will relay information regarding road conditions, vehicle accidents and stranded motorists to state police officers. "I'm proud that the Illinois National Guard is able to play our part in responding to this winter storm," said Army Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, Illinois adjutant general. "Our soldiers and airmen respond to the governor's call to help in state emergencies, just as we answer the president's call to serve overseas. It takes selfless citizens to serve in today's National Guard –- whether in Illinois or across the world." In Arkansas, the National Guard has about five Guard members transporting supplies from Little Rock to the Washington County emergency management facility in Fayetteville in preparation for any needed assistance. The Indiana National Guard had not yet been activated last night, but about 875 Guard members were on standby. About 30 members of the Iowa National Guard are helping stranded motorists. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency, which activates the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan, which authorizes state resources and funds to expedite emergency assistance statewide, including the National Guard. In Oklahoma, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is using the Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City for equipment staging, but no National Guard personnel are anticipated to be used to support this FEMA mission assignment, officials said. The Texas National Guard has about 30 Guard members assisting stranded motorists in Wichita Falls and Lubbock. With Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declaring a state of emergency, Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, the state's adjutant general, can activate elements of the Wisconsin National Guard to active duty to assist local authorities if needed. The declaration also directs all state agencies to assist in any response or recovery efforts. New Jersey and Pennsylvania have Guard members on standby, but no mission requirements had arisen as of last night.

Related Sites: National Guard Bureau

Art in War Ground

By Army Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell of Task Force Bastogne KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Feb. 1, 2011 - The soldier's ink-stained, dirt-caked hands grasped his body armor and helmet as he prepared to depart the dimly lit plywood building on top of Observation Post Mustang. Army Pfc. Luke I. Schlueter finishes a unit logo in the tactical operations center of Observation Post Mustang in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, Jan. 28, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell  Bracing against the crisp, whipping wind on the 6,500-foot mountain, Army Pfc. Luke I. Schlueter pulls on his gloves and adjusts his fleece jacket before settling down to look through various sets of binoculars and scopes at the draws, spurs and ridges surrounding the small observation post. For the last nine months in eastern Afghanistan, pulling guard duty has been Schlueter's job as a cavalry scout assigned to Troop C, 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Bandit, of the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. "I do my job because it's my job, but my hobby is art," Schlueter said. "Taking a blank piece of paper and making something out of it is just a way of reminding me why I'm here and what's going on." Since age 6 growing up in Okinawa, Japan, Schlueter employed art as a way to express himself. His mother bought him coloring books, but he wouldn't color in them. Instead, he'd trace the outlines. While living at the top of Afghanistan, he has plenty of outlines to trace now. "You've got all these mountains," he said. "Especially the clouds and everything that are here, it's crazy. Where I'm from in Nebraska, it's all flat. I mean, you get to see clouds and stuff, but not like it 'is here.' It's ... it's ... it's ridiculous." Schlueter, from Bellevue, Neb., draws anything –- mountains, people, animals, surrealistic landscapes, or whatever his buddies ask of him. "When people see something they want me to draw and get something off their mind, that's usually when I come into play," Schlueter said. "They say, 'Hey Schlueter, draw this,' and it gives them a laugh." Since following his older cousin and sister into the Army, he has put his talents to use at some odd times. "I was in basic training, and the night before you get out -- when everybody's cleaning and everything -- I got told to paint the barracks –- all three floors," Schlueter said. "I painted everything. And then I painted the squadron rock, which the squadron sergeant major gave me a coin for, because he was really impressed with it." In the tactical operations center at Observation Post Mustang, Schlueter has been working on another piece of art. For the past few days, he has been hunkered close to a large eagle he's drawing around his unit's crest. Past unit emblems adorn the walls, providing a respite from the utilitarian maps, charts and wires. "It's nice to work on a piece that's going to be around for a while," Schlueter said. His squadron's blue and red logo covers nearly half of a wall. He added that soldiers' esprit de corps at their hilltop living quarters may benefit from his efforts to bring a little more color to Army green. "I've been told the reason why Wal-Mart's blue is because it helps people who are shopping be more relaxed. So yeah, I guess it makes people have better morale," he said with a laugh.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Four governors declared states of emergency

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Orrell of National Guard Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2011 - Four governors have declared states of emergency and one has mobilized his state's National Guard due to blizzard warnings and strong winter storms.

Army Staff Sgt. Travis Radtke and Army Staff Sgt. Jason Copley, both of the Missouri National Guard, perform preventive maintenance checks on vehicles at the Missouri National Guard armory in Springfield, Mo., Jan. 31, 2011. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard in preparation for a severe winter storm. U.S. Army photo by Ann Keyes

By 9 a.m. EST today, the governors of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois had declared states of emergency, with three to six inches of sleet and up to a foot and a half of snow anticipated for some areas.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon mobilized about 600 Missouri National Guard members to support local authorities with emergency route clearance, door-to-door safety visits, generator assistance and stranded-motorist support, Missouri Guard officials said. The Missouri Guard also has sent liaison officers to emergency operation centers in affected cities and counties.
Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Danner, Missouri's adjutant general, said that the Missouri Guard has dealt with similar situations before, and that he feels confident Guard members will get the job done again.
"The leadership and soldiers and airmen of the Missouri National Guard are seasoned professionals," Danner said. "We will apply lessons learned from years of experience to help the citizens of Missouri."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is using the Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City, Okla., for equipment staging, but National Guard officials said they don't anticipate this FEMA mission assignment will require Guard support.
 

Related Sites:
Missouri National Guard

Defense Employees Top $17 Million in CFC Donations

Posted on Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 3:53 AM By Terri Moon Cronk 0f American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2011 - For the second straight year, Defense Department employees donated or pledged more than $17 million in the Combined Federal Campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said today. Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III presents a check for $17.2 million to Rene Acosta, president and CEO of Global Impact, the firm that manages the Combined Federal Campaign, at a Jan. 31, 2011, ceremony at the Pentagon. DOD photo by R.D. Ward  "Year after year we've demonstrated a strong commitment to service and to charity," Lynn said to award winners and canvassers at an awards ceremony in the Pentagon auditorium. "[Dr. Martin Luther King] was devoted to enhancing the lives of others and expanding opportunities for all," Lynn said. "Dr. King once remarked, 'Life's persistent and urgent question for all was, 'What are you doing for others?' Over the course of the past year, thousands across the department have answered that question." Even in today's time of economic challenges and hardships, Lynn noted, Defense CFC donors made sacrifices. "The department as a whole is not immune to tough economic realities," he said. "While we confront these hardships, there are those out there for whom the times are even tougher. In these challenging times, their struggles are a challenge to us all." That, he added, makes the "compassion of giving by those in this room and throughout the department all the more admirable." Lynn told the audience their philanthropy led the CFC to another resounding success. The $17.2 million raised by DOD employees, Lynn said, "underscores the department's culture and tradition of charity, and these contributions will have a real impact on real people." Defense employees, Lynn added, donated 10 percent more than the average federal worker in this year's campaign. "Each one of you is responsible for helping feed the hungry. Each one of you is essential for helping house the homeless. Each one of you ensures expanded access to education, and lifts up those less fortunate than ourselves," he said. Lynn noted the campaign also lent a hand to members of the military. "Your charitable efforts are vital to improving the lives of wounded service members and their families," he said. "The results of your efforts are very real and very powerful. You are all remarkable individuals and organizations who came together for a common, noble cause." CFC is the world's largest workplace charity campaign. Pledges made by federal civilian, postal and military donors support eligible nonprofit organizations that provide health and human service benefits worldwide.

Biographies:  William J. Lynn III  Related Sites: Combined Federal Campaign

Dr. Patrick Smock of Liberty Hill runs the Miami Marathon

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Paula Taylor of Task Force Bastogne
NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Jan. 31, 2011 - After tossing and turning for most of the night, Army Maj. (Dr.) Patrick Smock finally rolled out of bed at 3:30 a.m. yesterday. He'd trained hard for four months, and the day finally had arrived for the 745th Forward Surgical Team orthopedic surgeon to run the 26.2-mile Miami Marathon -- thousands of miles from Florida amid the concrete barriers and concertina wire that line the perimeter of Forward Operating Base Fenty in eastern Afghanistan.

Army Maj. (Dr.) Patrick Smock of Liberty Hill, Texas, runs the Miami Marathon satellite race at Forward Operating Base Fenty in eastern Afghanistan, Jan. 30, 2011. His brothers, also doctors, ran the Miami Marathon in Florida later that day. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Daniels Jr.

As he arrived at the start line, a few stars still shone through the clouds and dotted the sky. Soon, the sun would begin to crest over the snow-capped mountains.
As Smock and the other marathoners took off down the dusty hardtop road, they soon came across a group of up-armored trucks getting ready to roll out on a convoy.
"That really puts things in perspective," Smock said later. "You see that and you think, 'This [race] is just for fun.' By the second lap, those guys were already gone, doing their job."
At the halfway mark, Smock said, he was doing well, but the going got tougher with about five miles to go. "I hit my wall about 21, 22 miles," he said, "and started to need to take a break -- walk it out and make sure I keep fueling myself up. I used that finish line as my motivation."
Smock, who lives in Liberty Hill, Texas, said he and his brothers, Michael and David, had planned to run the Miami Marathon together for almost a year
"We are all doctors, all went to the same school, and are all very active, but have never run a marathon together," he said. "When I found out that I would be deployed and unable to run with them in Miami, it was disappointing, but I decided that it would not stop me from running 'with' them, even if it was from halfway around the world."
Shortly after arriving at Fenty, Smock said, he contacted the Miami Marathon race directors and inquired about a satellite run. They were receptive and were happy to sponsor the run. "They also sent T-shirts, medals and several other goodies to pass out to all the participants," he added.
Smock said he wore out three pairs of track shoes running laps around the airstrip to train for the event. The soles on the pair he wore for yesterday's race, in fact, were starting to separate.
Though Smock missed an opportunity to be with his brothers when they ran the marathon in Miami just 10 hours after he finished his, he said he plans on running in future events together with them, barring another deployment.
"I don't know if we will run Miami together in the future -- that will most likely depend on how our schedules work out -- but we are already tentatively planning to sign up this summer for the Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid [New York] in 2012," Smock said. "Hopefully, no deployments interfere with those plans. I don't think I could find a place to swim in Iraq or Afghanistan."
The 26.2 miles of the satellite course at Fenty comprised eight laps around the airstrip. Smock finished the race in 3 hours, 27 minutes.
"I crushed my goal," he said. "I had run two marathons before, and I did each of those in just under four hours. I wanted to run 3:30 today. I think my official clock time was 3:27 and some change. I'm so excited right now!"
 

Related Sites: 

NATO International Security Assistance Force