Taking Pride in Their Work

Some three years after Saddam Hussein’s regime was overthrown in Baghdad, U.S. forces in Iraq take pride in their accomplishments, says Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“We should also recognize that this has been a tough fight, that it will continue to be a tough fight, but that we are doing the right thing,” Pace says.

The Iraqis have worked to develop a constitution and elect a government, repair the country’s infrastructure, and create an effective security force. Pace says the Iraqi military is doing a good job of taking over security in many parts of the country. More than 250,000 Iraqi soldiers and police are now trained and equipped. Since last November, Iraqi forces have conducted more independent operations than coalition forces, Pace says.

Work remains to ensure the security of Iraq, as U.S. and coalition forces continue to battle an ongoing insurgency. The chairman says it is important that the coalition not leave Iraq until the government can rely on the security provided by its own armed forces. The Iraqis deserve the opportunity to put together their own democracy, Pace says.

United Through Reading

Though they are far from home, sailors aboard the USS Ronald Reagan are keeping in touch with their children thanks to United Through Reading. More than 700 sailors have taken part in the program since the ship deployed in January.

Sponsored by the Family Literacy Foundation, the program allows servicemembers to read books to their children on videotape or DVD and then mail them
back home.

United Through Reading has been provided to more than 180 deploying ships and has benefited more than 101,000 military personnel and their families. The program was founded by Betty J. Mohlenbrock during the Persian Gulf War.

For more information, visit www.read2kids.org.

Data Stolen

Some 26.5 million veterans were placed in jeopardy when a thief stole electronic data, including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, from the home of a VA employee. VA Secretary R. James Nicholson said the employee was not authorized to take home the information, and he has been placed on leave pending the out-come of an investigation. Authorities say it’s unlikely the burglars had knowledge of the data contents, but the VA is urging veterans to protect themselves.

■ Monitor bank statements, credit card statements, and any statement relating to recent financial transactions.

■ If you find suspicious activity, contact one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, (888) 525-6285; Experian, (888) 397-3742; and TransUnion, (800) 680-7289.

■ The VA has set up a Web site and phone number. Visit www.va.gov/opa or call (800) FED-INFO (333-4636).

To find out more about the situation and read tips about what steps you can take, visit www.moaa.org/security.

Way to Go

MOAA’s sixth annual career fair, held May 2 in Washington, D.C., was a great success, with 195 employers and more than 1,100 job seekers attending. For more information on the career fair, visit MOAA’s Web Base at www.moaa.org/tops.

In Review

The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World By Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin. Basic Books, 2005. $29.95. ISBN 0-465-00311-7.

Based on classified KGB archives provided by defector Vasili Mitrokhin, Christopher Andrew describes 40 years of KGB operations in the Third World. Detailed KGB activities in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East are showcased, highlighting KGB operations that at times were clever and effective, and at other times were laughable and naive.

This is a scholarly, academic work, a bit wordy and dry but revealing of Soviet and KGB paranoia regarding Western intentions and capabilities during the Cold War. Andrew tells how the KGB enjoyed numerous tactical successes but ultimately suffered strategic defeat in the Third World.

Andrew sharply highlights the KGB’s ruthless and opportunistic use of propaganda, assassination, subversion, political and economic sabotage, informers, spies, and proxies to foment communist-inspired wars of national liberation. This volume is a companion to the authors’ The Sword and the Shield, about KGB operations in America and Europe.

One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer By Nathaniel Fick. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2005. $25. ISBN 0-618-55613-3.

In harsh deserts, rugged mountains, and teeming cities, Marine Lt. Nathaniel Fick discovered that “combat command is the loneliest job in the world.” This is Fick’s vividly visceral memoir of his years as a young infantry officer leading Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq.

With refreshing candor, Fick describes his experiences fighting a merciless enemy in a brutal war. Fick leads his men in successful attacks and out of some nearly disastrous foul-ups. He also describes combat’s adrenaline rush; the effects of fatigue, stress, and task saturation; and the heady responsibility of combat leadership.

— William D. Bushnell

Meeting Time

Plan now to join the more than 200 government, military, and civilian leaders at MOAA’s Military Professionals Symposium Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006, at the Doubletree Hotel in Arlington, Va. The symposium is just one of many events scheduled around MOAA’s Annual Meeting Saturday, Nov. 18.

During the symposium, experts will answer the question: Can we sustain the all-volunteer force in an extended conflict? The panel discussion will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. Admission is free for military officers, but seating is limited. To register, visit MOAA’s office on the Pentagon concourse or look for more information in future magazine issues.

Helping the Wounded

The Walter Reed Society (WRS) raises money to assist servicemembers wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during their time of recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Through the generous support of private donors, the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom Support Fund is used to assist servicemembers and their families with expenses, including child care, mortgage payments, car payments, utility bills, and a host of other expenses related to their temporary displacement at Walter Reed. Established in 2004, the fund also assists with living expenses, clothing, and related essentials. Funding is approved after a case-by-case review of each application, including a personal meeting with a WRS representative, and it is considered a grant.

WRS is a nonprofit service organization dedicated to preserving Maj. Walter Reed’s legacy by helping the Walter Reed Army Medical Center maintain its reputation for patient care, continuing medical education, and clinical research.

Miscellany: Health and Money for Veterans

* Free Tuition for Veterans: The University of Illinois’ Executive MBA Program has received a grant that allows 110 returning veterans to receive an executive MBA worth $74,000 for free. The 20-month program includes tuition, a trip to China, books, and meals. You may be eligible if you are an Illinois resident and served on active duty for a total of 12 or more months, served in a foreign country during a time of hostilities in that country, or were medically discharged for service-related causes. Visit www.mba.illinois.edu/veterans.

* Massachusetts Welcome Home Bonus Bill: The “Welcome Home” Bonus program provides a one-time, tax-free payment to servicemembers who are Massachusetts residents and who have been activated since Sept. 11, 2001. Those who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq will receive $1,000, and those who have served domestically or in other foreign countries for a period of six months or more will receive $500. For more details, visit www.mass.gov/treasury/veteransbonus/welcomehomebonus.htm.

* Nutrition Notes: Calcium is an important part of the diet, and your requirements change with age. For tips and recipes to help increase your calcium intake, visit www.moaa.org and click on Health and Wellness under Services.

You’ve Got Mail

Mail from home is a wonderful morale booster for troops fighting overseas. Here are some interesting facts about the mail we send to Iraq that you may not have known, with thanks to 1st Lt. Agata Tyson, USA, former operations officer with the Joint Military Mail Terminal (JMMT), Baghdad:

■ Number of locations in Iraq that mail flies into: 7, including 2 joint military mail terminals (Baghdad and Balad).
■ Average number of planes carrying mail that arrive in Baghdad daily: 1 to 2, depending on the weather and other factors. Mail is transported aboard commercial DHL planes.
■ Average length of time for a letter to go from the United States to the receiving servicemember: 12 days.
■ Average number of stops along the mail route: 7 (home post office, gateway airport, Bahrain, JMMT or APO with an airfield, APO, unit mail room, soldier).
■ Average amount of mail processed monthly at the Baghdad JMMT: 1.5 million pounds.
■ Weight of each pallet containing incoming mail: between 1,200 and 2,200 pounds.
■ Busiest mail month: December.

— Don Vaughan

Protecting Your Retirement

The FDIC has increased the deposit insurance protection for certain retirement accounts from $100,000 to $250,000 effective April 1, 2006. This increase, the first in more than 25 years, covers traditional IRAs; rollover IRAs; Roth IRAs; spousal IRAs; and self-directed Keogh, 457(k), and 401(k) accounts.

The coverage level for non-retirement accounts, such as individual or joint savings or checking accounts and CDs, remains at the current $100,000. This means that a married couple could hold approximately $800,000 in FDIC-insured assets at the same banking or savings institution, as follows:

■ non-retirement account: up to $100,000 in the husband’s name, up to $100,000 in the wife’s name, and up to $100,000 in joint ownership; and
■ qualified retirement account: up to $250,000 in the husband’s name and up to $250,000 in the wife’s name.

Feeling Down?

Military personnel and their family members can take advantage of the new Mental Health Self-Assessment Program (MHSAP) available online. This program, funded by DoD, provides free, anonymous mental health and alcohol use screening and referrals.
The program offers screenings for a range of common emotional situations that often go undiagnosed, such as depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD, as well as alcohol use. Some questions include:

■ Have you lost pleasure in things you used to enjoy?
■ Do you have trouble sleeping or eating?
■ Does your mood fluctuate between overly high and hopeless?
■ Are you keyed up and anxious all the time?
■ Do you suffer from aches and pains?

Visit www.militarymentalhealth.org.

Retiree Spotlight

Retired Army Col. Roy Brooks, former president of the Georgia Retired Officers Association (now Georgia MOAA), led a campaign to provide a patient shuttle program for Martin Army Community Hospital at Fort Benning, Ga. The program, in its 10th year, is staffed by Red Cross volunteers.

How did the shuttle program come about? I was the chief of logistics at the hospital. I realized that a lot of patients were handicapped or disabled, and they had troubled getting from the parking lot to the clinics. It’s a long walk. The hospital couldn’t afford shuttles, but finally, one of the commanding generals’ wives heard about what we wanted to do, and she made it happen. We’ve carried more than 400,000 patients and worn out two shuttles since we started.

You still volunteer a couple of days a week. Why do you do it? Well, you’d think with all the retirees around here, we wouldn’t have trouble getting drivers. We do. I’ll quit one day. I don’t know when. I like driving, and I like helping people.

Studies show seniors who volunteer live longer than those who don’t. You’re 92. What do you think? No male on my father’s side lived to be 60, so I figured I wouldn’t either. I just kept going. I keep volunteering, and I think the good Lord helps me out. I’ve asked him to keep me around till I’m 100.

— Bridgett Siter

Attention!

Check out these military-related entertainment offerings.

BOOK American Shogun: General MacArthur, Emperor Hirohito, and the Drama of Modern Japan (Overlook Press, 2006): Robert Harvey delivers a narrative history of the political, military, and economic duel between the United States and Japan that spanned the first half of the 20th century.

BOOK I Lie for a Living: Greatest Spies of All Time (National Geographic, 2006): Published in association with the International Spy Museum, this pocket guide portrays the 62 greatest known spies throughout history, including Benedict Arnold, Aldrich Ames, and Robert Hanssen.

DVD Horses of Gettysburg (Inecom Entertainment Co., 2006): This two-DVD box set captures the relationship between soldiers and their horses. The documentary, the fourth installment in Inecom’s Civil War Minutes series, tells the dramatic story of the estimated 72,000 horses and mules that fought alongside soldiers at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Survivors on the Web

The VA has created a new Web site for the surviving spouses and dependents of military personnel who died on active duty and of veterans who died after leaving the military. The Web site is organized into two categories: death in service and death after service. It provides visitors with information about a range of benefits for the surviving spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents of deceased veterans and active duty personnel. The site also has information from — and links to — other federal agencies and organizations that offer benefits and services to survivors.

“One of the VA’s basic missions is to care for the survivors of veterans and military members,” says VA Secretary R. James Nicholson.