Army

SAGAMIHARA FAMILY HOUSING AREA, Japan – After losing 80 pounds over the past year, Tara Culbertson wanted to find a unique exercise to stay in shape while making new friends.

Willing to try something new, Culbertson, the director of Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, decided to revive the local roller derby team that had dissolved due to the pandemic.

Called the Zama Killer Katanas, the team once held regular matches with other nearby teams such as the Yokota Scary Blossoms and the Yokosuka Sushi Rollers.

Culbertson hopes to soon reignite those friendly rivalries as her team searches for new players, officials and volunteers.

“I would like to meet some cool, smart ladies and just make my own friends here and not just work,” she said.

Roller derby is played on a flat, oval track with two teams of up to five skaters vying to score the most points during two 30-minute periods. One skater on each team, called the “jammer,” scores a point after passing an opposing player on the track with help from their teammates, who are called “blockers.”

The game is a full-contact sport, but there are rules on how players can safely make contact with their opponents.

Roller derby is also known for its quirky player names. For instance, Culbertson’s stage name is “Bettie Rage.”

“I think it’s kind of badass,” she said of the sport. “It’s kind of rebellious and has lady power. These are girls who are confident, strong and cool.”

Master Sgt. Shanika Johnson, senior enlisted adviser for Army Reserve Affairs at U.S. Army Japan, attended the team’s first official practice on Tuesday.

Johnson said she has been skating off and on since she was 5 years old, but she has never played roller derby before. She was drawn to the female camaraderie associated with the sport, as well as the fitness aspect.

“I was a little bored, so I thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “I met some teammates and they were very welcoming.”

Ashleigh Gosnell, a former Soldier and Army spouse, had the chance to test out her newly purchased skates around the gym at Arnn Elementary School during the practice.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting people and I love team sports, so I think getting involved in something like this is really cool,” she said.

The most experienced skater of the group was Hannah Howard, who helped teach drills to about a half dozen new players.

Howard, an Air Force spouse who goes by “Aris Throttle,” said the sport may initially make some people nervous about trying it out. It can appear aggressive and its roots are a bit punk.

“Those things are part of the culture that people enjoy if that’s what you want out of it, but I think now it’s very inclusive and it’s reached more of a mainstream,” she said.

There are leagues worldwide and the Roller Derby World Cup is played every few years. Earlier this month, U.S. Olympian Erin Jackson, a professional roller derby player, also won a gold medal for speedskating.

Those who attend practice for the Zama Killer Katanas will learn the basics of roller derby, and loaner equipment is available to help them get started.

Women aged 18 and up at any skill level, as well as men interested in becoming an official, can join the practices, which are currently held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Arnn.

“It really is for everybody,” Howard said. “One of the things that we were asking tonight is, ‘What do you want to get out of roller derby?’ Because not everybody wants what is perceived of it – the punk, alternative style of it. Some people want exercise, some people want to make friends. All of those things are possible in roller derby, while having fun hitting people.”

To join a practice or for more information, readers can email the team at [email protected].

Related links:

U.S. Army Garrison Japan news

USAG Japan official website

Designed to transport infantry troops, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is known for its survivability, mobility, and lethality.

Now, it can add hybrid electrification to its attributes.

In a first, the Army turned on its newly integrated hybrid electric Bradley during a demonstration on Jan. 28, 2022, marking a major milestone in a rapid prototyping effort. The integrated hybrid electric system will be used to demonstrate that widely available commercial hybrid technology could also benefit the military.

The effort, led by the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, or RCCTO, will help inform future hybrid electric technologies, proving out the effectiveness of the Bradley Hybrid Electric Vehicle, and will give Army senior leaders a decision point on whether or not to move forward.

“The BHEV prototype truly has the potential to improve how our Soldiers execute their missions while providing the Army with a cost-effective advantage on the battlefield,” said Stanley Darbro, RCCTO Deputy Director. “We’re executing this approach through a 24-month rapid prototyping effort with the expectation it will provide proven increased operational capability for Army-wide application.”

This quick turn prototyping effort is being worked under a Prototype Other Transaction Authority agreement with BAE Systems to deliver two Bradley vehicles retrofitted with hybrid electric technology. The BHEV consists of an upgraded engine, a transmission replaced by an electric drive motor, and the addition of lithium-ion batteries.

During the demonstration, held at BAE Systems’ Sterling Heights facility, engineers demonstrated the BHEV’s ability to power and control critical systems for successful hybrid electric operations. These activities allow BAE Systems to methodically assess each subsystem to ensure proper and safe operations before integrating the next subsystem.

Starting in June, the Bradley vehicles will undergo assessments at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland where they will be driven over rough terrain to measure performance. Then, later this year, both Bradley vehicles will be at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona for additional field assessments and to compare performance data between the two vehicles, and against non-hybrid electric Bradley vehicles.

Expected benefits of the system include increased on-board power, mobility, lethality options, and range. The hybrid technology allows for improved fuel economy and increased range, and improved performance with no added Size, Weight, and Power demands. The Army anticipates reduced fuel consumption of 20 percent, and with a smaller number of parts, vehicles with hybrid electric drive technology should be easier to maintain.

“There’s also the added benefit of silent watch,” said Mike Foster, lead of the RCCTO’s Rapid Acquisition Prototyping Project Office. “It provides a reduced heat signature and sound. Our performance goals are aimed at increasing acceleration, electrical power generation, and increased range.”

In addition to the BHEV, the RCCTO is expanding efforts beyond the Bradley to include prototyping hybrid electric Joint Light Tactical Light Vehicles and HMMWVs. Contract awards are expected in February for the HMMWV and in March for the JLTV.

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii—Black Americans have served and sacrificed in every conflict in the history of the United States, contributing greatly the U.S. Army and the freedom of our nation. The development and advancement of Army logistics can be attributed in great part to Black Soldiers.

Prior to the desegregation of the military in 1948 by President Harry Truman, the majority of Black Soldiers served in logistics-related fields under the Services of Supply branch, according to the National Archives.

Many of the fundamentals of Army logistics today can be traced to the Services of Supply branch of the Army during World War II. Historians across disciplines have researched these contributions and the results are not only fascinating, but ones to be celebrated and discussed more.

1)   U.S. Army sustainers can look to the Red Ball Express to learn how to overcome under established and broken infrastructure when planning and preparing for Large Scale Combat Operations. The Red Ball Express, established during World War II, delivered fuel and materiel to Soldiers across France through motor transportation convoys. Due to the damaged rail infrastructure from the war, and the fast pace of the mission, sustainers faced logistical challenges to delivery necessary supplies. The Allied forces relied heavily on the Red Ball Express drivers, the majority of whom were African American, to meet their supply needs. The sustainment provided by the Red Ball Express led to the success of the Allied forces in Europe.

Learn more: The Red Ball Express: Past Lessons for Future Wars

2)   Private George Watson, a member of 29th Quartermaster Regiment during World War II, was one of seven Black Soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton in 1997. While six of the recipients served in combat units, Pvt. Watson was recognized for his courageous efforts saving others after enemy bombers hit the U.S. Army transport ship he was on while off the coast of New Guinea. Watson ultimately drowned with the ship.

Learn more: Logisticians Celebrate Black History Month

3)   War historian and member of the editorial board for the Quarterly Journal of the Army War College, Douglas Bristol, Jr., profiled four Black Quartermasters in World War II, sharing their experiences and how these Soldiers, and others like them, were indispensable in the success of the U.S. Army in the European and Pacific theaters.

Learn more: What Can We Learn About World War II From Black Quartermasters?

Name: Juergen Klett

Job title: Transportation Assistant

Assigned: Transportation Motor Pool, Logistics Readiness Center Benelux, 405th Army Field Support Brigade

Location: Chièvres Air Base, Belgium

Experience: I’ve been working for LRC Benelux at the Transportation Motor Pool on Chièvres Air Base for five years. I started out as a dispatcher and then became a transportation assistant. Before this, I was working for the Defense Logistics Agency for seven years at Germersheim Army Depot in Germany. I started at DLA as a warehouse worker in the issue section, but I also worked as a shipping team leader, and I was a transportation assistant at DLA.

Other service: I served 12 years in the German Army where I obtained the rank of staff sergeant. I was stationed in Denmark for seven years, and before this I was a signal instructor and a basic and airborne training instructor. I also worked with the U.S. Army’s 66th Military Police Company in Karlsruhe, Germany, for one year.

Hometown: Gleishorbach, Germany

Family: I have two daughters who both live in Copenhagen, Denmark. My oldest daughter is 27-years-old, and her name is Michela. She’s a pre-school teacher. My youngest daughter’s name is Celina. She’s 21-years-old, and she’s studying to become a social worker.

Q: Can you explain what your duties are as a transportation assistant at LRC Benelux’s TMP?

A: In my position as a TMP transportation assistant at Chièvres Air Base, I mainly do administrative work to support the TMP chief. I am the primary administrator for the transportation and motor vehicle management system, doing updates and new vehicle entries. I also renew vehicle registration plates and registration documents, I file varies documents and reports, I maintain the non-tactical vehicle utilization database, and I process all the work. I also prepare shift plans for the shuttle bus drivers, including statistics and vacation planning. I process the time and attendance reports for all the employees at LRC Benelux’s TMP offices, both at SHAPE and Chièvres. In addition, I am the key custodian for all the spare keys for the entire fleet of non-tactical vehicles at SHAPE and Chièvres. I’m also the on call dispatcher for one week per month, where I provide customer service and arrange recovery, if needed.

Q: Why is the LRC Benelux TMP so important?

A: The LRC Benelux TMP guarantees a smooth daily operation of the shuttle bus service between Chièvres Air Base and SHAPE. With this and in many other ways, we provide valuable customer service to all the Soldiers, Army civilians and their family members across the entire U.S. Army Garrison Benelux footprint. For example, we issue our customers Esso fuel cards when they are using our government vehicles and driving these vehicles to Germany and back. We do our very best to always make sure our customers feel safe when traveling from one installation or location to another with our government vehicles. We also have good contacts with our colleagues at the other TMPs, like TMP Brunssum, TMP Kaiserslautern, TMP Stuttgart and to our colleagues in Brussels. If somebody is involved in an accident while traveling to one of these locations or there’s another issue with their vehicle, because of this good relationship with the other TMPs, we can assure them they’ll be okay. They can contact us by phone during the daytime at the Chièvres TMP office, or after duty hours they can call our on call dispatcher. The phone numbers are in the logbook for each government vehicle. We will always try to help and assist whenever our customers need us.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?

A: All these years I’ve worked for the U.S. Army, I‘ve enjoyed working with different people of different nationalities and different cultures. We all work well as a team, which makes us strong and effective in all our tasks. I’ve worked with people of other nationalities and backgrounds my whole life, and I enjoy this very much. Teamwork is the key to success. It’s been a challenge these last five years to learn French. I am German, and I’ve learned English over the years working for the U.S. Army. But now I’m living and working in Belgium for the past five years so I’ve had to learn French, as well. I must say I am not perfect. It took me a long time, but now in my fifth year here I finally can speak pretty well with the Belgium people – better than I could in the years before. I enjoy working for the U.S. Army while living here in Belgium. It’s a beautiful country. I like to drive to the coast in the summer time, and I have some good Belgium colleagues here at work who are also my friends. We meet up sometimes for dinner and drinks, and we ride motorcycles together.

LRC Benelux and 405th AFSB: LRC Benelux is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, and non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Benelux directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of U.S. Army Garrison Benelux. LRC Benelux reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Designing is what Derek Mayhew lives for. He often creates graphics seen across U.S. Army Garrison Japan, but he also draws and paints, and plans to produce a new backpack as his side gig.

Mayhew has already left his mark — literally — at the garrison’s Visual Information Division just a half a year after being hired there as a local national employee.

The 43-year-old Australian native helped rebrand the division with a new logo. He also reconfigured his office’s break room refrigerator into the police-box-turned-time-machine from the popular TV show, “Dr. Who.” And inside his office, he has adorned the walls with “Stars Wars”-themed paintings.

When a contest was announced in December to design the next official garrison coin, Mayhew unleashed his creativity once again. His design was recently chosen as the winner.

“I feel honored that my design will be replicated,” he said. “I get a good feeling at the end of the day when I’ve created something, and that’s amplified if other people see it.”

But it’s not the recognition he strives for when he decides to create something. He said the creative process allows him to get lost in his own fantasy world.

He also compares the work to kaizen, a Japanese business philosophy in which the aim is to continually improve something.

“I find it’s a process that, once I start, it’s very hard to stop,” he said. “I’m always refining.”

On the front of the coin, Mayhew, who has an interest in martial arts, used a blue samurai helmet to contrast against a golden background for a distinctive look. He then incorporated the insignia of garrison leadership, Army civilians and local nationals as well as both U.S. and Japan flags.

Flipped over, the coin displays the iconic “Great Wave off Kanagawa” with a rising sun and Mount Fuji in the background, which Mayhew said reminds him of the view he sometimes sees near his home in Chigasaki.

Along the edges of both sides of the coin also reveal the names of all 17 geographically dispersed USAG Japan installations and sites.

“The winning coin was chosen because it was unique,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Justin Turner, the garrison’s senior enlisted leader. “It tied in some of the history of Japan, as well as Camp Zama and our garrison’s mission together. I think our service members and garrison employees will be happy to receive one of these coins.”

Turner said the command group decided to redesign the coin to commemorate the garrison’s new direction, which places more focus on providing quality service and support to community members in an effort to build resilience.

The contest also allowed community members to choose the winning coin. Out of 13 submissions, the command group picked five finalists that were then shown online for the community to vote. About 130 people responded.

“This coin is for the community; it’s not for the garrison commander and me,” Turner said. “It’s for the community and our garrison employees. We feel that if they are part of the vote on selecting their new coin, then they will be more appreciative to receive that coin.”

Mayhew said the hardest part of the design was fitting the several logos and images that reflect Japanese culture onto the coin.

“It was tricky to accommodate each into a nice spacing that would still feel that it is complete,” he said.

It took several adjustments over about a month to achieve the final design.

“Design, to me, is like meditation,” Mayhew said. “I can lose hours just doodling on pages and experimenting with different variations.”

The dedication and time spent to include those finer details on the coin was not lost on Turner.

“The first coin will go to Mr. Mayhew,” Turner said, adding that Mayhew will also receive a certificate of appreciation. “He did an outstanding job on designing the coin and putting a lot of work into it.”

The new coins are scheduled to be available in early March.

Related links:

U.S. Army Garrison Japan news

USAG Japan official website

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One hundred and seventeen Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives sent a February 7th letter to the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (“Corps of Engineers”) stating that they:

. . . applaud the Agencies for taking this concrete and positive step toward restoring the strong clean water protections that our constituents, and all Americans, depend on. Federal protections based on sound science and consistent with the Clean Water Act are essential to ensuring clean water, which is essential for our economy and a healthy environment.

The definition of WOTUS is arguably one of the three critical jurisdictional terms in the Clean Water Act. Its importance is magnified since it is relevant to both National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permitting and non-NPDES programs such as:

• Section 404 of the Clean Water Act wetland permits
• Section 311 oil/hazardous substances release requirements
• Clean Water Act spill prevention control and countermeasure regulations

As result, the scope of the definition of WOTUS has been the subject of frequent litigation, legislative oversight, rulemakings and public policy debate since the enactment of the modern version of the Clean Water Act in 1972.

EPA and the Corps of Engineers announced on November 19, 2021, a revised definition of WOTUS. They had previously withdrawn the revisions to the Clean Water Act definition promulgated during the Trump Administration.

On December 7, 2021, EPA and the Corps of Engineers proposed a new rule to once again revise the definition of WOTUS.

The Democratic Congressmen in their February 7th letter state that the current rulemaking is “critical to protecting water quality across the nation and the furthering of Congress’s intent when it enacted the Clean Water Act.” They take the position that the Trump Administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (“NWPR”) undercut the Clean Water Act’s objective to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”

The February 7th letter discusses the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and notes that it includes $55 billion to expand access to clean water through initiatives such as:

• Replacement of lead service lines
• Measures to address PFAS contamination
• Enhancement of wastewater infrastructure

Also referenced is $47 billion that is stated to be allocated to:

• Climate resilience
• Measures to help communities prepare for worsening floods

Referenced as key measures to address flooding are healthy wetlands and headwater streams. The protection of such wetlands are deemed important in terms of both guards against flooding and natural carbon sinks.

The Congressmen also characterized clean water protections as playing a key role in what it describes as the Biden Administration’s and EPA’s commitments to environmental justice. They take the position that the NWPR harmed waters across the United States but that such harm did not fall equally on all populations. Specifically, they argue that the withdrawal of clean water protections was disproportionately felt by low-income communities and communities of color. Finally, they assert that clean water act protections are critical to protecting national, regional, and local economies. However, they single out agricultural operations as particularly benefited by Clean Water Act protections because of the need for clean water. In addition, they take the position that most ordinary agricultural activities do not require permits under the Clean Water Act because:

• Agricultural stormwater discharges are excluded
• Irrigation return flows are excluded
• Normal forming practices like building or maintaining stock ponds or irrigation ditches, building farm roads, maintaining drainage ditches and farming itself are excluded

A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.

CAMP SMITH, HAWAII – U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 351st Civil Affairs Command, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), arrived here ready to integrate into Keen Edge 22, a bilateral command post exercise held Jan. 26 – Feb. 3, 2022. Arriving 20 January, the team participated in reception, staging, onward movement and integration (RSOI) meetings, level-set, academics, and warm start events prior to exercise kick-off.

Keen Edge 22 allows the Japanese Joint Staff and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command an opportunity to plan and conduct operations against all-domain competitors. For the 351st CACOM’s Government Function Specialty Team, it offered an opportunity to nest their expertise into the exercise and support the needs of a joint force under a single, unified command authority.

U.S. Army Reserve Col. Bradford Hughes, Government Functional Specialty Team Chief for the 351st CACOM, saw the exercise as an opportunity for his team to test their readiness across several Mission Essential Tasks. Those tasks included building readiness with the interagency, conducting rehearsals with geographic combatant command for crisis action planning, and theater entry in response to a variety of scenarios, all while remaining part of a credible deterrent force in the increasingly complex threat environment.

“This is an opportunity for us to actually partner with our geographic combatant command at the interagency level,” explained Hughes.

During their time at KE22 the 351st team, a blend of 38G military government specialists and other Army capabilities, including a team of International Law Officers (ILO) was able to nest capabilities with their interagency partners. The ILO team in particular hit the ground running,

integrating with the Command Judge Advocate (CJA) and providing expertise in “Lawfare,” while building multiple integrated products & briefs for the CJA and creating legal dilemmas for the exercise adversary.

“These Soldiers are really specialists,” said Hughes. “They bring that requisite expertise within their specialty, which is what USINDOPACOM wants to leverage as the Interagency engages in the Theater Campaign Plan. Across the Instruments of National Power (Domestic, Informational, Economic), while specifically partnering with Commerce, Treasury, USAID, and law enforcement, we bring that expertise. As such, the government function specialty program is here to help with that partnership and to advance it.”

Exercises such as KE22 provide the U.S. Army Reserve the opportunity to build the relationships through rehearsals and improve interoperability between the Joint Forces and the Reserve component. This increase in readiness through realistic training is critical in ensuring that seamless support of the geographic combatant commander in real time events.

Team noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Sgt. Samantha Gomes, senior health care noncommissioned officer, 351st CACOM, sees the exercise as an opportunity to reinforce the skills her team already has and assess their ability to adapt to challenging circumstances. As the functional team role continues to adapt and change with real-world demands, it becomes increasingly important for them to use exercises like KE22 to align themselves with their interagency partners.

“I think for us, solidifying our doctrine,” she explained. “It was updated and rewritten last summer, so here [at Keen Edge] we ensure we’re operating within that doctrine and really have a solid sense of what it is that we’re doing and why we’re here. Not only in an exercise format, but as we augment and fill roles that aren’t as familiar but give us a reason to really put the foot down and go after it to find the work.”

Gomes went on to explain that KE22 was also a time to lay the groundwork for future exercises as the team began to show their value to fight within the multi-domain framework. The work being done here would allow for the inclusion of team in the planning phases of future exercises, maximizing the effectiveness of the team and their layers of expertise in a much broader scope.

“It comes down to working here on a strategic level.” said Gomes. “A lot of combatant commanders are looking at the bigger picture. We are providing that insight as specialists who come in and navigate between the lines, really get nitty gritty with the details and the specifics of the strategic planning.”

U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Kelly Wilson, a Law & Border Enforcement Specialist for the team, felt the work for USINDOPACOM at the 4-star strategic level was key to the future of the program.

Wilson explained how during the week he had the opportunity to meet with his counterparts from the Department of State, Bureau of Stabilization and Conflict, to share the 38G program’s Government Function Specialty Areas & Focus Areas to his working group, highlighting the specialties and how they complement stability operations and nest into the existing crisis action plans.

“We focus on basically everything to run a government,” Wilson laughed. “If there is a request for a government function capability, our team (or USACAPOC) can provide technically qualified and experienced individuals, to advise, enable, and assist commanders and their direct civilian counterparts with stability function tasks and governance expertise until appropriate civilian control is possible.”

With the priorities of the USARC and USACAPOC(A) commanding generals focused on rehearsals, relationships, and readiness, KE22 really gave the team an opportunity to nest themselves inside those goals.

“By us being here and partnering with the interagency that’s the relationship piece of it,” said Hughes. “We are wanting to establish the partnership to the level where we’re asked back for the next exercise … these exercises rehearse what we may very well do real world. By getting these reps in (i.e., rehearsals), it reinforces the readiness. If we can demonstrate that we can deploy and be self-sufficient, it spotlights our value to COMPO-1 (Active-Duty Forces) that here is a group we can call, and they can immediately integrate with us and get to work.”