Public Health

ANSBACH, Germany (November 4, 2022) – On 3 November on Katterbach Kaserne, The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) interviewed United States Army Garrison (USAG) Ansbach United Service Organizations (USO) center manager Kimberley “Ley” Steadman about her part in bringing back Pat Tillman’s jersey to the United States from the USO Pat Tillman Center at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

The crew came to Germany from the U.S. specifically for the special that will be telling the story of Pat Tillman’s jersey and its journey back home from Afghanistan.

Steadman has served with the USO for four and a half years and in support of the troops since 2018.

She is responsible for all aspects of operations at the USO center at USAG Ansbach in Germany, including the daily supervision of more than 35 volunteers.

“I was with the United States Peace Corps before working for the USO, and I just knew I wanted to be somewhere where I could work with soldiers,” said Steadman about what motivated her to join the USO. “While that jersey was on display at the Pat Tillman Center you could feel the sense of service and sacrifice that he believed in and was committed to.”

While the U.S. was in the middle of the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan Steadman did everything that she could to make sure the jersey along with other mementos were secure and transported back home.

Steadman and other USO staff packed and secured Pat Tillman’s jersey along with other memorabilia in a bag to transport back to the U.S., while also carrying a second bag with all of her personal belongings.

“As we were waiting in line to weigh our bags before the flight one of the officials came over and said that we could not take two bags and that I would have to leave one,” she said. “I didn’t have to think twice about it, I dropped my bag on the curb, called one of our volunteers and asked him to mail it out if he could and if not to leave it.”

It’s an important story to tell, to showcase what the jersey means to so many people at the USO and so many people in the Armed Forces,” said Joshua Vorenski, Feature Producer for ESPN. “When I first heard about the story I had to find out more and make sure others knew about it.”

“He (Pat Tillman) answered his inner calling instead of taking the easy way out,” said Harry Hawkings, associate producer II for ESPN. “For someone to give up millions of dollars and a life in the National Football League (NFL) to serve in the military is beyond comprehension to me.”

“‘What can the NFL do for you?’ is what the NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue asked me,” said, Carly Harris, USO area four director, recounting the story of when the NFL committed $250,000 to the USO Center at Bagram Airbase. “I said what about a USO Center in Afghanistan in honor of Pat Tilman?”

Following the NFL’s donation to the USO in 2004, the Pat Tillman USO Center opened in April of 2005 and was the first and last USO center in Afghanistan, where Pat Tillman’s Jersey remained until May of 2021.

After the interviews concluded Lt. Col. Miguel Cisneros one of the USO volunteers at the USO Center in Ansbach was recognized as the USO Area 4 volunteer of the year and will be in contention for USO volunteer of the year for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Cisneros was a key player in getting a USO Center in Ansbach and helped coordinate logistics for the ESPN interview.

“The other thing that makes today special is that the area four volunteer of the year was selected, and he’s from right here, USAG Ansbach,” said Harris.

“It’s a privilege to be recognized as a volunteer, the USO does this all the time, they really take care of their volunteers,” said Cisneros about being recognized for his work at USAG Ansbach. “Thank you for acknowledging the fact that we volunteer our time to serve others, especially soldiers and their families through the USO.”

The Pat Tillman ESPN feature will air on 13 November on Sunday NFL Countdown.

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII- Cpl. Robert Farmer was enjoying Labor Day last year, at China Walls Coastal Cliffs, when he observed a giant wave knock a woman off the side of a cliff. Without hesitation, Farmer dove off the cliff into a dangerous ocean swell and swam toward the woman.

“I saw the wave sweep her off. I thought she was stuck on the rocks at the base of the cliff. She wasn’t there. When I spotted her stuck on the coral, I thought to myself, alright, I need to get there,” Farmer said. “There was a large swell, the conditions were rough, but I had to help, so I jumped.”

Farmer fought through aggressive waters to reach the woman and pull her to safety. After reaching the base of the cliff, Farmer and a surfer were able to carry the injured woman to the top of a hillside where Lance Cpl. Elizabeth Prevette with 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion provided first aid while Farmer guided the paramedics.

“We put her down on the sand and made sure that she did not have any spinal injuries. We had her wiggle her fingers and her toes to make sure that she had feeling in all of her limbs and extremities.”

As an experienced white-water kayaker, Farmer knows what it is like to be trapped in the water.

“I’ve been there before; I know how scary it is. I’ve been there when others have helped me, I’ve been there when I had to help myself. Having someone by your side makes the situation 100 times more bearable, it gives you a little bit of hope and assurance.”

Cpl. Robert Farmer, a Small Arms Repair Technician with 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division and a native of Richmond, Virginia received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal Nov. 2, 2022 for heroic actions.

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat award for heroism awarded to members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

“I am extremely humble in receiving this prestigious award, and I would like to recognize Lance Cpl. Prevette for her actions that day as well. She performed well under pressure and helped provide necessary first aid. I believe as Marines we are trained to help people in need, no matter the time, place, or circumstance. I am thankful I was able to have a positive impact in this situation.” said Farmer.

Col. Jonathan Sims, 12th Marines Commanding Officer, served as the presenting officer.

“We are all very proud of Cpl. Farmer. He put himself in harm’s way and saved a life that would have otherwise been lost,” said Sims. “His actions were consistent with our core values and embody the exact behavior we’ve come to expect of our Marines.”

Retired Soldiers are valued members of the Army family. Fort Rucker showed its appreciation for their service by giving back to those who paved the way for today’s Soldiers during Retiree Appreciation Day events including the Retiree Health Fair. After a two-year hiatus, due to the COVID pandemic, Lyster Army Health Clinic hosted the annual health fair October 28 at Yano Hall.

“We were so pleased to be able to reinitiate this popular annual event. Our Retired Soldiers are immensely important to us and we look for every opportunity to engage with this population,” expressed Lt. Col. Garrett Holt, Lyster Commander. “I had a wonderful time speaking with our retirees about our services, but the leading topic was of course our pharmacy wait times. It was great to garner feedback on the progress we have made and communicate some of the plans to improve our wait times. It is a true privilege to serve the population of our honored Military Retirees in the Wiregrass and I’ll use their feedback we received to further improve their experience both in the pharmacy as well as our health fair.”

Retired Soldiers and family members were able to visit educational booths to talk with medical professionals, get blood pressure checks, and learn about health and wellness programs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Commissary and Exchange also offered information on upcoming specials and holiday shopping. Several off post agencies and businesses also participated in the health fair to show their support of military retirees and highlight their services provided in the local community. Participants also had the opportunity to win door prizes and enjoy light refreshments provided by Fort Rucker Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR).

Lyster Army Health Clinic staff were onsite to educate patrons on their various programs, including physical therapy, preventative medicine, behavioral health, managed care, and pharmacy. One of the new initiatives this year included the opportunity to work with the Managed Care team to learn how to use the newly implemented MHS GENESIS Patient Portal platform. Staff were available to help with log in information and navigation of the site.

Several participants relayed their appreciation of the event. Korben Dallas remarked, “I’m having opportunities to connect face to face with TRICARE and VA. I’ve been able to ask questions and walk away with some real answers, so this has been awesome!”

Over 200 Retirees and Family Members visited the health fair. Save the date for next year’s health fair, Friday, October 27, 2023.

A Hawaii Air National Guard air battle manager received a first-of-its-kind award on October 1, at Wheeler Army Airfield, naming him a career-field champion within a new electronic training platform.

1s Lt. Sheldon Lee, from the 169th Air Defense Squadron, partook in a ‘Top Scope’ competition alongside air battle managers from all U.S. Air Force air defense sectors this past summer, administered through an artificial intelligence-based training software.

The Battle Management Training NEXT platform serves as a real-time battle space simulator, allowing operators to play out realistic air battles and perform their job as though it were a videogame.

Comparable to an Esports event, each contestant’s actions are rewarded and penalized through a live point system, measured by the operator’s ability to support command and control during a simulated air-to-air engagement.

Chief Master Sgt. Bradley Spencer, 169th ADS senior enlisted leader, presented the award to Lee during the unit’s monthly drill. According to Spencer, Lee’s performance and contributions as a team player ensured that the Pacific Air Defense Sector also took home first place, beating regional competitors by an extensive margin.

Air defense professionals such as Lee are responsible for monitoring vast amounts of radar data on a 24/7 basis. In addition, they utilize strategy and experience with aircraft, weapons and surveillance systems to ensure friendly forces have every possible advantage in a potential conflict.

Top Scope contestants were evaluated through machine learning, biometric input, natural-language-processing capabilities and communication efficiency.

The skills and scenarios that are portrayed within real-world and computer-generated flights are designed to be interchangeable while testing the operator’s ability to digest the most critical information.

“We pick out the most relevant data and give pilots exactly what they need to know,” said Lee. “That way, we can maximize their situational awareness without making them feel overwhelmed; and that’s how we ensure they’re always in the best position to accomplish their mission.”

Lee earned his ‘wings,’ or aeronautical rating, as a fully qualified air battle manager before the BMNT rolled out as a training tool last year. As a practitioner of both conventional and computer-generated training methods, he has developed an appreciation for all practices that helps him and his peers improve their battle management intuition.

“One of the coolest parts about the trainer is being able to rewatch the scenario you just played out,” said Lee. “You get an exact playback of your performance with timestamps. It gives you everything you need to cross reference it to what other actions could have been better.”

Outside the scope of the competition, the AI trainer serves a higher purpose than tallying up high scores and meriting bragging rights. Skills and competencies that the BMTN fortifies are applied daily to support Operation Noble Eagle, a Homeland Defense mission that was stood up after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Since then, regional air battle control centers have remained online permanently, keeping eyes on aircraft and airborne objects that may threaten U.S. airspace.

Upon indication of a rogue aircraft, air battle managers have the means to analyze and matriculate all relevant information up the chain of command, where the decision is made to scramble armed weapon systems to intercept the aerial threat – a process that can also be replicated using the AI training system.

Lee’s area of responsibility falls under the 298th Air Defense Group, postured as the primary organization that tracks potential threats within the Hawaii and Guam Air Defense Regions.

Under peacetime conditions, 298th ADG personnel also provide support for daily training flights at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, primarily focused on enhancing mission readiness for the Hawaii ANG’s fifth-generation aircraft and several other weapon systems.

FORT WAYNE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. — Senior Master Sgt. David J. Bush was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service during a ceremony at the 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bush received the prestigious award for meritorious service achievement from Aug. 11, 2020 to Jan. 25, 2021 while serving as first sergeant to over 1,000 personnel at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

“This great honor is not only a reflection on my service, so much as a reflection on everybody I was working with at that time,” said Bush. “We all worked together to do what we were sent there to do.”

This is an important achievement, said Brig. Gen. Michael D. Stohler, Indiana assistant adjutant general – Air. Bronze Stars are not gifts, these are earned through hard work and dedication. I greatly appreciate everything Senior Master Sgt. Bush does for the wing. It has been an honor working with him, and I can’t think of a more deserving person.

I didn’t know what I was walking into, said Bush. I made my mind up that I was just going to jump in, build a good relationship with the commander, and provide what was needed.

“I was originally assigned to a squadron upon arriving there,” said Bush. “Then over time those responsibilities grew to include filling in as a group first sergeant for about a month or so, and then towards the end of my time I was the first sergeant for two separate squadrons, and then also a superintendent for one of those squadrons.”

What this shows, is when we deploy you never know what you’re going to get into, said Chief Master Sgt. Michael E. Dixon, Jr., Indiana State command chief. Senior Bush put in the work ahead of deployment by picking the brains of other first sergeants to figure out how to set us up for the win, and then he took care of it down range. We are very proud of him.

“In a nutshell, a first sergeant’s duties are to take care of the people who complete the mission,” said Bush. “As a first sergeant you are responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of the Airmen, whether it’s within a squadron that you are assigned to or within a group, or possibly even at the wing level. Within a shop, everyone is focused on the mission, but life happens that’s not directly related to the mission. The first sergeant’s responsibility is to assist that member in addressing those issues.”

Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, and the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, co-hosted a reception aboard the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) while anchored off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 29, 2022.

The event, attended by U.S. Navy allies and partners highlighted the long-standing bilateral alliance between the U.S. and Canada and celebrated the first port visit during Gerald R. Ford’s inaugural deployment. Guest speakers included Dwyer, Cohen and Vice Adm. Angus Topshee, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy.

“It is my great honor to host this historic event along with my co-host, the United States Ambassador to Canada David Cohen,” said Dwyer. “This inaugural deployment is a gift. It has brought an amazing group of allies and partners together for a short period of time, for a single focus, and it has given us an amazing opportunity to train together and better understand how to work alongside each other, so that we can move forward with a strengthened purpose and resolve.”

Topshee emphasized that NATO is more unified than ever, even in the face of an ever-evolving security environment, and that the evening’s gathering of military and civilians from around the world aboard the Navy’s newest, most advanced aircraft carrier more than accentuated that fact.

“It is amazing the power of an aircraft carrier to bring people together even as it represents an incredible deterrent force,” said Topshee. “The Navy ships from so many NATO ally nations sailing into port with Ford and the ships that will work with Ford during her inaugural deployment are a testament to the power and commitment of the NATO alliance. They serve to ensure that we will uphold that rule-based international order and demonstrate that we are committed to defending freedom and democracy.”

The evening included an opportunity for more than 400 guests to enjoy food and beverages, as well as a ceremonial toast and cake cutting.

“Here is to the men and women, and the families that support them, of our combined forces at sea,” said Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, Ford’s commanding officer.

Topshee said he could not let Ford’s commanding officer visit Canada without a symbol that he visited the nation as he presented Lanzilotta a ceremonial hockey stick.

“Keep your stick on the ice and be ready for anything,” said Topshee to resounding applause.

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

For more information about the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/, and follow along on Facebook @USSGeraldRFord, Instagram @cvn78_grford, Twitter @Warship_78, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/uss-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78/ and DVIDS www.dvids.net/CVN78.

“If I didn’t join, I would’ve been on drugs, homeless or even dead.”

The words set a powerful tone for the Women’s Leadership & Education Committee symposium held on Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 27, 2022.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Diana E. Bacolod, sergeant major of 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, conveyed her experience to a group of wide-eyed female Marines and Sailors. She recalled hardships in her early years and as a young woman, including going through pregnancy at 16 and the consequences of surrounding herself with the wrong crowd.

Bacolod credits the Marine Corps with many of the positive changes in her life.

“I would not have made this name for myself,” Bacolod said. “It didn’t come until I picked the right group of mentors and peers. It didn’t come until I gained confidence and empowerment. And that is what I hope you take from this symposium today… be okay with being vulnerable so you can get the help you need.”

The committee, created in 2017 by Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, provides mentorship, empowerment, and an all-inclusive environment to maximize talents, abilities and knowledge for Marines and Sailors of all ages and leadership levels.

The symposium, comprised of Marines and Sailors of diverse backgrounds, provides members with the opportunity to discuss common issues and topics females face while navigating their respective careers. Providing information, mentorship, and career development remains a key goal for the event.

This year’s symposium touched on the topics of confidence, values, and resiliency. In addition to active-duty members, the committee hosted guest speakers to provide information and outlooks from outside of the military.

This year’s event included Jason G. Wanstreet, a professor and the chief executive officer of STRIDES SCI Functional Fitness, to provide his insights on training, injury prevention, and recovery, something leaders can reference in developing their young Marines and Sailors.

“The guest speaker gave us information that I never knew, and I look forward to not only using it for myself but also teaching other Marines on how to train better,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Paige McFarland, an AH-1 Z Viper pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, MAG-39.

The symposium provided opportunities for breakout sessions where guest speakers shared their stories and discussed topics like the Artemis Program, a Camp Pendleton program with the specific goal of making it easier for pregnant and postpartum Marines to receive base resources and know they are not alone.

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Wendy Cajas discussed the program during her breakout session. The team behind the program developed it to meet the unique needs for active-duty mothers. The program provides mentorship and educational tools to help active-duty mothers stay fit, healthy, and balance life as a Marine and mother.

“I personally do not have kids, but I think what I learned is extremely valuable for female Marines,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Maria Innes, an administrative specialist with Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, MAG-39. “I am going to pass the information I learned about Artemis to the females I know who are pregnant or had their kids already.”

The symposium remains a key part in MAG-39’s development of Marines. The networking and mentorship offered to those who attend continues to build upon the individual’s success and strengthens their future as leaders within the Marine Corps.

The mission of MAG-39 is to provide combat-ready and capable Marines to support naval expeditionary missions through organized combat aviation support, aviation ground support and aviation logistics. The committee remains a critical resource in helping MAG-39 maintain its force readiness by providing Marines and Sailors an additional opportunity for professional and personal development.