-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a prelude to war! 000097. Guard pilot killed in A-10 crash BOISE, Idaho (AFPN) -- An Idaho Air National Guard pilot was killed when his A-10 Thunderbolt II crashed northwest of here Jan. 20. Maj. Mark Moynihan, 33, of Boise was flying a training mission at the time of the accident. A full-time pilot for the 190th Fighter Squadron, Moynihan had been serving most recently as a flight scheduler and instructor pilot for the 124th Wing. Moynihan served on active duty as an A-10 pilot for nearly 10 years before joining the Guard in 1999. He was an A-10 demonstration pilot for the northwest region and had more than 2,000 hours of flight time in the aircraft. He was also one of 14 Idaho ANG pilots who flew combat missions over Kosovo last year. A search and rescue team, along with a safety team comprising members from the 124th Wing and 366th Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, were dispatched to the accident site. A board of Air Force officers will investigate the accident to determine the cause of the crash. (Courtesy of Idaho National Guard Public Affairs) 000093. Infrared systems cause missile test failure by Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Preliminary data indicates two infrared sensors aboard the exoatmospheric kill vehicle, an experimental Defense Department missile, caused the failure of a National Missile Defense test Jan. 18. Other guidance systems -- both on the ground and aboard the rocket -- worked well, said a senior military official. The official compared the test to finding a house. "You start off with the satellite sensors telling you the state, the early warning radar telling you the ZIP code, while the (radars aboard the rocket) get you to the street address," said the official. "What we failed to do is ring the doorbell." The official said the infrared sensors guide the kill vehicle in the final seconds of flight. The test -- called integrated flight test 4 -- pitted the experimental national missile defense system against a simulated warhead launched aboard a Minuteman missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The kill vehicle launched from Kwajalein Missile Range in the Pacific. The previous test vaporized the target with a direct hit. The kill vehicle is the bullet of the weapon system. It destroys a target using the kinetic energy of the force of impact; there are no explosives involved. Had the test worked, the kill vehicle and the target would have hit at about 15,000 miles an hour. Officials said that initially everything appeared to go well. One objective of the test was to evaluate the kill vehicle's deployment and orientation. The vehicle launched, deployed and, using visual sensors, oriented it correctly, officials said. "It was in 'the basket,'" said the official. Another goal was to demonstrate the ability of the space-based sensors and ground-based radars to detect and acquire a simulated threat, track the threat and discriminate using the prototype ground-based x-band radar at Kwajalein. This, too, worked well. Finally, the test demonstrated the Battle Management Command and Control and Communication system. This is the nerve center of the system. It receives the information it gathers from the space-based sensors and from radars and then processes it. "Then it sets up the engagement and provides real-time data communications directed to the weapon," said the official. The system's performance was "nominal" -- space talk for it worked well. The test seemed to be a success until the last six seconds. "It appears that there was an anomaly or an issue with the infrared sensor packages," the official said. "This seeker has two infrared sensors and one visual light. We have to go figure out what happened to the IR sensors. "As we're sitting there at 29 minutes, 49 seconds after the target lifted off, there was not the bright flash that we saw on the (previous test, indicating a hit)." The prime contractor for the system is Boeing. Raytheon built the exoatmospheric vehicle, and TRW built the Battle Management Missile Command and Control and Communication system. The test cost about $100 million. Ballistic Missile Defense Organization officials along with the contractors will examine the data from the test and make corrections as needed. The official said DOD can "absolutely" overcome the technical challenges of the program. The next test is set for spring. 000092. Depleted uranium: The rest of the story by Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- There's more to the story on depleted uranium than what people saw on the CBS news program "60 Minutes," says Bernard D. Rostker, head of Defense Department's office on Gulf War Illness. The U.S. armed forces first used depleted uranium munitions and armor in combat during the Gulf War. A "60 Minutes" broadcast, aired Dec. 26, focused on the military's failure to train service members on the substance commonly known as 'DU.' The U.S. military uses depleted uranium in armor-piercing tank rounds and as armor because of its extreme hardness. Depleted uranium is about 40 percent less radioactive than natural uranium. During a recent interview, Rostker acknowledged that this training failure resulted in some service members receiving excess exposure. He pointed out, however, that "60 Minutes" did not focus on whether or not those exposures have proven to be harmful. Rostker, who is also undersecretary of the Army, met with the "60 Minutes" crew for 45 minutes, but appeared on the air for only 45 seconds. He said the finished segment only briefly mentioned an important fact about Department of Veterans Affairs research into DU. After years of monitoring service members exposed to DU, the VA has determined DU has had no health impact on these service members. "Yes, we didn't do what we should have, but ("60 Minutes") chose to gloss over the fact that the lack of training did not result in any medically significant consequences for any of the people that were exposed," Rostker said. "We are concerned about our servicemembers' health and there is nothing that we have been able to discover that would indicate that this is related to any unexplained illnesses." Most servicemembers did not receive DU training during the Gulf War, Rostker said. He said he believes this was because "the danger of being exposed was known to be so trivial -- nonexistent." "We had an obligation to do the training," he said. "We told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in our licensing that we would provide this training. It's something we should have done, and we didn't follow through." Rostker said his office has worked to improve DU training. "We're pressing each of the services to train people who might be exposed to depleted uranium," he said. The Army has made DU training one of the common soldier tasks for new recruits during basic training. In the past, Rostker said, DU training tended to scare people by showing people in Mission Oriented Protection Posture gear. Gas masks and MOPP suits are no longer considered necessary, he noted. Current training calls for wearing a dust mask and gloves, prudent safeguards required by the NRC. "You want to prevent inhalations from the small particles, and prevent accumulation on the skin," he said. "But even if there was inhalation and there was accumulation, the body throws off the uranium in very short order. One would not expect to see any either short-term or long-term impact, and that's what has occurred here." Defense officials also warn servicemembers to stay away from wrecked vehicles to avoid all toxic agents. "It turns out you'll get a larger dose of radiation from the radium on the instrument dials in Russian-made tanks," Rostker said. "They're actually putting out more radiation than any of the depleted uranium that might have struck the vehicle." While some have charged that DU has contaminated the Middle East, Rostker said, there is no lingering danger in the Gulf from the substance. Environmental teams have tested soil samples in the region and found no call for further clean up. Servicemembers deployed there have absolutely nothing to fear, he said. "Even under the most stringent requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency, all of the samples environmental officials have taken and analyzed were either at background or well below any level that would require cleanup." Defense and VA officials continue tracking three categories of people exposed to DU during the Gulf War, Rostker explained. Level One are those involved in friendly fire incidents. Level Two are those who worked in and around depleted uranium. Level Three includes anyone else who may have had casual contact. Officials have monitored 33 out of 107 people categorized as Level One for about the past five years. "Those were the 33 that were most exposed to depleted uranium," Rostker said. "Sixteen of those still have depleted uranium fragments in their bodies in ways that can't be surgically removed without destroying underlying muscle." The first of two studies of this group was published recently in a peer-reviewed medical journal. It concluded there were no observed health effects that could be attributed to DU exposure, Rostker said. "That doesn't mean these veterans aren't suffering. They're suffering from the wounds of the burns associated with being hit by a round in a vehicle. "There were some elevated uranium counts in those who still have fragments, as one would expect," he said. "But no radiological impact that could be noted and no impact on the kidneys, which is the organ where one would expect to see damage if there was to be damage," Rostker said. Rostker said the second report, due to be published soon, covers the last three years and comes to exactly the same conclusion. There's no indication to date that there is any impact on those most heavily exposed during combat, he said. Defense officials have been proactive in their efforts to seek out Level Two people exposed during clean-up operations, Rostker said. "We've sent out literally hundreds of letters requesting that people in the units involved contact the VA and get the test kits they need to collect their urine ... and bring it to a military treatment facility or veterans hospital," he said. "The VA still owes us a report on that, but it's our understanding that there's been no excess accumulation of uranium and we don't see it in their kidneys, in their urine, etc." VA officials intend to continue monitoring those exposed to DU and propose to expand their studies. "We want to know the maximum we can about this substance." Any veteran who believes he or she was exposed to DU and wants to be tested can call 1-800-472-6719 or go to the GulfLink Internet site at http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/ for more information. DU is now part of America's arsenal and it's here to stay, Rostker said, because it gives U.S. forces an important advantage both offensively and defensively. "Defensively, it constitutes a substance that we use in protecting our tanks. During the Gulf War, no Iraqi shell penetrated a tank that was protected by DU armor," he said. "It stops it cold. "Offensively, let me just say, the troops called it the magic bullet. It allowed them to engage at ranges up to 3,000 meters. It flies true. It's a one-shot kill. I've seen what a depleted uranium round can do to a (Russian) T-72 tank. It went in and it came out the other side. It is devastating." Defense Secretary William S. Cohen recently nominated Rostker to be the next under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. If confirmed, he will retain his position as Cohen's special assistant for Gulf War illness. 000094. Joint Chiefs chairman discusses military's role with Harvard students by Kevin F. Gilmartin Electronic Systems Center Public Affairs CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AFPN) -- "The military makes a great hammer in America's foreign policy toolbox, but not every problem that we face is a nail," the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told more than 200 people recently at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government here. Army Gen. Henry H. Shelton, America's 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs, outlined "the intersection of force and diplomacy" with his audience of mostly Harvard students, and discussed the importance of the American public's support for any use of America's military abroad. As the principal military advisor to the president, the secretary of defense, and the National Security Council, Shelton is often called upon to help decide when American military intervention is appropriate. "As a world superpower, as a nation with global commitments and global responsibilities, can we dare to admit that force cannot solve every problem that we face?" Shelton asked. "I think that the decision to use force is probably the most important decision that our nation's leaders can make. Of course, it has to be a civilian decision. It has, and hopefully always will be based on sound military advice." "Let's be realistic," the general said. "I think that in any intervention that we face, anytime that we use our forces abroad, we are going to face opposition here at home. This is not only the nature of American democracy, but it is at the very heart and soul of our very system." There are no templates, or no "cookie cutter solutions," on how to handle the complex array of contingencies and crises, both large and small, that America faces in the 21st century, Shelton pointed out. He believes America should set clear parameters as to when the use of military force is appropriate. "The fundamental purpose of our military forces is to fight and win the nation's wars," the chairman said. That's not the only purpose, however. "The military can do a lot of other things in support of our foreign policy and national interests, including maintaining America's presence around the globe, providing deterrence where appropriate, and intervening if necessary." The general outlined three categories in which he believes military intervention could be used: vital national interest, important national interest and "humanitarian, or other types of interest." "By vital national interests, I mean things that will really directly impact our way of life," Shelton said, "such as the safety of American citizens abroad, the security of our territories or that of our allies, the protection of our economic well being. "That's seldom an issue," the general admitted. "Those issues are very clearly discernible as vital national interests. Of course, we'll do whatever we need to do to protect these interests, and force, when applied in combat, will be done in an overwhelming and decisive manner." The second category, important national interests, includes "those things that are short of our national survival, but nonetheless, will affect our nation," according to Shelton. "If there is a threat to our important interests, then military force will be used if the cost and the associated risk are commensurate, and if there is not another element of our national power that might be more appropriate for the mission at hand." Regarding the use of America's military in humanitarian efforts, the general said, "While the military generally is not the best one to solve a humanitarian crisis, under certain circumstances, the appropriate use of our armed forces can bring an interim solution to the immediate problems at hand and set the stage for international leaders to address the longer term, more systemic deficiencies." When the scale of conflict dwarfs the ability of international aid agencies to respond, "such as we saw happen in Rwanda, then the military can be used, and should be used, in a very efficient and effective manner, Shelton said. He also cited the effective use of the military in relief efforts for national disasters such as Hurricane Andrew several years ago, or more recently, support of Turkey after earthquakes there last summer. Such efforts should be "limited in duration, have a clearly defined end state, and they should entail minimal risk for our troops," Shelton said. "They should be designed to give the affected country the opportunity to restore its own basic services. At the same time, we have got to ensure these efforts should not jeopardize our ability to respond to direct threats to our national security in other regions of the world." Regardless of what type of threat America's forces are responding to, sustaining these forces abroad requires the support of the American people, Shelton said. "Needless to say, any operation that we do is not going to be without risk to our troops, and insertion of armed forces always carries with it the potential for casualties," he said. Therefore, Shelton said, each situation needs to be subjected to what he calls the "Dover Test," named after Dover Air Force Base, Del., the point of entry for the bodies of military members killed in action. "We have to ask the question, 'Is the American public prepared for the sight of our most precious resources coming home in flag-draped caskets, into Dover Air Force Base?'" Shelton said. "That's an issue that I think we always have to raise early on because it should be discussed, and should be decided by our political leaders, before the operation begins." Over the past decade, the use of America's armed forces in situations around the world has increased tremendously, according to Shelton. "I am pleased to report that all of our armed forces have performed extraordinarily well, carrying out the military tasks that we have set for them, by our political leadership of this great country. " The overriding lesson from these contingency operations in this past decade, "is that we must bring all of our resources to bear -- our political, diplomatic, military and economic -- if we expect to be successful solving non-military problems, especially those that are rooted in religious, cultural or ethnic strife," he said. "Sometimes providing assistance and help is exactly what this nation should do," Shelton said. "But it is also always prudent, I think, to consider the unintended consequences which may accompany well intentioned impulses to use our strength for the good of the international community. We may find out that sorting out the good guys from the bad is not as easy as it seems. We may find that getting in is much easier than getting out. I think that these are the types of issues that we should confront up front, before making a decision on whether to commit our military forces." 000095. Navy unit projects power in Operation Northern Watch by Capt. Mike Canup Operation Northern Watch Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) -- Think of the Navy and what comes to mind: open seas, ships, bustling activity on carrier flight decks? For members of the Electronic Attack Squadron 128, or VAQ 128, from Whidbey Island, Wash., serving a three-month temporary duty assignment here in support of Operation Northern Watch presents a different picture. "A lot of our mission revolves around a battle group and carrier defense," said Lt. Cmdr. Mark "Yoda" Niezgoda, an EA-6B pilot. "At Incirlik, we do a lot more power projection. Aboard ships, we worry about the battle group first and then we do power projection." Of the 15 squadrons based at Whidbey Island, VAQ-128 is one of four designated as expeditionary squadrons. "The EA-6's are integrating into the Air Force. We have Air Force people assigned to us and we're learning more about the Air Force," Niezgoda said. "We do a number of Red Flag exercises and that really helps us." Several Navy personnel deployed in support of ONW feel "lucky" to be here. "The rest of the Navy thinks we're lucky to be assigned to an expeditionary wing," said Navy Airman Richard Hockett. "We don't have a six-month separation from our families. We're only gone for three months." Hockett's co-worker, Navy Airman Kevin Wilson, keyed on the mission and benefits of a land-based deployment. "We're all here for the same cause. The Air Force needs something of ours and we can provide it, so it's a good duo," Wilson said. "We share a common goal and do what it takes to get it done. But we do have more freedom here. You're allowed to do more because the work hours are almost the same as they are when we're at Whidbey Island." Navy members said that while they have more time to visit in Turkey at this assignment, they do experience more of the world when aboard a ship. On a six-month cruise they may enter as many as six or seven ports. Career counselor for the 128th, Petty Officer 1st Class Dan Wittle, said it's a trade off. "It's completely different than a normal Navy deployment," Wittle said. "Being part of a joint command is definitely different than being on a ship. We're used to going from port to port. We can see more of the country here, but ship duty lets us see more of the world." "It's wonderful," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michelle TaQuino. "Getting to interact with the other forces is nice. We also aren't working 12-hour shifts seven days per week." "We have access to things we normally wouldn't have on a ship," said Petty Offficer 2nd Class Sylvester Johnson. "We have more ways to contact our loved ones. On a ship, you work and you're home. You never leave." Although the 128th is shore-based, the flying is still challenging, said Cmdr. Matt Straughan, the unit's commanding officer. "We need to have a certain number of Prowlers fully mission capable every day and our maintenance team has been meeting that goal every day," Straughan said. "The integration of our squadron into the Combined Task Force has been made easy by the 'one team' spirit here. The whole operation here has been the epitome of professionalism, and we're glad to be part of it." 000096. B-1 receives makeover, nose job by Hal McKenzie Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- America's premier aviation artist Dru Blair last week recreated a historic icon of World War II air power on the nose of a B-1 bomber for the 116th Bomb Wing. Working from a raised platform in a hangar, he used his renowned airbrush technique to faithfully render the pinup girl in a blue bathing suit that graces the nose of the Memphis Belle, the most famous B-17 Flying Fortress of World War II. "It was a nostalgic type of feeling, making a connection with the past," Blair said. "I felt proud to make an image that is ... connected to such a beautiful airplane." The Belle gained fame as the first bomber to complete 25 missions and was declared a national historic treasure. It is now on static display in Memphis, Tenn. Blair and his assistant, Mickey Harris, have developed a special connection to the 116th Bomb Wing. Blair's first airbrush aviation painting, titled "Power," depicts a B-1 armed with cruise missiles flying low over a mountain lake, raising plumes of water in its wake. It became the first of three Air Force Magazine covers and remains the best-selling aviation print in the world. Blair sells other aviation paintings through his publishing company, Blair Art Studios Inc., which he runs along with the Blair School of Art in Raleigh, N.C., where he lives. He was also the official artist for the "Star Trek: Voyager" book covers, as well as several other Star Trek licensees. Blair explained that in 1990, while living in Atlanta, he was invited for a tour of Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and given a ride in a B-1. Crew chief Randal Money asked him to do the first nose art. He eventually painted six, donating his time for each one. "My reward comes from seeing the enthusiasm of the men and women and the morale boost it gives. That's inspiring to me, in my work, and I take that back with me," he said. Harris, founder and past publisher of Airbrush Magazine, also paints automotive art and murals. His love of aviation comes from his father, who was a fighter pilot flying the F-105 Thunder Chief. He has painted a lot of aircraft nose art, including two B-1s for the National Guard at Robins and two for the Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. "We've done almost every plane in this squadron, seven of eight planes. We've sort of been adopted by the squadron," Harris said. Pinup art, like that on the Memphis Belle, was popular during World War II, but was later banned by the Air Force as sexist. They decided to make an exception in this case, because of its historic significance, Harris said. "It's a national symbol. It's a part of our folklore. At some point, history has to supercede vulgarity. Anyway, it's tastefully done and there's nothing vulgar about it," he said. The Belle's pilot, Bob Morgan, recently visited Robins and took a ride in a B-1. He helped push the nose art project through, Harris said. The crew of the Memphis Belle chose the original pinup from a drawing by Esquire magazine artist George Petty. One of many "Petty girls," the one they chose was called "The Telephone Girl." 000098. Edwards to support filming of Disney space movie by John Haire Air Force Flight Test Center Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- It's lights, cameras and action as the production of a full-length motion picture here is about to take off. >From Jan. 25 to Feb. 4, Edwards will support the making of the Disney motion picture "Race to Space," starring James Woods and Annabeth Gish. A crew of 60 people and two chimpanzees will be joined by more than 150 local extras to film the story of a scientist's son who dreams about reaching the stars. The boy befriends a chimpanzee and other scientists in his quest to be an astronaut. Filming primarily will be done in the base's jet engine shop, as well as two flightline hangars. The crew also will film at the NASA-Dryden Flight Research Center for two days. When the military supports a movie, it ensures key objectives are met. Foremost, there must be a script that depicts the armed forces factually and in a proper light. Consequently, such movies give the military a chance to show itself in a positive light that will have maximum impact. They also provide the military an opportunity to showcase its capabilities. All efforts lead to a film that will last 90 minutes or more -- a product of months of effort and thousands of man-hours. For the production company, such endeavors could generate millions of dollars in revenue. However, for the military, there is little revenue because the armed forces cannot profit from a motion picture. And if an asset such as an aircraft is flown, its time is paid for. Plus, if facilities are modified, the movie producers must pay to restore it. Other financial issues become the expense of the company as well. But the military, in this case the Air Force, benefits in that the service's story is told to the American people. **COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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