-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 1289. Airmen apply skills to twin towers rescue by Capt. Lars Anderson Air Force Public Affairs, New York Office NEW YORK (AFPN) -- The first thing that hits you is the intense acrid smell, and smoke still billowing from fires more than two days after the collapse of the World Trade Center. Among the thousands of rescue and recovery workers are more than 100 airmen, reservists and guardsmen wearing state and city police and fire fighting uniforms. "It's horrible," said Tech. Sgt. Nick Marchisello, a fireman with the 514th Civil Engineering Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base, N. J. "It's like walking into hell." Marchisello, a 17-year veteran, is in New York with the Clifton Fire Department from New Jersey. His current job is to go and look for survivors. Search and rescue dogs from the Bergen County Sheriff's Department have gone ahead of the firefighters in search of survivors. It will be the job of Marchisello and his fellow team members to rescue them, should the dogs discover anyone. The work is dangerous work with fires still burning, and the ground and debris are very unstable. Staff Sgt. Anthony Latona, a member of the 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., is also a firefighter with Clifton. Latona relates what he sees now to his time on active duty in the Air Force when he served in Africa. "I served in Rwanda," he said. "You're expected to see it there. Going in there, you're expecting to see death and devastation, but to be here like this is just ... ," Latona did not finish the sentence, staring in disbelief at the wreckage before him. "I've looked at this skyline my whole life," Latona said, referring to the towering 110-story twin towers. "They were there and now they're gone." His service in the Air Force has helped him prepare for the tasking mission facing him now. "Being in Rwanda totally changed my outlook on life," Latona said. "I've learned to appreciate what I've got and I've learned to be there to help people. Being in the military has made me a better fireman and prepared me to do what I have to do." Marchisello could not agree more. "The (Air Force) fire program expects and encourages you to constantly upgrade and continue your education about the firefighting profession," Marchisello said. "People come to you because of the excellent training that you have received and are getting because you are in the military. What I learn (at the World Trade Center) I can use in my job with the Reserves and vice versa." But, he said, nothing can fully prepare a firefighter for what is encountered during an actual disaster. "Seeing this destruction is unbelievable," Marchisello said. "I can only hope that we can still bring people out alive." Other people with an Air Force tie are also hoping that they too will bring people out alive. Sixty-three civilian rescuers from Sacramento, Calif. arrived at McGuire with the help of a C-5 Galaxy from the 337th Airlift Squadron at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. "We are here to do what we can and work together as a team," said Larry Savage, a member of the rescue team. "It takes everyone working together to make this happen." Airman 1st Class Francis Perillo, from the 106th Air Rescue Wing at Francis S. Gabreski Airport, N.Y., is here to help as well. As part of the New York City Emergency Response Team, Perillo is spending his off-duty time combing through the rubble for survivors. "I felt something inside me," said Perillo, a native of Bayshore, N.Y. "I just had to do something. It's horrifying. I've broken down in tears. I've learned just how precious life is. I'm here looking for people and to do what I can." Perillo walks away. He and others are off to seek passages to the underground subway tunnels that might contain survivors. A feeling of patriotism pervades the entire atmosphere around the remains of the once glorious buildings in downtown Manhattan. American flags are everywhere -- on hats, on taxis, on radio antennas, even on makeshift flagpoles in the destruction zone. Messages of encouragement can be seen everywhere. "God Bless Us", "America Will Prevail," and most poignantly, "Rest In Peace to those who died...we will not forget." 1291. President approves partial mobilization of forces WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has requested, and President Bush has approved, an order to call up to 50,000 reservists for active duty. Each service has reviewed its missions and thus far identified personnel requirements for up to 35,000 reservists as follows: Army, 10,000; Air Force, 13,000; Navy, 3,000; Marines, 7,500; and Coast Guard, 2,000. These reservists are being called upon to provide port operations, medical support, engineer support, general civil support and homeland defense. The last time the Ready Reserve underwent a partial mobilization was Jan. 18, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, when 265,322 Guard and Reserve people were activated. The 1.3 million men and women who serve in the seven Reserve forces make up nearly one half of the U.S. armed forces. 1275. Air Force chief, secretary send thanks to heroes WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- In the 48 hours that have passed since the horrific "acts of war" inflicted upon the American people, we have all seen, and many of you have performed, superhuman feats of heroism and courage. We witnessed a Headquarters Air Force medical staff immediately transform itself into a life-saving team in the Pentagon battle zone. These heroes, in the midst of an unfolding crisis, disregarded their personal safety to provide cohesive emergency care to injured servicemembers. They did us all proud! We saw airmen roar into the skies as the nation activated an ironclad air defense network. There were rousing cheers heard on the lawns of the Pentagon as fully loaded Air Force fighters roared overhead within minutes of the attack. Later, we had Air Force members performing the solemn duty of recovering the remains of our fellow defense personnel from the charred rubble. One said, "It was fitting for a servicemember to honor a comrade so brutally murdered." Although one side of the Pentagon is crumbled and we have witnessed a tragic loss of life, the Defense Department is strong, ready and resilient, as resilient as the building itself -- a bulwark symbolic of our nation's defense. The deadly fire has been extinguished and most of the Pentagon's staff have returned to work. The Air Staff is fully functioning. Approximately 300 of our members have been temporarily displaced, and we're assembling a long-term relocation plan now. The building's air quality is being closely monitored and remains safe for the entire staff. As it stands now, there are approximately 126 missing Department of Defense staff personnel. We want you to know all Air Force personnel assigned to the Washington area are safe and accounted for. Our prayers are with the many suffering grievously from this attack. We will keep you posted on our progress. For Air Force updates and specific information, please refer to our "Responding to Tragedy" Web site at www.af.mil. When the president came to the Pentagon to personally express his thanks, he was "saddened and angered" by the grim gaping hole in the building's west face. But he was immediately uplifted as firefighters and other workers unfurled a three-story tall American flag beside the hole. Our symbol of national freedom truly captured the mood of steadfast resolve here, somber but steeled. We want to thank all of you who are helping our nation respond to these terrible and criminal acts. As airmen, we stand united and prepared to seek justice and defend freedom. As President Bush said, "We are the freest people in the freest nation on Earth because of America's men and women in the armed forces." We are proud to serve with you and want you to know that every measure is being taken to ensure your workplace is safe and secure, wherever you are assigned. Keep standing proud and ready! 1294. Surgeon general, X-ray tech work together during rescue efforts by Staff Sgt. A.J. Bosker Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- While a terrorist attack made no distinction among victims, the Air Force's surgeon general stood side-by-side with an X-ray technician to help provide medical support for hundreds of badly injured Pentagon workers. For Lt. Gen. Paul K. Carlton Jr. and Master Sgt. Paul R. Lirette, the moments following the crash of a jet airliner into the Pentagon on Sept. 11 provided little time to observe rank and insignia. The crash of the American Airlines 757, the result of one of four terrorist attacks on the day, killed 190 people, including more than 100 inside the Pentagon. When the Pentagon attack occurred, Carlton, surgeon general of the Air Force, was in a Pentagon office after having just come from a staff meeting where they were watching the events unfold at the World Trade Center in New York. He immediately went to the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic to make sure a casualty collection effort was being mounted and to offer assistance. The general then joined a clinic team in the Pentagon's central courtyard and set up a casualty collection point; however, since it was only minutes after the attack, many rescue teams had not been able to get to the victims yet. They decided to try to get as many people out as possible. "I ran into several people who were actively pulling (victims) out of rooms that were on fire," Carlton said. "One such person was (Lirette)." Lirette was in the flight surgeon's office when the attack occurred. "We all grabbed our (medical) packs and went to DiLorenzo clinic to establish where we needed to go," Lirette said. They received word that they needed to assist someone in Corridor 5. After helping that person, Lirette went down the C and D Rings off Corridor 5 to evacuate anyone still there. "There were groups of people coming out (of the C and D Rings) as the smoke was starting to fill up the corridors," he said. After directing them to an exit, Lirette returned to the main corridor to make sure that no one was left behind. That is when he heard calls for assistance from other rescue workers and followed them to the E Ring where a person was trapped inside a room. After making his way through a cracked wall or doorway, Lirette met up with Carlton. The rescue workers lined up and began clearing debris, paying little attention to the ash, smoke and hot embers burning holes through their clothing. After extracting the man from the burning room, Lirette helped carry the man on a litter to the central courtyard. The rescue workers wanted to stay and rescue others, but the intensity of the fire kept them away and they were told to leave. "We took our seriously injured people to a casualty collection area on the north side of the building where we tended to their wounds," Carlton said. "We put as many of them as possible into ambulances and drove the rest by civilian vehicles to area hospitals." Reflecting on the events, Carlton said the teamwork and combined response was a remarkable experience -- Americans helping Americans, regardless of rank. Carlton said it was an honor to stand next to a hero such as Lirette during this terrible disaster. Lirette, humble, does not consider himself a hero. "My thoughts are that if something like this, how ever horrible, had to happen, I wanted to be here," he said. "The Air Force is my life. This is what I get paid to do." 1290. Medical team heals minds of uninjured by Tech. Sgt. Scott Elliott Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- A medic's first order of business following any crisis is to minimize loss of life, and that is precisely what the staff of the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic did following the crash of a hijacked Boeing 757 into the Pentagon on Sept. 11. But now it is time to switch from physical to mental attention, officials said. The Pentagon's Tri-Service "Team DiLorenzo" changed its focus from treating the bodies of victims to healing the psyches of survivors. Crisis support teams are available to help people "decompress" following the stress of living through the worst terrorist attack on American soil. "The decompression process allows people to express their emotions," said Lt. Col. Steven Vieira, officer in charge of mental health at the DiLorenzo Clinic. "We're seeing people in groups led by facilitators. We encourage people to get their feelings out in the open because if you hold them in, they'll only get worse." Vieira said that, if left unchecked, such emotions as anger, pain and stress could lead to lack of sleep, bad dreams, fear and increased anxiety. "With the group counseling, people can express their feelings and get support from others who experienced the same thing. We call that a debrief," he said. The crisis support teams also provide supportive mental health stress relief to support those who are now engaged in finding and transporting the dead. "We may have 18- to 20-year-olds who have to go in there," said Vieira. "The crisis control teams are available to prebrief before they go into the carnage, and to debrief when they return from the mission." The teams consist of such mental health professionals as psychologists, social workers, mental health technicians and nurse practitioners. They work in close coordination with chaplain services. "This has been a massive undertaking," Vieira said. "The people who have rallied around and given of themselves are amazing. Even at the beginning there were nonprofessionals offering comfort to anyone who needed it. To me, that's compassion. "Our goal has been to reach out and touch everyone, and we feel we're doing that," Vieira said. "If people have needs, our teams are there. They don't have to come to us ... we are seeking them out. "This is a grief moment for all of America," Vieira said. "It's not going to go away quickly, we will always remember this day, but we can help people through their grief and pain right now." 1293. Security forces chief takes charge by Tech. Sgt. Scott Elliott Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- If the Air Force's senior enlisted security forces person had any doubts as to what was happening to America on the morning of Sept. 11, they were erased by a deafening roar, a blast of heat and a partially collapsed ceiling. "I saw (on TV) the second airliner hit the World Trade Center," said Chief Master Sgt. John Monaccio, Air Force Security Forces career field manager. "Having been a cop for 25 years, I was able to make the connection that it was terrorist activity." That relatively simple deduction was the last easy task the chief would face for the next few days. The chief's office was in the D Ring of the Pentagon's newly renovated section, adjacent to where the third hijacked airliner crashed. "If the plane had come in straight, rather than at an angle, I think we'd have all been killed," he said. After securing classified information and helping evacuate the dazed secretary, Monaccio heard some nearby sailors yelling for help. "I don't know how they did it, but some Navy folks heard people trapped inside an electrical vault," Monaccio said. "A few of us got fire extinguishers and formed a chain to dig our way through the debris -- twisted steel, plaster, you name it. Everything was on fire. "We had to rotate in and out of the vault because the smoke made it impossible to stay in for very long," he said. "After about 45 minutes, we got five people out." Monaccio and the others dipped their T-shirts in puddles of grimy water and wore them as masks in an effort to continue their rescue efforts. When the fire department arrived, they had to physically remove the military members from the scene. "The Navy people were beside themselves," he said. "They didn't want to leave anyone behind. They would have stayed there and died trying if the firefighters hadn't forced them out." The chief and fellow security forces people remained on the scene until 8 p.m. EDT to help FBI agents collect evidence. He returned the next morning to continue crime scene security, but later found himself escorting an FBI-led film crew and being interviewed by a congressional delegation. "I've been in a lot of situations over the years, but this was just amazing," he said. "The military discipline, training and leadership really came through here. We were able to immediately organize and take orders, and that really made a difference in being able to save five lives. "I feel guilty being singled out," Monaccio said. "I mean, yeah, I was there, but it was entirely a team effort. There were Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines involved. This was our nation's military." 1285. President proclaims prayer, remembrance day by Rudi Williams American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- President Bush has proclaimed Sept. 14 as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America. He asked employers to permit their workers time off to attend noontime services to pray for the nation. In his proclamation, Bush said terrorists hijacked four passenger jets, crashed two of them into the World Trade Center's twin towers and a third into the Pentagon, causing great loss of life and tremendous damage. The fourth plane crashed in the countryside of Pennsylvania, killing all on board but falling well short of the hijackers' intended target -- one of the last communications from the plane reportedly was a request to air controllers for permission to turn toward Washington. The president said the collapse of both 110-story towers and the destruction of part of the Pentagon resulted in horrific carnage -- more than 260 airline passengers and, officials fear, many thousands more people on the ground died. "We mourn with those who have suffered great and disastrous loss," Bush said. "All our hearts have been seared by the sudden and senseless taking of innocent lives. We pray for healing and for the strength to serve and encourage one another in hope and faith. "I call on every American family and the family of America to observe a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance honoring the memory of the thousands of victims of these brutal attacks and comforting those who lost loved ones," the president said in his proclamation. "We will persevere through this national tragedy and personal loss. In time, we will find healing and recovery; and in the face of all this evil, we remain strong and united." The president asked everyone and places of worship to mark this National Day of Prayer and Remembrance with noontime memorial services, the ringing of bells at that hour and evening candlelight remembrance vigils. 1288. Aerial port operators help FEMA agents by Staff Sgt. Melissa Phillips 305th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AFPN) -- While terror reigned in the streets of New York and Washington on Sept. 11 after the attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the base here became a center of control in the midst of the chaos. Technicians from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron rushed nonstop around the flightline Sept. 12 as they received more than 250 tons of emergency management cargo, said Master Sgt. Greg Cannon, 305 APS passenger operations superintendent. At the same time, about 250 Federal Emergency Management Agency search and rescue task force team members, and about 300 military people were arriving in support of the relief efforts; all this within the first two days after the disaster, he said. "McGuire Air Force Base has served as an important staging area for several of our urban search and rescue teams," said Douglas Welte, of FEMA Public Affairs. "We appreciate their support. They've done a tremendous job." Many of the aerial porters along with other base agencies worked long hours to support the incoming humanitarian aid, said Lt. Col. David Terrell, 305 APS commander. "The devastation in New York is what we train for all the time ... my guys were ready for this," Terrell said. "I called some people off (vacation), but they thanked me for it. They're good Americans, and they just want to be a part of this." Staff Sgt. Daniel Spain, 305 APS shift supervisor, has been in more than six humanitarian relief efforts in his career. His job of uploading and downloading cargo is not glamorous and often routine, but it is gratifying, he said. "I try to instill in my airmen that every day our job affects someone," he said. "We load everything from building and medical supplies to food. "We can't physically help the victims but we're able to affect the victims in a different way," Spain said. "An operation such as this is why we join and continue to serve." 1292. Current events affect overseas mail delivery by Master Sgt. Randy L. Mitchell U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- The unprecedented cancellation of all flights to and from the United States affected the ability of U.S. military people and their families throughout the European theater to either send or receive mail from America. All U.S. military postal facilities in Europe and the Balkans have resumed intratheater operations, said Roger Kolkena, spokesperson for U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Postal Squadron. The facilities were temporarily closed Sept. 12, as postal officials assessed their operational posture. Kolkena's organization provides policy and guidance for 42 military post offices throughout the European theater, as well as Department of State post offices. There are no restrictions on intratheater mail other than the standard size and weight restrictions of no more than 70 pounds and 130 inches, Kolkena said. However, mail to and from the United States is still being stopped because of the restrictions on flights in and out of the country. "We can only accept first class mail, not greater than 13 ounces, at our military APO and FPO facilities," Kolkena said, adding that this mail will be prepositioned at the nearest aerial mail terminal for transport once flights to the United States resume. There are four air terminals throughout Europe that handle mail either being sent to or coming from the United States. American military officials are closely monitoring the situation and the decisions of the Federal Aviation Administration, regarding overseas flights, as they affect the flow of mail. "The new security measures enacted by the FAA will dictate when we begin receiving mail from the states," Kolkena said. All mail en route to the United States on Sept. 11 was diverted to Canada, Kolkena said. He also said that all mail en route to USAFE bases at the time is being held up on the East Coast. Once flights resume, it will still be a while before mail is delivered because of increased security measures. All mail arriving and leaving the theater will be closely scrutinized -- from the time it arrives at the airport, all the way through the trucking process and on to its final destination at military post offices, Kolkena said. Kolkena said the most significant impact on overseas customers will be paying bills in the United States. "Although every effort is being made to lessen the impact and protect the military families' credit, safety and security must take priority," he said. In the meantime, people are encouraged to call creditors to work out payment arrangements, pay online by computer or pay over the telephone. (Courtesy of USAFE News Service) 1287. Military clothing stores undergoing price changes Oct. 1 DALLAS (AFPN) -- Beginning Oct. 1, Army and Air Force Exchange Service military clothing sales stores on Air Force and Army installations worldwide will undergo price changes. The annual price changes are determined by the Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia. In order to take advantage of this year's prices, soldiers and airmen need to visit their local military clothing sales store by Sept. 29, AAFES officials said. *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 ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions 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, CTRLgives 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. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
