Mr. Spock served in the Army?

http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/military-transition/famous-veteran-leonard-nimoy.html

Did you know Wal-Mart's Founder Sam Walton was a Soldier?

http://www.biography.com/people/sam-walton-9523270#building-an-empire

Did you know Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas was a Soldier?

Did you know Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas was a Soldier?
 http://www.militaryhub.com/military-people?id=41

Active duty or part time

Whichever way you choose to serve — either full time on active duty or part time in the Army Reserve — you soon will become an American Soldier. To see which path is right for you, check out the differences between the two. Whichever way you choose to serve, the following steps toward enlisting will help make your transition into the U.S. Army easier.

 http://www.goarmy.com/learn.html

Discover challenging options in the field of your choice

Discover challenging options in the field of your choice

Specialized skills are part of every U.S. Army job. If you have a particular aptitude for science, technology, engineering or mathematics, here are some Army careers and jobs that will put your analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities to the test. Whether Officer or enlisted, each offers experience and skills with applications in the Army and beyond.

 http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/about-army-stem.html

STEM learning semi visits schools in St. Louis

This week the Army STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) interactive semi will visit schools in the St. Louis area. For more information about the STEM learning vehicle contact Capt. Barns at 314-331-4138.

Locate a recruiter

Our recruiters are ready with the know-how to answer questions you have about the U.S. Army. And they're right around your neighborhood.

 http://www.goarmy.com/locate-a-recruiter.html

Money for your education

We consider the U.S. Army to be the biggest university in the world — educating more candidates through hands-on career and leadership training from experts in their fields, offering incredible internship opportunities and a variety of valuable experiences. You’ll receive instruction and training in fields that include the arts and media, science and technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine, law, mechanics, aviation and many more.

A college education is a valuable part of your overall compensation. Qualified students can earn full-tuition, merit-based scholarships; allowances for books and fees, plus an annual stipend.

 http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/education-benefits.html

Visit with an Army Recruiter for information.

Soldiers graduate from Air Assault school

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUnJMB3CKFQ

Air Assault Qualification Training

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team joined other Hawaii Soldiers to earn their Air Assault badge during Air Assault Qualification Training here. Sgt. Preston Byrd tells us more.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJUNvqldV6E

U.S. Army Engineers - Foundation for the Future

U.S. Army Engineers undergo elite training at the Sapper Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The course provides a foundation for the future in terms of unique training and leadership opportunities that Army engineers can use in the service or in civilian jobs.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJVBbUMmYOk

Concrete and Asphalt Equipment Operator (12V)

Concrete and asphalt equipment operators are responsible for supervising or operating all equipment used in concrete and asphalt production, which is integral to the construction of airfields, roads, dams and buildings.

Job Duties

• Produce concrete with a mixer
  
• Supervise the building of asphalt producing plants
  
• Operate asphalt distributors, spreaders and kettles
  
• Perform combat engineer missions
  
• Operate equipment for paving and surfacing

 http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/construction-engineering/concrete-and-asphalt-equipment-operator.html

Engineer Company paves, succeeds through solid leadership, training

Very little conveys the health of an Army unit better than its Soldiers re-enlisting.

In the last two years, more than a fifth of the troops at the 277th Engineer Company (Horizontal) have raised their right hands. Some platoon and squad leaders have been with the company for more than 10 years.

The company is headquartered at Camp Bullis, Texas, and it specializes in pavement construction. Already the unit is over strength with 171 men and women in uniform.

"I would say it starts with the leadership. I really would," said Capt. Vince Frausto, commander of the 277th Engineer Company, living in Laredo, Texas. "It starts with those first-line leaders and mid-level leaders. It also has to do with training as well. Is it interesting? Is it fun? In a budget constraining environment, are we being innovative and creative in how we approach our training objectives. It's that type of training that keeps them coming back over and over again."

There is a special emphasis in the Army Reserve right now to identify units like his: units that promote positive practices and encourage Soldiers to stay. This effort is known as Operation Full Court Press, with a focus on recruiting, retaining and promoting quality Soldiers.

On average, Army Reserve units reach about 53 percent of their retention quotas. The U.S. Army Reserve Command sets these quotas based on each unit's size and the number of Soldiers eligible to re-enlist. The 277th Engineer Company almost doubled its retention goal in 2013 by 181 percent, and surpassed the national average in 2014 by 84 percent.

There are companies out there with even more impressive numbers. Many of them have deployed in recent years, which tends to boost their re-enlistments. The 277th Engineer Company has accomplished these stats through a few simple factors: caring leadership, meaningful training and personal sacrifice.

 By Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret

 http://www.army.mil/article/145155/Engineer_Company_paves__succeeds_through_solid_leadership__training/

U.S. Army Air Assault School part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlxJtHpVqnE

Army chaplain remembered for inventing basketball

As "March Madness" makes its annual appearance on the American sports scene, fans that understand the history of basketball know Dr. James Naismith invented the game in 1891.

What many fans probably do not know about Naismith is that he served as a chaplain in the Army National Guard and as a volunteer chaplain in France during World War I.

Naismith hailed from Canada. He attended McGill University in Montreal, where he excelled at athletics. His sports resume at McGill included playing Canadian football, lacrosse, rugby, and soccer; he was also an accomplished gymnast. He received a bachelor's degree in physical education from McGill in 1887. Naismith remained at McGill upon graduation, teaching physical education and serving as the university's director of athletics.

A man of diverse interests, while working at McGill, he enrolled at nearby Presbyterian College. He received a degree in theology in 1890.

After completing his studies at Presbyterian College, he came to the United States to teach physical education at the YMCA International Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was there that he devised the rules for a new game, one that could be played indoors during winter - basketball.

 Mark W. Johnson, Ph.D., Historian, U.S. Army Chaplain Corps

 http://www.army.mil/article/145087/Army_chaplain_remembered_for_inventing_basketball/

Special Forces Soldiers

The missions Special Forces Soldiers undertake range from counterterrorism missions to unconventional warfare. Special Forces Soldiers may also be deployed to foreign regions to take part in humanitarian efforts.

 http://www.goarmy.com/special-forces/primary-missions.html

1st Special Forces Group during helocast operations

CH-47F Chinook helicopter crew chiefs, assigned to 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, support 1st Special Forces Group during helocast operations into the waters off of Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, March 16, 2015.

 http://www.army.mil/media/386323//

First unit fields Apache-Shadow combo

Manned-unmanned operations using helicopters linked with unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, have been used by the Army for a number of years.

However, no single unit has ever actually been assigned to both assets until now, said Lt. Col. Tory Burgess, product manager for Shadow Tactical UAS.

Burgess and others spoke during a media roundtable from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, March 19.

The 1/501st Aviation Battalion with the 1st Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade on Fort Bliss, Texas, became that first unit, Burgess said, noting that on March 16, the battalion had a reflagging ceremony, becoming the 3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment.

It was not just a name change, though. The new unit converted to a heavy attack reconnaissance squadron, equipped with AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopters and the new tactical common data link-equipped RQ-7Bv2 Shadows.

 By David Vergun
 http://www.army.mil/article/144962/First_unit_fields_Apache_Shadow_combo/

 

Locate a recruiter

The first step in becoming a Soldier in the U.S. Army is being armed with knowledge. Our recruiters are ready with the know-how to answer questions you have about the U.S. Army. And they're right around your neighborhood.

 http://www.goarmy.com/locate-a-recruiter.html

Women continue to have a crucial role in current operations

Major General Marcia Anderson has served since 1 October 2011, as the senior advisor to the Chief, Army Reserve on policies and programs for the USAR including force structure, Congressional budget and appropriations process, development of manpower and personnel policies, as well as Department of The Army and Department of Defense Matters.

 http://www.usar.army.mil/ourstory/leadership/Pages/Major-General-Marcia-M--Anderson.aspx

Army female trailblazers applaud expanding role of women

WASHINGTON (March 19, 2015) -- Women today are taking on increased roles in complex and changing battle environments, said senior Army budget officer Lt. Gen. Karen Dyson.

The role of women in Operation Iraqi Freedom, or OIF, and Operation Enduring Freedom, or OEF, demonstrate the shift, said Dyson, the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army (financial management and comptroller).

Dyson delivered the keynote speech, March 17, during a U.S. Army Women's Foundation event on Capitol Hill that honored the accomplishments, service and sacrifice of Army women.

"After OIF and OEF, we are learning now about the complexities of the battlespace that demands new roles for women that have emerged or gained prominence over the last 13-plus years of war," Dyson said.

As part of the directive to open combat jobs to women in the military, the Army is opening to female Soldiers some 33,000 jobs that were previously closed to them, she said.

"This is opening a whole new horizon where we are seeing women step up to test their mettle in very difficult endeavors," she said, noting six women have passed the Ranger Training Assessment Course and are eligible to attend elite Army Ranger School in April.

"Military service continues to open opportunities, and for women who are prepared and determined and are willing to work hard, there will continue to be examples of firsts," she said.

HALL OF FAME

At the event, the non-profit foundation inducted into its Hall of Fame retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mary Sutherland, who entered the Women's Army Corps, also known as WAC, in 1969 and was the first woman in the Army to serve 35 years on active duty; retired Col. Sally Murphy, the Army's first female helicopter pilot; and retired Col. Jill Chambers, the founder of This Able Vet, a veterans empowerment group to help those with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

All Army women, who received the Distinguished Flying Cross, were also made honorary members of the Hall of Fame. Staff Sgt. Julia Stalker, a combat medic on Fort Rucker, Alabama, who is a Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, accepted the honor on behalf of all recipients.

"When I joined the Army, only seven short years ago, I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be standing here today representing some of the most extraordinary women of our nation's history," Stalker said.

"It is with great pride that I humbly represent these courageous and certainly tenacious women," said Stalker, who paid homage to female military aviators and her personal hero civilian Amelia Earhart, who received a Distinguished Flying Cross.

CSM SUTHERLAND

Retired Maj. Gen. Dee Ann McWilliams recalled how as a one-star, she was director of enlisted personnel and tasked with reviewing Sutherland's request to extend her time past 30 years.

"The answer was no, no, no, no, no, no down the line," McWilliams said.

"I took my little self to visit the sergeant major of the Army and said 'sergeant major, it's time for a woman to be in the 35-year program,'" she said. "And he said 'yea, you're right.'"

McWilliams said she was honored to be a part of that for Sutherland, noting she was a terrific person. Sutherland died in 2005. "We miss her," McWilliams said.

COLONEL MURPHY

Murphy, who served almost 27 years in the Army, said she wanted to recognize all the women of the WAC expansion that she was a part of in the early 1970s.

"It is an honor not only to be recognized by this wonderful group, but also to stand as a symbol of all of the women who were right there with me, shoulder to shoulder," Murphy said.

Murphy said she felt like a "fraud," because "there was nothing I did to deserve this honor other than be 'Army Strong.'

"I didn't know how to fly when they selected me for flight school. I didn't really have a particularly great aptitude as many of my warrant officer flight instructors would probably tell you if they were here today," she said.

"But what I did have was tenacity," she said.

Chambers, who retired after 28 years in the military, said it was the great relationships with her battle buddies in the Army that gave her support. In her post-Army career, she works "hands on" to help veterans.

"I'm actually the boots on the ground that are putting things in people's hands to actually empower them to a healthier life," said Chambers, who was selected in 2007 to serve as a special assistant to the then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to conduct a focused study on PTSD.

PANEL FOCUSING ON MILITARY WOMEN

The Army Women's Foundation held a panel discussion at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, March 18.

Featured speakers included retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, and Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phyllis Wilson.

While the Army will be celebrating its 240th birthday this year, it is also a time to celebrate 240 years of women's contributions to the freedoms enjoyed today, Preston said.

"Women have served our country with valor from the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan," he said. "Today women in our nation's military serve in more than 80 countries around the world in a wide variety of occupations and roles."

As today's pioneering women open doors that were previously closed and raise the bar even higher, they can "reflect and model themselves after those pioneers before them who pierced the glass ceilings of their time."

Wilson said times have certainly changed since the 1980s, explaining how she was a young warrant officer on jump status on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and some young enlisted Soldiers refused to salute her.

When she counseled them, the men said they knew she was a warrant officer, but refused to salute because their first sergeant had told them that women will never jump into combat and female Soldiers are taking up a spot that a man should have.

"In 1991/1992, there was validity in that, but not enough to let him off the hook. Knowing a first sergeant had shared that information with them, it's like passing down any biases from one generation to the next," she said.

The Soldiers took her to the first sergeant and she also spoke to the company commander.

Back then, women would not have been allowed into combat, but "look where we are now," she said. "What that first sergeant had grown up believing and knowing were true within his mindset, but to pass it to the next generation, really doesn't serve us well."

Women have made remarkable strides and will continue to do so in the military, Wilson said, noting she is excited for what the next 15, 20, 30 years holds for women.

During a luncheon after the panel, the U.S. Army Women's Foundation and its partners awarded scholarships totaling $75,000 to Army women, and children of Army women.

 http://www.army.mil/article/144912/Army_female_trailblazers_applaud_expanding_role_of_women/

 By Lisa Ferdinando

Army Reserve Jobs

You may be surprised to learn that the Army Reserve jobs offer opportunities in a wide variety of areas. In fact, almost all Army Reserve jobs can be found in the civilian world, giving you a competitive advantage.

 http://www.goarmy.com/reserve/jobs.html

A Nursing Experience Unlike Any Other

With real world experience you may not find in nursing school alone, nursing students who are also Army ROTC Cadets benefit from extensive one-on-one mentoring and training. You'll find out exactly what it takes to become a leader in your medical field.
If you're considering an undergraduate nursing degree, enrolling in Army ROTC can enhance your leadership skills and critical-thinking abilities while providing financial support to help make your professional goals a reality. Being a Nurse in the Army provides you with opportunities not found in the civilian world. As an Army Nurse and Officer, you will have the respect of your peers and coworkers as well as opportunities to train and serve in a variety of specialties.
Army ROTC's Nurse Summer Training Program will give you the opportunity to truly fulfill the promises of your training after graduation. Coordinating and communicating patient care, you'll be in a clear position to succeed.
 http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/courses-and-colleges/programs/nursing.html

Modest beginnings lead to bright future for Army nurse

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (March 17, 2015) -- When Marielos Vega was a child living on a coffee plantation in Costa Rica, she dreamed of being a nurse. She would take empty medicine bottles and dole out pretend prescriptions to her siblings.

But growing up in her modest house, with no electricity or septic system, she chalked up her goals to just childhood fantasies. She was, after all, needed at home to care for her five brothers and sisters.

Vega never imagined she would one day be standing in the largest Army hospital in the world being honored for her promotion to major and for her exemplary work as a nurse.

"I feel very honored and grateful to have achieved so much in such a short time in the military," said Vega, who works in the Cardiology Department at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Vega was 12 years old when her mother took her three younger siblings and left without a word, never to return. She was left to care for her two older brothers and father around the clock. She recalls waking up at 4 a.m. each day to make breakfast and pack lunches before her father went to work, then walking an hour each way to school and back.

"At 14, I had to drop out of school; it became too much," she said.

A beloved aunt who lived close by invited Vega to come live with her. Seeing no future on the plantation, she packed her sparse belongings and left home.

Her aunt found her work as a housekeeper with a wealthy family in San Jose. Vega cleaned and ironed for them Monday through Saturday for the next five years.

At 19, her cousin invited her to come with him to New Jersey for the summer, and Vega jumped at the opportunity. "I had heard about others who came to the U.S. and made good money," she said. "And I was ready for a change."

She spoke only Spanish, but was fortunate to find work with a woman who was fluent in the language. Elayne Dimond, whose doctor husband had passed away years earlier, welcomed the help with housework and her two children, Paul and Jessica.

As the summer waned, Vega prepared to return to Costa Rica. However, Dimond had different plans as she sat down with Vega to discuss her future. "I'll never forget that moment," she said. "She told me she didn't see a future for me in Costa Rica. She invited me to stay with her and she'd help me go to school, and I gratefully accepted."

Before she could consider college, Vega first had to earn her GED. She breezed through the program in three months and started college as a biology major, the start of her nursing path. To help improve her English, her host family placed labels on nearly every item around the house, and to do well in college Vega repeatedly listened to her recorded lectures.

In her senior year, Vega was accepted into her school's newly established nursing program and graduated in 2000 with her bachelor's in nursing degree.

She picked up work as a family medicine nurse at New Jersey Medical School, now part of Rutgers University, and swapped out her student visa for a work visa. Vega hired a lawyer to help facilitate her citizenship, but had made no progress by the time her visa expired in late 2008. Instead, she returned to school to earn her master's degree in nursing.

As she neared the end of her degree program and visa expiration, Vega was at a dead end. She was about to give up when a radio ad about a new military pilot program caught her attention. The Department of Defense had just launched Military Accessions Vital to National Interest, which offered a fast-track to U.S. citizenship to eligible visa holders in the health care field in exchange for a military commitment.

"I applied and everything fell into place very quickly," she said. "I was in the Army in just a few months, and accepted for citizenship about four months later."

Vega vividly recalls the day she took the oath of allegiance in front of family and friends in Newark, New Jersey, and the tears in everyone's eyes.

"For the first time in a long time, I felt free," she said. "I could finally let the fear of being sent back to a place with unhappy memories go. I belonged here."

Vega reported to Brooke Army Medical Center, or BAMC, her first duty station, in September 2010, and was later handpicked to work in cardiology, where she could foster her passion for research.

But after more than four years here, it is time for Vega to move on. Next up is a prestigious job working for the chief nurse of Europe Regional Medical Command and the consultant to the surgeon general on nursing research in Sembach, Germany.

At her promotion last month, Lt. Col. (Dr.) James Watts, assistant chief of cardiology and chief of the heart failure service, had one word to describe Vega: "fearless." "She's attacked every challenge we've given her with vigor and a fearless character. We could all learn a lot from Maj. Vega. "

Vega rarely talks about her humble beginnings, choosing to keep her focus on the future. "The past is the past," she said. "It was tough, but it gave me the ability to overcome obstacles. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't live my journey."

Above all, she is grateful for the help Dimond, who she now considers her mother, gave to a teenager from another country with few prospects for the future. "I'm very grateful for her support, and plan to pay it forward and be a mentor to many young officers," she said. "We are meant to help each other. That's what life is all about."

 By Elaine Sanchez, Brooke Army Medical Center

 http://www.army.mil/article/144712/Modest_beginnings_lead_to_bright_future_for_Army_nurse/

Female Drill Sgt Trains Privates at Fort Benning's Basic Training

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SxVdiP-Rds

Directive opens 4,100 special ops positions to women

A directive signed by Army Secretary John M. McHugh, Feb. 25, opened more than 4,100 positions to women in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, or USASOC.

Directive 2015-08 opened positions in the U.S. Army Special Forces Command, National Guard airborne battalions and tactical psychological teams. Although recent news has focused on female Soldiers attending the pre-Ranger course, USASOC officials said the directive is significant because it opens unit positions in direct operational roles.

"In the aggregate, there have been approximately 5,000 positions opened within the command since 2013," according to a USASOC statement.

 http://www.army.mil/article/144515/Directive_opens_4_100_special_ops_positions_to_women/

 By David Vergun

Women continue to have a crucial role in current operations

President Barack Obama stated in a statement on lifting the ban on women in combat. In 2013, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta signed a document to lift the Defense Department's ban on women in direct ground combat roles. This historical decision overturned a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armor, infantry, and other combat roles and military occupational specialties. The Army continues to open more positions, approximately 33,000 positions in units that were previously closed off to women.

 http://www.army.mil/women/?from=hp_spotlight

Bake, fry, braise, boil, simmer, steam and sauté

The food service specialist is primarily responsible for the preparation and service of food in field or garrison food service operations.

 http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/intelligence-and-combat-support/food-service-specialist.html

Best chefs compete at military culinary competition

Best chefs compete at military culinary competition

March 12, 2015

By    T. Anthony Bell

    Spc. Matthew Thomas, of the culinary team on Fort Bliss, Texas, prepares dishes for judges, March 6, 2015, during the Armed Forces Chef of the Year contest at the 40th annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event on Fort Lee, Va.
    Sgt. Samantha Poe, of the Military District of Washington, adds spices to sauces on a stove during the Armed Forces Chef of the Year event of the 40th Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event, March 6, 2015, on Fort Lee, Va.

Related Links

    Army.mil: Human Interest News

FORT LEE, Va. (March 12, 2015) -- The Armed Forces Chef of the Year showdown, March 6, provided a hotly competitive start to this year's Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event, or MCACTE.

The MCACTE is a means to train military food service personnel in a nurturing yet competitive environment. The Quartermaster School's Joint Culinary Center of Excellence hosts the annual event that is sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation.

The winners in all events will be announced during an awards ceremony set for Friday.

More than 200 military culinary practitioners are expected to participate in various events to include individual skill competitions such as Armed Forces and Student Chef of the Year, or AFCY, as well as team events like the Military Hot Food Kitchen Challenge.

The AFCY event, the most prestigious individual contest, attracted 18 entries -16 Soldiers and two Sailors. Competitors were given four hours to prepare a four-course meal based on a mystery basket concept, meaning they had no knowledge of the menu items until start time. Only well-studied, well-practiced chefs can successfully fulfill that type of requirement, said Sgt. Maj. Mark Warren, a judge and former winner.

"You have to be creative, adaptive, innovative and able to overcome obstacles as they hit you," said the current food service sergeant major, G4, U.S. Army Forces Command on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. "You can't panic. You just have to figure it out and keep moving forward."

Goose and rabbit - entrees not likely seen in military dining facilities - were among the proteins included in the mystery basket for this year's event. In addition to the challenge of figuring out how to prepare such game, the time limit in which to do it was another obstacle.

"The whole time management thing is big," said Spc. Samuel Shaaheed, who represented the Fort Bragg team. "You get four hours to do the work, but those four hours feel like two."

Shaaheed, who competed previously in the competition, said commitment to the profession drove him to take a shot at chef of the year.

"It's the ambition and passion I have," he said. "It was something I wanted to do last year. Just the hype about it made it sound exciting. I want to win gold, and I want to win in general."

The previous two winners have been featured in national magazines, but notoriety and prestige take a backseat to the event's training theme, which is to provide participants with a competitive experience that pays dividends to end users, said Warren.

"I just hope the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who participate in this competition are able to learn something they can take back to their units and give something to the diners they support every day," he said.

Sgt. Sarah Deckert earned the AFCY title in 2014. The Fort Sewart, Georgia, team earned Installation of the Year honors.

http://www.army.mil/article/144322/Best_chefs_compete_at_military_culinary_competition/

Army family our WCAP wrestlers are featured on Kansas City Sports and Fitness TV

 Army family our WCAP wrestlers are featured on Kansas City Sports and Fitness TV.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqqd0mg64RE

All Army Sports

Ready to fulfill your individual athletic potential? Then the All Army Sports Program might be for you. In All Army Sports, Soldiers from Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard compete in a variety of sports at the highest levels to include Armed Forces, USA Nationals and Military World Games. We support Soldier readiness and well-being through athletic performance, military bearing and competitive spirit.

 http://www.armymwr.com/recleisure/sportsandfitness/all_army_sports.aspx

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Army shooter wins gold, earns Olympic quota slot

March 5, 2015
By Sgt. 1st Class Raymond J. Piper, USAMU Public Affairs

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FORT BENNING, Ga. (March 6, 2015) -- U.S. Marksmanship Unit shotgun shooters led Team USA to gold and bronze medal victories for Men's Double Trap during the 2015 International Shooting Sports Federation Shotgun World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico, March 5.

Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Holguin's 52-target shoot-off against teammate Sgt. Derek Haldeman placed him in the gold medal match against China's Hu Binyuan.

"I didn't know if I was ever going to make it." Holguin told reporters after the match. "First the qualifications, then the semi-final, a shoot-off, the medal match, and another shoot-off ... I don't know how many targets I had to break. It has been tough, but I was confident all the way through."

The gold-medal competitors would tie with 28 hits, and Holguin went into his second shoot off of the day. He would come out ahead eight to seven - winning the gold medal.

"After the semi-final, during the shoot-off with my teammate Haldeman, for a moment I thought I was going to be tired at the end, but I stopped myself immediately, because I knew it was going to hurt me," Holguin said.

He explained that the last time he went through a long final, similar thoughts led him to perform poorly in the medal match. He said this time he told himself he was shooting great and to keep going.

The victory earns the United States its second and final Olympic quota slot for Men's Double Trap. Sgt. 1st Class Josh Richmond earned the first quota in the 2014 International Shooting Sport Federation, or ISSF, World Championship in Granada, Spain. Slots are awarded to national teams based on wins at qualifying international marksmanship events. Team members will be selected by a national committee before the 2016 games. A shooter can earn a spot on the team through points by winning international competitions.

"At least one Olympic quota will go back to our selection process, so we have to shoot for it back home," Holguin said. "But if one of us can do really well at World Cups this year, he can qualify for one of the two quota spots by points. I just got a pretty good score today, I believe, so this has been a very good first step."

Holguin is scheduled to compete in the next two ISSF Shotgun World Cups in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, and Larnaca, Cyprus.

During his first World Cup final, Haldeman met and beat Kuwait's 2000 Double Trap Olympic bronze medalist and 2012 Trap Olympic Silver medalist Fehaid Aldeehani in the bronze medal match. The two medal contenders ended up tied with 28 hits each at the end of the round, and it was once again a shoot-off - leading to Haldeman's victory with 12 to 11 hits.

2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Staff Sgt. Glenn Eller, Team USA's third semi-finalist, finished in sixth place with 25 hits, while Great Britain's first-time finalist Matthew French closed the semi-final in fifth with 26 hits.

USAMU is part of the U.S. Army Accessions Brigade, Army Marketing and Research Group, and is tasked with enhancing the Army's recruiting effort, raising the standard of Army marksmanship and furthering small arms research and development to enhance the Army's overall combat readiness.

The Defense Language Institute (DLI)

To be a linguist, however, you don’t have to already be fluent in a language. The Army can teach you. If you have an aptitude to learn, meet the qualifying standards and are a U.S. citizen, you can become a linguist in the U.S. Army.

 http://www.goarmy.com/linguist/about/linguist.html

U.S. Army Language Programs

Whether you already speak a foreign language or want to learn one, there are options for you. Army Linguists have many options within the Army Language Program. Here is a brief description of the programs currently available to Army Linguists.

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• Article

Female athletes prepare for summer Olympics

March 6, 2015
By David Vergun

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Related Links

• Army.mil: North America News
• iSoldier, March 7, 2015
• Army News Service

WASHINGTON (March 6, 2015) -- Three female Soldiers have their sights set on going to the Olympics next summer in Brazil - two boxers and one wrestler.

Gail McCabe, of Army Broadcasting, interviewed the Soldiers and others March 3 - 5 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they are training, as part of the Army's World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP. McCabe's interview with the WCAP chief, Willie Wilson, can viewed on the iSoldier program on YouTube. It can also be watched on the ARNEWS video player.

All three of the female Soldiers expressed a great deal of commitment and passion for their sport and for the Army, McCabe said. "They want to become Olympians," she said. "They're very proud that they're able to represent the Army and that they're Soldiers as well."

The two boxers are Spc. Alexandra Love, who is in the 112-pound weight class, and Spc. Melissa Parker, a member of the 132-pound class. The wrestler is Staff Sgt. Iris Smith, who happens to also be a two-time national champion.

The training for all three of them is really intense, she said, with a typical training day being from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During that time, they lift weights, practice their sport and receive mental training, which allows them to focus and keep positive.

"All of these women have a strong competitive edge. They want that medal," McCabe said.

In addition to their training, which is considered a full-time job, they also have to meet all of their military requirements as well, she added.

Besides, normal military requirements including physical fitness tests and inspections, they also visit schools and attend special events, where they represent the Army to the local community, she said.

During these special event visits, young girls come up to them and want to talk, McCabe said. They look at these Soldier athletes as female role models for them.

Smith, 35, is the oldest of the three, McCabe said. She realizes that this is her last shot at making the Olympics because of her age and like the others, she is giving it her all.

To make it to the Olympics, the three must compete at a number of state and national events and when it is all over, the Olympic committee will make the final selection, she said.

The thing that sets the three apart from other athletes, McCabe said, is that they developed a high level of confidence that they didn't have prior to joining the Army. "Being part of this sports training program has given them an even higher level of confidence in themselves and what they can accomplish."

Their coaches believe these women have what it takes to make it and they are highly confident that they will, she said.

The three Soldiers will be featured in separate iSoldier segments during the next month, the show's producer said.

Besides the female Soldiers, McCabe also spoke with Marko Lara, who is trying out for the men's wrestling team. Lara enlisted in the Army and is now an NROTC cadet, she said.

In her interview with the WCAP director, Wilson said that since 1997, WCAP has developed 65 Soldier-athletes who became Olympians.

Wilson related to her that the Army has a long history of producing Olympians, dating from the early 20th century. 1st Lt. George S. Patton competed in the pentathlon in the 1912 Olympics. He would later become a famous general during World War II.

And now, these female Soldier-athletes have a chance to make history as well, McCabe said.

OTHER iSOLDIER SEGMENTS

In addition to the interview with the WCAP chief, the recent iSoldier features two other news segments:

One shows Operation Spartan Pegasus, in which Soldiers of the 40th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, jump into Dead Horse, Alaska - the closest U.S. Army airborne operation to the Arctic Circle in 10 years.

The other, Operation United Assistance, features Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky and the 101st Airborne Division headquarters casing their colors in Liberia and heading home to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, at the completion of their humanitarian assistance mission to help West African nations affected by the Ebola outbreak.

Sgt. Rachel Badgeley produced this week's newscast and Sgt. Audrey Santana anchored the program.

 http://www.army.mil/article/144032/Female_athletes_prepare_for_summer_Olympics/

Women have served the United States Army since 1775

Women continue to have a crucial role in current operations and their selfless sacrifices continue to break through gender barriers. "Valor knows no gender," President Barack Obama stated in a statement on lifting the ban on women in combat. In 2013, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta signed a document to lift the Defense Department's ban on women in direct ground combat roles. This historical decision overturned a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armor, infantry, and other combat roles and military occupational specialties. The Army continues to open more position, approximately 33,000 positions in units that were previously closed off to women.

 http://www.army.mil/women/?from=hp_spotlight

Army Airborne School Week 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHJQgBX23Ck

Army wrestlers working out at Cross Fit

Army Wrestlers Sgt. Nowry and Spec. Nye worked out with Maj. Vogel, 1st Sgt. Hollen, Staff Sgt. Test, and CrossFit members. The intense work out for upper body, lower body, strength, and endurance.

Hoooaaah!

Fort Benning Airborne School, Week 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W-3Z6vnubc

Search Army Careers and Jobs

http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/search-careers-and-jobs.html

Fort Benning Airborne School, Week 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJerLpLuyM

Generations of Women Moving History Forward

Women have served the United States Army since 1775. They nursed the ill and wounded, laundered and mended clothing, and cooked for the troops in camp on campaign; services that did not exist among the uniformed personnel within the Army until the 20th century. Women were an invaluable and essential part of the Army as they are today.
Women continue to have a crucial role in current operations and their selfless sacrifices continue to break through gender barriers. "Valor knows no gender," President Barack Obama stated in a statement on lifting the ban on women in combat. In 2013, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta signed a document to lift the Defense Department's ban on women in direct ground combat roles. This historical decision overturned a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armor, infantry, and other combat roles and military occupational specialties. The Army continues to open more position, approximately 33,000 positions in units that were previously closed off to women.
 

 

 http://www.army.mil/women/

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLitjSv4Sbrky2aPMSRuhRHALvBuDkhBq4&v=4dEJWq1HUyQ&feature=player_embedded

 

 

US Army Basic Training Fort Benning Part 3, Gas Chamber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IrI_Anaj1I

Army Special Forces Salute

A Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), salutes his fellow Soldiers while jumping out of a C-130 Hercules aircraft over a drop zone in Germany, Feb. 24, 2015.

 Photo Credit: Photo by Visual Information Specialist Jason Johnston

 http://www.army.mil/media/383242//