Soldiers, civilians honor Native American heritage

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (Nov. 17, 2014) -- The 20th CBRNE Command (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives), hosted a ceremony to honor the contributions of Native Americans here, Thursday.

Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians attended the ceremony to mark Native American Indian Heritage Month.

The event featured food tasting, exhibits and performances.

Lt. Col. Nathele J. Anderson, the commander of the 4th Battalion, 321st Regiment at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, was the guest speaker.

A U.S. Army Reserve officer who has served in South Korea, Afghanistan and Qatar, Anderson described growing up in the Navajo Nation in the four corners area of the southwestern U.S., where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado come together.

Anderson described the influence her culture had on her decision to join the U.S. Army, and noted that Native Americans have the highest record of military service per capita in the United States.

"The warrior spirit is alive and well, and indeed, it is a part of our military history and traditions," said Anderson. "The warrior spirit of strength, honor and courage is a part of my heritage.

Brig. Gen. JB Burton, commanding general of the 20th CBRNE Command, said that Native American troops have served with distinction.

Burton leads more than 5,000 Soldiers and civilians in the U.S. Department of Defense's only multifunctional formation that combats chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats around the world.

"We gather to honor the incredible contribution that Native Americans have made in the defense of our nation," said Burton, a native of Tullahoma, Tennessee.

During his address, Burton highlighted the Choctaw and Navajo code talkers, as well as the 28 Native Americans, who have the earned the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest decoration of military valor.

"In many Native American languages, the translation for Soldier, warrior, protector and helper are all the same word," said Burton.

"From serving as scouts and guides in the young Colonial Army, to the cold mountains of Afghanistan, to the burning deserts of Iraq, Native Americans have historically answered our nation's call," said Burton.

 http://www.army.mil/article/138297/Soldiers__civilians_honor_Native_American_heritage/

 By Walter T. Ham IV, 20th CBRNE Command Public Affairs

 

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Industry mentorships could help Soldiers transition after Army

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 14, 2014) -- As the Army draws down its end strength, more Soldiers will be looking for work in the private sector -- some one million over the next 10 years. A kind of corporate mentorship might be one example of how industry could make that transition easier for Service members, said the Army's senior enlisted advisor.

"That young Soldier, the first-term Soldier, may not have the skill set you need. But he or she has those intangibles that you are looking for in your organization," said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III.

One of those intangibles is leadership ability, Chandler said, while speaking to an audience of industry representatives, Wednesday, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, during a meeting of the Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council.

In order to tap into that market of Soldiers with leadership skills, Chandler said industry might consider a kind of mentorship arrangement with job-seeking Soldiers.

"What if you thought about partnering with those individuals and saying, 'I'd like you to use your Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefit and look for a degree in the information technology field,'" he said. "And in return for that, over a period of two to four years, we'll inculcate our values and beliefs and mission about (our) organization, with a quarterly meeting ... where somebody mentors you in the organization and the corporate life."

When the Soldier finally graduates, the company guarantees the new graduate a "quality interview" for a job. Chandler said such companies wouldn't guarantee a job, just a shot at one.

A quality interview is "actually sitting down with somebody from human resources and doing an interview -- not just saying that they've received a résumé. They actually have jobs for those skill sets, and that they actually conduct an interview with you for applying for one of those jobs," Chandler said. "If you can get your foot in the door, most kids can sell themselves."

Such an arrangement, he said, would solve three problems. First, he said, it might increase use of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Right now, he said, the utilization rate is at about 35 percent. It also provides post-Army Soldiers with "focus and direction -- something they are comfortable with based on their years of service." And finally, he said, it gives a company an opportunity to look at a potential employee to see if "they are really going to fit into your corporate culture and organization."

As the Army draws down to 490,000 Soldiers by the end of fiscal year 2015, and goes as low as 420,000 by the end of fiscal year 2019, if full sequestration returns, Chandler said he is concerned most about two types of Soldiers: female Soldiers and first-term Soldiers for whom the Army has been their only job.

For female Soldiers leaving the Army, some of whom are single parents, "their unemployment rate is almost three times as high as their similar male counterparts," Chandler said. "How do we help them? How do we provide a soft landing?"

Chandler said that inside the Army there has been some discussion about extending some kinds of benefits to help those Soldiers with their transition.

For first-term Soldiers who transition to the private sector, he said those Soldiers might be shocked at how the private sector compensates them differently than the Army. He also asked private-sector representatives to consider how they view a first-term Soldier's resume -- and if intangibles such as leadership, ability to operate under stress, and willingness to set aside personal needs are being considered.

Finally, he said, the Army cannot get Soldiers hired in private-sector jobs. What it can do is prepare Soldiers for private-sector jobs. Soldiers themselves, with adequate guidance from the Army and their leadership, must prepare themselves for their futures.

"Soldiers can help themselves," he said. "That's through getting as much civilian education and credentialing opportunities as they can while on active duty. When a Soldier starts, there should be a plan in place for that individual to start working on college after one year of active federal service."

As part of the Army's "Soldier for Life" program, Chandler said the Army starts talking about transition to civilian life with Soldiers "almost from the moment they come into the Army."

And with the Army's Transition Assistance Program, Soldiers may start as much as a year in advance of separation or retirement to contemplate their plans for the future.

"One year out we are starting to talk to you about what direction you will go," Chandler said. "Do you want to stay in? Do you want to leave? What will you do? That's where leadership comes into play, and the Soldiers have to recognize they have a responsibility to take care of themselves."

 http://www.army.mil/article/138141/Industry_mentorships_could_help_Soldiers_transition_after_Army/

 By C. Todd Lopez

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New technology to reduce Soldier's load

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 12, 2014) -- Current and future developments in energy production promise to lower the Soldier's combat load and reduce the logistical footprint, said an Army systems expert.

Current technology could allow Soldiers and their vehicles and equipment to one day passively capture solar energy, which will automatically charge batteries used for network communications and other tasks, said Maj. Mark Owens.

Owens, a system coordinator at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology, spoke at an Operational Energy forum today, in the Pentagon.

Now in research and development is an apparatus Soldiers would wear to reduce musculoskeletal injury and increase performance. The device would also generate energy for batteries when the Soldier is walking downhill and "braking," he said, much like energy-regeneration braking used in electric vehicles.

Another possible similar development in the future would use the oscillating motion of a Soldier's rucksack to capture energy -- up to 50 watts worth, Owens said. "You obviously wouldn't want to oscillate when going down a mountain, so it could be locked in place."

A similar passive-energy collection device could be in a vehicle seat. The weight of the Soldier could generate power, he said.

Someday, thermal electric devices could line Soldiers' armor, producing a mild air-conditioning effect of cooling down a Soldier by about five degrees Fahrenheit, he said. It would have an added benefit of reducing water intake and the associated weight of carrying a lot of water.

Smart textiles could someday route energy through the fabric of the Soldier's combat uniform, reducing the need for cables and other devices connecting the battery and networking communications, he offered.

Why the Army's sudden increased interest in reducing weight and increasing energy efficiency?

New network communications gear worn by Soldiers keeps getting heavier and heavier, he said. The Army predicted that in the future, the power needed to generate these devices will increase from the current seven to 10 pounds, to 14 pounds for a 72-hour mission.

That doesn't seem like much, but the effect of new gear dismounted Soldiers carry makes the load heavier and heavier, Owens said. At some point, the Army began to ask itself "is the juice worth the squeeze?"

Consider that during World War II and Vietnam, the average Soldier hauled about 36 pounds of stuff, he pointed out on a slide. During operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, that load increased to 75 pounds.

"If you have loads for dismounted infantrymen of from 70 to 140 pounds, you begin to degrade their ability to maneuver, degrade their situational awareness and there's tremendous impact to the musculoskeletal system, with increased probability of injuries and long-term consequences," he said.

Owens was quick to point out that much of that added weight increased the chances of Soldier's survivability on the battlefield in the form of increased situational awareness through better communications and more effective firepower. However, at some point, a Soldier can only carry so much, so there has to be a sweet spot.

To get to that spot, the Army in 2009, started looking at how technology could contribute to decreasing the Soldier's load from a power perspective, since food, water and body armor were already at their limits in possible weight reduction, he said.

In 2003, 90 percent of the batteries purchased by Soldiers were non-rechargeable, he said. So, if a Soldier went out on patrol, he'd come back with maybe 60 percent of the charge still in his batteries, but toss them and get new ones for the next day's patrol, just to be on the safe side.

The Army is reversing that trend today, with lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that are more powerful, weigh less and come with charging stations, he pointed out. The newer batteries also last about 25 percent longer.

The chargers that were used in 2003, couldn't be run by solar or vehicle power. Also, he said, they were less rugged than the ones now being produced that can use alternate energy sources, and can run off AC or DC current.

Another problem is that the 2590 batteries Soldiers have been wearing, while powerful, are also a potential safety hazard when penetrated by rounds or shrapnel. They're "not something you want to have on your body when that happens," he said.

An Army program of record for 2016 through 2020, will result in better battery and charging technologies getting out to Soldiers in the field, Owens said. For example, rechargeable batteries that are flattened out and flexible with charge indicators on them will be worn by Soldiers to supply their network communications and other gear.

Universal charging stations are part of that program, capable of operating off alternative energy sources or even drawing energy from partially charged batteries, he added.

 http://www.army.mil/article/138122/New_technology_to_reduce_Soldier_s_load/

 By David Vergun