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The Land of the Free... And the Home Of The Brave...

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FUTURE SOLDIER

TAPS

TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors)

"You love someone who served our country. Then tragedy hit. And now your loved one is gone. You are a survivor, a person trying to figure out what is next. We are here for you. You are not alone."

Is G.I. Jane Coming To The Marines?

Is G.I. Jane Coming To The Marines?

To the Infantry, that is.

The Commandant of the U.S. Marines, General James F. Amos says that two women will provide him with the data he needs to make recommendations to Congress, to the defense secretary and to the secretary of the Navy.

The General was referring to two women, who will attend the Marine Infantry Officer Course at Quantico, Virgina, spend 13 weeks going through the Marine's intense training to meet the same standard that men do.  Says Amos:

"...That’s the standard...That’s what it takes to be an infantry officer in the Marine Corps...”

The General revealed to the audience at the National Press Corps, where he was speaking, that the Marine Corps has opened a number of fields to women, and the experiences of the first women to go through the Infantry Officer Course next month will help him as he makes recommendations for an increased role for female Marines.

General Amos says he wants to "...get past hyperbole and past the intuition and instincts...I need to get facts..”

The Commandant said:

"...Many women have been in combat in the wars fought over the last decade. Women in combat have not been an issue...Artillery, tanks, amphibious warfare vehicles, light air defense and some combat engineer specialties now are open to women in the Marine Corps’ officers and staff noncommissioned officer ranks...So that’s in the process right now..."

He believes women will be successful in those fields.

“Early indications are that that was precisely the right thing to do...The question of women serving in infantry positions needs more data to answer, and the Corps is in the process of getting that information...Marines are receiving a survey on the subject now..."

Regarding the two women Infantry trainees, the General said:

“We will collect the data, and then we will see where we are...I’m not the least bit afraid of the data...The Corps is running a series of studies on aspects of physical strength needed in the Marines for both men and women, the general noted...We are going to do this the right way to set the conditions for success..."

(Source:  American Forces Press Service / Jim Garamone)

DOD Increases Hiring of People with Disabilities

Terri Moon Cronk over at American Forces Press Service files this report:

"...The Defense Department’s hiring of wounded warriors and others with disabilities is on an uptick, the Pentagon’s director of disability programs said today.

Stephen M. King, whose office is part of diversity management and equal opportunity, spoke with American Forces Press Service about a recent Office of Personnel Management report that said 14 percent of the Defense Department’s civilian employees have disabilities, putting DOD in second place among cabinet-level agencies for disability hiring. 

'There is a greater [applicant] pool, and more emphasis on hiring individuals with disabilities and wounded warriors through two executive orders in the last three years,' King said. 

Veterans with disabilities bring values to DOD such as familiarity with military culture, proven leadership and the ability to enter the workforce and 'perform on Day 1,' he said. 

Additionally, hiring veterans and others with disabilities contributes to military readiness, King said. DOD will reap the benefits of those who have served by hiring them after their service, he added. 

DOD and other agencies want to hire veterans with disabilities whether they were injured recently, have acquired a disability, or if the disability is service connected, King said . 'We want … those abilities in DOD regardless of how long ago you were a veteran,' he said.

'For any organization to be its best, you really have to take advantage of and value what everyone brings to the table: their background, knowledge, skills and abilities,' he said. 

People with disabilities face unique challenges, King noted. 'We need that type of problem-solving ability and skill in the workplace,' he said.  'It is awesome when you get to talk to someone who [wore] a uniform and tells you the difference that you’ve made as an organization by allowing [him] to continue to serve his country but in a different capacity,' King said. 

The upward trend in DOD’s disability hiring stems from several initiatives and programs, King said. 'There is a renewed focus within DOD and the federal government on utilizing existing hiring flexibility, [such as] hiring individuals with disabilities non-competitively,' he said. 

'Numerous hiring programs include the Hiring Heroes job fairs and the Veterans Hiring Initiative, which seeks out veterans and transitioning service members.DOD also recruits young people with disabilities as they are about to graduate from more than 250 colleges and universities that participate in the Workforce Recruitment Program, which DOD co-sponsors with the Labor Department,' King said. 

The goal of the program is to create a database for federal agencies to meet their disability hiring targets, he said. 

To further its goals, DOD also is working with human resources policies and advisers so those with disabilities have the opportunity to become integrated into development and leadership programs. 'We want to focus on all types of positions and grade levels … to be inclusive of individuals with all types of disabilities,' he said. 

King’s office is working toward getting new employees to disclose their disability information so the department can accurately give them what they need to do their jobs, such as assisted technology. Such technology runs the gamut, King said, from screen readers for the vision challenged to TTY machines for the deaf to braille keyboards and devices that help those with memory loss. Some wounded warriors have some memory loss due to traumatic brain injuries, he added.

'New technologies are being invented every single day,' King said. 'When you look at what we’re capable of providing in the workplace, with the right assistance, it’s actually quite phenomenal, and it’s only going to get better.'..."

 AFPS reported last year that Veterans made up 6 percent of the DOD program hires for fiscal 2011. In July 2010, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13548, Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities.

Afghanistan, Marjah Briefing / Update

Lt. Col. Dan Schmitt, the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, discusses ongoing progress in Marjah district, Helmand province, since coalition forces pushed into the area in February 2010 to liberate the district from Taliban oppression and intimidation when it was a haven for insurgent activities and a major producer of opium. Schmitt explains how Afghan government officials assemble regularly to work out issues, discusses challenges facing Marjah and the district's future, and advertises “Marjah Day” festivities slated to take place in December.