More details on how to get GI Bill emergency checks

VA just released new details on those emergency $3,000 advances for students who still haven't seen any of the education benefits they've been counting on for this semester. Here's what you need to know: 

** There are 57 regional offices where vets can go to get the cash. A full list is available here. VA officials acknowledge that many of those aren't located near college campuses, and are providing free transportation to students through their veterans medical centers. In addition, groups like Student Veterans of America are working on ways to get other students to nearby VA facilities. 

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Congressional dis to Gen. Odierno?

For nearly two and a half hours today it seemed someone in Washington cared more about the war over healthcare reform than the war in Iraq.

The top U.S. commanding general in Iraq, Gen. Raymond Odierno, flew 6,000 miles and got all dressed up, and sat down to face the House Armed Services Committee for the first time. He stared at a whole lot of empty chairs.

Some reception.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-CT, noticed, and turned the sound of crickets into a polite golf clap: “…The fact that there's so many empty seats in this room is the ultimate statement on how successful you've been. Two years ago, this topic -- you couldn't move in a committee hearing room.”

That may be true, Congress may not consider Iraq in the state of crisis it once was. But the country still has 124,000 troops there, not to mention the taxpayers are footing another 100,000+ contractors.

President Barack Obama has faced a wall of Republican talking points trying to paint the commander-in-chief as caring more about his domestic agenda than the wars downrange. The line goes that the weeks-long debate over what to do about Afghanistan strategy is a sign that Obama is not giving his commanders, and America’s wars, enough attention or respect.

That accusation gained backing when on Sunday Odierno’s equivalent in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, told 60 Minutes that he has only spoken directly to the president once on the phone since starting his job in June.

President George W. Bush famously spoke frequently with field commanders in Iraq – but it’s been pointed out that Bush was an exception by going around the chain of command. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama gets weekly memos directly from McChrystal and Odierno, and meets weekly with Defense Sec. Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen.

And Wednesday, Gates’ spokesman, Geoff Morrell, said that entire defense team is “completely comfortable” with the pace of the strategy debate.

Several reporters at Wednesday’s Odierno hearing in the House noted that “probably two-thirds” of the committee membership of 25 Republicans and 36 Democrats was in the room at its peak, sometime after the hearing began. (I’m still working on an actual attendance count.)

But as Rep. Courtney noted, just two years ago that room would have been packed to the hilt from start to finish. Instead, as the hearing progressed, committee members filed out, while others straggled in late to make their statements and get in their questions.

That’s unremarkable when it comes to daily hearings in Congressional committees. And that was the view from Gen. Odierno’s chair.

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Report: Pentagon will let troops tweet, use social media

Good news for troops who've been worried the Pentagon will take away their Facebook; According to a draft memo released by NextGov, defense officials have decided to allow access to popular social networking sites on the unclassified military computer network, citing the importance of using the Internet to highlight the positive work servicemembers are performing.

Pentagon officials have been promising the memo will be officially released soon. But NextGov reports that the document, authored by Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn III, calls for top commanders to recognize "that emerging Internet-based capabilities offer both opportunities and risks that need to be balanced in ways that provide an information advantage for our people and mission partners."

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Have wings, will fly - just not in the air

Little attention was paid to a small graduation at Creech Air Force Base last week.

And yet it marked a significant departure in how the Air Force does business. For the first time, a set of pilots earned their wings without going to flight school - without, in fact, having ever flown an Air Force plane. 

That development, like most things in the Air Force these days, is all in the name of drones. The Air Force desperately needs more Predator and Reaper pilots to keep up with the exponentially growing demand from ground commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The first class of graduates from the experimental training program might just prove that traditional flight training is unnecessary to fly a Predator and give the Air Force a new way to man the drone mission. All but two of the 10 Beta Testers, as the Air Force calls them, came from non-aviation backgrounds. They trained for less than half the time it takes to go to flight school, all of it on the ground.

When I asked graduate and future Predator pilot Capt. Rob McGowen, formerly of security forces, if he thinks an F-16 pilot will treat him as an equal, he said: "I hope so. I may not be able to go hop in his cockpit and fly, but I think we can equally fly this mission."

That this change in what it means to be a pilot is happening under the leadership of Gen. Norton Schwartz, the first Air Force chief of staff without a bomber of fighter pilot pedigree, isn't all that surprising. In 2008 after squabbling publicly with the Air Force about embracing its role in irregular warfare, Defense Secretary Robert Gates fired Schwartz's predecessor and looked to someone who didn't come with a call sign to take over.

Schwartz was handed the reigns with a clear message that the service's prevailing flyboy mentality would no longer be tolerated. The new order means doing whatever it takes to support the ground commanders downrange.

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First MRAP-All Terrain Vehicles headed to Afghanistan

Seven “baby MRAPs” are on their way to Afghanistan.

Officially known as MRAP-All Terrain Vehicles, they are supposed to be lighter and more agile versions of their big brothers, allowing them to go off-road and into mountainous areas that are off-limits for the MRAPs troops have now.

The first seven of the vehicles are expected to arrive in theater within the next 24 hours, Defense Department spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said Tuesday morning.

As of Sept. 11, DOD has authorized 6,644 vehicles, an increase of 1,400 over the original requirement, Irwin said. All of the vehicles are expected to arrive in theater next fall.

The effort to give U.S. troops in Afghanistan a lighter and more agile armored vehicle mirrors the Defense Department’s original push to give troops in Iraq MRAPs.

Between May 2007 and July 2008, the Defense Department shipped 10,000 MRAPs to the U.S. Central Command theater of operations, most of which went to Iraq.

While MRAPs have done well in Iraq, they have proven to be too big and heavy to operate well in Afghanistan, which does not have Iraq’s well developed road network.

“You can’t take an MRAP the same places you can take a Humvee,” Maj. Nick Sternberg, spokesman for the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany, told Stars and Stripes.

“On a hairpin turn road in a valley you are not going to take an MRAP. Predominantly in Afghanistan where most of our [the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s] forces were, they were on foot.”

But Capt. Benjamin Nagy, assistant operations officer for the 173rd, said MRAPs are doing pretty well in Afghanistan.

Nagy said MRAPs can climb steep inclines – sometimes better than Humvees due to their large engines – but going downhill can be difficult.

“It comes down to the skill of the driver and the amount of weight that you are pushing around,” said Nagy, who spent 13 months in Zabul Province as an embedded trainer.

As for MRAPs getting stuck in Afghanistan, Nagy said the same is true of any heavy vehicle.

“That’s always a concern: Getting stuck, roll-overs, anytime you are operating a piece of equipment, it can happen,” he said.

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Group questions whether women will be safe on board subs

Last week's announcement by Navy officials that they'll move toward allowing female sailors to serve on board submarines was met with praise from women's rights advocates but also anger from the Center for Military Readiness, a conservative group that has long opposed lifting bans on certain careers for women in the services.

Citing studies from 2000 and before, CMR president Elaine Donnelly references arguments about the confined space and shared living quarters of subs, which could lead to privacy and harassment issues when subs go co-ed. The group has made similar arguments in the past against allowing women to serve in forward combat units.

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Odierno to testify before Congress Wednesday

Remember Iraq?

Probably not, given that the news media has essentially walked away from the story to focus on Afghanistan.

But Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, will testify before Congress this week, providing America a nice reminder that 122,000 U.S. troops are still fighting that other war.

One issue he may get asked about is how the Arabs and Kurds are getting along in northern Iraq.

In Kirkuk, which the Kurds want to be included as part of their territory, the security situation is delicate, the commander of U.S. forces there told me this summer.

“Even minor misunderstandings could spiral into armed conflict unless we keep the lines of communication open,” said Col. Ryan Gonsalves, head of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “It’s up to us to do as much as we can to avoid some type of incident that sparks violence.”

In July, the International Crisis Group, an independent think-tank, published a report about Arab/Kurd tensions along the “Trigger Line” dividing Kurdish-held territories with the rest of Iraq.

“Given growing tensions and the proximity of forces, as well as unilateral political moves by both sides in the form of contracts for oil and gas extraction, altercations have occurred along the trigger line on several occasions,” the report said. “Poor communication could cause such local events to escalate inadvertently into broader conflict that neither party might find easy to contain.”

Tensions have eased a bit since then, said Joost Hiltermann, the group’s deputy program director for the Middle East.

“What we have seen since then is, first of all, a visit by Mr. [Prime Minister Nouri al-] Malaki to the North, which even though didn’t reach any concrete results, it did lessen tensions somewhat.

“And secondly, we have seen active negotiations on the tensions in Nineveh in particular, and that has brought together the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] and the Iraqi government and the local government in Nineveh,” Hiltermann said.

Still, Hiltermann said he is worried about what will happen once U.S. troops leave Iraq by the end of 2011.

Right now, U.S. troops are serving as a conduit for communication between both sides, he said. Without the U.S. presence, the chances of a clash between Iraqi Arabs and Kurds increases.

With Iraqi politicians in “campaigning mode,” neither side expects a breakthrough until after Iraqi elections, which are slated for January, Hiltermann said.

“This is not the time to make deals,” he said. “No politician is going to stick his neck out on a sensitive issue like Kirkuk and lose the popular vote.”

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Waiting on Congress to grant Marine's last wish

Sgt. Michael Ferschke wanted his son to be raised an American. But it won’t be so simple.

When Ferschke was killed in Iraq, everything got complicated. Since 2008, Stripes has covered the struggles of Hotaru, Ferschke’s Okinawan widow, who married the Marine by proxy shortly before he was killed. Pregnant when her husband died, she fought to bring their young son “Mikey” to Sergeant Ferschke’s Tennessee hometown. Now she’s fighting to keep him there, needing an act of Congress to allow her to stay past the expiration of her temporary visa.

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New rules could shelve combat troops after multiple brain injuries

Last month, in remarks before researchers at Harvard Medical School, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen floated the idea of a services-wide rule limiting the number of brain injuries servicemembers can absorb before they're forced off the battlefield for extended recuperation.

It's not a new topic -- Reporter Jeff Schogol had a piece on it earlier this year. USA Today this morning has a follow up to those comments, looking at how a two- or three-injury limit might affect the health of the force.

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Gates on Sunday talk blitz of his own

Defense Secretary Robert Gates will be on CNN's State of the Union, 9am EDT, and later on ABC's This Week, with George Stephanopoulos, 10am.  Brief teaser excerpts of both shows have Gates explaining his take on Iranian nuclear developments.  But what I want to hear more of is Afghanistan - particularly whether or not Gates sees himself playing mediator between the military and the White House, if such a rift exists.  

If you ask Gen. Stanley McChrystal -- and the New York Times did -- everything's A-OK with the war commander and his commander-in-chief.  If you ask Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen -- and Congress did last week -- he supports McChrystal, his friend and former staffer, and his assessment and needs.  If you ask Gen. David Petraeus -- and the press did -- when given the chance, he remained largely and curiously silent on the entire scrum.  If you ask the president himself -- and David Letterman did -- he has made clear what he wants - he wants options and the best decision, no matter how long it takes.   

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More struggles with slow payments under the new GI Bill

Suddenly stories about problems with the new GI Bill are popping up all over; One I couldn't fit into my story today was that of Brandon Krapf, a former soldier and senior at American University in Washington, D.C., who right now is falling behind in his studies because he can't afford to purchase books.

“I’ve emailed all of my professors, asking for their patience because I can’t afford to get the textbooks yet,” he told me earlier this week. “I just got my Russian textbooks last week, three weeks into the semester. I got a psychology textbook because my tutor bought me one. But I still don't have any for micro or macro economics.

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About that defense industry lobbying crackdown...

This year, President Barack Obama and SecDef Robert Gates have pledged to reform and cutback the defense industry's influence over the federal budget and the halls of the Pentagon.

Maybe mega-contractor SAIC didn't get the memo? 

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Obama brings spotlight back to U.N.

This week, President Barack Obama brought more U.S. media attention to the United Nations since the moment Sec. Colin Powell sat in front of the Security Council shaking a vial and pointing to grainy satellite photos.

To Americans, the United Nations – an institution that Pres. Dwight Eisenhower called “our best hope at establishing world order” in the wake of World War II’s global catastrophe – is as partisan polarizing a topic as any.

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Petraeus mum for now on more troops in Afghanistan

Yesterday CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus was in downtown DC speaking to the Counterinsurgency Leadership Conference. He covered lessons learned in the war on terror, the path of success in dealing with insurgent warfare, the importance of a strong military force able to react to combat and reconstruction scenarios, the need for decisive moves in current conflicts, and....

Nothing about Gen. Stanley McChrystal's assessment, leaked this week.

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U.S.-backed Iraqi militiamen find no peace

This year has been a relatively stable one in Iraq, compared with the many turbulent years that preceded it. And the American military owes much of that stability to alliances forged with sympathetic Iraqis who saw fit to join the United States in its effort to quell the bloody insurgency and return Iraq to a peaceful and someday prosperous place.

But with violence slowed, the Shiite-led Iraqi government and the nation’s fledgling security forces are consolidating power, leaving many of those who fought with the Sons of Iraq and similar U.S.-backed militia forces to face an uncertain and frightening future.

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IG says VA has improved suicide prevention efforts, but...

A report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General released yesterday praised recent efforts by the department to focus more on suicide among veterans. In an unannounced survey of 24 VA facilities in the first half of 2009, all of them were implementing new suicide prevention efforts, and better tracking patients who could be at risk.

But the report also quickly noted that those efforts alone aren't enough -- the VA needs to keep expanding its collaboration with private mental health providers and outside suicide prevention coordinators, to make sure veterans are getting the best possible care.

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False KIA report hits too close to home for Stripes reporter with deployed brother

When you have a servicemember downrange the headlines about the wars take on a certain personal relevance.

I know my mom will sometimes put down the newspaper and go check a map to see if what happened in Iraq was near my older brother, a Marine deployed there. With this his third tour, it's a familiar pattern.

As a military journalist I've learned to distance myself from my feelings for my brother - and the rest of my family proudly serving - when I report the news. I read the daily reports and write stories about Iraq, Afghanistan and the Pentagon with the objectivity of a journalist, not as the sister of a Marine. But one recent headline knocked me out of that role and squarely into personal territory: "NY Dad Told Soldier-Son was Killed in War - He wasn't." I read that story, hand over my mouth, as a horrified little sister whose big brother is in harms way.

All I could think is: "I cannot even imagine." I can't imagine being told over the phone that a loved one was killed in combat. I can't imagine the crushing emotional wallop that must follow. I can't imagine then having to pick myself up off the floor at the news that no, actually, my servicemember was alive. And even worse, I can't imagine my mother or my sister-in-law having to do it.

The trauma of that whiplash - mourning someone's death then hearing that same person's voice on the phone - must be overwhelming.

The 82nd Airborne Division uses the "red line messages," delivered over the phone by volunteer family liaisons, to inform families of deaths in a unit with the goal of preventing misinformation and undue worry. In this case the Army failed in the cruelest way.

-Sgt. Jesse Jasper, who was wrongly reported KIA, is pictured.

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McChrystal won't visit Capitol Hill, at least for now

Pentagon officials say they have no plans to bring Gen. Stanley McChrystal, head of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, back from his work there to appear before lawmakers to discuss his latest assessment of progress in the eight-year-old war.

But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are hoping they can convince Defense Secretary Gates otherwise, arguing that Congress needs to hear from the top man on the ground as they ponder how to proceed in an increasingly unpopular fight in Afghanistan.

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Will the McChrystal report send more troops to Afghanistan?

The big news this morning is Bob Woodward of the Washington Post getting a hold of the much-anticipated McChrystal Assessment over the weekend; A full copy of the report is available on their website.

It doesn't paint a positive picture of what the U.S. faces in Afghanistan: A still-growing Taliban threat, a "crisis of confidence" among average citizens in NATO's ability to help, and an urgent need for more U.S. troops in the fight. Failure isn't inevitable, he writes, but neither is success. 

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Gates pushes back Hill GOP critics on missile defense

Defense Sec. Robert Gates said his new plan for a missile defense shield would provide more, not less, flexibility should U.S. intelligence estimates discounting Iran's future long-range missile threat prove wrong.

Gates, a former CIA director, parried congressional Republicans who on Thursday blasted the Obama administration’s decision to change a Bush-era missile plan even before the official announcement was made at the White House.

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VA warns of new "prescription" scam victimizing vets

In general, if anyone ever calls your home and out of the blue asks for your credit card information, don't give it to them.

Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs are warning that a number of veterans have been contacted by scammers posing as VA workers, and asking for personal credit card information to "update prescription information."

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Bittersweet Medals of Honor at the White House

Today was the sixth time I've gotten to attend a Medal of Honor presentation at the White House since I joined Stripes back in 2004. The first two -- Korean war vet Tibor Rubin and Vietnam vet Bruce Crandall -- were very boisterous ceremonies, with both humble heroes in attendance to receive their honor and a long-deserved thank you from the Commander in Chief. 

But the other four ceremonies have all been posthumous honors, and the mood in the room (as it was for today's event honoring Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti) has been very bittersweet.

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Gates urges "deep breath" on McChrystal assessment

Defense Sec. Robert Gates on Thursday tried to tamp down the growing din among the press asking what - exactly - is in the much talked about McChrystal assessment, echoing President Barack Obama's own tempered statements from a day earlier.

"Frankly, from my standpoint, everybody ought to take a deep breath," Gates said, responding ito a question in a Pentagon press conference otherwise devoted to a European missile defense announcement.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal handed in to the Pentagon his lay of the land in Afghanistan weeks ago.  Even before it arrived, speculation began as to how many more troops - not if - he would request from President Obama. 

But the Pentagon determined the document would be for the eyes of the chain-of-command only.  At one point, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman suggested that members of Congress may not see it, but would be briefed on its contents.  Since then, lawmakers and reporters have grown antsy and dismayed at the lack of details or access to the raw data.

Gates pushed back against the "building momentum" he said he senses for the president to make a decision on what to do with the McChrystal report.

"Frankly, I believe the president deserves the right to absorb the assessment himself and have his questions, and my questions, and others' questions relating to the assessment answered before it is delivered.  It is, for all practical purposes, a pre-decisional document," said Gates.

Gates said it will be made available to members of Congress. "So the people's representatives will have access to it."

"We need to understand that the decisions that the president faces are perhaps some of the most important, on Afghanistan, some of the most important he may face in his presidency," said Gates. "This decision process should not be rushed." 

On Wednesday, Obama said: "When I came in I had to make a series of immediate decisions about sending additional troops to ensure that the election could take place during the fighting season.  But I was crystal clear at the time that post-election we were going to need to do an additional assessment."

"My determination is to get this right," he added.  "So we are going to proceed and make sure that we don't put the cart before the horse."

Obama already has approvfed 2,500 to 3,000 additional "critical enablers," Gates said.  "And I'm prepared to ask for the flexibility to send more enablers, if we need to, before the president makes a decision," on sending even more combat troops.

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Curtains for Iron Curtain Missile Defense

This morning, the Obama administration is expected to announce a major shift in U.S. intentions for buiding a missile shield along the Iron Curtain countries of Poland and the Czech Republic.  Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James E. Cartwright brief reporters at the Pentagon, at 1030am.

Early overnight reports suggest several reasons behind the move.  First, Russian relations would be greatly improved if the U.S. did not put missile net on their front lawn.  (Remember that Biden "reset button"?)  Second, to U.S. officials, including the president himself want to lay groundwork for perhaps the most ambitious nuclear arsenal reduction talks in more than 15 years.  Third, the Wall Street Journal reports this morning that the U.S. has realized there is less of an immediate a need/desire for long-range missile defenses set in central/Eastern Europe as there is for short-range and medium-range defenses.

The Journal has it:  "Just after midnight I was informed in a telephone call by President Barack Obama that [his] administration has decided to pull out from the plan missile defense shield installations" in the Czech Republic and Poland, said Jan Fischer [interim Czech prime minister] said at a news conference Thursday.

The details - and there are many questions on this one - should come out in the 10 o'clock hour at the Pentagon.

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New M-ATVs still on track for Afghanistan next month?

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said yesterday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will travel to Wisconsin soon to meet with Oshkosh Defense officials and see progress on fielding the new all-terrain vehicle versions of the Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicles.

The first wave of the more than 4,000 heavy trucks ordered by the Pentagon is scheduled to arrive in Afghanistan next month, though Morrell said only that the manufacturer appears to be on target for that delivery.

The Defense Department has invested a lot of money (about $2.3 billion so far) and hope into the new vehicles, seen as the new version of the life-saving MRAPs rushed into Iraq during the height of fighting there. The V-shaped bottom and extra armor on the trucks provide better resistance to roadside bomb attacks, and were key in U.S. forces withstanding insurgent attacks there.

But the multi-ton frame presents new challenges for the crumbling dirt roads and narrow village streets in Afghanistan, which can's handle their giant frames. But the more versatile Humvees haven't stood up to the new wave of IED attacks in Afghanistan, making the M-ATV a lightweight, crucial tool.

"This is a high-priority item, and (Gates) is going to make that clear with a visit to the manufacturer -- not that we have any problems with how they've performed thus far," Morrell said. "We just want to reinforce this is something our warfighters really very much need."

[PHOTO: Oshkosh Defense]

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Gates to give Air Force assessment

The F-22 is perhaps the poster child of Sec. Gates budget cutting mission for excessive Pentagon spending.

It’s also the not-so-subtle image plastered across the cover of program at the influential Air Force Association’s annual convention – where tomorrow Gates gives the keynote address.

Pentagon spokesmen have hyped up the speech for a week as one that reporters won’t want to miss. Today, Geoff Morrell said the secretary would address the Air Force’s evolving role since 9/11, increased use of UAVs (er…UASs?), nuclear surety, and the tanker issue. 

Morrell didn't mention the F-22, but he didn't have to. The AFA's stance is duly noted in these circles.  If/when Gates mentions the F-22, AFA members may sit on their hands more than Republican Senators listening to Obama's healthcare proposal.

These military service association conventions are interesting beasts.  They are a mix of conference sessions geared toward educating active service members and hearing from top brass, sworn protectors of the public trust. They also fill convention expo floors with international arms dealers and defense industry corporations with glitzy receptions, whizz-bang displays, swag-bag freebies, and multi-billion dollar agendas.

To walk the expo floor is to stroll through controversial issues like: who will get the next tanker contract? Will the “second engine” die? Has the last F-22 order really been placed?  

No word if defense industry reps must report this as a lobbying activity.

Sec. Gates speaks at 9:30am, EDT.

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VP Biden back in Iraq to meet with Baghdad leaders, U.S. troops

The White House announced this morning that Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq just a few hours ago. Pool reporters noted that the unannounced visit has been uneventful so far, but he is scheduled to meet with Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and other top Iraqi leaders, as well as brief visits with U.N. officials and U.S. troops.

The trip is Biden's second to the country as vice president, and his third this year. During his last trip, he celebrated July 4 with military personnel stationed there.

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Gates approves more "enablers" for Afghanistan

The U.S. is beefing up its capabilities in Afghanistan in explosive ordnance disposal; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and air medevac, officials said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has approved sending about 3,000 troops in those areas of expertise to Afghanistan as part of a planned increase in U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan from 62,000 to 68,000, officials said on Monday.

It is not clear whether Gates has signed the orders for all the troops because their units are still being assigned, a military official said. They will come from several smaller units.

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Disabled vets planning "virtual march" starting tomorrow

They're billing it as a march on Washington that no one has to show up for.

In an effort to raise support for dramatic changes in the veterans benefits claims process, the Disabled American Veterans is hosting an online rally starting tomorrow, inviting members and military supporters through a host of social networking sites.

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At Pentagon on 9/11, “shots fired” triggers press, and emotions

This morning, drenched from watching the president and Mrs. Obama at the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial service in a windy rain, I stayed to watch a crowd of 9/11 families slowly fan across the Pentagon’s memorial, then turned and walked back inside the building.

One of the last things that caught my eye was the unusual motion at the roofline of the massive building. I glanced up and saw a line of four snipers, carrying large sniper rifle bags. It was the president’s security, packing up to go home. I never knew they were even up there.

Ten minutes later, inside, when I finally turned into the print media filing center – our press bullpen – someone had turned on the television on my desk. It was blaring CNN’s live coverage.  I heard: “Shots fired,” by the Coast Guard in the Potomac…

“What happened?” I asked, wide-eyed.  My colleagues, also watching, said CNN reported the Coast Guard had fired on a boat.

I was just outside! Just around the corner. And this was going on a stone’s throw away in the Potomac River between the Memorial and 14th bridges?  I had no clue – and I was sure nobody outside, especially those families, knew either.  “The president was JUST here,” I thought.  “Uh oh…”

Quickly, I grabbed my notepad and recorder. With reporters from Associated Press, Reuters, Agence-France Press, the Washington Post, and more, I fast-walked to Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman’s office. We peppered him – and each other – with questions:  Was it a training exercise? Did the Pentagon know about it? Did you know about this, outside? Has the Pentagon responded to the event? What the hell is the Coast Guard thinking…?

Whitman had nothing, he was watching in real time, too, and this was a matter for the Coast Guard and its parent Department of Homeland Security. The Pentagon’s reservation – and its immediate security concern – ends inland, before the river’s edge.

While we were in the gaggle, reporters said their agencies had confirmed: it was only a training mission.

I came back and tweeted:

StripesBaron Pentagon spksman Bryan Whitman had no information on Coast Guard drill in Potomac. The Pentagon has no security control of the riverfront.

Within the hour, DHS sent this tweet:

DHSJournal No shots fired on Potomac this am. Boats conducting Coast Guard training exercise. USCG to provide more info shortly. PLS RT

I wasn’t at the Pentagon on this day in 2001. As smoked poured from it, I was working near Washington’s Dupont Circle, just a 10-minute walk from the White House, deciding how to get out of the city as fast as I could because news reports told us that more planes were coming toward Washington.

But in the nine months I’ve worked here, this has become my work home, and I’ve felt bonded to the building and those reporters and workers who were there that day. 

Every time that I have lunch in the Pentagon’s center courtyard, commercial planes skim the Pentagon low and loud as they fly in and out of National Airport just down the road. And every time, I watch people’s eyes glance upward, warily, and then relieved when the roar quiets down and … nothing happens.

The looks on the faces of some in the Pentagon this morning were serious and real. 

To us Pentagon reporters, even if briefly, this was no drill.

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Obama: Time does not dull pain of 9/11

See Pentagon Memorial photo gallery

Despite the driving rain, President Barack Obama put down his umbrella and stepped to the podium.

Friday's ceremony marked the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It was also the first time he marked the anniversary as president.

“Eight Septembers have come and gone. Nearly 3,000 days have passed -- almost one for each of those taken from us. But no turning of the seasons can diminish the pain and the loss of that day. No passage of time and no dark skies can ever dull the meaning of this moment.”

The victims came from more than 100 countries and included men, women and children of every color and creed, he said.

“They were innocent. Harming no one, they went about their daily lives. Gone in a horrible instant, they now ‘dwell in the House of the Lord forever’.”

Obama also paid tribute to those who died saving others; survivors who were wounded in the attacks, and those who joined the military after the attacks.

“Scripture teaches us a hard truth. The mountains may fall and the earth may give way; the flesh and the heart may fail. But after all our suffering, God and grace will "restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." So it is -- so it has been for these families. So it must be for our nation.”

Obama vowed not to falter in the fight against al Qaida, and he urged a renewed commitment to servicemen and women.

“Let us renew the true spirit of that day. Not the human capacity for evil, but the human capacity for good. Not the desire to destroy, but the impulse to save, and to serve, and to build.”

He also asked Americans to remember how the country stood together after the terrorist attacks.

“This may be the greatest lesson of this day, the strongest rebuke to those who attacked us, the highest tribute to those taken from us -- that such sense of purpose need not be a fleeting moment. It can be a lasting virtue.”

At the end of the ceremony, Obama and his wife shook hands with families of victims killed in the Pentagon attack.

After a few minutes, he was thoroughly soaked.

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Still no timeline for hearings on "don't ask, don't tell"

Earlier this year both House and Senate leaders promised to hold hearings on a potential repeal of the controversial "don' ask, don't tell" law sometime this fall. But as lawmakers plot out their priorities for the rest of this year, the issue of homosexuals serving openly in the ranks still hasn't made the list.

At least for the next month, both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees will be focused almost solely on finishing the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill, with the hope that the two chambers can reach a compromise on the legislation by Oct. 1 (the start of the new fiscal year).

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At Pentagon, separating the bloggers from the press

The New York Times today ran a piece about how the military is struggling to cope with the modern era of the Internets, and talking boxes and flying machines.  The story’s been covered much this year.

But the flip side that I’ve yet seen fleshed out is how private newshound milbloggers are treated differently than us credentialed press in the …sigh …“main stream media”.  

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Training for combat: Get real or get virtual?

It looks a lot like a video game, and essentially that’s exactly what it is. One of the Army’s newest training tools is a shoot house adapted from the first-person shooter game “America’s Army.”

In the video system, Stripes reporter Kent Harris notes, scenarios are projected on the walls of the shoot house, showing life-sized characters in an urban environment. Soldiers then must make a decision on how to properly handle each scenario.

The Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team will soon get to test itself inside this combat simulator. It is one of only four currently in use. The other three allow the use of live ammunition; the Vicenza shoot house calls for wax bullets. This setup is less expensive and more mobile than the live-fire shoot houses, which cost about $1 million apiece.

Combat training, as always, is evolving. And in eight years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, training methods have taken great leaps. From paper targets and pop-up cutouts to video shoot houses and vast, intricately detailed simulated towns, like the Iraqi village recreated for the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.

And so, the question is: What type of training best prepares a warrior for combat? Video game technology certainly allows the military to more quickly provide multiple scenarios and test a GI’s reaction. It can be repeated and measured for progress. And it has never been more real.

But still, it’s not quite there. In Fort Irwin, soldiers are trudging through a real desert, entering real buildings and dealing with real Iraqis (OK, actors portraying Iraqis). It’s much more of a production and requires the cooperation of dozens of people.

If you were going to war – and many of our readers have lived this experience – how would you prefer to train? Does the virtual world do the trick or do you need to feel the sand in your boots?

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Concern rises over number of unemployed young vets

The announcement that unemployment nationwide has hit 9.7 percent dominated the headlines late last week, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics the same day announced even bleaker news for young veterans: It's even tougher for veterans who've recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan to find a job.

According to the bureau, the unemployment rate for those young vets sits at 11.3 percent, which equals about 185,000 current war veterans searching for jobs. That's up nearly 25,000 people from the start of the summer, and is just a few thousand short of the total number of troops currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Photo of dying Marine forces a difficult decision

August 14. The ambush was on.

Taliban fighters opened fire on an American patrol, unleashing bullets and RPGs. A grenade exploded into the legs of Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard.

Two Marines scrambled to his side and stood over him, risking their own safety in a desperate attempt to save his life. Some distance away, AP journalist Julie Jacobson pointed her camera, zoomed in and snapped a photograph. The blurry, bloody image showed the 21-year-old Marine lying on the rocky ground with his mouth half open and his rifle still resting against his left hand. His comrades worked to save him.

Hours later, after being evacuated from the scene, Bernard died.

Yesterday, The Associated Press included the photograph in a series of pictures to accompany a detailed account of the battle and the devastating loss of Bernard. Stars and Stripes picked up the story and ran it on the front page of today’s editions and prominently on Stripes.com. But we elected not to publish the photo of the dying Marine.

It is a fact of combat journalism that you may well be confronted with graphic, tragic images such as this. And it’s a solemn challenge to decide if and how you convey those images to readers.

Jacobson’s photograph was discussed during Stars and Stripes’ daily front-page meeting and even placed on the front-page during the design phase to gauge its full impact in context.

“Once I saw a proof-print of the page, this photo gave me serious concerns. It clearly showed traumatic injuries, and clearly showed the dying young Marine’s face,” said managing editor Robb Grindstaff, who made the decision to replace the photo. “Did this photo document such an important news event in such a compelling way that the news value of the photo outweighed concerns of sensitivity over its graphic nature? In my mind, the answer was no.”

Stars and Stripes has no firm policy against running photos of the dead, mortally wounded or wounded.

“Photo use issues like this need to be taken on a case by case basis, and if anyone in the newsroom has a concern, that is something valid which must be considered and discussed,” said Christopher Six, assistant managing editor for graphics.

Not all media outlets reacted as we did, and several opted to publish the image. One newspaper, The (Wheeling, W.Va.) Intelligencer, published the photo along with an editorial explaining its decision.

“We believe that it is important for those of us for whom our soldiers, sailors, air crews and Marines serve to understand the sacrifices they make. Too often, they make the ultimate sacrifice –  for us,” the paper wrote.

Our readership is quite different, Grindstaff noted.

“The majority of our readers are in Iraq and Afghanistan and face the horrors of war on a daily basis,” he said. “We do not shelter them from it – we report it daily in words and photos. We do not gloss over the graphic nature of war.”

In reporting the story, The Associated Press interviewed Bernard’s parents and showed them the photographs. Bernard’s father, John, objected to the image of his wounded son and asked that it not be published. Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent a letter to and personally called AP president Tom Curley, asking that the organization respect the wishes of Bernard’s father.

Curley assured Gates that those wishes had been considered at AP and said he was sure they would be considered by individual organizations.

Stars and Stripes, however, did not learn of John Bernard’s objections until after publishing the story. We believe The Associated Press failed in its duty to provide news editors with all relevant information regarding the photograph.

Stripes’ senior editors agreed that had they been aware of the father’s objection it would have been one of the many factors considered.

And finally, since we have chosen to discuss in such depth the photo and our decision not to display it prominently in our print and online publications – and because the photo is now widely available – we offer you the opportunity to judge for yourself.

Those who choose may click here to view the image.

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Could units' extension hint at longer tours in Afghanistan?

Army officials announced late last night they've extended Afghanistan tours for two units: The 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters will an extra 50 extra days there, and the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade will be extended for about two weeks.

The decision is designed to make sure their incoming replacements get their full year of dwell time stateside before their next tour. And it may be a moot point; Units transitioning in and out of the war zones often hit last-minute delays that can result in them returning home a week or so later than expected.

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Civilian pay raise capped at 2 percent next year? Not quite.

Earlier this week the White House announced plans to cap government workers pay raises at 2.0 percent next year, but that's only if Congress doesn't approve a larger pay raise by Nov. 30. But that's not a guarantee, and it could create a disparity between what troops on active-duty will see in their paychecks next January and what their civilian counterparts will get.

Under existing statute if Congress did not pass the federal employees pay raise, government workers would receive a 2.4 percent bump in pay automatically plus another locality pay adjustment. But as written that regional cost of living adjustment would skyrocket federal paychecks, averaging 16.5 percent across the country.

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Military has more contractors than troops in Iraq, Afghanistan

Researchers this week offered another reminder just how large an operation it is when U.S. soldiers head off to war.

A newly released report by the Congressional Research Service shows that the Defense Department employs more contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan (about 200,000) than it has uniformed personnel stationed in the countries (right around 198,000).

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Civilian chefs try their hand in Nellis AFB's kitchen; airmen judge the results

This past May a Bravo TV crew descended on Nellis Air Force Base to film an episode of its culinary reality show, "Top Chef."

The sixth season of the show, in which chefs compete in challenges each week and are judged on the meals they make, took place in Las Vegas and is airing now. Along with very Vegas challenges, like making a meal for a bachelorette party that paired well with the bride's favorite shots, the show's producers thought a little patriotism would make good TV.

The challenge at Nellis was to cook a meal worthy of "Food and Wine" magazine for 300 airmen using only what is available in the military kitchen. Canned tomatoes. Canned artichokes. Canned, well, everything. And as any military cook knows, the kitchen ain't gourmet. The preview shows the chefs struggling with the lack of equipment and worrying if they can pull off their ambitious meals.

The filming was all very hush-hush. I tried to get access to write a behind-the-scenes story, but the Bravo folks denied that request. Apparently they are very particular. A Nellis source told me the Bravo crew that scouted the location in the spring was disappointed the base didn't look spiffier. "Top Chef" almost didn't film an episode there because of the aesthetics. Not sure what they were expecting, but I guess the beige reality of an air base in the desert doesn't quite compare to the glitz of the Las Vegas strip.

Bravo's decoration crew went to work, and the show made due with an airplane hanger. You can check it out tonight at 10 EST.

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Who should be tweeting: Marines in Afghanistan, or Mike Vick?

The National Football League came out with its long-awaited Twitter policy yesterday, prohibiting players from making any comments on social networking sites for 90 minutes before kickoff and until after media sessions are finished following games.

But outside of that blackout window NFL officials are actually encouraging their stars to reach out to fans through Facebook, Twitter, and any other tools they can.

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