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Most Western Anti-ISIS Volunteers Are American

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By Debbie Gregory.

Although the U.S. State Department has strongly discouraged Americans from traveling to Iraq or Syria, much less taking up arms there, a new report estimates that more than one-third of all anti-ISIS Western volunteer fighters are Americans.

Compelled by reports of the Islamic State’s gruesome activities, the first volunteers came in the fall of 2014. They have enrolled in a number of regional militias including the peshmerga—the government-backed army of Iraqi Kurdistan

Almost all male and many military veterans, over 100 Americans have joined up with militia groups in Iraq or Syria to fight ISIS, according to an Institute for Strategic Dialogue report.

Relying on a database of 300 foreign fighters from Western nations, the report found that Americans are more prevalent in the groups than those from any other Western nation. Of the 26 countries that have citizens fighting ISIS, those with the highest proportion of volunteers are the United States, which accounts for 38% of all Western volunteers; followed by the United Kingdom at 14%; Germany at 8%; France and Sweden, both with 6%; and Canada, whose volunteers make up 5%.

Most of the volunteers are serving in Kurdish militias in Iraq or Syria.

With an average age of 32 and a variety of reasons for leaving home and traveling thousands of miles, many of these fighters are trying to make a difference in the Middle East.

But for U.S. military veterans, the motivations are a bit more complicated. According to the report, many of them may have had trouble adjusting to life as a civilian following their service. Many of them feel more at home in a war zone.

There are also those who said they came back to “finish the job,” the report says.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Guidelines for Obtaining a Security Clearance

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By Debbie Gregory.

A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information or to restricted areas.

A security clearance alone does not grant an individual access to specific classified materials. Rather, a security clearance means that an individual is eligible for access. In order to gain access to specific classified materials, an individual should also have a demonstrated “need to know” the classified information for his or her position and policy area responsibilities.

There are three levels of security clearances: Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret, which correspond to the levels of sensitivity of the information that a cleared individual will be eligible to access.

The process to obtain a security clearance must be initiated by a sponsoring federal agency and is usually paid for by the requesting agency.

The determination of whether the granting or continuing of eligibility for a security clearance is based upon careful consideration of 13 guidelines:

(1) allegiance to the United States; any act , association or sympathy that aims to overthrow the Government of the United States or alter the form of government by unconstitutional means.

(2) foreign influence; potential for foreign influence that could result in the compromise of classified information.

(3) foreign preference; any indication of a preference for a foreign country over the United States.

(4) sexual behavior that involves any criminal offense.

(5) personal conduct; refusing cooperation for any required testing, questioning or paperwork.

(6) financial considerations; financially overextended to be at risk of having to engage in illegal acts to generate funds.

(7) alcohol consumption; in excess, which could lead to bad judgement.

(8) drug involvement; could lead to impaired social or occupational functioning.

(9) emotional, mental, and personality disorders;

(10) criminal conduct; creates doubt about a person’s judgment, reliability and trustworthiness.

(11) security violations; raise doubts about an individual’s trustworthiness, willingness, and ability to safeguard classified information.

(12) outside activities; especially those relating to foreign interests

and

(13) misuse of information technology systems; compromised ability to properly protect classified systems, networks, and information.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Marine General Says Put Down Your Cell Phone

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By Debbie Gregory.

Gen. Robert B. Neller, commandant of the Marines Corps, says it’s time that his troops to step away from their cell phones.

Neller said today’s Marines have gotten a little too soft with their mod cons, and they need to get back to the more stereotypical Marine, which will serve them better on the battlefield.

Additionally, Neller feels that using mobile devices could give away troop positions to their adversaries.

One example he provided involved a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), a large unit designed for front-line combat operations.

Neller said, “What do you think the largest electromagnetic signature in the entire MEF headquarters emanated from? The billeting area. Why? Because everybody had their phone on.

The Navy has already come up with plans to reduce its reliance on modern electronics to make its force harder to trace. One of those plans includes sailors re-learning to navigate using the stars instead of GPS.

For the Marines to get back to basics in the field, they will need to eliminate fixed bases and stay on the move.

“We’ve been operating out of fixed positions. We have not moved across the ground. We have not maneuvered. We have not lived off the land,” Neller said. “We’ve been eating in chow halls and drinking green bean coffee. That’s pretty nice.”

But in order to keep his Marines safe on the battlefield, Neller wants to see them go old school.

“You’re living out of your pack, you’re going to stop at night, you’re going to dig a hole, you’re going to camouflage, you’re going to turn off all your stuff, and you’re going to sit there, and you try to sleep,” he said. “And you’ve got to be careful to not make any noise, and you’re going to try to have absolutely no signature. Because if you can be seen, you will be attacked. That’s the difference, and that’s where we’ve got to get.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Air Force Officials Warn of Fighter Pilot Shortage

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By Debbie Gregory.

Several Air Force officials have reported that the U.S. Air Force is facing a shortage of more than 1,000 fighter pilots.

The acute shortage of fighter pilots could grow even worse, with nearly a third of all jobs becoming vacant in the coming years, senior service officials said.

Lieutenant General James Holmes, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements for the Air Force, said only about four experienced fighter pilots are being produced each year. Retention is also a major issue.

The current goal is to try to retain as many pilots as possible in the short term, but there is a lot of completion from commercial airlines who are hiring thousands of fighter pilots.

Air Force Secretary Deborah James is looking to Congress for the ability to boost financial incentives to recruit and keep pilots. She and Gen. David L. Goldfein, the service’s new top officer, attributed the shortfall to a wave of hiring in the commercial airline industry, high demand for air power keeping pilots deployed and away from their families, and a reduction in training while at home prompted by heavy usage and budget constraints.

James and Goldfein said they want to improve pilots’ quality of life and their military service conditions, including training and housing.

The Air Force currently can pay pilots an extra $25,000 per year after they complete their initial service contract, which concludes 10 years from the completion of pilot training, a number that has not been changed in 17 years. The Air Force has proposed an increase to $48,000 per year, and a proposal in the House would boost the figure to $60,000.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Army Reservist Wins Medal, Respect In Rio Olympics

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By Debbie Gregory.

Although the United States Army Marksmanship Unit didn’t medal at the Rio Olympic games, Army Reserve 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks won Olympic bronze, following what he called “the most enjoyable pole vault competition of his life” on Monday, August 15th.

But perhaps more notable than the medal win is the fact that Kendricks stopped, mid-run on a jump during his qualifying round, when he overheard our national anthem being played. Kendricks dropped his pole and stood at attention.

Kendricks said that his Olympic experience has taught him that your life is changed along the way to winning a medal. But it speaks volumes that young member displayed outstanding character that outpaced any medal he could have won.

“With all the journeys and sacrifices that you make and all the training that you do, and the people you leave at home to watch, that is really the value of the medal,” he said.

“I’m glad I have something tangible to bring home … I know that everybody in Oxford, my hometown, will love to see it. But the journey, like my coach says, is the goal, not necessarily the medal.”

His future journey will include time serving as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve.

U.S. Army specialist Paul Chelimo, who was born in Kenya, won an Olympic silver medal in the men’s 5000 meters. And his medal also comes with a story.

Minutes after the race was completed, a number of runners, including Chelimo, were disqualified for stepping off the track.

“It was really tactical and they (the Ethiopians) kept pushing me because they were working as a team. It’s never easy to run a race and run against a team. … But the Army has taught me to be mentally and physically tough,” Chelimo said.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

ESGR Week Celebrates Our Nation’s Guard and Reserve Troops

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By Debbie Gregory.

August 21st through August 27th has been proclaimed by President Obama as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week.

The president said, “For more than two centuries, brave patriots have given of themselves to secure our fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and in times of both war and peace, members of the National Guard and Reserve have stood ready to don our uniform, answer our Nation’s call, and protect our way of life. This week, we recognize the important role played by the families, employers, and communities of these men and women in ensuring they can step forward and serve our country when they are needed most.”

As the Director of Employer Engagement for California’s ESGR, I see the sacrifices these servicemembers and their families make in order to balance their civilian lives with their commitment to our country’s safety and well-being. I also am privileged to liaise with their outstanding employers, who give their employees the flexibility that enables them to honor this commitment.

The employers who hire our National Guard troops and our Reservists give their employees the support which has been vital to the success, stability, and security of our Nation.

While the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) gives certain rights to uniformed servicemembers and their civilian employers, I have the pleasure of working with the employers who voluntarily sign a statement of support that they will do the right thing by their employees. Their employees do not need to worry about being discriminated against in their employment based on past, present, or future military service.

And that is something we should all honor and celebrate!

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Veteran Suicide: It’s Time for Real Answers

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By Kim Forsythe, MSW Candidate 2017

USC School of Social Work

What is really going on with the veteran suicide rate? That is the problem right there… no one really knows.

In 2007 the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proclaimed their primary focus as reducing the number of veteran suicides. The VA announced this focus after eight years of the veteran suicide rate lingering around 16-20 a day. In 2012 the VA released a pitiful excuse of a demographic statistical report of information concerning veteran suicide with only partial information for approximately 20 states and no U.S. territories. The 2012 VA report, although not having complete data, still disclosed that an estimated 22 veterans a day commit suicide. This grotesque figure has reverberated through the nation over the last four years and has been a hard pill to swallow. 22 veterans a day adds up to more veterans dying by suicide annually than the total number of service members killed in action since the inception of the Global War on Terrorism. We owe these brave men and women “who at one point wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America, for an amount up to and including their life” more.

In July 2016, the VA released an updated statistical report of demographics from veteran suicides from 2001 to 2014. This report examined over 50 million veteran records from all 50 states and four U.S. territories. The report revealed in 2014 an average of 20 veterans die by suicide daily.  Seven years of the VA’s primary focus being to reduce the number of veteran suicides only reduced the daily average by two veterans. To make matters worse, in this time the VA has repeatedly stated they have been aggressively improving and expanding their mental health services to serve all veterans, even those not enrolled in or eligible for VA health care, to prevent suicide.

The only way to defeat an enemy is to understand the enemy. Suicide is the enemy we are facing. We need to understand more than just demographic information about these veterans as the demographics gives us no tangible answers. In-depth research is required to combat this epidemic. H.R. 4640, The Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, is a beginning to the research that is necessary to beat this enemy. This legislation directs the Secretary of the Department of the Veteran Affairs to conduct a review of veteran deaths by suicide in the preceding five years before enactment. The bill’s main effort is to find a possible link between psychotropic medication and suicide. However, it also searches for common traumas documented, i.e., combat, military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress disorders, as well as any other patterns visible at individual Veteran Health Administration facilities.

While I do not doubt that expansions and improvements were necessary at Veteran Health Administration facilities, it has not made a dent in solving the problem. Now is the time to take another approach and not just look at demographic information. It is time to determine a why. Veterans have proudly and bravely served this nation, protecting the people’s rights and freedom. It is a shame that these battle-tested men and women go overseas to fight this nation’s battles, come home, separate from the military and then lose the fight to suicide. Now it is the nation’s turn to support our veterans. Let’s work to find the “why.” The Veteran Suicide Prevention Act should only be the beginning of the research. Continuing to investigate possible reasons why a veteran commits suicide is imperative. Finding the why to the answer may be the key to unlocking this mystery.

 

Motivation to Join the Marines Results in 150 Pound Weight Loss

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By Debbie Gregory.

Pvt. Richard Faler is not one to take “no” for an answer. Although he weighed in at 305 pounds, his family had a long military history, and he wasn’t going to let his weight get in his way of serving his country.

So Faler began working out with his brother Christian, and the 21-year-old got his 5 feet 10 inch frame way down.

Now weighing 150 pounds, with boot camp behind him, Faler is on the road to becoming a defense message system specialist.

Despite his dramatic transformation, Faler said boot camp would’ve been a lot easier if he had been in better shape when he got there.

“Even though I, with the help of family and my recruiters, made the height-weight standards to ship to boot camp, I wish that I reached the fitness level of where I was midway through boot camp.

Growing up, Faler was active in several sports such as wrestling, baseball and soccer at West Central High School in Francesville, Indiana.

“My senior year of wrestling, I wrestled at 130 pounds,” said Faler. “After high school, I doubled my weight and then some.”

After high school, Faler got a job in a gas station.

Faler’s grandparents served in the Air Force and Navy and he had several cousins in the Army. He made up his mind that he would join what he calls the “hardest” service: the Marine Corps.

Christian got his brother on a daily running routine, starting with the block around his house. They gradually increased the distance, and in just one year, he had shed 80 pounds.

Faler was in the Delayed Entry Program, but the physical training plan he received from his recruiter nearly made Faler give up.

“I could barely do any of it,” Faler said. “At that point, I lost motivation when I realized after all that work I couldn’t do anything.”

But Christian pushed, offering to join the Marine Corps, too, if his brother could meet the standards.

Faler changed his eating habits, adding chicken and vegetables that were low in fat and high in protein.”

Faler said he never could’ve met his goals without his brother and recruiters motivating him along the way.

“A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it,” Faler said. “Just proving them wrong was the best feeling.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Guard & Reserve May Get Vet Status & Preference!

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By Debbie Gregory.

In a move that is long overdue, two bills in front of Congress could be a big boon for Guard and Reserve members.

Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act contains two no-cost initiatives that would  honor their service by granting “veteran” status to 200,000 Reserve and National Guard retirees who, according to federal law, do not technically qualify as veterans.

Many civilians are surprised to learn that this is not a done deal for those who serve. While there are benefits for serving in the Guard and Reserve, they do differ from those who served in the active duty forces.

Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act, (in the House- H.R. 1384,  in the Senate- S 743) has been around for a while, but now may be closer than ever to being passed. It was introduced by Sen. John Boozman (Rep-AR) in March, 2015.

The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has been hesitant to support the measure out of concern that passage would make retired Guard and reserve members think they are eligible for benefits they have not earned.

The second initiative would make an increased number of former Reserve and Guard members eligible for veteran preference.

Veterans preference recognizes the sacrifices made by those who serve, giving them preference over non-Veterans in both Federal hiring practices and in retention during reductions in force. Preference applies in hiring for many positions within the Federal competitive service, and provides a uniform method by which special consideration is given to qualified Veterans.

If an individual signs on, devotes years of his or her life to being ready to serve at a moment’s notice, they should receive the respect given to veterans.

These men and women served honorably and should not be penalized simply because their country did not call them up to active duty for the full requisite period of time.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Decisiveness, Tenacity & Initiative Make Veterans the Best Employees

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By Debbie Gregory.

When it comes to the characteristics that make employees the most valuable, the list is pretty long. But there are a few extra boxes that are ticked by military veterans that help make them among the most valued employees.

Decisiveness

Decisiveness is defined as being characterized by firmness and decision. Those who serve seldom have the luxury of long analysis when it comes to making a decision regarding a specific situation. They are trained to gather intel and understand it thoroughly. From the strength of a decision comes the ability to act. Being decisive is simply the most rational way to take on any problem. You observe the information you have available and then you decide what would be the most successful course of action. If you can’t get more data, decisive people simply make a decision based on the facts available.

Tenacity

Veterans know all about persistence and perseverance. Regardless of their branch of service, these former military members went through rigorous and demanding basic training (boot camp) in preparation for military service.

Initiative

Initiative is defined as an individual’s action that begins a process, often done without direct managerial influence. Anyone who has served  in the military learns to follow orders. But through their training, they also learn that they may be faced with situations that requires them to take action in the absence of orders. If something needs to be done, they don’t have to wait to be told.

So if you are an employer and you’re thinking of hiring veterans, keep in mind that there is value in these potential employees that goes beyond the specialized skills they learned in the military. The very nature of being in the military has given them attributes unlike those that people can gain through any other type of employment.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.


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