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Serving the U.S. Southern Command military family in South Florida,the Caribbean, Central and South America and the surrounding seas

Volume 1 Issue 11 June 16, 2011

Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc

Task Force Bon Voizen Public Affairs

GONAIVES, Haiti Canadi-

an, Colombian and U.S. military

medical and dental personnelcompleted the third of four med-

ical training exercises as part of

Task Force Bon Voizen on June

8 in Bocozelle, a small village

outside the city of St. Marc in

the Artibonite Department.

According to the Task Force

Bon Voizen deputy medical ex-

ercise coordinator, Louisiana

Guardsman, 1st Lt. Samuel Du-

pas, the 45 joint-forces clinicians

evaluated and treated around

7,700 patients. The clinic was

also host to three live births dur-

ing its 10-day rotation.

The purpose of the mission,

according to Dupas, was to pro-vide real-world training to joint-

forces medical personnel, while

providing humanitarian services

to the people of the Artibonite

Department.

The majority of the U.S. medi-

cal personnel taking part in the

exercise are members of the 59th

Medical Wing at Lackland Air

Force Base in San Antonio. Air

Force Maj. Sandra Keesee, a na-

tive of San Antonio, is the direc-

tor of medical logistics with the

59th and served as the ofcer in

charge of the clinic in Bocozelle.

Many of us come from a

4,000-personnel wing, and mostof us dont know each other. So to

come here as a group and really

work together from day one was

overwhelming, said Keesee.

At the end of the day, we knew

that we made a difference in at

least in a few peoples lives, she

continued. There were a few

cases where some of the doctors,

had they not been here some

of the kids that they saw would

not be alive today.

One physician who saved

lives during the exercise was

Air Force Col. Joseph Novak, a

maxillofacial surgeon also from

the 59th. Novak, a native of

Broomeld, Colo., explained his

willingness to help.

When I go back home, Im

not going to have to carry ve

gallons of water ve miles ev

ery day for my subsistence. My

home has glass in the windows

so I dont have to worry abou

the y population invading my

living space. Ive been blessed

with the skills that I have and

where I live, so why wouldnt

I work hard while I am here?

said Novak, after having pulled

N E W S

CCA Numbers ................ p2

SJFHQ MaintainsReadiness ........................ p5

Sailors Deliver MedicalSupplies to Chile ............ p5

Army Bids Adieu to Beretfor Combat Uniform .... p7

JTF-Bravoers Hike Food toRemote Town ................ p7

Hoperiders Ride From KeyWest to Arctic Circle ForCharity ............................ p8

Triathelete ..................... p8

S E C T I O N S

Feedback Info ........................... p2After Hours ............................ p4Around the Americas .......... p6

Arthur McQueen

Canadian, Colombian & U.S. Joint MedicalTeam Treats 7,700 Patients in Haiti

... see PATIENTS, page 3

SOUTHCOMs Conference Center of the

Americas Becoming Premier Meeting Place

Raymond Sarracino

SOUTHCOM Public Affairs

MIAMI When U.S. Southern Command

was prioritizing design elements for its new

headquarters, a rst-class conference facility

was near the top of the needs list.

Among the requirements was the ability to

safely accommodate large groups, provide a se-

cure environment for classied briengs, and

serve a diverse population from throughout Lat-in America and the Caribbean.

SOUTHCOMs location in Miami is perfectly

suited to serve as the meeting place for events

and visitors from throughout SOUTHCOMs

area of responsibility.

Thus, the Conference Center of the Americas

was born.

SOUTHCOMs Chief of Staff has been in-

volved in the CCAs planning since its begin-

ning to accommodate a new generation of con-

ferences here in Miami.

... see CCA, page 2

Retired servicemembers Lacey

Betton and Jeff Garcia, theHoperiders, begin their journey.

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2 Nosotros We Nou NS NOUS Volume 1 Issue 11 June 16, 2011 U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Army Garrison - Miam

SOUTHCOM CommanderGen. Douglas Fraser, USAF

Chief of Public AffairsCol. Scott Malcom, USA

Chief, Internal InformationRaymond Sarracino

EditorArthur McQueen

NOSOTROS Ofce Address:

9301 NW 33rd St.Room A1423Doral, FL 33172

Phone: (305) 437-2685Web: http://www.southcom.mil

NOSOTROS is an authorized internal bi-weekly publication intended for: uniformed mem-bers of the Department of Defense, US Governmentcivilians, contractors and liaisons working for U.S.Southern Command or in its Area of Responsibilityand their dependents.The contents of NOSOTROS, including listings

of public events or services, are not necessarily theofcial views of, or constitute an endorsement bythe U.S. Army Garrison-Miami, Installation Manage-ment Command, U.S. Southern Command, DoD orthe U.S. Government.The content of this publication is solely the

responsibility of the SOUTHCOM and USAG-MiamiPublic Affairs Ofces.

Lke/Dslke NOSOTROS? Want to share Ideas? Feedback? Do your colleagues deserve notice? Let us know!Contact Public Affairs at 305.437.1213, or visit us on: Facebook:southconosotros; Twitter:SCNosotros or E-mail:southconosotros@gl.

co. Submissions to NOSOTROS should be received by the Friday preceeding the publication date.

The CCA is a state-of-the-

art facility capable of hosting

diverse events simultaneously,

without taxing the capacity of

either the facility or its staff.

The CCAs challenge in-

cluded building a large, secure

room able to accommodateat least 230 guests with video

conference capability, all while

allowing for other meetings to

take place simultaneously for

at least 245 people elsewhere

in the facility.

Additionally, the CCA need-

ed an environment where

guests could interact freely and

information would ow seam-

lessly.

The construction challenge

went to the Army Corps of En-gineers staff who supervised

the construction of the facility.

Project Ofcer, Col. John Pi-

lot said he expected this proj-

ect would require excruciating

attention to detail.

We knew from the begin-

ning that the conference center

(CCA) would be a high-priority

element of the project. The ex-

pectation was that this would

be a world-class meeting facil-

ity, he said.

If early events are any indi-cation, then the CCA is a re-

sounding success, hosting 107

events and more than 6,500

guests in the rst quarter of

2011 alone.

With the end of the second

quarter arriving soon, the

numbers will be even bigger

than the rst quarter.

The CCAs operations are run

by a smooth, professional, yet

relatively small staff.

The nucleus of this staff in-cludes: one chief (Mayte Ago-

sto), one manager (Barbara

Charris), one operations coor-

dinator (Garrett Edmond), and

two event coordinators (Nicole

Spencer and Lazaro Reyes).

Agosto leads the group and is

committed to ensuring a suc-

cessful operation.

The CCA is constantly occu-

pied and when we host several

conferences at the same time

we have to be sure were al

operating at 110 percent. The

CCA staff is extremely hard

working and customer service

is our focus. Agosto said.

With plans in the works for an

even busier summer conference

season, the CCA staff expects

to host around 100 events be-

tween now and Sept. 1.

Those events will have more

than 5,500 guests attending

them, all needing a welcome.

Agosto summed up the CCA

agenda: Were denitely stay

ing busy for the foreseeable fu

ture, supporting SOUTHCOMs

staff and mission.

CCA, from page 1

By The Numbersn All CCA meeting rooms can accommodateSecret classication level briefs; two meetingrooms can accommodate up to Top Secret leveldiscussions

n The main conference room has a capacity ofup to 230 guests

n Two interpretation/translation rooms areavailable for up to four languages

n A total of 45,421 square feet

n Cost: $43 million

n Total number of meeting rooms in the facilityis nine, plus the main conference room

n Three fully equipped executive support ofcesare available for use by distinguished visitors.

Event coordinators Nicole Spencer

and Lazaro Reyes work a project.

The lobby of U.S. Southern Commands Conference Center of the Americas

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3Nosotros We Nou NS NOUS Volume 1 Issue 11 June 16, 2011 U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Army Garrison - Miami

88 teeth by lunchtime.

He continued We had this one infection

that we sucked 25 ccs of puss out of. This

guy was sick. You know, dental infections

can kill you. I had a few people who were

heading south really fast. We had a couple

of saves that, had they been left untreated,

they probably would have died.Its amazing what can happen when you

administer a high dose of antibiotics, drain

puss the old-fashioned way, and take out

the cause of the infections, which were rot-

ted out teeth, Novak added.

Lt. Cmdr. Michael De la Roche from Bel-

leville, Ontario, of the Canadian Force Ser-

vices Primary Reserve List, was another

physician who took part in the exercise.

When not in uniform, he works as an emer-

gency room doctor, and he said Haiti gave

him perspective that he otherwise would

not have gotten.

I got a better understanding of the very

primitive conditions, and how in some cas-

es culture and religion can trump medicine

and technology. That was a very useful and

educational experience, De la Roche said.

Air Force Maj. Kelly Morales of San An-

tonio, who is an obstetrician and gynecolo-

gist with the 59th, echoed his sentiments.

Dealing with cultural differences was a

challenge, she said. Some of the patients

we saw have a strong belief in Voodoo. And

it impacted how seriously they took the carethat we gave them and how they care for

themselves. There were a couple of cases

where lives were at risk because they relied

on Voodoo instead of western medicine.

Competing philosophies regarding health

and well-being was not the only challenge to

be overcome. The clinics remote location,

coupled with the transient nature of the op-

eration, conspired to create an environment

more spartan than some of the participating

physicians had previously worked in.

Air Force Maj. Emily Wong from Bill-

ings, Mont., a resident dermatologist withthe 59th, said that this was her rst experi-

ence in a country like Haiti.

In dermatology, we use a lot of diagnos-

tic tools that we werent able to use, like bi-

opsies, and slide preparation. So we had to

rely strictly on what we saw. That was the

biggest challenge for us, said Wong.

I think its excellent to step outside your

comfort zone, and to practice in a place

where you dont have all the diagnostic

and treatment tools youre used to having,

continued Wong. And for dermatology, its

very good to see how different skin types

present differently. So for my specialty es-

pecially, it was a really good experience.Morales shared Wongs appreciation for

the value of the training opportunity.

There is quite a bit of pathology here that

we dont typically see at home where there

is different sanitation, different hygiene,

and different preventative care, so it was

valuable to see, Morales said.

One particularly valuable experience was

afforded U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Douglas

Rozelle, a medic with the 59th Medical Wing,

who aspires to be a doctor. Rozelle delivered a

baby at the Bocozelle clinic, June 6, under Dr

Morales guidance.

The mother, Michelle Louna, a 20-year-old

resident of Bocozelle, arrived at the clinic on

foot at around 9 a.m., and was already six

centimeters dilated, Rozelle said.

We had her walk around the clinic for

an hour and we checked her again, and she

came back and was still at six, Rozelle re

counted. So we said ok, well give you one

more hour. So she came back after that sec

ond hour, and she was at eight ...

He continued, About twenty minuteslater, it was time, and it went pretty quick

After about fteen minutes and one good

push, the baby came. My whole though

process was dont drop the baby, and I am

going through in my head what I have to

do: my hands got to be this way, Ive got to

push down; Ive got to push up.

It was just an amazing experience. The

delivery of life you cant put it into words

its just awesome. ... Maj. Morales told me

what I needed to do and I did it, he said.

Ive had a tremendous experience, said

De la Roche. Working with the U.S. andColombian troops has just been a real plea-

sure and an honor. Thats been the most en-

joyable part actually working with thes

colleagues. We all chipped in and worked

towards a common goal, regardless of spe

cialty or skill set, and got the job done.

Task Force Bon Voizen is a U.S. Southern

Command-sponsored, U.S. Army South

conducted, joint foreign military interac

tion/humanitarian exercise under the com

mand of the Louisiana National Guard.

GONAIVES, Haiti Air Force Col. Joseph Novak, a maxilofacial surgeon assigned to Task Force Bon Voi-zen, examines a Haitian womans teeth during a ten-day medical training exercise here, June 5.

PATIENTS, from page 1

Michelle Louna nurses her newborn daughter mo-

ments after Staff Sgt. Douglas Rozelle (top right)

delivered her baby, June 6.

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Family & Morale, Welfare andRecreation activities and events

FamiLy aND mWR nnounceents be found on the portl underCond announceents.

are ou on fcebook? Go to our ofcial

fcebook pge, USaG-miami FmWR, nd clckLiKE for nforton on tckets, trps events!

To be plced on the Fl nd mWR e-llst, send our ne, phone nuber nd e-lddress to [email protected].

Tickets offered by theInformation, Ticketsand Registration(ITR) Ofce, 305-437-1595 or305-437-2400

nZOO MIAMI,(formerly MiamiMetro Zoo) ticketsnow available. Adult:

$14, Child: $10. Saveup to 18 percent.

n CIRqUE DU

SOLEIL ALEGRIA.A baroque ode tothe energy, graceand power of youth,Thursday, July 28,7:30 p. m., Bank Atlantic Center. Premium Seats(Sec 108 Row 6 or similar) $95; P2 Level Seats(Sec 107 Row 17 or similar) $75; P3 Level Seats(Sec 107 Row 27 or similar) $55; P4 Level Seats(Sec 104 Row 24 or similar) $35.

nSADE IN CONCERT,Friday, July 15, 8 p.m., Bank AtlanticCenter, $142. Limited tickets available,

lower level seats, section 117 Row 11-12.

nWALT DISNEY WORLDRESORT, Now throughSep 28 active andretired U.S. militarypersonnel (includingCoast Guard,National Guard andReserves) or theirspouses can purchase:

Disney 4-Day MilitaryPromotional Tickets withPark Hopper Option for$135 each; Park Hopper and Water ParksFun and More Options are $162 each.

Tickets expire Oct 1. and maynot be used on July 4.

SPORTS & FITNESS 305.437.0123/0124

The Sports Department is sponsoring a teamfrom SOUTHCOM to participate in the DoralBusiness 5k/10k Run on Friday June 24 at6:30 pm. Registration forms are at the tnesscenter front desk. Start/Finish address is 8300NW 53rd St, Doral, FL 33166.Deadline to register is June 20 at 1200.For more information visit Doralbizrun.com,contact Jill Hauser @ x1682 or [email protected] or Angelique Williams atx0123 or [email protected]

nNEW CLASS SCHEDULE:

Monday0600-0700 Spinning with Samara0600-0700 Tai-Chi with Sensei Montalban

0700-0800 Yoga with Samara1130-1230 Spinning with Samara

Tuesday1230-1330 Spinning with Samara1200-1300 Lunch Power Yoga with Rae1700-1800 Spinning with Samara

Wednesday0600-0700 Spinning with Samara0600-0700 Tai-Chi with Sensei Montalban1100-1200 Yoga with Samara1200-1300 Spinning with Samara1200-1300 Tai-Chi with Sensei Montalban1630-1730 Mid-Week Restorative Yoga w/Rae1700-1800 Spinning with Samara

Thursday1200-1300 Power Yoga with Rae1230-1330 Spinning with Samara1700-1800 Spinning with Samara

Friday0600-0700 Yoga with Samara1130-1230 Spinning with Samara1230-1330 Yoga with Samara

Schedule is subject to change. $3 per class or$25 for 10 classes Please arrive on time forclass. First come rst served. Jill M. Hauser,Recreation Specialist, 305.437.1682/0123.

nFITNESS CLASSES THROUGHOUT THEYEAR:

Functional Fitness (outside) M-TH0600-0700hrs, 1130-1300hrs, and 1700-

1800hrs;Functional Fitness (inside) M,W,F 0600-0800hrs, and 1500-1800hrsT, TH 0600-0800hrs and 1130-1300hrs, P.O.C.Frank Same 305.437.1152, Sign-up at the Gymcounter.

Open Play Volleyball Tuesday and Thurs-day, 12-1 p.m.

Open Play indoor soccer Monday andWednesday, 12-1 p.m.

Racuetball Challenge Court M-F 1130-1300 Court #1.

nMASSAGE THERAPIST!60 minute session $70,30 minute session $35.To schedule your appointment call Russell Protz-man 305.951.1286 or 305.887.1719.

nOne on One Personal Trainingwith Samara60-minute session, $70; 30-minute session, $35Sign-up at the Gym counter!

nWTRX SUSPENSION TRAININGMon. & Wed., 6 p.m. $3 per class. Buildfunctional strength, balance and corestability all at once with this unique Trainingsystem. Please register with Jill Hauser,

[email protected]. Classes will begiven by certied TRX trainer Idalia Lopez.

nOPEN PLAY VOLLEYBALL Tuesdaysand Thursdays, 12-1 p.m.

nFUNCTIONAL FITNESS 6-7 a.m.,11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-7 p.m., Mon.-Fri.

For more information, call theFitness Center at 0123/0124.

nJOIN THEFAMILY ANDMWR INDOORWALKINGGROUP.

Meets Mon.,Wed. and Fri.,at 11:30 a.m.on the indoortrack. To join,contact AngieWilliams,ext. 0123.

Child, Youthand SchoolServices:

nRegister your school-age child now forsummer camp, June 13 through Aug. 19,Kindergarten through 5th grade. Selectonly the weeks you need! Call the ChildDevelopment Center at 305-437-1281, or1283, Mon. Fri., 6 a.m. 6 p.m.

nAMERICAS HEROES GOLF PROGRAMMiami-Dade Parks & Rec Dept. offers freegolf at selected courses. For more information:http://www.southcom.mil/usag-miami/sites/mwr/les/AmerHeroesGolfProgram.pdf,Or contact Steve Lucius at: 305-829-8456,ext. 228, or [email protected].

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Sailors deliver medical supplies to Chilean evacuees

SJFHQ Maintains Deployment Readiness With Local Police HelpCapt. Alex Ramos, USMC

Standing Joint Force Headquarters

Sometimes all it takes to im-

prove training is a change in

the conditions.

The U.S. Southern Com-

mands Standing Joint Force

Headquarters recently im-

proved their marksmanship

instruction by working with

the Pembroke Pines Police De-

partments Training Division

and their Firearms Training

Center.

With the scenarios we de-

ploy in, typically following a

disaster, the likelihood of hav-

ing to use your weapon in self-

defense is increased, said Ma-rine Capt. Alex Ramos. You

need to be trained in a realistic

manner in order to respond ef-

fectively.

The non-standard pistol qual-

ication range SJFHQ previ-

ously used was severely limited

by the indoor range regulations

and conned ring lanes and

lacked realism.

While the indoor facility sup-

ported the minimum qualica-

tion requirements, Ramos said,

the training quickly grew stale.

Based on the feedback over

the last few years, it just lacked

realism it was hard to keep

people engaged and attentive.An opportunity for change

was provided through the SJF-

HQ Commander, Colonel Lee

Walters.

Walters met a member of the

Pembroke Pines cadre, Ofcer

John Cusack, through their

sons Cub Scout Den. Upon

learning about Cusacks role

as a Training Ofcer, Walters

quickly identied a valuable

opportunity to advance the

SJFHQ pistol marksmanship

training beyond the static-line

indoor range the unit has relied

on in the past.

In contrast, the Pembroke

Pines training facility offereda more realistic environment

and supported the use of vari-

ous ring positions to increase

individual weapon prociency

and better prepare the SJFHQ

members for deployment.

The training, led by Ramos,

was part of the Marine Corps

Combat Marksmanship Pro-

gram and consisted of primary

marksmanship instruction and

practical application exercises

that culminated with a live-re

event May 20 at the Firearms

Training Center. The event in

cluded weapons presentation

multiple targets and moving

target courses of re.

The difference was well re-

ceived, and the hosts equally

so. The Pembroke Police were

professional, very helpful an

interested in our training, a

great group of guys who made

sure that everything was done

correctly, said Ramos.

The relationship will contin

ue if SJFHQ has its way, We

want to continue to use their

facility to the greatest exten

possible, Walters said.

SJFHQs unique role in sup

porting SOUTHCOMs mision requires a responsive and

well-trained force, capable o

deploying on short-notice to

oftentimes uncertain environ

ments.

The pistol marksmanship

training increased SJFHQs

weapon prociency and fur

ther highlighted the benets o

building personal relationship

with local government orga

nizations in the south Florida

region.

Marine Maj. Bay Dobbins and Sgt. 1st Class John Tug look on as shooters

prepare to engage targets during the 25 yard-line slow re.

MC1 (SW) Steve Smith

Southern Seas 2011 Public Affairs

LAGO RANCO, Chile Sailors from

guided-missile frigates USS Boone (FFG

28) and USS Thach (FFG 43) delivered do-

nated supplies provided by Project Hand-

clasp to evacuees displaced by the eruption

of the Mount Puyehue volcano June 12.Three pallets of medical and hygienic

supplies from Project Handclasp, and

more than 60 stuffed animals from the

Loving Hugs organization were delivered

to the Liceo Antonio Varas School, which

is housing more than 500 evacuees.

I enjoyed the experience and the chance

to make a difference to those whose lives

were affected by such a disaster, said Pet-

ty Ofcer 1st Class Angel Bannister, USS

Thach.

The Sailors took a tour of the facilities

and met with volunteers and Chilean Red

Cross workers who discussed the erup-

tions and shelter operations. They also

spoke with several families and answered

questions from dozens of children.

It was rewarding for me to be able to

speak the language and meet with the

people and share their experiences, said

Petty Ofcer 1st Class Carlos Ortiz, USS

Boone. They were very grateful for us

being there, and very willing to share in

formation about the volcano and how they

were coping with life in the shelter.The donations included hygiene and

medical supplies and will be used to assist

the displaced families living there.

We appreciate the help from the Navy,

said Eduardo Holck, Lago Ranco gover-

nor. It will make a difference to the 500

people in the shelter who had nowhere else

to go. Everything helps, and everyone here

is grateful for the hospitality we have re

ceived.Volunteers at a shelter for evacuees of an erup-

tion of Mount Puyehue unload supplies.

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MIAMI ARMY BIRTHDAY

Juan Chiari

SOUTHCOM Army Element Cdr, Brig. Gen. Gerald Ketchum, (l) and Sgt. Maj. Eric Geressy, (r) Army and

Headquarters Senior Enlisted Leader, assisted by Staff Sgt. Ericka Melendez, (c), attach streamers to the

Army ag during an Army Birthday ceremony Tuesday at SOUTHCOMs Conference Center of the Americas.

Joint Task Force Brav

Aerial stunt performer Patty Wagstaff cuts a ribbon while ying inverted as Honduran military,

U.S. military and civilians watch during an air show June 12, at Colonel Armando Escalon Espinal

Air Base, Honduras. The annual event drew more than 10,000 spectators, raised money for a local

hospital and bolstered friendships between the aviation community of the U.S. and Honduras.

Staff Sgt. David Hercher, USMC

PANAMA CITY, Panama Capt. Etan Anthony, U.S.

Marine Corps Forces, South Security Cooperation team

leader, teaches a Human Rights class to Panamas

National Sea and Air Service (SENAN) Cuerpo Infan-

teria de Marina (CIM) during a Security Cooperation

engagement.

Tech. Sgt. Eric Petosk

Lt. Col. Chris Buckley, 612th Air Operations

Center, Strategy Division chief, delivers a

speech during a memorial ceremony honoring

the Doolittle raid and victory at the Battle of

Midway June 3.

CCA

PANAMA HONDURAS

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Tech. Sgt. Matthew McGovern

Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs

SOTO CANO AIR BASE,

Honduras More than 120

Joint Task Force-Bravo person-

nel hiked two miles up steep

terrain June 11, to deliver foodto people living in an isolated

village near Comayagua, Hon-

duras.

JTF-Bravo Army, Air Force,

Navy and Marine hikers car-

ried 160 bags of food in back-

packs, as part of a bi-monthly

Chapel Hike to help the needy.

This was by far the largest

group that weve ever taken in

the history of chapel hikes and

its the largest amount of mon-

ey raised and families we ca-

tered to, said Chaplain (Maj)

Daniel Thompson, JTF-Bravo

Command Chaplain.

All ranks of JTF-Bravo mem-

bers chipped in nearly $1,700

for the food. A portion of the

money was also used to buy

two piatas for the children and

basic school supplies including

pencils, pens and paper for 120

students.Im told that they are not

permitted to go to school un-

less they have their school

supplies, Chaplain Thomp-

son said. If the kids cant go to

school that means the parents

cant go to work so it is critical

that we can help them.

The parents of the isolated

mountain village called El

Paraiso, meaning the paradise,

mainly work on coffee planta-tions and dont always make

enough to thrive.

Sometimes we complain

about what we have and then

we see how they live; then we

appreciate how much we have,

said Maria Santos, chaplain

secretary.

Ms. Santos normally coordi-

nates the hikes but recently she

started to participate entirely.

When I actually went on the

last two chapel hikes, words

cant explain how you fee

about giving; its beautiful,

Ms. Santos said. They don

have much but theyre happy

and they really appreciate wha

we give them. They seem toappreciate everything.

Separated by a language bar

rier, some volunteers commu

nicated with smiles and waves

as they handed out food at the

village chapel.

I dont speak the language

so its difcult to verbally

communicate but at the same

time the language of love and

compassion is universal, said

Chaplain Thompson.

The expression of love and

compassion and their reception

spoke volumes to me; from a

simple embrace to tears of hu-

mility, he said.

It is an honor to serve

among Joint service men and

women who are willing to sac-

rice their sleep on a Saturday

morning to go and reach ou

into their community.

Army bids adieu to beret, makes velcro optional

Maj. Daniel Thompson

Staff Sgt. Heather Harvey, 612th Air Base Squadron postal clerk, hands a

bag containing 40 pounds of food to a villager June 11, near Comayagua,

Honduras. More than 120 military members from Soto Cano Air Base, Hondu-

ras, hiked two miles up steep terrain to deliver food to people in the town.

NOSOTROS staff and wire reports

WASHINGTON The Army

announced the patrol cap has

replaced the black beret as

headgear for the Army combat

uniform, although it remainsfor service dress use.

Army Chief of Staff Martin

E. Dempsey also said Soldiers

are now able to sew on name

tapes, service tapes, rank in-

signia and skill badges, instead

of using Velcro.

The changes were made by

Dempsey after input from

Sergeant Major of the Army

Raymond F. Chandler III, who

had gathered opinions from the

eld.

Typically, uniform changes

come as a result of a board

that meets twice a year. But

Chandler said issues surround-

ing the ACU headgear and the

use of Velcro were changes the

Army chief of staff wanted to

address immediately.Chandler said he spoke with

Soldiers and received com-

ments via social media sites.

I have also discussed this

with my board of directors

the most senior sergeants major

of our Army, Chandler said.

The top two issues involved

the beret and Velcro.

Soldiers didnt like the fact

that the beret was hot ... , he

said. And they didnt like the

fact it didnt shade the sun and

took two hands to put on.

This view is shared by many

SOUTHCOM Soldiers. One of

them, Spec. Jessica Tessene of

the Personnel Security Ofce

said, Im glad its gone. The

patrol cap is lighter and blocks

sunlight.Another Soldier, Sgt. Gene

Medich of J-2 added, I dont

think this is a loss at all.

Staff Sgt. Yizairalie Pabon,

J7, had a more enthusiastic

view, This is awesome! Its

too hot to wear the beret in Mi-

ami! she said.

The new policy will make

the patrol cap the standard. But

the beret will remain for the

Army service uniform, and as

an optional uniform item with

the ACU at the discretion of

commanders.

The changes will save the

Army about $6.5 million over

the lifecycle of the ACU.

The Armys new policy on

attaching accouterments to the

ACU will allow Soldiers to sewon insignia and skill badges

such as Airborne wings.

Combat, unit patches and the

U.S. ag will remain Velcro-

only.

Chandler also said Soldiers

had asked for changes to cargo

pockets. Velcro had been used

now ACUs are available with

buttons to keep pockets closed

The changes took place June

14. For details read Army Di-

rective 2011-11, also available

on the NIPR Portal.

JTF-Bravo members hike 6,400 pounds of food to village

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8/8


Lacy Betton, a U.S. Southern Command

Joint Readiness Ofcer and retired U.S

Navy Commander, and Jeff Garcia, the

South Dade High School ROTC Director

and retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant

are taking on the roads of North America

on their Charity Motorcycle Ride from

Key West to the Arctic Ocean and back in

support of the Armed Forces Relief Trust

Fund and four other charities.

The two veterans departed USSOUTH-

COM headquarters June 10, en route to

their ofcial starting point in Key West.

From the southernmost point in the Unit-

ed States they will ride theri nearly iden

tical Kawasaki motorcycles 12,000 miles

to one of the northernmost points in Alas-

ka on the Arctic Ocean and back to Key

West, Florida in 24 days. Betton has made

the ride once before, this is the rst time

he is riding with a partner.

The bikes contain cold weather gear

spare parts, tents and sleeping bags.

Why do it? To raise funds for charities

The Armed Forces Relief Trust, South

Florida Society for the Prevention of Cru

elty to Animals, Agape Family Ministries

Miami Rescue Mission and the United

Breast Cancer Foundation.

We raised over $70,000 last year, Bet

ton said, adding that he does not touch

any of the money. 100 percent of all do

nations will go directly to the charities

through links on our website.Enroute, Betton and Garcia will visit the

Buffalo Soldiers Memorial at Fort Leaven

worth, Kan., Minot Air Force Base, ND

and other military bases in Alaska.

Their website (www.hoperider.org) wil

allow viewers to take a virtual ride with

them by accessing their real time GPS po-

sition on Google Earth.

Viewers can also access daily journa

entries, pictures and video clips from the

website.

Courtesy photo

Hoperiders Journey From KeyWest to Arctic Circle For Charity

Three Sports, One Finish Line

Blain Reeves, SOUTHCOM J-3, takes 2nd Place in the Mens Elite Division and Overall in the Tri-Miami

Sprint Triathlon. It was my rst triathlon race since returning to the sport since 2001, he said.

Arthur McQueen

Lacy Betton (left, seated), a SOUTHCOM Joint Readiness Ofcer and retired Navy Cmdr, and Jeff Garcia,

South Dade High School ROTC Director and retired Army Master Sgt. (right, seated) pose before their

charity ride June 10, which will take them from Key West to the Arctic Ocean and back in support of the

Armed Forces Relief Trust Fund and four other charities.

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