Gates to wounded warriors: I thank you from the bottom of my heart

Secretary of Defense Robert M.Gates, speaking at a summit held at the Pentagon for wounded warriors and their families, said he wanted to reflect on an event a few months ago when Frank Buckles, a 107-year-old veteran, was present at a ceremony when a new exhibit was opened. Upon discharge from the military after World War I, Frank Buckles got “sixty bucks and a free pass to the Y[MCA],” as his severance.

To our wounded warriors, Gates said, I’ve been amazed by your grit and resilience. Part of my duties was to visit Walter Reed and other hospitals and I wasn’t sure I could keep it together and if I could handle it, to see the wounded. But I found instead that they lift me up, he said. Gates became emotional, his voice wavering, and looked solemn as he sniffled a bit and looked out at the audience. I will repeat the pledge I made to myself and everyone, he said, that other than winning the wars we are in, my highest priority is caring for those who are wounded.

Gates said they are now converting the disability rating process so that one service member has one exam, and one rating which will be shared between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Veterans Administration (VA). Working together, the DOD and VA can cut in half the time required to get to the disability payment process completed through the VA.

Many have returned bearing the scars of war, and some of those wounds are not readily apparent, Gates continued. In Iraq and Afghanistan, improvement in techniques and medical care has made it possible to survive an injury that many used to not be able to live through. This, however, has made evident how much we do not know about Traumatic Brain Injuries. We are poised to learn a lot more. We’ve also gone a long way to deal with the psychological effects of what has turned out to be a very long war.

As we all know, Gates said, not everyone returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is getting the mental health care they need. Too often people have avoided help because they were afraid of it affecting their security clearance or even their jobs. They are trying to remove the stigma by keeping counseling not part of the evaluation process, so that having it not affect their jobs is hopefully going to make it more likely to have men and women in uniform seek help.

Although we’ve made significant progress in the last year there is no doubt we still have a lot of work to do. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Gates concluded, and his remarks were received with a round of applause.

The Pentagon becomes a place of remembrance

Seven years after the airborne attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York, President Bush, accompanied by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates dedicated memorial to the memory of Pentagon employees and passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 77 which crashed into the building on Sept. 11, 2001.

"We claim this hallowed ground for peace and for healing. We claim it in the affirmation of our strongest belief as a people that every life is precious," said Gates. The memorial is a series of 184 silver metal benches spread out over a flat park of gravel. Beneath each bench a pool of water reflects the luster of the metal bench that stretches over it. For the ceremony each bench was draped in a blue flag, giving the appearance of a covered casket.

Quoting the poet Robert Frost, Rumsfeld spoke of Sept. 11 as a day that the United States "became acquainted with the night." Rumsfeld was lauded by the other speakers for his quick actions at the Pentagon on Sept. 11. Speaking of those who died that day he said, "Make no mistake, it was because they were Americans that they were killed in this place."

Rumsfeld also spoke the the resolve of the American people and of the U.S. military, "We have been acquainted with the night, we have taken it's measure and in the darkest of times we stood together. In defiance our nation has pressed on toward morning...Our nation will force the dawn."

Admiral Mike Mullen the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also spoke to the families of those who died in the Pentagon, "We honor the heart wrenching sacrifice, the quite courage of those who called these souls dad, mom, son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, friend."

Bush spoke about the wars that have followed the attacks on the Pentagon. "Since Sept. 11 our troops have taken the fight to the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at home," he said. Shortly after the attacks the U.S. began military operations in Afghanistan to unseat the Taliban government which was harboring the al-Qaida terrorist group that planned and executed the attacks. Thanking the men and women of the U.S. armed forces, Bush noted, "There has not been another attack on our soil in 2,557 days."

With the newly dedicated memorial and the Pentagon behind him, Sec. Gates spoke of the new meaning of the Department of Defense's main building. "From this time forward the Pentagon will be more than a symbol of government, more than the seat of military power, it will also be a place of remembrance."

Congress criticizes military for sexual assault cases

Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee had harsh words for Department of Defense officials at a committee hearing on sexual assault in the military. Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) said "there is a clear problem within DoD." John Tierney (D-Mass.) said the Defense Department had not done their job as far responding to accusations of sexual assault. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said that sexual assault and rape must be prosecuted equally in civilian life and in the military. Currently, she said, the two contexts are different.

Director of the Defense Capabilities and Management for the U.S. Government Accountability Office Brenda Farrell said that according to survey data, 6.8 percent of women and 1.8 percent of men in the military had experienced "unwanted sexual contact," during the last 12 months. She said that the majority chose not to report it. In a survey to 14 bases, 103 service members said they were sexually assaulted. Farrel said that the GAO concluded that the Defense Department had made progress, but they had " not adequately addressed some important issues," such as encouraging a system that supports reporting of sexual assault. Farrell said that in the GAO survey, 91 to 98 percent of those polled felt that their direct supervisor would address sexual assault.

Director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office for the Department of Defense Kaye Whitley said that Feb. 13, 2004, the Defense Department created a sexual assault task force. She said that the Pentagon knew of the problem of sexual assault, but that the commanders must report it, and deal with it harshly. Whitley had been subpoenaed for an earlier hearing date in July but the Defense Department advised her not to testify. Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) criticized Whitley, "We don't want someone weak in this office, we want someone who shakes it up and gets in trouble...It feels like your being abused in a different way."

DoD: The U.S. does not seek a new Cold War

Russia's actions "will not be tolerated," testified Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman during a hearing about the current military conflict in Georgia before Senate Armed Services Committee. "The United States does not seek a new Cold War," he said, challenging Russia to "define its relationship with the international community."

Defending the U.S. rush to side with Georgia, Edelman pointed out that "20 percent of [Georgia's] active duty forces were in Iraq" at the time their country was infiltrated. These troops were flown back to their base outside of Tblisi by the United States, shortly after the crisis broke out. Edelman called Georgia a partner in the war on terror. Edelman announced that the NATO alliance has decided to further the discussion of Georgia's membership by forming a commission to bring Georgia closer to membership.

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried claimed The United States was taking steps to back already by working with NATO to establish Georgia's "military needs."

Evaluating U.S.-Russian relations based on "realities"

"In the days and weeks ahead the Department of Defense will reexamine the whole gambit of our relationship with the Russian military," said Secretary Robert Gates during a press briefing at the Pentagon. Gates said that not only was the Russian offensive against Georgia designed to punish Georgia for their claim and involvement in the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but to send a message on those seeking to build relationships with western nations." I think that the Russian further message was to all of the parts of the former Soviet Union as a signal about trying to integrate with the west and move outside of the longtime Russian sphere of influence," he said.

Gates and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. James Cartwright laid out the details of the U.S. humanitarian mission to Georgia, which has been involved in heavy fighting with Russia over the past week.

"Generally they are moving out of the cities," said Cartwright of Russian forces which had gone as far as Gori, a town in central Georgia. "The air activities have slowed dramatically over the last 24 hours," he said.

President Bush has charged the Department of Defense with a humanitarian mission to bring relief supplies to Georgians. Gates said that the relief mission will be the focus point. "I don't see any prospect for the use of military force by the US in this situation," said Gates. He also said that American support is "sequenced" with the humanitarian mission coming first and then security to execute that mission and then some kind of economic reconstruction.

Gates set the tone for a slow rebuilding of relations between the U.S. and Russia. When asked if he trusted Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Gates said, "I have never believe that one should make national security policy on the basis of trust. I think that you make national security policy based on interests and on realities."