Changes to security clearance questions exclude combat stress counseling

Speaking form the Restoration and Reliance Center at Ft. Bliss Texas, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced changes to the questionnaire that military personnel are required to fill out in order to obtain their security clearance. Question No. 21 on the form asks about the applicant's mental health history and whether the applicant has sought mental health treatment.

Gates spoke about a review by the Army inspector general which found that soldiers were not seeking help with mental health issues because military member feared that by doing so they put their security clearance and therefore their jobs at risk. Gates said that after he learned about this, the Department of Defense undertook to change the wording of the question to exclude counseling for combat related stress disorders.

After an eight month process to change the government wide form, the questionnaire now makes clear that seeking treatment for mental health problems related to combat stress is not a disqualification for receiving or renewing security clearance.

"There are two aspects it seems to me when dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," said Gates. "First developing the care and the treatment of these soldiers...the second and in some ways perhaps equally challenging is to remove the stigma that is associated with PTSD to encourage soldiers, sailors, Marines and airman who encounter these problems to seek help."

Pentagon Morning Report: Iraq is the news in Mexico

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell gave a quick availability after a ceremony with the Secretary of Defense laying a wreath on a memorial for Mexican WWII veterans. Despite the desire from Pentagon public affairs that emphasis be placed on the trip to Mexico, the subject stayed squarely on the Middle East.

Morell said that everyone from the Secretary of Defense to the Chairman if the Joint Chiefs of Staff has acknowledged what a problem Iranian involvement in Iraq is and is determined to deal with it inside Iraq.

Morrell said that he is not aware of ramping up or revision of war plans for Iran. The focus of U.S. efforts is that Iranian arms and training of terrorists by Iran be dealt with within the confines of Iraq, Morrell said. He warned against the perception of an uptick in Iranian actions in Iraq, though he said, "We are seeing evidence that it continues."

He also said that since the Basra incursion the Iraqi military has made great strides since the fighting a few weeks ago. One example of progress was the development of a concerned local citizens group called "sons of Basra," paid by the Iraqi government to protect their neighborhoods.

House Armed Services Committee hearing on joint capacity programs and military and governance funding of U.S. allies

The House Armed Services held a hearing on the partnerships between the State Department and the Department of Defense. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testified on joint capacity programs and funding for strengthening military and governance capabilities of U.S. allies, particularly undeveloped or young states. Mullen made an opening statement but did not offer testimony. He was available only to answer questions for members.

In his opening statement, chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) criticized the fact that interagency cooperation is often ad hoc and are not the result of advanced planning. He mentioned that Rice had appealed for more funding for these capacity building programs but the "administration has not taken the hint." Currently the Defense Department foots the bill for adding weapons and training to states like the Philippines, Nepal, and Lebanon. The idea behind supporting these militaries is to prevent terrorist groups or rebel guerrillas from creating a crisis that would require U.S. military intervention or threaten U.S. security.

Ranking member Dunkin Hunter (R-CA) was critical of the military spending money on what he classified as a State Department program and he brought up an instance when money had been spent in Nepal to counteract the Maoist rebel force. He questioned what critical Defense initiatives had to be put off because of allocations to fighting potential threats instead of current threats.

In his opening statement Secretary of Defense Robert Gates expressed his support for the "Global Train-and-Equip" program that Defense pays for and State helps implement through an agreement called 1206. Gates gave examples of success of the program including one where al-Qaida affiliated operatives in Palestine were stopped by U.S. help to the Lebanese government. Gates called for 1206 to be made permanent and give the Defense Department more authority in overseeing it. One point that Gates repeated was that in the current conflict military members have had to do quasi-diplomacy in their jobs because of the lack of funding for the State Department to send the needed resources to conflict zones.

Rep. Hunter caused a bit of tension when he criticized the "culture of the State Department." Comments that he made were based on a "town hall meeting" where foreign service officers complained about the idea of being forced to accept high risk assignments in Iraq. He said thousands of military members serve willingly in Iraq and Afghanistan, but was disappointed that the State Department had a hard time filling 47 spots in the Green Zone of Baghdad.

This prompted a heated response from Rice who defended the Foreign Service and said that she has had more than enough volunteers to serve in conflict zones and that certain diplomats, already serving in high-risk assignments, were offended at such an attitude.

House Armed Services Committee hearing to review the budget request of the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2009

At the House Armed Services Committee, Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) said that he strongly supports the decision to have a real increase in defense spending. He said that many in the committee had a deep concern about the risk facing the nation in two key areas. First, he said, is the concern about the "current readiness posture." Second, was the rapid deterioration of security and stability in Afghanistan.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates said that challenges made more dangerous by modern technology included terrorism, extremism, violent jihadism, sectarian conflict, and proliferation of dangerous weapons and materials. He then said that the investment in defense spending was a 7.5 percent increase over last year's enacted level. He said that increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps would relieve stress on the force and enable the nation to meet its commitments at home and abroad.

Admiral Michael G. Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that we must provide our service members with leadership, resource, and support. He said he has set three strategic priorities for the military, which are to increase stability in the Middle East, reconstitute and revitalize the Armed Forces, and to re- balance our strategic risk.

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said that he was disappointed that the Administration did not request funding to cover the full costs of the war in Fiscal Year 2009.