Volume 6, No. 22 ©SS 2014
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014
D-DAY 70 AT
RETURN TO NORMANDY: AN ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
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Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, troops in a landing craft approach Omaha Beach. At Omaha, one of five landing areas on the coast of Normandy, France, the U.S. 1st and 29th Divisions came under heavy fire. Despite bombardment from air and sea, the Nazis still had plenty of firepower, turning Omaha into a killing field.
The day that changed WWII Seven decades ago, Operation Overlord hit the beaches of Normandy
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eventy years ago next month, the largest armada ever assembled set off from England for the French coast. On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops, supported by 700 warships and carried by 2,500 landing craft, assaulted a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast in an effort to push the Nazis out from occupied France and drive into Germany. Earlier that day, thousands of paratroops landed behind the enemy’s defensive lines to protect the armada’s flanks. Despite heavy losses within the first six days of the assault, 326,000 men, 54,000 vehicles and 104,000 tons of materiel came ashore in what was called Operation Overlord. But the battle for Normandy was far from over. Twenty days into the opera-
tion, the Allies had advanced only a dozen miles inland. By July, the breakout from Normandy had begun. Troops fought the battle among the hedgerows and captured St. Lo. By month’s end, they were at the edge of Brittany. In August, Brittany was in Allied hands, and it was on to Paris, which was liberated on Aug. 25. The Allied advance suffered a setback in the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden and stalled in December at the legendary Battle of the Bulge. On March 7, 1945, the U.S. 9th Armored Division captured the bridge at Remagen, Germany, and by the end of the month all of the Rhine was in Allied hands. The march across Germany had begun. On May 9, 1945, just a little more than 11 months after D-Day, the Nazis surrendered.
INSIDE
• Tour the major sites of D-Day • Map of Operation Overlord • WWII cemeteries in Normandy
ON THE WEB
See stripes.com/normandy for: • More photos • Visitor information • An interactive map • Videos: D-Day and Normandy American Cemetery sights
Now, seven decades later, still-thankful French residents, D-Day veterans, their families and friends, along with tourists and history buffs, will return to the invasion beaches — Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword — to commemorate the Allies’ efforts and sacrifices.
STORIES AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL A BRAMS/Stars and Stripes — ABRAMS.MIKE@STRIPES.COM
Stars & Stripes is back in the U.S.! brought to us each week with the support of the sponsors below: Sponsorship Level
National content provided by Stars & Stripes. Local content, printing and distribution provided by A1 Publishing Alaska (A1). Most of the advertising provided by A1. A1 Publishing Alaska Publisher Steve Abeln SteveA@AK.net Art Direction Studio D Graphics
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In the footsteps of heroes Visit the sites where hard-fought battles were won and heroism ruled the day
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arly on June 6, 1944, an armada of warships and landing craft headed toward the coast of Normandy, France, and the night sky was filled with a swarm of more than 3,000 airplanes and gliders. Airborne troops — 20,000 of them — were to jump into Normandy with the task of capturing and securing bridges and beach exits for the amphibious force that was to hit the beaches in the morning in an effort to rout the Nazis from occupied France. British paratroops were to secure the eastern flank of invasion beaches while the more than 15,000 parachutists from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were to protect the western flank around the town of Ste.-Mère-Église. In that town, just a couple of miles inland from Utah Beach, the night sky was, unfortunately, not particularly dark as the parachutists floated down. A burning house, possibly set on fire by pre-invasion bombing, lit up the sky, revealing the silhouettes of descending paratroops. For one trooper, the situation was even more unsettling. Pvt. John Steele had been shot in the foot on the way down, and, to make matters worse, his parachute got caught on the steeple of the Ste.-Mère-Église church. Hanging there, he played dead before being captured by the Germans. Visitors to Ste.-Mère-Église today can still see the 82nd Airborne soldier hanging there, albeit in effigy. His plight was retold as part of the 1962 movie “The Longest Day,” in which Steele was played by Red Buttons. In the church, there are two interesting stainedglass windows: one of the Virgin Mary surrounded by paratroops and one of St. Michael, patron saint of parachutists, which was donated by veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division for the 25th anniversary of D-Day. Across the street is the U.S. Airborne Museum, which is worth a visit. On display is a Douglas C-47 used in the invasion to transport paratroops and tow gliders, along with a Waco glider used to ferry troops and cargo during the assault. The town itself is worth a look. Check out the post marking Kilometer 0 of the Voie de la Liberté, or Liberty Road, in front of the town hall, that follows the American drive across France in World War II. Interestingly, there is a Kilometer 00 marker at Utah Beach, as well. About two miles from Ste.-Mère-Église, on road D15 toward Picauville, stands the “Iron Mike” statue, dedicated to the paratroops of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. The battle for the small bridge across the Merderet River at the hamlet of La Fière was one of the heaviest fought by the 82nd in Normandy. A parachute jump to mark the battle is scheduled here for June 8. Follow the road a little farther and you will come to a small monument to the glider pilots. A short drive on, there’s one to the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. H-Hour at Utah and Omaha Beach — the time the invasion was to begin — was 6:30 a.m. SEE PAGE 4
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Normandy American Cemetery
Visitors to Normandy American Cemetery study an orientation table showing the D-Day invasion beaches. The cemetery is open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 15 to Sept. 15; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year; closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Admission is free. For information on American cemeteries and memorials in Europe, visit abmc.gov.
Utah Beach Museum
Visitors to the Utah Beach Museum study the Martin B-26 Marauder. This plane did not see action on D-Day, but Marauders played a major role in the run-up to the invasion. The Utah Beach Museum is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 to May 31; 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 1 to Sept. 30; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. On Dec. 31, the museum closes at 4 p.m. Admission is 8 euros for adults and 3.50 euros for children under 15. Children under 7 and World War II veterans get in free. The museum website is utah-beach.com.
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Ste.-Mère-Église
An effigy of Pvt. John Steele, an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper, hangs from the steeple at the church in Ste.-Mère-Église, France. Steele’s parachute got caught on the steeple when he jumped on D-Day. He played dead for several hours, but eventually was taken prisoner by the Germans. He later escaped and continued to fight in the war.
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At Omaha, the U.S. 1st and 29th Divisions came under heavy fire. Despite bombardment from air and sea, the Nazis still had plenty of firepower, turning the beach into a bloody killing field. At Utah, things went better. Due to a stroke of luck, the 4th Division had landed slightly off course, on a strip of beach not as heavily defended. However, no one’s role on D-Day was easy. When things started to bog down, Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. marched up and down the beach urging his soldiers to move inland. For his efforts, he was given the Medal of Honor. He died of a heart attack on July 12, 1944, and is buried at Normandy American Cemetery. The Utah Beach Museum tells the story of D-Day, from preparations for the invasion to its successful outcome. There is much to see, from an original Martin B-26 Marauder twin-engine bomber, to a Higgins boat landing craft. Many personal items used and carried by soldiers, sailors and airmen are on display, and the documentary “Victory in the Sand” is itself worth the price of admission. In front of the museum is a monument to the 4th Infantry Division. On the beach there are a number of other monuments. There is a memorial for the 90th Infantry Division, the 1st Engineer Special Brigade’s monument is on top of an old German bunker, and nearby is the U.S. Navy Monument, the newest on the beach. The Utah Beach American Memorial is being renovated, but is due to be finished for the anniversary commemoration. Driving toward Ste.-Mariedu-Mont you will come across the area’s newest monument, which is, as its plaque says, dedicated to those who led the way on D-Day. It depicts Maj. Richard Winters of “Band of Brothers” fame. A memorial to his “Easy” Company is nearby. At Pointe du Hoc, Lt. Col. James Rudder and the men of the 2nd Ranger Battalion fought their way up steep 100-foot cliffs that rose from the sea, to capture a German gun position that could have riddled Utah and Omaha Beaches with shells. SEE PAGE 6
President A. Lincoln - Gettysburg Address: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
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They captured the position only to find that some of the guns had been moved and tree trunks were used as props. A new visitors center was recently opened at Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument, and a visit there should not be missed. First, watch the video, then walk out toward the monument, past and over derelict German bunkers and through a landscape still scarred with craters from the Allied bombing and shelling. The monument is beautiful in its simplicity. A tall granite pylon stands atop a German bunker with tablets at its base inscribed in English and French. On Omaha, things had not gone well all morning. The tanks that were to land on the beach to soften up the enemy were released too far out to sea, and most sank. When infantry troops hit the beach, they immediately got pinned down by enemy fire. The draws, the roads up from the beach, were blocked by Germans. To make things worse, landing craft filled with troops kept pouring in, clogging up the beaches. Under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Norman Cota of the 29th Infantry Division, the troops began climbing directly up the bluffs, blowing away obstacles with explosives and opening up the way inland. Still, the beachhead and the cliffs would not fully be in Allied hands until the end of the day. By midnight, around 34,250 troops had landed, with about 2,000 casualties. Today, it is hard to imagine the horror, blood and confusion at Omaha Beach on D-Day. The loudest sound now might be the tour buses rolling down the coastal road. Along the road down to the beach at Vierville-surMerthere are monuments to the 29th Infantry Division, with its motto “29, Let’s Go!” engraved on it, and to the 6th Engineer Special Brigade. The U-shaped National Guard Monument is the most prominent sight on the western end of Omaha at Vierville. It, too, is built on a German gun position, and behind it you can still see a gun. There is also a marker for the 58th Armored Field Artillery Bat-
Pointe du Hoc
Utah Beach
The Ranger Memorial at Pointe du Hoc as seen through the opening of a German gun position. A new visitors center was recently opened at Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument, and a visit there should not be missed. It is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 15 to Sept. 15 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year. Admission is free. talion here. At St.-Laurent-sur-Mer stands the Signal Monument with a dedication to the 1st Infantry Division on one side and the 116th Infantry Regimental Combat Team on the other. Behind it on the beach is the modern sculpture “Les Braves.” The stainless steel sculpture is 9 meters high at its tallest point and weighs
15 tons. Its pieces represent the wings of hope, the rise of freedom and the wings of fraternity. On the far eastern end of Omaha Beach near Collevillesur-Mer stands the 1st Infantry Division Monument, a tall obelisk bearing the names of the division’s fallen. Nearby are two museums worth checking out, the Over-
lord Museum near the American cemetery and the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum on the road to Ste.-Laurent-surMer. High on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach is hallowed ground. Here, at Normandy American Cemetery, 9,387 American war dead are buried. The entrance to the cem-
Omaha Beach
The remains of a World War II landing craft lie embedded in the sands of Omaha Beach below the Normandy American Cemetery. The D-Day beaches and Normandy American Cemetery are about 175 miles northwest of Paris, about a three-hour drive.
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The 90th Infantry Division memorial on Utah Beach. The “Tough Hombres,” as they were known, fought from Utah Beach to Czechoslovakia during the war. etery is through a visitors center featuring multimedia displays that trace the run-up to the invasion and its aftermath. Outside the center, a path takes visitors to the bluff overlooking the beach. An orientation table, high above the sands below, shows all the Normandy invasion beaches. But the cemetery’s focal point is the 22-foot-high statue “The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” The headstones are of white marble in the shape of a Latin cross, except for the 149 topped by the Star of David that mark Jewish graves. Three Medal of Honor recipients are buried here, along with 41 sets of brothers and even a father and son. Behind the statue is the Garden of the Missing, its walls inscribed with 1,557 names of those missing in action. Standing at the foot of the statue looking across the reflecting pool, with the graves stretching row upon row almost as far as the eye can see, you get an idea of how much the country sacrificed for freedom on D-Day and beyond.
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The National Guard sponsors the No. 88 car driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Guard never analyzed NASCAR sponsorship
NASCAR
BY TRAVIS J. TRITTEN Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — The Army National Guard continued spending on NASCAR sponsorship for about a decade without analyzing the program or looking into why all active service branches found it too expensive and ineffective, the guard’s acting director told a Senate panel late last week. Maj. Gen. Judd Lyons said the service’s oversight of the NASCAR spending was inadequate, and a review of its sports marketing The amount the Army programs National Guard spends is underper year on a NASCAR marketing contract. way and should be completed within 30 days. The Guard spends $32 million a year on a NASCAR sports marketing contract that splashes its logo across race events, and sponsors car and driver visits to public schools across the country. But a Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight investigation, headed by chairwoman Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., reported May 8 that the spending resulted in zero new guard recruits in 2012 and last year only about 8,000 of the 1 million leads needed to meet recruiting goals. “It became apparent to me that management controls and oversight were not where they needed to be,” Lyons testified. “I share the subcommittee concerns — they are my concerns.” Lyons, who became director in January, said he was frustrated by the handling of the sponsorship and ordered the ongoing review to determine how the guard should be spending its sponsorship dollars. The NASCAR sponsorship is designed to boost the National
$32M
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Guard’s brand name, he said. The racing league is second only to the NFL for reaching its demographic of potential recruits, Lyons said. Thousands of students are exposed to the idea of serving through sponsored race car visits to schools. For example, the service sponsored a visit by NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a high school in Kentucky. The National Guard’s sponsorship of NASCAR dates back about 10 years and was
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approved by at least four previous directors, according to the service. But the recruiting value of the branding effort has never been fully known. “Trying to tie that awareness directly down to an individual’s decision to join the National Guard is elusive,” Lyons said. He said he was unaware of any Guard analysis that looked at the effectiveness of the program or alternative ways to spend the money. The sponsorship accounts for 57 percent of the Guard’s sports sponsorship budget.
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Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., the ranking member of the Senate oversight subcommittee, said he was confused by the Guard’s marketing explanation and lack of data on the NASCAR spending. “I understand marketing, and to me, this is gobbledygook,” he said. According to the Senate, other services had tried spending money on NASCAR but determined it was not a wise expense. The Army abandoned it in 2012 after finding it was the most expensive sponsor-
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ship for generating possible recruits, and the Marine Corps stopped spending in 2006 because it could not measure the program’s success. The Coast Guard generated only 350 leads on potential recruits after spending $9.5 million. “The data is very clear — you are not getting recruits off NASCAR,” McCaskill said. “We know because you told us.” tritten.travis@stripes.com Twitter: @Travis_Tritten
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MILITARY
‘I wear this medal for my team’ Obama presents Medal of Honor to former Army Sgt. Kyle White BY JON H ARPER Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — The stainless steel bracelet on former Army Sgt. Kyle White’s right wrist far outshone the Medal of Honor that President Barack Obama placed around his neck at a White House ceremony Tuesday. White received the nation’s highest award for military valor in recognition of his actions during a patrol in the rugged mountains near Aranas in eastern Afghanistan. He was serving as a radiotelephone operator with C Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade when his team of U.S. and Afghan National Army troops were ambushed by a larger and more heavily armed Taliban force on Nov. 9, 2007, after a meeting with Afghan villagers. Describing him as “a soldier who embodies the courage of his generation,” Obama recounted how, after being knocked unconscious by an enemy grenade, White, barely 20 at the time, regained consciousness as bullet fragments spattered in his face. Despite his wounds, White repeatedly braved enemy fire to try to save his comrades, including former Spc. Kain Schilling, who was one of White’s guests at the ceremony. Twice during the battle, White used tourniquets, one of them his own belt, to prevent a severely wounded Schilling from bleeding to death. “I’m here today because of Kyle’s actions. He not only saved my life, but the lives of many others,” Schilling told reporters on Monday. White also used a radio to help direct air and mortar
AP
President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Honor to former Army Sgt. Kyle White during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday. strikes against the Taliban to keep the enemy at bay. “Base commanders were glued to their radios, listening as American forces fought back an ambush in the rugged mountains. One battalion commander remembered that ‘all of Afghanistan’ was listening as [White] described what was happening,” Obama said. After medevac arrived, White made sure that all the other wounded servicemembers were aboard the helicopters before he left, according to Obama. White is only the seventh living Medal of Honor recipient from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another member
of the 173rd Airborne Brigade — Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta — received the award for his actions, also in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Before presenting the award, Obama pointed out something that White wears every day. “If you look closely at [White] on his way to work, you’ll notice a piece of the war that he carries with him, tucked under his shirt sleeve: a stainless steel bracelet around his wrist, etched with the names of his six fallen comrades, who will always be with him,” Obama said. The six — 1st Lt. Matthew Ferrara; Sgt. Jeffery Mersman; Spc. Sean Langevin;
Spc. Lester Roque; Pfc. Joseph Lancour; and Marine Sgt. Phillip Bocks — were White’s battle buddies who died in the ambush. Schilling made the bracelet for White and wears an identical one himself. “I just kind of wear it as a reminder. And it kind of motivates me, as well. It’s like, no matter what is going on in my life, like if something is hard … you look down and you’d be like, you know, these guys, if they were here right now they would not be complaining,” White told Stars and Stripes. Obama praised White as someone who has thrived after leaving the military, despite
‘ I also wear a piece of metal around my wrist … This is maybe even more precious than the metal symbol just placed around my neck. On it are the names of my six fallen brothers. They are my heroes.
Sudoku Puzzle - Medium
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Former Army Sgt. Kyle White
struggling with post-traumatic stress. White used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend the University of North Carolina and now works as an investment analyst at the Royal Bank of Canada in Charlotte. “When Kyle walks into the office every day, people see a man in a suit headed to work. And that’s how it should be: A proud veteran welcomed into his community, contributing his talents and skills to the progress of our nation,” Obama said. “I really want to kind of help educate servicemembers that are thinking about leaving the service and going back into the civilian world … about the post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the importance of an education and really, you know, how necessary it is for certain jobs out there,” White said in an interview with Stars and Stripes. After the ceremony White told reporters that he is “still uncomfortable with hearing my name and the word hero in the same sentence.” “The Medal of Honor is said to be the nation’s highest award for valor by one individual. But to me, it is much more. It is representation of the responsibility we accept as warriors and members of a team. It is a testament to the trust we have in each other and our leaders. Because of these reasons, a medal cannot be an individual award … That is why I wear this medal for my team,” he said. Then White talked about his bracelet. “I also wear a piece of metal around my wrist … This is maybe even more precious than the metal symbol just placed around my neck,” he said. “On it are the names of my six fallen brothers. They are my heroes.” Twitter: @JHarperStripes
Previous week’s answers Sudoku Solution - Medium
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Special ops forces increase in Baltics Stars and Stripes
STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. special operations forces are increasing their presence in the Baltics and eastern Europe with a continuous cycle of exercises planned as part of a new effort to maintain a “persistent presence” of elite U.S. troops in a region rattled by Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine. Troops assigned to Special Operations Command Europe last week launched Exercise Spring Storm in Estonia, which will be the first in a series of multinational and bilateral drills aimed at maintaining a constant presence of Green Berets and other operators in the region, the command said. “We’ve always done this kind of training, but what is new is this is going to be a persistent presence,” said Lt. Col. Nick Sternbeg, spokesman for SOCEUR. “We’ve got a plan and we’re pushing it forward.” In addition to long-standing annual exercises, SOCEUR has added a number of new training programs over the next two months in five counties across the Baltics and eastern Europe. Followon missions are also being planned to ensure an ongoing presence of special operators, according to the command.
The so-called Joint Combined Exchange Training events will involve small teams of operators, who work on a range of combat tactics on 30-day rotations. The troops, including Green Berets, SEALS and Air Force operators, will be pulled from SOCEUR headquarters in Stuttgart and across the special operations forces community to maintain a constant rotational presence. Such exercises ensure U.S. special operations units can fight effectively alongside their eastern European counterparts, some of which border Ukraine, said the SOCEUR commander, Air Force Maj. Gen Marshall B. Webb. “The numerous small unit engagements conducted with our partners each year inevitably lead to stronger relationships and more robust operational capabilities,” Webb said in a news release. “An important byproduct of these relationships is that we reassure our partners and allies of U.S. support to deter aggression and promote regional stability.” The exercises are also part of a wider NATO effort to preserve allied forces’ capability to fight together after combat troops leave Afghanistan at the end of the year. Analysts say that as a result of the war, the level of interoperability within
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Friday, May 16, 2014
A case of lost IDs and baked beans
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Continuing exercises part of effort to maintain a ‘persistent presence’ BY JOHN VANDIVER
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Courtesy of the U.S. Army
American and Estonian special operations forces stand in formation during the opening ceremony of Spring Storm 2014 in Amari, Estonia. the 28-nation alliance is now higher than at any time in its 65-year history. In addition to more smallunit missions in eastern Europe, annual training events in the region are also moving forward. After exercises in Estonia, SOCEUR will conduct Flaming Sword 14 in Lithuania later this month, followed by an annual national-level defense exercise in Latvia. “These training engagements will provide U.S. Special Operations forces with valuable opportunities to hone their language skills, gain vital understanding of the environment and culture in which their partners operate, and sharpen their tactical skills,” SOCEUR said in a news release. “This is standard training for special operations units and is conducted at the request of the partner nation.” Special Operations Command Europe falls under the U.S. European Command and is responsible for maintaining relationships with elite allied units across the continent. vandiver.john@stripes.com
This publication is a compilation of stories from Stars and Stripes, the editorially independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military community. The contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Defense Department or the military services. The U.S. Edition of Stars and Stripes is published jointly by Stars and Stripes and this newspaper. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DOD or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
© Stars and Stripes, 2014
e’re all entitled to or a lot of airmen. a little breakdown “Are you still going to go once in a while. with me tonight?” my husband Mine started when asked when he got home. He I lost my ID card. Well, no, was giving the invocation for it didn’t exactly begin there. the awards ceremony at the The comedy of errors began club, where we had intended to the day my ID card expired, meet up after the dorm dinner. though I didn’t realize it was He planned to leave the expired until five days later. ceremony after the prayer. That happened to be a Friday I had planned to stay for the afternoon, and my husband program. However, now we was leaving for TDY on Moncouldn’t go SPOUSE CALLS in two cars. day at 0 dark thirty. Since we don’t live on base, it I couldn’t was mostly an inconvenience. drive myI couldn’t go to the commisself to the sary that week, and I had to base, being reschedule a doctor’s appersona non pointment since I couldn’t be grata to both treated without a valid ID. the United After my husband returned, States Air he filled out the necessary Force and paperwork so I could renew the Illinois my ID card on my schedule. Terri Barnes Department The next day I of Motor took the magic Join the conversation with Terri at Vehicles. stripes.com/go/spousecalls paper to the I thought it pass and ID would be too office, thinking awkward for all my troubles were over. both of us to leave early, so I But they weren’t. Besides the stayed home. My husband left paperwork, I needed two forms and came back an hour or so of government identification. later. Of course, my expired ID was “It turned out they had me no longer valid. All I had with sitting up front,” he said. “So I me was my driver’s license. stayed.” Why didn’t I think of that? He sat beside the wing com“If your husband was here, mander and his wife. “I told them you were planyou wouldn’t need two forms ning to come, but you had a of ID,” the young airman said crisis.” brightly. Yeah, thanks. “A crisis! You told them I I knew my husband couldn’t had a crisis?” take time off that day. Also, the “Why not? You’re human, bright young airman informed aren’t you?” me they had no open appoint“Well, yes, but I don’t want ments the next day and would to be the person with a crisis, be closed the day after that. and you said you were leavThe following day, I’d ing early. Anyway, this is not a committed to help set up and crisis.” serve a dorm dinner and later So I did what any adult who attend a scholarship awards is definitely not having a crisis ceremony at the club with my does: I took an Advil and went husband. to bed early. For the dorm dinner, I figIt did. Losing all my vital ured I could get a visitor’s pass identification and defaulting on to get on base. That afternoon, my commitments was painful, with two big pans of baked but the only casualty was my beans and my teenage son in tow to help with setup, I headed pride, and what loss is that? Everyone makes mistakes. for the base. Before I got to the Two days later, I went back gate, however, I discovered to pass and ID. I took all the both my expired ID and my right paperwork — and my driver’s license were missing. husband, just in case. My I turned my purse and the car driver’s license was there, and upside down to no avail. now I have a new ID card. Mentally retracing my steps, Identity crisis over. I know I thought I’d probably left them exactly who I am. Human. behind at pass and ID the day I also know exactly what before. After trying unsucwe’re having for dinner: baked cessfully to contact the team beans. setting up the dorm dinner, I returned home with enough Terri Barnes writes Spouse Calls baked beans to feed an army, weekly for Stars and Stripes.
Veteran Owned Businesses Windy City LLC
1410 Rudakof Cir Anchorage, AK 99508 (907) 222-0844 adaktu.net
Historical Urban Wear
PO Box 141402 Anchorage, AK 99524 (907) 351-8834 classyurbanwear.com
Denali Graphics and Frame
5001 Arctic Blvd Ste 3 Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4456 denaligraphics.com
Mat-Su Tactial
4900 E Palmer-Wasilla Hwy Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 357-3381 matsutactical.com/index.html
M-W Drilling Inc
12200 Avion St Anchorage, AK 99516 (907) 345-4000 mwdrillinginc.com
Orion Construction Inc
4701 E Shaws Dr Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 631-3550
orionconstructioninc.net
Revl Inc
650 W 58th Ste J Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 563-8302 revlinc.net/Contact.aspx
World-wide Movers Inc
7120 Hart St Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 349-2581 world-widemovers.com
Federal Resource Solutions
PO Box 244911 Anchorage, AK 99524 (760) 473-2982 www.4frs.com
A-Two Septic
8460 E Gold Bullion Blvd Palmer, AK 99645 (907) 841-8632 www.a2septic.com
Alaska Commercial Carpenting and Services 8530 Gordon Cir Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 830-9878 www.accs1.com
Alaska Construction Surveys LLC
4141 B St Ste 203 Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 344-5505 www.akconstsurveys.com
Alaska Veteran’s Business Alliance 3705 Arctic Blvd #1335 Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 279-4779 www.akvba.org
Computer Matrix Court Reporter
135 Christensen Dr Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 243-0668 www.computermatrixcourtreporters.com
Container Specialties of Alaska
8150 Petersburg St Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 349-2300 www.containerspecialtiesak.com
Custom Truck Inc
Ace Delivery and Moving Inc
4748 Old Seward Hwy Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 563-5490 www.customtruckak.com
Brown’s Electrical Supply
8240 Petersburg St Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 562-2312 www.denalidrilling.com
7920 Schoon St Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 522-6684 www.alaskanace.com
365 Industrial Way Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 272-2259 www.brownselectric.com
Central Environmental
311 N Sitka St Anchorage AK 99501 (907) 561-0125 www.cei-alaska.com/contactus.html
Denali Drilling
J&S Auto Repair
21065 Bill Stevens Dr Chugiak, AK 99567 (907) 688-1191 www.jsautoak.com
Lemay Engineering and Consulting
4272 Chelsea Way Anchorage, AK 99504 (907) 250-9038 www.lemayengineering.com/Contact.html
LMC Management Services
2440 E Tudor Rd 1123 Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 242-6069 www.lmcmanagementservices.com
Lugo’s Upholstery
648 E Dowling Rd Ste 101 Anchorage AK 99518 (907) 562-5846 www.lugosupholstery.com
Microbyte Computers
PO Box 90057 Anchorage, AK 99509 (907) 382-8397 www.mbcak.com/contact/
Mckinley Fence Co of Alaska, Inc
5901 Lake Otis Pkwy, Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 563-3731 www.mckinleyfence.com
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Veteran Owned Businesses New Horizons Telecom Inc
901 Cope Industrial Way Palmer, AK 99456 (907) 761-6124 www.nhtiusa.com/contact.html
Nite Shift Janitorial Service
1305 W Ridgeview Dr Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 373-7905 www.niteshiftjanitorial.com
Northwestern Surgical Repair
8460 E 20th Ave Anchorage, AK 99504 (907) 338-9099 www.nwsurgicalrepair.com
Pioneer GI Clinic
4048 Laurel St Ste 301 Anchorage, AK 99508 (907) 440-7816 www.pioneergiclinic.com/Pioneer_GI_Clinic/Home.html
Pollux Aviation Ltd
6205 E Beechcraft Circ Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 746-0673 www.polluxaviation.net
Scheduleze
12110 Business Blvd Ste 6 PMB 335, Eagle River AK 99577 (907) 223-4958 www.scheduleze.com
Sequestered Solutions Alaska LLC
801 B St Ste 102 Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 868-8678 www.sequesteredsolutions.com
The Printer
2415 Spenard Rd Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 258-5700 www.theprinterak.com
Veteran Environmental Consulting
2410 W 29th Ave Apt 3 Anchorage, AK 99517 (907) 727-7797 www.vetenviron.com/
AAA Billiards Sales & Service
1040 E 5th Ave Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 278-7665 www.alaskabilliards.com
Alpine Septic Pumping Inc
700 Vine Rd Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 373-2120 www.alpineseptic.com
Alaska Quality Publishing Inc
2203 Sorbus Way Anchorage, AK 99508 (907) 277-3131 www.stasercg.com
Veteran’s Alaska Construction LLC
10613 Lafayette Cir Anchorage, AK 99515 (907) 339-9565 www.veteransalaska.com/
8537 Corbin Dr Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 562-9300 www.aqppublishing.com
Teeple Cabinets and Construction
A-1 Copy Systems LLC
1120 E 5th Ave Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 277-7555 www.arcticcontrols.com
Ads-b Technologies LLC
15908 E Helmaur Pl Palmer, AK 99654 (907) 746-5442 www.arcticskyexcavating.com
Staser Group LLC
4006 B W Tweed Ct Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 715-4090 www.teepleconstructionllc.com
Terrasat Inc
1413 W 31st Ave Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 344-9370 www.terrasatinc.com
600 W Northern Lights Blvd Ste A Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 349-3224 www.a1alaska.com
900 Merrill Field Dr Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 258-2372 www.ads-b.com
Arctic Controls Inc
Arctic Sky Excavating
Automated Laundry Systems and Supply Corp 5020 Fairbaks St Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 771-0103 www.autolaundrysystems.com
Bradshaw and Associates
2300 E 76th Ave Ste 1222 Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 522-7205 www.bardshawandassociates.com
Bering Global Logistics LLC
1800 W 48th Ave Anchorage, AK 99517 (907) 351-9943 www.beringglobal.com
All Pro Alaska
6627 Rosewood St Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 338-5438 www.bjlift.com
Blind Factory
10800 Northfleet Dr Anchorage, AK 99515 (907) 344-4600 www.blindfactoryak.hdspd.com
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Veteran Owned Businesses Britten & Associates
2616 Sorbus Cir Anchorage, AK 99508 (907) 440-8181 www.brittenassociates.com
Brr Concepts
17214 Meadow Creek Dr Eagle River, AK 99577 (907) 727-8438 www.brrconcepts.com
Coldfoot Environmental Services
6670 Wes Way Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 770-9936 www.coldfootenv.com
Currier’s Asphalt Maintenance
1605 Roosevelt Dr Anchorage, AK 99517 (907) 522-8687 www.curriers.com
Denali Bio-Diesel Inc
22443 Sambar Loop Chugiak, AK 99567 (743) 730-8665 www.denalibiodiesel.com
Environmental Compliance Consulting
1500 Post Rd Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 644-0428 www.eccalaska.com
Lasher Sport Inc
801 E 82nd Ave Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 529-8833 www.lashersport.com
Ljc Group Limited
Sustainable Design Group LLC
1785 East Raven Cir Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 720-3259 www.sdg-ak.com
Ltr Training Systems Inc.
Weston Productions 20845 Frosty Dr Chugiak, AK 99567 (907) 229-6116 www.westonproductions.tv
Yard Chief Yard Care Inc
Frank Flavin Photography
7045 Welmer Rd Apt 5 Anchorage, AK 99502 (907) 632-5597 www.ljconline.com
5761 Silverado Way Ste Q Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 563-4463 www.survivaltraining.com
MH Consulting
3431 Amber Bay Loop Anchorage, AK 99515 (907) 344-4521 www.mhcinc.net
Triphase Adventure Group
Frigid North G
1405 W 27th Ave Unit 306 Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 360-1989 www.tagalaska.com
2120 Casey Cusack Lp Anchorage, AK 99515 (907) 306-7052 www.zusam.spruz.com
Alaska Radiator Distributor LLC
Tenant Watch
Heavenly Sights
5401 Cordova St Ste 305 Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 561-1606 www.flavinphotography.com
3309 Spenard Rd Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4633 www.frigidn.com
Globelink Telecom Inc
6706 Greenwood St Unit 2 PO Box 231256 Anchorage AK 99523 (907) 562-0384 www.radiator.com
JamesVelox & James
Really Creative Business Solutions
6911 Tanaina Dr Anchorage, AK 99502 (907) 243-0118 www.globelinktel.com
3000 C St Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 310-5785 www.jvjresearch.com
9138 Arlon St Ste A3 A3-88 Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 646-2005 www.rcbusinesssolutions.com/index/html
3201 C St Ste 202 Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 272-7336 www.tenantwatch.net
Trailboss Enterprises Inc 201 E 3rd Ave Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 338-8243 www.trailboss.biz
1425 N Spar Ave #2 Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 337-3355 www.yardchief.biz
Bandapart Productions
Charters & Campground Ninilchik, AK Deep Creek (907) 567-73671 www.heavenlysights.com