Volume 6, No. 34 ©SS 2014
F RIDAY , A
Volume 6, No. 34 ©SS 2014
UGUST
8, 2014
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2014
JOINT FORCES’ JOINT FORCES’ VERY OWN
VERY OWN
Limited number of multipurpose Limited number ofamphibious ready groups creates multipurpose amphibious global security ready groups createsgap
global security gap PAGE 2
Aircraft line the freshly repainted deck of the USS Bataan while in port in Bahrain last week the amphibious ready group spent 135 consecutive days at sea . The Navy has reluctantly agreed to PAGE 2 reduce its amphibious fleet requirement from 38 to 33, a move the Marines have repeatedly warned against over concerns that the force won’t be able to quickly deploy to international hot spots.
after
Aircraft line the freshly repainted deck of the USS Bataan while in port in Bahrain last week after H ENDRICK S IMOES /AP the amphibious ready group spent 135 consecutive days at sea. The Navy has reluctantly agreed to reduce its amphibious fleet requirement from 38 to 33, a move the Marines have repeatedly warned against over concerns that the force won’t be able to quickly deploy to international hot spots. HENDRICK SIMOES/AP
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Friday, August 8, 2014
Seaman Nathaniel Post, left, hands Seaman Chris Rogakos a hot burner barrel from the boiler through a cloud of steam aboard the USS Bataan on July 22. The two sailors wear fire-resistant jackets, earplugs and masks to protect themselves from the intense heat. PHOTOS
BY
JESSICA SAAB /Special to Stars and Stripes
IN HIGH DEMAND Bataan group’s long stretch at sea symptomatic of smaller amphibious fleet BY H ENDRICK SIMOES Stars and Stripes
MANAMA, Bahrain — The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan returned to open waters July 25 after undergoing much-needed maintenance after its near-record 135 days at sea in an area of heightened tension, which put a strain on the amphibious ready group and the ship’s crew. The Bataan amphibious ready group’s long stint at sea was symptomatic of how stretched the Navy’s amphibious fleet is. Responding to flashpoints across the Middle East and in the Mediterranean Sea stretched the Bataan group’s resources almost to the limit as officials warn that the Navy is struggling to meet security challenges around the globe because of a smaller fleet. The Bataan group, with more than 4,000
The deck of the ship was first washed thoroughly and then underwent a three-day paint job while the Bataan was in Bahrain. sailors and Marines, is in the midst of an eightmonth deployment that started in February. The group, based in Norfolk, Va., has spent most of its time in the Middle East and Medi-
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terranean Sea as flashpoints from Syria, Iraq and Libya to Ukraine have prompted the U.S. to show a stronger presence in the region. An amphibious ready group is often referred to as the “Swiss army knife” of the joint forces, but the Navy has reluctantly agreed to reduce its fleet requirement from 38 to 33 in an era of shrinking defense budgets. It is a move the Marines have repeatedly warned against. “Whether it’s terrorists organizing in a land campaign or whether it’s a disaster at sea that requires a humanitarian intervention, our skill set is applicable across the range of military operations,” said Marine Brig. Gen. Gregg Olson, commander of Task Force 51/59 and in charge of the amphibious forces deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet. The fleet is based in Bahrain and covers the Middle East region. SEE PAGE 3
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COVER STORY FROM PAGE 2
In May, Bataan’s participation in a large-scale annual exercise in Jordan was cut short when it was ordered to the Mediterranean for the possible evacuation of U.S. personnel from Libya because of escalating fighting there. Last month, fighters with the Islamic State, which seeks to create a caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq, threatened Baghdad. As a result, the USS Mesa Verde, an amphibious transport dock ship that is part of the Bataan ready group, was ordered into the Persian Gulf for a potential Iraq contingency operation, stretching the group’s assets near its limits. The group also includes the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall and the embarked 22nd To view more photos, Marine Expedigraphics and video tionary Unit. related to the USS “We came Bataan, go to: right up to the Stripes.com/go line a couple of /bataanbreak times, but we never stepped over the point to say, ‘We can’t do that because we don’t have X,’ ” said Capt. Neil Karnes, commodore of the amphibious squadron. He said “the capacity and flexibility” of the group is phenomenal.
Security gap But a decreasing number of amphibious warships in the Mediterranean and elsewhere is leaving a security gap, officials warn. On July 25, Assistant Commandant Gen. John Paxton Jr. told the a House Armed Services subcommittee that the Navy and Marine Corps reduction in the amphibious fleet requirement from 38 to the current 32 ships calls into question the ability of forces to deploy quickly and stay as long as needed at international hot spots such as Syria and Iraq. “We struggle under the existing number of ships today,” he said. Sudden humanitarian disasters and conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific are forcing the Navy and Marine Corps to pull ships from repair shipyards and force them into service or delay needed maintenance, he said. The number of amphibious ships is slated to top out at 33 in the next few years, and is expected to remain there for at least a decade, according to Sean Stackley, assistant Navy secretary for research, development and acquisition. A defense official told Stars and Stripes on July 22 that there are no plans to put a second amphibious ready group in the Mediterranean or the Middle East in the immediate future; the Bataan group is scheduled to be relieved by another in the next few months.
PHOTOS
High tension Spending 135 days at sea — the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt holds the record for consecutive days at sea, spending 159 days underway after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — during a period of sometimes high tension was a challenge for the Bataan’s 1,800 sailors and Marines. Morale was a “huge concern,” Karnes said. “We watched it closely. … We did things to make sure people were pumped up and informed on the mission.” Participating in real missions — not just exercises — helped keep spirits high, said sailors interviewed by Stars and Stripes aboard the ship. “There’s a mission being done at hand. We’re out here defending people and saving lives, so it kinda makes it worthwhile,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Joel Meka. “It was rough, I’m not gonna say it wasn’t,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Philip Strube. But organized recreation helped the time pass. “You look forward to a spades tourna-
ment every Tuesday night, and before you know it, 10 weeks go by and there’s 70 days out of the way,” Strube said. For Seaman Apprentice Ashley Weisel, on her first deployment, connecting with family and friends helped her push through. “Email is my best friend, definitely; Facebook is a lifesaver. I never thought I would say that, but honestly it is.” The Bataan’s 10-day visit to Bahrain provided an opportunity for
‘Whether it’s terrorists organizing in a land campaign or whether it’s a disaster at sea that requires a humanitarian intervention, our skill set is applicable across the range of military operations.
’
Marine Brig. Gen. Gregg Olson commander, Task Force 51/59
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JESSICA SAAB /Special to Stars and Stripes
Above: Seaman Nathaniel Post, an engineer aboard the USS Bataan, transports a cold burner barrel in the boiler room on July 22. The Bataan arrived in Bahrain July 15 for maintenance after an unusually lengthy 135 consecutive days at sea. Below: Sailors and Marines take a smoke break on the pier alongside the Bataan.
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maintenance. Boilers were taken offline to repair piping and replace pumps in engineering; crews cleaned out air-conditioning systems; technicians replaced an antenna for air traffic control; and the flight deck was painted. Sailors and Marines did get some liberty while in Bahrain — many visited malls and simply enjoyed interacting with people outside the confines of the ship. Karnes said he doesn’t think 135 days at sea is the new norm for the Navy, adding that the ship was currently projected to return home on schedule in October. “But if something happens, we will respond to it and do what we need to do.” Stars and Stripes reporters Travis J. Tritten and Jon Harper contributed to this report. simoes.hendrick@stripes.com
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EUROPE
MISSILES MONOTONY
US SERVICEMEMBERS FIGHT BOTH AT PATRIOT MISSILE SITE IN SOUTHERN TURKEY B J V ‘ To see a live-fire would be Y
OHN
ANDIVER
Stars and Stripes
GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Spc. Kayla Eckman has protective eyes over this city of 1.5 million people, guarding against any incoming missiles from Syria, which lies just over the horizon. “There’s a threat and that’s why we’re here, to protect the people of Gaziantep,” said Eckman, who serves as a Patriot operator with the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment out of Kaiserslautern, Germany. At the U.S. Patriot missile site in southern Turkey, Eckman’s job is to monitor a hightech tracking screen for any sign that the war in Syria might creep into Turkey. If a missile threatens Turkish airspace, it’s the 23-year-old Eckman’s job to spot it. “To see a live-fire would be fantastic, and part of you wishes it would happen. That’s what we train for,” said Eckman of the regiment’s Battery A. “But we’re here for the safety of the people of Gaziantep and it’s a good thing that hasn’t happened.” For a year and a half, U.S. soldiers have been guarding the airspace from a Turkish army base in this city about 40 miles from the Syrian border in response to a security request from Turkey. In late 2012, NATO defense ministers authorized the deployment of Patriots following crossborder shelling from Syria that
killed several Turkish citizens. Patriot batteries from Germany and the Netherlands have been deployed to other parts of southern Turkey in support of the mission. But no missiles have been fired from Syria, and there have been no interceptions. At the U.S. missile site, the 5-7 is the second U.S. unit to deploy to Gaziantep, having replaced the Fort Sill, Okla.-based 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery in December. Whether a third unit will be sent to replace the troops from Kaiserslautern when the 5-7’s tour ends in November remains an open question. Gen. Philip Breedlove, head of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander, said that largely depends on Turkey. “We will be looking to our Turkish allies to identify whether they think this mission needs to stay,” Breedlove said during a July 31 site visit in Gaziantep
fantastic, and part of you wishes it would happen. That’s what we train for.
’
Spc. Kayla Eckman Patriot operator with the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment
where he met with U.S. troops. “If (Turkey) does, we will look to all the nations of NATO to prepare another follow to this mission. “Collective defense that is the heart of what we do,” Breedlove said. His visit was focused solely on the Patriot mission, but the U.S. and European allies in particular have expressed concern about Turkey’s long, porous border with Syria. The country, which hosts some 800,000 Syrian refugees, has become a principal conduit for would-be jihadists who want to fight Syria’s secular regime. Critics of the Turkish government, which backs the Syrian opposition, have accused it of turning a blind eye to foreign fighters who transit though to take up arms against Syrian forces. SEE PAGE 6
Patriot missile launchers from the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment stand on a hillside at a Turkish army base overlooking the city of Gaziantep. MICHAEL A BRAMS/Stars and Stripes
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PHOTOS
BY
MICHAEL A BRAMS/Stars and Stripes
Above: Lt. Col. Lisa Bartel, commander of 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, shows Gen. Philip Breedlove, supreme allied commander Europe, a Patriot missile battery during his July 31 visit to the Turkish army base in Gaziantep, where the unit is deployed. Above right: Pfc. Taija Stewart watches Spc. Katherine Dillon pour a colander of noodles into a pan as they prepare dinner for their fellow soldiers. FROM PAGE 4
Breedlove said the prospect of fighters’ returning to Europe is causing alarm within NATO and that the first step in countering the threat is improving intelligencesharing between law enforcement agencies in respective countries. “I’m very concerned and so are the nations of NATO,” Breedlove said. “We need to collectively get after it and we are.” U.S. troops in Gaziantep say they are trying to stay sharp in the face of the day-to-day drudgery, though they acknowledge they have it better than many others who deploy. “It can be monotonous,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Rogers, 26, who serves with Battery B. “Every day it is pretty much the exact same thing.” In most cases, separation from family is the hardest part for the
troops. Rogers’ wife, Sgt. Sarah Rogers, is assigned to the same battalion as a Patriot launcher. But long workdays and different work schedules mean few chances to meet. “We almost never see each other,” he said. “Still, all and all, it hasn’t been a bad deployment.” The day starts early for most troops here: Rise at 4:30 a.m. for physical training, then off to breakfast and the office, where the day sometimes lasts until midnight when the workload is heavy, Rogers said. Unlike big bases in other forward-deployed locations, there are no food contractor services or other amenities such as coffee shops and American-style fast-food restaurants. The two hot meals per day are prepared by soldiers, who do their best to improvise in their
mobile kitchen. “Because it’s an expeditionary type of mission, we don’t have a lot of the creature comforts that come with other deployments with contractor services,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Burnley. “So it’s about getting into a battle rhythm and staying on top of your game.” For those who serve at the Patriot launcher site, up on a hill overlooking Gaziantep, the shifts are long and grueling under the scorching sun. “The heat is the hardest part,” said Spc. Alexis Juarez, 21, whose job is maintaining the Patriots. Most troops concur, however, that they’ve got it pretty good as far as deployments go. The soldiers sleep on beds rather than cots in air-conditioned, hard-cover buildings, so there is a reprieve from the brutal summer
See more photos of the Patriot unit deployed in Gaziantep, Turkey, at stripes.com/go/turkeyguard heat. The facilities have improved steadily since the mission in Turkey first launched a year and a half ago. The buildings that now serve as a headquarters and barracks were a ramshackle wreck. Steady work has transformed them into something close to comfortable. “This is my first deployment and I have no complaints,” Eckman said. “I was expecting a lot worse.” On his stop at the site, Breedlove met with troops, shaking hands and offering praise as he handed out coveted commander coins to soldiers. “When one of our allies is threatened, we are all threatened, and we work together and stay resolved to meet that challenge,” Breedlove said after meeting with soldiers. The presence of anti-missile Patriots has helped deter aggression out of Syria, Breedlove said. “If you measure success by the fact that we’ve had no missile attacks on Turkey, we’ve been completely successful in this mission.”
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Artist with acid
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Cockpit figure
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106 Getting a new address
37 Darns
78 Steer’s last stop
56 In ___ (together)
107 Packing a wallop
39 British bloke
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108 Like blushing cheeks
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81 “... and make it fast!”
41 “ ___ you ashamed of yourself?”
82 Vie
42 “Alive” setting
87 Show the way, in a way
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109 “Chango” preceder DOWN 1
DeMille specialty
2 Mexican snacks 3 Thick, sweet liqueur 4
A catcher is behind it
5 Synthetic rubber 6 Monthly payment for many
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26 Any substances one can eat
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80 “Read all ___ it”
8 South American feline
30 Most Virgos’ mo.
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31 Crucifix
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63 Some woodwinds
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17 Otherwise called (Abbr.)
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29 “Author unknown” (Abbr.)
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7
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Explore Alaska – Kayaking katie nolan
Imagine silently gliding past dripping icebergs, floating on turquoise waters surrounded by inquisitive sea otters, or paddling right up to the face of a tidewater glacier, massive waterfall, or sea bird rookery. Think about floating beside playful porpoises, with Stellar sea lions in the rocks before you, while watching a pod of Orcas diving in the distance. Puffins skim the calm surface of the waters. Close your eyes and imagine paddling on the calm surface of a lake, with moose, bear and beaver just yards away, bald eagles floating overhead. Your adventurous spirit is fulfilled, and the enormity of Alaska surrounds you. This is kayaking. According to Trenton Gould, guide manager for Kayak Adventures in Seward, kayaking is the best medium for real exploration. Is the goal to see glaciers or wildlife? Experience tranquility or enjoy an active adventure? Float a salmon stream, or walk on a deserted beach? Whatever the dream, it can become reality in a kayak. Where there is water, there is kayaking, whether on calm interior lakes or in the massive waters of Prince William Sound or Resurrection Bay. Newcomers to the sport find numerous opportunities to participate in kayak tours, where each person is taught the basics of the sport before venturing onto the waters in a guided tour. These businesses provide all the necessary items, including single or double kayaks and safety and comfort gear. Most of the providers use guides certified in water safety and rescue who are also great naturalists and excited about sharing their knowledge. All tours begin after basic instruction including water safety. Two types of kayaks are used: singles and doubles. The single kayak is better for experienced paddlers, and allows the individual to choose the route. Double kayaks are much more stable than singles and easier to steer, and allow those with lesser abilities or children the opportunity to enjoy a trip. Doubles are also faster, with two paddles active, and most have foot
pedal-controlled rudders for ease of steering. There are two types of kayak construction: fiberglass and plastic. Each has benefits and drawbacks. Fiberglass kayaks are larger and able to carry a heavier load. They are more delicate than plastic, and must be launched in deeper water away from rocks. Plastic kayaks are sturdier, and can be hauled across rocky beaches or over a portage. Paddling conditions are as important as gear and guides. Interior waters are generally placid, waters around Seward and Homer can be subject to change, while waters around Whittier are less impacted by weather than most seaports. Kayaking is a sport done “rain or shine”. With this in mind, be sure to bring rain gear and a rain hat as well as sunglasses and sunscreen. Some tours offer paddlers a drysuit for protection from hypothermia in Alaska’s cold waters, rain gear, “pogies” (kayaking gloves) and dry bags for paddlers. Bring a water bottle, comfortable shoes or rubber boots, and wear “Alaska layers” of insulated clothing, either synthetic or fleece, and wool socks. Avoid cotton and sweat shirts. Don’t forget the camera and binoculars, and, to be on the safe side, bring a change of clothing for the end of the day. Most important for a paddler to bring is a spirit of adventure.
Some kayak trips begin with a motorboat ferry to the starting point of the tour. According to Seward’s Sunny Cove Kayak manager Kat Page, kayak businesses will help those wishing to try kayaking find the perfect tour. Most tour companies offer “family friendly” tours for families with children ages 8 and up. They will also try to match personal interests with the best tour, and place visitors looking for wildlife with the best wildlife tour, individuals wishing photos with the most spectacular scenery, and persons wishing an active challenge together with their ideal tour. Page states that she strives to match each client and group with a magical experience custom made to meet their desires. Novice and beginning paddlers should always receive instruction in paddling skills, group and selfrescues, and develop an awareness of sea conditions before paddling in Alaskan coastal waters. There are inherent risks associated with every adventure, but safety is the goal of every guide service. Professional guides are well versed in kayaking and rescue skills, wilderness medicine, weather, and tides, and are generally up on local knowledge and experience, natural history and native cultures. If you’re considering a trip that goes out to Aialik Bay (eye-AL-ik), Northwestern Fjord, Nuka Bay, or Prince William Sound, it’s a good idea to have a cou-
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>> EXPLORE ALASKA k a y a k i n g , p a g e 2 ple of “weather days” on either end of the trip. That way, if Mother Nature intervenes, there is a better chance of rescheduling. This is Alaska. Usually only high winds, big seas or flooding will cancel a trip. Page encourages any active person from age 8 to 108 to try a kayak trip. “The experience is up close and personal. You are sitting 6” off of the water, at eye level with the wildlife. It’s incredible!” Adventure 60 North in Seward is a small outdoor adventure center located at the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park and the State of Alaska Marine Parks. They offer guided tours and kayak and outdoor gear rentals. Resurrection Bay is the favorite for 3 and 4 hour day trips. The Bear Glacier trip is a local favorite, where a stunning destination is accessed by helicopter. The trip to Aialik Bay, in the heart of Kenai Fjords National Park, offers one of the most exciting wildlife and glacier viewing kayaking opportunities, and the trip to Northwestern Fjord is to an area less traveled by tour boats and big groups, a rugged and remote area that offers adventurers a better chance of solitude and the true expedition feeling. They also offer kayaking lessons by ACA certified instructors. Alaska Backcountry Access in Girdwood offers “blue ice” kayaking on a remote and pristine lake deep in the Chugach Mountains. Waterfalls cascade from the mountains as paddlers enjoy the turquoisegreen color of Carmen Lake. Eagles, ducks, moose and bears are common sights. The lake is reached by comfortable jet boats driven by experienced guides, and these are also used to reach 20 Mile Glacier Lake up to the face of the glacier, surrounded by icebergs and snow-capped mountains. The day includes lunch on a beach, gear, and comfortable sit-on-top sea kayaks. Alaska Sea Kayakers in Whittier provides several day trips and custom itineraries as well as rentals. Their tours range from a half-day introduction to sea kayaking that goes past the Kittiwake colony, a day trip by water taxi to Blackstone Bay for kayaking, or a day tour that includes crossing the fjord, where the paddler gets a true sense of the enormity of Alaska’s waters. They also offer instruction to the public by certified instructors of the British Canoe Union and American Canoe Association, a must for those interested in taking up the sport. Backcountry Safaris in Seward offer full-day sea kayaking tours with destinations in Resurrection Bay, as well as personalized custom trips that cater to special interests. Their most popular trip is the Bear Glacier tour, a unique protected sea kayaking paradise. Wildlife in the area includes black bears, mountain goats and harbor seals that enjoy the lagoon for protection from the Orca whales that cruise just outside the beach. The Historic Fort McGilvray/ Caines Head is a full day adventure that includes a sea kayaking trip and a 2 mile hike to the historic World War II Fort McGilvray, exploring the remains of old ammunition magazines and the maze of underground passages and rooms. Homer Ocean Charters is located in Kachemak Bay, a prime destination for sea kayaking. This company offers guided day and multi-day trips for both beginning and experienced sea kayakers. Paddling among the sea otters, porpoises and whales, exploring tidal pools, and learning about the local area adds to your experience. They offer full and half-day paddles from their resort at Otter Cove, across from the Homer Spit, and reached by water taxi. Paddlers enjoy moving alongside sea otters and other wildlife in the pristine waters including Sadie Cove, Tutka Bay, and around Yukon Island. Each tour is customized to fulfill the group’s desires, and can include beachcombing. Multi-day trips are also available, and experienced paddlers may rent kayaks from the Otter Cove base camp. Kayak Adventures in Seward offers everything from half-day trips to multi-day trips and custom adventure packages. Each tour is designed for small
groups only, to provide every paddler the optimum learning experience, and their business reflects their personal values of respect for the magnificence of creation. They offer a kayaking skills class as an introduction to the basics of sea kayaking, including types of gear, fitting gear to suit the individual, basic strokes, safety and rescue techniques. They also instruct in fundamental topics such as tides, wind, weather and waves. Lazy Otter Charters in Whittier, a dynamic area with the highest concentration of tidewater glaciers. With calm waters ideal for kayaking and the gorgeous backdrop of serrated peaks of the Chugach Mountains, Whittier is an ideal location for the sport of kayaking. Paddlers generally find wildlife that walk the shore and swim in the sea, including orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, Dall porpoise, puffins, seals, sea otters, goats, bears, and eagles and rookeries of sea birds. They offer guided trips from Whittier into Blackstone Bay, a great option for newcomers, and full-day excursions customized to each client. These treks can include cruising among the numerous glaciers in Harriman Fjord or paddling deep into the heart of the Sound looking for humpback and killer whales, finding remote beaches and tide pools, or even short hikes into the northern rainforest. Prince William Sound Kayak Center in Whittier has provided adventures into Prince William Sound for over 30 years. They offer guided day and halfday tours and two to four day trips. These trips can include sea cliffs and spectacular waterfalls, with glaciers in the distance, the Black-legged Kittiwake rookery, and marine and shore animals. They also offer a Blackstone Bay Glacier tour that begins with a water taxi. Longer tours can include Shotgun Cove, where paddlers pass the wreck of an old Washington State ferry. Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking in Seward offers tours through the turquoise blue waters of the Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay. Tidewater and alpine glaciers, protected coves and rugged cliffs surround you, while whales, puffins and sea otters feed nearby. In season, pods of orcas glide through the waters searching for salmon. They offer tours to Kenai Fjords National Park, Caines Head State Recreation Area, and Fix Island, a mix of rain forest, sculpted cliffs, protected coves, and long, pebbled beaches. Sea otters, bald eagles and salmon are common sights. The morning and early afternoon trips are ideal for novice paddlers and children over 8. Late afternoon trips are a more active paddle, as the winds tend to pick up towards evening. They also offer a new tour specially designed for families, a full day of kayaking, beach combing and hiking a waterfall. St. Augustine’s Kayak & Tours in Homer has been offering guided kayaking tours from their base camp in outer Peterson Bay, in the heart of Kachemak Bay State Park, for 30 years. Their central location, reached by water taxi, has a wealth of diverse paddling routes and loops to choose from, including Gull Island bird rookery with its 16,000 nesting birds and China Poot Bay, a vast system of tidal channels. They offer numerous paddling trips that can be tailored to the individual, from tide pools, open water, narrow channels, archways to pass through, oyster farms and salmon streams. They also offer hike/ paddle options, and suggest half-day trips for those tentative about sea kayaking. The Kayak Center, Cottonwood Lake, Wasilla, features stream and lake paddling on Cottonwood Lake. This chain of lakes, situated in the heart of the Matanuska Valley, is something most visitors never see. As the glaciers retreated, they carved a large channel that filled with water from the melting ice. The result is a chain of four lakes, all connected by gently flowing streams. Eagles, muskrats, beaver, salmon, trout and waterfowl are common sights in these waters. These tours are self-guided, and while the average trip time is 4 hours, rentals are for the full day allowing paddlers to fully enjoy their surroundings. Water
safety and paddling instructions are given before each trip. Three Moose Kayak Adventures in Homer has enjoyed guiding kayak and hiking trips in Alaska for over 20 years. Their small group tours blend activities in some of Alaska’s most scenic locations. Trips range from casual kayak tours of Halibut Cove to heart pumping glacier kayaking. Their Halibut Cove headquarters is just 8 nautical miles from Homer, and reached by boat. The area is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, sea cliffs and caves, and teems with sea otters, eagles, seals and porpoise. The tour takes paddlers into the historic and quaint community of Halibut Cove, where “the streets are paved with water!” There, visitors can stroll the boardwalks and explore the pebble beaches of this scenic corner of Alaska. True North Kayak Adventures in Seward has taken visitors through craggy rock arches with snowcapped mountains in the background for 22 years, enjoying the opportunities to share the beauty of Seward and the Bay with beginners and experienced paddlers alike. All kayak trips begin with a short water taxi ride to their base at Yukon Island, in the U.S. Maritime Fish and Wildlife Refuge, famed for its abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery and a great habitat for marine mammals and nesting birds. Paddlers can extend their stay to beachside campsites and hiking trails. They offer a number of kayak and kayak/hike trips, from three hours to two days, exploring sights including old-growth forest and glacial moraines, a puffin rookery, fjords and a hanging glacier. To begin your own kayaking adventure, decide what you will be seeking and be realistic about your abilities. Talk to the various kayak outfitters and let them help you select the trip that will be best for your goals. They are in business to provide you a memorable trip that you will talk about for years. Girdwood Alaska Backcountry Access (907) 783-3600 www.akback.com Homer Homer Ocean Charters (800) 426-6212 www.homerocean.com St. Augustine’s Kayak & Tours (907) 299-1894 www.homerkayaking.com Three Moose Kayak Adventures (888) 503-7160 www.threemoose.com Seward Adventure Sixty North (907) 224-2600 www.adventure60.com Kayak Adventures (907) 224-3960 www.kayakak.com True North Kayak Adventures (907) 235-0708 www.truenorthkayak.com Wasilla The Kayak Center (877) 215-6600 www.kayakcenterak.com Whittier Alaska Sea Kayakers (877) 472-2534 www.alaskaseakayakers.com Lazy Otter Charters (800) 587-6887 www.lazyottercharters.com Prince William Sound Kayak Center (877) 472-2452 www.pwskayakcenter.com
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A war that
MILITARY
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Parents of the fallen wonder: Was it worth it?
A
BY M ARTIN KUZ Stars and Stripes
TWIN FALLS, Idaho battlefield cross stands in an oval flower bed in the trim front yard of Jerry and Becky Brown’s home. A soldier’s helmet rests atop a replica of an M-16 rifle pointed straight down between a pair of unlaced combat boots. Hanging on a chain from the rifle’s grip is a dog tag engraved with the name of the couple’s dead son.
Jerry built the memorial to honor Dan Brown, who was 27 when a roadside bomb killed him in Afghanistan on March 24, 2012. The staff sergeant died a month before his Army unit returned home and three months after the birth of his twin daughters. They will never know their father’s embrace. The cross elicits little attention in this suburban subdivision of white houses and green lawns. Drivers roll past the Browns’ corner lot without slowing. Joggers lope by without breaking stride. The tableau captures the invisible nature of the longest war in America’s history. A conflict that began in 2001 is not gone but forgotten, shunted to the periphery of public consciousness even before most of the residual U.S. forces leave by year’s end. There are exceptions. For mothers and fathers who lost sons and daughters to Afghanistan, the war remains as vivid and intimate as the day it created a lasting void in their lives. They hold tight to the pride they feel in their children’s service. But as the U.S. military withdraws and concerns persist of Afghanistan reverting to civil war, parents of fallen servicemembers struggle with a barbed question: For what larger reason did their child die? “I assume once we pull out, the country is going to go back to the same way it was before,” Jerry said. The scenario of collapse has played out in recent weeks in Iraq, where Daniel deployed in 2005 and U.S. troops departed three years ago. “If that happens, that will be hard to take,” Jerry said. “A lot of lives ended there, not only his.”
‘Totally wrong’ In their living room, the Browns have arranged a cluster of photos, plaques and medals in their oldest son’s memory,
the artifacts of bereavement. A similar shrine in the home of John and Anna Workman honors their youngest son. Sgt. Chris Workman, 33, and three fellow crewmembers died in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan on April 19, 2012, less than a month after Dan Brown’s death. “He loved the Army, and he loved being there,” said Anna, who lives with John on their ranch in Rupert, an hour’s drive from Twin Falls. “He felt like they were helping, like they were making a difference.” Such conviction has eluded his parents amid the looming prospect of Afghanistan unraveling like Iraq. The certainty of his absence contrasts with the political instability of the place where he took his last breath. “My fear is that the Afghan troops will just give the country back to the Taliban,” John said. He wears a black memorial bracelet inscribed with his son’s name and date of death, a death in a war that he believes was misguided, then mishandled. “It was totally wrong to go into Afghanistan, looking back on it,” he said. “But once we went, if we had just sent the military in with a clear objective and 100 percent of the resources they needed, they could have gone over, cleaned house and been done with it.” Last year, in a Memorial Day column for the local newspaper, Anna wrote of her ambivalence about the war’s purpose. “As the flags line the streets and towns, I flash back to our time of sorrow as we buried the remains of our boy. I wonder in 50 years who will know or even care, or if his sacrifice made one drop of difference.” She believes the same doubts burden returning troops, contributing to the high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among them. SEE PAGE 12
A battlefield cross stands in the yard of Jerry and Becky Brown, whose son, Army Staff Sgt. Dan Brown, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2012. M ARTIN KUZ /Stars and Stripes
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MILITARY FROM PAGE 11
“I think our soldiers are coming back so confused and emotionally upset because they don’t know what the point is of what we’re doing over there,” she said. Chris enlisted in 2008 at the relatively late age of 29 after shelving his military ambitions for a decade. His parents had insisted he attend college, and with a business degree from Idaho State, he worked in real estate for a few years until the recession hit. His deferred dream was realized when he deployed, yet Anna’s anxiety over his safety tempered her happiness for him. “I was so fearful that the worst could happen, and when you’re consumed with fear, you forget to say things,” she said. “You’re telling him ‘Be careful’ instead of ‘I’m proud of you.’ ” She began to cry. John placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke in a low voice. “He knew how you felt. He knew.”
America’s apathy Iraq’s implosion has drawn more media coverage than
‘ I wonder in 50
years who will know or even care, or if his sacrifice made one drop of difference.
’
Anna Workman mother of Sgt. Chris Workman, who died in Afghanistan in 2012
anything related to Afghanistan this year except the saga of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. The Idaho native spent five years as a prisoner of war in eastern Afghanistan before his release in May. His exchange for five Taliban detainees, coupled with accusations by members of his platoon that he deserted, whipped up a national frothing. The renewed turmoil in Iraq has disillusioned Jerry and Becky Brown about Afghanistan’s future. The Bergdahl uproar has deepened their frustration over America’s apathy. They want the loss of their soldier-son, and that of
thousands of other servicemembers, to provoke a public reaction of equal fervor. “What’s hard is, look at how much news there’s been about Bergdahl and then compare that to all the soldiers like Dan who gave up their lives,” Becky said. “You hear about them for a couple of days, and then nothing.” Several members of their son’s platoon told the Browns that he directed them to stay back before he walked toward a roadside bomb that had been discovered in a village in Kandahar province. The order spared them his fate. “People say, ‘You should be proud,’ ” Becky said. “I am proud, immensely proud. But we wish everyone knew about Dan’s life.” George and Julia Cochran share that desire for their son. Lance Cpl. Ken Cochran, 20, was electrocuted while refueling a generator on a base in southern Afghanistan on Jan. 15, 2012. The second youngest of four siblings, he joined the Marines after high school, inspired by his father, a onetime Leatherneck who served in Vietnam. “I was mad when Ken died,” said Julia, a retired Army captain who deployed to Iraq in 2009. “I thought the whole world should stop and everyone should take a moment and say, ‘This good kid — this nice, fabulous, all-American kid — is dead.’ And they didn’t.” The couple lives outside Boise in the town of Wilder, where Ken grew up riding dirt bikes and shadowing George in his metal shop. If their anger has subsided by degrees, they still yearn for the country to reciprocate his devotion. “I think his death was a noble sacrifice,” Julia said. “I just would like for people to take the time to understand that sacrifice.”
‘We got you’
Jerry Brown holds a photo of his son, Staff Sgt. Dan Brown, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on March 24, 2012.
Jerry Brown sustains his son’s memory with projects that could be called labors of loss. After finishing the battlefield cross in the front yard, he restored a 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner, affixing a fender badge that bears Dan’s name. Now he’s working on a 1972 El Camino, and he has received approval to build a city park
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M ARTIN KUZ /Stars and Stripes
John and Anna Workman’s youngest son, Sgt. Chris Workman, died in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan on April 19, 2012. “My fear is that the Afghan troops will just give the country back to the Taliban,” John said.
John Workman wears a memorial bracelet in honor of his son. memorial for troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. “My way of dealing with Dan’s death is not to deal with it, I guess,” he said. His son’s green camouflage field jacket draped the back of his chair as he and Becky sat at their kitchen table. “I know the pain is never going to go away.” In the couple’s living room, a framed photo shows Dan’s twin daughters, Mattie and Marlee, who live with his widow nearby. The last time
he spoke with his parents, a week before the blast that killed him, he fretted about supporting his children on an Army salary. “He was scared to death about it,” Becky said. “I told him, ‘Dan, we’ll help you out. We got you, bud. Anything you need — a crib, a high chair ...’” Her voice broke. Jerry hugged her close. They cried as one. kuz.martin@stripes.com Twitter: @MartinKuz
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German to be appointed USAREUR chief of staff L
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Moves, events, chores: There’s a list for that
BY JAD SLEIMAN Stars and Stripes
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — For the first time since U.S. troops arrived in Europe during World War II, a German general will serve as chief of staff of U.S. Army Europe. The announcement of Brig. Gen. Markus Laubenthal’s appointment comes at a time of strained relations between the U.S. and Germany over allegations of U.S. spying and phone tapping. USAREUR said in March it intended to name a German chief of staff. The U.S. military maintains key bases in Germany, where about 40,000 U.S. servicemembers are stationed, including about 25,000 soldiers. “This is a bold and major step forward in USAREUR’s commitment to operating in a multinational environment with our German allies,” Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr., USAREUR commander, said of Laubenthal’s appointment. “U.S. and German senior military leaders have been serving together in NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for
Courtesy of the U.S. Army
Brig. Gen. Markus Laubenthal, commander of the Bundeswehr’s Panzerbrigade 12 (12th Armored Brigade) has been named as the next chief of staff for U.S. Army Europe. years. Sustaining the shared capability from this experience will benefit both U.S. and German armies.” Laubenthal, 51, commanded the Bundeswehr’s 12th Armored Brigade in Amberg before this assignment. In August of last year, he took over as chief of staff for ISAF Regional Command
‘ This is a bold and major step
forward in USAREUR’s commitment to operating in a multinational environment with our German allies.
’
Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr. USAREUR commander
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North in Afghanistan, where he helped oversee the drawdown of German troops from Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif, according to information on the German army website. Among other assignments, he served as military assistant to the deputy commander of operations and assistant chief of staff for operations for NATO’s Kosovo force. “As the commander of Panzerbrigade 12 … I have always valued the joint exercises with our partnership unit, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck,” Laubenthal said, according to the Army’s statement. “I am sure that I can use the experience I gained in the German army supporting the training of ready army forces in my new position with USAREUR.” he said. Laubenthal’s formal appointment ceremony will be held later this month, a USAREUR spokesman said. A German army spokesman called the move “a clear sign for a good German-American cooperation.” That cooperation had been strained since last year’s reports of the U.S. National Security Agency’s mass surveillance of German citizens, including the monitoring of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s personal communications. Last month, German authorities expelled the CIA’s chief in Berlin after investigators identified two suspected spies allegedly working for the U.S. within the German government.
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ife doesn’t stop for a ing for college, so there was relocation, whether another list for those details: across town or across Complete student housing an ocean. It just keeps forms, get student physical, fill coming. For military families, out medical paperwork, set up our lives are not just what a bank account. happens in between moves, Also listed were preparait’s what happens during those tions for Wesley’s middle moves, too. school graduation, plus the This is not a moving summer dates of his last soccer games for my family, but thinking and end-of-season cookout. I ahead to the next one I’ve been had made notes to myself to decluttering and cleaning out contact his new high school some boxes in our basement. in Virginia and pick up DOD I came across my to-do list school records. from two moves ago. Perhaps Other important items: Get the fact that I’m holding on to new passports, mail Mother’s a 3-year-old list indicates how Day presents, set aside 220-volt much cleaning out I need to do, appliances — useless in the but I’m a saver. I call it curatStates — to pass along to a faming the history of our life on the ily newly arrived in Germany. move, and I had good reason to I can think of more chores save this particular list. and events not on that list: GetIt wasn’t just one list. It was ting the cars ready for inspeca combination of lists, some tion and shipping, haircuts written on pages from a yellow and orthodontist visits (Jessie legal pad, others on wide-ruled got her SPOUSE CALLS braces off, notebook paper, and one more jotted down on the back of a prom) bacmap of the villages around calaureate Panzer Kaserne in Stuttgart, committee Germany, the home we were meetings. getting ready to leave. These We signed checklists, more than a litany a lease on of tasks, are a record of signifiour soon-tocant events happening alongbe home in side our PCS. Virginia, and Like many moves, that one Will’s girlcame at the end of a school friend came Terri Barnes year, and prepto Germany arations began Join the conversation with Terri at from Texas months ahead. stripes.com/go/spousecalls for a weekOur daughter, long visit. Jessie, was By then we graduating from high school. were living on loaner furniture Our youngest, Wesley, was and eating from paper plates, finishing middle school. Our a nearly stress-free way to entertain company, it turns out. oldest, Will, was coming home I highly recommend it. from college for the festivities. Our monster list is not It was an especially eventful unique. Many military families season for our family, as my write similar ones while prevoluminous lists reminded me. paring to move in the midst of On one page were notes lives already in progress. about the pre-inspection for The challenge is not checkour military quarters and ing off the list. The challenge cleaning assignments for is to live this life — whether each family member. Another between moves or in the midst page detailed items to send of one — appreciating the ebb ahead with household goods and flow, because mobile or and necessities to keep in hold not, this is our one and only baggage for later transport. opportunity to live it. We listed everything needed Military family life is truly for graduation events to ensure no more transient than any they didn’t get packed with the other. We’re all just passing earlier lot. through, whether we spend A couple of pages were our lives in many places or just dedicated to Jessie’s graduaone. tion party. There was a guest Perhaps military families list and a host of preparations: are more aware of the passage Create the slide show, order a of time, marked as it is by our cake, plan decorations, make changing locations and our food. Jessie was also preparlists of things to remember.
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code breaker In these Code Quotes from America’s history, each letter given is a code consisting of another letter. To solve this Code Quote, you must decode the puzzle by replacing each letter with the correct one. An example is shown. A ‘clue’ is available if you need extra help. Example: G E O R G E W A S H I N G T O N Is coded as: W J A M W J G I T C X Z W F A Z
E J
P D A
C N A W P
Y E P E V A J O D E L C K R A N J I A J P W X K Q P S W N N A J
H A O O
Y W J
S D W P C .
B Q H B E H H I A J P Y K J Y A N J A Z
Z K
E P
B K N
Y W J
S A
W X K Q P
E P
Z K
I Q O P
W J Z
B K N
D W R A
W
W J T E K Q O
S D W P I K N A
P D A
D W N Z E J C
Hint: This person was the first to use the phrase “Founding Fathers”, most prominently in his 1921 inaugural address. Last week’s answer: “To the Constitution of the United States the term sovereign, is totally unknown.” Justice James Wilson
P D A
J W P E K J .