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July 23, 2007 cjtf82.afghan.swa.army.mil Gen.Gen. PacePace ttalksalks toto trooptroopss atat BagramBagram - Page 4 Page 2 Freedom Watch DEFENSE DIGEST July 23, 2007 served as Acting Secretary of the Air ter through Hire A Hero and create Force from July to November 2005. online profiles at www.hireahero.org. Before joining the Defense Instructions can be found by clicking on Department, Geren was an attorney and Perdew's photo found on the Hire a businessman in Fort Worth, Texas. Hero Web site. The application deadline is Aug. 15. Second 'Apprentice' looks to military for his own apprentice Air Force Army WASHINGTON - The winner of Senate names Pete Geren 20th NBC's second season of "The Air Force streamlines officer, Secretary of the Army Apprentice" reality show, Kelly Perdew, is enlisted evaluation forms WASHINGTON - The Honorable looking to hire an apprentice. WASHINGTON - Air Force officials Pete Geren became the 20th Secretary of Perdew is the president of are introducing new officer and enlisted the Army July 13, following his nomina- ProElite.com, an online community for evaluation forms as it transforms its per- tion by President George W. Bush and mixed martial arts fighters, fans and sonnel processes. confirmation by the U.S. Senate. organizations. The former Army officer The major part of this effort has been As Secretary of the Army, Geren has is partnering with the non-profit group directed at reducing the workload associ- statutory responsibility for all matters "Hire a Hero" to find the right person. ated with preparing officer and enlisted relating to the U.S. Army: manpower, "Kelly Perdew is a quality employer, performance reports while ensuring the personnel, reserve affairs, installations, entrepreneur, and a patriot, who is truly evaluation process remains fair and pro- environmental issues, weapons systems helping to make a positive difference in vides for accurate portrayal of perform- and equipment acquisition, communica- the lives of those who have served," said ance. tions and financial management. Dan Caulfield, Hire A Hero's executive The change also includes the much Geren is responsible for the director. "He is setting the example for all anticipated addition of physical fitness Department of the Army's annual budg- other employers to follow." documentation to both evaluation and et and supplemental of $170 billion. He Caulfield, a former Marine officer, feedback forms. leads a work force of more than one mil- founded Hire a Hero, a program of the Although the Air Force used a com- lion active-duty and reserve-component Armed Forces Support Foundation. The petency based performance evaluation Soldiers, 230,000 Department of the program helps active-duty and transition- and feedback process, the changes to the Army civilian employees and 280,000 ing military personnel, veterans, National evaluation forms make them a more contracted service personnel. He has Guard members, reservists, and their user-friendly, value-added product that stewardship over 15 million acres of spouses find training and employment accurately reflects an Airman's perform- land. through an online community to help ance. Caring for Soldiers and their families them network into quality job opportuni- Implementation dates for the new has been Geren's top priority since his ties and training. evaluation forms for all ranks is as fol- days serving as the 28th Under Secretary The organization also is a member of lows: of the Army. In an opening statement America Supports You, a Defense - Officers: Aug. 15 during his confirmation hearing last Department program connecting citi- - Airman basic to senior airman: Aug. 15 month, he reaffirmed that commitment. zens and corporations with military per- - Staff sergeant: Jan. 1, 2008 "My year as Under Secretary of the sonnel and their families serving at home - Technical sergeant: Jan. 1, 2008 Army taught me much - my four months and abroad. - Master sergeant: Oct. 1 as Acting Secretary of the Army taught The winning candidate will work - Senior master sergeant: Aug. 1 me much more," he said. "I have been under Perdew at ProElite.com, a sub- - Chief master sergeant: Aug. inspired by the selfless service of our sidiary of ProElite Inc. The company - Premier band: April 1, 2008 Soldiers, and humbled by the sacrifice of provides mixed martial arts entertain- - Air Force Reserve and Air National their families." ment, including live, arena-based enter- Guard (airman basic to chief master ser- Geren joined the Defense tainment events, cable television pro- geant): Aug. 15 Department in September of 2001 to gramming on Showtime Network, and The new IMT performance report serve as Special Assistant to the Secretary community-driven interactive broadband and performance feedback worksheets of Defense with responsibilities in the entertainment via the Internet are available on the Air Force e- areas of inter-agency initiatives, legislative All interested job candidates, current Publishing Web site at http://www.e- affairs and special projects. He also or former military personnel, must regis- publishing.af.mil/. July 23, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 3 66 COVER Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, took time July 18 to answer servicemembers' ques- tions during a town hall meeting at Bagram. (Photo by Army Sgt.. Timothy Dinneen) Photo by Army Sgt. Tony J. Spain Contents Country music artist Brian Stace (left) and lead guitarist Mark PAGE 2 Agnessi perform for servicemembers at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, July 7. Stace and his band played at several bases in Defense Digest Afghanistan during a three week tour. PAGE 4 Chairman of Joint Chiefs visits servicemembers PAGE 5 PSS missions support troops at Forward Bases PAGE 6 Country music’s ‘Blue Eyed Bad Boy’ entertains service- members in Afghanistan 88 -- 99 PAGE 7 Afghan engineers rebuild Afghanistan PAGE 8-9 TF Rock prepares to tame ‘Valley of Fire’ PAGE 10 CENTAF commander visits Airmen at Kandahar Airfield PAGE 11 Freedom Focus PAGE 12-13 Joint medical engagement reaches out to Afghans in Photo by Army Spc. Jon H. Arguello Nuristan province The view from a gun position at Firebase Phoenix overlooking the PAGE 14 Korengal Valley. Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Afghans, Romanians improve relations with soccer Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Paratroopers occupy several small firebases along the valley in PAGE 15 one of the most hard-fought areas in Afghanistan's Regional Entertainment Page Command-East. Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Freedom Watch Staff Combined Joint Task Force-82. Commander - Air Force Maj. CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez John Bryan RC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta Superintendent - Senior Master Sgt. Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published each Richard Simonsen Monday by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section at NCOIC - Air Force Staff Sgt. Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week. Oshawn Jefferson In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas. Editor/Print Chief - Senior Airman Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, or Brian Stives endorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense. Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions are subject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room Visit the CJTF-82 Web site at 205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338. cjtf82.afghan.swa.army.mil Page 4 Freedom Watch NEWS July 23, 2007 Chairman of Joint Chiefs visits servicemembers Story and photo by Army Sgt. Timothy Dinneen Combined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan- istan - The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he believes the War on Terror will last another 20 to 30 years during a town hall speaking engagement with servicemembers here July 18. Marine Gen. Peter Pace used the opportunity to offer support and answer questions servicemembers fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom had before he leaves his position as chairman in September Marine Gen. Peter Pace (left), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and retires. answers servicemembers' questions during a town hall meeting July "Any terrorist activity over the past 18. Questions raised by servicemembers ranged from gauging the 100 years, it's taken 20 to 30 years to support of the American public for the War on Terror, differences defeat terrorist activity," said Pace. "It between the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, future footprints of American does not mean having 25,000 service- forces remaining in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how to influence a local members in Afghanistan, or 150,000 populace to embrace peace. Americans in Iraq; that will be deter- mined in a shorter timeline." war. The only thing for us to deter- ered servicemembers the importance Questions raised by servicemem- mine is how we prevail." of re-enlisting in a struggle that will bers ranged from The enemy is last well into the foreseeable future. gauging the support wrong to mis- "Anytime any of our fellow of the American pub- “The enemy’s intent is take [American] Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines lic for the War on to destroy our way of debate on how decide to stay on active duty, it makes Terror, differences to wage the war all of us who are on active duty feel between the Iraq and life. As long as our with our resolve pretty damn good because you're stay- Afghanistan wars, enemy has sworn to to win it," Pace ing on board with us," Pace said. "I future footprints of continued. "We guarantee you the folks in Congress American forces end our way of life, we will prevail." and the American people know exact- remaining in Iraq and will be in a war.