Jan. 27 -- Walk the Line, PG-13, 7:30 P.M

January changes (as of 1/25) C FUND + 1.40 percent I FUND + 3.92 percent S FUND + 4.49 percent ® VOL. 63, NO. 4 SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY JANUARY 27, 2006 DTS has costly problems Troops in Iraq decrease WASHINGTON (Fed Times) -- Pentagon still cannot tell when millions of dollars. The Army paid The Department of Defense online DOD employees on offi cial travel $5.6 million more than necessary to last summer’s levels travel booking and reimbursement are buying airline tickets that are between October 2004 and February WASHINGTON (American brigades -- roughly 7,000 soldiers system suffers from numerous needlessly expensive, or when they 2005 on manual voucher processing, Forces Press Service) -- The - to Iraq as previously planned, problems that are costing the do not use tickets, or if they have the report said. number of U.S. troops serving Venable said, could result in a government millions of dollars. been repaid too much or too little. In a Dec. 14 letter, the director of in Iraq has decreased to around further troop reduction. That That’s according to a Jan. 18 Despite the fact that DTS the Defense Finance and Accounting 138,000, which was the level decision, according to a DOD report released by the Government was approved for worldwide Service, Zack Gaddy, agreed with deployed there last summer, a news release, was based on the Accountability Offi ce. deployment in 2003 and is now GAO’s fi ndings and promised to Defense Department military demonstrated capabilities of That report, titled “DoD deployed to thousands of fi eld sites, improve testing and simplify DTS’ spokesman said here Wed. Iraqi forces in providing security Business Transformation: Defense travelers are also using old methods display so travelers can more easily “We have come back down for the Dec. 15 election. Travel System Continues to Face to book their travel and ignoring fi nd cheaper tickets. to the troop level that we were Also, the old 138,000-troop Implementation Challenges,” said DTS, GAO said. This hurts efforts to G a d d y a l s o s a i d t h e at back in the summer of ‘05,” baseline for U.S. troops in Iraq the system’s testing has been save money and means the Pentagon undersecretary of Defense for said Lt. Col. Barry Venable. has changed, Venable said. ineffective and travel offi cials can’t must pay to operate redundant personnel and readiness, David U.S. troop levels in Iraq “That paradigm no longer ensure the system will do what travel systems. And processing Chu, is preparing a memo that will were temporarily boosted last holds true,” he noted, “because its maker, Northrop Grumman, reimbursement vouchers manually order more travelers to use DTS. year from around 138,000 to from this point forward what you promised. instead of electronically, as DTS is Chu, they said, will issue the memo about 160,000 troops to provide will see is a continuous, ongoing The shortcomings mean the designed to do, costs the military next month. extra security for the Oct. assessment of conditions in 15 constitutional referendum Iraq and that will drive General and the Dec. 15 nationwide Casey’s recommendations for Iraqi military academy key for future elections. the number of troops he needs.” By Claude McKinney the nuances of guard mount and commonly called an ammunition Those extra troops “have Gen. George W. Casey Jr. is as operational guard posts for the supply point is a four meters by six cycled out and we’re now back the top U.S. troop commander ZAKHO, Iraq (Army News facility. The new entrances will meters brick building with elevated down to what was the former in Iraq. Service) -- In northern Iraq, there inspire awe, determination, and pads to keep the ammunition off the baseline level,” Venable said. Venable said more U.S. troop is a school under reconstruction commitment to entering cadets in fl oor. The facility is secured by a U.S. force levels in Iraq, he said, reductions in Iraq are possible that may have a greater impact on the same manner as entering the three-meter-high berm, a cyclone can fl uctuate on a daily basis. if the security situation there the future of Iraq than any other gates of West Point, Annapolis, or fence with razor wire around its And DOD’s recent decision improves. And “there may be an reconstruction effort. The school is the Air Force Academy have been perimeter and lights. not to deploy two more Army increase, if required,” he said. Zakho Military Academy. symbolic for those entering training IRAQI academy, cont. on 3 As important as oil, electricity, to become the nation’s leaders in water, health care and primary the U.S. education are to Iraq’s future, Other force protection educating those already identifi ed projects included a new munitions to be the future leaders of Iraq storage facility and upgrades to will provide direction in the same the armory. The armory includes manner as a rudder steers a large rooms for weapons issue, weapons ship. Zakho Military Academy is maintenance and cleaning and one of Iraq’s two national military weapons racks and lockers for academies and is equivalent to the storing both rifles and pistols. U.S. Military Academy at West The weapons storage rooms Point, N.Y. were equipped with their own independent air handling. The Force protection upgrades done new munitions storage facility The force protection upgrades performed on the academy are now complete. These upgrades included the design and construction of nine guard towers located around the perimeter of the ZMA compound, installation of lighting on the perimeter wall and the renovation of two compound entrances. Tax Center now open The lighting will provide protection and security to the Iraqi Sgt.1st Class David Kirby (center) and his wife Natasha (right) go over their tax returns with Army cadre and cadets who live the USMA tax center’s Cordelia King at the West Point Tax Center in Bldg. 626 here. The on campus. The guard towers will Tax Center opened Monday. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until serve both as training opportunities noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment call 938-6165. KATHY EASTWOOD/PV for the cadets to learn fi rst hand Cadets study abroad, see page 8 2 January 27, 2006 Bond of wounded warriors crosses generations By Capt. Sean Meadows to a standstill. the gurney. Before I could ask, he Army physician. I see the news burned and wounded that I have Special to American Forces You could hear the whispers: said: “Give my bed to one of those reports of wounded in Iraq and met want to rejoin their buddies and Press Service “Are those guys from Iraq?” Soldiers. I’m not taking a bed away Afghanistan, and hours later they go back. Their strength sustains me P r e v i o u s l y s u m m o n e d from one of those guys!” come through the doors, fl own in as I tend to them in the intensive BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL specialists arrived in droves to get Morris had tears in his eyes and for intensive and sometimes long- care unit and on the wards. CENTER, Texas -- “Hey doc, when these Soldiers, Airmen and Marines was overwrought with emotion term care. My lack of sleep and long am I going upstairs? Hey doc, this admitted or taken to operating looking at the line of Soldiers An intangible benefi t this Army schedule gets put into perspective bed is uncomfortable, when am I rooms. The whole hospital hums waiting in wheelchairs and on hospital offers to men and women as I see why I train. It’s hard to going to be admitted?” with activity when a transport stretchers. The incoming Soldiers wounded on today’s battlefi elds is grumble when you see a man with A feisty elderly gentleman comes in. No one ever wants to be could see Morris and heard this old contact with other veterans. I have extensive injuries battle pain and we’ll call Morris (name changed remembered as the one who didn’t veteran of Normandy and Bastogne seen Soldiers from World War II, infection and endure multiple for confi dentiality) was in Bed 3 give aid and comfort to a wounded trying to give up his bed for them. Korea, Vietnam, the fi rst Desert surgeries without complaint. of Brooke Army Medical Center comrade. Morris was reassured numerous Storm, and assorted other confl icts Many people are unaware that here, one of the busiest emergency Battle-hardened desert veterans, times that the wounded Soldiers talking to and encouraging these we are taking care of wounded departments in the military. He as well as those not yet tested, would be cared for and after young warriors. soldiers here at Brooke Army kept a constant barrage of running surround the newly arrived with extensive negotiation he agreed One of the most poignant Medical Center. More than 2,400 commentary on how long he had greetings and encouragement. Some not to leave. And we never heard memories of my residency was wounded, burned and injured been waiting to go upstairs to well-intentioned family member of another complaint from him. when I saw a young burned Soldier servicemen and women have been complete his chest pain work up. a patient in the department went out Compared to soldiers from with a right leg amputation and treated here since the Global War Morris is an 80-year-old retired to the waiting room to spread the the Vietnam era, these recently a badly broken left leg being on Terrorism started.

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