Vol. 68 No. 13 April 1, 2010 Word of the month: Nation Obama visits Afghanistan by John J. Kruzel “I know that sometimes when you’re watching TV, station, but based on a commitment to serve together, American Forces Press Service the politics back home may look a little messy, and to bleed together and to succeed together as one people are yelling and hollering, and Democrats this people, as Americans.” WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and Republicans that,” he said. “I want you to The Obama family reportedly spent the weekend paid a surprise visit to troops in Afghanistan understand this: There’s no daylight when it comes to at the remote presidential residence at Camp David, Sunday, delivering a message of praise to American support of all of you. There’s no daylight when it comes from which the commander in chief quietly departed servicemembers on behalf of the United States. to supporting our troops. That brings us together.” Sunday en route to Afghanistan, where he also met Speaking at Bagram Airfield to an audience of “We are all incredibly proud. We all honor what with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, Obama said you do,” he continued. “And all of you show all of Obama reiterated that continued military support for deployed servicemembers transcends America what’s possible when people come together, operations against the type of Afghanistan-based partisan politics. not based on color or creed, not based on faith or terrorism that led to the 9/11 attacks are necessary for American security, saying the “folks back home are relying on you.” “I want every American serving in Afghanistan, military and civilian, to know, whether you’re working the flightline here at Bagram or patrolling a village down in Helmand, whether you’re standing watch at a forward operating base or training our Afghan partners or working with the Afghan government,” he said, “your services are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential, to America’s safety and security.” Roughly a third of the 30,000-troop surge Obama announced for Afghanistan in December is in place, with 18,000 of the additional forces expected to be in Afghanistan by late spring. About 83,000 American and 45,000 allied forces are in Afghanistan now according to the latest available figures, as troop levels in Iraq continue to drop. “Many of the troops that I ordered to Afghanistan have begun to arrive, and more are on the way,” the president told about 2,000 servicemembers in Bagram’s “Clamshell” amphitheater. “And we’ll Photo by Pete Souza President Barack Obama greets U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan Sunday. See Obama on page 4 Reducing stigma, increasing knowledge by Spc. Shameka Edwards There are two situations Fort of seeking behavioral health care Preston said. “Soldiers must understand 4th Infantry Division Public Carson is actively addressing, said because others will ridicule them.” that seeking help for behavioral health Affairs Office Capt. Samuel Preston, 4th Infantry Preston said that neither of these is a sign of strength, and commanders Division psychiatrist. situations are unique to Fort Carson, and supervisors acknowledge that.” The Department of Defense has “The first stigma; internal stigma, and the Army is addressing these issues Soldiers at Fort Carson spoke out worked for a number of years trying occurs when a Soldier views him or through both command and medical about the stigma on post. to eliminate the perceived stigma herself as weak because of seeking channels. “I think there may be some stigma associated with seeking and receiving behavioral health care. The second is “Behavioral health must be viewed in seeking/receiving behavioral health behavioral health treatment throughout external stigma. This type of stigma is as a medical condition with a treatment See Stigma on page 4 the military. associated with Soldiers who are afraid plan, prognosis and a potential cure,” II Military Community Feature NN SS II DD EE Page 6 Page 11 Pages 20-21 2 MOUNTAINEER — April 1, 2010 MOUNTAINEER Commanding General: History behind our nation Maj. Gen. David G. Perkins Garrison Commander: Commentary by Master Sgt. Jose A. Colon Rivera of the need of the citizen to be free, of the inalienable Col. Robert F. McLaughlin Senior Equal Opportunity adviser rights which each one of us is born with, “among them, life, Fort Carson Public Affairs Officer: liberty and the pursuit of happiness” slavery was abolished, Dee McNutt A few hundred years ago in Europe hunger, illness, voting rights were granted to women. Chief, Print and Web Communications: famine and religious persecution were everyday occurrences. Our men and women have proven their determination Douglas M. Rule Such hardships inspired many to search for a better place to and selfless bravery in many battlefields. Scores of human Editor: Julie M. Lucas Staff Writers: Rick Emert live. Many traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to those new beings owe their freedom to America. Devin Fisher lands that everybody was talking about. Those were perilous In “How Free is Free? The Long Death of Jim Crow,” Geoffrey Roper times. Many perished during the long trip; either the ships Leon Litwak described the Eisenhower administration Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Smith capsized or people fell ill. Upon arrival, they realized. Their position that racial discrimination was a national security Sgt. Alexis Ramos trip was a bit more expensive than they realized. Instead of issue. Eisenhower proposed and signed into law the Happenings: Nel Lampe finding freedom or opportunity, they were sold in indentured Civil Rights acts of 1957 and 1960 which can be called Sports Writer: Walt Johnson servitude. Many didn’t live to reunite with their families. precursors of the now famous Civil Rights Act of 1964. Layout/graphics: Jeanne Mazerall Yet many more came to the shores of a new and People like Nelson Rockefeller are almost never associated This commercial enterprise newspaper is strange land in the hopes of a better life for themselves with the civil rights movement, but he and many others an authorized publication for members of the and those they loved. worked tirelessly pushing for equal rights in our nation. Department of Defense. Contents of the Life wasn’t easy during the first few centuries of our Several times before I have pointed out the greatness Mountaineer are not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or nation. of our nation, and at the risk of been called ethnocentric, It the Department of the Army. Printed circulation Many, in their ignorance, committed atrocities, is my belief that we live in the best nation on Earth. Our is 12,000 copies. like Gov. Lilburn Boggs of Missouri, who signed an children have access to free education all the way through The editorial content of the Mountaineer is the responsibility of the Public Affairs extermination order against Mormons in 1838 which 12th grade, and our standard of living used to be the envy Office, Fort Carson, CO 80913-5119, Tel.: wasn’t officially rescinded until 1976; or the infamy of of the world. Even in the greatest depression in decades, our 526-4144. The e-mail address is slavery; or the many American Indian massacres; or the standard of living is higher than many European nations. [email protected]. The Mountaineer is posted on the unfair treatment of women in our society. Dare I say that the greatness of America rest on the Internet at http://csmng.com. But at the same time, great men fought to bring order shoulders of its citizens who since the beginning have The Mountaineer is an unofficial to the new frontier. 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The Mountaineer’s editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public “Some Soldiers moved my new car “I knocked over a port-a-(potty) in “In college some friends and I moved Affairs Office, building 1430, room 265, Fort Carson, CO 80913-5119, phone 526-4144. without my knowledge and came (Iraq) with someone in it.” a person’s dorm room furniture Releases from outside sources are so to inform me it was stolen.” and all his stuff to the roof.” indicated.