Page 2 DEFENSE DIGEST Aug. 27, 2007 and researchers have been confronted by the challenge of dem- onstrating a scientific, empirical link in what may be intuitively obvious. Study findings will be inTagrated into recreation and family program resource and marketing decisions, and will play an im- portant role in designing future research to assess the impact of these programs over time. The study also will contribute to a ho- listic assessment of how Army programs and benefits available to active- and reserve-components contribute to readiness and retention. Navy Army CNO approves physical fitness uniform WASHINGTON (NNS) – Adm. Mike Mullen, chief of naval op- Army study confirms recreation, family pro- erations, approved the first Navy physical fitness uniform for all grams linked to readiness, retention Sailors E-1 through O-10 this week. “The goal was to design a uniform for wear during command- ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Army has announced results from directed group and unit PT activities and that our Sailors will a recently completed study that identified positive, measurable be proud to wear,” said Vice Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., chief of links between Soldiers’ use of recreation and family programs naval personnel. “What CNO has delivered more than meets that and readiness and retention. goal.” The study, funded by the Family and Morale, Welfare and Rec- The uniform consists of a gold short-sleeved shirt and navy reation Command, found a significant relationship and a positive, blue shorts. The shirt is moisture-wicking and odor-resistant poly- direct link between active-duty Soldiers’ use of recreation and fam- ester with Navy in reflective lettering on back with and front. ily programs and their desire to stay in the Army, their career in- The nylon moisture-wicking and-odor resistant navy blue tentions and their satisfaction with Army life. These links also held shorts come in six- and eight-inch lengths, providing standard true for programs use by the spouses of active-duty Soldiers. appearance among different-height Sailors; it also has reflective “Now we can demonstrate that the recreation and family pro- piping and reflective navy lettering. The shorts have side pockets grams we have in place do make a difference,” said Army Brig. with a hidden ID card pocket inside the waistband. Gen. Belinda Pinckney, FMWRC commander. “We carefully evaluated the materials, styling and functional- The study measured the strength of the links in terms of over- ity in designing this uniform,” said Harvey. “We looked at the all program used and against four distinct groups of programs: lessons learned from the other services and got feedback from our child and youth programs and services; sports and fitness pro- Sailors – young, mature, male, female, officer and enlisted – and grams; food and beverage operations; and recreation, tour and arrived at this design.” travel, and library programs and services. “This is a high-quality, high-performance product that I know The research also revealed a link between Soldiers’ use of recre- our Sailors will be proud to wear, because we asked them,” Har- ation and family programs and their emotional attachment to the vey added. Army. The Soldiers’ emotional attachment to the Army was found Upon delivery to the fleet, anticipated to be spring 2008, all to have a very strong link to readiness and retention outcomes. command-directed physical training and semi-annual physical Of particular note is the finding that readiness and retention fitness tests will be performed while wearing the PT uniform. increase as program use increases, but these programs are used However, the uniform does not have to be worn during individual less frequently by junior officers and enlisted Soldiers and their exercise. spouses. “Sailors may still wear personal PT gear when not participat- “We can strengthen the readiness of the Army by doing two ing in command PT activities or the semiannual fitness tests,” things,” Pinckney said. “Ensure that recreation and family pro- said Robert Carroll, head of the Navy Uniform Matters Office. grams meet the needs of Soldiers and their families, and increase Uniform availability at uniform centers and command uni- their awareness of these programs.” form distribution activities will be phased in beginning with ma- The study, conducted by independent researchers, focused on jor Fleet concentration areas in spring 2008. Reserve enlisted will two Army-wide surveys of Soldiers and two of spouses, contain- be issued uniforms by their commands. ing responses from more than 25,000 Soldiers and 23,000 spouses. Sailors’ clothing replacement allowance will be adjusted start- The researchers determined whether statistical significance ex- ing Oct. 1 to allow for the purchase of two sets of short-sleeve isted between program use and the readiness and retention out- shirts and shorts. comes and then measured the strength (“effect size”) of the as- “We have designated optional items including a long-sleeved sociations. shirt, compression shorts, head gear and running shoes which can Army survey data have consistently indicated that Soldiers be worn during these events,” said Carroll. A Navy wind suit is and families value recreation and family programs, use them fre- also in the works. quently, and consider them important to morale, retention and A NAVADMIN providing more detailed information on uni- readiness. For years, however, program managers, policy makers form wear policy will be released soon on www.npc.navy.mil. Aug. 27, 2007 NEWS Page 3 Pg. 6 COVER: Army Sgt. Scott Grimes, the Panjshir Provin- cial Reconstruction Team supply NCO unloads bags of beans and rice, preparing them to be boxed and flown to the Panjshir Valley in the aftermath of flooding. (Photo by Senior Airman Christine Collier) Contents PAGE 4 Afghan National Army soldiers walk back to their truck Coalition treats 1,304 patients in Paktika Province after guarding a checkpoint in the town of Shewan, Farah Province, Afghanistan. PAGE 5 Task Force Pegasus aids local flood victims PAGE 6 ANSF, Coalition forces secure area in Farah Province Pg. 8 PAGE 7 Dadrab District residents witness historic meeting PAGE 8 Apache experts maintain ground troop safety PAGE 10 Environmental education for Afghans essential PAGE 11 Airmen equip hospital with supplies, knowledge PAGE 12 Connecting Afghanistan one road at a time PAGE 13 Afghans celebrate Independence Day Spc. Christian Rataczak, Bravo Company, 1/285th PAGE 15 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion Apache crew chief, Photos from the field pushes a rotor blade into place for maintenance. Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Combined Joint Task Force-82. Freedom Watch Staff Commander CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez Air Force Maj. Elizabeth Ortiz RC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta NCOIC Tech. Sgt. Aaron Cram Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published each Mon- Print Chief day by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section at Bagram Air- field, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week. Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Bellis In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is an au- Editor thorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas. Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, or Air Force Staff Sgt. Sarah Gregory endorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense. Staff Writer Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions are Senior Airman Christine Collier subject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room 205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338. Visit the CJTF-82 Web site at www.cjtf82.com Page 4 NEWS Aug. 27, 2007 Coalition treats 1,304 patients in Paktika Province Courtesy of Combined Joint Task Force-82 AKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan P– Coalition medical personnel, as- sisted by Afghan National Police, provided medical, veterinary and dental assistance to 1,304 Afghans in Mazari Lgad and Bag- yar villages here. Men, women and children lined up out- side Coalition and ANP aid stations to re- Photos by Army Sgt. Michael Zuk Army Photos by ceive free treatment during two separate medical-engagement programs. In addition to medical treatment, 2,855 people received humanitarian-assistance packages and 981 animals were treated with vaccinations and de-worming medicine during the operation. “We appreciate help for the people in this area, most of whom cannot afford medicine or medical care,” said Noor Mo- hammed, a Bagyar village elder. “We look forward to further cooperation and shared goodwill in the future.” Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a fort to bring medical and veterinary assis- A volunteer hands out backpacks Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesper- tance to all areas of the country. to children in Chamkani District, son said, “The United States and its Coali- “As security increases in Paktika, more Paktika Province, Afghanistan, tion partners will continue to support the of these types of missions will be pos- as part of an assistance program Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its ef- sible.” visit. Afghan children walk toward a medical civic assis- tance program site arranged by Coalition and Af- ghan National Police in Chamkani District, Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Aug. 27, 2007 NEWS Page 5 Sky Soldiers Task Force Pegasus aids local fl ood victims Story and photos by Senior Airman Christine Collier American Forces Network – Afghanistan ANJSHIR PROVINCE – Task Force PPegasus, in a combined effort with the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team and local nationals, packaged and delivered bags of food to fl ood victims in the Panjshir Valley. “The overall mission was to provide fl ood relief for some Panjshires who were stranded when a fl ood washed their roads away,” said Army 1st Lt. Christopher Senior Airman DeMarcus Pettiford, a member of the Panjshir PRT, un- Schmitt, Panjshir PRT operations and loads bags of beans and rice, pre- brigade liasion offi cer.