United We Roll at Stardust Radio

Welcome Home, Capt Charles R Barnes! Our prayers that have been with you and your family continue, now
we pray for peace and comfort.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 326-12
April 30, 2012

________________________________________

Soldier Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Capt. Charles R. Barnes of Philadelphia, Pa., will be buried May 2, in Arlington National Cemetery. On March 16, 1969, Barnes and four other service members departed Qui Nhon Airfields bound for Da Nang and Phu Bai, in a U-21A Ute aircraft. As they approached Da Nang, they encountered low clouds and poor visibility. Communications with the aircraft were lost, and they did not land as scheduled. Immediate search efforts were limited due to hazardous weather conditions, and all five men were list as missing in action.

From 1986-1989, unidentified human remains were turned over to the United States from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) in several different instances. None of the remains were identified given the limits of the technology of the time.

In 1993, a joint U.S.-S.R.V. team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted investigations in Quang Nam-Da Nang, and Thua Thien-Hue Provinces. They interviewed a local Vietnamese citizen who supplied remains and an identification tag bearing Barnes’ name, which he claimed to have recovered from an aircraft crash site.
In 1999, another joint U.S.-S.R.V. team interviewed additional Vietnamese citizens about the crash and they were led to the crash site. In 2000, a joint U.S.-S.R.V. team excavated the site and recovered human remains and material evidence.

Scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, and forensic identification tools such as mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Barnes’ sister -- in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1420 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

This is a great opportunity to empty out medicine cabinets and cupboards of old medications. It is not a good idea to throw away any prescription medications and flushing is not necessarily the answer, either. There is an easy way to follow the links and find a place near you to take your old meds. But hurry - this takes place tomorrow - Saturday, April 28th!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: DEA Public Affairs
202) 307-7977

Press Release

DEA to Host National Prescription Drug Take-Back Tomorrow

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its national and community partners will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

On Saturday, April 28th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, DEA and its partners will hold their fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day at sites nationwide. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Americans participating in DEA’s three previous Take-Back Days turned in nearly a million pounds—almost 500 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by more than 4,000 of the DEA’s state and local law enforcement partners. Last fall’s event encouraged participation by long term care facilities and Indian nations as well as the general public.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high--more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

“Prescription drug abuse is a major epidemic across the country and DEA is committed to reducing the potential for misuse by providing a safe and secure method for Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets and properly dispose of unwanted, unneeded, or expired medications,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “Americans responded overwhelmingly to DEA’s first three Take-Back Day events, disposing of nearly 500 tons of medication in the past two years. This nationwide community effort prevents home medicine cabinets from becoming sources of dangerous – and even deadly – drugs."

The public can find a nearby collection site by visiting www.dea.gov , clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon, and following the links to a database, where they enter their zip code. Law enforcement agencies interested in operating one or more collection sites on April 28 can register with the DEA by clicking on the above-cited “Got Drugs?” icon and calling the DEA POC for their state, which can be under the link for law enforcement.

Four days after the first Take-Back event in September 2010, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances. DEA is in the process of drafting regulations to implement the Act.

###

We salute the ANG pararescue team who made this rescue!

http://www.nationalguard.mil/news/archives/2012/04/042312-Alaska.aspx?src=rss
By Air National Guard Maj. Guy Hayes
Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska (4/23/12) – The Alaska Air National Guard rescued a Japanese climber early April 21 after he reportedly fell more than 150 feet while climbing Mooses Tooth in Denali National Park.
The 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received the notification after a climber from a separate climbing party used a satellite phone to call and request support at 2:20 a.m.

“We immediately conference called the National Park Service dispatch, who controls the area and listened to the call,” said Air Force Capt. Gregg Laird, the 11th Air Force RCC senior controller, Alaska Air National Guard. “However, NPS determined they couldn’t support the mission because they wouldn’t be able to launch an aircraft until 6 a.m. and the climber needed immediate assistance.”

The RCC notified the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons, and alert crews responded quickly to their aircraft to make the 120 mile flight, northwest of Anchorage.

“The patient was described as going in and out of conscientiousness and we didn’t know if he was still on the rock or down at the base,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Nate Greene, a pararescueman with the Alaska Air National Guard. “We knew that he was out all night though and he needed our help, so with that information we went ahead and launched.”

Launching an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, followed shortly by an HC-130 “King” aircraft with favorable weather conditions from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the Guardian Angel rescue team headed north in hopes they would be able to reach the climber.

“Once we hit the mountains, the weather was a lot different,” Greene said. “We started to fly up the glacier, but we couldn’t see very far with clouds moving in and out and poor lighting conditions. We circled back around and fifteen minutes later we were able to get in to the landing strip.”

The landing strip, the “Root Canal,” is a glacier landing strip used to access the 10,300-foot peak and is where many climbing parties stage before attempting Moose’s Tooth.
“We were flying slow orbits over the area, when we spotted a group of people by a tent on a tiny knoll up the hill from the landing strip,” Greene said.

After finding a safe place to land, Greene and fellow Alaska Air National Guard pararescueman, Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Davis, jumped out of the helicopter with two Air Force Reservist pararescuemen from Patrick Air Force Base.
“They kicked us out and we started to drag the litter,” Greene said. “Thankfully the climbing party dug us a trail, because we were still 100 meters from the patient and the snow was knee deep up there.”

As they finally reached the tent, the pararescue team found the injured climber in a sleeping bag being attended to by two other members of his party, but still in pretty bad condition.
“His right eye was swollen shut, and a lot of coagulated blood was under his hat,” Greene said. “He had a skull laceration on top of his head, which tend to bleed a lot, but his condition was still pretty amazing considering the fall he had.”

Reportedly, the climber made it to the top of the climb, nicknamed “shaken, not stirred” and was on his way back down when one of his anchors came out of the rock.

“We had to uncover him to check his injuries and he was shaking pretty bad, so we carefully moved him on to a spinal board, then onto a litter that has a hypothermia bag and vinyl cover we call a “diaper” to keep him warm and secure.”
After departing the tent, the pararescuemen carried the litter on a new path dug out by members of a second climbing party and were able to reach the helicopter which had moved closer to their location.

After loading the patient into the helicopter at 6:55 a.m., they were safely able to transport him to Providence Hospital at 7:55 a.m. where he is currently being treated.
“I’m just thankful we were able to get to him as quickly as we did,” Greene said.

The Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons were awarded one save for this mission.

United We Roll World Tour Show
Stardust Radio www.stardustradio.com
Tuesday 4/24/12 2:00pm- 4:00pm Central (Live)
Wednesday 4/25/12 6:30pm- 8:30pm Central (Repeat)

Welcome Stardust Listeners -
We thank you for joining us on Tuesday, April 24th.

We are bringing you three brand new interviews with five deployed military members on this week's United We Roll show here at Stardust Radio Network, Inc. Three of the members are located in the Kyrgyzstan Republic and our other two guests are located in the Horn of Africa. Our show will end at 4:00pm Central. Remember, if you are not able to stay with us through the afternoon, this show will repeat again tomorrow evening - that is Wednesday, April 25th at 6:30pm Central.

(2:11pm) Our first visit comes from Transit Center Manas in the Kyrgyzstan Republic where we have a great conversation with SSgt Dennis Murphy, 2LT Melinda C Monahan and SSgt Elise M Pavlak. All three of these members are with the Protocol office at the 376th AEW (Air Expeditionary Wing). As you will hear, the Protocol office is responsible for making all of the arrangements for Distinguished Guests who visit the Transit Center.

(2:42pm) Our next visit takes us to the Horn of Africa, where we have the honor of speaking with A1C Matthew Gonzales who is on deployment with the CJTF (Combined Joint Task Force) in the 726 EABS Security Force. In the service for 3 years, A1C Gonzales is on his second deployment where he works 12 hour shifts on night duty, a plus when the summer temps really heat up during the days. The enthusiasm of A1C Gonzales is delightful and is shared by our next guest who is also deployed in the Horn of Africa .....

(3:21pm) Our third and final guest for this show is again with the CJTF-HOA and the 726 EABS Security Force. However, A1C John P Wine spends his 12 hour shifts working in the daylight hours. Wearing and/or carrying 35-50 pounds of gear in the African heat requires constant hydration, even when off duty. Also full of enthusiasm, this visit with A1C Wine highlights a lot of information about military lifestyle and taking advantage of the many opportunities that service offers.

Once again we are very grateful to have the opportunity to bring you these beautiful visits with our Heroes of Freedom today and every Tuesday. We hope that you have enjoyed them and will join us again next week, Tuesday, May 1st for more interviews and news from our units as they stand guard over our country and our freedom, including the 3rd Stryker Brigade 2ID (Afghanistan), 376th AEW (Kyrgyzstan), CJTF-HOA (Horn of Africa), and the 3rd ESC who has arrived to their deployment station in Afghanistan.

As always, our hearts and our prayers go out to all of our military members and Veterans, our first responders and to all their families, who also serve.

Of course, we thank all of you, our Stardust Listeners, for tuning in to United We Roll and to all of our programs here at Stardust Radio today and over the past ten years.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL & MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Please give life another chance ....

Suicide Hot Line 1-800-273-TALK (8255) -
" Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org . "

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 287-12
April 18, 2012
___________________________________

Army Releases March Suicide Data

The Army released suicide data today for the month of March. During March, among active-duty soldiers, there were 18 potential suicides: three have been confirmed as suicides and 15 remain under investigation. For February, the Army reported 11 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, five have been confirmed as suicides and six remain under investigation. For 2012, there have been 45 potential active-duty suicides: 20 have been confirmed as suicides and 25 remain under investigation. Updated active-duty suicide numbers for 2011: 164 (164 have been confirmed as suicides and none remain under investigation).

During March, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 10 potential suicides (seven Army National Guard and three Army Reserve): four have been confirmed as suicides and six remain under investigation. For February, among that same group, the Army reported three potential suicides. Since the release of that report, one case has been added for a total of four potential suicides (four Army National Guard and no Army Reserve): three have been confirmed as suicides and one remains under investigation. For 2012, there have been 20 potential not on active duty suicides (16 Army National Guard and four Army Reserve): 13 have been confirmed as suicides and seven remain under investigation. Updated not on active duty suicide numbers for 2011: 117 (81 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve); 117 have been confirmed as suicides and none remain under investigation.

"One suicide is one too many. We in Army medicine have partnered with our line leaders to enhance mental health resiliency; by engaging soldiers holistically by supporting their mental, physical and spiritual well being in an effort to improve the health and wellness of the Force. We are committed to every soldier and our efforts are focused on prevention well before the individual chooses suicide as their only option," said Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, the surgeon general of the Army.

Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org .

Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63 (Health Promotion) at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 (Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention) at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf .

The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil .

Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).

Information about Military OneSource is located at http://www.militaryonesource.com or by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647 for those residing in the continental United States. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource website for dialing instructions for their specific location.

Information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/ .

The Defense Center for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at Resources@DCoEOutreach.org and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil .

The website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org/, and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found at http://www.sprc.org/index.asp .