Hagel Commends Afghans, ISAF for Presidential Election

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel issued a statement praising the millions of Afghans who voted today for their next president.

"I want to commend the millions of Afghans who went to the polls today to vote for their next president,” Hagel said in the statement. “The open and responsible debate among the candidates over the past two months, and the turnout for these elections, demonstrates to the world that the Afghan people want to determine their own future.”

Hagel also commended the Afghan National Security Forces “for providing the security which enabled these elections to take place.”

And, the secretary thanked U.S. forces and International Security Assistance Force personnel for supporting Afghanistan’s security forces.

Hagel said he greatly appreciated Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the ISAF commander, for his “steady leadership throughout this process.”

Much has been achieved in Afghanistan, the secretary said.

"As Afghanistan begins a peaceful transfer of power, and we look ahead to the end of our combat mission later this year, we should not lose sight of how much we have accomplished,” Hagel said. “The progress we have seen in Afghanistan is a testament to the tireless efforts and sacrifices of American, ISAF, and Afghan personnel.

“But above all,” he continued, “it shows the strength and resilience of the Afghan people, and of the partnership the United States has built with them.

“It is a partnership that will endure," the secretary said.

ISAF Chief Salutes Afghan Forces for Securing Elections

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2014 – The commander of the International Security Assistance Force congratulated the people of Afghanistan on their historic election, and he also saluted the Afghan security forces for their efforts to make the elections happen, according to an ISAF news release issued today.

“The people of Afghanistan can be proud of their security forces. For months, they’ve conducted planning and security operations to ensure that the conditions were set for inclusive elections,” said Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., ISAF commander.

As the world watched, Afghan National Security Forces provided the opportunity for the Afghan people to choose their new president, securing over 6,200 polling centers across the country, the release said.

Soldiers and policemen confidently patrolled the cities and countryside to protect innocent civilians and prevent insurgents from disrupting today’s elections, the release said, and Afghan voters displayed confidence in their army and police, turning out in unprecedented numbers to cast their ballot for the future of Afghanistan.

“What we saw today as a result of that effort was extraordinary,” Dunford said in the release. “In addition to their physical performance, what equally impresses me is the sense of responsibility and determination they had in ensuring the Afghan people had a secure environment in which to vote and determine their own future.

“ISAF stands committed to continuing the strong partnership with our Afghan brothers and sisters,” the general continued. “We have forged this relationship for more than a decade, and the ANSF achievements today are enormous; their brave and heroic actions demonstrate their dedication to a secure, stable and unified Afghanistan.”

Today’s success clearly demonstrates that the Afghan people have chosen their future of progress and opportunity, the release said.

Reservist Gathers Experience in Overseas Tours

By Army Cpl. Clay Beversdorfer

Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, April 4, 2014 – Petty Officer 2nd Class Charmaine Henry is a U.S. Navy reservist, but she has spent a great deal of time serving on active duty tours.

In her assignment here, Henry serves as a surgical technologist at the Role 3 NATO Multinational Medical Unit hospital.

Her duties include assisting medical officers in carrying out surgical techniques, including selecting, sterilizing and preparing instruments and materials and creating the aseptic environment necessary for surgery.

Despite the high-intensity nature of the job, Henry said, she remains cool.

“It’s all systematic when you do it enough. You adjust yourself accordingly,” the Queens, N.Y, native said. “When you do that, everything else tends to fall in place. Basically, you are a mind-reader. You have to pay attention to detail. You have to be a couple of steps ahead of the doctor, know what they are going to do, and what tools they need or what they may need assistance with.”

Serving at Role 3 allows Henry to work among members of other service branches, and that’s something she has appreciated, Henry said.

“It’s been great because you can pick the brains of other people and talk a little bit about everything,” she explained. “The communication has been great, and I have learned a lot from the other services.”

Henry has worked with members of other services in Germany and Kuwait. Her experiences in Kuwait, while different, provided her with valuable experience she has been able to use in Afghanistan, she said.

“[Kuwait] was a different thing, because we had less to work with. … Here, you have this wonderful hospital and any equipment you could possibly need for any injury that comes in the door,” Henry said.

When she is not being called up for active duty, Henry said, she serves in a similar position back home. But she doesn’t regret having to leave work to serve wherever her country may ask her to, she added.

“It hasn’t been a tough decision at all,” she said. “I enjoy active duty, and I love what I do.”

Between her experiences in civilian life and her 13-year Navy career, Henry said, she has learned a major lesson.

“Always be prepared, no matter what,” she said. “The minute you are not, that’s when something happens.”

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt. James E. Chaffin III, 27, of West Columbia, S.C., died April 1, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information, media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office during duty hours at 910-432-0661 or after duty hours at 910-813-3891.

Cooperative Effort Helps Stop Spread of WMDs, Officials Say

By Claudette Roulo

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2014 – Weapons of mass destruction can spread at the speed of an airliner, a missile, or even the internet, the deputy assistant defense secretary for countering weapons of mass destruction said today.

“Countering such complex and dynamic threats requires flexible, innovative and agile responses, as well as whole-of-department, whole-of-government and, indeed, even whole-of-international-community solutions,” Rebecca K. C. Hersman told the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

The international effort to destroy Syria's chemical weapons was unprecedented in scale, speed and complexity, she said, adding that it serves as a vivid example of what is possible with these types of cooperative efforts.

“Today, thanks to the efforts of many contributors, and the support of Congress, Syria's chemical weapons program is on the path to elimination,” Hersman said.

The centerpiece of the U.S. contribution to the effort to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons materials is the container ship Cape Ray, which is outfitted with two of DOD's recently developed field deployable hydrolysis systems.

The system is one of the best examples of the capabilities of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the U.S. Strategic Command Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, said Kenneth A. Myers III, the director of both agencies.

“We had the expertise to evaluate a serious WMD threat,” he said. “We developed the needed technologies and we provided planning support to all aspects of the operation.”

Funded predominately through the department's cooperative threat reduction program, Hersman said, the system stands ready to neutralize the most dangerous chemicals in the Syrian arsenal in a safe, secure and environmentally sound fashion.

“This type of creative, collaborative approach to a WMD challenge can't be the exception, it must be the rule,” she added.

In January, DTRA-SSC announced the completion of the destruction of weaponized mustard agent in Libya, the officials said.

The agency destroyed 517 mustard-filled artillery rounds, eight 500-pound aerial bombs and 45 insert tubes, Myers noted.

This success was possible, Hersman said, only through the resources and expertise of DOD’s cooperative threat reduction program, coupled with cooperation from the Libyan government, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and contributions from the German government.

Myers told committee members that another critical mission for the agencies combating the spread of WMDs is the intersection of terrorism and the acquisition of WMD materials -- particularly biological threats.

The threat is still emerging and evolving, he said, and DTRA and SCC-WMD are expanding their areas of cooperation in order to stay one step ahead.

“We work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and we often pursue global health security projects together internationally,” Myers said.

While the CDC handles public health issues, they are not equipped to address the security threat posed by deadly pathogens, he said. DTRA and SCC-WMD are equipped to handle such threats, Myers noted, so earlier this year, the three agencies signed a memorandum of understanding and a strategy for joint work.

“These documents will maximize our effectiveness related to bio threats around the world and ensure that there is no duplication of efforts,” he said.

Looking ahead, the department must continue to partner with other organizations and countries to use all available resources to address future chemical, nuclear and biological threats, Hersman said.

“I am proud of what our team has achieved and believe that we have served as good stewards of the taxpayer dollar,” Myers said. “As we look to [fiscal year 2015], I am confident that we are prepared to address future WMD threats around the world.”