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LTC Stephen F.
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Thank you my friend COL Charles Williams for making us ware of the article from task and purpose.
"The Pentagon has finally exempted wounded warriors from its non-deployable policy, nearly six months after Defense Secretary Mattis announced that troops wounded in combat would not be separated for being unable to deploy.
In 2001 when I was mobilized to my duty station in the Pentagon I was non-deployable based on my mitral valve disease. I supported the planning and support efforts for GWOT operations, ect. until I demobilized in May 2004.
"Published on Tuesday, the Defense Department policy includes a provision specifically for combat-wounded troops that clearly states they will not be separated if they are unable to deploy for 12 consecutive months or longer.
“These are service members whose injuries were the result of hostile action, meet the criteria for awarding of the Purple Heart, and whose injuries were not the result of their own misconduct,” the policy says.
Now that it is in writing, the policy reflects Mattis’ guidance from February, when he told reporters that combat wounded service members would not be involuntarily separated because “they’ve earned that special status.”
“The office of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness will monitor the implementation of this guidance by all services to ensure compliance with the secretary of defense directive,” said Air Force Maj. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
The service secretaries can delegate the authority for retaining combat wounded troops and other service members to general and flag officers as well as senior civilian leaders, Gleason said on Wednesday.
About 143,000 of all active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops were listed as temporarily or permanently non-deployable as of May 31, Gleason said. That represents nearly 7% of all troops, excluding trainees.
“The reasons vary, but they are predominantly medical,” Gleason said:
Some 2.9% (61,000) of our service members are temporarily non-deployable due to illness or injury. Our focus is to help these members heal as quickly as possible so they can get back to training with their unit. Another 1.2% (25,000) is considered permanently non-deployable and pending a disability evaluation for medical reasons. The department’s goal is to render a timely disability decision and transition the member to life outside the military.
The Pentagon initially announced in February that service members listed as non-deployable “for any reason” would be processed for administrative separation if they could not deploy after 12 consecutive months of recuperation. Mattis quickly clarified that wounded warriors needn’t worry about being separated.
When Task & Purpose asked Mattis in June why it was taking so long to update the non-deployable policy to exempt wounded warriors, he replied: “There is no delay. Believe me. When I say it, that’s it.”
Other than wounded warriors, all U.S. service members are expected to be able to deploy, Mattis has said."

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
SSgt Boyd Herrst
>1 y
Back in ‘78, shortly after being retired on TDRL.. I stopped back at the high school where I was in the
AFJROTC program as a cadet and volunteered to help out. they had not gotten into the background investigations like they have these days.. (those required by schools)
It was a short help out.. my Vocat-rehab got rushed through the VA with help by The V.F.W. Dept. Service officer/advocate.. My class schedule got approved at the comm college with help from another “personal friend” of his that worked at that comm. college as a “Veteran Advocate” employed as a school employee not VA. I was overwhelmed by that assistance.. my parents then thought I needed
More time to rest and go to some
p.t. I said it’s like riding a bike, you get up, dust yourself off and get back on and ride”. My school VA $$
Was a couple weeks late but it was all there including the 2 late weeks.
A VA counselor there commented she didn’t know how I got in so fast.. (I believe our Dept Svc Officer/advocate walked it through).
The college itself was kind of confused.. but I was in.. and that’s what counted... later in the semester the counselor was looking at my service record... she called me in . I don’t see a Purple Heart,..
It was a non-combat injury, we had redeployed when it happened after getting back to GFAFB, ND. “Yes, I was wondering, I’ve only seen combat injury Vets rushed through, who do you know?” “People ma’am... kind of above our paygrade... let’s just let it go at that, ok? Thank You!” I thought that sit-rep was ended. Not so... There was a social services to work recipient That supposedly didn’t get to start (his job was paying for half of his schooling. The job was got for him and others by Social Services.. That thoughtful school employee (friend of Dept Svc Officer put my folder on top of that student’s .. The person who would be previewing the jackets did not know what had been done. So they approved my folder and the slits were closed for the Semester. He could start in the fall.. The big p.c. Thing wasn’t going on at that time... A phone call to the approver by Social Services got the answer that “our Veterans come first!” And hung up rather abruptly. The regular approver wasn’t there that day by chance ... it was the friend of the friend of the Dept Svc Officer/advocate.. (darn, how fortunate Can a guy get?).. The Social worker felt the employee was
Very curt/rude and wanted s’thing to happen. He never identified himself as the agent. Just answered, said that and hung up. From what he said to the Dept Svc Officer friend. ... that conversation didn’t stay quiet .. people gossip..
I wasn’t really concerned .. there were other Veterans in the groups in Culinary.. they were using regular G.I. Bill.. it was about end of February and semester over by 3d week of April... Up in the Dining rm which was also a class room .. some of us were talking about the sit-rep. Of the Social Services recipient that was back to work..
His new boss was concerned about the $$ he was paying.. the school handled that.. his $$ would be set aside to start paying fall semester.
He just got told the Social services slot got set aside and a disabled Vet slot replaced it.. I don’t know what his attitude was about that...
Personally I couldn’t care more.. one of our Chef Instructor echoed my sentiments.. as did a couple other Chef instructors. People there were courteous enough to talk I. Low tone and be respectful of
Others... so we had to be careful of what is said .. Another professor not associated with our program
Seemed to take umbrage at our convolt subject.. that we were all out of line to be in approval of a “warrior” stealing a slot of a under-privileged social services recipient trying to get off the social services
Recipient list. [actually his mommy was, he just subsided off that sustenance.. and very well from what I seen of him when he started in the fall]. That offended professor did a op-ed letter in our school paper about the umbrage she felt about our attitude.. Before her letter got printed, Our Baker Chef instructor got a chance to do an opposing view op-ed letter.. I’m glad it was him. But I would have liked to put my nickle’s worth in.. (imho)... I do think he said it more eloquently than I might of.. he expressed that the prospective student/employee , instead of suckling at the leftist socialist teat
He could of enlisted as a delayed enlisted and earned his own paycheck and G.I. Bill when he turned 17 that October. It was scathing ... He used all the right .50 words in the right places. He received some admonishment but he exercised his 1st amendment right and replied to the other professir’s Letter.. The school of course wanted to know. How he knew of the other Professor’s letter instead of waiting for the next edition. Donations were .50 for the paper.. Every one was sold..
They even printed more.. usually they threw away about half of what was printed. Our campus was split on feelings... Some backed that student who didn’t get to start until autumn... I wondered if he’d even be alive, He must be a Oakland county resident... so life isn’t that risky unless he goes in the ‘hood’ a lot. We had other Social Service $ recipient dependents. About 4... They seemed to have a positive attitude about ‘workkng’
We had one in our group.. I think she worked harder than one of those who had daddy&mommy pay their way through college. /trade school. I picked her to work on my crew... there was 2 Vets, one other and I and her and 3 others..
Us 3 had the best “ work ethic” in
Our crew ... We had a little meeting ..we get our clean-up work done and we help who ever else needs it.
Anybody else got a prob with that?
No place for slackers on our crew, no deadwood ! We work together!
If you have a problem raise up and speak up ! and we’ll do a trade..
that’s how we worked together all through school. The one guy who was about himself.. came around after Chef and I deducted teamworker points.. I told him.. “ ya gotta know Jerry, that you lose points, the team does too and we got to work harder to keep and earn them.. So team up and quit thinking of yourself, Jer!”..
We were working and getting the legs and bottom Shelves on the tables scrubbed.. Jer pulled Sue’s leg over .. she asked what was he doing.. “tying your shoe Sue, it came untied!” Chef seen it also..
Well, Jer was coming around, slowly !... We got our station done and went and helped those in the
scullery... trays, pots n pans.. service ware.. .. I noted one of the guys from another team heading to our locker room. His team leader, another of our Vets went in after him... They both came out.. that guy (the one who disappeared). Was more concerned about what others were or were not doing than
Doing his own work, accord’g to his leader.. well we all got probs.. Our Chefs handed out a lot of bound paper of useful info..
they highlighted a lot of it and I highlighted in other colors ..
pay attention and those highlighted
Areas were part of our answers.. some of what I highlighted were also. I did cards with those highlighted areas and mine also...
And did like on Jeopardy.. and brought up a lot as we worked....
We all study differently.. in the end at exam time our team had the best scores. Test scores and teamwork scores.. there were some that were; “It’s all about me!”..
I stayed around a lot and talked to the Chef instructors.. a few days I didn’t have an afternoon class I
Found chef working on special project for that evening so I helped where I could ... stir s’thing while he multi-tasked and got s’thing else done.. or he’d of had to shut down that kettle and go back. Some sauces will break and have to be
Rejuvenated and can be a pain fix..
usually be done making a slurry or roux and it can change structure from a semi glossy to a glossy sauce.. and defeat the purpose of the appearance of how it is to be presented to the guest.. s’times flavor is altered.. i’ve Earned extra points helping .. He makes offers for people to make extra points..
Some have to get to work after Culinary or have another class(es)..
Some just want to get home.. So others were offered opportunity to earn extra points... Those that didn’t avail themself of the opportunity .. it was or wasn’t thier fault.. if they had to work, they had to work or be in class.. others.. just their misfortune.. I did e’thing i Could to earn points.. one of them is make up word search puzzles
I got the same points making them up as they did doing them 5 to 10 to 15 points depend’g on difficulty..
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you for sharing a part of your post-service Culinary background, my friend SSgt Boyd Herrst -
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
SSgt Boyd Herrst
>1 y
Re Background checks.. I’d already had several in the AF Reserve and AF.. and didn’t have no prob with a school district having one done..
Colonel J_______ told me he’d take care of it.. it didn’t matter, by time the investigation was done I was getting started at school..
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
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Spot on!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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COL Charles Williams Plenty of Positions in Our Military that they are More than Capable Of. Damn Right Skippy! I Mean Colonel! ;)
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