DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable

We will interview Army Wounded Warrior Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister, recently named by National Geographic as one of their "Adventurers of the Year." Hoffmeister will discuss his journey from being severely injured in Iraq to successfully climbing Mount McKinley (also known as Denali) as part of Operation Denali. Hoffmeister was the team leader of a group of wounded warriors who set out to climb the 20,320 ft. summit in order to symbolize their strength and perseverance over adversity. On June 16, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. local time, Hoffmeister and two other soldiers successfully reached the summit. In April 2007, Lt. Col. Hoffmeister was severely injured while serving in Iraq when an IED outside of Al Hillah blew up his Humvee. Hoffmeister was evacuated to Germany and then back to the U.S. where he had eight surgeries on his arm and endured months of painful rehabilitation. Read Transcript

We will interview Air Force Colonel Byron Mathewson, commander of U.S. military forces deployed to Chile in support of earthquake relief operations. Colonel Mathewson will provide an update on USSOUTHCOM’s support to relief operations in Chile, to include a summary of USAF C-130 relief support, Navy Assessment Team, and USAF Expeditionary Medical Support operations. At the request of the Chilean government, the U.S. military is providing support to the ongoing relief efforts in Chile following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the nation Feb. 27. About 150 U.S. military personnel have been working with local and international responders to provide relief to hard-hit areas. All military operations are in support of USAID, which is orchestrating U.S. government contributions to the relief mission. Read Transcript

We will interview U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington, Chief of Staff, U.S. Joint Forces Command Maj. Gen. Edgington will discuss U.S. Joint Forces Command Joint Operating Environment 2010 (JOE 2010), a strategic framework that depicts the future operational environment and its implications on the structure and function of the joint force. Participating media will receive a short brief on JOE 2010 and be able to speak with the USJFCOM Chief of Staff.. Read Transcript

We will interview Maj. Gen. David Hogg, deputy commander-Army, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, who will discuss the Professional Military Education (PME) within the Afghan National Army. The Afghan Army, in conjunction with NTM-A partnered nations, is currently executing PME from non-commissioned officer to field grade officer level. Schools focusing on PME are the NCO Academy, branch schools for officers, the National Military Academy of Afghanistan (modeled after West Point), and OCS (reflecting a British Sandhurst model). Recent, and current examples, include the Command and General Staff College graduation of 78 Field Grade officers, and a significant upcoming event, the 18 March graduation of 212 cadets from the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. This event was preceded by a publicized assignment lottery, where cadets drew unit and location assignment obligations. Read Transcript

We will interview Kathy Helmick, Interim Senior Executive Director, Traumatic Brain Injury / Director, TBI Clinical Standards of Care Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. Ms. Helmick will discuss the new clinical practice guidelines for treatment of mild TBI (concussion) among servicemembers in-theater. Additionally, Ms. Helmick will discuss new research about exposure of cumulative blasts through collaboration with the NFL and the concussions sustained by servicemembers versus concussions sustained in athletics such as with football players. Read Transcript.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates, Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), will discuss JIEDDO’s current efforts to rapidly provide comprehensive counter-IED support to deployed warfighters and its direct support of the surge in Afghanistan. Topics will include JIEDDO’s coordination with the Pentagon’s senior integrators; its unique role as a risk-tolerant organization; its whole-of-government approach and its work with international partners; its approach to counter-IED training methodology and integration; its development of detection technologies, airborne sensors; its application of information fusion to disrupt threat networks employing the IED; and current challenges across its mission areas. Read Transcript

DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable with Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff, United States Division - Center commander. Maj. Gen. Wolff will provide a post-election update and will discuss U.S. support to the elections, the ongoing advise and assist mission with the ISF, and perspectives on the responsible drawdown. With the ISF taking the lead for security in Iraq, U.S. Forces have begun the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and have shifted their mission to an advise and assist role. Read Transcript

We will interview Brig. Gen. Gary Patton, Deputy Commanding General (Programs), Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. Brig. Gen. Pattonwill discuss how the ANSF are moving forward and how U.S. and NATO forces are supporting the ANSF in becoming self-sufficient. Brig. Gen. Gary Patton has direct oversight of Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) programs and is responsible for generating and sustaining the ANSF by aligning resources to requirements in order to enable Afghan-led security. Brig Gen Patton integrates infrastructure construction, equipment procurement, training contracts, and sustainment activities. Additionally, he oversees a multi-billion program of local procurement that is designed to stimulate the development of manufacturing in Afghanistan in such sectors as construction and clothing. Brig Gen Patton oversees the NTM-A process to ensure we commit our resources in an efficient and responsible manner to build an enduring COIN-capable ANSF. Read Transcript

An upcoming Army Bloggers Roundtable will feature students from the Command and General Staff College. All of the guest participants have been deployed, some with multiple rotations, and they will discuss the current Iraq draw-down and Afghanistan surge as it impacts the force. They will provide candid comments about their military experiences that span combat arms, combat support and combat service support. They will also address current stressors on the American military including multiple rotations and limited dwell time. Read Transcript

During an Army Bloggers Roundtable on March 3, Lt. Gen. Jeff Sorenson, Army Chief information officer/G-6, discussed the launch of Software Application Development Challenge "Apps for the Army" (A4A), which is open to the first 100 soldiers and Department of the Army civilians. A4A offers Army personnel the opportunity to demonstrate their software development skills and creativity while improving the current technological capabilities of the Army. Read Transcript

We will interview Col. Jennifer Menetrez, the Joint Task Force-Haiti Surgeon, who will be discussing JTF-H medical operations and the increasing medical capacity of the GoH and NGOs in Haiti. Read Transcript

DODLive Bloggers Roundtable with Mr. Price Floyd, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. The Deputy Secretary of Defense recently signed a new policy regarding the use of internet based capabilities -- including social media. Mr. Price Floyd, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, will discuss what the new policy means for the DoD community. Read Transcript

We will interview with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, Training and Doctrine Command Deputy Commanding General - Initial Military Training, live from the Initial Military Training Conference. Congress approved the standup of IMT this fall. DCG-IMT will standardize, reinvigorate and evolve training for initial entry Soldiers and recently commissioned junior officers in order to support a more efficient and effective Army Forces Generation, while providing Soldiers and leaders who can immediately contribute to their first unit of assignment. Training is evolving to meet the demands Soldiers face and incorporate new methodologies and training techniques. Lt. Gen. Hertling will specifically discuss the outcomes and objectives of the conference taking place this week, as well as lessons from combat and the operational force including: - How the U.S. Army reviewed and revised Basic Combat Training plan of instruction and Warrior Task and Battle Drill, with input from the field. - Standards and training across Initial Military Training. Read Transcript

Brigadier Simon Levey, British Army, Commander, Combined Training Advisory Group-Afghanistan (CTAG-A) is scheduled to discuss the coalition of trainers involved within his mission; training venues at all levels (Basic Warrior Training, Noncommissioned Officer schools, National Military Academy of Afghanistan, etc.; and Afghan Army institutional foundations and progress towards ANA self-sufficiency. Combined Training Advisory Group-Afghanistan is a coalition of trainers/mentors made up of many countries, for example, the US, France, Germany, Turkey, Romania, Mongolia, Canada, Estonia, and the UK. Combined Training Advisory Group-Afghanistan's mission is to train, coach, advise, and monitor Afghan National Army Training Command (ANATC) in order to establish a doctrine and training system capable of supporting the development of a professional ANA. Read Transcript

On DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable, we interviewed Maj. Gen. David Hogg, deputy commander-Army, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. Hogg discussed the Afghan Army current status, future builds, and challenges. In addition, he discussed the generation, development, and growth of a competent and capable Afghan Security Force, which will enhance the Government of the Islamic Republic's goal of achieving stability and security in Afghanistan. Read Transcript