Our nation faces grave economic challenges, and we want you to know that we are working with our nation’s leaders to address those challenges.  We will remain the best military in the world and we will keep faith with you, your families, and our veterans.  We promise that we will demonstrate as much courage in meeting this challenge as you demonstrate every day, around the world, protecting our country.

Wherever you are serving on this Thanksgiving Day, in uniform or out, know that we are thankful for your service.

Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

It is an honor to be the 18^th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve with you.

The most important thing I want you to know is that I trust you to do what’s right for each other and for our country.

Thanks for your service.  You have fought harder and your families have sacrificed more than most will ever know.  You make us the finest military on the planet.  We’re powerful, versatile, responsive, and resilient.  We are admired by our allies and partners, and we are dreaded by our enemies.   You are our decisive advantage.

To ensure we remain the Joint Force our nation needs, I’ll focus on a few key themes as I begin my time as Chairman.

We must achieve our national objectives in the current conflicts.  As long as our forces remain in harm’s way, we must ensure they have what they need to succeed.

We must look beyond our current requirements—to 2020—and develop Joint Force 2020 to provide the greatest possible number of options for our nation’s leaders and to ensure our nation remains immune from coercion.  Keeping our military the best led, best trained, and best equipped force in the world is the non-negotiable imperative.  Doing so in a new fiscal environment will be hard, but we’ve overcome similar challenges in our past, and the nation is counting on us to overcome them again.

We must renew our commitment to the Profession of Arms.  We’re not a profession simply because we say we’re a profession.  We must continue to learn, to understand, and to promote the knowledge, skills, attributes, and behaviors that define us as a profession.

And, of course, we must keep faith with our Military Family.  Our active, guard and reserve service members, our wounded warriors, our families, and our veterans deserve the future they have sacrificed to secure.

Continue mission!  I am proud to serve with you.

MARTIN E. DEMPSEY
General, U.S. Army

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

To the men, women and families of the armed forces of the United States,

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as your Chairman for the last four years.  Everywhere Deborah and I went to see you and your families we walked away humbled by the magnitude of the responsibility you have volunteered to carry and strengthened by the willingness and dignity with which you carry it.

From my first day on the job, I pledged to ensure you had the right strategy, leadership and resources to accomplish your missions.  I believe we worked hard to get that right.  But you are the ones who turned back the tide of violence in Iraq, made huge strides towards a more secure Afghanistan and defended our Nation’s interests around the globe.  Even with all the demands we’ve placed on you, you still look for ways to do even more to help those in need.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the burdens placed on you and your families.  Your sacrifices will be forever fixed in my heart, and I am eternally grateful for your service.

Following the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”  Today, I could use those very words to describe our thoughts of you.    We are deeply honored to have served for and with you.  May God bless you and your families always.

M. G. MULLEN
Admiral, U.S. Navy

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Our Air Force was literally born “in the air.” President Truman was aboard the presidential VC-54C – the Air Force One of its day – when he signed the National Security Act of 1947. With Truman’s stroke of the pen sixty-four years ago, America’s Air Force was launched as an independent Service.

In the decades since, our Air Force has grown a rich tradition of pushing back the bounds of the possible, rising to meet any challenge.

Wherever the interests of our Nation or our allies and partners are at stake, the men and women of our Air Force have been – and continue to be – among the first and fastest to answer the call.

I see this every day as I’ve watched and worked with Airmen around the globe in my four years as your Chairman.

From executing operations simultaneously across the spectrum of conflict and multiple domains, to delivering the highest chance of survival to our wounded of any war in US history, the commitment of our Airmen has been extraordinary and your contributions pivotal.

It has been a tremendous privilege to serve with the finest men and women in the world’s greatest air, space, and cyberspace force. I salute each of you and your families for your service and thank you for the difference you make for our Nation and for so many around the world. Happy Birthday Air Force!

- Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

A memorial flag is illuminated, Sept. 11, 2007, near the spot where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. (Photo by By Petty Officer 1st Class Brandan W. Schulze)

9/11 didn’t end on 9/11. To date we are still hearing untold stories from men and women whose lives changed that day; from the first responders at the World Trade Center to the servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan, to the survivors who found the strength to rebuild after enduring unspeakable tragedy. The anniversary of 9/11 affords us an opportunity to offer a tribute to the innocent lives we lost that day; including mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters from nations around the world, including people belonging to various faiths.

On 9/11 terrorists aimed to instill fear in the American people and overturn our way of life. Our enemies underestimated the resilience of the American spirit. Just as earlier generations of Americans overcame great tests, so have we, as we come together in solidarity to overcome this one, undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of our time. Since 9/11, there have been extraordinary efforts taken to keep America safe – by first responders and state and local authorities; law enforcement and the intelligence community; diplomats and troops overseas. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, many Americans were inspired to serve their fellow citizens and communities.

While it serves as a continuous reminder of how we have overcome tragedy, 9/11 is above all a day to remember and honor those innocent victims who lost their lives. We will continue to be vigilant in taking the fight to those who seek to do us harm and face the future with a sense of promise, renewal, and optimism.

Polish Army Pfc. Patryk Sawicki, 6nd Polish Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (right), and Polish Army Lt. Radoslaw Lasota, 2nd POMLT, meet with a Shakra-e-Kohn Secondary School student May 22. Afghan National Policemen, International Security Assistance Force POMLT advisers and District Development Team education specialists visited Shakra-e-Kohn Secondary School and Sanayee High School in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Gov. Abdul Jabaar Naeemi asks an important question.

While many of the children told Naeemi that they want to be doctors and teachers, Afghan kids won’t have that chance without education. The Taliban are exploiting economic hardship and lack of education to achieve their extremist goals. They are recruiting children as young as 9 to serve as suicide bombers.

As one Islamic religious leader told Radio Free Europe, suicide bombers are “are tainting the name of Islam and are not true Muslims.” They are “uneducated,” cleric Rahm-Daad said.

Indeed, without education, children are less likely to get jobs. And without jobs, they are more apt to turn to violent militant groups. A survey across the Afghan border in Pakistan found that 79 percent of people believe “economic hardship” leads to suicide bombing.

Polish Army Maj. Szymon Zadrozny shakes hands and gives school supplies to a student from Shakra-e-Kohn School May 22.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is working to ensure Afghan children are educated and have a chance to build their nation.

Just in the past week, ISAF funded the construction of new schools in Khowst province and opened one in Panjshir province. In Ghazni province, they met with school administrators to discuss their needs and opportunities for coalition support while also providing school supplies.

Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team members and villagers gather outside the Perengal School preceding the school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in Dara district, Afghanistan, May 17, 2011.

“The holy Quran says that learning is obligatory for every individual, man or woman, because if you are uneducated, you are blind and living in darkness,” said the deputy governor of Panjshir province, Abdul Rahman Kabiri, at a school opening. “When Allah gives someone education, it means he has all the world in his hand.”

ISAF soldiers are also caring for kids at orphanages.

As Naeemi says, children are “the future of Afghanistan.”

An Afghan National Policeman poses for a photo with a young Afghan child at a school in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Nathan Gregg at the starting line of the satellite Boston Marathon held on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Our command sergeant major told us that a deployment is an opportunity of a lifetime. I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. Frankly, deployments stink, but here’s no better way to tackle adversity than head-on.

So what are my coping mechanisms? First and foremost, you need a sense of humor. If you don’t have one of those here, you will be in trouble. I also have a few things that I do while deployed.

I make a point during this deployment to always work on some form of self-improvement.

My first goal was simple: I will eat my meals slower. If you suffer from this malady, you know why it’s a challenge of sorts to overcome. Anybody who has gone through basic training knows exactly what I am talking about. Some fellow soldiers have told me, “I have eaten like an emaciated dog ever since basic training. Actually, I am still afraid somebody might take my plate.”

So, how am I doing? Well, I actually notice that people are sitting around me when I eat now. That means that my head isn’t completely buried in my plate. I call that progress!

My second goal involves working on my golf game. The last time I checked there was no country club here on Bagram Air Field, though Lord knows we need one. A lack of a golf course made this goal a little more difficult.

Prior to deploying, I received some intelligence from our pre-deployment site survey troopers that I was in luck: there’s a hitting net on base with plenty of golf balls and golf clubs. Unfortunately, there were no reports of a “19th hole.”
“You know, this whole going-to-war thing might not be so bad this time,” I thought to myself.

Since I’ve arrived in Afghanistan, I’ve made it a point to end my day with a stress-relieving session on the driving range. Not only was I fulfilling my original goal of working on my golf swing, I was also able to decompress from the stresses of a staff position.

Unfortunately, I may have overdone it and I am currently on the shelf. But don’t think for a minute that I won’t be back out there the second I can. I won’t know for sure how this particular goal is progressing until I’m able to hit the links and apply some of the skills I’ve been working on.

What is my next goal? It’s more of a work in progress- organizing my paperwork.

Administrative organization and I go together like the Taliban and the Bill of Rights, i.e. not at all. This is a tough one for me. Just prior to my departure for Afghanistan, I was trying to organize some administrative paperwork with my wife. I ended up screaming in frustration and telling my wife, “Honey, I need you to do this for me. This makes my head hurt!”

Now, with no wife to bail me out and a desperate need for some administrative organization, it has been a baptism by fire. But I am hanging in there.

My unit is going to be here for an eternity. Well, not really an eternity, but it certainly feels like that. In reality, we’re only here for a year. The separation from my family is one of the most difficult things I have had to endure in my life, but I am here and there is nothing I can do about it except embrace it and take advantage of every minute of every day.

Juan Perez says he previously found ramp closures an annoyance since it backed up aviation operations on the flight line. The first time he actually witnessed a ramp ceremony with the caskets of three Soldiers carried into an Air Force aircraft, his perspective changed to one of respect and solemnity. Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot.

While working at a major military airfield in Afghanistan for the Army’s Task Force ODIN-A, I used to hate announcements for ramp closures. A ramp closure announcement is a notice that a portion or all of the access points to an airfield will be closed, causing delays in takeoffs and landings.

If personnel were leaving or arriving at our base, we could not drive our all-terrain vehicles to pick them up or drop them off at the terminals. I even thought the ramp freezes were the Air Force’s way for some inter-military competition because it seemed that at times our Army unit was flying more aircraft than the Air Force!

I can remember the day my irritation at the ramp closures changed.

I went by our hangar to see if our aircraft had been able to depart before a scheduled ramp closure and came upon a ceremony for three fallen U.S. Army soldiers.

Everything was conducted with military precision, soldiers paying their respects to the passing caskets. There was rare silence in a normally very noisy place. The solemnity of the occasion had me riveted. It felt as if everything surrounding the ceremony took on the solemnity of the moment, with even the towering mountains standing at attention.

Into the belly of a big aircraft they went, one by one. The flag of the country they loved enough to give their lives for was neatly draped over each casket. If what was before me didn’t change how I felt about the ramp closures, what happened next definitely did.

As the ceremony ended, many soldiers from the unit and others who worked with these heroes walked toward the aircraft. A few of us were left behind.

I slowly worked my way to our hangar and as I approached, I saw a soldier sitting where our mechanics normally work. Walking closer, I realized I didn’t recognize this soldier.

Why would he be in our area? Our mechanics weren’t there. I thought I should check this guy out.

I approached him and said, “Hi.” He was looking down, and I thought he didn’t hear me, so I spoke louder.

“Hey, how are you?” I asked.

That was when he looked up and softly said, “I’ve been better, but what can you do.”

I noticed he was crying. I put together the rest of the story without any more words.

I will hopefully never know exactly what a soldier feels when a buddy dies, but I came closer to understanding it right then and there. I couldn’t say a word, and my vision started to get blurry as I gave this young man the space he needed to be with his own thoughts.

Our modest hangar had become a chapel.

If that soldier ever reads this note, I want him to know that because of him, my appreciation of the brotherhood formed from units in combat grew immensely. Every commander must be proud to have such soldiers in their units.

I hope we have no more fallen soldier ceremonies during my time left on this deployment. But, if there are any more, I will appreciate the reason. I want to do my part to honor these soldiers the way they deserve.

Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft enjoys delicious Afghan food prior to watching a game of the Afghan national sport Buzkashi, which translates literally to goat dragging.

Since arriving in Panjshir province, the one thing I was eager to witness was a game of Buzkashi, which translates literally to goat dragging. I was told about the intense sport by some other members in our Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT) who had seen a game prior to my arrival in Afghanistan.

Fortunately, I got my chance to see a game for myself after our PRT was invited to a game. I was extremely excited. In preparation, I researched how to best photograph the sport to see what I could hope to pull off myself!

A chapandaz, or Buzkashi player, rides toward the target circle to score during a Buzkashi game. Photo by Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft.

After the two-hour drive to Paryan, the command’s military leaders at the game were invited for lunch with the Paryan District governor before the game. The governor’s son was getting married so we were served some dishes I’d never before tasted. One of the funnier moments was when I was offered and was provoked to eat a fried baby bird. It was a quite interesting battle for my taste buds!

After lunch, it was time for the real fun. Dozens of horses and their riders lined up in front of the governor and his guests for a greeting. I couldn’t help but get a little impatient as I and the thousand men in the crowd scanned the field for the man bringing the goat carcass out onto the field.

Finally, the match began.

Yet I didn’t know much about the game before it started. I expected a few men on horses to chase each other down for the possession of the dead goat. I knew that once they get control of it, they carry it around like a flag to a goal in order to score a point.

I got much more than I expected.

A Buzkashi competitor wears a Soviet-era fabric helmet. Photo by Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft.

More than 50 beautiful horses and their dressed up riders (some wearing Soviet-era helmets) basically rammed, jumped into and pretty much got into a mosh pit-style fight for a dead animal body!

I scrambled around the field to get better angles for photos as I searched for the player with control of the goat. At one point, the dust on the field had been kicked up so much that I could barely see individual riders, let alone the mass of bodies (humans and horses) moving around the field.

Senior Airman Darin Pugh, a friend of mine and a fellow PRT member, was “watching out” for me as the riders finally broke free and headed toward the goal. As I stared through my telephoto lens, I was thrilled that they were heading right in my direction, making for an excellent photo.

Competitors in the Buzkashi game fight for a calf carcass during a Buzkashi game. Photo by Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft.

I heard Darin call out my name. The crowd was getting louder. But through my excitement, all I concentrated on was getting a good photo. I suddenly realized that the riders were going out of frame and Darin was frantically saying my name again. I looked up from my camera lens, just as I saw a group of horses coming right at us!

“RUN!” he shouted.

We took off running to the right of the stampede and I swear I’ve never laughed so hard at my own fear and quickly beating heart! The crowd laughed along with us, too, enjoying the spectacle!

Senior Airman Ashcraft poses in front of the Buzkashi game.

We quickly learned that the sidelines will always become the playing field and there really is no “safe” seat or area to place yourself as a spectator. What a rush though! We cheered right along with everyone else as the first individual carried the carcass to the large white powdered circle. The next round began quickly afterward.

The best part about attending that Buzkashi game was celebrating an important Afghanistan pastime. Buzkashi is a beloved sport in this country and taking part in the cheering and excitement made for an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Read more about the game