Tuesday, March 12, 2013

( The Military News Report ) Patcnews March 12, 2013 The Patriot Conservative News Tea Party Network Report the obama regime executive order keep Navy women on submarines until there service is up. 2 women share 1st kiss at US Navy ship's return © All Copyrights Reserved By Patcnews



 Lt. j.g. Lashanda Holmes



Possible New Marines Uniform Dismissed as too 'Girly'




Far left: current male cover. Center left: possible alternation. Center right: current female cover. Far right: …

Crank up the defibrillator: The New York Post is having a coronary over what it says is "Obama's plan" to sissify the United States Marines. "A change to the Marine Corps' uniform hats could take the hard-nosed Leathernecks from the Halls of Montezuma to the shops of Christopher Street," gasps the tabloid in what it calls an "exclusive" article headlined "Obama wants marines to wear 'girly' hats." Christopher Street is a snarky reference to the historical and symbolic center of gay life in New York City. 

The Post goes on to claim that "officials are on the verge of swapping out the Marines' iconic caps…with a new version that some have derided as so 'girly' that they would make the French blush." Hats aside, from the derisive tone and language, clearly someone doesn't think that either gays or women are tough enough to serve, not to mention the insult to the entire nation of France and our commander in chief, who has nothing to do with this decision. 
More on Yahoo: Self-Cleaning Clothes Invented by The Military Could Make Laundry a Thing of the Past

 What the Post does get right is that the Uniform Board is currently seeking feedback from both active-duty members and reservists on whether or not to adopt a universal cover (that's a hat to us civilians). A Marines spokesperson told Yahoo Shine that the Corps periodically reviews uniforms and recommends changes. The options would be either a slightly modified version of the current male cover or a topper with a smaller crown — dubbed the "Dan Daly cap" after a World War I hero, Sgt Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly — which is more similar to the cover currently worn by women. Daly, who twice won the military's highest award for bravery, the Medal of Honor, famously led the charge on German troops in the 1918 Battle of Belleau Woods with the cry, "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" Voting ends on Friday, and the Uniform Board will convene on Oct. 29 to consider the results. 
Related: Military Plans to Put Women in Most Combat Jobs
The Marine Corps Times chimes in: "The movement to make female uniforms more similar to those worn by men comes as the Defense Department begins to open more roles in combat units to women."    

However, similar doesn't have to mean identical. The reality is that, generally speaking, men and women have different physiques. In an editorial for Time magazine, former naval officer Darlene M. Iskra wrote, "I have no qualms about female sailors wearing the cracker-jack [classic Navy] uniform, but let's not forget that women have bumps and curves in places where males do not. Tailor the jumper tops to accommodate the female body. It's not being exhibitionist…it's being realistic. When someone feels good and looks good, they will act accordingly."


 What makes sense is letting the soldiers speak for themselves about whether or not to adopt a more unisex appearance — which is what the Uniform Board appears to be doing in the case of the hat options. This seems particularly important for the Marines, for whom appearance is deeply important. "Tradition is more than just a word to the Marine Corps. It's honestly what separates us from the other branches of military," a sergeant who preferred to remain anonymous told Yahoo Shine. "Tradition ties directly to appearance, how an individual Marine looks in or out of their uniforms." Another Marine, former staff sergeant Andre Cato, agreed, "It seems absurd to change the cover. As far as tradition goes, we go way back and it's a very big value." He added, "Females are perfectly happy with their uniform, as are males. It would be like trying to fix something that's not broken."

And in the unlikely event that the Uniform Board decides to change to a unisex hat? Let's recall Daly himself. His so-called girly hat didn't diminish his bravery or bluster one bit.

 

US Military May Grant Gay Members Special 10-Day Leave to Marry

 

Thursday, 08 Aug 2013 07:05 AM

By Melanie Batley


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Gay soldiers could be given an extra 10 days leave so they can get married in a state that allows same-sex unions, under new proposals from defense secretary Chuck Hagel.
The new rules would replace earlier proposals to give limited benefits to same-sex couples through a system that would require a couple to declare they were committed to one another to receive limited benefits.

Editor's Note: Weird Trick Adds $1,000 to Your Social Security Checks
Hagel's new proposals would also extend housing and health care benefits to same-sex spouses of members of the military, but while those proposals merely give gays the same benefits as straight members of the military, the gay marriage travel leave would give them extra time-off not available to others.

The proposal was outlined in a draft memo from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, that was obtained by the Associated Press.

"As the Supreme Court's ruling has made it possible for same-sex couples to marry and be afforded all benefits available to any military spouse and family, I have determined, consistent with the unanimous advice of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the spousal and family benefits far outweigh the benefits that could be extended under a declaration system," Hagel wrote, according to AP.

Without the declaration system, Hagel reasons provisions should be made to allow same-sex partners to obtain legal unions and hence the full set of federal benefit to which they would now be entitled. To achieve that he proposes granting gay partners up to 10 days of leave to get married in a state that legalizes the practice.

"Although we have bases and installations in all 50 states, not all state laws are equal when it comes to same-sex marriage," a defense official told AP. "That is why we are looking at providing extra leave for same-sex couples who want to get married to travel to a state where same-sex marriages are legal."

The memo is currently under legal review by the Justice Department and the Pentagon, according to AP.

Pentagon officials would not comment on the specifics of the memo. A Defense Department spokesman, Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, told the AP only that the Pentagon "is working alongside the Department of Justice to implement the court's decision as quickly as possible."

In February, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that by no later than Oct. 1 the Pentagon would extend some limited benefits to same-sex partners of service members. Housing benefits were not included, but the plans called for same-sex partners to get special identification cards granting them access to commissaries and other services.

The benefits would be contingent on the service member and his or her same-sex partner signing a declaration that they were in a committed relationship.

At the time, officials said that if the Supreme Court ruled on the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the issue would be revisited. The act prohibited the federal government from recognizing any marriage other than that between a man and a woman.

In late June, the court cleared the way for legally married gay couples to be recognized under federal law and also allowed same-sex marriages in California to resume. It did not issue any sweeping declarations that would allow same-sex couples to marry anywhere in the country.

When the ruling was announced, Hagel said the Pentagon would reassess the department's decisions on benefits for same-sex couples and also begin the process of extending benefits to same-sex spouses of military members.

In the new draft memo, Hagel says the department intends to treat all married military personnel the same and "make the same benefits available to all military spouses, regardless of sexual orientation."

But, recognizing that same-sex couples are only allowed to marry in a limited number of states, Hagel said the provision allowing service members to travel to states where the unions are legal is a way to help overcome those challenges.

Urgent: Supreme Court Right on Gay Marriage? Vote Here Now
Defense officials estimate there are 18,000 same-sex couples in the active-duty military, National Guard and Reserves. It's unclear how many of those are married.

The repeal of the ban on openly gay military service took effect in September 2011.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/newswidget/US-Military-Gay-Marriage/2013/08/08/id/519325?promo_code=12BDE-1#ixzz2bQ8ginqZ
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Oval Office event April 19, 2013 at the White House in Washington, DC. the obama regime executive order keep Navy women on submarines until there service is up.




AP/ December 21, 2011, 4:18 PM



 

2 women share 1st kiss at US Navy ship's return


Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, kisses her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2011 after Gaeta's ship returned from 80 days at sea. / Brian J. Clark,AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia - A Navy tradition caught up with the repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule on Wednesday when two women sailors became the first to share the coveted "first kiss" on the pier after one of them returned from 80 days at sea.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta of Placerville, California, descended from the USS Oak Hill amphibious landing ship and shared a quick kiss in the rain with her partner, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles.
Gaeta, 23, wore her Navy dress uniform while Snell, 22, wore a black leather jacket, scarf and blue jeans. The crowd screamed and waved flags around them.
"It's something new, that's for sure," Gaeta told reporters after the kiss. "It's nice to be able to be myself. It's been a long time coming."
For the historical significance of the kiss, there was little to differentiate it from countless others when a Navy ship pulls into its home port following a deployment. Neither the Navy nor the couple tried to draw attention to what was happening and many onlookers waiting for their loved ones to come off the ship were busy talking among themselves.
David Bauer, the commanding officer of the USS Oak Hill, said that Gaeta and Snell's kiss would largely be a non-event and the crew's reaction upon learning who was selected to have the first kiss was positive.
"It's going to happen and the crew's going to enjoy it. We're going to move on and it won't overshadow the great things that this crew has accomplished over the past three months," Bauer said.
The ship returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story following an 80-day deployment to Central America. The crew of more than 300 participated in exercises involving the militaries of Honduras, Guatemala Colombia and Panama as part of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2012.
Both women are Navy fire controlmen, who maintain and operate weapons systems on ships. They met at training school where they were roommates and have been dating for two years, which they said was difficult under "don't ask, don't tell."
"We did have to hide it a lot in the beginning," Snell said. "A lot of people were not always supportive of it in the beginning, but we can finally be honest about who we are in our relationship, so I'm happy."
Navy officials said it was the first time on record that a same-sex couple was chosen to kiss first upon a ship's return. Sailors and their loved ones bought $1 raffle tickets for the opportunity.
Gaeta said she bought $50 of tickets, a figure that she said pales in comparison to amounts that some other sailors and their loved ones had bought. The money was used to host a Christmas party for the children of sailors.
Snell said she believes their experience won't be the last one for gays and lesbians in the military.
"I think that it's something that is going to open a lot of doors, for not just our relationship, but all the other gay and lesbian relationships that are in the military now," she said.
Snell is based on the USS Bainbridge, the guided missile destroyer that helped rescue cargo captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009. 




Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, kisses her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2011 after Gaeta's ship returned from 80 days at sea.
 
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 Kimberly Guilfoyle - What a crappy week to be a liberal.  You get smoked on gun control, and now families are holed up in their homes in Boston scared of the Muslim Terrorist who is capable of real harm, while many homeowners are UNARMED and unable to DEFEND their families. Next, they want to ram immigration down our throats but these foreign born Marathon TERRORISTS are screwing things up for the Free Love Woodstock "Let'm all In" crowd! Finally, the Massachesetts Libs are getting a first hand look at what home searches feel like. Under Obie Communism, get used to it! Ahhhh, soon Obamacare fully kicks in. WAIT! One of the authors of Obamacare, Montana Sen. Max Baucus (D) just ADMITTED Wednesday that its going to be a 'train wreck'! BAM! Sux to be YOU guys :) ~~Seano

Gender Pay Gap Report: Women Managers Still Lag Behind Men

VIDEO: Ilene Lang of Catalyst Inc. explains the discrepancy in gender pay.

Women make up nearly half of America's workforce but the number of females in management positions and their corresponding pay still lags behind that of their male counterparts, according to a new government report.
The U.S.Government Accountability Office report, "Women in Management: Analysis of Female Managers' Representation, Characteristics, and Pay," released today found that little has changed for women in the workforce when it comes to compensation.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. D-N.Y., and chair of the Joint Economic Committee, commissioned the report and is holding a congressional hearing today to discuss its findings.
"What is most startling to me is how little progress we've made even though there's a bright spot in that more women are gaining education, we're closing the education gap but we're not closing the pay gap," Maloney said.
Although there are more women represented across several industries, the number of women managers only increased by 1 percent -- from 39 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2007.
Women in non-managerial roles remained at 49 percent of the workforce.
The report analyzed 13 industries from construction to health care and looked at the pay gap between female and male managers. The factors used in determining the salary levels included age, hours worked and education.
New Report: Gender Pay Gap Shock Watch Video

Generation of Dissolving Gender Roles Watch Video
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Although the pay gap for female managers shrank by two cents from 2000 to 2007, female managers now only earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts compared to 79 cents in 2000.
For the first time, the report also looked at working mothers in management.
Working manager moms earned 79 cents for every dollar in comparison to working manager dads -- unchanged since 2000.

Education and Consumer Spending

In addition to examining the pay gap between female and male managers, the GAO report found that more women are earning college and graduate degrees.
The number of working women aged 25 to 64 with college degrees nearly tripled during the years 1970 to 2008.
But the report also found that female managers on average in 2007 were younger, more likely to work part-time and had less education than male managers.
Married women managers, on average, contribute 55 percent of their families' total wages -- which is below male managers who bring in 75 percent of household income.
However, women are major contributors to the economy and "they make major consumer decisions," according to Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the nonprofit center, Family and Work Institute.
"So the prejudices that exist are based on ideas that exist from another time another time, another kind of economy, another type of family life that don't exist today," she said.

Paycheck Fairness Act: Fair or Unnecessary?

While the GAO report highlighted some of the key areas where women lag behind in the workforce, a piece of legislation backed by President Barack Obama aims to help level the pay playing field by making it less complicated for women to sue employers for unequal pay.
Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009, the Paycheck Fairness Act would "lose loopholes that have allowed many employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay."
The act failed to pass in the Senate but is expected to be revisited in a future vote. 

Gender Pay Gap Report: Women Managers Still Lag Behind Men


In an editorial in the Washington Post last week, Valerie Jarrett a senior advisor and assistant to President Obama for intergovernmental affairs, supported the act because she said it gives women "the tools they need to obtain equal pay for equal work."
Jarrett wrote: "Pay equity is an issue of fairness not just for women but also for employers who comply with the law and pay employees what they deserve. The current system rewards businesses that embrace sex-based pay discrimination as a cost-cutting measure and encourages a race to the bottom. The will right this wrong by rewarding businesses that set high standards and value their employees rather than taking advantage of them."
New Report: Gender Pay Gap Shock Watch Video
Generation of Dissolving Gender Roles Watch Video
Top Work-at-Home Jobs Watch Video
However, not everyone agrees that the "fair pay" is actually "equal pay."
Christina Hoff Sommers, a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute, wrote in an editorial in the New York Times last week that the "Paycheck Fairness bill would set women against men, empower trial lawyers and activists, perpetuate falsehoods about the status of women in the workplace and create havoc in a precarious job market."
Sommers wrote that the act is flawed and "the problem is that while the debate proceeds, the bill assumes the answer: it would hold employers liable for the 'lingering effects of past discrimination' — 'pay disparities' that have been 'spread and perpetuated through commerce.' Under the bill, it's not enough for an employer to guard against intentional discrimination; it also has to police potentially discriminatory assumptions behind market-driven wage disparities that have nothing to do with sexism."
ABC News' Claire Shipman, Sarah Kunin, Daniel Arnall and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


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 http://www.manilalivewire.com

Filipino Proud – US Air Force F-16 Jet Fighter Pilot is a Filipina
August 22, 2015


MANILA, Philippines – In the intense field of military pilots where male rules preeminence, a valiant 33-year-old Filipino lady descent, beat the chances to turn into the first Filipina to fly the supersonic F-16 fighting Falcon fighter jet that carried combat missions in Iraq as an individual from the United States Air Force (USAF).

F16Taxying
F-16 Fighter Jet Taxying

The F-16 Fighting Falcon or most commonly known as the “Viper” is a state-of-the- art fighter aircraft. It has been a high-performance weapon system for the US and allied nations for it has been used in numerous air-to-air combats. This specific aircraft has exceeded all the potential threat fighter air crafts. Its feature as an offense-defense weapon is very precise that it can perform on any weather condition. This kind of plane is a complicated device meant to be handled by highly qualified pilots. The F-16 or the Viper has played vital roles in most of America ’s wars with the most recent being in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. An F-16 fighter plane is what Monessa Catuncan navigates.

Capt. Monessa Catuncan was highlighted by the Asian Journal for her exceptional accomplishments as a pilot of an F-16 fighter jet. She is the youngest daughter of Filipino immigrants Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Catuncan, formerly lives in Pasay City and Olongapo City but now situated in Mesquite, Texas.

MonessaCatuncan F16 fighter pilot 
But before Monessa even set foot to the elite US Air Force, this humble Pinay, like almost everybody else earned her way to success.

“I think I want to be an astronaut,” her father Ramon Catuncan recalled her saying after she saw “Armageddon” while a sophomore at the Mesquite High School.

“I told her it would require a lot of hard work to realize her ambition but she told me that would not deter her,” he said.

He said her daughter’s favorite foods are adobo, afritada, and kare-kare.

Indeed, even in her initial years in school, Monessa exceeded expectations in scholastics, graduating valedictorian in a class of 693 at Mesquite High School in Texas in 2000.

Catuncan said that while his daughter was still in high school she caught the attention of the Coast Guard, who invited her in 1999 to Connecticut to interest her in becoming a Coast Guard helicopter pilot.

Monessa went to Connecticut for about two weeks to check out the Coast Guard but in the end, she said she was not interested in flying helicopters. She wanted to be a fixed wing pilot.

After graduating at the top of her high school class in Dallas County, Texas, Monessa enrolled at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and majored in aeronautical engineering.

Like all of her colleagues, Monessa went through an Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) before becoming a fighter pilot. However, she didn’t just pass her UPT – she excelled in it.

That same year. While at USAFA, Monessa, aside from pursuing her desired career as part of the US Air Force, served as a Squadron Commander, a Division-1 tennis player, a Glider Instructor Pilot, and a member of the Glider Acrobatic Team, among other essential positions. In 2004, Monessa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering from the USAFA.

Monessa proved herself and finished the course as one of the top student pilots in her class. She was then chosen to fly either a fighter or a bomber aircraft. After her course at Moody Air Force, she went to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas and Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls to fly the T-38. In her training there, Monessa learned the basics of formation flying, offensive and defensive fighter maneuvering, and surface attack bombing techniques. Monessa went through intense studying and was put in a variety of stressful situations in order to pass this training.

From flying T- 38, she had an option of choosing from different aircraft like the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15C Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, B-1B Lancer, A-10 Warthog, B-52 Stratofortress, and F/A-22 Raptor, and T-6 or T-38 are also options. After her T-38 course, Monessa requested to fly an F-16 Falcon, and she got what she wanted.

Monessa went through with her training to hone her skill at maneuvering fighter jets at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona where she learned how to control and apply tactics of the F-16 Fighter Falcon, or Viper. Monessa finished her course at Luke Air Force Base with flying colors and was part of the “Lucky number 13” graduate from class 2007. She was the only woman in her group, not to mention the only Filipino to pass the much-coveted pilot course.

She was commissioned as a USAF second lieutenant in 2004 and after training as an F-16 jet pilot was sent to Iraq with the 34th Fighter Squadron to support US ground troops in close air support missions.

Early this year she was promoted to captain and assigned at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah, about 30 miles (48 km) north of Salt Lake City, Utah.

As the first Filipina descent to fly the F-16, Capt. Catuncan “also carries the Philippine flag in her heart and the pride of the country it represents and the people in it.”

The US Air Force is an elite organization and to a pilot, an F-16 fighter plane is a prized possession. Monessa, through her perseverance and hard work, has earned not only the fly the F-16 but also the pride and honor of defending the United States, as well as making the Filipinos proud. – Jason E.

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The First Filipina to fly the F-16 of the elite US Air Force


What men do, women also can.”
This notion is common when talking about women empowerment. Well, another Filipina woman has proved this right again.

Thirty-three year-old Capt. Monessa Catuncan, a former resident in Pasay City and Olongapo City in the Philippines was recently recognized by the Asian Journal for  her phenomenal performance of flying United States’ F-16 Fighter Plane. The said plane was described to be a “state-of-the-art” aircraft by Manila Wire.
Capt. Catuncan was the first Filipina to earn the privilege and honor to fly the said fighter plane commonly called “Viper”. The Viper was not just an ordinary plane as it has been used in many air-combats and has been one of US’ superb planes that fought during wars. It has been considered as a high-performance weapon for the US and allied nations for it was able to transcend other known aircrafts. Its weapons can even still be precisely used even under bad weather conditions.
The Viper was carrying combat missions in Iraq as a representative from the United States Air Force (USAF). The fact that the plane was too complicated meant that only excellent and and equipped pilots are allowed to handle it; Capt. Catuncan, being one.
Before getting where she is now, Capt. Catuncan also dreamed and made her way to success just like anybody else. While still in her second year in at Mesquite High School, Texas, Catuncan was inspired to become an astronaut by the movie – Armageddon. At that very moment, her father, Ramon Catuncan explained to her how much of a hardwork and perseverance she has to exert before realizing her young ambition.
Amazingly, young Monessa was not disheartened. Instead, she did well with her studies and graduated Valedictorian in her High School in 2000. Even before she graduated, Monessa already captured the attention of the Coast Guard and was invited to Connecticut and be a helicopter pilot in 1999. She grabbed the opportunity and went to Connecticut. However, after two weeks, she realized she was not contented with flying helicopter. Instead, she wanted to fly a real plane
Taking her next step, Monessa enrolled herself in US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and studied aeronautical engineering. She took the Undergraduate Pilot Training, excelled, and eventually graduated. Determined to reach her ambition, Monessa topped as a student-plot in her class.
Monessa’s flying career started to bloom then. She was offered to fly either a fighter or a bomber aircraft. Monessa did not just settled there. She went to Moody Air Force, Laughlin Air Force Base and Sheppard Air Force Base where she learned all the theories and developed her skills as a pilot. Although learning all the techniques of controlling a fighter plane required a really tough training, Monessa still conquered the stressful situations she had been through.
Reaping her hardwork’s fruits, Monessa finally got what she wanted – to fly F-16 Falcon, among the numerous aircrafts offered to her. She went to Luke Air Force Base in  Arizona to practice flying the F-16 or Viper, as commonly known, and of course, graduated with flying colors. What makes her more amazing was that she was the only woman in her group and the only Filipino to pass the course.
As a kickoff of her ‘real’ pilot career in 2014, Monessa was sent to Iraq with the 34th Fighter Squadron as a USAF 2nd Lieutenant. Just this year, she was promoted as a Captain and was assigned in Utah’s Hill Air Force Base.
After all Capt. Catuncan’s hard work and perseverance, she finally earned not only the F-16 Falcon, but also the honor of serving her countrymen. She also has brought honor to the Filipino race and flag as a Filipina who made it through a tough way, and and inspiration to every person who has big dream....




























Army Contracting Command employee embraces diversity and opportunity







Jeannie Nguyen, a procurement analyst, is assigned to the Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Maryland. (Photo Credit: (U.S. Army Photo))

The beauty of the cultural awareness observances highlighting individuals throughout the Department of Defense is that regardless of race, creed or color, America is, as the saying goes, “big enough to accommodate their dreams.”

Just ask Jeannie Nguyen, a procurement analyst with the Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Maryland.

A native Asian Pacific islander, Jeannie and her family came to the United States from Vietnam nearly 30 years ago.

Nguyen said that she was around the age of 10 when her family made the journey to America. Of her life in her native Vietnam, she said she was raised in a religious home, and that a Catholic education was embedded in her daily life and family values.
Gleaming with pride, Nguyen said that she has the utmost respect for her heritage and values. Adding that her family has played an integral role in her ability to pursue her goals and dreams, she said, “Like most parents, mine are very involved and supportive. Also like many other immigrants, their view of America is that of a land of opportunities.”
Fast forward the years, and Nguyen, a proud Vietnamese American, has channeled the spirit of her early upbringing to become an equally proud mother, wife and employee with the U.S. Federal government. “We were newly wedded, but I spent most of my time traveling to New York City to work. My husband had encouraged me to go back to school and earn the 24 hours business credits requirements, and so I applied to the Contracting Intern Program. My original degree focus was in healthcare administration,” said Nguyen.
“Perseverance and patience paid off. In 2006 I began working in contracting at Fort Monmouth. The irony behind my landing that position was that I was called to an interview by accident, but I quickly turned the incident around, and used it as an opportunity. Fortunately, I impressed the panel.”
Since then, Nguyen has seized nearly every opportunity to professionally excel. With six years as a member of the CECOM Small Business Program (OSBP) to add to her experience, she as recently as last year joined APG’s Army Contracting Command (ACC).
No stranger to hard work, Nguyen said such a work ethic is not at all uncommon among Asian Americans. Said Nguyen, “We often view ourselves as hard working Americans. Asian Americans have contributed greatly to the workforce and growth of our nation through innovations and dedication. In the APG community, we have many great Asian American engineers, scientists, developers, programmers, and professionals supporting the mission.”
Speaking to her personal commitment and dedication, Nguyen said, “Although I have not served in the U.S. military, I am honored to serve in my current capacity as a civilian and public servant. I feel a sense of great pride in my work and my contributions to the workforce. I always do my best in whatever tasks and challenges.” Her tireless energy anything but subdued, Nguyen added, “My goal is to continue to support the Army’s mission, and be known as a trusted professional, and a responsive teammate.”



Simone Askew is first black woman to lead West Point cadets

 







West Point Cadet Simone Askew poses for a photo on Aug. 3, 2017. (Austin Lachance/Army via AP)


WEST POINT, N.Y. — Simone Askew marched into history Monday as the first black woman to lead the Long Grey Line at the U.S. Military Academy.
After an early morning 12-mile march back to the grey stone academic complex with 1,200 new cadets she led through the rigors of basic training at “Beast Barracks,” the 20-year-old international history major from Fairfax, Virginia, assumed duties as first captain of the 4,400-member Corps of Cadets. That’s the highest position in the cadet chain of command at West Point.
“It’s humbling, but also exciting as I step into this new opportunity to lead the corps to greatness with my teammates with me,” a beaming Askew, still in camouflage fatigues from her march, told reporters.
As first captain, Askew is responsible for the overall performance of the Corps of Cadets. Her duties also include implementing a class agenda and acting as a liaison between the cadets and the administration.


Simone Askew is first black woman to lead West Point cadets












West Point Cadet Simone Askew poses for a photo on Aug. 3, 2017. (Austin Lachance/Army via AP)


WEST POINT, N.Y. — Simone Askew marched into history Monday as the first black woman to lead the Long Grey Line at the U.S. Military Academy.

After an early morning 12-mile march back to the grey stone academic complex with 1,200 new cadets she led through the rigors of basic training at “Beast Barracks,” the 20-year-old international history major from Fairfax, Virginia, assumed duties as first captain of the 4,400-member Corps of Cadets. That’s the highest position in the cadet chain of command at West Point.

“It’s humbling, but also exciting as I step into this new opportunity to lead the corps to greatness with my teammates with me,” a beaming Askew, still in camouflage fatigues from her march, told reporters.



As first captain, Askew is responsible for the overall performance of the Corps of Cadets. Her duties also include implementing a class agenda and acting as a liaison between the cadets and the administration.


 “Simone truly exemplifies our values of Duty, Honor, Country,” said Brig. Gen. Steven W. Gilland, commandant of cadets.








Cadet Simone Askew, of Fairfax, Va.,, center, who returned from a 12-mile road march from Camp Buckner to West Point Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, has been selected first captain of the U.S. Military Academy Corps of Cadets for the upcoming academic year in West Point, N.Y. (Cadet Alex Werden via AP)

“I can’t believe this has happened in my lifetime,” said Pat Locke, one of two African American women in the first class of women to graduate from West Point in 1980. “When I entered the Academy in 1976, the men did not want us there. Now 40 years later, everybody recognizes the talent and skills women bring to the game.”



Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, was West Point’s first African American first captain in 1979. The first female in that role, in 1989, was Col. Kristin Baker, now commander of the Joint Intelligence Operations Center Europe, Analytic Center.

Women make up about 20 percent of cadets, who are usually commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army upon graduation. The academy created a diversity office in 2014 with the goal of recruiting more women and African Americans and increasing diversity among department heads and other leaders.

Pam Askew, of Fairfax, says her daughter is a natural born leader with incredible drive.



“That leadership is something I’ve seen throughout her life — wanting to be first, wanting to be the best, wanting to win, in sports, in academics, in every aspect of her life,” Askew said. “And to serve others, as well.”

 Cadet Simone Askew, of Fairfax, Va., right, talking with Brigade Tactical Officer Col. Brian Reed at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. This marks the first time in history that an African-American woman will take the top position in West Point's cadet chain of command. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Askew’s appointment comes a year after a photo of 16 graduating black female cadets raising their fists drew criticism from online commentators who accused them of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Supporters said they were making a gesture of solidarity and accomplishment as graduation drew near. West Point investigated and determined they hadn’t violated any Army rules.

“What that photo said to me was how few black women are graduating,” Locke said. “We average less than 20 African American women graduating each year out of a class of 1,000. And yet, out of that 20 we got a first captain. Isn’t that amazing?”

Locke, a West Point volunteer who has been a mentor to Askew and other cadets, said she’ll hold her up as a role model for girls when she holds workshops on leadership and academics at schools in inner cities around the country.



Asked for her advice to young people aspiring to excel, Askew said: “Allow yourself to be a vessel. Throughout my cadet career I’ve just really focused on being poured into, seeking advice, seeking development, leadership mentors wherever I could. Just truly be a vessel and be poured into.”







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