Styx Special Airs on AFN Radio

By George Maurer, American Forces Network – Radio

Tommy Shaw stood alone on stage with an acoustic guitar playing the opening notes of “Crystal Ball.” The rest of Styx was off stage taking a breather after a blistering rendition of “Come Sail Away.”

I was enjoying one of the most memorable concerts of my life and, even then, it was hard to believe just one hour ago I was interviewing Shaw and James “JY” Young. As I was conducting that interview, the friendship and mutual respect Shaw and Young have for each other became obvious rather quickly. Considering what they’ve been through together, I suppose it isn’t surprising.

They say combat veterans share a bond that can only be understood by those who’ve been there themselves. I guess you can say Shaw and Young have seen their own version of combat.

Dennis DeYoung is an immensely talented musician and songwriter and by all accounts, he can also be a bit difficult to work with at times.

DeYoung preferred writing soft, complex ballads. To his credit, DeYoung’s songs were often the source of the band’s greatest successes. “Lady” put the band on the national scene in the first place and “Babe” remains their only number one single. DeYoung wrote “Babe” for his wife, who I’m sure loved it. But when he brought that same song to Styx, they weren’t nearly as enthralled.
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The U.S. Census and You, the Servicemember

By Ian Graham

This has been a very civic week for me.  Yesterday I did my first tour of duty as a juror in the District of Columbia.  Tuesday, I filled out my first census. I think Mr. Fuller, my U.S. Government teacher from high school, would have a tear in his eye (if he weren’t also my wrestling coach and tough as nails).

The U.S. Census, a tally of all of the United States residents (citizens and non-citizens), takes place every 10 years. As a result, the millions of people who turn 18 and/or move into their own homes each decade get a piece of mail that can be a little confusing at first glance.

For those who joined the services, there’s an added element of confusion – will I get counted in the barracks?  If I’m deployed or stationed overseas, do I count in the census?  What if I’m one of the thousands of foreign nationals who either serve in uniform or work here?

Mary Dixon, director of the Defense Manpower Data Center, met with the Pentagon Channel and other reporters (myself included) to talk about what the census means for the military.  Luckily for servicemembers, who already have plenty on their minds, the daunting process is, actually, pretty easy.

[Read the Defense.gov article here]

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Episode #26: Weekly AFPS News Roundup for March 18

In this edition of the AFPS podcast, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, updates the Senate Armed Services Committee on Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East and cyberspace; servicemembers support flood operations in N. Dakota; the relief mission in Haiti winds down and transitions to support for long term recovery; the director of the organization tasked with countering improvised explosive devices, JIEDDO, offers insights into the latest strategies; defense officials take measures to control costs and speed production of F35 joint strike fighters; and, an expert tax advisor says large tax refunds indicate the need to reconsider paycheck withholdings.

To listen to the audio podcast, click here.

Morning Mission

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter crew chief prepares to conduct a mission during exercise Emerald Warrior on Fort Walton Beach, Fla., March 11, 2010. The training is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored exercise involving multiple service branches and training sites throughout the southeast. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Clay Lancaster.

30 Days Through Afghanistan: Mission Complete – Day 35

By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nathan Gallahan, ISAF Joint Command Public Affairs

This is it, the final blog and the end to the greatest military experience of my life. Looking back I hope this project has not only opened civilian eyes to what life is like in Afghanistan, but opened military eyes as to the power of social media.

In many ways this project has been a massive success. I still have all of the rank I carried before this project started and none of my words have been censored in anyway. I had the complete freedom to write anything I wanted to as long as it didn’t violate operational security and was honest and truthful.

When we first started, this freedom really scared me. I didn’t know how I was going to touch on topics like government corruption and the varying opinions on strategy in Afghanistan. I found that if I stuck to the truth, and kept those negative aspects within their place and talked about them honestly without sensationalizing, I could write a product that both respected my integrity while acknowledging the challenges that lay ahead in Afghanistan.

View Day 35 vlog, here.
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