Police Officer @ MindSay 
radio
The November 21, 2008, program of the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with former Ontario Provincial Police Officer Julie Hryniewicz-Hache who is an author, speaker, trainer and life coach; “If you are looking to achieve goals or overcome self-imposed limitations, Julie is a Certified Coach Practitioner, with the Certified Coaches Federation, Julie will support and guide you towards the life goals you are looking to achieve.”
Program Date: November 21, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Life Coach
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/11/22/Life-Coach
About the Guest
Julie Hryniewicz-Hache is an inspirational speaker, life coach, author, and corporate trainer in the realm work/life balance and wellness. As former Ontario Provincial Police Officer in five separate Northern Ontario detachments, some of Julie's specialty positions included Hostage and Crisis Negotiator, Acting Detective Sergeant, Investigator with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, and Casino Intelligence Liaison officer.
Following her policing career, Julie became a college level instructor in the Police Foundations and Criminal Justice Program. Using her experience in policing and as a front-line social service worker in child protective services, with young offenders, and facilitating social skills programs in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and low income housing complexes, Julie shares her journey of burnout and healing with others as a writer of magazine articles, columnist, host of a community online talk radio show, author of a book titled, "Natural Balance" as well as the audio CD program, "What Happened To My Tires?" on life balance.
Julie Hryniewicz-Hache is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with criminology studies from Lake Superior State University in Michigan towards her degree, as well as a Law Clerk diploma from the Ontario business college. Julie was recently a selected participant of the two-and-a-half week, 2008 Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference. For further information about Julie, her work, and her inspirational blog, you can visit her website at: www.MakeItWorkSeminars.com.
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/11/22/Life-Coach
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
909.599.7530
By Army Pfc. Christopher McKenna
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - With help from coalition soldiers, the police force here is building a district response team. "This group of DRT members will make sure Mahmudiyah is not threatened by terrorists," said Mahmudiyah police officer 1st Lt. Yessir Shabp Abid, future platoon leader for the DRT. "We will gain the trust of the people by making sure the enemy has no place to safely rest."
The soldiers of the 65th Military Police Company, 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, are training the team in basic rifle marksmanship, close-quarters combat, combat lifesaver skills, vehicle assaults and building entry and clearing techniques.
"The DRT will be a police organization that takes on the hard cases of the Mahmudiyah police force," said Army Spc. Joshua Carrion, from Brooklyn, N.Y., 2nd Platoon, 65th Military Police Company team leader and lead trainer for clearance technique. "We train the DRT on special weapons and tactics that are beyond the IP's regular scope of work."
The current class of 11 students is the second of four DRT classes scheduled through October to train a total of 45 police officers.
"On the first day of the course, we break down the basics of what the DRT is made up of, what the leadership is supposed to do and what kind of operators we are looking for," Carrion said. "We're looking for the elite -- the best of the best. We stress that they have to be sharp and know things that other people aren't necessarily going to know."
Identifying hostile and nonhostile targets is a main focus for the trainees as the city of Mahmudiyah transfers security authority from the Army to the police.
"The DRT will be the force of choice in Mahmudiyah if there are noncombatants believed to be at a designated mission location," said Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Martinez, from Fort Bragg, N.C., 65th Military Police Company squad leader.
The course lasts 10 days, but hopefuls conduct a physical fitness test and marksmanship training three days before the official start of training. The physical fitness test consists of a 100-meter sprint in less than 14 seconds, 21 push-ups, 31 sit-ups, six pull-ups and a 1,500-meter run in 14 minutes.
"After the PT test, they came back for a class on range safety and procedures, and how to fire properly from static firing positions," Carrion said. "After the range class and rifle marksmanship, the individuals who qualified were placed in the course."
While the course is designed to be difficult, everyone who passes the physical fitness test and marksmanship phases has successfully completed the training.
"At the end of the class, we send the candidates through the shoot house for qualification, [where] they have to engage all targets throughout three rooms in less than 45 seconds," Carrion said.
Abid said he looks forward to the team making a difference. "Everyone who is in the course has done a great job," Abid said. "Those who qualify will continue to help Mahmudiyah remain a safe and secure city."
(Army Pfc. Christopher McKenna serves with the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)
By Army Sgt. Jessica Dahlberg
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 1, 2008 - Martin Parker from Brenham, Texas, just might be the oldest corporal in the Army -- or so his friends like to tell him. Parker, 41, retired from the Dallas Police Department in July 2006 and was looking for something else meaningful to do with his life. Since he has brothers in the Marine Corps and a father who was in the Navy, the military seemed like a good fit.
The forward observer is assigned to the 1st Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, in Afghanistan's Kandahar province.
"It's always been something I've wanted to do," Parker said. "I retired from law enforcement and still wanted to contribute something. I wanted to do something worthwhile."
Two months later, Parker arrived at Fort Knox, Ky., for basic combat training to begin his Army career. The transition from police officer to soldier was an easy one for him, he said, because it fit his experience and personality.
"I already had the discipline and team mindset down from being a police officer," Parker said, "but the thing I like most about the Army is the camaraderie and seeing the young soldiers' bright and shiny motivation."
Parker's motivation helped him advance quickly. He went from private first class to specialist and then to corporal in a span of seven weeks.
During his tour in Afghanistan, Parker assists his leadership in the use of artillery.
"I'm getting used to closing the gap between being confident in what I do and waiting my turn," he said. "I like to take charge when I see what could be the best possible outcome, but I need to stay in my lane. The problem is I like my lane and both lanes on either side of me."
He chose to become a forward observer because it seemed to be the best application of his skills, he said.
"As a forward observer, we are the eyes of the Army," Parker said. "We set up concealed outposts and watch for the enemy and use artillery fire to screen our own movement, disrupt, illuminate or neutralize the enemy."
Early each morning, Parker rolls out of bed to start his 18-hour day at Forward Operating Base Ramrod. He processes fire missions and plans targets of opportunity based on intelligence or in support of upcoming missions. If troops come into contact, he is their "go-to guy."
Parker admitted the physical demands of the Army may be a challenge for him in the future, but he said he plans to stay with the Army as long as he can.
"I would do this job forever, or as long as I can meet the physical requirements, [which] might get slightly harder as I get older," Parker said jokingly. "It's my first deployment, but I will be re-enlisting."
(Army Sgt. Jessica Dahlberg serves in the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)
By William Bradner
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 10, 2008 - Earlier this year, a Fort Rucker, Ala., soldier died when he lost control of his new sport motorcycle in a curve, hit the culvert, was ejected off the bike, and slammed into a light pole. He was wearing a helmet, but had not attended the motorcycle safety course, and did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his license. Ten minutes prior to his accident, he had been pulled over by a local police officer for traveling 84 mph in a 55 mph zone.
While no one can definitively say why the soldier refused to slow down even after being warned by law enforcement, Army officials believe this accident and hundreds of similar accidents have a common link: soldiers returning to garrison life after extended combat deployments are having difficulty adjusting, and are seeking the adrenaline rush they've grown accustomed to in combat environments.
As of October 2007, 186 soldiers had died in accidents within one year of returning from combat, 168 of them within the first six months after they returned. Sixty percent of the accident fatalities are sergeants or below. The overwhelming majority of the accidents involve high speed, alcohol or both.
This weekend, the Army is testing a new program designed to help these soldiers adjust from the high-paced, high-adrenaline combat environment to garrison or "home" life.
Warrior Adventure Quest combines high-adventure outdoor recreation activities such as skydiving, paintball, ropes courses, rock climbing, mountain biking, stock car racing, skiing, and others, with Battlemind training to help soldiers re-adjust to a calmer paced lifestyle.
The high-adventure outdoor recreation activities are a hook to entice soldiers to participate as well as a release mechanism to give them the adrenaline boost they're craving in a safe, controlled environment, officials said.
Battlemind is an Army psychological resiliency-building program that helps soldiers recognize and respond to fear during combat, then mitigate the cumulative effects of a sustained combat environment and become mentally prepared to reintegrate during the redeployment, post-deployment and reset portions of the deployment cycle.
WAQ is centrally funded through the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, with oversight from the Installation Management Command and regional MWR recreation managers. The three pilot programs taking place this week are in Vicenza, Italy; Fort Lewis, Wash.; and Leesburg, Va., and involve two active-duty and one reserve brigade combat teams.
Planning is under way to bring the program to an additional 24 Army garrisons over the next year, and the long-term goal is to have every BCT participate in WAQ within 90 days of their redeployment from a combat environment.
Officials will use survey and assessment tools to evaluate the program's effectiveness, including statistics from the Combat Readiness/Safety Center, the Reintegration Unit Risk Inventory, the Unit Behavioral Health Needs Assessment, and a new online survey, the Warrior Adventure Quest User Survey.
Training and Doctrine Command officials said it costs the Army $54,700 to train a basic combat arms soldier, and as much as $67,000 for other military occupational specialties, depending on the length of their advanced individual training.
Since there's no way to put a dollar value on a soldier's life, determining a return on investment for this project is difficult. However, the average cost per person to participate in WAQ is only $86 -- less than it costs to fill the fuel tank of a Humvee.
The Army plans to cycle nearly 80,000 soldiers through WAQ over the next year, at a cost of just under $7 million. If it cuts the fatality rate in half, it will have paid for itself, officials said, and if it saves just one soldier's life, it will be worth the effort.
(William Bradner works at the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Public Affairs Office.)
By Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 2, 2008 - Rescue efforts in a large state like Texas and a large neighboring state to the east take many levels of support and cooperative efforts, and sometimes a simple conversation struck up in a diner. Army Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, adjutant general for Texas Military Forces, visited a 136th Airlift Wing crew and medical personnel here as they were beginning the careful task of medically evacuating patients from Beaumont to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
He met with Port Arthur police officer Tim Dinger at a diner on Aug. 29, and compared the responsibilities of the police with those assigned to the Texas Military Forces and made a connection that may prove valuable in the future.
"We are so much more aware of what needs to be done," Dinger said. "Now, we have backup generators and contracts to keep important facilities like this running."
Back at the airport, the medical crew was busy getting people comfortable on the aircraft. "This is something we did three years ago with two hours' notice," the airport manager said. "This time it was so much different. I am no less tired, but it is really worth it," he said with a weary smile.
As the transport aircraft rumbled down the tarmac and lifted off to the west, yet another bus arrived with more patients. In the meantime, fleets of buses were lined up, carrying up to 500 area residents to Tyler, a four-hour trip to the north.
"I really care about this," Army Sgt. Jessie Conley, assigned to Company A, 536th Forward Support Battalion, said. "If I did not, I would not be here."
By yesterday, seven missions had been flown from Beaumont to San Antonio and three from New Orleans to Austin, Texas, with a total of nearly 300 patients.
(Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada serves in the Texas National Guard as state public affairs deputy. Army Col. William D. Meehan, state public affairs officer, contributed to this story.)
Showing 1 - 5. [ Next ]