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Breaking down the fees paid to the Susan Davis International, the audit says the department had nearly one dozen of the firm's employees working on the program in 2007 at a cost of $2.6 million, "or an average annual rate of $223,453 per person to perform public relations efforts."

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2008 – The Defense Department Inspector General reports that the America Supports You program was being managed in a “questionable and irregular manner,” the department’s top public affairs official said today. Robert T. Hastings, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, spoke with reporters in advance of the release of the inspector general’s audit. Dorrance Smith, then-assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, requested the IG audit in May 2007. Still, Hastings said, America Supports You is a “tremendous initiative” for U.S. servicemembers and their families. As originally conceived, the program aimed to inform servicemembers...

ARLINGTON, Va. — A former attorney for the American Forces Information Service has sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, alleging serious misconduct by Pentagon and Stars and Stripes officials and saying she was retaliated against for pursuing her legal duties connected to the America Supports You program. In the letter, obtained by Stars and Stripes, former AFIS General Counsel Diane Beaver accuses Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, and acting Stripes publisher Max Lederer of violations regarding how America Supports You was funded and how money was spent. "Ms. Barber and...

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, May 8, 2008 – Wilford Hall Medical Center here has launched a new program emphasizing the importance of literacy to parents and children alike. Reach Out and Read, a national nonprofit organization, uses several methods to promote early literacy as part of routine pediatric care, including having volunteers reading aloud in pediatric waiting rooms. Its main approach, though, is to promote literacy during well-baby or well-child visits for children from ages 6 months through 4 years. Pediatric providers trained in the Reach Out and Read model offer age-appropriate tips to emphasize to parents and...

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo., March 31, 2008 – Sixty-seven veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are among 400 disabled veterans who converged here yesterday to kick off the world’s largest disabled ski clinic. Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary Gordon H. Mansfield praises participants at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic for applying the same qualities of dedication, pride and self-worth they demonstrated during their military service to their rehabilitation. Photo by Sgt. KaRonda Fleming, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary Gordon H. Mansfield and Robert T. Reynolds, national commander of Disabled American Veterans, opened the...

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2008 – A grant of just $163 dollars from a group that supports military families turned out to be a really big deal -- not only for the recipients, but for the granting organization, as well. The grant put “Our Military Kids,” a group that supports families of deployed or wounded National Guard and reserve members, over the $1 million mark in grants given, said Gail Kruzel, one of the organization’s founders. This particular grant means that two young sons of Missouri Army National Guard Maj. Matt Bacon, who currently is serving his second tour in...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2008 – Away from the rigors of combat last night on an evening dedicated to their selfless service, the only shootout troops worried about was between dueling National Hockey League teams. During Military Appreciation Night at the Verizon Center here, the Washington Capitals honored some 5,000 servicemembers and their families with free admission and hosted dozens of wounded warriors from military hospitals. From the giant high-definition screen hanging from the arena's ceiling, shout-outs to servicemembers and videos featuring troops and hockey pros projected onto some 18,000 fans attending the Capitals-New York Islanders contest. At a pre-game...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2008 – Letting servicemembers know they’re not forgotten this Valentine’s Day couldn’t be easier, thanks to a national troop-support group’s online care package program. Operation Homefront’s “eCarePackage” program allows American citizens to send care packages to servicemembers and their families. The program also is available for military families to send and receive packages. “(Servicemembers and their families) just have to register, but it’s completely secure,” said Meredith Leyva, founder of Operation Homefront. “We don’t share any private information, not even first names.” When servicemembers or their family members register, they’re assigned a number that becomes their...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2008 – Volunteer organizations providing support to military families can compete for a share of $75,000 in grant money that could make their efforts a bit easier. Newman’s Own, the Fisher House Foundation and the Military Times Media Group are accepting nominations for the 2008 Newman’s Own Awards through May 2. The Fisher House Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad. The three organizations are looking for innovative plans to support military families from the volunteer groups,...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2008 – Servicemembers from the Tar Heel state who face financial burdens can turn to a newly established fund for assistance. The North Carolina Heroes’ Fund was established to provide support to military men and women from North Carolina or stationed at one of North Carolina’s many military bases, said Scott Stone, the fund’s chairman. “This support is primarily centered on hardships which these men and women, or their families, may have endured due to their service overseas,” he said. The assistance is provided through various methods, including direct payments or coordinating volunteer efforts. Family members...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2008 – The Joint Staff’s operations director told participants in the third annual America Supports You National Summit here today it would be impossible to put a price tag on what they give the country’s men and women in uniform. Army Lt. Gen. Carter F. Ham told more than 180 representatives of 122 troop-support groups at the Pentagon for the all-day summit that the work they do and the support of the American people provide “the center of gravity for our operations.” Troops rely on equipment, supplies, food and other resources to carry out their mission. But...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2008 – More than 180 representatives of 122 troop-support groups gathered today at the Pentagon to share information and insights about ways to boost their efforts during the third annual America Supports You National Summit. Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Allison Barber, the program’s architect, opened the all-day session welcoming the participants she credits with making America Supports You such a big success. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is slated to close the summit, thanking the groups for their contributions. The Defense Department launched the America Supports you program in November 2004 to showcase support for the country’s...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2008 – Simply communicating while deployed to Iraq can be challenging for servicemembers, but one airman discovered that trying to plan a surprise marriage proposal was nearly impossible. But help from several sources led to Air Force Senior Airman Robert Blackburn popping the question to his girlfriend, D’Ann Campbell, Jan. 18. “It was really hard for me to even get on the Internet over there,” said Blackburn, 22, who recently returned to his duty station at Hill Air Force Base, in Utah. But Blackburn’s moving request and a friend’s testimony submitted to “Dallas is Love,” a...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2007 – More than 130,000 Americans sent messages of gratitude this week to the nation's troops through the "Giving Thanks" text messaging initiative. The initiative is part of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. "The 'Giving Thanks' text message campaign has been a wonderful example of how Americans are still passionate about supporting the troops and saying thank you for their service," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communication and public liaison. "Hopefully, our troops serving in 177...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2007 – Connecting supportive Americans with deployed troops keeps one Colorado-based support group busy. “In the last two years and eight months, we have grown to 16,000 registered supporters,” said Ann Johnson, founder of Adopt A US Soldier. But that number doesn’t accurately represent the volume of volunteers, she added. “Many schools, synagogues, churches, companies and organizations are counted as one in our system, and yet the supporters are many more,” she explained. And they don’t just live in the United States. Johnson said Adopt A US Soldier has supporters in 52 countries. “It’s a very...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2007 – Since 6 a.m. Nov. 17, thousands of Americans across the country paused to text a message of gratitude to the nation’s servicemembers for their sacrifices through the “Giving Thanks” text messaging program. “It already feels like a terrific, successful campaign, because from the thousands and thousands of messages that have come in already, we’re seeing that the American people really just want a chance to say ‘Thanks,’” said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communication and public liaison, of the America Supports You initiative. America Supports You is a Defense Department...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2007 – For volunteers with South Riding, Va.-based Operation Pinecone, Halloween is over and the Christmas rush has begun. “We have 25 camps, four hospitals (and) two humanitarian aid contacts,” said Mary Hacker, who founded the group two years ago after deciding to super-size a care package originally planned for one family friend deployed to Iraq. “A neighbor came by, saw what I was doing, and said she had wanted to do something to help the troops but that she didn’t have a contact over there,” Hacker explained. Word spread through Hacker’s rural Virginia neighborhood and,...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2007 – As part of its continued commitment to honoring troops and their families, software giant Microsoft Corp. announced today that it has become a corporate supporter of the Defense Department’s America Supports You program. The America Supports You program connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. “As the demands of service continue to challenge and strain America’s armed forces, domestic efforts to support soldiers and their families grow increasingly important,” said Curt Kolcun, vice president of Microsoft’s Federal Division. “Joining America Supports You is a key part of...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2007 – Military families have a new partner in their efforts to understand and cope with having a loved one in a battle zone. The Blewitt Foundation focuses on helping children experiencing loss, serious injury or related anxiety or fear. “Our primary mission is to provide special comfort, enjoyment and enrichment opportunities for U.S. military families … through partnerships with unique recreational and educational programs,” said Joe Cantafio, the foundation’s vice president of programs. “The cornerstone of our family-based program is fun, but not just any kind of fun,” he said. “The Blewitt Foundation provides all-expense-paid...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2007 – On Jan. 29, 2006, a roadside-bomb explosion near Taji, Iraq, started one TV news personality on a journey from war correspondent to casualty of war, and finally to co-founder of a fund-raising organization to improve awareness about traumatic brain injury. ABC news reporter Bob Woodruff, left, and Rene Bardorf, executive director of the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury, meet with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England in July 2007. Woodruff and his family established the fund after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in January 2006 while covering the war in Iraq....