If I can come back from near death so can America

 

This week I took time to remember just how close to death I came on August 25th, 2005.  It was apparently my 'drama queen' year because everything shattered and I was national news.  So much for looks, career, health, walking, seeing, thinking or speaking…

 

I did a 3 hour special on August 25th, co hosted by commentator and friend, Sher Zieve. We forged through all the details, interviewed witnesses and walked through the reality of the wreck and long comeback.  You can listen to the show for free at www.therothshow.com.  Hit the archives and scroll down to August 25th.

 

It was a hot day and I was taking a ride on my motorcycle to relax before my show.   I headed up to Mount Spokane to check out a potential date and dinner spot for my Husband and I, Rich.  My friend, Karen Nelli road her bike with me and it was a great day.

 

Mile marker 14 – Death came to collect and I said "I'm not giving"

 

I have no memory of the crash because it happened so fast, but according to Karen at the scene and other witnesses and first responders who showed up, it was life or death – mostly death and ugly.  As I turned a corner, a deer in mid jump landed on me causing me to crash on my face on the road.  When Karen didn't see me behind her in the rearview mirror she pulled over to the side of the road, then turned back to find out why I wasn't following her.  

 

Karen was horrified to find my mangled and twisted form lying in the middle of the road, unconscious, blood flowing out all over my head and mouth.  My left eye was horribly mangled and swollen, protruding out of the socket. I was gasping and struggling for any air at all.  Thankfully, Karen pulled out road rash and debris from my mouth with hopes I could get some air.  That simple move saved my life as death circled its wagons around me.  

 

Blood was flowing down the road according to Karen.  I was gurgling and gasping desperately and was drowning in my own blood. An artery in the back of my throat had been severed along with other blood vessel tears all through my mouth.  My lungs were rapidly filling with blood and I was dying.  It was the 'Golden Hour' and the clock was ticking.

 

Karen started screaming for help when she found her cell phone didn't work in the mountains. Miraculously, there were some construction workers building a house a few miles down the road who heard Karen's screams for help.  They also had trouble with phone reception up there so had just put in a landline the day before.  They drove up and saw the worst, quickly calling Med Star -- the Helicopter emergency response crew.  

 

By the time 1st responders got to me all hell had broken lose…but Heaven had a plan

 

Peggy Hensley, the key first responder who arrived at the seen 45 minutes after the wreck told me later that if they had arrived even 2 minutes later I would have died.  I was desperately gasping for any air and had nearly drowned in my blood.  Peggy and her associate quickly starting suctioning blood out of my mouth, trying to intubate me but blood would fill back up immediately, making it almost impossible to get anything down my throat.  Peggy said working with my face, jaw and mouth was like working with 'rice crispies.'  Everything was shattered and broken.  There was at least one artery that had burst in the back of my mouth and the roof of my mouth was also severed.  My blood oxygen level was down to 80 and it should have been up in the middle to high 90s.  By the time they were finally able to get a tube down my throat to stop the bleeding and get me air, my blood-oxygen level was down to 60, which is moments from death.

 

Barely hanging on I made it from the Helicopter to the hospital

 

Many at the hospital waited for me to die.  Few expected me to get through the night but I did.  I was in a coma for 2 weeks and in the hospital for 2 months and only have any real recall of my time in the second, recovery hospital.  I came home having lost 25 pounds, drinking only fluid with thickener, no water or real food the whole time I was in the hospital.  I was not allowed to eat anything or drink water the 2 months after I was home recovering.  Doctors were desperately afraid I would aspirate.

 

So, what did I have to deal with

 

I had been a pretty and athletic woman who now drooled, couldn't put my lips together, walked and talked like a drunk and saw double vision. I had a left eye completely closed and repeated myself all the time.  We had a 2 and a 9 year old we had adopted who both had needs, were they going to be met? I started endless physical therapy and work on my very damaged eye.

 

My husband was forced to work on a construction crew for minimum wage, no more or Medicaid wouldn't pay the hospital bills.  Money was a huge challenge. There were $500,000 in medical bills exploding around us like Hurricane Katrina that was constantly on the news then.  Would God take care of us and would we survive?

 

I had to decide

 

Was I going to live or die?  Was I going to be a needy victim with a big and dramatic story?  Was I going to give up on my goals and dreams to do both my TV shows I had been working so hard on and trying to find funding for?  Did God really love me and have a plan for me now…in this mess?

 

The key to the treasure

 

It was really up to me how much I would and could recover.  If I wanted to ever even imagine radio, TV and recording records again, I would have to practice hours a day forming consonants and talking normally with no feeling in my lower mouth.   I would have to do this with no show, fanfare, money, looks or popularity.  I would quickly become yesterday's news and I knew it.  So, what was my decision…to slowly disappear and be half of what I was or try and make a difference and dream again no matter how hard the road now was?  I chose to believe, work my brains out without fanfare and to dream even bigger than before.  I was insecure at times, needy and didn't talk or look right.  I was redundant, processed a lot but kept walking forward.

 

Laurie, you have to face the facts

 

Naturally, with the huge financial struggles and endless phsycal challenges presented each day, I heard the speeches permitting and inspiring me to give up…make due…deal with reality and do something smaller and more reachable Laurie.

 

As I look back, 9 years ago, the road has been very hard financially for my radio show and family. There were major changes in my network, the economy struggled in huge ways and advertisers have been hard to find.  There has been no overnight success in any regard.  However, I have stayed the course and have dreamed dreams for national Television again and am making albums…even at my age.  I have been prayed up, am making plans and putting things in place that are getting real exciting. God will sort out the details. I will show up and do the best I can while trusting Him.

 

After all these years I am still me, though slightly altered and I think even more aware, humbled and visionary.  I am so thankful for my life, for God and His love, for my family, talents and vision to achieve.  I am also thankful for what I am not and cannot do well because God fills the gap.

 

One verse I believe and draw strength from is Phil: 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  I also believe what Henry Ford said. "If you believe you can or believe you can't, you are right."

 

Never give up no matter what.

 

 

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RICE REGIME

08/29/2014 02:07 PM CDT

U.S. Marine Sgt. Omar Forrester puts a pot of rice on the grill during the retrograde of Patrol Base Boldak in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, Aug. 15, 2014. Forrester is a food service specialist assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.

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NASA Probes Studying Earth’s Radiation Belts to Celebrate Two Year Anniversary

This image was created using data from the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescopes on NASA's twin Van Allen Probes. It shows the emergence of a new third transient radiation belt. The new belt is seen as the middle orange and red arc of the three seen on each side of the Earth.

Image Credit: 

APL, NASA

NASA's twin Van Allen Probes will celebrate on Saturday two years of studying the sun's influence on our planet and near-Earth space. The probes, shortly after launch in August 2012, discovered a third radiation belt around Earth when only two had previously been detected.

The radiation belts are layers of energetic charged particles held in place by the magnetic field surrounding our planet. The new third belt occurred only occasionally but persisted for as long as a month. This revealed to scientists the dynamic and variable nature of the radiation belts and provided new insight into how they respond to solar activity.

"The primary science objective of the Van Allen Probes is to provide understanding of how particles in the radiation belts form and change in response to energy input from the sun," said Mona Kessel, the mission's program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.  "The discoveries and understanding gained have far exceeded expectations."

The probes, each weighing just less than 1,500 pounds, were specifically designed to withstand and study the harsh radiation belt region around Earth. The belts are critical regions that have a connection to Earth's atmosphere and space-based technologies. The belts are affected by solar storms and space weather events and as a result, can swell dramatically. When this occurs, they can pose dangers to communications and GPS satellites, as well as humans in low-Earth orbit.

Formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, the mission was renamed Van Allen Probes in November 2012 in honor of Dr. James Van Allen, who discovered the two radiation belts in 1958.
 
The twin spacecraft have also revealed how particles in the heart of the belts can be accelerated to nearly the speed of light; proven that electrons in the belts are undergoing acceleration from very low frequency plasma waves; and shown persistent stripe-like structures are a common feature of the inner belt, and are caused by Earth's rotation, a mechanism previously thought to be incapable of such an effect.

"The Van Allen Probes mission has given us the means to validate theories about plasma physics and the acceleration processes going on inside the belts," said Barry Mauk, Van Allen Probes project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. "They also have shown us new structures and features in this region of space, the existence of which we had never suspected. It has been a very illuminating two years, and we look forward to many more with these remarkable spacecraft."

The Van Allen Probes are the second mission in NASA's Living With a Star (LWS) Program to explore aspects of the connected sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. LWS is managed by the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. APL built the spacecraft and manages the mission for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

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Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine

What is quadrivalent flu vaccine?

The quadrivalent flu vaccine is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.

Why was the quadrivalent flu vaccine developed?

For years, flu vaccines were designed to protect against three different flu viruses (trivalent). This included an influenza A H1N1 virus, an influenza A H3N2 virus and one B virus. Experts had to choose one B virus, even though there are two very different lineages of B viruses that both circulate during most seasons. This meant the vaccine did not protect against the group of B viruses not included in the vaccine. Adding another B virus to the vaccine aims to give broader protection against circulating flu viruses.

Who can get the quadrivalent flu vaccine?

Different vaccines are approved for different age groups. There is a quadrivalent flu shot that can be given to children as young as 6 months of age. Other quadrivalent flu shots are approved for people 3 years and older. The quadrivalent nasal spray vaccine is approved for people 2 through 49 years of age who do not have contraindications to the nasal spray vaccine. Refer to the table of 2014-15 approved influenza vaccines in the U.S.for more information.

Who shouldn't get the quadrivalent flu vaccine?

Influenza vaccine is not approved for children younger than 6 months of age.

People who have had a severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine or any of its components should generally not be vaccinated.

There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician.

These include:

• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with or without a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated), and
• People with a history of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (a severe paralytic illness, also called GBS) that occurred after receiving influenza vaccine and who are not at risk for severe illness from influenza should generally not receive vaccine. Tell your doctor if you ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Your doctor will help you decide whether the vaccine is recommended for you.

Are any of the available flu vaccines recommended over the others?

CDC has not expressed a preference for which flu vaccine people should get this season except for one: Starting in 2014-2015, CDC recommends use of the nasal spray vaccine for  healthy* children 2 through 8 years of age when it is immediately available and if the child has no contraindications or precautions to that vaccine. If the nasal spray vaccine is not immediately available and the flu shot is, vaccination should not be delayed and a flu shot should be given. For more information about the new CDC recommendation, see Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine in Children 2 through 8 Years Old or the 2014-2015 MMWR Influenza Vaccine Recommendations.

While there will be more than one vaccine optionfor many people to choose from, including high-dose vaccine, intradermal vaccine and the regular flu shot, the only preferential recommendation is for the nasal spray vaccine in children 2 through 8 years of age. The most important thing is for all people 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine every year. If you have questions about which vaccine is best for you, talk to your health care professional.

Is the quadrivalent flu vaccine safe?

Yes. Flu vaccines that protect against four flu viruses are made in the same way as the flu vaccines that have been around for years that protect against three flu viruses. The difference is the addition of another vaccine virus. Studies have shown that vaccines made to protect against four flu viruses have a safety profile similar to seasonal flu vaccines made to protect against three viruses, with similar—mostly mild—side effects. Hundreds of millions of people have safely gotten flu vaccines that protect against three flu viruses. Like all seasonal flu vaccines, vaccines that protect against four flu viruses will be monitored for their safety and effectiveness.

Quadrivalent vaccine cannot cause influenza illness, because the vaccine viruses used to make it are 'inactivated' (killed) or attenuated (weakened). See "Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?" for information about flu vaccine side effects.

How much quadrivalent flu vaccine will be available during the 2014-2015 season?

Of the 154 million to 160 million doses of influenza vaccine projected to be available for the 2014-2015 season, manufacturers estimate that 78 million doses will be quadrivalent flu vaccines.

What should people do if they can't find available quadrivalent vaccine?

Don't delay getting a flu vaccine if you cannot locate a quadrivalent vaccine. The important thing is to get vaccinated against influenza. Find flu vaccine near you using the vaccine finder athttp://vaccine.healthmap.org/. Call ahead to ask about availability if you are interested in a specific type of vaccine.

Will the quadrivalent flu vaccine be more expensive than the trivalent flu vaccine?

Quadrivalent flu vaccines may cost more than trivalent vaccines. Ask your insurance provider or doctor to find out how much you may need to pay and how much of the cost is covered by insurance.

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U.S. Airstrikes Hit ISIL Near Mosul Dam

From a U.S. Central Command News Release TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 29, 2014 - U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in support of Iraqi security force operations, using fighter and attack aircraft to conduct four airstrikes in the vicinity of the Mosul Dam. The strikes destroyed four ISIL armed vehicles, severely damaged another armed vehicle, and destroyed three ISIL support vehicles. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely. The strikes were conducted under the authority to support Iraqi security force and Kurdish defense force operations, as well as to protect critical infrastructure, U.S. personnel and facilities, and support humanitarian efforts. Since Aug. 8, U.S. Central Command has conducted a total of 110 airstrikes across Iraq.

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DISMANTLING DISCUSSION

08/29/2014 01:38 PM CDT

U.S. Marine Cpls. Armondo Cortez, left, and Estevan D. Hernandeza discuss their plan for dismantling the command operation center during the retrograde of Patrol Base Boldak in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, Aug. 15, 2014. Cortez, a data network specialist, and Hernandez, a telephone switchboard and personal computer intermediate repairer, are assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.

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5 Brain-Health Tips from Bodybuilding Neurosurgeon

During World Alzheimer's Month, Take Steps 

to Care for Your Most Vital Organ

As a fitness expert and neurosurgeon, Dr. Brett Osborn says he appreciates the growing public interest in general health and fitness. Now, he says, that attention needs to extend to arguably our most essential organ – the brain.

"There are several, multi-billion dollar industries out there dedicated to burning fat and building muscle; cognitive health, on the other hand, has been largely overlooked," says Osborn, author of "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness,"www.drbrettosborn.com.

"Of course, any good health expert is quick to remind readers that it's all connected. For example, what's good for the heart will be, directly or indirectly, good for the brain."

September's an appropriate time to talk brain health: its World Alzheimer's Month, and it's the beginning of football season. By now, we know that football players in the NFL, college and even high school suffer considerable head trauma, whether through big hits resulting in concussions or moderate, repeated blows, he says.

It's also soccer season in other parts of the world. Concern continues to mount about the neurological damage done to players from repeated headers, where the ball is hit by the head. The long-term effects, including depression and other mental-health problems, are similar to those suffered by American football players, he says.

"Sports can impart great habits to kids, including discipline, fellowship and an emphasis on strength and endurance," says Osborn, a bodybuilder and father. "As our children return to school and sports, health-care providers, coaches and parents need to make it a top priority to protect our student-athletes' brains."

Osborn offers five tips to help everyone maintain brain health:

•  Learn new skills. "Just as with other health concerns, brain health should be rooted in the prevention of disease," he says. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease, the causes of which, and the cure, are unknown. However, it's widely thought that brain stimulation and activity can delay the onset of the disease. The acquisition of a new skill – whether it's learning to play an instrument or taking up waterskiing – exercises the brain "muscle."

•  Commit to actual exercise.Everyone knows that exercise helps protect the heart, but not everyone knows that physical activity is also good for the brain. The brain is not a muscle, but it can be worked as muscle is worked during exercise, which forges new neuron pathways.

"Let's face it, there is a component of learning in exercise," Osborn says. "You cannot master the squat overnight; the brain has to change. Neuronal connections, or 'synapses,' are formed through very complex biophysical mechanisms. That takes time."

•  Don't sweat stress. There is such a thing as good stress, including the acute bodily stress involved in strength training. Of course, there's the bad stress, such as psychological stress associated with work or interpersonal relationships, and environmental stress, derived from pesticide-laden food – toxins. As always, you have a choice. You don't have to accept mental stress in your life. Reconsider toxic relationships. Rethink how you handle pressure at work. Perhaps adopt a lunchtime exercise routine. 

•  Fuel a better body and brain. "I don't believe in 'diets,' " Osborn says. "Fit individuals were around for eons before the term existed, and I associate the term with temporary and, often, self-destructive behaviors."

Again, it's all connected. A healthy balance of food and activity will inevitably be good for the entire body: the heart, skeleton, muscles, brain, etc. Proper nutrition is a natural mood enhancer, and good health will inevitably improve self-esteem.

•  Feed your head with smart drugs. Some pharmaceuticals may help enhance cerebral blood flow and increase concentration, including Hydergine, Deprenyl and Prozac, to name a few. Ask your doctor about these. There are also over-the-counter smart drugs to consider. Piracetam is one of the oldest and has been shown to have a variety of positive effects in patients with cognitive disorders like dementia and epilepsy. Vinpocetine has potent anti-inflammatory effects, and inflammation is a key component in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and others. You may also want to check out gingko biloba and pregnenolone.

About Dr. Brett Osborn

Brett Osborn is a New York University-trained, Board-Certified neurological surgeon with a secondary certification in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. He holds a CSCS honorarium from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Dr. Osborn specializes in scientifically based nutrition and exercise as a means to achieve optimal health and preventing disease. He is the author "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness,"www.drbrettosborn.com.

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News Release: Arkansas Reduces Air Toxics with EPA Grant

DALLAS – (Aug. 29, 2014) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $501,837 to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to administer the state's pollution prevention and control program. The program includes ambient monitoring, planning, permitting and compliance activities.



ADEQ will also monitor for major pollutants, identifying major and minor sources of air pollution that may be impacting Arkansas. This will help Arkansas residents live healthier and breathe more easily.



For more than forty years, the Clean Air Act has cut pollution as the U.S. economy has grown. It has also lowered levels of six common pollutants -- particles, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide -- as well as numerous toxic pollutants. The progress of the Act reflects efforts by state, local and tribal governments; EPA; private sector companies; environmental groups and others.


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FAREWELL HANDSHAKE

08/29/2014 12:48 PM CDT

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel shakes hands with Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, outgoing commander of U.S. Special Operations, during the change-of-command ceremony for the command in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 28, 2014. McRaven relinquished command to Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel III.

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OATH OF OFFICE

08/29/2014 12:13 PM CDT

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, right, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, administers the oath of office to Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel III during the change-of-command ceremony for U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 28, 2014. Votel assumed command from Navy Adm. William H. McRaven.

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OUTGOING SALUTE

08/29/2014 12:15 PM CDT

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, outgoing commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, salutes at the conclusion of the change-of-command ceremony in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 28, 2014. McRaven relinquished command to Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel III.

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State Senator Don Humason Statement on Fallen Pilot

“I join with the men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes in the feelings of senseless loss and profound sadness. The Barnestormers are a close knit group and are like part of the family of all of us in the greater Westfield area. When any part of that family is lost all of us mourn. My most sincere condolences to the pilot’s family, his co-workers, and fellow warriors. In war and in peace it is still a dangerous job that few do as well, or as proudly and professionally, as the members of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. God bless them all. Rest in Peace.”

INCOMING COMMANDER

08/29/2014 12:23 PM CDT

Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel III, incoming commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, salutes during the change-of-command ceremony in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 28, 2014. Votel assumed command from Navy Adm. William H. McRaven

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Sparks Fly as NASA Pushes the Limits of 3-D Printing Technology

Engineers just completed hot-fire testing with two 3-D printed rocket injectors. Certain features of the rocket components were designed to increase rocket engine performance. The injector mixed liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen together, which combusted at temperatures over 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, producing more than 20,000 pounds of thrust.

Image Credit: 

NASA photo/David Olive

NASA has successfully tested the most complex rocket engine parts ever designed by the agency and printed with additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, on a test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

NASA engineers pushed the limits of technology by designing a rocket engine injector --a highly complex part that sends propellant into the engine -- with design features that took advantage of 3-D printing. To make the parts, the design was entered into the 3-D printer's computer. The printer then built each part by layering metal powder and fusing it together with a laser, a process known as selective laser melting.

The additive manufacturing process allowed rocket designers to create an injector with 40 individual spray elements, all printed as a single component rather than manufactured individually. The part was similar in size to injectors that power small rocket engines and similar in design to injectors for large engines, such as the RS-25 engine that will power NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the heavy-lift, exploration class rocket under development to take humans beyond Earth orbit and to Mars.

3-D Printed Rocket Injector Roars to Life: The most complex 3-D printed rocket injector ever built by NASA roars to life on the test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

"We wanted to go a step beyond just testing an injector and demonstrate how 3-D printing could revolutionize rocket designs for increased system performance," said Chris Singer, director of Marshall's Engineering Directorate. "The parts performed exceptionally well during the tests."

Using traditional manufacturing methods, 163 individual parts would be made and then assembled. But with 3-D printing technology, only two parts were required, saving time and money and allowing engineers to build parts that enhance rocket engine performance and are less prone to failure.

Two rocket injectors were tested for five seconds each, producing 20,000 pounds of thrust. Designers created complex geometric flow patterns that allowed oxygen and hydrogen to swirl together before combusting at 1,400 pounds per square inch and temperatures up to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA engineers used this opportunity to work with two separate companies -- Solid Concepts in Valencia, California, and Directed Manufacturing in Austin, Texas. Each company printed one injector.

"One of our goals is to collaborate with a variety of companies and establish standards for this new manufacturing process," explained Marshall propulsion engineer Jason Turpin. "We are working with industry to learn how to take advantage of additive manufacturing in every stage of space hardware construction from design to operations in space. We are applying everything we learn about making rocket engine components to the Space Launch System and other space hardware."

Additive manufacturing not only helped engineers build and test a rocket injector with a unique design, but it also enabled them to test faster and smarter. Using Marshall's in-house capability to design and produce small 3-D printed parts quickly, the propulsion and materials laboratories can work together to apply quick modifications to the test stand or the rocket component.

"Having an in-house additive manufacturing capability allows us to look at test data, modify parts or the test stand based on the data, implement changes quickly and get back to testing," said Nicholas Case, a propulsion engineer leading the testing. "This speeds up the whole design, development and testing process and allows us to try innovative designs with less risk and cost to projects."

Marshall engineers have tested increasingly complex injectors, rocket nozzles and other components with the goal of reducing the manufacturing complexity and the time and cost of building and assembling future engines. Additive manufacturing is a key technology for enhancing rocket designs and enabling missions into deep space.

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Face of Defense: Soldiers Redeploy After South Korea Exercise

By Walter Ham
20th CBRNE Command

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2014 - Soldiers from the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command conducted a change of mission and prepared for redeployment Aug. 28 following their participation in the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise held in South Korea.

Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian involved 3,000 personnel from military bases in the U.S. and across the Pacific. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Park Young-ho, Eighth Army Public Affairs  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Ulchi Freedom Guardian is designed to keep U.S. and South Korean forces ready to deter aggression on the Korean Peninsula and maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Defensive in nature, the annual exercise involved 3,000 personnel from military bases in the U.S. and across the Pacific.

The 20th CBRNE Command, based out of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, deployed its tactical command post and more than 100 soldiers to the Korean Peninsula for Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

The command also deployed the tactical command post of the 48th CBRNE Brigade, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, along with the commander and staff of the 71st Ordnance (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Group from Fort Carson, Colorado.

Soldiers and civilians from 20th CBRNE Command train to counter weapons of mass destruction, eliminate CBRN and explosive ordnance threats, and defeat improvised explosive devices. Serving on 19 military posts in 16 states, members of the 20th CBRNE Command train and operate with joint, interagency and allied partners around the globe.

"This exercise demonstrates the strength of the ROK-U.S. alliance and the flexibility of the 20th CBRNE Command to deploy and execute CBRNE related missions anytime and anywhere," said 20th CBRNE Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. JB Burton, the former deputy commanding general for maneuver of the South Korea-based 2nd Infantry Division.

Burton returned to Korea for the exercise. He said the 20th CBRNE Command has built a strong relationship with the Republic of Korea's Army Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Command.

Burton added that his 20th CBRNE soldiers trained together with the ROK Army during Exercise Atropian Phoenix at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.

"It is an honor to serve with our great Republic of Korea allies and our fellow joint service members who defend liberty daily on freedom's frontier. Katchi Kapshida! (Korean for 'We go together')," said Burton, who hails from Tullahoma, Tennessee.

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Hubble Looks at Light and Dark in the Universe

Surrounded by bright stars, towards the upper middle of the frame we see a small young stellar object (YSO) known as SSTC2D J033038.2+303212. Located in the constellation of Perseus, this star is in the early stages of its life and is still forming into a fully-grown star. In this view from Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys(ACS) it appears to have a murky chimney of material emanating outwards and downwards, framed by bright bursts of gas flowing from the star itself. This fledgling star is actually surrounded by a bright disk of material swirling around it as it forms — a disc that we see edge-on from our perspective.

However, this small bright speck is dwarfed by its cosmic neighbor towards the bottom of the frame, a clump of bright, wispy gas swirling around as it appears to spew dark material out into space. The bright cloud is a reflection nebula known as [B77] 63, a cloud of interstellar gas that is reflecting light from the stars embedded within it. There are actually a number of bright stars within [B77] 63, most notably the emission-line star LkHA 326, and it nearby neighbor LZK 18.

These stars are lighting up the surrounding gas and sculpting it into the wispy shape seen in this image. However, the most dramatic part of the image seems to be a dark stream of smoke piling outwards from [B77] 63 and its stars — a dark nebula called Dobashi 4173. Dark nebulae are incredibly dense clouds of pitch-dark material that obscure the patches of sky behind them, seemingly creating great rips and eerily empty chunks of sky. The stars speckled on top of this extreme blackness actually lie between us and Dobashi 4173.

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Mississippi and Louisiana Students Get Out-of-This-World Start to the School Year

Students from Mississippi and Louisiana will gather at the INFINITY Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi, for a long-distance call with NASA astronauts currently orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station.  The special back-to-school education event will take place Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 1:20 p.m. EDT (12:20 p.m. CDT).

The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

More than 300 fourth to eighth grade students will have an opportunity to ask Expedition 40 Commander Steve Swanson and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman questions about life, work and research aboard the space station.  Prior to the 20-minute Earth-to-space call, the students will spend time learning about the orbiting laboratory, rockets and NASA's new deep space exploration spacecraft, Orion, which is set to make its maiden spaceflight in December.

Media interested in covering the event must contact Paul Foerman in advance at 228-688-1880 or paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov. INFINITY Science Center, which also serves as the official visitor center for NASA's Stennis Space Center, is located at 1 Discovery Circle in Pearlington.

Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides an authentic, live experience of space exploration, space study, the scientific components of space travel and the possibilities of life in space.

This in-flight education downlink is one in a series with educational organizations in the United States to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning. It is an integral component of NASA's Teaching From Space education program, which promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of space and NASA's human spaceflight program.

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Adopting a Child? The Benefits of Going Private

Celebrities Gary and Cassie Chapman Discuss Their Journey

For many married couples, there comes a time when having children becomes the first priority. Often, the urge to create life and see it into the world becomes overwhelming.

But that urge can put many couples on an unpredictable journey, especially when they decide that their love, time and resources can be best put to use through adoption, says award-winning singer-songwriter Gary Chapman. He and his wife, former Nashville Wives star Cassie Piersol Chapman, say they were open to whatever God had in store for them.

"We knew it was time to give our hearts to a child," says Gary, 56, a five-time Grammy-nominated, seven-time Dove Award-winning artist who recently released his first album in a decade, The Truth, (www.garychapmanmusic.com).

But, while the decision to have a child was made, conceiving was taking awhile. Gary, who had reversed a vasectomy and is 23 years older than Cassie, has three grown children.

"During this period, I got a call from a friend telling me about a woman who was four months pregnant and looking for a suitable adoption family," says Cassie, who is proactive in multiple charity groups which facilitate a legal alternative to going through an agency. "It was as if God knew where this child needed to be after the birth. I immediately understood that this would be our path."

Through private, or independent, adoption, the Chapmans received their blessing, a baby girl they named Eva Rose. Gary and Cassie talk about the benefits involved in private, or independent, adoption:

• Parents can begin bonding with their child more quickly after birth: Private adoption allows for the newborn infant to bypass foster care, which is typically required by state-run agencies. Most babies adopted between private parties go home from the hospital with the adoptive parents.

"In our case, the birth mother had a 10-day grace period starting from time of Eva's birth," Cassie says. "While that was tough, I think it offers more peace of mind for birth mothers."

• It allows for more control, more collaboration and more choice: Independent adoption gives all parties greater autonomy in making important choices about the baby and each other. For many, the opportunity for the birth mother and adoptive parents to meet adds reassurance that decisions are being made in the best interest of the child. This dynamic doesn't exist in the more common state-run agencies.

"I think some folks actually prefer a more anonymous approach," Gary says. "Let's admit it – these can be some of the toughest decisions in a woman's life, and she may not want a relationship with adoptive parents."

• Better access to information: What's the child's background? Should you anticipate medical issues down the road? What if a child wants to know more about his biological mother and father, including their spiritual background? Private adoption allows for direct communication between the two parties.

"Birth mothers may not even know if they'll want contact with their child 20 years later," Cassie says. "If adoptive families go this route, they ought to collect as much relevant information about the child's birth parents as they can."

• Adequate safety measures:Like other types of adoption, private adoption is governed by state laws. In addition, if a child is brought from one state to another, then the provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children apply.

"Folks should understand that private adoption isn't like the Wild West; it's just a less bureaucratic method of adoption," Gary says.

About Gary & Cassie Piersol Chapman

Gary Chapman is a veteran musician in the contemporary pop, country, Christian and southern gospel genres. His Dove Awards include Male Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, and he's written hits including I Prefer the Moonlight for Kenny Rogers andFinally for T.G. Sheppard along with songs for Alabama and Wynonna Judd. He was the host of TNN's hit show Prime Time Country for four years and founded the record label that launched current Disney music mainstays Everlife, among many top performers.

Cassie Piersol Chapman starred in TNT's 2014 docudramaPrivate Lives of Nashville Wives(from the Real Housewivescreators). She grew up on her family's West Virginia farm and was active in 4H and other agricultural activities. She also sang in a choir, modeled and became a star cheerleader in high school. She won two national cheerleading titles at Morehead State University in Kentucky. She has appeared in music videos, commercials and printed work. She works with her husband, Gary, on A Hymn a Week, a popular online devotional.

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State Senator Don Humason Statement on Fallen Pilot

“I join with the men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes in the feelings of senseless loss and profound sadness. The Barnestormers are a close knit group and are like part of the family of all of us in the greater Westfield area. When any part of that family is lost all of us mourn. My most sincere condolences to the pilot’s family, his co-workers, and fellow warriors. In war and in peace it is still a dangerous job that few do as well, or as proudly and professionally, as the members of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. God bless them all. Rest in Peace.”

Governor Deval Patrick Statement on Fallen Pilot

“This is a very sad day for the Guard and for Massachusetts. Throughout the last couple of days, as we learned the circumstances of this accident, we held out hope that the pilot would be found and returned safely to his family. Our prayers and condolences are with his family, the Wing Command and all the Members of the Massachusetts National Guard.”