Louisiana School Recovery Security

Louisiana Marine Survives IED Blast, Continues to Fight

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Winnfield, La., native Staff Sgt. Tony Palomo reveals the wounds he sustained while investigating a report on an improvised explosive device. The 31-year-old is currently back with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, doing the same exact job he was doing before he was hit. Dallas native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher West said Palomo’s tactical experience is irreplaceable, and he couldn’t be happier to have him back.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – “I thought it was just another day on the 45-minute drive to get to the location. My teammate and I were coming up with a plan of attack,” said Winnfield, La., native Staff Sgt. Tony Palomo. “I never thought I’d be the one to set off the (improvised explosive device).” The Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician currently attached to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division (Forward) described the ride through Helmand province to a location where an IED was found. He responded to the call when the unit found a suspected IED, but was later evacuated from the scene with injuries he sustained after accidently stepping on a secondary IED while on his way to the primary one. “As I didn’t know where it was, I was kind of just following along. I was under the impression that (the squad leader) had been up and down the path a couple of times and it had been cleared,” explained Palomo. “Obviously I was incorrect about that because about 50 yards from where the initial IED was, I detonated a secondary, smaller charge.” He quickly assessed the situation and thought he was alright. All Palomo noticed were a few rips in his uniform, sprinkles of blood and scraped hands as he hopped right back on his feet and pressed on. The 31-year-old told the squad leader, who was untouched by the detonation, to stay back as Palomo swept through the path and continued on with the mission. “Staff Sergeant Palomo is a trusted team leader of mine that I have full confidence in to represent me, the command and his teammate alike,” said the Regimental Combat Team 8 EOD platoon commander. “He’s capable of handling anything, and the fact he decided to come back out as soon as possible just shows his personality and love for the job.” Their father-son relationship has only grown stronger through shared experiences. Six-year-old Palomo was able to pin on his father’s badge at his EOD graduation in 1986. Twenty years later, 26-year-old Palomo asked his father to pin his badge on at his own EOD graduation. Mr. Palomo said he always knew that day would come since his son was a little boy. “After being in the reserves for six years, I decided to do a lateral move to EOD,” said Palomo, who was an Assault Amphibian Vehicle crewman before changing his military occupational specialty to EOD. “I knew a good amount about EOD because my father used to be an EOD Marine, and it just seemed like the right thing to do. It was something I wanted to do and was very interested in because of him.” Editor’s note: 2nd Marine Division (Forward) serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Eastern Michigan University faculty balk at involvement in Detroit ...

From The Detroit Free Press : As Eastern Michigan University 's Board of Regents voted to take part in a new school district to reform the state's worst-performing schools, faculty leaders promised not to do any work in Detroit that might help bust union contracts . Detroit Public Schools emergency manager Roy Roberts would lead the new district, called the Education Achievement System , and he would be given the power to nullify or change union contracts. EMU President Susan Martin says no faculty will be assigned to any work in a school in Detroit. But union leaders are skeptical, saying the reform proponents appeared to pledge Eastern Michigan faculty involvement.

SIDEBAR from The Detroit News : The turnaround district that Michigan is creating to improve Detroit 's lowest-achieving schools most mirrors the Recovery School District that oversees most of the public schools in New Orleans . Paul Vallas, who ran Louisiana 's Recovery School District until May, notes that Detroit's schools face similar challenges to those that confronted Orleans Parish after damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 devastated the area.

Proceedings and Debates of the 109th Congress

Fresh start for New Orleans’ children : improving education after Katrina : hearing

Congressional Record, V. 153, Pt. 6, March 26, 2007 to April 17, 2007

Public school laws of Louisiana, Sanitary regulations of the State board of health and the important decisions of the Supreme court of Louisiana relative to schools

Hurricane Katrina GAO's preliminary observations regarding preparedness, response, and recovery : testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee /