Sunday, August 17, 2008

Coast Guardsmen to Join Navy SEAL Teams

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - Coast Guardsmen soon will be training to join
Navy SEAL teams, a senior Coast Guard officer said today. Rear Adm. Thomas F. Atkin, commander of the Coast Guard's deployable operations group, said four Coast Guardsmen -- two officers and two enlisted sailors -- will be selected to begin basic underwater demolition school later this year.

If they graduate, the admiral said, they will become full-fledged members of
Navy SEAL teams and deploy with those teams worldwide.

Atkins called the development the beginning of an exciting new era in the
Coast Guard.

"Certainly this is historic, it's different, but it's very consistent with the long partnership we've had with the
United States Navy," he said during a conference call with bloggers.

SEAL teams are among the most elite military units in the world, he noted. "We understand that, and we will strive to find the best and the brightest here in the
Coast Guard to support that program," the admiral said.

The Coast Guard will get a capability it does not have right now, he said. "We will get a great skill set and experience set from what they will learn," the admiral said. "We think this program will bring a lot of experience back to the deployable operations group and the
Coast Guard as a whole."

The service will accept applications through the middle of next month. At that point, the service -- in coordination with the
Navy Special Warfare Command -- will select the Coast Guard candidates.

The Coast Guard has "a military mission; we have a counterterrorism mission; we have an anti-terrorism mission; and we also have a mission to conduct high-end specialized law enforcement in the Caribbean, the Eastern Pacific and around the homeland," Atkins said.

SEAL training provides the service with increased capabilities and more experience, and it also will help
Coast Guard's relationship with the Navy and the U.S. Special Operations Command.

The
Navy also benefits from the Coast Guardsmen becoming SEALs, the admiral said.

"The Coast Guardsmen will bring their knowledge base on maritime operations,
law enforcement operations, port security and homeland security to the SEAL teams," Atkins said. "These are experiences these folks don't have."

The more diverse an operational group is, the better off it is, he said.

"It doesn't mean the SEAL teams are going to conduct
law enforcement operations, but understanding how law enforcement operations work and understanding the experiences a new person brings to the team will only make them better," he said.

Face of Defense: Pilot Cheers for Olympian Brother

By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - Like two jet fighters in formation, Justin Dumais and his younger brother, Troy, perfectly executed their turns and spins in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. As competitors in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving event, they were in second place going into the final round. A misstep landed them in sixth place overall.

"It was not quite what I had expected, but Athens was an awesome time," Justin said. "You have to focus on the journey."

This year,
Air Force 1st Lt. Justin Dumais is an F-16 student in the Night Systems Training Course at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and his younger brother is in Beijing competing solo.

"Our disappointment in 2004 has really given him a lot of motivation to continue," Justin said about his brother. "He looks fantastic. And he should be a strong medal threat."

Troy is scheduled to compete Aug. 25 and 26 in the men's individual 3-meter springboard diving event from the National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube."

"I went to watch him compete at the Olympic trials, and it was definitely bittersweet," Justin said. "I certainly miss competing."

Justin decided to retire from diving after the 2004 Olympics. "I got to go to the Olympics. I got to dive with my brother. ... Not many people get a chance to do that," he said. "The Olympics is ... I don't want to say a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, because people can go more than once. But it was definitely a lifelong goal."

Dumais devoted 20 years to diving. "It was a great run. Not sure I was quite ready to give it up, but when my Guard unit offered me the opportunity to come to pilot training, I could not turn that down. How many folks get to fly F-16s?"

He joined 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Columbia, S.C., in 2005.

Dumais said his diving experience has helped in his current position as a fighter pilot. "I spent my entire life getting ready for seven seconds of competition. That is pretty much what we do every day here flying F-16s.

"You never know when you will be called to go do your job," he continued. "Generally, it is in a split second when you need to pickle off a bomb or strafe a target. [Diving] definitely lends itself to what I'm doing now."

As the oldest of five children who have all been members of U.S. national diving teams, Dumais attributed much of his success to the support of his parents. "They probably sacrificed just as much as I did," he said.

He also credited his parents with helping him along in his current path as a fighter pilot. When Dumais was 4, his parents took him to an air show at Edwards
Air Force Base, in California, where he saw the Thunderbirds perform. "I kind of just of knew that is what I really wanted to do," he said. "But I got really sidetracked over the next 15 to 20 years."

During that time, Dumais attended the University of
Texas, where he claimed back-to-back silver medals on the platform at the NCAA Championships. He also competed for the University of Southern California, where he was twice named the PAC-10 Male Diver of the Year.

Dumais, who became a member of the senior national team in 1996, competed all over the world and represented the United States at the World Cup in Sevilla, Spain, in 2002. He and his brother won a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal.
He placed fifth in the Olympic Trials in 2000. "It was not making the team in 2000 -- I just missed it -- that made me really sit back and reevaluate what I wanted to do with my life," Dumais said. "That itch to be a fighter pilot had never gone away, so I started taking private flying lessons."

Dumais said he doesn't regret the time he spent pursuing his Olympic dream. "It took me 20 years to make it to the Olympics. It's just one of those sports that generally takes a long time to get good at. But I stuck with it, and I wound up making it to the Games. I get to fly F-16s now. This is stuff that's not easy to do. I would just say, 'Don't ever give up on your dream.'"

Dumais said he would like to participate in the
military's World Class Athlete Program. "It might give me a chance to dive with my brother again. I would really enjoy that," he said.

Until then, Dumais said, he will continue his career in the Air National Guard.

"The Olympics was fantastic, but I'm not disappointed that I gave up the opportunity to go again in 2008 to do this. I would say that this might even be better."

(
Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau.)

Overseas Troops, Civilians Can Vote By Absentee Ballot

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - With fall general elections approaching, U.S. servicemembers and civilians living overseas should now be thinking about obtaining absentee ballots to vote, the Defense Department's senior voting official urged today. “What we want to do is make sure that all of our
military members, their family members and all of our U.S. citizens residing outside the United States have an opportunity to vote," Polli K. Brunelli, director of DoD's Federal Voting Assistance Program, told Pentagon reporters.

Based at Arlington, Va., the FVAP carries out voting assistance throughout the Defense Department on behalf of the secretary of defense, who is delegated by the president to administer the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986. Brunelli said the law affects more than 6 million potential voters.

Servicemembers and overseas civilians can access information about absentee voting requirements by accessing www.fvap.gov, the newly designed FVAP Web site, Brunelli said.

"Absentee voting can be done by mail. There are also some alternatives that we've been working with the states for electronic alternatives for our voters," she said. "So many states have passed legislation that allows a voter to submit voting materials by fax or e-mail."

Many states also allow delivery of blank absentee ballots to voters via fax or e-mail, Brunelli noted.

The
military departments are performing a significant role, Brunelli said, by instructing servicemembers how to cast absentee ballots. military voting assistance officers assigned worldwide also can inform servicemembers and family members about absentee voting requirements, she said.

As part of Armed Forces Voters Week, slated Aug. 31 through Sept. 7,
military commanders and voting assistance officers worldwide will contact servicemembers and families to inform them that it is a good time to register for an absentee ballot in the state where they are legal voting residents, Brunelli said.

The mail, as well as fax and e-mail, are potential conduits where voters may cast absentee ballots, said Scott Wiedmann, the FVAP's deputy director.

"We want to give the citizens as many opportunities, as many alternatives as possible, that are allowed by their state law, to communicate with that local election office," Wiedmann said.

"We want everyone to participate in the voting process: our servicemembers, their family members and all of our overseas citizens," Brunelli said. "It is voting outreach, to let them know that they are eligible to participate in this democratic process."

However, the actual act of casting a ballot ultimately is up to the individual, she said.

"So, it is up to the voter to decide what they want to do," Brunelli said. "We want to make sure they have the information and the means to do so, if they choose to vote."

Servicemembers and family members with questions on absentee voting requirements should see their unit voting assistance officer or read their state registration and voting procedures in the Voting Assistance Guide on the Federal Voting Assistance Program's Web site.

U.S. Air Guardsmen, Bosnians Restore Monument to Americans Killed in Sarajevo

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - Next to a dirt road cut into the hillside of Mount Igman, southwest of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, U.S. Air National Guard and Bosnian troops recently repaired a monument marking the location where three American diplomats and a French soldier lost their lives nearly 13 years ago. The monument was built in 1997, and over the years has suffered erosion and weather damage.

The Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund maintains the memorial and many others throughout the country. The organization recently approached the Defense Ministry for help restoring it, and U.S. and host-nation officials made the project a joint venture, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo said.

"[The host nation's] request for assistance is a true testament of their commitment to remembering those Americans who lost their lives here," said U.S.
Air Force Maj. John C. Eisberg, an official at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo.

From 1992 to 1995, the war-torn country saw more than 95,000 people killed and another 2 million displaced. With the fall of communism in the former Yugoslavian federation, bloodshed and conflict broke out among the region's three ethnically based political parties. The Bosniaks and Croats declared their independence, while the Serbs favored staying with the federation.

U.S. ground forces weren't involved in the war, but the three Americans honored by the memorial served as special U.S. Defense Department envoys, negotiating a peace agreement. They died on Aug. 19, 1995, when the rain-soaked road they were traveling on collapsed under their vehicle, driven by the French soldier, and subsequently rolled down a 500-meter slope.

Every year since, on the anniversary of their deaths, U.S. and Bosnian officials, as well as people from the nearby community, meet at the memorial to celebrate the lives of Joseph John Kruzel, deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy, Robert Frasure, special American envoy to the former Yugoslavia, and
Air Force Col. Sam Nelson Drew, national security council advisor. All three men are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

"They died tragically, but were peacekeepers working to end a horrible war," Eisberg said. "The Bosnians' effort to remember them is such a great testimony of the difference these men made here."

Refurbishing the monument fell to the
Maryland Air National Guardsmen from the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron, which deployed to Sarajevo on July 13 to 27 as part of the state's joint-partnership program with Bosnia. Most of the unit refurbished a school, while a team of 10 Air Guardsmen and seven Bosnian troops worked to restore the monument, said the squadron's commander, Air Force Lt. Col. John P. McVicker.

The site is about 150 by 75 feet. The airmen and Bosnian troops worked together excavating, clearing brush and debris, placing ballistic rocks for stabilization, and preparing the area for concrete and paver stones, McVicker said.

A lot of pride went into the airmen's work on the memorial, not only because of the men honored by it but also because of the warm reception they received from the local people, McVicker said.

"We've never had such a warm reception for our work," he said. "Restoring the monument is very important to the [people] here, because for the Bosnians, these four men helped bring an end to their war. This monument is a symbol to Bosnia of the peace and democracy they enjoy today."

The Air Guardsmen have since redeployed to
Maryland. They were replaced by California's 163rd Civil Engineering Squadron, which finished work on the monument July 24.

U.S. Air Guardsmen Renovate School in Bosnia and Herzegovina

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - The latest National Guard State Partnership Program project was completed Aug. 13, as U.S. Air National Guardsmen and Bosnian troops put the final touches on the Vuk Karadzic Elementary School in Vlasenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Air Guardsmen from
Maryland's 175th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed to Vlasenica, about 37 miles north of Sarajevo, from July 13 to July 25, renovating the 33,000-square-foot, three-level structure. About 15 of the 65 Maryland engineers remained for another three weeks to work with 34 Air Guardsmen from California's 163rd Civil Engineer Squadron as they took over the project, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Janice Grennon, a Maryland Air Guard spokesman, said.

The engineers completely refurbished the school's interior structure, Grennon said, installing a new electrical system, lighting, smoke detectors and back-up power generators and repairing walls and ceilings. They also repaired minor plumbing and masonry issues and installed new interior doors and windows.

Air flow and mold were major concerns because of the potential health risks to the school's more than 700 students and faculty, Grennon said. Bosnian soldiers washed the ceilings and walls with bleach while the U.S. Air Guardsmen concentrated on installing new electricity and lighting and repairing the ceilings to increase air flow, he added.

Grennon said the townspeople were extremely supportive of the efforts. Initially, he said, the engineers were cautious because the area is mostly Serbian, and many local people may have harbored hard feelings toward Americans because of the U.S. stance during their civil war in the mid-1990s.

However, the project was finished without incident. Grennon said he and his unit felt very welcomed and that the project couldn't have been complete without the town's positive support.

"The people received us very well and went out of their way to help us with anything they could," he said.

Grennon said he hopes the renovations will eliminate potential health issues and increase the students' ability to learn. He and his fellow airmen look forward to their next mission there, he added.

"The project was great on a lot of levels," he said. "It was fantastic opportunity, and most of the unit is already talking and asking about when we can go back."

America Supports You: Radio Program Hosts Freedom Walk Talk

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - Listeners who log on to listen to Stardust Radio's "Talking with Heroes" program on Aug. 17 will learn how they can honor veterans past and present and commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The show's host, Bob Calvert, will welcome Roxie Merritt, spokeswoman for the Defense Department's America Supports You program and director of New Media and Community Relations for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Merritt's community relations staff is responsible for organizing this year's fourth annual National America Supports You Freedom Walk here while hundreds of others are being planned nationwide and overseas.

"It means so much to our troops serving all over the world to see this kind of support coming from their communities," Merritt said. "The
military, in a lot of ways, is about community, and local actions like this have a huge impact on morale."

The America Supports You Freedom Walk tradition began in 2005 as a way for Americans to reflect on the lives lost Sept. 11, to remember those who responded, to honor veterans past and present, and to renew commitment to freedom and the values of the United States. So far, 231 walks have been registered, including at least one in all 50 states and 13 overseas areas.

The country pulled together in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the ongoing support for the troops is amazing, Merritt said. But, she added, the America Supports You Freedom Walks are something special.

"These are personal, community-based efforts, and to have schools and young people taking part in them sends the message, 'We -- this particular community -- we know what you're doing, we know why you're doing it, and we're grateful,'" Merritt said.

Merritt will be joined on the radio program by six guests who are organizing America Supports You Freedom Walks in their states.

One of those guests, Joey Rizzolo, 13, has written a kids' guide to planning the walks and will share plans for his second walk in Paramus, N.J. Shelle Michaels from
North Dakota, Nancy Magoon from the Daegu American School in Daegu, South Korea, and Olga Vaca Durr from the Killeen, Texas, school district, will share their plans to host walks in their states as well.

The sixth guest, Dani Lamana, is planning an America Supports You Freedom Walk in Baton Rouge, La. The walks are important to Lamana, who lost her brother in the attack on the Pentagon.

"Talking with Heroes" can be heard live at 9 p.m. EDT Sundays on Stardust Radio, a media affiliate of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

Those interested in participating in the national 2008 America Supports You Freedom Walk on Sept. 7 can register through the America Supports You Web site. The walk is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Women's Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, and will end in the Pentagon's south parking lot, adjacent to the site where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. A musical tribute is being planned to conclude the event.

Humanitarian Assistance for Georgia Continues

By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dana M. Clark
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 15, 2008 - Humanitarian aid to the former Soviet republic of Georgia continued today, as two U.S.
Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft arrived in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, carrying pallets of cargo, including emergency shelter items and medical supplies. Military forces throughout U.S. European Command's area of responsibility are contributing to the effort.

An
Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport arrived in Tbilisi with the first planeload of U.S. aid Aug. 13, carrying blankets, cots, sleeping bags and medical supplies. A second C-17 arrived yesterday and carried additional supplies, as well as 104,000 doses of antibiotics requested by the Georgian Health Ministry.

The supplies are being distributed and coordinated by five nongovernmental organizations: Counterpart International, A Call to Serve -- Georgia, International Relief and Development, Hellenicare, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

All humanitarian assistance efforts have been closely coordinated with the Georgian government and international organizations, EuCom officials said.

(
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dana M. Clark serves in the U.S. European Command Public Affairs Office.)

Georgian Invasion Sends Message to World, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 14, 2008 - With their invasion of Georgia, the Russians are sending a message not only to neighbors, but also to the world, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Georgia, a nation of 5 million in the Caucasus region, has allied itself with the West and is seeking membership in NATO. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are provinces that are seeking to break away from Georgia and ally with Russia.

Gates noted that, like clockwork, there have been exchanges of gunfire between Georgian and South Ossetian troops every August. "And this year, it escalated very quickly," he said. "The Russians were prepared to take advantage of an opportunity."

The Russian air, land and sea attacks against Georgia went far beyond asserting the Russian view of the autonomy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russians, Gates said, wanted "to punish Georgia for daring to try to integrate with the West economically and politically and in security arrangements."

The Russian
military action was directed against Georgia, but Kremlin leaders wanted nations in all parts of the former Soviet Union to understand the dangers of integrating with the West, Gates said. "I think that they had an opportunity to make some very broad points [to these nations] and, I think, [the Russians] seized that opportunity," he said. Gates holds a doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University.

The message has been received by the nations of the world, Gates said.

"My guess is that everyone is going to be looking at Russia through a different set of lenses as ... we look ahead," the secretary said. "I think Russia's got some serious work to do to try and work its way back into the family of nations that are trying to work together and build democracy and build ... their economies, working together."

Gates said he does not want to repeat the Cold War, and that he certainly does not want to see U.S. and Russian troops in a hot war.

"The United States spent 45 years working very hard to avoid a
military confrontation with Russia," he said. "I see no reason to change that approach today."

Face of Defense: Sailors Prepare to Tackle Mount Fuji for Charity

By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brock A. Taylor
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 14, 2008 - An officer assigned to Submarine Group 7 is preparing for a special charity event -- scaling Mount Fuji four times in 24 hours on Sept. 1.
Navy Lt. Doug Szwarc, a native of Pittsburg, will lead three other enthusiasts in an attempt to ascend and descend Japan's most famous landmark multiple times. The three other climbers are Lt. Robert Lovern, also of Submarine Group 7; Chief Petty Officer Michael Raney. of Fleet Public Affairs Center Detachment Japan; and Luke Nelson, a civilian who works for the Morale, Welfare and Recreation sports department. Szwarc said the event is dubbed "Fuji for Charity," and its goal is to raise $10,000 for a local orphanage and for the South Carolina-based Guardian Ad Litem project.

"We're not doing this to build up our egos. If anything, it's going to deflate them," Szwarc said.

Last year, Szwarc scaled the mountain three times in 24 hours with his friend Lt. Jeff De Groot. The personal quest soon turned into a fundraising event.

"It was kind of an afterthought. Jeff and I thought, 'Hey it would be cool to climb Fuji three times,' and we thought while making these plans we might as well do it for charity. It makes a lot of sense," Szwarc said.

Szwarc and De Groot accomplished the three climbs with 22 minutes to spare. Szwarc said that even though it may sound like they were pushing the envelope, they took their time. After carefully planning out this year's climb, Szwarc said, he is confident of the group's success.

This year, with a little more planning and organization, Szwarc said, he increased the donation goal to $10,000.

"[Last year] we got up to like $500, then we were thinking, 'Hey we can get up to $1,000.' ... [We] blew right past $1,000, and it kind of grew exponentially without us really doing anything. That's why we thought this year $10,000 was obtainable."

Szwarc said didn't want to give up trying again this year even though De Groot transferred. He decided to recruit a new teammate, which soon turned into an extra three.

Lovern, an avid climber; Raney, a seasoned marathoner; and Nelson, an accomplished triathlete, said they look forward to the endurance challenge, but they acknowledged the main focus is helping others.

"I've been in Japan for a couple of tours now. I've climbed Mount Fuji a few times, and I've raced up it a couple of times. I was looking for a new, miserable experience, and this fits the bill," Raney said. "I'm sure we're going to be challenged both physically and mentally. It's definitely going to be a test of our endurance. But, this event isn't about us or Mount Fuji; it's about the kids."

(
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brock A. Taylor serves at the Fleet Public Affairs Center Detachment Japan.)

Afghan Women Show Progress By Taking On Community Issues

By Army 1st Lt. Lory A. Stevens
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 14, 2008 - More than 100 local women who attended the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team Woman's Shura in the province's Anaba district Aug. 4 participated in discussions on the welfare of their villages and addressed ongoing issues.
Air Force Capt. Jillian Torango, of the Panjshir PRT, and Miriam Panjshiri, director of women's affairs, represented their organizations at the shura, or community gathering.

Shuras are important for the PRT as well as local government representatives, because they ensure local voices are heard by both groups, Torango said. She explained that the Panjshir PRT tries to conduct women's shuras once a month to ensure the voices of Afghan women are heard and their concerns are addressed. Essentially, shuras serve as a platform to allow Afghan women freedom of speech.

"Every time I meet with the women of Panjshir, I leave with two very distinct feelings," Torango said. "First, I appreciate the freedoms I have as an American. Second, it makes me feel very positive about the way women feel empowered to help with their families and communities."

Panjshir is a highly conservative region, Torango explained, where women typically interact within the same small groups. The interaction at the Panjshir PRT Woman's Shura testifies to a good relationship between the women of Panjshir, the director of women's affairs and the PRT, she said.

Air Force medical technician Tech. Sgt. Dawn Tiemann attended the shura with Torango to answer medical questions and make the Afghan women feel more at ease. Feeling comfortable is essential to promoting a free flow of ideas, Torango said.

"These women all have great ideas about what can be done to make their villages better," Torango explained. "For instance, they talk about the need for power, drinking water and schools."

With many widows and large families in Panjshir, humanitarian assistance and vocational training are very important.

"The women talk about wanting to learn skills that will help generate money for their families and villages," Torango said. "Women want to work, and little by little, they're being able to."

The work of the director of women's affairs and the PRT is supported by the Afghan government, said Torango, who explained that the Afghanistan's Ministry of Women's Affairs, located in the Afghan capital of Kabul, is the lead agency promoting advancement for women in Afghanistan. The ministry's mission is to ensure women have legal, economic, social, political, and civil rights, including the right to be free from all forms of violence and discrimination, Torango said.

(
Army 1st Lt. Lory A. Stevens serves in the Task Force Warrior Public Affairs Office.)

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 14, 2008

Air Force

Securiguard, Incorporated of McLean,Virginia is being awarded a firm-fixed price contract for $95,382,517. The purpose of this contract is to provide a comprehensive security force to effectively execute and manage security operations on Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station (CCAFS) and its associated Florida Annexes (Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex, Cocoa Beach Tracking Annex, Fort Pierce Microwave Relay Annex, Malabar Transmitter Annex, Melbourne Beach Optical Tracking Annex, Stuart Microwave Relay Annex, Port Canaveral Cable Terminal Annex, Wabasso Microwave Relay Annex). The contractor will be required to provide a fully trained, armed, and uniformed security force whose capability and quality meets Air Force standards in accordance with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 31-101 and AFI 31-20. Performance requirements include: Protect the capability to launch; protection of National, DoD, and commercial space-lift resources; provide command and control of security forces; provide dedicated response to protection level 1-4 resources; provide installation and restricted area entry control; maintain law and order; provide law enforcement patrols and traffic enforcement; provide security for launch and hazardous operations; manage and operate Security Force Control Center; monitor and survey installation electronic security systems; provide marine security operations; develop installation security plans and procedures; provide resource protection; Pass & ID services; perform services during crisis and contingency. At this time no funds have been obligated. Patrick AFB, Fl is the contracting activity (FA2521-08-C-0011)

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of Herndon, VA, is being awarded a contract for $34,500,105. The action will provide survivability research and development analysis to European Security Operations Center and the 66th
Military Intelligence Group. The location of performance is Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Va. At this time $1,856,358 has been obligated. Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380).

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of Herndon, VA, is being awarded a contract for $18,941,252. The action will provide U.S.
Marine Corps logistics chain survivability analysis. The location of performance is McLean, Va. At this time $454,000 has been obligated. Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380).

Henry M. Jackson Foundation of Rockville, Md., is being awarded a contract for $20,992,931. The objective of this effort is to provide research and research support for the Biosciences and Protection Division of the
Air Force Research Laboratory. The Biosciences and Protection Division has four key technology mission areas: 1) biotechnology, 2) bio-behavioral performance, 3) biomechanics, and 4) counterproliferation. This effort will develop innovative science and technology to advance the state-of-art in each of these mission areas. This effort will provide for an integrated administrative and management test-bed venue focused on innovative technology concepts required to capitalize on advances in the biosciences and to provide radically new Air Force capabilities. These capabilities will improve warfighter performance and combat effectiveness, as well as provide a general public benefit through appropriate civilian applications. The location of performance is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and Brooks City Base, Texas. At this time $700,000 has been obligated. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-05-2-6518).

L-3 Communications of Pittsburgh, Penn., is being awarded a contract for $6,128,869. This action will provide design and development of two, 1 meter primary, on axis Cassegrain, azimuth/elevation mount telescopes for use in laser propagation and turbulence sensing experiments at the Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland AFB, N.M. At this time $1,500,000 has been obligated. Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-08-C-0262).

Survival Innovations, Inc of Arden
North Carolina is being awarded a contract for $5,999,044. The objective of this effort if to tailor development, integration and testing of a head and neck restraint system to provide improved head and neck injury protection within acceptable limits for the smaller anthropometric population range of fighter aircraft, thereby optimizing warfighter injury tolerance and protection during emergency escape. This research will potentially benefit all aircraft ejection systems. At this time $5,999,044 has been obligated. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-6925).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Huguenot Energy LLC., Charleston, S.C.* is being awarded a maximum $53,153,997 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Charleston,
South Carolina. Using services are Army, Navy, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were originally 55 proposals solicited with 18 responses. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0357).

US Foodservice/Joseph Webb Division, Vista, Calif. is being awarded a maximum $34,585,000 firm fixed price, prime vendor contract for full line food distribution services. Using services are
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. There are no other locations of performance. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising second option year. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 3 responses. The date of performance completion is August 17, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3206).

Midstream Fuel Service LLC., Houston, Texas* is being awarded a maximum $6,064,080 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are Carrabelle,
Florida and Beaumont, Texas. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were originally 55 proposals solicited with 18 responses. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0362).

Army

Caddell Construction Co., Montgomery, Ala., was awarded on Aug. 13, 2008, a $48,463,000 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of three simulation training facilities with a gross square footage of 240,043 for non-motion based and motion based simulations. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Ga., and is expected to be completed by March 2, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four bids were solicited on May 2, 2008, and two bids were received. U.S.
Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0056).

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Stratford, Conn., was awarded on Aug. 13, 2008, an $8,904,288 firm-fixed price contract for procurement of spares and ground support equipment for the Bahrain Defense Force. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 20, 2005. U.S.
Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

Ttec-Tesoro, Norcross, Ga., was awarded on Aug. 12, 2008, a $8,716,000 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of company operations facilities. Work will be performed at Fort Bragg, N.C., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 11, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four bids were solicited on June 23, 2008, and two bids were received. U.S.
Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0058).

Navy

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $17,394,620 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost plus fixed fee contract (N00383-06-D-001J) to incorporate post production and performance based logistics support requirements necessary for the continued safe and effective operations of fielded F/A-18 A-D aircraft. This modification provides support for the
Navy, Marine Corps; and the governments of Australia, Canada, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Kuwait, and Malaysia. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (76 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (21 percent); Warner Robins, Ga. (2 percent); and Santa Clarita, Calif. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $903,305 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($12,574,529; 72 percent) and the Governments of Canada ($1,461,918; 8 percent); Spain ($1,016,986; 6 percent); Australia ($794,520; 5 percent); Finland ($677,991; 4 percent); Kuwait ($423,744; 2 percent); Switzerland ($360,183; 2 percent); and Malaysia, ($84,749; 1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

American Electronic Warfare Assoc., California, Md., is being awarded a $14,777,791 cost-plus-fixed-fee bridge contract for the continuation of engineering and ground test support services at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Atlantic Ranges and Facilities Department, Integrated Combat Environments Division and Modeling and Simulation Division. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. and is expected to be completed in Feb. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $2,463,347 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-08-C-0074).

Nan, Inc. dba Ocean House Builders, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded $11,432,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity design-build multiple award construction contract (N62478-08-D-4009) for all design, construction and incidental related work to construct a new 1-story facility which combines a fleet store and MWR outdoor gear facility into one building. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The basic contract was competitively procured with 41 offers solicited, 12 proposals received and award made on Feb. 28, 2008. The total contract amount is not to exceed $100,000,000, which includes the base period and four option years. The multiple contractors (five in number) may compete for task order under the terms and conditions of the existing contract. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is the contracting activity.

Cameron Bell Corporation, Government Solutions Group,* Charleston, S.C., is being awarded a potential maximum $9,980,891 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (delivery order), cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide technical and engineering services in support of the Cyber Asset Reduction Security (CARS) program at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego, Information
technology Enterprise networking environment. Support includes: knowledge management, content management, systems mapping, architectural integration, analysis, planning, design and implementation of new systems, subsystems and critical items to support requirements. Work will be performed at selected Space and Naval Warfare Systems activities within the United States, including: San Diego, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Norfolk, Va.; New Orleans, La.; and Charleston, S.C., and work is expected to be completed Aug. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was negotiated as a sole source agreement in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source (FAR Subpart 6.302-1). There is only one source, Government Solutions Group, qualified and capable of performing the work at a reasonable price to the Government. The use of any other contractor would involve a substantial duplication of costs not expected to be recovered through competition. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0078).

Rockwell Collins Government Systems, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $5,598,148 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-05-C-0050) to exercise an option for the FY 2008 production of AN/ARC-210(V) Electronic Protection Radio System for the
Air Force F-16 aircraft. This modification includes 74 RT-1851A(C) ARC-210 receiver-transmitter radios; 59 MT-6567 mounting bases; 62 C-12719 controls; and 59 RF filter diplexers. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $1,773,551 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity.

Georgian Humanitarian Mission Continues

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 14, 2008 - The humanitarian mission under way in Georgia is intended to alleviate suffering for now and will move into longer-range help in the future, officials said at a Pentagon news conference today. The
Air Force has sent two supply-filled C-17 Globemaster III transports into Georgia's capital of Tbilisi. More flights will follow, officials said, but none are scheduled just yet.

Russian troops who invaded Georgia last week are beginning to pull back,
Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates also spoke at the news conference.

"Generally, the [Russian] forces are starting to move out of the city, particularly Gori, starting to consolidate their positions and get themselves into a position where they can start to back away towards ... the border," the general said. "We see that going on particularly in the areas around the seaports and around Tbilisi, and up north of Tbilisi and west towards Gori."

Russian air activities in and around the region have virtually stopped, Cartwright said. "Over the last 24 hours, really, there has been no air activity," he said. "So we see them generally complying and moving back into a position where they can start to make their exit in an orderly fashion."

Another
Air Force plane transported a six-man humanitarian assistance assessment team. "This is a sequenced kind of thing," Gates said. The team will look at the seaports, airports and roads, assess their condition and report back to U.S. European Command. The team also will work with the U.S. Embassy in Georgia and with Georgian leaders to ascertain what the country needs. U.S. military transport planes or ships will deliver that aid.

Cartwright said the military team will look at what roads are open, where help is needed, and what kind of help is needed in those areas. Civilian humanitarian assistance teams from various U.S. agencies will join the servicemembers as the assessment process goes forward, State Department officials said.

The two C-17s that have already arrived carried what's become the standard package for humanitarian assistance, Cartwright said. Goods delivered included materials to build shelters, clothing and medical supplies.

"What we don't want to do is build some sort of mountain of supplies there with no distribution system," Cartwright said.

The general said he expects many answers will come in the next 48 hours.