Tuesday, August 19, 2008

U.S. Military Continues Georgia Humanitarian Aid Effort

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

Aug. 19, 2008 - U.S. European Command is coordinating sustained airlift support as the United States continues to send humanitarian supplies and medical supplies to the former Soviet republic of Georgia. So far, the U.S.
military has delivered more than 270,000 pounds of aid on 12 missions to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, with more relief on the way in the coming days, officials said.

Flying out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the missions are delivering bandages, surgical supplies and medicine, as well as emergency shelters and bedding.

The joint effort, with the
Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines all involved -- has delivered more than 6,000 blankets, nearly 12,000 sheets, 580 cots, and more than 17,000 sleeping bags to Georgia.

EUCOM also is coordinating the transportation of 300,000 humanitarian daily food rations, 7,000
military field-ration meals, and more than 2,000 personal hygiene kits.

In addition to the
military's role, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development are involved in the humanitarian relief effort. 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, officials said.

The EuCom joint assessment team, led by
Army Brig. Gen. Jon Miller, deputy commander of 21st Theater Sustainment Command and commander of 7th Army Reserve Command, arrived in Tbilisi yesterday at the request of the Georgian government. The team will conduct a deliberate and focused assessment, encompassing variables such as transportation, infrastructure, manpower and many other life-support considerations, EuCom officials said.

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

Face of Defense: Artilleryman Re-enlists for T-shirt

By Army Spc. Creighton Holub
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - Forget money. Forget choice of duty station. Forget everything but the T-shirt. Believe it or not, the T-shirt for re-enlisting on the front lines was the only incentive Pfc. Jacob McHenry wanted prior to signing up for an additional three years in the
Army.

"The
Army is too easy for me, and I have no reason to get out," said the 18-year-old forward observer from Monroe, La., assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's Company A, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. "But it's really hard to change my [military occupational specialty], because there's not a lot of people in my MOS."

The artilleryman expressed no desire to find a new job; right now, he's the "go-to" guy when attack aviation assets are around.

"This is completely different than doing anything in 'normal' artillery," he explained. "Talking to Longbow Apache helicopter pilots is different than anything else in the artillery branch. I have to take into consideration air-to-ground integration and put myself into the pilot's position. I have to create a clear picture in their minds before they can attack the enemy."

"It's great having him, because he has training related to artillery rounds," said 1st Lt. Trevor Jones, a
Houston native and Company A's 3rd Platoon leader. "It helps to have someone who has more knowledge, and he can pass it down to my other soldiers as well."

The leaders in his unit are happy to have McHenry in their ranks assisting as the Iraqi security forces take the lead in combat operations on the streets of Amarah.

"He's extended his time in the
Army, so we know he's committed to doing what he's here for," Jones said.

In addition to the re-enlistment T-shirt, McHenry received a $7,500 cash bonus for re-enlisting through July 2013. He also reaped brigade-specific re-enlistment incentives, such as picking his own guaranteed vacation time, a pair of four-day trips to Qatar, and getting the first flight home at the end of the deployment. He also has the opportunity to complete more civilian education upon returning to Fort Hood.

(
Army Spc. Creighton Holub serves in the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

Army Coach Consoles Olympian

By Tim Hipps
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - U.S
Army Maj. David Johnson, the Team USA rifle coach, survived another Matt Emmons moment in Beijing, as Emmons reprised his unsuccessful performance in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. "He did it again!" someone shouted from the grandstand the instant Team USA's Matt Emmons plummeted from surefire gold to fourth place with a shocking 4.4 on his final shot in the Olympic 50-meter rifle 3 positions event Aug 17.

Emmons suffered a similar experience at the 2004 Olympics in Athens where he accidentally cross-shot at the wrong target with his final bullet and dropped from first to eighth place. On that day, U.S.
Army World Class Athlete Program sharpshooter Maj. Michael Anti benefited from Emmons' misfortune and won the silver medal instead of bronze.

WCAP and Team USA rifle coach Maj. David Johnson was in Emmons' corner both times.

"It is difficult to believe that he just did that," Johnson said. "We did everything we could've to prepare after the event last time, which was pretty traumatizing, really. I think he did a very good job to get ready for this day and this moment. We knew we would be back and be standing right there in position. He had a super nine shots – better than he's shot in a final – and the last shot was devastating.

"He was coming down on the target and probably reacted a little bit to the crowd reaction, which is just part of sport. You've got to deal with it. That's why they play the games. It just didn't work. He set the gun off before he was ready, and that's basically it."

Emmons confirmed that explanation of one of the worst shots of his life.

"The way I come down into the target, I start above the target at 12 o'clock and I relax down into the bull's eye," Emmons said. "And as I get into the bull's eye, that's when I start to get on the trigger. I was coming down just like normal and everything was fine – I actually felt really good about the shot – and as it was coming in and I was getting on the trigger, the gun just went off, and it really surprised me.

"My first thought was, "Oh, that's not good. I hope that's in the black.' And I looked down and it was in the black but it was a pretty bad shot," Emmons said.

"Believe it or not, the only thing I was thinking was 'just calm myself down, do the things you've been doing on the past nine shots, and then relax and enjoy the shot,' Emmons added. "Of course I was a little more nervous than on some of the previous shots, but I thought I was really in control."

Johnson is a three-time Olympian, once as a competitor and twice as a coach, but he wonders how many of these Matt Emmons moments he can endure.

"I was crushed, for Matt, because I know the work he's put in," Johnson said. "He lives with me at the Olympic Training Center. We work extremely hard he's had the guts to address 2004 every day since then to make sure he had all the skills he needed to deal with this day today, and something didn't work."

Johnson then had the unenviable task of approaching his sharpshooter.

"I could hardly speak, frankly," Johnson admitted. "I wasn't mad at him, just stunned. I didn't know what to say."

U.S.
Army Marksmanship Unit Sgt. 1st Class Jason Parker finished 22nd in the event and did not qualify for the eight-man final. He was, however, there to witness Emmons' shot-heard-round-the-world sequel.

"Wow, I don't even have words for it," Parker said. "He demonstrated again, just like he did four years ago, that he's the world's best shooter. I don't even have words for it yet. It's just unbelievable.

"He's a tough guy and a tough competitor. I just sat back there in awe. I probably didn't say anything for five minutes."

Emmons had a 3.4-point lead over his closest competitor in the final with one shot remaining. Just like four years ago, he opened the range for a Chinese shooter to claim the gold. In Athens, it was Jia Zhanbo. In Beijing, it was Qui Jian, 33, a veteran shooter who felt unworthy of being among the final group.

"I never thought I could win an Olympic title because there were so many top shooters out there today," Jian said of prevailing with a 1,272.5 total. "My winning the gold is, to a large extent, through a little bit of luck."

Ukraine's Jury Sukhorukov won the silver medal with a 1,272.4 total. Slovakia's Rajmond Debevec took the bronze at 1,271.7.

The crowd at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall went wild when Qui thrust his rifle over his head to celebrate winning in such dramatic fashion. Meantime, many folks felt sympathetic for Emmons' devastating finish.

"Expecting a gold medal and winning it by that much after 129 shots, and then 'bang,' gone," Parker said. "Hopefully, he can come through it the best way possible. He's a strong guy and I'm sure he will."

Johnson certainly hopes so.

"There's no question, it's not going to be easy to get past this and deal with it," he said. "It's such a roller-coaster in the Games. Three days ago, he won an Olympic silver medal in one of the best performances I've ever seen – all the way through the final 10 shots. And he was right on today, too."

To add even more suspense to the drama, Czech shooter Katerina Emmons consoled Emmons immediately following his cross-shoot in Athens. They got married last year, and Katerina last week won the first gold medal of the Beijing Games in the women's 10-meter air rifle event.

Katerina was there to support Matt again at the Sunday shoot.

"I told him that it wasn't meant to be," she said. "I mean, look at it, he had a 3.3 lead and he shoots a shot that he never shoots. It's like the last Olympics. It's just something ridiculous that never happens, and it happens at the last shot in the Olympics, so it just wasn't meant to be."

Johnson was appreciative of the opportunity to represent in China, regardless of the outcome of the event.

"We're privileged to be where we're at doing this, especially us military members," he said. "To be able to be here in Beijing doing this is an absolute privilege and honor. It's not a right. To be able to do this and 'represent' is simply an honor."

Johnson hopes to represent the military again at the 2012 London Games.

"We're soldiers first, so what the
Army has in store for me next, I don't know yet," he said. "But I would love to coach for Team USA again in London."


(Tim Hipps works in the U.S.
Army Family and Moral, Welfare and Recreation Command Public Affairs Office.)

Union Pacific Builds on Military Heritage by Supporting Guard, Reserve Employees

By Sara Moore
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - Union Pacific is a company that is proud of its strong ties with the military. Hundreds of thousands of
Civil War veterans helped build the first transcontinental railroad in the 1860s, which was considered vital to national defense. During World War I and II, the railroad canteen in North Platte, Neb., was a resting place for many troops on their way overseas.

Union Pacific's partnership with the
military continues today and, in some respects, is stronger than ever, said Roy Schroer, assistant vice president of human resources. Of the company's more than 50,000 employees, more than 7,300 serve or have served in the military, and 530 have been deployed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And Union Pacific has always worked hard to take care of its employees who serve in the National Guard or reserves and have to balance training and deployments with civilian life, he said.

Union Pacific's support efforts for
military employees range all the way from company policy for things like pay and benefits down to fellow employee support, like care packages, Schroer said. For its efforts, Union Pacific is being awarded the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, which recognizes employers who go above and beyond in supporting employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

Union Pacific has a long-standing policy, which goes back to before 9/11, to offer differential pay for National Guard and reserve employees during deployments and activations. The company also continues all medical, dental and life coverage for deployed employees and families, and each of these employees is assigned a care coordinator who assists with benefits and family needs during the deployment.

In addition to these benefits, Union Pacific does a lot of "personal touch" things for deployed employees, Schroer said. The company writes about deployed employees in newspaper articles and companywide publications, sends care packages and cards, and helps families with things like home repairs.

It is this support during deployments that motivated Jesse Swanger to nominate Union Pacific for the Freedom Award. When Swanger, a specialist in the
Iowa National Guard, was deployed to Iraq, about five other Union Pacific employees were in his company. The employees got to talking, he said, and realized how much Union Pacific had supported all of them during their deployments. "They made leaving and coming back as easy as possible," Swanger said.

Swanger has worked for Union Pacific for two years and said he enjoys his job because of the people he works with. "They are a great group of people," he said.

Union Pacific also has a unique program that is addressing what has been a major problem in the war on terrorism: post-traumatic stress disorder. Company officials recognized what a big problem PTSD was and that early diagnosis and treatment are very important to veterans' long-term health, Schroer said. In the interest of making the transition of employees returning from deployments back to the workplace as smooth as possible, Union Pacific established a program to help identify and promptly treat PTSD.

Addressing PTSD is important not only for the employees' health, but also for the well-being of the entire company, Schroer said. "Many of these people just need some assistance and understanding on our part so that they can move back into normal physical and mental capabilities and work safely," he said. "We need everyone to feel confident in everyone else's abilities to focus on their tasks and be safe."

Supporting the
military is part of Union Pacific's culture and heritage and is something that the entire company gets involved with, Schroer said. Thousands of employees turn out to sign Christmas cards or contribute to care packages for deployed employees, he said. "It's a great morale sustainer across the entire company," he said. "It's something that the employees show a lot of pride in."

Schroer noted that investing in employees who serve in the Guard and reserves doesn't just benefit the employees, either. "We have a lot of investment in employees who get deployed, and we would love to see them come back and be able to utilize that training once again and also bring back great training that they get while deployed," he said. "We feel we get a lot back out of this. It's not a one-way street at all."

Union Pacific
leaders were "ecstatic" when they heard about the Freedom Award, Schroer said. He said the company plans to continue its relationship with the military.

"We've had a lot of great partnerships with the military and keep trying to nurture those. It's one of those where we keep working on the relationship and it keeps paying off and that's a great partnership when you have both sides supporting each other," he said. "We feel like we're the beneficiary more so than the contributor here."

Union Pacific will receive the Freedom Award along with 14 other companies in a ceremony Sept. 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional support from the employer community.

Russian Behavior in Georgia Isolates Moscow, Rice Says at NATO Meeting

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - Russia's actions in Georgia are isolating Moscow from the international community, Secretary of State of Condoleezza Rice said today in Brussels, Belgium. Russia escalated a simmering conflict with neighboring Georgia 11 days ago when it invaded the former Soviet republic, followed by bombing civilian infrastructure and wreaking "havoc and destruction" in Georgian villages, Rice said.

"The behavior of Russia in this most recent crisis is isolating Russia from the principles of cooperation among nations of the communities of states," she said at a news conference after an urgent meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

"It is not an act of the United States or the European Union or anyone else to isolate Russia, it is what Russia is doing," Rice said.

In a strongly worded statement, NATO
leaders today called for an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces to pre-conflict levels. This posture is in accordance with a peace agreement signed late last week by Russia's President Dmitriy Medvedev and Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili.

"We call on Russia to take immediate action to withdraw its troops from the areas it is supposed to leave under the six-principle agreement signed by President Saakashvili and President Medvedev," read the statement, referring to the French-brokered deal.

Russian tanks and armored vehicles reportedly have begun to withdrawal from the Georgian town of Gori, but a Defense Department official today said there has been no substantial drawdown.

"I would say, with respect to the Russian disposition, that we don't see much change in the forces that were there," Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

Echoing the NATO statement, Rice said normalized relations between NATO partners and Russia will cease amid Moscow's self-isolating actions.

"There can be no business as usual with Russia while this kind of activity goes on," she said, adding that a NATO assessment team will be sent to survey Georgia's
military situation.

Other elements of the NATO response include the creation of the NATO-Georgia Commission. The ad hoc group will oversee the alliance's relationship with Georgia, including supervising its Partnership for Peace status -- an antecedent to NATO membership -- and responding to any special requests by the nation.

Rice said the statement issued by NATO captures what the U.S. sought: support for Georgia's democracy, a "very strong message" that the Russian president keep his word, and maintaining the openness of NATO membership to aspiring countries.

"This document is a very clear statement that this alliance, NATO, having come so far after the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in achieving a Europe that is whole, free and at peace, is not going to permit a new line to be drawn in Europe between those who were fortunate enough to make it into the transatlantic structures and those who still aspire to those transatlantic structures," she said.

Athens Silver Medalist Anti Finishes Ninth in Beijing

By Tim Hipps
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - In his fourth and possibly final Olympics,
Army World Class Athlete Program Maj. Michael Anti just missed making the final and finished ninth in the 50-meter rifle prone event Aug. 15 at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall. Anti and France's Valerian Sauveplane tied with a six-series qualification score of 594, but the Frenchman prevailed in the tiebreaker and went on to finish sixth.

"You're talking less than a point of being in the final, which makes it even more difficult [to take]," Anti said.

"I was nervous, which is kind of typical, at least for me," he said. "At the beginning of the match, I was kind of tight. I was probably being more careful than what I normally am. I was a little bit leery of trying to shade."

Shading is a technique used to counter changing wind conditions on the range, which, in hindsight, Anti wishes he had tried sooner.

"I wanted to shoot in a condition, but it was just coming and going -- the condition wouldn't stay there," Anti said. He shot 99, 98 and 99 in his first three series. "Because I was being a little too careful," he said, "that may have cost me a couple of points."

Midway through the match, the wind picked up and started changing quickly.

"It wasn't until about halfway through the match that I loosened up a little bit and started to shade more often," Anti said. "If I had done that in the beginning, I might have fared a little better, but shading is kind of risky. There's no science to it or formula that you can figure out. It's just an 'instinct-type' kind of shooting."

Anti closed with rounds of 99, 100 and 99, then anxiously watched the scoreboard to see if he made the cut for the eight-man final.

"I'm disappointed that I did not make the final," he said. "That hurt. That's just tough to take. I've been training hard. I think I performed pretty decently today. Maybe I was a little too tentative and a little too careful, and I probably should've been shading from the very start."

Ukraine's Artur Ayvazian, who scored 599 qualification points, tallied 103.7 in the final to win the gold medal with a 702.7 total. Team USA's Matt Emmons took the silver with 701.7. The bronze went to Australia's Warren Potent, who finished at 700.5.

The Olympic journey has been a long one for Anti, 44, of Winterville, N.C. He began shooting at age 11 because he wanted to go hunting with his father. He got started in a junior program in Northern
Virginia, enjoyed the sport, and stuck with it.

At age 17, Anti won a team bronze medal at the 1982 World Championships. Ten years later, he finished 18th in free prone rifle at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He also finished ninth in free rifle three-position at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and struck silver in the rifle three-position event at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Along the way, he graduated from Camp Lejeune High School in
Jacksonville, N.C., and received a bachelor's degree in marketing from West Virginia University in Morgantown. He enlisted in the Army in 1982 and was commissioned six years later.

"I'll never forget the experience in '04, but this has been a great experience, too," he said. "What more can you ask for than another chance to represent the United States and the U.S.
Army? You can't ask for anything more than that."

Anti, a former world-record holder in 2004, was named the Army's Male Athlete of the Year," he said. "I love representing the United States and representing the U.S.
Army. There's not a better feeling than to do that.

Team USA's shooters took the Chinese cultural tour in April when they came to Beijing for a World Cup event that served as a test run for the Summer Olympics.

"We did all the tourist stuff then -- the Great Wall, the Silk Market, and all the shopping," Anti said. "This time, I've been trying to stay focused. We have our apartment where we're all staying in the Olympic Village, and between there, the dining facility and the range, that's where I've been. This whole shooting complex is just a beautiful facility. They really did a great job of putting it together."

Likewise, Anti did a great job of assembling a stellar career in competitive shooting that might soon be nearing another stage.

"It's a good life," he said. "There's so much emotion going on right now that it's a tough decision to make, but this will probably be my last Olympics. I've been doing this for a long time. Now it's time to do something else – maybe something still within the sport of shooting: a coaching job or something like that."

In the back of his mind, London could be calling, but Anti is noncommittal about taking a shot at the 2012 Olympics.

"I don't even want to say, because I hate to be one of those who comes out of retirement," he said. "It's tough to do, especially in this sport, where you can do it as long as you have the desire to compete. And I still have the desire to compete. I just don't know. To put four years of your life into an hour and 15 minutes, that's hard to do."

His wife, Anne, and sons, Matthew, 14, and William, 11, now are foremost on Anti's mind, along with his father, a shooting instructor for Marines and youngsters in
North Carolina.

"We do a lot of family stuff, but maybe it's time to start focusing on them more and what they want to do in life," he said. "The youngest one loves to shoot, and I want to be able to give him the time that my dad was able to give me, which you have to start at a young age. I think it's time to give back a little, not only to my own kids but to other shooters."

Anti, who has served for 22 years, said he plans to retire from the
Army in about a year. "If there is a coaching job available at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, I will definitely apply for that position," he said. "With my military background, I think it would be a good fit. And there are probably a couple other opportunities that will be available when I retire."

Anti is assigned to the World Class Athlete Program and attached to the
Army Marksmanship Unit.

"I've been with the AMU off and on my whole career," he explained. "I've done tours in Korea for 14 months and four years in Fort Hood, Texas. I also went to Airborne School, Ranger School and all the other Army officer schools.

"The World Class Athlete Program is just a superb program," he continued. "It's just an amazing opportunity that the
Army provides, and a lot of people don't know that opportunity exists. It just exemplifies what the military is all about. It wants soldiers to be successful, and that's one of the ways it provides an opportunity for a soldier to be successful in something that he loves to do."

The two programs intertwine to help stoke those dreams. Maj. David Johnson, Anti's coach, leads both the U.S. Olympic Shooting Team and the WCAP marksmen. The USAMU consists primarily of enlisted soldiers and has positions for only two officers, both of whom fill leadership roles. WCAP, therefore, allows officers like Anti and Johnson to coexist in both programs.

"If you want to be an Olympic shooter in the United States, basically there are two places to be: the U.S. Olympic Training Center [in Colorado Springs, Colo.] or the
Army Marksmanship Unit [in Fort Benning, Ga.]," Anti said. "It works out perfectly."

(Tim Hipps works at the U.S.
Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Public Affairs Office.)

America Supports You: Kids Turn Tart Drink Into Sweet Support for Troops

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - One
Florida neighborhood's younger residents recently turned a simple lemonade stand, the ages-old financial bastion of kids looking to make some pocket change, into a fundraiser to help out an area troop-support group. "I remember when I first got an e-mail saying that the children of this Wellington neighborhood wanted to hold a fundraiser to sponsor [our] 'We Care' packages by having a neighborhood lemonade stand," said Lynelle Chauncey Zelnar, executive director of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. "These children are truly setting an example to the American public, and their humanitarian spirit is certainly a reflection on their parents and their upbringing.

"I truly hope that this sets a precedent for others in our community and throughout our country," she added. "What a terrific act of humanity and community service."

Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, a supporter of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, sends "We Care" goodie boxes to deployed servicemembers. America Supports You connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

The kids distributed fliers advertising the weekend-long event along with a Forgotten Soldiers Outreach brochure.

"We had donations from sheriffs that drove by, dog walkers, joggers, landscapers and various service companies," said Sharon Boland, a neighborhood mother who helped plan the event. "Everyone was walking and talking proud."

Those who stopped by also had the opportunity to write letters for inclusion in the care packages.

The kids' efforts raised $200, which they presented to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach on Aug. 13.

Scientists, Battlefield Medics Share Ideas

By Sarah Maxwell
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - Scientists and battlefield medical clinicians shared their knowledge and experiences to advance medicine during the military's premier trauma care conference here. The U.S.
Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's annual Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care Conference was held Aug. 11 to 15.

What evolved from a disjointed vendor-oriented conference more than 10 years ago with just a couple hundred participants is now an extremely relevant knowledge exchange that has the ability to improve
military medicine, said Army Col. Bob Vandre, a former MRMC Combat Casualty Care Program director who organized the conference for more than 1,100 attendees.

"This is the meeting that talks about cutting–edge
military trauma medicine," Vandre said. "Attendees can get the latest ideas and medical inventions here -- things that change the future. Most of the key players in the field come here."

The conference is vital to improving the military's combat casualty care program and has contributed to "communities of dialog" between what the clinicians in the field learned and where the researchers need to focus their efforts,
Army Col. Jonathan Jaffin, MRMC deputy commander, said as he welcomed the conference participants.

Bringing together the key people who have the influence to change the direction of
military medicine has helped the military have better-trained medics and better equipment, among other advancements, he said.

"Operators come in and say, 'Here's the problem,'" Vandre explained. "It's a way to bring the battlefield to the scientists."

Many conference participants were from the
Navy and Air Force, whose services also helped pay for the conference, along with international military trauma experts. After being asked to attend the event five years ago, British Army surgeon general Lt. Gen. Louis Lillywhite now comes every year, he said.

"This is increasingly becoming the forum for new clinical systems and performance," he said.

It was at the Advanced
Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care Conference conference that Lillywhite said he first saw evidence of novel hemostatic bandages, which contain chitosan to stop bleeding. He added that the conference affords the opportunity to see the medical products first hand, which allows him to make a more informed decision about whether they should be fielded in his country.

With the information exchange, he said, he also can find out where the United States military medicine efforts are and adjust his organization's methods accordingly.

"It facilitates focusing our research into areas where the U.S. isn't doing research," Lillywhite said. "Coming here helps us decide where to get greater money for our own research."

Although he shares a British accent with Lillywhite, Dr. Howard Champion has been in the United States for more than 20 years and is a trauma surgeon who teaches at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.

"The single most valuable thing that comes out of the combat casualty care meeting held each year is that it brings together U.S. and international expertise," said Champion, who has attended for years.

He said the competence of the attendees at the conference is excellent and that he thinks a big issue for
military medicine is training.

"An example is addressing the plan for improved training and how the Army, in particular, is going to ensure competence in the future," Champion said, noting that many experienced medical professionals transition out of the military after their service commitment.

"As the exceptional training goes away, it's vitally important to sustain their professional abilities," Champion said.

Planning was a large part of the conference's agenda, with research managers and a board of directors made up of external trauma surgeons, as well as other service representatives, guiding the focus of studies.

"We're talking about 2010 now," Vandre said. "It's an executive-level reality check for our program."

At the conference, Vandre handed off the Combat Casualty Care reins to the new director,
Army Col. Dallas Hack. It Hack's first time attending, and he said the level of collaboration is exceptional.

"All these people are doing great things," he said. "We're building a crescendo of results of saving lives and reducing morbidity."

With a varied background of both operational medicine and strategic
leadership teaching, Hack said, it's exciting to be able to make a difference in future casualty care.

"Combat Casualty Care will continue to push the envelope of saving lives," he said.

Although the conference is research-focused, Jaffin said, he wanted to make sure all the scientists recognized the people who actually employ the lessons learned on the battlefield to save servicemembers' lives.

"There's a dramatic decrease in mortality from previous wars because of the advancements made in trauma care," he said. "The key has been those medics, those doctors and medical teams doing what they do in horrible conditions."

(Sarah Maxwell works in the Medical Research and Materiel Command Public Affairs Office.)

Arizona Guard Evacuates Victims of Canyon Flooding

By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 19, 2008 - At least 14
Arizona Army National Guard soldiers and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters continued to assist in the evacuation and emergency care of residents and campers near the Grand Canyon yesterday after heavy rains overflowed the Redlands Earthen Dam and cut off routes to a remote village and reservation. Officials said the Arizona Guard's 98th Aviation Troop Command airlifted more than 174 people since Aug. 17 from the Supai Village area, which is a popular summer tourist destination for paddlers and hikers at the Grand Canyon. Roads and foot paths to the area were closed from heavy rains and flooding, which cut off access for nearly 400 local residents, an unknown number of campers and Havasupai tribal members.

Supai is located inside the Grand Canyon and is normally accessible only by foot, horseback or helicopter.

Guard officials said the
Arizona Guard is working through the state's Department of Emergency Management to support state and local responders. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is directing air-rescue missions that include the two Army Guard Black Hawks and a rescue helicopter from the Department of Public Safety.

"We pride ourselves in
Arizona of being a statewide network that can assist with any type of emergency," said Air Force Maj. Paul Aguirre, an Arizona Guard spokesman. "This includes the federal, county and state assets that are all working diligently to make sure the people of northern Arizona are safe."

Aguirre said the
Arizona Guard aircrews were assisting in the evacuation of the remaining people yesterday including searches for hikers, rafters and campers in need of assistance.

Other Guard members will continue to work with the Department of Emergency Management to ensure those evacuated remain safe and cared for and that evacuee shelters are properly maintained, Aguirre said.

(
Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 19, 2008

Navy

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems L.P., Waco, Texas, is being awarded a $60,630,244 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract action for the fabrication and delivery of four P-3 Outer Wing Assembly kits in support of the P-3 recovery plan. Work will be performed in South Korea, (51 percent) and Waco, Texas, (49 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0065).

BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $13,990,687 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-4404) to exercise an option for alterations and repairs for the USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) FY08 docking selected restricted availability. The modification provides the following major alterations and repairs: repairs to underwater hull, repairs to propeller shafts and struts, repairs to sonar dome, and bow-strengthening alteration. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $12,266,074 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.

AGVIQ-CH2M Hill Joint Venture III, Anchorage, Ala., is being awarded a $9,322,161 modification 01 to contract task order JM04 under previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N62470-08-D-1006). The work to be performed is for corrective remedial actions of various sites, including Solid Waste Management Units 7/8, 54 and 55 at the U.S. Naval Activity. Work will be performed primarily in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, and work is expected to be completed Nov. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast,
Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.

TAOS Industries, Inc., Madison, Ala., is being awarded a $5,786,059 firm-fixed priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The preponderance of the contract is firm-fixed-priced for recurring services. Less than one percent of the contract value is for annual indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract line item numbers. The contract is for the Consolidated Storage Program, which consists of: program management support and facilities operation (encompassing individual and organizational bulk issue, recovery, warehousing, organizational maintenance, asset management including visibility, accountability, automated shelf-life management, replenishment and replacement for the
Marine Corps families of individual combat equipment; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense equipment; special training allowance pool (cold, hot, wet weather clothing and equipment, humanitarian effort assets, and any other specialty clothing and equipment item); and shelters & camouflage netting. This contract includes six option years, which if exercised, would bring the potential cumulative value of the contract to $140,000,000. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, N.C., (21.5 percent); Okinawa, Japan, (20.5 percent); Oceanside, Calif., (18.0 percent); Madison, Ala., (10.0 percent); San Diego, Calif. (05.0 percent); Yuma, Ariz. (05.0 percent); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, (05.0 percent); Awaken, Japan, (05.0 percent); Barstow, Calif., (02.5 percent); Bridgeport, Calif., (02.5 percent); Havelock, N.C., (02.5 percent); Beaufort, S.C., (02.5.0 percent), and work is expected to be completed Aug. 2009 (Aug. 2015 with exercised options). Contract funds in the amount of $5,786,059 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 31 proposals solicited and six offers received. Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Ga., is the contracting activity (M67004-08-D-0018).

Army

General Atomics,
San Diego, Ca., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $11,449,606 time & materials contract for modification to extend the period of performance for support services to Highlighter operations in Iraq. Work will be performed in Iraq with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2008. One bid was solicited and one bid received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-08-C-T205).

I.L. Fleming, Inc., Midway, Ga., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $15,580,056 firm-fixed price contract to construct a 120 person multi-story 3,958 square meter facility with reinforced concrete foundation and floor slabs, insulated maintenance free exterior walls and exterior stairs, standing seam metal roof, force protection system, utilities, parking, access road and site improvements. Facility includes room-bath-room modules, kitchens, fan-coil units with individually controlled thermostats, communication, fire suppression, elevator, lounge, laundries, storage areas and all other support necessary to provide a complete and usable facility. Project will comply with all DoD force protection standards. Work will be performed at Moody
Air Force Base, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 20, 2009. 100 proposals were solicited with four bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-C-0033).

General Atomics Aeronautical System,
San Diego, Ca., was awarded on Aug. 15, 2008, a $7,896,513 cost plus fixed fee contract to acquire three extended-range multi-purpose Block 0 Unmanned Aircraft in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Work will be performed in San Diego, Ca., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 31, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-06-C-0208).

Alcan General, Anchorage, Ala., was awarded on Aug. 15, 2008, a $54,178,881 firm-fixed price contract to design and build a battalion complex at Fort Richardson, Ala., (FTR195 & FTR 197). Work will be performed at Fort Richardson, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 10, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web with two bids received. U.S.
Army Engineer District Ala., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-08-C-0014).

Air Force

CPI Aerostructures, Inc., of Edgewood, N.Y.; GSE Dynamics Inc. of Hauppauge, N.Y.; and Top Flight Aerostructures, Inc., of Marietta, Ga., are being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $40 million. This action will provide 108 aircraft spare parts included in the scope of the contract and applicable to multiple platforms including the C-5 Galaxy, A-10, H-53 helicopter, C-135, B-52, B-1, A-10, and T-38. Quantities will be negotiated as requirements generate. At this time $12,116 has been obligated to CPI Aerostructures; $353,316 has been obligated to GSE Dynamics Inc.; and $53,980 has been obligated to Top Flight Aerostructures. 603 SCMS/GUBA, Robins AFB, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8537-08-D-0001, FA8537-08-D-0003, FA8537-08-D-0004).