Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Army Aims to Improve Soldiers' Mental Well-being

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy
Special to American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - With soldier suicides reaching what Army leadership is calling "alarming numbers," a renewed emphasis is being placed on soldiers' mental well-being, the Army's second in command said. "We have a force that is much more resilient than I ever thought it was going to be, but it is much more stressed," Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, told an audience here Sept. 13 at the National Guard Association of the United States conference.

"In recent years, we've seen an increase in the number of soldiers, both active and reserve components, struggling with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder," he said.

The Army has confirmed 111 soldier suicides as of early September, and 54 suicides have been confirmed in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Chiarelli added that violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and destructive or reckless behaviors have increased among soldiers.

"The challenge facing the Army today is the overall well-being of the force," the general said. "And that force includes the families."

The Army's aim, he said, is to increase soldiers' overall resiliency and to make them aware of programs that can help.

"In the past, the Army's approach was largely reactive -- to treat or discipline soldiers who violated Army standards. That has changed," Chiarelli said. The Army now will assess and intervene early in the process to identify and mitigate issues before they become significant concerns, he explained.

Chiarelli highlighted an ongoing collaboration struck in October 2008 between the Army and the National Institute of Mental Health.

"We realize we must become proactive if we want to be successful in the challenging environment we find ourselves in today," he said.

Another way to solve some of the pressures facing soldiers is to increase the amount of time between deployments. Chiarelli cited an example of one Army unit that has a 3 percent medical nondeployment rate, versus other units' 12- to 15-percent rate.

When he asked his advisors what made that particular unit so successful, he said, they replied that the unit had increased its time at home station to 26 months, as opposed to the average time of 16 months for most other units.

"It doesn't take a nuclear scientist to figure out that the key to this problem is to expand the time our soldiers spend at home," Chiarelli said.

Additionally, the Army plans to add 417 behavioral health specialists to its rolls to mitigate mental health issues associated with increasing deployments and a growing operations tempo. The introduction of online mental health diagnostic and treatment tools for soldiers and their families is another key to helping soldiers cope with the demands being placed upon them, he added.

The general said he'd like to bring Tricare military health plan coverage for soldiers in the National Guard and Army Reserve more in line with their active-duty counterparts.

"We have a responsibility to provide the same level of health care to National Guard soldiers that we provide to the active duty," Chiarelli said, noting that more than 700,000 National Guard and Reserve soldiers have been called to active duty since 2001.

"It really is one team, one fight," he said. "But unfortunately, I think the challenges we are facing as a force are going to get harder before they get easier as we continue to adjust to this new strategic environment."

Finally, Chiarelli highlighted the effort in Afghanistan, where an emphasis on agribusiness is helping to redirect the Afghan focus toward legitimate crops that benefit the entire population instead of the opium poppy trade, which finances insurgent groups. The effort of National Guard members, who are helping to redevelop the country's essential farming practices lost to years of conflict, is a true success story, he said.

"Today, National Guardsmen from agriculture states in middle America are deploying to Afghanistan to advise the Afghan people on modern farming techniques and business practices," the general said. He cited innovative irrigation techniques, grain storage facilities, livestock management and "green" power using solar technology as some of the tools that will bring Afghans toward independence and self-assurance.

"We're helping Afghanistan rebuild their economy, and this is absolutely critical to our success there," Chiarelli said. "These farmer-soldiers represent the strategic tip of the spear."

But this critical mission is not funded in the National Guard by design, the general cautioned. Rather, these missions are conducted and funded by National Guard teams "out of hyde" due to new requirements.

"This new requirement has undoubtedly contributed to the growing strain on our forces," he said. "No doubt, there are tough days ahead, and it'll require a total team effort by our active-duty and Reserve and National Guard components to make it happen."

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy serves in the National Guard Bureau.)

Legislation Could Extend GI Bill to More Guardsmen

By Air Force Senior Airman Jameel S. Moses
Special to American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - More than 30,000 additional National Guard members may become eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill with the help of bipartisan legislation introduced Sept. 10. U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack of Iowa has introduced a bill that proposes a change to the GI Bill eligibility rules to include National Guard members called to active duty in support of homeland security.

"Essentially, the new GI Bill of Rights that we passed last year unintentionally left out about 30,000 members of the National Guard," Loebsack said on Radio Iowa. "They are not receiving all of the benefits they have earned."

The current Post-9/11 GI Bill, which began Aug. 3, extends benefits only to servicemembers serving under Title 10 duty status, but the proposed law would cover those serving under Title 32 in homeland security roles. Both duty statuses are paid with federal dollars, but under Title 32, the state governor maintains control of National Guard forces.

"Our National Guard members who participate in disaster response, protection of U.S. airspace, border security and many other critical missions deserve the Post-9/11 GI benefits and the opportunities that come with those benefits," Loebsack said. "As a former college professor, I know and understand the many doors an education can open. A small technical error will not and should not get in the way of opening those doors."

The bill also covers reserve-component servicemembers who have been discharged with a service-connected disability, because they're not covered under current law, he added. Servicemembers discharged under Title 10 with a service-connected disability are provided a full, four-year college education, but Guard members discharged under Title 32 aren't eligible.

The bill, which has 22 co-sponsors, has been referred to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The committee isn't expected to pass new GI Bill-related legislation until next year.

(Air Force Senior Airman Jameel S. Moses serves in the National Guard Bureau.)

Leaders to Honor Top Employers for Military Support

American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - Fifteen employers from across the nation will receive the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award tomorrow for their support of Guard and Reserve employees. The ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here.

Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden – whose son, Beau, has deployed as a Delaware National Guard officer – will join top Defense Department officials including Dennis McCarthy, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, as well as members of Congress at the ceremony. The National Guard and Reserve members who nominated the recipients for the award also will attend.

The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The award is given to employers in three categories: large business, small business and the public sector. A record 3,202 nominations for the award were submitted by National Guard and Reserve members or their families from across the nation.

The National Guard and Reserve make up nearly half of the total U.S. military strength. The Defense Department shares these citizen-warriors with their civilian employers; many provide their military employees with exceptional support. This year's honorees range from a small race-car wind tunnel business in North Carolina to major technology and pharmaceutical corporations to a local police department.

The recipients are:

-- AeroDyn Wind Tunnel of Mooresville, N.C.;

-- AstraZeneca International of Wilmington, Del.;

-- Cambridge Fire Department of Cambridge, Mass.;

-- Consolidated Electrical Distributors of North Charleston, S.C.;

-- First Data Corp. of Atlanta;

-- FMC Technologies of Houston;

-- Jackson Parish Sheriff's Department of Jonesboro, La.;

-- The Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien & Courtney law firm of Wilmington, Del.;

-- Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.;

-- Mid America Kidney Stone Association of Kansas City, Mo.;

-- NetJets of Columbus, Ohio;

-- Ohio Department of Public Safety of Columbus;

-- Perpetual Technologies of Indianapolis;

-- Santa Ana Police Department of Santa Ana, Calif.; and

-- TriWest Healthcare Alliance of Phoenix.

Air Force Has Solid Future Capabilities, Gates Says

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - The foundation of America's air power rests on a broad and versatile mix of capabilities, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "At the high end of the spectrum is the F-22. It is far and away the best air-to-air fighter ever produced, and will ensure U.S. command of the skies for the next generation," Gates said at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference. "Our commitment to this aircraft is underscored by the 6 and-a half billion dollars provided over the next few years to upgrade the existing F-22 fleet to be fully mission-capable."

The Defense Department is slated to purchase 187 F-22 Raptors, which Gates called "a great airplane" during a recent tour of two major defense contractors' plants. Finite defense resources compelled the Pentagon to favor the F-35 Lightning II, an all-purpose aircraft that will cost less than half as much as the F-22, he said during that same trip.

The F-35, which Gates described today as the largest piece of the "U.S. air-dominance portfolio," will be used by the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Navy. The F-22 Raptor fighter is slated for exclusive use by the Air Force.

Though the F-35 lacks some of the high-end, air-to-air attributes of the F-22, the fifth-generation stealth aircraft spans a wide range of the conflict spectrum, he said, with cutting-edge capabilities in electronic warfare and suppressing enemy air defenses.

"Without question, the F-35 program represents an ambitious effort," Gates said. "[It involves] more than 3,000 aircraft, counting all military services and foreign partners, 22 million lines of code [and] over $46 billion for development, plus an estimated $300 billion total in acquisition costs -- a truly massive investment in the future of U.S. air power."

The F-35 program has seen its share of rising costs, delays and other development issues, and likely will face more challenges, Gates acknowledged. The manufacturers recently assured the secretary that problems are being aggressively addressed, he added.

Joining the F-22 and the F-35 as a major player in the Air Force fleet is the unmanned aerial vehicle.

"The director of the Air Force's unmanned task force has compared ... UAV potential based on today's systems to judging manned aircraft based on the Wright Brothers Flyer," Gates said. "Large numbers of increasingly capable UAVs – when integrated with our fifth-generation fighters – potentially give the United States the ability to disrupt and overwhelm an adversary using mass and swarming tactics, adding a new dimension to the American way of war.

"In future years, these remotely piloted aircraft will get more numerous and more advanced, with great range and the ability to fight as well as survive," he added.

This new century brings with it a "fiendish and complex" array of threats, Gates said.

"To overcome these challenges, we'll call on all elements of America's defense establishment – military, civilian, Congress, and industry, retired flag officers, veterans' groups and military service organizations – to step up and be part of the solution," he said, adding they'll be asked to stretch their comfort zones and rethink long-standing assumptions. "I believe this is happening in the United States Air Force."

Gates Returns Tanker Selection Authority to Air Force

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today that he has returned selection authority for the Air Force's next aerial-refueling tanker to Air Force officials. The Air Force had awarded the contract for what's known as the KC-X to a Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium, which prompted a protest from rival bidder Boeing. The General Accountability Office found irregularities in the awarding of the contract, and Gates re-opened the bidding process on July 9, 2008, appointing the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics as source-selection authority.

Gates shelved the process two months later, however, telling Congress that rather than handing the next presidential administration "an incomplete and possibly contested process," he had decided to defer the procurement decision to the administration that would be elected in November.

In a speech at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference here, Gates said he's confident that Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz will handle the source selection well.

"I don't need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right," he said, "and my office will continue to have a robust oversight role. We are committed to the integrity of the selection process, and cannot afford the kind of letdowns, parochial squabbles and corporate food fights that have bedeviled this effort in the past."

A draft request for proposals for the new tanker will follow, the secretary said.

Defense Department Kicks Off 2009 CFC Campaign

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - The Defense Department can lend a hand to Americans affected by the past year's economic crisis through donations to the Combined Federal Campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said today at the Pentagon's CFC kickoff ceremony. As of August, the unemployment rate increased to 9.7 percent, leaving nearly 15 million Americans without jobs. CFC contributions can make a positive impact on the lives of those in need, Lynn said.

"President Obama has said that America's success depends on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart, and the CFC enables us to do just that," Lynn said to a group of senior civilian and military leaders. "I ask everyone here and every organization and service to go out and champion the message of the Combined Federal Campaign and donate whatever you're able to do."

Through the CFC, Defense Department employees have the opportunity to give money to charities that feed the homeless, research leading-edge medical technology to save lives and to organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to impoverished regions around the globe. More than 4,000 charities are listed in the CFC beneficiary catalog, making it the largest workplace giving campaign in the world.

The CFC campaign has out-pledged its previous year's goal for five straight years. The Defense Department's 2009 campaign goal is to raise $14.1 million, the program's highest benchmark yet. Last year's campaign exceeded its $13.3 million goal by raising more $16 million in donations.

Service goals for this year CFC National Capital Area campaign are $3.85 million from the Navy and Marine Corps, $3.12 million from the Army and $1.8 million from the Air Force. All increased their previous year's goals.

"The CFC is a tremendous and important effort," the deputy defense secretary said. "It has consistently been a leader in workplace giving, and the numbers are impressive."

The CFC campaign began Sept. 1 and runs through Dec. 15. This year's theme is "The Power of Community, the Compassion of Individuals."

Michael L. Rhodes, acting director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, said the theme was chosen and fitting because of the challenges many people face in today's economic crisis.

"Many families have been hit hard by economic situations at home," Rhodes said. "The strength of our department has always been our people. All the participating charities in that catalog need support from folks like you and those you contact throughout the department."

Defense Secretary Lauds Airmen's Contributions, Service

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - Airmen around the world are making a life-and-death difference for U.S. military ground forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. The secretary praised airmen's efforts and their sacrifices while addressing an audience at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Convention.

"First, a word of thanks to the men and women whose achievements we cherish and whose interests you represent," Gates said. "Since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of airmen have gone about their duties -- usually unheralded and unrecognized by the usual metric of medals and media coverage.

"More than 100 have made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan," he added.

Gates highlighted airmen's accomplishments, from reconnaissance groups to weapons squadrons.

"As a result of airmen's efforts, dangerous men looking to attack our troops and harm our country have met their just end, usually without a warning: a distant buzz followed by a bolt from the sky," Gates said. "Some of those strikes may have come from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron -- the 'Flying Tigers.'"

The Flying Tigers deployed to Afghanistan from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., seven months ago. Since arriving, they've completed more than 2,800 combat missions spanning 12,000 flight hours of reconnaissance and close-air support, a record for the historic unit, Gates said.

Gates noted the actions of an Arizona National Guard unit as well.

"Our enemies have also been under the unblinking eye and precision fire of the 214th Reconnaissance Group of the Arizona National Guard," Gates said. "[The group] recently received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award from [Air Force] Secretary [Michael B.] Donley after its Predators logged more than 17,000 hours over Afghanistan and Iraq."

On a visit to Afghanistan in May, Gates met with search and rescue aircrews from the 34th Weapons Squadron and 38th Rescue Squadron, which are supporting Marines in Helmand province. In a three-month stretch in the spring, pararescue airmen from the 34th recovered or treated more than 320 casualties, both military and civilian, he said.

"Then there was the crew of Shocker 21 of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron based in Kandahar," Gates said. "They were called in after an American Special Forces team and Afghan soldiers came under heavy attack.

"In four successive passes over a hot landing zone, Shocker 21 picked up two groups of wounded troops, laid down suppressive fire and delivered badly needed ammunition," he continued. "All told, the expertise and courage of the Air Force search and rescue teams are making the goal of the 'golden hour' a reality in Afghanistan."

The golden hour refers to roughly the first 60 minutes following a trauma. The chance of survival is greatest if the needed treatment is obtained within that window.

The secretary didn't forget the airmen serving on the ground in theater, either, drawing on one airman's experience as an example of the difference they're making in the war.

"Take the example of Tech Sergeant Benjamin Horton, from Hill Air Force Base in Utah," Gates said. "Sergeant Horton destroyed more than 7 tons of enemy explosives while deployed to Iraq in the hair-raising vocation of [explosives ordnance disposal] technician.

"His expertise with the tactics of enemy bombers led to the capture of six bomb makers in the Kirkuk region," he continued. "In one instance, he pulled four injured soldiers from a vehicle after a [roadside bomb] attack, and then cleared the extraction zone to medevac the wounded, earning a Bronze Star for his efforts."

Then there are the C-17 and C-5 transport jet crews that fly thousands of tons of goods a day in and out of theater, he said, and the maintenance personnel who keep the planes flying.

"Without these efforts and the exertions of tens of thousands of airmen including engineers, security forces, medical personnel, explosive ordnance disposal experts, and those protecting our lines of communication in space and cyberspace, the entire U.S. war effort would simply grind to a halt," Gates said

Widow Notes Strides in Survivor Support

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 16, 2009 - Donna Engeman always had faith in her military community and its support. When her children were sick, they were cared for by the best doctors the military could offer. And when her husband deployed on several occasions during his nearly three decades of service, someone always was nearby who understood what her family was going through, she said.

She was a dedicated Army spouse for 23 years and loved the camaraderie that even spouses enjoyed. "The Army, especially, tells us that when our loved ones go into the Army, we're part of the Army too," she said of Army spouses. "We don't sign on the line, but it's our career, too."

But in May 2006, the military support system she knew and loved temporarily faded away when she lost her husband to a roadside bomb in Iraq. The death of her husband, Army Chief Warrant Officer John Engeman, and a lack of immediate support from his unit and the Army left her feeling alone and abandoned, she said, making her transition from Army wife to widow more difficult than she ever could have imagined.

"One of the things you feel right away is a sense of alienation," she said. "You not only lose a loved one; for many of us, we lost a way of life. You've lost the Army culture, and there's a real sense that our [Army] family abandoned us."

The sense of abandonment Engeman felt is something the Army and the other military branches have been working to fix for nearly eight years. Since military families began sacrificing their loved ones after the 9/11 attacks, the Defense Department and a host of other organizations have worked tirelessly to establish a culture of support for those like her, and they've come a long way, she said.

"One of the key components in our Army [survivor outreach program] is that we stress to the survivors that they are part of the Army family, and they can be apart of it as long as they want," said Engeman, now a survivor outreach and services advisor for the Army. "For as long as they want us around, we're going to be there to support them."

Engeman's transition from Army wife to widow was unique, because her husband was assigned as a National Guard liaison in West Virginia. He split his work between there and Fort Bragg, N.C., where he helped to train part-time soldiers for deployments. When he was killed, there was no family support group, and the National Guard public affairs and casualty assistance officers assigned to her case weren't familiar with how to care for her. No clear-cut process of support was in place for her and her family, she said.

"It was so overwhelming with all the paperwork," she said. "You're just stunned. You're still trying to wrap your head around the fact that he's dead, and the fact that I'd just talked to him two days ago and now he's gone.

"There was no coordination for families, and it was a mix of Army reservists, Guardsman and active-duty support," she continued. "There were a lot of communication issues, and no one really knew who was taking care of whom."

Engeman and the Army have worked hard to learn from the mistakes made then and the additional stress caused to her and others, she said. The Army has even gone so far as to establish a servicewide program called Survivor Outreach Services, which began in April. The program is made up of special coordinators at each Army installation to pick up where casualty assistance officers leave off, she said.

"John was always all about people and helping soldiers," she said of her husband. "That's what the Army is -- taking care of people. I think we just overlooked what the care and support is that we give to our survivors. We can do better; we can do a lot better.

"The Army never promised me anything; they promised him," she added. "They promised that warfighter if he gives the ultimate sacrifice, his family is going to be taken care of, and I want to hold them to that. Chief would want to know that his soldiers and their families are taken care of."

Each military service depends on well-trained casualty assistance officers to notify the families of fallen servicemembers. Their focus is to help the families understand their entitlements and provide them with accurate and compassionate services.

Although each of the military branches has its own approach and system, all work to provide the necessary information survivors need to obtain government benefits as well as local community services. Casualty assistance officers are available to the survivors through funeral arrangements and the initial entitlements and benefits process.

Military survivors learn their financial benefits and their access to military facilities and what services they're entitled to receive, such as post commissaries and exchanges, tuition assistance programs and health care services. Casualty assistance and survivor outreach specialists provide survivors with information for Department of Veterans Affairs bereavement counselors and other VA benefits as well.

Survivors also learn about local support groups and other helpful organizations outside of the military that survivors may not know about, such as the American Gold Star Mothers and the Tragedy Assistant Program for Survivors, also known as TAPS.

The Gold Star Mothers, TAPS and other private outreach organizations have local chapters all across the United States to help survivors grieve. Such groups are equally committed to reminding survivors that they're not forgotten in the military community, Engeman said.

Nearly three years have passed since Engeman became a widow. The support systems and programs aren't perfect, but they're making a difference with renewed commitments from the Pentagon, VA, individual units as well as civilian organizations, she said.

"Losing a loved one is probably the most devastating thing you'll ever have to go through in life, but you can rebuild and you can go forward," Engeman said. "My hope is that five years, eight years down the road, when a survivor is unfortunately talking about their experiences, they'll mention how they had great support from a great casualty assistance officer. I think we can do that."

MILITARY CONTRACTS September 16, 2009

NAVY
Goldbelt Hawk LLC, Newport News, Va., is being awarded a $33,562,450 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing to support the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Strategic Command, Joint Information Operations Warfare Command (JIOWC). The services to be provided under this contract will support the Strategic Planning and Technology Integration Program focused on improving capabilities on a tactical, operational and strategic level that includes evaluation and implementation of a broad range of communication tools, techniques and systems supporting the full range of IO requirements. Work will be performed in Newport News, Va., and work is expected to be completed Sept. 15, 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $125,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured: this will be a sole-source contract awarded to an SBA-certified 8(a) Alaskan Native Corporation in accordance with FAR 19.805-1(b)(2). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) is the contracting activity (N66001-09-D-0108).

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $22,227,453 modification to definitize a previously awarded undefinitized contract action (N68936-09-C-0097) to a cost-plus fixed-fee contract. This contract provides for the design, development, fabrication, installation, and integration of an all-inclusive Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) hardware in the loop simulation system for military construction project P710 at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., in accordance with the 2005 BRAC Act. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (75 percent) and China Lake, Calif. (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded an $8,503,460 modification to a previously awarded delivery order against a basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for incorporation of the integrated logistics support portion of Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 0035, entitled Electro Optical (EO) Daylight Operations Improvements Step 2. ECP 0035 will bring EO sensor performance on F-18 aircraft within specification compliance for laser designation accuracy, geo-point targeting, tracker performance, and weapons delivery through hardware and software retrofits. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (75 percent) and McKinney, Texas (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $8,270,037 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Arnold Defense & Electronics*, Arnold, Mo. is being awarded a $6,473,875 firm-fixed- price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture and delivery of seven tube and 19 tube 2.75 inch rocket launchers to support the Navy and Air Force. The rocket launchers will be used to launch rockets off rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (64.0 percent), Air Force (28.0 percent), and the government of Mexico (8.0 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,223,063. Work will be performed in Arnold, Mo., and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1,050,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with nineproposals solicited and two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Md. is the contracting activity for N00174-09-D-0034.

HDR Engineering, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a $6,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N69450-09-D-0090) to increase the maximum dollar value of the base period for Professional Facilities Planning Services for various project types throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $7,500,000. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Southeast AOR, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2014. 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.

AIR FORCE
EMC Corp., of McLean, Va, was awarded a $24,900,000 contract which will furnish the design, implementation, and testing of all storage and replication or architectural equipment at various sites throughout the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System and Air Force intelligence community. At this time, $4,558,003 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKO, Rome, N.Y., is the contracting activity. (FA8751-09-D-0007)

InDyne Inc., of Reston, Va., was awarded a $24,582,896 was awarded a $24,582,896 contract to provide infrastructure operations and maintenance services contract is for non-personal services involving operation and maintenance of the facilities, systems, equipment, utilities and infrastructure primarily for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and several Florida annexes in support of the 45th Space Wing and its mission partners. At this time, no money has been obligated. 45 CONS/LGCZC, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA2521-08-C-0006,P00017)

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $21,255,976 contract to provide Marine Forces Reserve survivable conventional force requirements and technical analysis of combat operations for Commanding General Marine Forces Reserve. At this time, $1,040,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0331)

Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $19,322,574 contract to provide situational awareness and command and control technical analysis for Headquarters Air Force Space Command. At this time $19,322,574 has been obligated. 55 CONS, LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380,DO:0334)

Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $13,526,284 contract which will provide technical analyses and Assessment of the survivability, vulnerabilities, and lethality for the combat air forces weapons systems. At this time, $947,835 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0332)
Booz Allen Hamilton of Herndon, Va., was awarded a $9,661,604 contract which will provide United States Pacific Command mission assurance development. At this time, $404,811 has been obligated. 55 CONS, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska is the contracting activity. (SP0700-03-D-1380, DO:0333)

Sparta, Inc. of Lake Forest, Calif., was awarded an $8,400,936 contract which will provide Comprehensive Routing Security Development and Deployment for the Internet. At this time, $825,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKD, Rome, N.Y. is the contracting activity. (FA8750-09-C-0192)

ARMY
Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel Co., Pine Bluff, Ark., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $14,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for federal funds, emergency supplemental for Hurricane Ike. Work is to be performed in Jefferson County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Eleven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S.A. Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0031).

Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C., Morgan City, La., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $13,059,975 firm-fixed-price contract to acquire a welded steel, split-hull type shallow draft dredge conforming to commercial standards. The vessel is intended to serve the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, South Atlantic Division, Wilmington District, in support of the Wilmington District dredging mission. Work is to be performed in Morgan City, L.A., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2011. Thirty-six bids solicited with seven bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0053).

Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,386,591 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This project is for research on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Nitride Electronic Next Generation Technology Program. The Northrop Grumman team will develop device and integration technologies necessary to realize enhancement and depletion mode nitride transistors that simultaneously provide extremely high-speed and high-voltage operation in a process consistent with large scale integration in circuits of 1,000 or more transistors. Work is to be performed in Redondo Beach, Calif., (67.48 percent), Santa Barbara, Calif., (18.77 percent), Linthieum, Md., (4.99 percent), Tempe, Ariz., (5.53 percent), University Park, Pa., (3.23 percent) with an estimated completion date of Sept. 13, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with six bids received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-09-C-0132).

Iron Bridge Construction Inc., Chesterfield, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $12,273,879 firm-fixed-price contract for the design / build for Special Operations Forces Battalion Headquarters Facility for 112th Signal Battalion. Primary facilities include a 61,500 square foot two story group headquarters building, organizational classroom, language laboratory, sensitive compartmented information facility, arms room, and conference rooms. The work will include commissioning, installation of intrusion detection system and connection to the energy monitoring and control system. Supporting facilities includes related site-work and utilities, lighting, information systems, protected distribution systems between buildings for communication, parking lot, walks, curbs and gutters, storm drainage, fencing, site accessories, landscaping and other site improvements. Work is to be performed in Fort Bragg, N.C., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 7, 2011. Five bids solicited with five bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-09-C-0046).

Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $11,056,965 firm-fixed-price contract for the replacement of equipment for the USACE dredge wheeler. Equipment consists of a propulsion engine and gearbox assembly systems (twin shaft), dredge pump generator system (two diesel generator engines), control system interface components and integration, propulsion and dredge pump generator controls, control wiring harnesses, installation support technical services, and technical and design services for overall control and functionality. Work is to be performed in Lafayette, Ind., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Ten bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-09-C-0052).

Adira Construction Inc., Chesapeake, Va., was awarded on Sept. 14, 2009 a $5,938,957 firm-fixed-price contract for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning repairs and improvements projects in support of Veterans Administration at Salem Medical Campus. Work is to be performed in Salem, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOpps with four bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, Norfolk District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-09-C-0078).

Green, Inc., / W.G. Yates & Son Construction Co., A Joint, Biloxi, Miss., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $25,763,348 firm-fixed-price contract. This project includes work which will reduce the moisture infiltration in 24 Volar Barracks building. Specific items of work consist of installing roof over each courtyard, conditioning hallways and vestibules, enclosing vestibules and entrances and stair towers, enclosing vestibules at courtyards, repairing exterior brick walls, installing aluminum stair treads, insulating mechanical duets, insulation, chilled water piping in the mechanical rooms, and weatherproofing mechanical room doors. Work is to be performed in Fort Stewart, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 2, 2010. Seven bids were solicited with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W91278-07-D-0045).

Cato, LP., Cleburne, Texas., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009 a $24,474,850 firm-fixed-price contract for Southwest Pass Pike dike repairs from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. Work is to be performed in Plaquemines Parish, L.A., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 5, 2010. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with one bids received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, New Orleans, L.A., is the contracting activity (W912P8-09-C-0112).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Navistar Defense, Warrenville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $8,803,516 firm fixed price, sole source contract for axel assembly parts. Other locations of performance are North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. Using service is Army and Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is January 14, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-C-0118).

Released on August 26, 2009 – Correction:

Caterpillar, Inc., Mossville, Ill. is being awarded a maximum $13,952,224 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for adverse terrain forklifts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally three proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 18, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-01-D-0036).