New Jersey Guard Celebrates Alliance With Albania

Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 5, 2008 - The New Jersey National Guard is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its alliance with the republic of Albania through the State Partnership Program. The State Partnership Program, launched by the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. State Department in the 1990s, was started to foster alliances between U.S. states and former Soviet countries, officials said.

Soldiers and airmen with the New Jersey National Guard have worked with their counterparts in Albania since 1993 to modernize the former communist nation's defense forces and prepare it for membership in NATO.

Albania is scheduled to join the 26-nation alliance in April.

Albanian Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa said New Jersey provided critical assistance to help it reach its long-standing goal of NATO membership.

"The Albanian armed forces are proud of our achievements, and we are proud to say we were not alone," Oketa told National Guard members who gathered at a luncheon held at the Lawrenceville Armory in his honor. "The Albanian armed forces welcomed your help -- and your friendship."

Army Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, the state adjutant general, said the soldiers and airmen from New Jersey watched the Albanian defense forces blossom in the past several years.

"The quality of the Albanian soldier is top tier," he said.

Many of the New Jersey Guard members and former members, who deployed to Albania to serve as advisors, were honored at the event as well.

Among them was Dennis Bliss, a retired Army National Guard colonel who served as a legal advisor to Albania during the early years of the partnership. He helped draft a constitution that incorporates some of the language and ideas found in the U.S. Constitution.

"It was exciting to help an emerging democracy learn from the experiences we had in the United States and allow them to cherry pick the best of what we had to offer," he said. "You're kind of a Johnny Appleseed for a democracy that can be lasting."

The State Partnership Program has spawned many friendships over the years, program participants said.

"We have more in common than what separates us," said Lt. Col. Bruce Protesto, a former program participant.

Maj. Judie Marranco, another program participant, said it was a gratifying experience.

"With this partnership, we bring friendship," she said. "And when you have a friend, you know they're going to do anything they can to help."

(From a New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs news release.)

America Supports You: New Jersey Cities to Welcome Units Home in Grand Style

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 22, 2008 - Two units of the 82nd Airborne Division will be treated to a heroes' welcome in November when Holmdel and Middletown, N.J., host a joint homecoming for their "adopted" troops. The units and the cities were paired by America Supporting Americans, a California-based nonprofit group that links military units with communities across the country.

"The centerpiece of ASA's work is the Adopt-A-Unit Program," said Linda Patterson, the group's president and founder. "Believing that a strong, supportive connection between young men and women of our armed forces and the civilian communities they are ready and willing to serve is crucial to morale, ASA has committed itself to building and strengthening this link."

While the homecoming event is still in the planning stages, it's scheduled to cover three days, Nov. 6 through 8. A Veterans Day parade is expected to be the highlight of the event and will give the cities' residents the opportunity to come out and personally thank their soldiers, Patterson said.

"I'm sure you can imagine the planning that goes into an event such as this, and we are extremely proud of these New Jersey communities, their city leaders and citizens," she said. "This is going to be an ... event in two outstanding ASA cities who have rallied their citizens' participation, businesses, and schools, young and old to support these soldiers throughout their deployment."

Patterson started America Supporting Americans in 1967 when her brother, Army Sgt. Joe Artavia, wrote to her from Vietnam and asked her to do something to raise the morale of his unit. She, in turn, convinced her hometown of San Mateo, Calif., to "adopt" her brother's unit. The adoption did the trick and raised the troops' morale "as high as the clouds," Artavia wrote to his sister.

Artavia, 19, was killed three weeks after San Mateo adopted his unit, and Patterson has continued working to raise troops' morale by encouraging communities across the country to adopt military units.

America Supporting Americans is included on the America Supports You Web site. America Supports You is a Defense Department program that communicates citizen support to servicemembers and their families.

America Supports You: New Jersey Guardsmen to Benefit from Joint Event

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2008 - A day-long event Oct. 18, hosted by five branches of a major retailer, netted a plethora of items for Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon to pack up and ship to members of the New Jersey Army National Guard. Food, personal care items, small electronics, entertainment items and cash donations were collected in bins placed in five Best Buy stores to benefit New Jersey units, said Alan Krutchkoff, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon's president.

"We've found that people enjoy connecting with our troops, especially when their donations reach soldiers from the local area," he said. "Best Buy is helping us make that happen, and it's very exciting to partner with this community-minded organization."
The event was sponsored by the chain's "Women's Leadership Forum."

"The WOLF mission is to engage and inspire female employees and customers and create new opportunities for Leadership, networking and community service," said Amie Gustanski, senior project manager. "Supporting [Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon] not only fits in with this mission, but also enables our employees and customers to feel engaged and provide valuable community service to our local soldiers and their families."

Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon is included on the America Supports You Web site. America Supports You is a Defense Department program that communicates citizen support to military members and their families.

Nonprofits Awarded Grants for Innovative Programs

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 5, 2008 - Newsman's Own awarded a combined $75,000 in grants to 15 nonprofit organizations for their innovative volunteer efforts to improve military quality of life during the company's ninth annual awards ceremony, held at the Pentagon here today.
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, helped present the awards alongside executives from contest sponsors Newman's Own, Fisher House and the military Times Media Group.

"The clever ideas, the way the ideas were brought forth, the things that were meaningful to people who had family and knew they would be meaningful to others who were family" impressed him about the entries, Cartwright said.

The vice chairman commended the innovation of the programs and said that the recipients ran the gamut from large, mature organizations to smaller, family-run groups.

Cartwright said that the various organizations' efforts were symbols that volunteerism is still alive.

"The coming together of the civilian community and the military, the finding of family, the opportunity to acknowledge service, and to acknowledge those who are willing to serve, and the sacrifices that the families make for those who are willing to serve and do so, to see that come together" shows that volunteerism is still alive and well in America's communities, Cartwright said.

The president of Newman's Own Inc., Tom Indoe, said volunteers form the "backbone" of charities.

"As you'll see, all of these charities that we recognize today start with the volunteers," Indoe said. "They are the threads that hold the fabric of these charities together. And it's the volunteers that bring so much good and goodness to our military families."

Indoe said that Newman's Own, a food company famous for its salad dressing, pasta sauces and popcorn, got involved with Fisher House Foundation about 10 years ago while looking to donate to a charity that helps military families. All profits from Newman's Own products are given to charities.

There were 120 entries for the 2008 contest. Judges evaluated the entries based on the organization's impact to the community, creativity and innovation. The emphasis of the competition was on organizations that support deployed servicemembers or their families, according to officials. The competition started in 2000 and has recognized 114 programs with awards totaling more than $500,000.

This year, the Freedom Calls Foundation received the top $15,000 grant award. The foundation provides videoconferencing and telephone calls free from centers in Iraq and Kuwait, connecting servicemembers to their families in the United States, England, Germany, Guam and Okinawa.

John Harlow from Morristown, New Jersey, said he started the Freedom Calls Foundation after watching a newscast in 2003 in which he saw a report of a National Guardsman who had a $7,000 phone bill from trying to keep in touch with his family during his deployment to Iraq.

"I was shocked to hear that burden had been placed on his family," Harlow said.

After some research, Harlow said he found that it was not unusual for troops deployed to have extraordinarily high phone bills. An exclusive contract at rates of up to 44 cents per minute added up to $100 million per year in calls to families at home, he said.

"I didn't think that was right," Harlow said.

So, Harlow formed a foundation to provide phone calls and videoconferencing services to servicemembers and their families. The operation was launched in April 2004. Now the foundation delivers more than 1 million minutes per month in telephone calls and 2,000 video conferences every month to servicemembers and families. The videoconferences are mainly for "milestone" family events such as births, graduations, anniversaries, and even weddings. Harlow works with 10,000 sites across the United States and hopes to add more sites.

"It's those families and those deployed – they're the reason we do this," Harlow said. "It's been a life-changing experience to work with these families. They're some of the most giving, most humble people that I've ever met in my life ... and they deserve everything that we can do for them."

The $10,000 award winner was Operation Wounded Warrior sponsored by the American Legion Riders of Grants, New Mexico. Operation Wounded Warrior was started by a group of American Legion Riders after a plea three years ago for comfort and hygiene items for troops who had been wounded in Iraq. The mission expanded to include family members who were at their bedside. Each year, a truck loaded with personal and comfort items is escorted by riders to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and its four Fisher Houses.

The $5,000 award winners include:

--Wounded Warrior Assistance Program sponsored by Operation First Response, Inc. of Culpeper, Va. The program supports wounded warriors and families with personal and financial needs. Financial aid varies from rent, utilities, vehicle payments, groceries, clothing, and travel expenses.

--Parent and Child Resource Center sponsored by Osan Parent Network on Osan Air Base, Korea. The network provides services for families at Osan Air Base. Activities include daily playgroups, arts and crafts and other events, daily stroller walk and runs, a breastfeeding support group, a parenting support group, a communication network and family advocacy.

--The SHARE Initiative sponsored by the Shepherd Center of Atlanta. The program assists the rehabilitation, recovery and community re-entry care for soldiers who have sustained a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury while serving on active duty in Afghanistan or Iraq.

--Snowball Express, based in Costa Mesa, Calif. The program provides an all-expense-paid gathering for the children of servicemembers who have died since Sept. 11, 2001. In 2007, the $3.5 million dollar event provided more than 1,100 children a weekend of fun in Anaheim, Calif.

--Remote Warrior Care Program sponsored by the Madigan Foundation of Fort Lewis, Wash. The foundation places wounded, injured and ill warriors back into their hometowns to recuperate before being released from active military service or returned to active duty.

--Family Assistance Program sponsored by the Armed Forces Foundation of Washington, D.C. The foundation's family assistance program offers direct financial assistance to servicemembers and their families. Needs range from utility bills to mortgage payments.

--Military Family Retreats sponsored by Project New Hope of Annandale, Minn. Project New Hope hosts weekend retreats for soldiers and families struggling with reintegration after deployment. The retreats are free to recipient families and focus on concerns shared by combat veterans, spouses and children. Counseling services and sessions are available, but not mandatory.

--Free Home Repairs and Modifications for Troops sponsored by Rebuilding Together's Veterans Housing Initiative of Washington, D.C. Rebuilding Together is the nation's largest nonprofit group providing home repairs and renovation services free to those in need. The organization has responded to a growing need among retired and active-duty United States military homeowners.

--Military Family Assistance Program sponsored by USA Cares of Radcliff, Ky. USA Cares provides military families with financial support through grants for needs such as foreclosure and eviction prevention, utility assistance and food and car payments. The program also offers counseling and mentorship through family resource coordinators with expertise in military benefits and services.

The $2,000 award winner is:

--Good Grief Camps for Survivor Children sponsored by Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1994, TAPS is a national nonprofit that provides peer-based emotional support services to those affected by the death of a military member. TAPS assists thousands of widows, children, parents, siblings and others. It provides casework assistance, 24-hour crisis intervention and grief and trauma resources free of charge.

The $1,000 award winners are:

--The Happy Mail Club sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy of Palm Beach and Mid-Coast Counties, Palm Beach, Fla. Members of the Happy Mail Club assemble boxes with cards, handmade crafts, high protein foods, and personal supplies to be sent to deployed American troops. They target soldiers who are stationed in the most remote locations and have the greatest need of supplies.

--CampLIFE! A non-profit benefiting children and spouses of deceased soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq, based in Austin, Texas. The mission of CampLIFE! is to provide free recreation, education and counseling in a camp setting to the children and spouses of recently deceased U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

--Kids Sending Hero Hugs, sponsored by Hero Hugs of Niceville, Fla. Hero Hugs was started by Bailey Reese, 7, of Niceville after she saw soldiers passing out aid to victims following a hurricane, and receiving no thanks. Bailey started Hero Hugs not only to thank the troops, but to teach kids to always appreciate the service and sacrifice of servicemembers. The packages are packed by kids from all over the country.

In a surprise donation at the event, Newman's Own Foundation Vice Chairman Robert Forrester donated $150,000 to the Fisher House Foundation. The donation took the company over the $1 million dollar mark for total donations to the Fisher House over the past 10 years.

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 18, 2008

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Suez Energy Resources NA, Inc., Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $646,007,724 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for electrical services. Other locations of performance are in Maryland, and New Jersey. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 195 proposals solicited with 11 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2013. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Supply Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-8027).

Red Star Enterprises, Limited, Gibraltar is being awarded a maximum $308,257,762 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for jet fuel. Other location of performance is in Bagram, Afghanistan. Using service is Army. This proposal was originally solicited on FedBizOps with 14 responses. This contract represents a two year period with a one year option. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug.31, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Supply Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-1017).

Supreme Site Services, Dubia, U.A.E. is being awarded a maximum $104,743,071 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for jet fuel. Other location of performance is in Bagram, Afghanistan. Using service is Army. This proposal was originally solicited on FedBizOps with 14 responses. This contract represents a two year period with a one year option. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug.31, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Supply Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-1018).

National Fuel, Inc., Kabul, Afghanistan is being awarded a maximum $44,854,500 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for diesel fuel. Other location of performance is in Bagram, Afghanistan. Using service is Army. This proposal was originally solicited on FedBizOps with 14 responses. This contract represents a two year period with a one year option. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug. 31, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Supply Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-1019).

Afghan National Petroleum Co., Ltd, Jalaluddin St., Mazar-Esharif, Afghanistan is being awarded a maximum $4,526,400 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for gasoline fuel. Other location of performance is in Bagram, Afghanistan. Using service is Army. This proposal was originally solicited on FedBizOps with 14 responses. This contract represents a two year period with a one year option. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug. 31, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Supply Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-1020).

Graybar Electric Company, Inc., St. Louis, Mo. is being awarded a maximum $250,000,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity, prime vendor contract for maintenance, repair, and operations services. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. The original proposal was web solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising third one-year option. The date of performance completion is Aug. 17, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM500-04-D-BP14).

Science Application International Corp., Fairfield, N.J. is being awarded a maximum $250,000,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for maintenance, repair, and operations services. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Federal Civilian Agencies. The original proposal was Web solicited with five responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising third one-year option. The date of performance completion is Aug. 17, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM500-04-D-BP15).

Army

Hellfire Systems Limited Liability Co., Orlando, Fla., was awarded on Aug. 15, 2008, a $356,665,089 firm-fixed price contract for Hellfire II High-Energy Anti-Tank missiles. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 22, 2007. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0361).

BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Inc., York, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 15, 2008, a $11,160,117 cost-plus fixed fee contract for Bradley M2/M3 improved explosive device mine armor kits and mine armor kits. Work will be performed in York, Penn., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Dec. 17, 2007. U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-G-0005).

GE Engine Services, Inc., Cincinatti, Ohio, was awarded on Aug. 14, 2008, a $9,999,400 firm-fixed price contract for maintenance and overhaul of 10 conversion / recapitalization T701C to T701D engines. Work will be performed in Arkansas City, Kan., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three bids were solicited on Jan. 17, 2008, and three bids were received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-D-0226).

L-3 Communications System West, Salt Lake City, Utah, was awarded on Aug. 14, 2008, a $7,195,110 firm-fixed price contract for E-ROVER systems. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Jun. 4, 2008. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contract activity (W58RGZ-07-C-0209).

Taylor Brothers Construction Co., Inc., was awarded on Aug. 12, 2008, a $6,024,699 firm-fixed price contract for rehab project of five buildings. Work will be performed in Butlerville, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Seven bids were solicited on Jun. 10, 2008, and two bids were received. USPFO, Indianapolis, Ind., is the contract activity (W912L9-07-D-0004).

Navy

DRS Technical Services, Inc., Herndon, Va., is being awarded a $15,733,333 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for satellite communications equipment and training. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to an estimated $47,200,000. Work will be performed in Herndon, Va., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities web site and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command E-commerce website, with seven offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-5152).

ERAPSCO, Columbia City, Ind., is being awarded an $11,496,960 firm-fixed-price contract for AN/SSQ-101 sonobuoys and associated data. The AN/SSQ-101 sonobuoys are dropped from various airborne platforms and utilized for search and detection of submerged submarines. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $17,245,440. Work will be performed in DeLeon Springs, Fla., (66 percent) and Columbia City, Ind., (34 percent), and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-08-C-GP03).

Conquistador Dorado JV,* Sanford, Fla., is being awarded an $11,195,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the Airfield Vegetation Conversion Project at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla. This project is for the design and construction of drainage and conveyance systems within the airfield area, removal of vegetation, clearing and grubbing of existing vegetation. This contract contains an option, which when exercised within 365 days, will bring the contract value to $21,769,000. Work will be performed in Key West, Fla., and is expected to be completed Aug. 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with four offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N69450-08-C-1267).

Naval Academy Graduates Say They Signed Up to Serve

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

May 23, 2008 - Michael Ursetti was a high school sophomore living in northern New Jersey when the terrorist planes attacked the World Trade Center towers in New York, killing more than a dozen of his neighbors. "I had known since I was about 16 that I wanted to be in the military, but that pretty much solidified it," said Ursetti, one of 1,037 midshipmen to graduate today from the U.S. Naval Academy.

The events of Sept. 11, the U.S entry into the global war on terror, and the recognition that he'd be entering a wartime force never dissuaded Ursetti from attending the academy. He chose to join the Marine Corps, believing it would give him "more of a direct impact" on the ongoing combat operations.

When he gets to the Corps' Basic Course later next month, Ursetti hopes to be selected as an infantry officer.

Whether headed to the Marine Corps, to flight school or to the fleet to serve as surface warriors, submariners or in other capacities, today's graduates said they brought a common drive to the Naval Academy: a desire to serve their country.

As they gathered inside the fence line at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in preparation for today's graduation and commissioning ceremony, the midshipmen reflected on why they chose to serve and on the leadership qualities they hope to bring to the calling.

"I came for the education, but also because I wanted to serve my country," said Sarah Matt, who will train as a naval flight officer. "It's a way to be a part what provides us all the freedoms we enjoy."

Navy Secretary Donald Winter noted during today's graduation and commissioning ceremonies that none had chosen the easy, most profitable or most comfortable road. "You have not chosen a profession sheltered from the dangers of war or from the constant demands of the life at sea," he said.

Paul Bridgers, who is headed to Pensacola, Fla., to become a Navy pilot, said he accepted these demands when he chose to go Navy. "I wanted a career that made me feel like I'm doing something important," he said.

Bridgers first visited the academy during a school field trip, but never seriously thought about attending until a football scout recruited him to become a right tackle.

Heralding the Navy team's prowess, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, drew cheers and applause from the thousands of families and friends who packed the stadium for the ceremonies. In his keynote address, he noted that the team beat Army four consecutive years, earned the Commander in Chief's trophy five consecutive years, and gave Notre Dame its first loss to Navy in 43 games.

Football taught Bridgers a lot, but he said his entire academy experience left him more disciplined and ready to take on challenges of being a Navy officer during wartime. "It really doesn't make a difference whether or not we're at war. We have to be ready for it either way," he said.

Zerbin Singleton, a Navy football running back, said the Naval Academy helped him recognize his strengths, overcome his weaknesses and build leadership skills. Now he's taking that training to the Marine Corps, to become a pilot and someday, he hopes, an astronaut.

"The thing that drew me to the Marine Corps is how they carry themselves," said the Decatur, Ga., native. "They believe they are the best of the best, and they are. And that's what I've always wanted to be."

Navy Lt. Brandon Soule, a 2001 academy graduate who now teaches at his alma mater, said lessons the new officers learned here will remain with them as they join the fleet and Corps.

Graduates already have held leadership positions in which they've been responsible for others. "You learn what's critical to being a leader," Soule said. "You learn that, to lead people, you have to understand people and you have to care."

Catherine McMunn of Long Island, N.Y., among thousands of parents at today's ceremony, said she's proud that as the academy gave her son the toughness to be selected as a Navy SEAL, it left his "kind, good heart" intact. Rather than sending her a traditional Mother's Day gift, she said, Carl Governale sent a young Afghan girl to school for a year.

McMunn brought about 40 extended family members to Annapolis to honor Governale as he graduated from the Naval Academy and prepared to enter the elite naval special operations force. "It's unbelievable," she said, brimming with pride. "It's overwhelming."

As he paid tribute to the graduates, Mullen praised the family members for their role in developing the future Navy and Marine officers and promised to do right by them.

"You taught them to be good citizens, and you instilled in them -- whether you knew it or not -- a desire to serve. And then you handed them over to us and said, 'Here, take my child in a time of war. Teach them how to lead and how to fight. Teach them how to be good servants of the public, good defenders of our freedom, good leaders to good sailors and good Marines.

"Thank you for that," Mullen told the families. "We know what you expect of us. We appreciate your trust. We will labor always to deserve it."

Pentagon Channel, Comcast Team to Air Service Academy Graduations

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

May 22, 2008 - The Pentagon Channel and cable company Comcast are teaming up to offer customers televised coverage of this year's graduation ceremonies at the service academies. "We appreciate Comcast's decision to carry the Pentagon Channel's coverage of the military service academy graduations," Brian Natwick, general manager of the Pentagon Channel, stated in a Comcast news release.

Featured coverage includes this year's graduation ceremonies at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Comcast digital cable customers throughout New Jersey, Delaware, southeastern and central Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., can access the programs through local video on demand.

The graduation ceremony broadcast schedule is as follows:

-- May 23: U.S. Naval Academy, featuring Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing the keynote address.

-- May 28: U.S. Air Force Academy, with President Bush providing the keynote address.

-- May 31: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, with the keynote address by Army Secretary Pete Geren.

The ceremonies will be available on video on demand within four days after the commencements through June 14, Comcast officials said.

Comcast's support, Natwick explained, helps the Pentagon Channel share "the excitement and traditions of academy graduations with our military servicemembers and their families."

Comcast customers can access "Graduations on Demand" by tuning to Channel 1 on their digital cable lineup or by pressing the "On Demand" button on their remote control, then clicking on the "Get Local" category, followed by the "Academy Graduations" folder.

"Offering military graduations on demand underscores Comcast's commitment to supporting the thousands of servicemembers and their families throughout our footprint," said Michael Doyle, president of Comcast's eastern division and founder of CN8, The Comcast Network. "We are pleased to partner with the Pentagon Channel to offer this relevant programming to our customers that Comcast is uniquely qualified to deliver."

The service academy commencement ceremonies aren't the only upcoming graduations that families and friends can see even if they're unable to attend. Hundreds of U.S. troops deployed from Europe in support of the global war on terrorism will be able to watch their children's high school graduation ceremonies via live webcasts. Department of Defense Dependents Schools Europe, U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Army 5th Signal Command are combining assets and talent to enable the live webcasts for deployed parents of graduating high school seniors.

Young Patriot Receives Defense Medal for Public Service

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

May 6, 2008 - A 13-year-old patriot from New Jersey received the Defense Department's top award for public service at a Pentagon ceremony today. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Robert T. Hastings presented Joey Rizzolo, of Paramus, N.J., with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Rizzolo was recognized for his contributions in support of the men and women of the armed forces.

The seventh grade student is a participant in America Supports You, a nationwide Defense Department program that showcases Americans' support for men and women in the armed services and their families, Hastings noted. Last year, Rizzolo organized the first Freedom Walk in his community and also wrote a book, titled "20 Steps to a Freedom Walk," that urges students nationwide to stage their own walks. Rizzolo is donating the proceeds from his book to his community's ASY-affiliated project Operation Goody Bag, which sends candy and other gifts to first responders and overseas-deployed servicemembers.

"Joey, what a fabulous resume you've got already," Hastings said during the ceremony, citing Rizzolo's efforts to organize Freedom Walks, as well as his volunteer work with Operation Goody Bag.

Rizzolo also was among the top five youth volunteers in the national Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Hastings emphasized that Rizzolo has realized "a fantastic set of accomplishments for a fine American" in support of America's servicemembers.

Rizzolo said the award ceremony came as a shock, noting he thought the purpose of his journey to the Pentagon was to take a tour.

"It totally surprised me," Rizzolo remarked at the ceremony. "It is a great honor to be given the highest award a civilian can get from the Pentagon."

Rizzolo said he believes that supporting America's servicemembers is of paramount importance.

"I just want people to know that they should never forget what happened on Sept. 11," Rizzolo emphasized. "It's important to support the troops because you want them to know that someone's there for them while they're overseas."

Joey's father, Joseph Rizzolo, wore a wide smile as his son received the medal.

"He is just a very passionate kid, and he's got a drive that you wouldn't believe," the senior Rizzolo said. "He feels something for these soldiers ... and everybody who died" during 9/11.

"Today's a great day at the Department of Defense because we get to recognize somebody like Joey Rizzolo, who is making a difference in his community, which makes a difference in the lives of our men and women in the military," said Allison Barber, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for public liaison and internal communications.

Rizzolo's efforts and the work of other young people on behalf of America's servicemembers is inspiring and "good for the long-term success of our country, for patriotism, and for our men and women in the military specifically," Barber said.

Rizzolo was interviewed at the Pentagon by Scholastic Kids Press Corps reporter Maddie Hartke-Weber, whose father, Rick Weber, works with Inside Washington Publishers.

"What stuck out was all of the work Joey had to do and (also) that he wrote a children's book," said Hartke-Weber, a 12-year-old resident of Washington, D.C. Rizzolo's Pentagon and Prudential awards also are impressive, she added.

"This is amazing," said Jane Cosco, director of Operation Goody Bag and Rizzolo's former computer teacher. "We did not expect this event to take place today."

Last month, Operation Goody Bag shipped its 80,000th bag since the program began in 2003, Cosco said.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- January 21, 2008

BWC [Biological Weapons Convention] States Tackle National Implementation
“A Dec. 10-14 meeting of member states of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) offered rhetorical support for stepping up national implementation measures to bring domestic laws, administrative procedures, and regulations into conformity with the bioweapons ban. But the meeting also showcased transatlantic differences that have stymied attempts for more binding measures since the beginning of the Bush administration. Following up on a meeting of experts last August, the final report from the meeting of states-parties agreed on the ‘fundamental importance’ of national measures to implement the BWC. Such measures include controls on transfers of biological agents, biosafety and biosecurity regulations, and penal legislation. However, the meeting did not agree on any joint standards or collective measures. The meeting’s chair, Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan, pointed out in his opening statement that the task of the meeting was to ‘promote common understanding and effective action,’
not to negotiate binding agreements.” (Arms Control Today, January/February 2008, Oliver Meier) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_01-02/bwc.asp

India claims to have destroyed 93 % of its chemical weapons
“India has claimed to destroy its 93 per cent of chemical weapon stockpile and the remaining weapons will be eliminated by April, 2009. Media reports quoting official sources here [in New Dehli] said India had assured the international community [that it will] complete the process of total destruction of chemical weapons by April next year.” (Associated Press of Pakistan, 20Jan08)
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26753&Itemid=2

Deadly chemicals hidden in war cache
“For more than 60 years RAAF [Royal Australian Air Force] veterans Geoff Burn and Arthur Lewis kept silent about the terrible secret hidden in a disused railway tunnel at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Thousands of barrels filled with chemical weapons, including mustard gas, were stored in the tunnel at Glenbrook and other sites around Australia during the Second World War. The men were part of a secret unit formed to look after the deadly stockpile, kept for use against Japanese troops - a fact the Defence Department refused to admit until the late 1980s. And for decades successive governments refused to disclose that the Australian wartime command had conducted chemical warfare experiments on its own soldiers. […] Now, after decades of denials, the military is about to recognise the unit's contribution to the war effort. Next month the Defence Department will publish a book - Chemical Warfare In Australia - detailing the unit's story, including how they and army volunteers were used as guinea pigs by their own commanders.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 20Jan08, Frank Walker) http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/deadly-chemicals-hidden-in-war-cache/2008/01/19/1200620272396.html

Guinea pig’ sailor set for pay-out after 50 years
“A former sailor from York [England] who claims he was used as a guinea pig in chemical warfare experiments finally looks set to receive compensation - half a century later. Sam Smith says he has suffered from chest problems and watering eyes ever since he took part in research in the 1950s at the Ministry of Defence's chemical research centre at Porton Down, Wiltshire, after being led to believe he was helping to find a cure for the common cold.” (York Press, 21Jan08, Richard harris) http://www.thisisyork.co.uk/display.var.1980827.0.guinea_pig_sailor_set_for_payout_after_50_years.php

Porton Down veteran awaits compensation
“A war veteran who says he was duped into having chemical weapons tested on him is waiting with bated breath to see if he has been granted a slice of £3 million compensation. When former Royal Marine Jim Booth (63) agreed to take part in a two-week medical trial at Porton Down research centre in Wiltshire in the ’60s, he thought he would be trialling medication to treat the common cold. Instead, the Market Deeping man claims, he was subjected to mustard gas and was injected with unknown drugs before being made to take part in tests to assess his reactions.” (Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 18Jan08, Kirsty Nicolson) http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/Porton-Down-veteran-awaits-compensation.3686704.jp

Plan for chemical security is delayed
“Homeland Security officials have delayed a requirement that farmers register with the agency if they have certain amounts of certain chemicals. Farmers and ranchers had been facing a Tuesday deadline to come up with a security plan and register it. ‘Most producers knew nothing about either the requirements or the deadline; most state agriculture departments had not been told of them,’ said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, who is president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Homeland Security, in announcing the delay, said the agency is gathering more information on the issue to see if changes to the requirements are warranted, especially in light of a new law that gives the agency authority to regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Johnson said anhydrous ammonia, another popular farm fertilizer in North Dakota, also is included in Homeland Security's list of chemicals. The association Johnson heads brought its worries to Homeland Security, and ‘It appears the problem is at least temporarily resolved,’ he said.” (The Bismark Tribune, 21Jan08, AP) http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2008/01/21/news/local/147054.txt

N.J. [New Jersey] security chief says state needs boost in federal funding
“New Jersey's mass transit system remains a potential target for a terrorist attack and needs additional federal funding to ensure safe passage for thousands of daily commuters, the state's top security official said yesterday. ‘Anything that happens here has implications for New York City,’ said Richard Cañas, director of the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. ‘Yet every year we feel like deadbeats asking for federal handouts to protect ourselves against what we all agree is a national threat.’ Cañas' remarks came during a visit from U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, which controls how funds are distributed to states. Thompson visited the State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center in West Trenton before taking a helicopter tour of potential terror targets in North Jersey. Those sites included Newark Liberty International Airport, the Lincoln Tunnel, the chemical facilities and oil refineries along the New Jersey Turnpike and Port Newark.” (The Star-Ledger, 20Jan08, John Holl)
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1200807357158880.xml&coll=1

Students learn to be prepared for crises
“About 20 sophomores donned protective mesh vests, each with a piece of paper attached containing the title of an emergency worker. They gathered around a 20-by-6-foot table with a miniature city displayed on it and played roles. Their job was to evaluate a stream that reportedly had a contaminant in it. […] The students were answering […] questions during a homeland security and emergency preparedness class being piloted at Joppatowne High School [in Maryland] this school year. […] The students take the second part of the program during their junior year, when they select a specialty area of study from one of three topics: homeland security sciences, law enforcement and criminal justice, and information and communications technology. Depending on which area the students select, they study such topics as chemical and biological warfare, research methods, the justice system, law processes, first responders to emergency scenes, and evidence collection and analysis, and even learn how to use a geographic information system.” (Baltimore Sun, 20Jan08, Cassandra A. Fortin) http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-ha.homeland20jan20,0,703936.story

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

CNS presents these keywords and links for the convenience of the recipients of ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News, but CNS does not endorse these sites or the veracity of their information and cannot be responsible for the maintenance of the links listed here. For a searchable archive of the CBR-WMD Terrorism News listserv, please visit the Nuclear Threat Initiative's website, at http://www.nti.org/db/cbw/index.htm

New Jersey Marine Corps Reserve Association

Marine Corps-affiliated organization to sponsor counter-terrorism symposium-
Medical Disaster, Blast Injuries, and Catastrophic Triage as well as other
pertinent and timely presentations. How Citizens can be involved will be
stressed.

Newark, NJ – The New Jersey chapter of the Marine Corps Reserve Association, The
Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology
(NJIT) will sponsor the Counter-Terrorism Symposium on Sept. 29th 2007 from
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Newark Institute of Technology (NJIT).

The symposium will discuss counter-terrorist prevention strategies that are in
place and those that are being developed, as well as realistic scenarios as they
apply to threats and regional concerns. School security, Hospital Disaster
Preparedness, Blast Injuries, Improvise Explosive Devices (IED’s-Represen tatives
from the Pentagon), and all forms of threats to modes of travel (air, ship, and
trucking) will be highlighted.

Various organizations and individuals are scheduled to provide briefings. These
include the NJ State Police (School Security Unit) and CERT and Medical Reserve
Corps, Dr. Jim Pruden and Dr. Will Gluckman (Medical Preparedness, Mass
Catastrophic Triage, and Blast Injuries). Representatives from the Pentagon will
speak on the Improvised Explosive Device program and DOD preparedness. A
representative from the Coast Guard will speak on Maritime Security and there
will be experts on safety and security in the trucking industry as well as the
airline industry (Airport Traffic Area Safety). A journalist who has traveled
to the Middle East will give a journalist perspective on the Global War on
Terror. Lastly an expert on Identity Theft will discuss prevention and
awareness.

The keynote speaker for this on e- d ay terrorism preparedness symposium is Mr.
Joseph Picciano, Deputy Director, NJ Office of Homeland Security and
Preparedness

Interested individuals can reserve a seat by registering with Regional Security
Consultants (Attn: Col. Walter Conner), 9 Spruce Court, Hightstown, NJ, 08520 or
by calling (609) 977-2114. Military, Senior Citizen and Student discounts are
available.

Foundation Offers FACTs to Schools

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 27, 2007 - With some new software and common audiovisual equipment, a New Jersey-based foundation is giving schools the chance to talk via video teleconference with deployed troops. "It's an opportunity for these kids to talk directly to (servicemembers) and to see a point of view that you don't otherwise get," said John Harlow, executive director of Freedom Calls Foundation.

The foundation is a supporter of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Most schools have all the necessary equipment to hold a FreedomCalls American Classroom Teleconference, or FACT, he said. The most important requirement is that the school must have an Internet connection. The foundation provides software necessary to connect to its network and helps the school configure it.

The foundation has connected about 100 schools with one of four locations in Iraq through its established network. The group is hoping to increase that number to thousands next year, he said.

"It's a very popular program from kindergarteners right up through college," Harlow said. "College kids in particular seem to gain a perspective from this.

"It's a tough crowd, but they universally come away with comments like, 'Wow, I talked to these people that are my own age. I learned a lot from what they had to say,'" he added.

Younger students get a better understanding of and an appreciation for what life is like for deployed troops. They discover, for instance, what troops eat and what the living environment is like.

"They do ask questions like, 'Did you kill anybody today?'" Harlow said. "But they do get a better perspective on what war is really like and what war life is like."

Mary Lund, a fourth-grade teacher at Garfield Elementary School in Port Huron, Mich., can attest to that. Though she didn't give her students all the gory details, attacks on the base where servicemembers had planned to speak to her students postponed her first conference.

"That really made the war real to me, knowing the people we were going to talk to were actually fighting," Lund said. "For me, as an adult and as a teacher, it was really bittersweet that day."

She was able to reschedule that first FACT conference and has since organized another for her students.

"I think it's very good for the children, because they can respond in a positive way about the war," she said, explaining that this connection helps answer questions many of her students may have. "I'm seeing children come in that have relatives in Iraq, have lost relatives, (or are) wanting to send mail to relatives (who serve). It is touching their lives."

FACTS are free to accredited schools and can be scheduled by contacting Kathryn Hudacek, the foundation's development director via phone at 973-290-7886 or by e-mail at khudacek@freedomcalls.org. Requests must be made at least two weeks in advance of the event.

In addition to the FACT program, which is just formally being launched, the Freedom Calls Foundation offers servicemembers and their families several ways to stay in touch and keep from missing important milestones. It provides about a million minutes of free telephone calls a month over its own network, saving military families about $200,000.

More than 2,000 video teleconferences are conducted for families each month, as well, Harlow said.

New Jersey Cop Authors

Editor's Note: Steven L. Rogers is a 21 year veteran of the US Navy (R).

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added two police officers from New Jersey who have authored books: Steven L. Rogers and Michael Petrillo.

Lieutenant Steven L. Rogers is a 30-year veteran of the Nutley Police Department (New Jersey) and a 21-year veteran of the United States Navy Reserve, serving his country during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Global Terrorism. He is a former member of the FBI National Joint Terrorism Task Force, and presently serves as a police lieutenant on the Nutley Police Department. Lieutenant Stephen Rogers is the author of America’s Homeland Warriors; 21st Century Policing: Community Policing : A Guide for Police Officers and Citizens; and, Cops and God; Soldiers and God; Marines and God; and, Sailors and God.

According to the book description of America’s Homeland Warriors, “From Beirut and Baghdad to Los Angles and New York, the war on terrorism knows no boundaries. What is your police department doing to prevent a terrorist attack in your city? Do the police officers in your community know about the terrorist groups roaming your streets? Steven Rogers answers the above questions and explains what kind of terror is being spread by violent terrorist organizations worldwide and how these organizations plan to bring their terror to America. He shares with police officers how they are now part of a new joint war fighting force that will confront a new brand of “criminal warrior” never seen before on the streets of America.”

Michael A. Petrillo is a retired chief of police from the Belleville Police Department (New Jersey). He has co-authored several books with Daniel R. DelBagno, a retired Captain from an unknown law enforcement agency in New Jersey. Among the books they co-authored are The New Age Of Police Supervision And Management: A Behavioral Concept and The New Jersey Title 2C Quizzer: A Question and Answer Study Guide of the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice. They are also co-editors of the LearningExpress Police Sergeant Exam.

According to the book description of The New Age Of Police Supervision And Management: A Behavioral Concept “Packed with the authors’ 60 years of time-tested leadership expertise, this managerial gold mine is filled with the knowledge you need to accelerate your career and earn the supervisory positions you aspire to! Easy-to-understand and logically segmented for long-term retention, this guide leaves no stone unturned on the road to higher rank…from detailing the key traits of successful supervisors and understanding the complex world of human behavior to practical advice for gaining respect from the troops and handling difficult, real-world challenges within the ranks, from drugs to racial tension.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 654 police officers (representing 285 police departments) and their 1396 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.