By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - A NATO ballistic missile defense system wouldn't be needed if Iran didn't pose a threat, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "We continue to be very concerned about the Iranian missile threat, particularly as they continue to work on what we believe are weapons of mass destruction," Gates told reporters following the beginning of the NATO defense ministers meeting here.
NATO has agreed to a ballistic missile defense that would protect against a launch from Iran. The Czech Republic will host a radar for the system, with the missiles based in Poland.
Russia adamantly has opposed the system.
"I told the Russians a year ago that if there were no Iranian missile program, there would be no need for the missile sites," Gates said.
The Iranian launch of a low-Earth-orbit satellite Feb. 2 shows the nation is building up its capability to launch payloads farther and more accurately.
"The fact is that with the economic crisis, Afghanistan and Iraq, the administration has not yet reviewed where it is on a whole range of issues, including relationships with our allies, the missile defense program and our relationship with Russia," the secretary said. "These things are all tied together, including Iran."
The secretary said he hopes that with a new administration, the prospects for cooperation from Russia will improve.
"We will continue to move forward," Gates said. "We also are very interested in continuing to persuade the Russians to partner with us in this endeavor."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
U.S., Poland Sign Special Ops Memo of Understanding
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich signed a memorandum of understanding today that will increase cooperation between the two countries' special operations forces. The two men signed the document during a ceremony before the start of the NATO defense ministers meeting here.
Gates said the memorandum is part of the U.S.-Polish partnership to help to modernize the Polish military. U.S. and Polish special operations forces already have a close working relationship, and this memorandum builds on a declaration of strategic cooperation that the United States and Poland signed in August, officials said. That commitment was to help the Polish military with modernizing and professionalizing its force.
The memorandum "underscores the growing cooperation between U.S. and Polish special operations forces," Gates said during the signing ceremony. "We will expand and deepen our cooperation and deepen our opportunities to work together toward common goals."
The Polish special operations command is expanding, and Gates vowed the United States military "will help in any way we can." Part of the agreement assigns an American special operations liaison officer to the Polish headquarters.
Poland's special operations force is as a separate service in the country's military structure. The force has about 1,500 personnel, and Poland hopes to grow the capability to 3,500 by 2012.
"Poland has a unique special operations capability, and they work very well with us," an American officer said, speaking on background. The force has five squadrons today and will grow to nine, said the officer.
The American liaison will help the force grow and share experiences and advice with the Polish force from U.S. Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, Fla.
U.S. Special Operations Command has partnerships with five countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Poland and Jordan. Only Poland has an official memorandum of understanding.
Polish special operations forces have worked alongside U.S. personnel since the fall of the Warsaw Pact. Polish troops have helped in Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq, and now are in Afghanistan with a presence of roughly 1,600 military personnel, including 100 special operations soldiers. They are concentrated in Ghazni and work under direction from Combined Joint Task Force 101 in Regional Command East.
The memorandum signed today is aimed specifically at helping the Polish force stand up a senior staff headquarters, building English-speaking capabilities and enhancing training opportunities, officials said.
U.S. Army Col. Bogdan Gieniewski is the U.S. Special Operations Command liaison. He speaks Polish and works daily with Polish leaders to set up the command, and he sponsors education and training with U.S. forces for the Polish special operators.
"This is a very professional force that brings everything to the operation," he said. In addition to combat troops, the Polish force has its own air assets and logistics support. The Polish forces can get to the fight and sustain themselves, he added.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich signed a memorandum of understanding today that will increase cooperation between the two countries' special operations forces. The two men signed the document during a ceremony before the start of the NATO defense ministers meeting here.
Gates said the memorandum is part of the U.S.-Polish partnership to help to modernize the Polish military. U.S. and Polish special operations forces already have a close working relationship, and this memorandum builds on a declaration of strategic cooperation that the United States and Poland signed in August, officials said. That commitment was to help the Polish military with modernizing and professionalizing its force.
The memorandum "underscores the growing cooperation between U.S. and Polish special operations forces," Gates said during the signing ceremony. "We will expand and deepen our cooperation and deepen our opportunities to work together toward common goals."
The Polish special operations command is expanding, and Gates vowed the United States military "will help in any way we can." Part of the agreement assigns an American special operations liaison officer to the Polish headquarters.
Poland's special operations force is as a separate service in the country's military structure. The force has about 1,500 personnel, and Poland hopes to grow the capability to 3,500 by 2012.
"Poland has a unique special operations capability, and they work very well with us," an American officer said, speaking on background. The force has five squadrons today and will grow to nine, said the officer.
The American liaison will help the force grow and share experiences and advice with the Polish force from U.S. Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, Fla.
U.S. Special Operations Command has partnerships with five countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Poland and Jordan. Only Poland has an official memorandum of understanding.
Polish special operations forces have worked alongside U.S. personnel since the fall of the Warsaw Pact. Polish troops have helped in Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq, and now are in Afghanistan with a presence of roughly 1,600 military personnel, including 100 special operations soldiers. They are concentrated in Ghazni and work under direction from Combined Joint Task Force 101 in Regional Command East.
The memorandum signed today is aimed specifically at helping the Polish force stand up a senior staff headquarters, building English-speaking capabilities and enhancing training opportunities, officials said.
U.S. Army Col. Bogdan Gieniewski is the U.S. Special Operations Command liaison. He speaks Polish and works daily with Polish leaders to set up the command, and he sponsors education and training with U.S. forces for the Polish special operators.
"This is a very professional force that brings everything to the operation," he said. In addition to combat troops, the Polish force has its own air assets and logistics support. The Polish forces can get to the fight and sustain themselves, he added.
Chairman Checks Out Nuclear Mission at North Dakota Base
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff noted the progress Air Force officials have made in the service's nuclear weapons program during a visit here yesterday. In a town-hall meeting with Minot airmen, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he came to see for himself the improvements the Air Force has made in its nuclear program in the wake of incidents that led to the resignations of the Air Force's top civilian and military officials.
One of the incidents involved a bomber flying from here to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., while mistakenly armed with nuclear missiles.
"We've had significant challenges in the nuclear enterprise," Mullen said, noting the high priority officials have placed on straightening out problems. "A lot of progress has been made, but we're not there yet," he added.
Mullen's trip to the home of the 91st Missile Wing and its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles came just two months after Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited the base to learn more about the nuclear program. The chairman said that although he'd come to check out progress in the nuclear mission, the chance to visit with the base's airmen was the most important part of his visit.
"You are really why I came here," he said. "You are part of the best military this [country] has ever fielded."
The admiral also offered his thanks to military spouses for their support and sacrifices, and he cited possible instability related to the world financial crisis as a factor that poses important challenges in the months and years ahead.
The financial crisis will create instability not only in places officials easily can anticipate, Mullen said, but also in other places where the potential for instability isn't as easily predictable. "I'm extremely concerned about this," he said.
As they play their part in helping the U.S. military meet the challenges that lie ahead, Mullen told the airmen, they must keep in mind that being good leaders is part of their responsibility.
"Everybody is a leader," he said. "I would ask that you ... figure how to mentor someone who's coming up behind you, and then get out of their way and see how [great they can be.]"
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff noted the progress Air Force officials have made in the service's nuclear weapons program during a visit here yesterday. In a town-hall meeting with Minot airmen, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he came to see for himself the improvements the Air Force has made in its nuclear program in the wake of incidents that led to the resignations of the Air Force's top civilian and military officials.
One of the incidents involved a bomber flying from here to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., while mistakenly armed with nuclear missiles.
"We've had significant challenges in the nuclear enterprise," Mullen said, noting the high priority officials have placed on straightening out problems. "A lot of progress has been made, but we're not there yet," he added.
Mullen's trip to the home of the 91st Missile Wing and its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles came just two months after Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited the base to learn more about the nuclear program. The chairman said that although he'd come to check out progress in the nuclear mission, the chance to visit with the base's airmen was the most important part of his visit.
"You are really why I came here," he said. "You are part of the best military this [country] has ever fielded."
The admiral also offered his thanks to military spouses for their support and sacrifices, and he cited possible instability related to the world financial crisis as a factor that poses important challenges in the months and years ahead.
The financial crisis will create instability not only in places officials easily can anticipate, Mullen said, but also in other places where the potential for instability isn't as easily predictable. "I'm extremely concerned about this," he said.
As they play their part in helping the U.S. military meet the challenges that lie ahead, Mullen told the airmen, they must keep in mind that being good leaders is part of their responsibility.
"Everybody is a leader," he said. "I would ask that you ... figure how to mentor someone who's coming up behind you, and then get out of their way and see how [great they can be.]"
King's Bay Training Facility Prepares Trident Submariners
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - The officers and enlisted members who serve aboard the U.S. Navy's Trident strategic missile and guided-missile submarines are elite sailors requiring specialized training and skills. Fresh-faced sailors just out of basic submarine school at Groton, Conn., as well as "old salts" who've notched several Trident patrols are taught and re-taught those skills at the Trident training facility here, said Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Rector, a spokesman for the facility.
Tridents are nuclear-powered, Ohio-class submarines, Rector said. At 560 feet long and 42 feet wide, Tridents are the largest submarines in the U.S. Navy's inventory.
The $1.2 billion training facility here was opened in 1987. At more than a half-million square feet, Rector said, it is the second-largest building in the Defense Department, after the Pentagon.
"We have everything here, from a 'virtual' nuclear-reactor control room ... all the way up to simulated missile tubes, where we can simulate the launching of missiles," Rector said.
The King's Bay facility also teaches sailors how to drive, or pilot, Trident submarines, Rector said, as well as how to extinguish shipboard fires and control flooding. The facility's equipment, he said, is "identical to what they would use aboard their submarine."
The duration of courses offered at King's Bay ranges from a few hours to up to two years for the assistant navigator's course, Rector said.
Trident submarines have two crews, called Blue and Gold, which rotate patrols. One crew is at sea for 60 to 90 days, while the other trains ashore. In this way, the vessels can be employed at sea 70 percent of the time, when not undergoing scheduled maintenance in port, Rector explained.
Trident sailors returning from sea duty take refresher training that's used to re-certify their skills before they embark on their next patrol, Rector said.
At the end of their re-certification training, the sailors "are 100-percent ready to take that submarine at sea, at 100-percent operational capability," Rector said. Attention to detail "is everything" in the Navy's submarine fleet, he added.
"If you make a mistake while out to sea, you risk killing a shipmate or losing your submarine," Rector explained. "None of those [possibilities] are acceptable; we have to make sure that we do not make mistakes."
A Trident's crew consists of about 160 officers and enlisted sailors. The original ballistic missile versions are nicknamed "Boomers," and they feature the designator SSBN. The Boomers are capable of carrying as many as 24 Trident II D-5 nuclear missiles. The vessel also carries Mark-48 torpedoes.
Inside the training facility's bridge operations room, Navy Lt. j.g. Walter McDuffie, the assistant operations officer assigned to the Trident ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland's "Blue" crew, used a computerized training program to "direct" his surfaced submarine. The bridge is the outside observation post located atop a submarine's uppermost structure, called the sail.
Some training, Rector noted, can be performed only at sea.
Meanwhile, with his virtual glasses in place, McDuffie "watched" his submarine cruising along the water's surface and communicated his observations to shipmates in the control room below.
The computerized training program, McDuffie said, provides "a great experience, without the actual consequences that could happen out in the real world."
The U.S. government agreed to reduce the number of its strategic-missile submarines as part of the 1992 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Consequently, four of the Navy's 18 Trident submarines were modified to exchange their nuclear missiles for Tomahawk guided cruise missiles. These vessels carry the designator SSGN. The first Trident ballistic-missile submarine, the USS Ohio, was commissioned in 1981. In 2006, the Ohio was converted into a guided-missile submarine.
Naval Submarine Base King's Bay was established in 1980, replacing a closed U.S. ballistic submarine facility that had been based in Rota, Spain. In 1989, USS Tennessee was the first Trident submarine to arrive at the facility. Another, smaller, Trident training facility that serves submariners based on the West Coast is located at Bangor, Wash.
The U.S. Navy has not lost a submarine since the Atlantic Ocean sinking of the USS Scorpion in 1968, Rector said.
"That is due to the training programs that we now have in place," Rector said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - The officers and enlisted members who serve aboard the U.S. Navy's Trident strategic missile and guided-missile submarines are elite sailors requiring specialized training and skills. Fresh-faced sailors just out of basic submarine school at Groton, Conn., as well as "old salts" who've notched several Trident patrols are taught and re-taught those skills at the Trident training facility here, said Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Rector, a spokesman for the facility.
Tridents are nuclear-powered, Ohio-class submarines, Rector said. At 560 feet long and 42 feet wide, Tridents are the largest submarines in the U.S. Navy's inventory.
The $1.2 billion training facility here was opened in 1987. At more than a half-million square feet, Rector said, it is the second-largest building in the Defense Department, after the Pentagon.
"We have everything here, from a 'virtual' nuclear-reactor control room ... all the way up to simulated missile tubes, where we can simulate the launching of missiles," Rector said.
The King's Bay facility also teaches sailors how to drive, or pilot, Trident submarines, Rector said, as well as how to extinguish shipboard fires and control flooding. The facility's equipment, he said, is "identical to what they would use aboard their submarine."
The duration of courses offered at King's Bay ranges from a few hours to up to two years for the assistant navigator's course, Rector said.
Trident submarines have two crews, called Blue and Gold, which rotate patrols. One crew is at sea for 60 to 90 days, while the other trains ashore. In this way, the vessels can be employed at sea 70 percent of the time, when not undergoing scheduled maintenance in port, Rector explained.
Trident sailors returning from sea duty take refresher training that's used to re-certify their skills before they embark on their next patrol, Rector said.
At the end of their re-certification training, the sailors "are 100-percent ready to take that submarine at sea, at 100-percent operational capability," Rector said. Attention to detail "is everything" in the Navy's submarine fleet, he added.
"If you make a mistake while out to sea, you risk killing a shipmate or losing your submarine," Rector explained. "None of those [possibilities] are acceptable; we have to make sure that we do not make mistakes."
A Trident's crew consists of about 160 officers and enlisted sailors. The original ballistic missile versions are nicknamed "Boomers," and they feature the designator SSBN. The Boomers are capable of carrying as many as 24 Trident II D-5 nuclear missiles. The vessel also carries Mark-48 torpedoes.
Inside the training facility's bridge operations room, Navy Lt. j.g. Walter McDuffie, the assistant operations officer assigned to the Trident ballistic-missile submarine USS Maryland's "Blue" crew, used a computerized training program to "direct" his surfaced submarine. The bridge is the outside observation post located atop a submarine's uppermost structure, called the sail.
Some training, Rector noted, can be performed only at sea.
Meanwhile, with his virtual glasses in place, McDuffie "watched" his submarine cruising along the water's surface and communicated his observations to shipmates in the control room below.
The computerized training program, McDuffie said, provides "a great experience, without the actual consequences that could happen out in the real world."
The U.S. government agreed to reduce the number of its strategic-missile submarines as part of the 1992 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Consequently, four of the Navy's 18 Trident submarines were modified to exchange their nuclear missiles for Tomahawk guided cruise missiles. These vessels carry the designator SSGN. The first Trident ballistic-missile submarine, the USS Ohio, was commissioned in 1981. In 2006, the Ohio was converted into a guided-missile submarine.
Naval Submarine Base King's Bay was established in 1980, replacing a closed U.S. ballistic submarine facility that had been based in Rota, Spain. In 1989, USS Tennessee was the first Trident submarine to arrive at the facility. Another, smaller, Trident training facility that serves submariners based on the West Coast is located at Bangor, Wash.
The U.S. Navy has not lost a submarine since the Atlantic Ocean sinking of the USS Scorpion in 1968, Rector said.
"That is due to the training programs that we now have in place," Rector said.
'Adopt a U.S. Soldier' Links Volunteers With Deployed Troops
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - A Colorado-based group is connecting deployed troops with volunteers eager to "adopt" them. Since its inception four years ago, "Adopt a U.S. Soldier" has connected more than 100,000 servicemembers to 265,000 supportive Americans who have sent them regular care packages, wrote letters and, on occasion, run errands for family members.
"It's been such a privilege to work with this organization and see it grow to what it is today," Ann Johnson, the group's founder and chief executive officer, said. "We are committed to our soldiers. We love them. We will continue to do this work for them and their families."
Johnson started the group when her son, Paul, was stationed in Iraq. She asked her friends if they would help to support his unit. They agreed and sent nearly $3,000 of care-package items. Johnson extended her support to other deployed troops, and the program began.
Jacob Poehls,8, and his mother, Nora Hall -- both group volunteers -- were featured recently on the NBC Today Show, along with their adopted servicemember, Marine Corps Sgt. Balthazar Pineda.
Hall said it was a privilege for her son, who has a learning disability, to have a Marine pen pal. The experience has given him confidence as well as a reason to work on his reading and writing skills, she said.
Beth Ann Alitt, of Encinitas, Calif., who also has adopted several soldiers over the years, said she feels as if she is now an official "Army mom."
"Since I've started, I've met so many soldiers and their families," she said. "You adopt one. He returns home. Then you adopt another and another. You send care packages. You e-mail. You do things with their kids; you just instantly become a part of their family."
Satin Modesitt of Vero Beach, Fla., said the program establishes a lasting connection to the soldier.
"It is so rewarding when your soldier comes home," Modesitt said. "You are just so relieved. You just feel like it is your son, brother, daughter or sister. This has just been an amazing thing for my family. We have grown, along with the military families we've touched."
To join the group, volunteers can register online at the Adopt a U.S. Soldier Web site.
"We try to make the process as easy as possible," Johnson said. "The great thing about this is you can adopt more than one soldier, and many soldiers are adopted by others so you can share in your commitment."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 19, 2009 - A Colorado-based group is connecting deployed troops with volunteers eager to "adopt" them. Since its inception four years ago, "Adopt a U.S. Soldier" has connected more than 100,000 servicemembers to 265,000 supportive Americans who have sent them regular care packages, wrote letters and, on occasion, run errands for family members.
"It's been such a privilege to work with this organization and see it grow to what it is today," Ann Johnson, the group's founder and chief executive officer, said. "We are committed to our soldiers. We love them. We will continue to do this work for them and their families."
Johnson started the group when her son, Paul, was stationed in Iraq. She asked her friends if they would help to support his unit. They agreed and sent nearly $3,000 of care-package items. Johnson extended her support to other deployed troops, and the program began.
Jacob Poehls,8, and his mother, Nora Hall -- both group volunteers -- were featured recently on the NBC Today Show, along with their adopted servicemember, Marine Corps Sgt. Balthazar Pineda.
Hall said it was a privilege for her son, who has a learning disability, to have a Marine pen pal. The experience has given him confidence as well as a reason to work on his reading and writing skills, she said.
Beth Ann Alitt, of Encinitas, Calif., who also has adopted several soldiers over the years, said she feels as if she is now an official "Army mom."
"Since I've started, I've met so many soldiers and their families," she said. "You adopt one. He returns home. Then you adopt another and another. You send care packages. You e-mail. You do things with their kids; you just instantly become a part of their family."
Satin Modesitt of Vero Beach, Fla., said the program establishes a lasting connection to the soldier.
"It is so rewarding when your soldier comes home," Modesitt said. "You are just so relieved. You just feel like it is your son, brother, daughter or sister. This has just been an amazing thing for my family. We have grown, along with the military families we've touched."
To join the group, volunteers can register online at the Adopt a U.S. Soldier Web site.
"We try to make the process as easy as possible," Johnson said. "The great thing about this is you can adopt more than one soldier, and many soldiers are adopted by others so you can share in your commitment."
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Clinton Meets Japanese Leaders on First Leg of Asian Tour
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The American alliance with Japan is the cornerstone of security in Asia, Hillary Rodham Clinton said during her first trip as secretary of state. Clinton discussed North Korea and commended Japan for its efforts in contributing to stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan during a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone in Tokyo yesterday. In addition to Japan, Clinton will visit Indonesia, South Korea and China.
Clinton and Nakasone discussed the problem North Korea poses to peace in the region. The two discussed the Six-Party Talks with North Korea and the importance of close coordination in those negotiations. The talks -- with South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States -- seek to engage North Korea and convince leaders to shut down its nuclear weapons production system and stop proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
"We must advance our efforts to secure the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea," Clinton said. "The possible missile launch that North Korea is talking about would be very unhelpful in moving our relationship forward."
Clinton urged North Korea to abide by denuclearization agreements it already has approved. If the communist north does that, "there will be a reciprocal response, certainly from the United States: a chance to normalize relations, to enter into a peace treaty rather than an armistice and to expect assistance for the people of North Korea," she said. "So it is truly up to the North Koreans."
The secretary commended Japan for its contributions to building stability and prosperity in Pakistan and Afghanistan, including Japan's cooperation with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
"It's been very important for our overall success of the coalition mission in Afghanistan," she said.
Clinton invited Japan's participation in the White House review of Afghan strategy. "I invited the minister to have someone work with us on our policy review of Afghanistan and Pakistan, because we want to have the benefit of the experience of the Japanese involvement as we go forward to determine the approach that we will be taking," she said.
She also thanked the Japanese people for the dispatch of two Japanese naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to join the multinational anti-piracy effort.
Nakasone said through an interpreter that the United States and Japan see many of the challenges in Asia the same way.
"We agreed to aim at building an affluent, stable and open East Asian region, and in that, we shared the hope that China will play a constructive role in the international community," Nakasone said.
Japan is a treaty ally of the United States, and Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan, including nuclear deterrents, the foreign minister said.
The two also discussed the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and signed the Guam Agreement that will help transfer 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
"We agreed that we will steadily implement this realignment on the basis of a roadmap from the viewpoint of alleviating burdens on Okinawa and local communities while maintaining deterrence," Nakasone said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The American alliance with Japan is the cornerstone of security in Asia, Hillary Rodham Clinton said during her first trip as secretary of state. Clinton discussed North Korea and commended Japan for its efforts in contributing to stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan during a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone in Tokyo yesterday. In addition to Japan, Clinton will visit Indonesia, South Korea and China.
Clinton and Nakasone discussed the problem North Korea poses to peace in the region. The two discussed the Six-Party Talks with North Korea and the importance of close coordination in those negotiations. The talks -- with South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States -- seek to engage North Korea and convince leaders to shut down its nuclear weapons production system and stop proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
"We must advance our efforts to secure the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea," Clinton said. "The possible missile launch that North Korea is talking about would be very unhelpful in moving our relationship forward."
Clinton urged North Korea to abide by denuclearization agreements it already has approved. If the communist north does that, "there will be a reciprocal response, certainly from the United States: a chance to normalize relations, to enter into a peace treaty rather than an armistice and to expect assistance for the people of North Korea," she said. "So it is truly up to the North Koreans."
The secretary commended Japan for its contributions to building stability and prosperity in Pakistan and Afghanistan, including Japan's cooperation with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
"It's been very important for our overall success of the coalition mission in Afghanistan," she said.
Clinton invited Japan's participation in the White House review of Afghan strategy. "I invited the minister to have someone work with us on our policy review of Afghanistan and Pakistan, because we want to have the benefit of the experience of the Japanese involvement as we go forward to determine the approach that we will be taking," she said.
She also thanked the Japanese people for the dispatch of two Japanese naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to join the multinational anti-piracy effort.
Nakasone said through an interpreter that the United States and Japan see many of the challenges in Asia the same way.
"We agreed to aim at building an affluent, stable and open East Asian region, and in that, we shared the hope that China will play a constructive role in the international community," Nakasone said.
Japan is a treaty ally of the United States, and Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan, including nuclear deterrents, the foreign minister said.
The two also discussed the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and signed the Guam Agreement that will help transfer 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
"We agreed that we will steadily implement this realignment on the basis of a roadmap from the viewpoint of alleviating burdens on Okinawa and local communities while maintaining deterrence," Nakasone said.
Coast Guard Contributes to Counter-piracy Mission
By Coast Guard Lt. Tony Migliorini
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The Coast Guard is actively engaged in implementing the president's counter-piracy action plan, senior Coast Guard officials said. Capt. Charles Michel, chief of the Office of Maritime and International Law, and Capt. Michael Giglio, chief of law enforcement, discussed the Coast Guard's international counter-piracy efforts yesterday with bloggers and online journalists.
"Piracy goes back many, many years -- many thousands of years, actually -- about the time that man started first taking onto the water in ships," Michel said. "Piracy is essentially an act of violence or depredation conducted on the high seas from one vessel to another vessel for private ends. ... That's the definition of piracy that's captured in both the 1958 Convention on the High Seas, of which the United States is a party, as well as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention."
Recent incidents of piracy off the coast of Africa have raised the awareness of the issue on a global level. However, Michel described the Coast Guard's longstanding efforts to combat acts of piracy internationally. "Modern piracy really, at least in my world of work, has been focused primarily in Southeast Asia, in the South China Sea and in the Straits of Malacca."
The Coast Guard is an active member of the multinational Combined Task Force 151 conducting counter-piracy missions around the Gulf of Aden, Giglio said.
"From my vantage point, my particular interest is ensuring the proper application of Coast Guard authority, competency and capability in support of the combatant commanders' requirements," he said.
CTF 151 apprehended seven suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 11, and nine additional suspected pirates were apprehended Feb. 12.
"This is just one small example of the ways in which the Coast Guard and the United States Navy can partner to deliver a very broad mix of skills to address what is a pretty broad spectrum of threats in the maritime environment today," Giglio said.
The counter-piracy plan focuses on three lines of action, Michel said: prevention of attacks, responding to attacks and prosecution of pirates. Through the combined task force, he added, the Coast Guard is working to execute all three lines of action.
The first line of action to combat attacks is prevention. The primary means of prevention include the hardening of targets, the establishment of a maritime security patrol area and international diplomacy, Michel said.
One of the primary roles of the Coast Guard personnel assigned to the combined task force, Giglio said, is to provide training in evidence-collection practices and procedures to ensure a complete case package, which facilitates prosecution.
From a legal perspective, the issue of prosecuting pirates in international courts is complex, Michel explained. "The challenges are pretty daunting, because you may actually have, for example ... Coast Guard and Navy personnel involved with [Somali] pirates who may have attacked a Panamanian vessel with a Filipino crew being tried in a Kenyan court."
However, processes now are being put in place to effectively deal with the prosecution of pirates.
"We are in the best shape we've ever been for Horn of Africa pirates with the establishment of a [memorandum of understanding] with one of the regional partners that will allow us to bring those pirates ashore and, if the evidence can be tied up correctly, prosecute it in a Kenyan court," Michel said.
Michel emphasized the importance of dealing with the piracy issue. Even though "your chances of getting taken by pirates in that area are actually pretty small, should we tolerate that type of lawlessness and criminal activity and the nefarious results that can happen by the introduction of money and people being held at gunpoint?"
(Coast Guard Lt. Tony Migliorini serves in the Coast Guard Headquarters public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The Coast Guard is actively engaged in implementing the president's counter-piracy action plan, senior Coast Guard officials said. Capt. Charles Michel, chief of the Office of Maritime and International Law, and Capt. Michael Giglio, chief of law enforcement, discussed the Coast Guard's international counter-piracy efforts yesterday with bloggers and online journalists.
"Piracy goes back many, many years -- many thousands of years, actually -- about the time that man started first taking onto the water in ships," Michel said. "Piracy is essentially an act of violence or depredation conducted on the high seas from one vessel to another vessel for private ends. ... That's the definition of piracy that's captured in both the 1958 Convention on the High Seas, of which the United States is a party, as well as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention."
Recent incidents of piracy off the coast of Africa have raised the awareness of the issue on a global level. However, Michel described the Coast Guard's longstanding efforts to combat acts of piracy internationally. "Modern piracy really, at least in my world of work, has been focused primarily in Southeast Asia, in the South China Sea and in the Straits of Malacca."
The Coast Guard is an active member of the multinational Combined Task Force 151 conducting counter-piracy missions around the Gulf of Aden, Giglio said.
"From my vantage point, my particular interest is ensuring the proper application of Coast Guard authority, competency and capability in support of the combatant commanders' requirements," he said.
CTF 151 apprehended seven suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 11, and nine additional suspected pirates were apprehended Feb. 12.
"This is just one small example of the ways in which the Coast Guard and the United States Navy can partner to deliver a very broad mix of skills to address what is a pretty broad spectrum of threats in the maritime environment today," Giglio said.
The counter-piracy plan focuses on three lines of action, Michel said: prevention of attacks, responding to attacks and prosecution of pirates. Through the combined task force, he added, the Coast Guard is working to execute all three lines of action.
The first line of action to combat attacks is prevention. The primary means of prevention include the hardening of targets, the establishment of a maritime security patrol area and international diplomacy, Michel said.
One of the primary roles of the Coast Guard personnel assigned to the combined task force, Giglio said, is to provide training in evidence-collection practices and procedures to ensure a complete case package, which facilitates prosecution.
From a legal perspective, the issue of prosecuting pirates in international courts is complex, Michel explained. "The challenges are pretty daunting, because you may actually have, for example ... Coast Guard and Navy personnel involved with [Somali] pirates who may have attacked a Panamanian vessel with a Filipino crew being tried in a Kenyan court."
However, processes now are being put in place to effectively deal with the prosecution of pirates.
"We are in the best shape we've ever been for Horn of Africa pirates with the establishment of a [memorandum of understanding] with one of the regional partners that will allow us to bring those pirates ashore and, if the evidence can be tied up correctly, prosecute it in a Kenyan court," Michel said.
Michel emphasized the importance of dealing with the piracy issue. Even though "your chances of getting taken by pirates in that area are actually pretty small, should we tolerate that type of lawlessness and criminal activity and the nefarious results that can happen by the introduction of money and people being held at gunpoint?"
(Coast Guard Lt. Tony Migliorini serves in the Coast Guard Headquarters public affairs office.)
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 18, 2009
NAVY
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a $23,330,730 fixed price delivery order #0039 under previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (M67854-06-D-5028) for the purchase of 60 Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) production cargo vehicles, and 30 production weapons mount kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
The Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Space and Strategic Missiles, Cambridge, Mass., is being awarded a $20,517,264 modification (P00002) under previously awarded contract (N00030-08-C-0100) for the Alternate Release Assembly. This modification increases the total contract value to $760,800,560. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, Calif., (87.85 percent); Cocoa Beach, Fla., (7.30 percent); St. Mary's, Ga., (2.51 percent); Bremerton, Wash., (2.09 percent); other locations (.25 percent), and work is expected to be completed Aug. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting agency.
Baldi Bros., Inc.*, Beaumont, Calif., is being awarded a $12,269,942 modification under a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N62473-08-C-2206) to exercise Options 0002 and 0003 which provides for repairs to Runway 21L-03R and Assault Landing Zone Lighting at Travis Air Force Base. The work to be performed provides for repairs to runway 21L-03R including the construction of an assault landing zone lighting pattern on runway 21L-03R and the construction of a new C-17 Southwest Landing Zone Runway. The total contract amount after exercise of these two options will be $56,558,155. Work will be performed in Fairfield, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded an $8,555,300 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00421-08-D-0032) to exercise an option for the procurement of 100 AN/APN-245 Radio Beacon Sets in support of the AN/SPN—46 Automatic Carrier Landing System capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
General Atomics Technologies Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $30,156,316 cost plus fixed fee contract for 25 months of operation and sustainment support of the Highlighter change detection system in Operation Iraqi Freedom locations. Work is to be performed in Iraq, (97 percent), at San Diego, Calif., (2 percent), and at Arlington, Va., (1 percent), with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2011. Bids were solicited by sole source and one bid was received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-09-D-T202).
CB&I CONSTRUCTION CO., Alpharetta, Ga., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $27,778,000 firm fixed price contract to design/build for repair Turbine Engine Dry Air Capability (TEDAC) – Phase I, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., (Coffee County). The work shall consist of the following: Design and construction of Desiccant Drying System including Desiccant Dryers, foundations, duct supports, hot bypass line, cooler bypass lines, spools and isolation spools, values and expansion joints. Work is to be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 23, 2011. Bids were solicited on FedBizOpps with one bid received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-09-C-0018).
WATTERSON/DAVIS JV, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $20,074,250 firm fixed price construction contract for a project that includes design and construction of an Operations Facility at Fort Wainwright, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Jul. 28, 2010. Bids were solicited on the Web with three bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Ala., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-07-C-0013).
TEXTRON MARINE & LAND SYSTEMS, DIVISION OF TEXTRON INC., New Orleans, La., was awarded on Feb. 17, 2009, a $10,936,905 firm fixed price contract in which the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM) Contracting Center is exercising the option to purchase 10 each Armored Security Vehicles (ASV) from Textron Marine and Land Systems. Work is to be performed at New Orleans, La., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army TACOM LCMC, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-C-0470).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Seagoing Uniforms, Marshville, N.C.*, is being awarded a maximum $7,528,666 firm fixed price, total set aside contract for Navy utility uniform items. Other locations of performance are in Prospect Hill, N.C. and Pelham, Ga. Using service is Navy. The proposal was originally Web solicited with two responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising fourth option year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 21, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SP0100-04-D-0457).
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a $23,330,730 fixed price delivery order #0039 under previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (M67854-06-D-5028) for the purchase of 60 Logistic Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) production cargo vehicles, and 30 production weapons mount kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
The Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Space and Strategic Missiles, Cambridge, Mass., is being awarded a $20,517,264 modification (P00002) under previously awarded contract (N00030-08-C-0100) for the Alternate Release Assembly. This modification increases the total contract value to $760,800,560. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, Calif., (87.85 percent); Cocoa Beach, Fla., (7.30 percent); St. Mary's, Ga., (2.51 percent); Bremerton, Wash., (2.09 percent); other locations (.25 percent), and work is expected to be completed Aug. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting agency.
Baldi Bros., Inc.*, Beaumont, Calif., is being awarded a $12,269,942 modification under a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N62473-08-C-2206) to exercise Options 0002 and 0003 which provides for repairs to Runway 21L-03R and Assault Landing Zone Lighting at Travis Air Force Base. The work to be performed provides for repairs to runway 21L-03R including the construction of an assault landing zone lighting pattern on runway 21L-03R and the construction of a new C-17 Southwest Landing Zone Runway. The total contract amount after exercise of these two options will be $56,558,155. Work will be performed in Fairfield, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded an $8,555,300 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00421-08-D-0032) to exercise an option for the procurement of 100 AN/APN-245 Radio Beacon Sets in support of the AN/SPN—46 Automatic Carrier Landing System capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.
ARMY
General Atomics Technologies Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $30,156,316 cost plus fixed fee contract for 25 months of operation and sustainment support of the Highlighter change detection system in Operation Iraqi Freedom locations. Work is to be performed in Iraq, (97 percent), at San Diego, Calif., (2 percent), and at Arlington, Va., (1 percent), with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2011. Bids were solicited by sole source and one bid was received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-09-D-T202).
CB&I CONSTRUCTION CO., Alpharetta, Ga., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $27,778,000 firm fixed price contract to design/build for repair Turbine Engine Dry Air Capability (TEDAC) – Phase I, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., (Coffee County). The work shall consist of the following: Design and construction of Desiccant Drying System including Desiccant Dryers, foundations, duct supports, hot bypass line, cooler bypass lines, spools and isolation spools, values and expansion joints. Work is to be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 23, 2011. Bids were solicited on FedBizOpps with one bid received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-09-C-0018).
WATTERSON/DAVIS JV, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $20,074,250 firm fixed price construction contract for a project that includes design and construction of an Operations Facility at Fort Wainwright, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Jul. 28, 2010. Bids were solicited on the Web with three bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Ala., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-07-C-0013).
TEXTRON MARINE & LAND SYSTEMS, DIVISION OF TEXTRON INC., New Orleans, La., was awarded on Feb. 17, 2009, a $10,936,905 firm fixed price contract in which the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM) Contracting Center is exercising the option to purchase 10 each Armored Security Vehicles (ASV) from Textron Marine and Land Systems. Work is to be performed at New Orleans, La., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received. U.S. Army TACOM LCMC, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-C-0470).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Seagoing Uniforms, Marshville, N.C.*, is being awarded a maximum $7,528,666 firm fixed price, total set aside contract for Navy utility uniform items. Other locations of performance are in Prospect Hill, N.C. and Pelham, Ga. Using service is Navy. The proposal was originally Web solicited with two responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising fourth option year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 21, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SP0100-04-D-0457).
USAA webinar offers Tips to Save This Tax Season and Beyond
Tips to Save This Tax Season and Beyond features USAA's CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner J.J.Montanaro and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor Laurel Bragg.
The program will provide tax-saving tips, ways to put a tax refund toward retirement, and answers to viewer questions about tax and IRA issues.
With tax season upon us, this is a good time to understand the best strategies for dealing with tax issues, such as opening an Individual Retirement Account or starting an annuity. USAA experts offer free financial advice to help with wealth management and retirement financial issues.
Attend our free webinar and win...
USAA is committed to giving you the tools and information you need to help plan for a financially sound future. Sign up for our webinar and you'll have the chance to win one of three (3) free TurboTax® software packages (value up to $49.95 each) if you are a USAA member or eligible for membership.Register at USAA.
The program will provide tax-saving tips, ways to put a tax refund toward retirement, and answers to viewer questions about tax and IRA issues.
With tax season upon us, this is a good time to understand the best strategies for dealing with tax issues, such as opening an Individual Retirement Account or starting an annuity. USAA experts offer free financial advice to help with wealth management and retirement financial issues.
Attend our free webinar and win...
USAA is committed to giving you the tools and information you need to help plan for a financially sound future. Sign up for our webinar and you'll have the chance to win one of three (3) free TurboTax® software packages (value up to $49.95 each) if you are a USAA member or eligible for membership.Register at USAA.
Fisher House Announces 2009 Newman's Own Award Competition
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The Fisher House Foundation has announced the start of the 2009 Newman's Own Award competition, jointly sponsored by Newman's Own, the Fisher House Foundation and the Military Times Media Group. The program awards grants to organizations with innovative solutions to improving quality of life for active-duty, reserve or National Guard families. Also acceptable are organizations with programs benefiting veterans' families, Jim Weiskopf, executive vice president of communications for the Fisher House Foundation, said.
Actor Paul Newman, who died in September, began his Newman's Own line of food products in 1982. All royalties and after-tax profits of the sales from the line have been donated to educational and charitable organizations.
In 1997, the World War II Navy veteran decided he wanted to take his line of products to the military. It was suggested that the proceeds from those sales at military facilities go back to the military, and the Fisher House Foundation was chosen to make that happen. Newman's Own salad dressing, pasta sauces and salsas are sold in military commissaries worldwide.
The Newman's Own Awards program awards grants totaling $75,000 to between 12 and 15 volunteer and nonprofit organizations each year, Weiskopf said.
"When Mr. Newman was alive, ... he wanted us to have one grand-prize winner. He wanted one to be designated above the rest," he said. "Because we're now getting $75,000 from [Newman's Own], the group with the highest score gets $15,000."
The remaining $60,000 in award money will be divided among the top-scoring entries by the judges as they see fit, Weiskopf said.
"Because we're not giving out a huge amount of money, ... we're more focused on small nonprofits," he said. "We're looking for where the infusion the money from us will mean the difference of whether or not they can do their program."
Organizations wishing to be considered for a Newman's Own Award can find more information and eligibility requirements on the Fisher House Foundation Web site. All proposals must be received by May 1.
Award recipients will be announced in early September.
In nine years, the program has recognized 114 organizations with grants totaling more than $500,000. This includes last year's top winner, Freedom Calls Foundation, which focuses on keeping families and deployed servicemembers connected.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2009 - The Fisher House Foundation has announced the start of the 2009 Newman's Own Award competition, jointly sponsored by Newman's Own, the Fisher House Foundation and the Military Times Media Group. The program awards grants to organizations with innovative solutions to improving quality of life for active-duty, reserve or National Guard families. Also acceptable are organizations with programs benefiting veterans' families, Jim Weiskopf, executive vice president of communications for the Fisher House Foundation, said.
Actor Paul Newman, who died in September, began his Newman's Own line of food products in 1982. All royalties and after-tax profits of the sales from the line have been donated to educational and charitable organizations.
In 1997, the World War II Navy veteran decided he wanted to take his line of products to the military. It was suggested that the proceeds from those sales at military facilities go back to the military, and the Fisher House Foundation was chosen to make that happen. Newman's Own salad dressing, pasta sauces and salsas are sold in military commissaries worldwide.
The Newman's Own Awards program awards grants totaling $75,000 to between 12 and 15 volunteer and nonprofit organizations each year, Weiskopf said.
"When Mr. Newman was alive, ... he wanted us to have one grand-prize winner. He wanted one to be designated above the rest," he said. "Because we're now getting $75,000 from [Newman's Own], the group with the highest score gets $15,000."
The remaining $60,000 in award money will be divided among the top-scoring entries by the judges as they see fit, Weiskopf said.
"Because we're not giving out a huge amount of money, ... we're more focused on small nonprofits," he said. "We're looking for where the infusion the money from us will mean the difference of whether or not they can do their program."
Organizations wishing to be considered for a Newman's Own Award can find more information and eligibility requirements on the Fisher House Foundation Web site. All proposals must be received by May 1.
Award recipients will be announced in early September.
In nine years, the program has recognized 114 organizations with grants totaling more than $500,000. This includes last year's top winner, Freedom Calls Foundation, which focuses on keeping families and deployed servicemembers connected.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
NATO Commander Urges Unity Within Alliance
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe stressed the need for international cooperation and partnership to members of the alliance's Parliamentary Assembly here yesterday. During discussions with the assembly, Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock emphasized the assembly members' role in advocating for NATO's political will to rise and strengthen into one, which matches the alliance's mandate for addressing collective security.
"The importance of your role as a forum for dialogue and consensus-building on matters of defense and security is becoming increasingly important," he told assembly members.
The general invoked sentiments expressed by alliance political leaders at the Feb. 7-8 Munich Security Conference: renewed partnership, increased international cooperation, NATO as the central anchor of the transatlantic alliance and the need to do more in existing operations.
While the threats and challenges the alliance should address are agreed upon, "we do not necessarily agree on the who, the what, the where, the when and the how," the general said.
"As we go forward, we will need to resolve the seeming disconnect between our level of ambition and our political will, which is at the crux of Allied Command operations' ability to deliver security," Craddock said
He congratulated assembly members on their resolution urging nations to redouble efforts to fill shortfalls and eliminate caveats -- restrictions some countries place on how NATO can use its forces -- but he further exhorted them to take on other immediate challenges he assesses are critical to progress.
"The current and evolving security environment -- both within and beyond the Euro-Atlantic area -- calls for expeditionary capabilities rather than widespread permanent military presence," he said. "Whether operating 'in area' or 'out of area,' the requirements are consistent. We must be capable of rapid response in times of crisis."
While acknowledging the need to improve and develop military capabilities, Craddock emphasized that policies and processes also had to evolve from those created during the Cold War -- policies and processes that hamper nations' -- and therefore NATO's -- ability to invest in expeditionary capabilities.
"To be truly expeditionary, truly capable of rapid response, our internal processes and headquarters elements must function more effectively and efficiently," he said.
"Our alliance continues to operate with a 'costs lie where they fall' policy," said Craddock, explaining that deployment costs fall to those nations committing and deploying troops. "That means nations choosing to
bear the burden militarily are the same nations bearing the burden monetarily."
An expeditionary alliance must find a better way, he said. NATO needs to explore using common funding, in which deployment costs are shared among all nations, thereby reducing the strain on national defense budgets, he said.
Craddock wrapped up by commending the assembly's 2009 agenda, which will address cyber defense, missile defense, energy security, NATO-Russia relations, NATO-European relations and civil-military cooperation in Afghanistan, among others.
"I see you have not opted for the easy road," Craddock said. "I applaud your willingness to meet these challenges head-on."
(From a Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe news release.)
Feb. 17, 2009 - NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe stressed the need for international cooperation and partnership to members of the alliance's Parliamentary Assembly here yesterday. During discussions with the assembly, Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock emphasized the assembly members' role in advocating for NATO's political will to rise and strengthen into one, which matches the alliance's mandate for addressing collective security.
"The importance of your role as a forum for dialogue and consensus-building on matters of defense and security is becoming increasingly important," he told assembly members.
The general invoked sentiments expressed by alliance political leaders at the Feb. 7-8 Munich Security Conference: renewed partnership, increased international cooperation, NATO as the central anchor of the transatlantic alliance and the need to do more in existing operations.
While the threats and challenges the alliance should address are agreed upon, "we do not necessarily agree on the who, the what, the where, the when and the how," the general said.
"As we go forward, we will need to resolve the seeming disconnect between our level of ambition and our political will, which is at the crux of Allied Command operations' ability to deliver security," Craddock said
He congratulated assembly members on their resolution urging nations to redouble efforts to fill shortfalls and eliminate caveats -- restrictions some countries place on how NATO can use its forces -- but he further exhorted them to take on other immediate challenges he assesses are critical to progress.
"The current and evolving security environment -- both within and beyond the Euro-Atlantic area -- calls for expeditionary capabilities rather than widespread permanent military presence," he said. "Whether operating 'in area' or 'out of area,' the requirements are consistent. We must be capable of rapid response in times of crisis."
While acknowledging the need to improve and develop military capabilities, Craddock emphasized that policies and processes also had to evolve from those created during the Cold War -- policies and processes that hamper nations' -- and therefore NATO's -- ability to invest in expeditionary capabilities.
"To be truly expeditionary, truly capable of rapid response, our internal processes and headquarters elements must function more effectively and efficiently," he said.
"Our alliance continues to operate with a 'costs lie where they fall' policy," said Craddock, explaining that deployment costs fall to those nations committing and deploying troops. "That means nations choosing to
bear the burden militarily are the same nations bearing the burden monetarily."
An expeditionary alliance must find a better way, he said. NATO needs to explore using common funding, in which deployment costs are shared among all nations, thereby reducing the strain on national defense budgets, he said.
Craddock wrapped up by commending the assembly's 2009 agenda, which will address cyber defense, missile defense, energy security, NATO-Russia relations, NATO-European relations and civil-military cooperation in Afghanistan, among others.
"I see you have not opted for the easy road," Craddock said. "I applaud your willingness to meet these challenges head-on."
(From a Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe news release.)
Arizona Guardsmen Take on NBA Stars
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Angela Walz
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - Arizona Army and Air National Guardsmen were honored for their combat service Feb. 15 with an opportunity to score against National Basketball Association greats Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend here. But this competition didn't take place on a basketball court. Instead, the troops vied for a chance to play the pros one-on-one via an Xbox Live video-gaming system.
Army Spc. Aaron Patten, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, climbed his way to the top of the brackets in the EA sports NBA Live 09 game to play against O'Neal, a Phoenix Suns all-star, in the finals.
Army Staff Sgt. Steven Barrett took second place and played against David Robinson, former star of the San Antonio Spurs, who is among this year's finalists for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
O'Neal and Robinson signed autographs, posed for photos and shook hands with the troops. Robinson also played a wounded warrior recovering from his injuries in Iraq live via satellite.
O'Neal played deployed Air Force Master Sgt. Anthony James and his family live via satellite, as well. O'Neal hoisted Trey James, the sergeant's son, up to the Web camera for a surprise appearance and conversation with his dad.
The father and son have been separated for two years due to James' deployment in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Greg and Addie Zinone, co-founders of "Pro vs. GI Joe," came up with the concept of matching professional athletes with returning and deployed troops.
Addie, who twice deployed with the Army Reserve, realized first-hand the importance of maintaining morale for deployed troops.
"So many of them are gamers on their down time anyway," she said. "We were able to team up with the USO to enable deployed troops to play against celebrities who are stateside."
"This was definitely a morale booster," Patten said. "These athletes have a lot of time to do so many other things, and taking time out to play with us is so cool."
Although Robinson competed against the troops, he also took time to honor the Guardsmen who are still deployed overseas: "Hang in there," he said. "We really appreciate what you're doing. It means a lot to us, and it doesn't go unnoticed. When you come back, we'll give you a hero's welcome."
Robinson is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Navy veteran. O'Neal's father is an Army veteran. O'Neal was named co-Most Valuable Player at the all-star game later in the evening.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Angela Walz serves in the Arizona National Guard.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - Arizona Army and Air National Guardsmen were honored for their combat service Feb. 15 with an opportunity to score against National Basketball Association greats Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend here. But this competition didn't take place on a basketball court. Instead, the troops vied for a chance to play the pros one-on-one via an Xbox Live video-gaming system.
Army Spc. Aaron Patten, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, climbed his way to the top of the brackets in the EA sports NBA Live 09 game to play against O'Neal, a Phoenix Suns all-star, in the finals.
Army Staff Sgt. Steven Barrett took second place and played against David Robinson, former star of the San Antonio Spurs, who is among this year's finalists for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
O'Neal and Robinson signed autographs, posed for photos and shook hands with the troops. Robinson also played a wounded warrior recovering from his injuries in Iraq live via satellite.
O'Neal played deployed Air Force Master Sgt. Anthony James and his family live via satellite, as well. O'Neal hoisted Trey James, the sergeant's son, up to the Web camera for a surprise appearance and conversation with his dad.
The father and son have been separated for two years due to James' deployment in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Greg and Addie Zinone, co-founders of "Pro vs. GI Joe," came up with the concept of matching professional athletes with returning and deployed troops.
Addie, who twice deployed with the Army Reserve, realized first-hand the importance of maintaining morale for deployed troops.
"So many of them are gamers on their down time anyway," she said. "We were able to team up with the USO to enable deployed troops to play against celebrities who are stateside."
"This was definitely a morale booster," Patten said. "These athletes have a lot of time to do so many other things, and taking time out to play with us is so cool."
Although Robinson competed against the troops, he also took time to honor the Guardsmen who are still deployed overseas: "Hang in there," he said. "We really appreciate what you're doing. It means a lot to us, and it doesn't go unnoticed. When you come back, we'll give you a hero's welcome."
Robinson is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Navy veteran. O'Neal's father is an Army veteran. O'Neal was named co-Most Valuable Player at the all-star game later in the evening.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Angela Walz serves in the Arizona National Guard.)
Military Students Nominated for Presidential Scholars Program
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - More than a dozen Department of Defense Education Activity students are among the 3,000 U.S. high school students chosen as candidates for the 2009 Presidential Scholars Program. "It's a huge program, because any senior who has taken the SAT or ACT is eligible," Frank X. O'Gara, the activity's educational communications officer, said. "This year we had 14 candidates. That isn't uncommon in this first round."
Though no DoDEA students were selected for the program last year, two military students became presidential scholars in 2006 and 2007. These exceptional students are afforded many opportunities during their visit to Washington to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion, O'Gara said.
"Scholars are provided opportunities to wrestle with issues that concern America and the world," he said. "[They] participate in volunteer activities ... to benefit those in need and make a difference in our nation's capital, attend recitals, receptions and ceremonies held in their honor, and visit area museums and monuments.
"But perhaps the greatest benefit to the scholars, and the one they most often remark on, is the chance to exchange ideas with similarly motivated and accomplished peers and to forge friendships that last a lifetime," O'Gara said.
The Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 through a presidential executive order. It was created to recognize and honor some of the country's graduating high school seniors who display broad academic achievement.
Beginning in 1979, the program extended its recognition to include seniors who excel in visual, creative and performing arts. Since then, up to 20 students who demonstrate exceptional talent in these areas are chosen for the program in addition to those chosen strictly on academic achievement.
By early April, the candidate group will be narrowed to just 500 semifinalists. The Commission on Presidential Scholars then will make the final selections. One young man and woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. students living abroad, 15 students-at-large, and up to 20 students from the creative and performing arts will be selected.
The Education Department will announce the 2009 scholars in May.
The scholars traditionally are invited to Washington in June to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion during a recognition ceremony. They also have the opportunity to participate in special events and activities.
All 3,000 candidates were chosen from the nearly 2.8 million high school seniors looking forward to graduation this spring. They were chosen for their exceptional performance on either the SAT or the ACT tests. Additional consideration is based on students' essays, self-assessments, activity descriptions of, school recommendations and school transcripts.
This year's DoDEA candidates are:
-- Patrick A. Bush, Ramstein American High School;
-- Lauren E. Dunn, Patch American High School;
-- Sarah D. Johnson, Brussels American High School;
-- Christopher B. Mittuch, Allied Forces Central Europe School;
-- Jared A. Taylor, Patch American High School;
-- Christine E. Ashton, H. H. Arnold High School;
-- Kelsey M. Collier, Ramstein American High School;
-- Stuart Gujral, Heidelberg American High School;
-- Michael E. Newman, Osan American High School;
-- Audry Padgett, Kadena High School;
-- Amy E. Schafer, Patch American High School;
-- William C. Lennard, Kadena High School;
-- Bruce W. Pfirrmann, Nile C Kinnick High School; and
-- Keith G. Yeager, E. J. King American High School.
A complete list of 2009 presidential scholar candidates can be found on the Education Department's Presidential Scholars Program Web site.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - More than a dozen Department of Defense Education Activity students are among the 3,000 U.S. high school students chosen as candidates for the 2009 Presidential Scholars Program. "It's a huge program, because any senior who has taken the SAT or ACT is eligible," Frank X. O'Gara, the activity's educational communications officer, said. "This year we had 14 candidates. That isn't uncommon in this first round."
Though no DoDEA students were selected for the program last year, two military students became presidential scholars in 2006 and 2007. These exceptional students are afforded many opportunities during their visit to Washington to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion, O'Gara said.
"Scholars are provided opportunities to wrestle with issues that concern America and the world," he said. "[They] participate in volunteer activities ... to benefit those in need and make a difference in our nation's capital, attend recitals, receptions and ceremonies held in their honor, and visit area museums and monuments.
"But perhaps the greatest benefit to the scholars, and the one they most often remark on, is the chance to exchange ideas with similarly motivated and accomplished peers and to forge friendships that last a lifetime," O'Gara said.
The Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 through a presidential executive order. It was created to recognize and honor some of the country's graduating high school seniors who display broad academic achievement.
Beginning in 1979, the program extended its recognition to include seniors who excel in visual, creative and performing arts. Since then, up to 20 students who demonstrate exceptional talent in these areas are chosen for the program in addition to those chosen strictly on academic achievement.
By early April, the candidate group will be narrowed to just 500 semifinalists. The Commission on Presidential Scholars then will make the final selections. One young man and woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. students living abroad, 15 students-at-large, and up to 20 students from the creative and performing arts will be selected.
The Education Department will announce the 2009 scholars in May.
The scholars traditionally are invited to Washington in June to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion during a recognition ceremony. They also have the opportunity to participate in special events and activities.
All 3,000 candidates were chosen from the nearly 2.8 million high school seniors looking forward to graduation this spring. They were chosen for their exceptional performance on either the SAT or the ACT tests. Additional consideration is based on students' essays, self-assessments, activity descriptions of, school recommendations and school transcripts.
This year's DoDEA candidates are:
-- Patrick A. Bush, Ramstein American High School;
-- Lauren E. Dunn, Patch American High School;
-- Sarah D. Johnson, Brussels American High School;
-- Christopher B. Mittuch, Allied Forces Central Europe School;
-- Jared A. Taylor, Patch American High School;
-- Christine E. Ashton, H. H. Arnold High School;
-- Kelsey M. Collier, Ramstein American High School;
-- Stuart Gujral, Heidelberg American High School;
-- Michael E. Newman, Osan American High School;
-- Audry Padgett, Kadena High School;
-- Amy E. Schafer, Patch American High School;
-- William C. Lennard, Kadena High School;
-- Bruce W. Pfirrmann, Nile C Kinnick High School; and
-- Keith G. Yeager, E. J. King American High School.
A complete list of 2009 presidential scholar candidates can be found on the Education Department's Presidential Scholars Program Web site.
Pirates Could Be Prosecuted Outside of Kenya, Official Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - The 16 suspected pirates captured recently in the Gulf of Aden by American military ships could face separate prosecutions in countries other than Kenya, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters here today. The governments of Kenya and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding under which Kenya would prosecute pirates interdicted by U.S. forces in the region. But there are other options, Whitman said.
"[Kenya is] not the only place where prosecution could take place," he said. "It's possible that prosecutions could take place in other venues, to include the states that have been associated with the victims of these attacks."
The suspected pirates currently are being held by Task Force 151 -- the anti-piracy group operating in the gulf -- aboard the USNS Lewis and Clark supply ship. Officials have confirmed pending evidence and information about the individuals, eliminating any possibility the suspects were "displaced mariners" and not pirates, Whitman said.
The crew of the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf captured the first seven suspected pirates Feb. 11 after responding to a distress call from a nearby merchant ship, the Marshall Islands-flagged motor vessel Polaris. The following day, the Vella Gulf apprehended nine more pirates for trying to board the motor vessel Premdivya, an Indian-flagged vessel.
"Piracy is a universal crime under international law, and many states have implemented domestic legislation criminalizing piracy," Whitman explained, noting that the disposition of the alleged pirates' prosecution may be known within the week.
Anti-piracy American forces in the region are operating under a United Nations Security Council resolution. Countries and organizations from around the world are contributing to this effort.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - The 16 suspected pirates captured recently in the Gulf of Aden by American military ships could face separate prosecutions in countries other than Kenya, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters here today. The governments of Kenya and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding under which Kenya would prosecute pirates interdicted by U.S. forces in the region. But there are other options, Whitman said.
"[Kenya is] not the only place where prosecution could take place," he said. "It's possible that prosecutions could take place in other venues, to include the states that have been associated with the victims of these attacks."
The suspected pirates currently are being held by Task Force 151 -- the anti-piracy group operating in the gulf -- aboard the USNS Lewis and Clark supply ship. Officials have confirmed pending evidence and information about the individuals, eliminating any possibility the suspects were "displaced mariners" and not pirates, Whitman said.
The crew of the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf captured the first seven suspected pirates Feb. 11 after responding to a distress call from a nearby merchant ship, the Marshall Islands-flagged motor vessel Polaris. The following day, the Vella Gulf apprehended nine more pirates for trying to board the motor vessel Premdivya, an Indian-flagged vessel.
"Piracy is a universal crime under international law, and many states have implemented domestic legislation criminalizing piracy," Whitman explained, noting that the disposition of the alleged pirates' prosecution may be known within the week.
Anti-piracy American forces in the region are operating under a United Nations Security Council resolution. Countries and organizations from around the world are contributing to this effort.
General Calls for More Troops in Europe to Meet Changing Missions
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - More troops will be needed to adapt to U.S. Army Europe's evolving missions, the top Army officer in Europe said during a Pentagon news conference today.
The command, based in Heidelberg, Germany, once comprised 300,000 soldiers. Today, the command has about 42,000 soldiers, and its primary mission is to provide properly trained and equipped forces for global operations, Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army, said.
If current plans move forward, that number is set to dip to around 32,000 soldiers, and Ham said he thinks that's too few. The general has recommended that two heavy brigades now based in Germany remain in Europe.
The command's soldiers deploy like those of any other unit in the Army. At any given time, the command has about one-third of its soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo or other areas of the globe. The command also supplies personnel and expertise to the newly established U.S. Africa Command.
A second mission is to work with partner countries to build their military capacity, Ham said. "That's a real and vital mission for us," the general said.
Ham, who visited Europe many times in his career before assuming this post, said that the biggest change he noticed in the command was "how just about everything we do has a multinational flavor to it."
For example, he said, American forces train constantly with their Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts.
"We've got a major training scheme set up for this coming summer that is larger in scale than it has been in previous years, and we think that's an important consideration," he said. NATO uses the U.S. Army facility is Hohenfels, Germany, to train the operational mentoring liaison teams that have been so successful in Afghanistan.
Another command mission is to continue the transformation from the Army Europe of the Cold War to a more nimble joint task force headquarters. The command would be the joint task force headquarters for any major land operation in the U.S. European Command area of operations, he said.
Ham said he wants to ensure the right force posture is in place in his command to accomplish the missions.
"We're at about 42,000; by about 2013 or '14, the current plan is that we would get to 32,000, based principally on two brigade combat teams, one Stryker and one airborne, that we'd retain in Europe," he said. "There are also presently two heavy brigade combat teams. Those are currently scheduled to come back to [the continental United States] in 2012 and 2013.
"I've recommended to my operational boss, [Army] Gen. John Craddock, commander of European Command, that we revisit those decisions," he continued. "It is my estimation that in order to accomplish the missions that we have, we need a different force posture in Europe than is currently proposed."
The two brigades -- one based in Baumholder, Germany, and one in Schweinfurt, Germany, -- are remaining in place for now, and Ham has recommended they stay there.
Ham said the Army presence on the continent is a visible commitment of America's commitment to the NATO alliance and to European allies.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2009 - More troops will be needed to adapt to U.S. Army Europe's evolving missions, the top Army officer in Europe said during a Pentagon news conference today.
The command, based in Heidelberg, Germany, once comprised 300,000 soldiers. Today, the command has about 42,000 soldiers, and its primary mission is to provide properly trained and equipped forces for global operations, Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army, said.
If current plans move forward, that number is set to dip to around 32,000 soldiers, and Ham said he thinks that's too few. The general has recommended that two heavy brigades now based in Germany remain in Europe.
The command's soldiers deploy like those of any other unit in the Army. At any given time, the command has about one-third of its soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo or other areas of the globe. The command also supplies personnel and expertise to the newly established U.S. Africa Command.
A second mission is to work with partner countries to build their military capacity, Ham said. "That's a real and vital mission for us," the general said.
Ham, who visited Europe many times in his career before assuming this post, said that the biggest change he noticed in the command was "how just about everything we do has a multinational flavor to it."
For example, he said, American forces train constantly with their Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts.
"We've got a major training scheme set up for this coming summer that is larger in scale than it has been in previous years, and we think that's an important consideration," he said. NATO uses the U.S. Army facility is Hohenfels, Germany, to train the operational mentoring liaison teams that have been so successful in Afghanistan.
Another command mission is to continue the transformation from the Army Europe of the Cold War to a more nimble joint task force headquarters. The command would be the joint task force headquarters for any major land operation in the U.S. European Command area of operations, he said.
Ham said he wants to ensure the right force posture is in place in his command to accomplish the missions.
"We're at about 42,000; by about 2013 or '14, the current plan is that we would get to 32,000, based principally on two brigade combat teams, one Stryker and one airborne, that we'd retain in Europe," he said. "There are also presently two heavy brigade combat teams. Those are currently scheduled to come back to [the continental United States] in 2012 and 2013.
"I've recommended to my operational boss, [Army] Gen. John Craddock, commander of European Command, that we revisit those decisions," he continued. "It is my estimation that in order to accomplish the missions that we have, we need a different force posture in Europe than is currently proposed."
The two brigades -- one based in Baumholder, Germany, and one in Schweinfurt, Germany, -- are remaining in place for now, and Ham has recommended they stay there.
Ham said the Army presence on the continent is a visible commitment of America's commitment to the NATO alliance and to European allies.
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 17, 2008
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Metals USA, (DBA) I-Solutions Group, Fort Washington, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $230,100,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, prime vendor contract for metals. Other locations of performance are in Pennsylvania. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally five proposals Web solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract has a two year base period and three one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM8EG-09-D-0001).
Ram Dis Ticaret A.S., Beykoz, Istanbul is being awarded a maximum $119,591,221 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for diesel fuel. Other locations of performance are at various locations within Iraq. Using service is Army. The original proposal was Web solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract has a two year base period. The date of performance completion is Feb. 28, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-1022).
Jacksonville Jet Port LLC., Jacksonville, Fla.*, is being awarded a maximum $23,030,832 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for jet fuel. Other location of performance is in Jacksonville, Fla. Using services are Navy, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 131 proposals solicited with 96 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2013. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0059).
ARMY
Harper Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $42,377,265 firm fixed price contract to design/build an Armed Forces Reserve Center, Unit Storage Building and operational vehicle parking at Fort Sill, Okla. Estimated completion date is Apr. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited by FedBizOpps with three bids received. Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-09-C-0001).
Military & Federal Construction Co., Inc. was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, a $14,524,514 firm fixed price contract in support of the Center Of Standardization for General Instruction Buildings for the South East Region. This project consists of the site design and construction of a primary facility approximately 68,470 sf, two-story, General Instructional Building. Work is to be performed at Fort Benning, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. U.S. Army Engineer District, Norfolk, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-09-C-0025).
Bighorn - HC Contractors, Joint Venture, Fairbanks, Ala., was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, an $11,905,584 firm fixed price contract to design/construct organizational vehicle parking (Stryker Maintenance Hardstand) (PN 63080), at Fort Wainwright, Ala. Estimated completion date is Jul. 15, 2010. Bids were solicited on the Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Ala., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-09-C-0009).
T.W. LaQuay Dredging, Inc., Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, a $6,080,600 firm fixed price contract for work consisting of dredging approximately 4,000,000 cubic yards of maintenance material with a deep draft pipeline dredge. No Levee work required. Work will be performed at Matagorda and Calhoun Counties, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jul. 31, 2009. Eight bids were solicited and five bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Galveston, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0011).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed price contract to Lockheed Martin Corp., of King of Prussia, Penn., for $25,579,895. This contract action is for the procurement of six Low Frequency Instrumentation Consoles and one Radio Frequency Instrumentation Console. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKA, Hill Air Force Base, Utah is the contracting activity (FA8204-09-C-0005).
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentive contract with Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for $21,695,993. This contract action is for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Processor Replacement Program, Phase II. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-07-C-0055, P00022).
NAVY
The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $14,504,000 for firm fixed price task order #0002 under a previously multiple award construction contract (N40085-09-D-9737) for an Engineering Product Support Facility at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The work to be performed provides for construction of a two-story engineering product support facility, to include administrative office space, engineering laboratories and a telecommunications support center. Built-in equipment will include a 400 Hz. frequency converter and noise reduction measures required due to the facility's proximity to an adjacent runway, elevator, and fire pump. Work will be performed in Craven, N.C., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk Va., is the contracting activity.
PC Mechanical LLC., Santa Maria, Calif., is being awarded an $8,000, 000 firm-fixed-price contract modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for the repair/overhaul of Civil Engineering Support Equipment and Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Completed work shall provide a professional appearance, reliable operation at rated capacity, structural integrity, and corrosion control. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract amount will be $37,850,234. Work will be performed in Santa Maria, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Specialty Center Acquisitions, NAVFAC, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity (N47408-04-D-8516).
Marotta Controls, Inc.*, Montville, N.J., is being awarded a $5,518,316 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0021) for the production of up to 338 Pure Air Generating Systems (PAGS) for integration into the LAU-7 and LAU-127 Missile Rail Launchers, special test equipment, and Engineering and Technical support services. Work will be performed in Montville, N.J., and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Metals USA, (DBA) I-Solutions Group, Fort Washington, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $230,100,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, prime vendor contract for metals. Other locations of performance are in Pennsylvania. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally five proposals Web solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract has a two year base period and three one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM8EG-09-D-0001).
Ram Dis Ticaret A.S., Beykoz, Istanbul is being awarded a maximum $119,591,221 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for diesel fuel. Other locations of performance are at various locations within Iraq. Using service is Army. The original proposal was Web solicited with seven responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract has a two year base period. The date of performance completion is Feb. 28, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-1022).
Jacksonville Jet Port LLC., Jacksonville, Fla.*, is being awarded a maximum $23,030,832 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for jet fuel. Other location of performance is in Jacksonville, Fla. Using services are Navy, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 131 proposals solicited with 96 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2013. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0059).
ARMY
Harper Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 13, 2009, a $42,377,265 firm fixed price contract to design/build an Armed Forces Reserve Center, Unit Storage Building and operational vehicle parking at Fort Sill, Okla. Estimated completion date is Apr. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited by FedBizOpps with three bids received. Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-09-C-0001).
Military & Federal Construction Co., Inc. was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, a $14,524,514 firm fixed price contract in support of the Center Of Standardization for General Instruction Buildings for the South East Region. This project consists of the site design and construction of a primary facility approximately 68,470 sf, two-story, General Instructional Building. Work is to be performed at Fort Benning, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011. U.S. Army Engineer District, Norfolk, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-09-C-0025).
Bighorn - HC Contractors, Joint Venture, Fairbanks, Ala., was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, an $11,905,584 firm fixed price contract to design/construct organizational vehicle parking (Stryker Maintenance Hardstand) (PN 63080), at Fort Wainwright, Ala. Estimated completion date is Jul. 15, 2010. Bids were solicited on the Web with six bids received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Ala., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-09-C-0009).
T.W. LaQuay Dredging, Inc., Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2009, a $6,080,600 firm fixed price contract for work consisting of dredging approximately 4,000,000 cubic yards of maintenance material with a deep draft pipeline dredge. No Levee work required. Work will be performed at Matagorda and Calhoun Counties, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jul. 31, 2009. Eight bids were solicited and five bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Galveston, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0011).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed price contract to Lockheed Martin Corp., of King of Prussia, Penn., for $25,579,895. This contract action is for the procurement of six Low Frequency Instrumentation Consoles and one Radio Frequency Instrumentation Console. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKA, Hill Air Force Base, Utah is the contracting activity (FA8204-09-C-0005).
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentive contract with Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for $21,695,993. This contract action is for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Processor Replacement Program, Phase II. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-07-C-0055, P00022).
NAVY
The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $14,504,000 for firm fixed price task order #0002 under a previously multiple award construction contract (N40085-09-D-9737) for an Engineering Product Support Facility at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The work to be performed provides for construction of a two-story engineering product support facility, to include administrative office space, engineering laboratories and a telecommunications support center. Built-in equipment will include a 400 Hz. frequency converter and noise reduction measures required due to the facility's proximity to an adjacent runway, elevator, and fire pump. Work will be performed in Craven, N.C., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk Va., is the contracting activity.
PC Mechanical LLC., Santa Maria, Calif., is being awarded an $8,000, 000 firm-fixed-price contract modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for the repair/overhaul of Civil Engineering Support Equipment and Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Completed work shall provide a professional appearance, reliable operation at rated capacity, structural integrity, and corrosion control. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract amount will be $37,850,234. Work will be performed in Santa Maria, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Specialty Center Acquisitions, NAVFAC, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity (N47408-04-D-8516).
Marotta Controls, Inc.*, Montville, N.J., is being awarded a $5,518,316 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0021) for the production of up to 338 Pure Air Generating Systems (PAGS) for integration into the LAU-7 and LAU-127 Missile Rail Launchers, special test equipment, and Engineering and Technical support services. Work will be performed in Montville, N.J., and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Monday, February 16, 2009
U.S. Interests Face Challenges in Europe, Intelligence Chief Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2009 - (This is the second in a three-part series on the intelligence community's annual threat assessment.) Russia's perceived strengths and its policies, tensions in Eurasia, Caucasus and Central Asia, and instability in the Balkans all pose challenges to U.S. interests in Europe, the director of national intelligence said Feb. 12.
Dennis C. Blair, a retired Navy admiral, told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Russia continues to rebuild its military and, as events in Georgia last year show, use those forces to impress on the world that the nation is still relevant.
"Russian challenges to US interests now spring more from Moscow's perceived strengths than from the state weaknesses characteristic of the 1990s," Blair said in prepared testimony.
"U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and general anti-Americanism have created openings for Russia to build alternative arrangements to the US-led international political and economic institutional order," he said.
Russia is attempting to increase its ability to influence events, he said, by "actively cultivating relations with regional powers, including China, Iran, and Venezuela."
Blair said Russia's energy policy is aimed at increasing the country's importance on the European continent.
"Moscow also is trying to maintain control over energy supply and transportation networks to Europe to East Asia, and protect and further enhance its market share in Europe through new bilateral energy partnerships and organizing a gas cartel with other major exporters," he said.
"Russia appears to believe the continued heavy dependence of European countries and former Soviet states on Russia's state gas monopoly, Gazprom, provides Moscow with political and economic leverage," he said.
The United States and Russia can continue to work some issues together, Blair said, but some issues – such as NATO enlargement, European Missile Defense and the breakaway Georgian provinces of Abkhasia and South Ossetia – will pose difficulties.
Russia's relations with its neighbors – and once vassals – will always be strained to one extent or another. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus all have complicated relationships with Moscow, he said.
Ukraine will have a presidential election next winter, and pressure applied by Russia pressure and by the global financial crisis will work on the country, he said.
"Ukraine has moved toward democracy and Western integration despite numerous political tests since independence," he said. Progress will be difficult because of weak political institutions and on-going conflicts with Russia over gas-pricing and contracts, he said, noting that the Ukrainian economy is weak, and this may affect stability in the nation.
The former Central Asia soviet socialist republics – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – are ill-equipped to deal with growing Muslim extremism, he said.
"Energy helped make Kazakhstan a regional economic force, but any sustained decline in oil prices would affect revenues, could lead to societal discontent and will derail to momentum for domestic reforms," he said.
The global financial crisis will affect Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan the most, since over 40 percent of the gross domestic product of both countries comes from remittances, but all of the Central Asian countries – with their weak governments – will be affected, Blair said.
The Balkans are the greatest threat to stability within Europe, Blair said. Kosovo could be a flashpoint. The new country is effectively divided into a Serbian ethnic majority north and a Kosovar-Albanian south. Even as Serbia's government in Belgrade seeks to align itself more closely with the European Union and NATO, it will not compromise on Kosovo.
There is also continued shakiness in Bosnia-Herzigovina and the future of the nation as a multi-ethnic state remains in doubt, Blair said, noting that inter-ethnic tensions may have increased in that country to "perhaps the highest level in years."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2009 - (This is the second in a three-part series on the intelligence community's annual threat assessment.) Russia's perceived strengths and its policies, tensions in Eurasia, Caucasus and Central Asia, and instability in the Balkans all pose challenges to U.S. interests in Europe, the director of national intelligence said Feb. 12.
Dennis C. Blair, a retired Navy admiral, told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Russia continues to rebuild its military and, as events in Georgia last year show, use those forces to impress on the world that the nation is still relevant.
"Russian challenges to US interests now spring more from Moscow's perceived strengths than from the state weaknesses characteristic of the 1990s," Blair said in prepared testimony.
"U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and general anti-Americanism have created openings for Russia to build alternative arrangements to the US-led international political and economic institutional order," he said.
Russia is attempting to increase its ability to influence events, he said, by "actively cultivating relations with regional powers, including China, Iran, and Venezuela."
Blair said Russia's energy policy is aimed at increasing the country's importance on the European continent.
"Moscow also is trying to maintain control over energy supply and transportation networks to Europe to East Asia, and protect and further enhance its market share in Europe through new bilateral energy partnerships and organizing a gas cartel with other major exporters," he said.
"Russia appears to believe the continued heavy dependence of European countries and former Soviet states on Russia's state gas monopoly, Gazprom, provides Moscow with political and economic leverage," he said.
The United States and Russia can continue to work some issues together, Blair said, but some issues – such as NATO enlargement, European Missile Defense and the breakaway Georgian provinces of Abkhasia and South Ossetia – will pose difficulties.
Russia's relations with its neighbors – and once vassals – will always be strained to one extent or another. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus all have complicated relationships with Moscow, he said.
Ukraine will have a presidential election next winter, and pressure applied by Russia pressure and by the global financial crisis will work on the country, he said.
"Ukraine has moved toward democracy and Western integration despite numerous political tests since independence," he said. Progress will be difficult because of weak political institutions and on-going conflicts with Russia over gas-pricing and contracts, he said, noting that the Ukrainian economy is weak, and this may affect stability in the nation.
The former Central Asia soviet socialist republics – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – are ill-equipped to deal with growing Muslim extremism, he said.
"Energy helped make Kazakhstan a regional economic force, but any sustained decline in oil prices would affect revenues, could lead to societal discontent and will derail to momentum for domestic reforms," he said.
The global financial crisis will affect Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan the most, since over 40 percent of the gross domestic product of both countries comes from remittances, but all of the Central Asian countries – with their weak governments – will be affected, Blair said.
The Balkans are the greatest threat to stability within Europe, Blair said. Kosovo could be a flashpoint. The new country is effectively divided into a Serbian ethnic majority north and a Kosovar-Albanian south. Even as Serbia's government in Belgrade seeks to align itself more closely with the European Union and NATO, it will not compromise on Kosovo.
There is also continued shakiness in Bosnia-Herzigovina and the future of the nation as a multi-ethnic state remains in doubt, Blair said, noting that inter-ethnic tensions may have increased in that country to "perhaps the highest level in years."
SemperComm Foundation Cancels 2009 GalaNominations still sought for SemperComm Award
SPRINGFIELD, Va., February 16, 2009 – The SemperComm Foundation canceled their annual gala scheduled for May 7, 2009 today, citing anticipated shortfalls in event sponsorship. The foundation also announced that the 2009 SemperComm Awards will still be awarded and military nominations are still being accepted.
The foundation’s decision to cancel the Gala is based on the current economic outlook as well as the forecast for low sponsorships. The SemperComm Gala is an annual event that began in 2004 as the primary fundraising event to support their mission of helping to provide remote, overseas U.S. military bases with much needed communications and entertainment equipment to boost morale of the service members stationed at those locations around the world.
“In lieu of holding a large Gala this year to raise support and funds, Sempercomm will focus its efforts in 2009 on smaller outreach and fundraising initiatives,” said Lara Coffee, SemperComm Foundation executive director. “While the SemperComm Gala has always been a tremendous success and a capstone event to honor all our contributors and the working military, the current environment calls for a change. Our values and dedication to our mission is unwavering and we will persevere.”
One of the highlights of the SemperComm Gala is the ceremony to honor selected servicemen and women for the SemperComm Award. The award is given annually for military members’ personal efforts to boost the morale of fellow service members during deployments to remote overseas locations. “The SemperComm Award is our way of recognizing service members each year who go out of their way to improve morale for those who serve with them,” said Coffee. “Although, the Gala is canceled this year, our award program will continue uninterrupted to honor and recognize worthy nominees.”
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 6, 2009. Awards will be shipped directly to the winners or they may choose to receive their award in person at a still to be announced 2009-2010 SemperComm event.
Nomination forms are available to be downloaded at www.sempercomm.org. For more information about the SemperComm Award, please contact Joanne Williams at 703-923-7615 or by email at jwilliams@sempercomm.org
The foundation’s decision to cancel the Gala is based on the current economic outlook as well as the forecast for low sponsorships. The SemperComm Gala is an annual event that began in 2004 as the primary fundraising event to support their mission of helping to provide remote, overseas U.S. military bases with much needed communications and entertainment equipment to boost morale of the service members stationed at those locations around the world.
“In lieu of holding a large Gala this year to raise support and funds, Sempercomm will focus its efforts in 2009 on smaller outreach and fundraising initiatives,” said Lara Coffee, SemperComm Foundation executive director. “While the SemperComm Gala has always been a tremendous success and a capstone event to honor all our contributors and the working military, the current environment calls for a change. Our values and dedication to our mission is unwavering and we will persevere.”
One of the highlights of the SemperComm Gala is the ceremony to honor selected servicemen and women for the SemperComm Award. The award is given annually for military members’ personal efforts to boost the morale of fellow service members during deployments to remote overseas locations. “The SemperComm Award is our way of recognizing service members each year who go out of their way to improve morale for those who serve with them,” said Coffee. “Although, the Gala is canceled this year, our award program will continue uninterrupted to honor and recognize worthy nominees.”
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 6, 2009. Awards will be shipped directly to the winners or they may choose to receive their award in person at a still to be announced 2009-2010 SemperComm event.
Nomination forms are available to be downloaded at www.sempercomm.org. For more information about the SemperComm Award, please contact Joanne Williams at 703-923-7615 or by email at jwilliams@sempercomm.org
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Intelligence Community Sees Asia Rising
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 15, 2009 - (This is the second in a three-part series on the intelligence community's annual threat assessment.) U.S. intelligence planners predict the 21st century will be the time for the rise of Asia, the director of national intelligence said Feb. 12. Dennis C. Blair told the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that "China and India are restoring positions they held in the 18th century when China produced approximately 30 percent and India 15 percent of the world's wealth."
While the current global economic crisis will slow growth in China and India, the two countries are likely to become the world's third and fourth largest economies by 2025. China's emergence as a world power is affecting the regional balance of power in Asia, Blair said in a prepared statement.
While the communist rulers of China have been successful in transforming the direction of the country, the government's international behavior is driven by the need to maintain power. Leaders see their main missions as continuing prosperity and maintaining domestic stability, he said.
"Chinese leaders view preserving domestic stability as one of their most important internal security challenges," Blair said.
Roughly 300 million Chinese have benefited from the current economic success, leaving 1 billion still in poverty.
Tibet and Taiwan remain problems internationally for the Chinese, but the election of a new government in Taiwan has tamped down tensions between the United States and the People's Republic, Blair said.
From a military standpoint, China continues its modernization programs and operationally Chinese forces are prepared to move beyond the region, the admiral said. For example, a Chinese ship is cooperating with anti-pirate patrols in the Gulf of Aden, and Chinese troops may soon take part in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
On the equipment side, China continues to develop new, increasingly accurate missile capabilities that can reach U.S. forces throughout the region.
China is developing a robust anti-satellite capability, and Blair said this is among the nation's highest military priorities. The Chinese also are modernizing their nuclear weapons capabilities.
Blair also spoke of India, which is harnessing the power of free markets after decades of trying to manage the economy.
"Like China, India's expanding economy will lead New Delhi to pursue new trade partners, gain access to vital energy markets, and generate the other resources required to sustain rapid economic growth," he said.
From a foreign policy and intelligence standpoint, relations with Pakistan dominate. The terror attack on Mumbai in November chilled relations between the two powers. Pakistan has vowed to crack down on extremists who used Pakistan to plan and train for the attack that crippled India's major financial center and killed more than 130 people.
In Asia, North Korea is the odd-man out. In a region that reaped the benefits of economic growth, North Koreans are starving, and the government is pouring money into the military.
Blair said the U.S. intelligence community believes North Korea is operating a covert uranium enrichment program. While the country has nuclear weapons, Blair said he did not think North Korea would use them unless faced with a military defeat or loss of control.
North Korea continues to participate in the Six Party Talks -- with South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and the United States -- but progress is slow, Blair said. North Korea continues to proliferate nuclear weapons and missile technology, most notably to Iran and Syria.
"We remain concerned North Korea could again export nuclear technology," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 15, 2009 - (This is the second in a three-part series on the intelligence community's annual threat assessment.) U.S. intelligence planners predict the 21st century will be the time for the rise of Asia, the director of national intelligence said Feb. 12. Dennis C. Blair told the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that "China and India are restoring positions they held in the 18th century when China produced approximately 30 percent and India 15 percent of the world's wealth."
While the current global economic crisis will slow growth in China and India, the two countries are likely to become the world's third and fourth largest economies by 2025. China's emergence as a world power is affecting the regional balance of power in Asia, Blair said in a prepared statement.
While the communist rulers of China have been successful in transforming the direction of the country, the government's international behavior is driven by the need to maintain power. Leaders see their main missions as continuing prosperity and maintaining domestic stability, he said.
"Chinese leaders view preserving domestic stability as one of their most important internal security challenges," Blair said.
Roughly 300 million Chinese have benefited from the current economic success, leaving 1 billion still in poverty.
Tibet and Taiwan remain problems internationally for the Chinese, but the election of a new government in Taiwan has tamped down tensions between the United States and the People's Republic, Blair said.
From a military standpoint, China continues its modernization programs and operationally Chinese forces are prepared to move beyond the region, the admiral said. For example, a Chinese ship is cooperating with anti-pirate patrols in the Gulf of Aden, and Chinese troops may soon take part in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
On the equipment side, China continues to develop new, increasingly accurate missile capabilities that can reach U.S. forces throughout the region.
China is developing a robust anti-satellite capability, and Blair said this is among the nation's highest military priorities. The Chinese also are modernizing their nuclear weapons capabilities.
Blair also spoke of India, which is harnessing the power of free markets after decades of trying to manage the economy.
"Like China, India's expanding economy will lead New Delhi to pursue new trade partners, gain access to vital energy markets, and generate the other resources required to sustain rapid economic growth," he said.
From a foreign policy and intelligence standpoint, relations with Pakistan dominate. The terror attack on Mumbai in November chilled relations between the two powers. Pakistan has vowed to crack down on extremists who used Pakistan to plan and train for the attack that crippled India's major financial center and killed more than 130 people.
In Asia, North Korea is the odd-man out. In a region that reaped the benefits of economic growth, North Koreans are starving, and the government is pouring money into the military.
Blair said the U.S. intelligence community believes North Korea is operating a covert uranium enrichment program. While the country has nuclear weapons, Blair said he did not think North Korea would use them unless faced with a military defeat or loss of control.
North Korea continues to participate in the Six Party Talks -- with South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and the United States -- but progress is slow, Blair said. North Korea continues to proliferate nuclear weapons and missile technology, most notably to Iran and Syria.
"We remain concerned North Korea could again export nuclear technology," he said.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Economic Crisis Overlays all Threats Facing U.S., Intel Chief Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 14, 2009 - The global economic crisis colors all other threats confronting the United States, the new director of national intelligence told the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Feb. 12. Dennis C. Blair said the crisis raises the level of uncertainty in the world and places new areas of the globe in danger. Analysts are trying to understand the geopolitical implications of the crisis.
"The crisis has been ongoing for about a year, and economists are divided over whether and when we could hit bottom," Blair said in prepared testimony. "Time is probably our greatest threat. The longer it takes for recovery to begin, the greater the likelihood of serious damage to U.S. strategic interests."
The longer the crisis continues, the more likely the risk of instability in many areas of the world including Latin America, Central Asia and Africa.
"Economic crises increase the risk of regime-threatening instability if they are prolonged for a one- to two-year period, and instability can loosen the fragile hold that many developing countries have on law and order, which can spill out in dangerous ways into the international community," he said.
The overlay of the crisis makes known threats -- such as al-Qaida -- even more dangerous, he said. Extremist Muslim groups retain the greatest capability to threaten the United States and its interests.
Still, there has been progress countering al-Qaida, in particular. Blair said the indiscriminate attacks on fellow Muslims in Iraq and North Africa have caused many moderate Muslims to condemn the group.
Al-Qaida remains a threat in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group portrays itself as aiding Taliban insurgents who are fighting Western imperialism, Blair said.
In Pakistan's tribal areas, the terror group lost many of its leaders in 2008, he said. While this has weakened the group in the area, the group in Pakistan remains the most dangerous and continues to plot against the United States and U.S. interests from havens in the region.
In Iraq, al-Qaida has been severely weakened, but still retains the ability to launch occasional attacks, he said.
The terror group is re-emerging in Yemen. A terror cell launched an attack on the U.S. embassy in Sanaa in September and has launched 19 attacks on Western targets in the country in 2008.
Blair forecasts more al-Qaida activity in East Africa, specifically in Kenya and Somalia.
Al-Qaida cells may grow in the United States, Blair said. "We remain concerned about the potential for homegrown extremists inspired by the al-Qaida militant ideology to plan attacks in the United States, Europe and elsewhere without operational direction from the group itself," he said. U.S. agencies will focus on identifying ties between U.S.-based individuals and extremist networks overseas.
There are terror groups beyond al-Qaida. Hezbollah in Lebanon remains a dangerous terrorist foe, Blair said. The group could attack U.S. targets if it perceives the United States is threatening its survival, leadership or infrastructure. Due to the terror group's sponsorship by Iran, should Hezbollah's leaders think the United States is a threat to its benefactor, the terror group may launch attacks on U.S. interests in the Middle East.
Iran is at the heart of what Blair calls an "arc of instability" running from the Middle East to South Asia. Blair said Iran's goal to be a regional power drives its efforts in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, North Africa, the Persian Gulf and beyond. It also is at the heart of the Iranian drive to develop nuclear weapons, he said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 14, 2009 - The global economic crisis colors all other threats confronting the United States, the new director of national intelligence told the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Feb. 12. Dennis C. Blair said the crisis raises the level of uncertainty in the world and places new areas of the globe in danger. Analysts are trying to understand the geopolitical implications of the crisis.
"The crisis has been ongoing for about a year, and economists are divided over whether and when we could hit bottom," Blair said in prepared testimony. "Time is probably our greatest threat. The longer it takes for recovery to begin, the greater the likelihood of serious damage to U.S. strategic interests."
The longer the crisis continues, the more likely the risk of instability in many areas of the world including Latin America, Central Asia and Africa.
"Economic crises increase the risk of regime-threatening instability if they are prolonged for a one- to two-year period, and instability can loosen the fragile hold that many developing countries have on law and order, which can spill out in dangerous ways into the international community," he said.
The overlay of the crisis makes known threats -- such as al-Qaida -- even more dangerous, he said. Extremist Muslim groups retain the greatest capability to threaten the United States and its interests.
Still, there has been progress countering al-Qaida, in particular. Blair said the indiscriminate attacks on fellow Muslims in Iraq and North Africa have caused many moderate Muslims to condemn the group.
Al-Qaida remains a threat in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group portrays itself as aiding Taliban insurgents who are fighting Western imperialism, Blair said.
In Pakistan's tribal areas, the terror group lost many of its leaders in 2008, he said. While this has weakened the group in the area, the group in Pakistan remains the most dangerous and continues to plot against the United States and U.S. interests from havens in the region.
In Iraq, al-Qaida has been severely weakened, but still retains the ability to launch occasional attacks, he said.
The terror group is re-emerging in Yemen. A terror cell launched an attack on the U.S. embassy in Sanaa in September and has launched 19 attacks on Western targets in the country in 2008.
Blair forecasts more al-Qaida activity in East Africa, specifically in Kenya and Somalia.
Al-Qaida cells may grow in the United States, Blair said. "We remain concerned about the potential for homegrown extremists inspired by the al-Qaida militant ideology to plan attacks in the United States, Europe and elsewhere without operational direction from the group itself," he said. U.S. agencies will focus on identifying ties between U.S.-based individuals and extremist networks overseas.
There are terror groups beyond al-Qaida. Hezbollah in Lebanon remains a dangerous terrorist foe, Blair said. The group could attack U.S. targets if it perceives the United States is threatening its survival, leadership or infrastructure. Due to the terror group's sponsorship by Iran, should Hezbollah's leaders think the United States is a threat to its benefactor, the terror group may launch attacks on U.S. interests in the Middle East.
Iran is at the heart of what Blair calls an "arc of instability" running from the Middle East to South Asia. Blair said Iran's goal to be a regional power drives its efforts in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, North Africa, the Persian Gulf and beyond. It also is at the heart of the Iranian drive to develop nuclear weapons, he said.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Air Forces Africa Works to Boost Nigerian Air Safety
By Air Force Maj. Paula Kurtz
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - While taking to the skies has some inherent risk, advances in technology, stringent maintenance requirements and rigorous training procedures for aircrews have contributed to a safe aerial environment in most parts of the world. But some parts of the world lack basic infrastructure and technology such as radar or air traffic control. Formal maintenance programs for aircraft do not exist, and communication between pilots and ground personnel is sporadic or nonexistent.
These are just a few of the air domain challenges faced by many of the 54 nations that make up the African continent. Since it stood up as the air component for U.S. Africa Command on Oct. 1, members of U.S. Air Forces Africa have been building a program aimed at bolstering air safety and security on the continent.
Air Force Lt. Col. David MacKenzie, deputy director of the plans directorate, traveled to Nigeria in January to work with Nigerian and U.S. aviation experts on charting the future of Nigeria's air domain program and to give a presentation on the U.S. search and rescue program and its capabilities.
"This was really a comprehensive and synchronized effort ... to enhance partner capacity in building Nigeria's air domain," MacKenzie said.
During the first portion of his visit, MacKenzie brought his expertise as a C-130 pilot and instructor to an assessment of the Nigerian air force's C-130 fleet and its logistics program. With only one of Nigeria's eight C-130s currently airworthy, the team evaluated the others for possible reconstitution, placing heavy emphasis on the maintenance required to keep them safely in the air.
"It's not just about fixing the aircraft," MacKenzie said. "There is a big sustainment piece in the supply, logistics and training areas as well. Spare parts should be available, and a supply system for technical orders and back-shop equipment, plus training for your maintenance, communications and supply people is required."
Ultimately, the goal of rebuilding the C-130 fleet is to facilitate Nigeria's commitment to contribute more support to peacekeeping operations on the continent through airlift of indigenous or neighboring troops and equipment, officials said. On the ground, Nigeria is building a force of seven peacekeeping battalions to support African Union and United Nations peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Sudan and Somalia.
"Right now, they have very limited ways to get people to the fight or sustain them when they are there," MacKenzie said.
His findings during this assessment will help to shape future theater security cooperation plans with Nigeria as issues are addressed through military-to-military capacity-building events led by the California National Guard in the State Partnership Program, joint exercises, conferences and senior-leader engagements.
While the Nigerian air force is focused on refurbishing its C-130 fleet, its civil aviation leaders are taking a hard look at equally important search and rescue procedures.
"Search and rescue really takes a coordinated approach," MacKenzie said Jan. 20 in Abuja, the country's capital. "They discussed the need to exercise their programs ... through tabletop and field exercises ... so they'll be better prepared when something happens. That's not the time you want to be testing your communications and procedures."
MacKenzie used the recent U.S. Airways emergency landing in New York's Hudson River as an example of well-practiced rescue procedures.
"We talked about the quick response of the rescue folks on the ground as part of that success story," MacKenzie said. "Those who had boats in the water -- Park Service, ferry operators, New York City police -- wasted no time in getting to the wreckage to render aid to the survivors. That was critical in minimizing injuries and saving lives."
Though acknowledging the Nigerian air domain has "significant gaps" in its safety and security procedures, MacKenzie was quick to compliment officials on their bird and safety hazards program, describing the country's main port city, Lagos, as a "sprawling city with lots of birds" that pose hazards to aircraft.
A three-tiered air domain safety and security program is designed to capitalize on "natural air linkages," where U.S. Air Force programs and capabilities can contribute to increasing capacity within the military and civil aviation programs on the continent.
Speaking at the African Aviation Leadership Conference in August, a Federal Aviation Administration official noted that in the 10-year period between 1994 and 2004, African nations accounted for only 4.5 percent of the world's total air traffic, but had a startling 25 percent of aviation accidents.
"We hope the Nigerians establish a safe and efficient air domain model in Nigeria, and hope it takes root and spreads," MacKenzie said. "It will if the leaders there have the political will to share and teach others in the region."
(Air Force Maj. Paula Kurtz serves with the 17th Air Force public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - While taking to the skies has some inherent risk, advances in technology, stringent maintenance requirements and rigorous training procedures for aircrews have contributed to a safe aerial environment in most parts of the world. But some parts of the world lack basic infrastructure and technology such as radar or air traffic control. Formal maintenance programs for aircraft do not exist, and communication between pilots and ground personnel is sporadic or nonexistent.
These are just a few of the air domain challenges faced by many of the 54 nations that make up the African continent. Since it stood up as the air component for U.S. Africa Command on Oct. 1, members of U.S. Air Forces Africa have been building a program aimed at bolstering air safety and security on the continent.
Air Force Lt. Col. David MacKenzie, deputy director of the plans directorate, traveled to Nigeria in January to work with Nigerian and U.S. aviation experts on charting the future of Nigeria's air domain program and to give a presentation on the U.S. search and rescue program and its capabilities.
"This was really a comprehensive and synchronized effort ... to enhance partner capacity in building Nigeria's air domain," MacKenzie said.
During the first portion of his visit, MacKenzie brought his expertise as a C-130 pilot and instructor to an assessment of the Nigerian air force's C-130 fleet and its logistics program. With only one of Nigeria's eight C-130s currently airworthy, the team evaluated the others for possible reconstitution, placing heavy emphasis on the maintenance required to keep them safely in the air.
"It's not just about fixing the aircraft," MacKenzie said. "There is a big sustainment piece in the supply, logistics and training areas as well. Spare parts should be available, and a supply system for technical orders and back-shop equipment, plus training for your maintenance, communications and supply people is required."
Ultimately, the goal of rebuilding the C-130 fleet is to facilitate Nigeria's commitment to contribute more support to peacekeeping operations on the continent through airlift of indigenous or neighboring troops and equipment, officials said. On the ground, Nigeria is building a force of seven peacekeeping battalions to support African Union and United Nations peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Sudan and Somalia.
"Right now, they have very limited ways to get people to the fight or sustain them when they are there," MacKenzie said.
His findings during this assessment will help to shape future theater security cooperation plans with Nigeria as issues are addressed through military-to-military capacity-building events led by the California National Guard in the State Partnership Program, joint exercises, conferences and senior-leader engagements.
While the Nigerian air force is focused on refurbishing its C-130 fleet, its civil aviation leaders are taking a hard look at equally important search and rescue procedures.
"Search and rescue really takes a coordinated approach," MacKenzie said Jan. 20 in Abuja, the country's capital. "They discussed the need to exercise their programs ... through tabletop and field exercises ... so they'll be better prepared when something happens. That's not the time you want to be testing your communications and procedures."
MacKenzie used the recent U.S. Airways emergency landing in New York's Hudson River as an example of well-practiced rescue procedures.
"We talked about the quick response of the rescue folks on the ground as part of that success story," MacKenzie said. "Those who had boats in the water -- Park Service, ferry operators, New York City police -- wasted no time in getting to the wreckage to render aid to the survivors. That was critical in minimizing injuries and saving lives."
Though acknowledging the Nigerian air domain has "significant gaps" in its safety and security procedures, MacKenzie was quick to compliment officials on their bird and safety hazards program, describing the country's main port city, Lagos, as a "sprawling city with lots of birds" that pose hazards to aircraft.
A three-tiered air domain safety and security program is designed to capitalize on "natural air linkages," where U.S. Air Force programs and capabilities can contribute to increasing capacity within the military and civil aviation programs on the continent.
Speaking at the African Aviation Leadership Conference in August, a Federal Aviation Administration official noted that in the 10-year period between 1994 and 2004, African nations accounted for only 4.5 percent of the world's total air traffic, but had a startling 25 percent of aviation accidents.
"We hope the Nigerians establish a safe and efficient air domain model in Nigeria, and hope it takes root and spreads," MacKenzie said. "It will if the leaders there have the political will to share and teach others in the region."
(Air Force Maj. Paula Kurtz serves with the 17th Air Force public affairs office.)
U.S. Must Prepare for 'Hybrid' Warfare, General Says
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - The U.S. military boasts dominant nuclear and conventional capabilities, but must improve its capacity to fight irregular wars, NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation said yesterday. Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who also serves as the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, said the United States has lost some of its nuclear and conventional war edge in recent years, but remains superior on these fronts.
"We are not superior in irregular warfare," he said in a speech at the Foreign Policy Research Institute here. "And that's what we've got to be."
Mattis discussed the need for the U.S. military to transform to a "hybrid" force that expands its nonconventional means without sacrificing classic warfighting competence.
Broadly defined, irregular warfare refers to conflict with an enemy that does not organize itself as a traditional military. As in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, this type of fighting entails stealthy attacks such as roadside bombings and ambushes, instead of direct military-to-military engagement.
In calculating how to establish greater balance among the two types of warfare, the general said, he noticed a common thread among past armies that morphed to meet a new set of challenges.
"Every military that transformed, that changed, that modernized, did so on the basis of one thing," he said. "They identified a problem and solved it."
These historical precedents are relevant today because the fundamental nature of war is unchanging, he added.
"If I was to sum up everything I've learned in 35 years of wearing this uniform, I'd do it with three words: improvise, improvise, improvise. And the more we anticipate, the more we try to get it right ahead of time, the less we have to improvise in combat," he said.
To help quantify problems the military may face over the next quarter century, officials developed the idea of the Joint Operating Environment. This conceptual battlefield takes into account potential threats born out of competition for resources, economics, increased urbanization and the possibility of nonstate actors obtaining more deadly weapons.
Joint Forces Command released its findings in December in a report called Joint Operating Environment 2008. A follow-on document, known as the Capstone Concept, created with approval from Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will guide how U.S. joint forces are implemented.
"Today's challenges and threats are not strictly military in nature, solved or countered by military means alone," Mullen said last month. "We owe future generations a longer-term view of security. The concept is designed to help military and other national security leaders think about challenges and opportunities."
Mattis said one certainty is that the United States will fight 21st century war among "hybrid conditions" and emphasized the need to maintain focus on the mixed-type of warfare and to make irregular war a core competency.
"If we don't set up some kind of magnet to pull the [Defense] Department out of its good old 'mano-a-mano' conventional war focus, then we won't shift the budgeting, we won't shift the focus over where it has to go," he said. "Really, we're going to have to be able to fight hybrid enemies."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - The U.S. military boasts dominant nuclear and conventional capabilities, but must improve its capacity to fight irregular wars, NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation said yesterday. Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who also serves as the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, said the United States has lost some of its nuclear and conventional war edge in recent years, but remains superior on these fronts.
"We are not superior in irregular warfare," he said in a speech at the Foreign Policy Research Institute here. "And that's what we've got to be."
Mattis discussed the need for the U.S. military to transform to a "hybrid" force that expands its nonconventional means without sacrificing classic warfighting competence.
Broadly defined, irregular warfare refers to conflict with an enemy that does not organize itself as a traditional military. As in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, this type of fighting entails stealthy attacks such as roadside bombings and ambushes, instead of direct military-to-military engagement.
In calculating how to establish greater balance among the two types of warfare, the general said, he noticed a common thread among past armies that morphed to meet a new set of challenges.
"Every military that transformed, that changed, that modernized, did so on the basis of one thing," he said. "They identified a problem and solved it."
These historical precedents are relevant today because the fundamental nature of war is unchanging, he added.
"If I was to sum up everything I've learned in 35 years of wearing this uniform, I'd do it with three words: improvise, improvise, improvise. And the more we anticipate, the more we try to get it right ahead of time, the less we have to improvise in combat," he said.
To help quantify problems the military may face over the next quarter century, officials developed the idea of the Joint Operating Environment. This conceptual battlefield takes into account potential threats born out of competition for resources, economics, increased urbanization and the possibility of nonstate actors obtaining more deadly weapons.
Joint Forces Command released its findings in December in a report called Joint Operating Environment 2008. A follow-on document, known as the Capstone Concept, created with approval from Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will guide how U.S. joint forces are implemented.
"Today's challenges and threats are not strictly military in nature, solved or countered by military means alone," Mullen said last month. "We owe future generations a longer-term view of security. The concept is designed to help military and other national security leaders think about challenges and opportunities."
Mattis said one certainty is that the United States will fight 21st century war among "hybrid conditions" and emphasized the need to maintain focus on the mixed-type of warfare and to make irregular war a core competency.
"If we don't set up some kind of magnet to pull the [Defense] Department out of its good old 'mano-a-mano' conventional war focus, then we won't shift the budgeting, we won't shift the focus over where it has to go," he said. "Really, we're going to have to be able to fight hybrid enemies."
Card Decks Raise Awareness of Egyptian Antiquities
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Legend has it that when the French invaded Egypt in 1798, artillerymen used the Sphinx for target practice and shot the nose off of it. Laurie Rush wants to make sure American troops traveling to Egypt for the upcoming Bright Star military exercise don't make the same impression.
Rush, the cultural resources program manager at Fort Drum, N.Y., has put together a deck of cards for servicemembers that urges them to respect Egyptian heritage. She was the brains behind a similar deck distributed to servicemembers deploying to Iraq.
The cards are part of the Defense Department's Legacy Resource Management Program, which is aimed at preserving natural and cultural resources. Archeologists from around the world are working together to preserve mankind's common heritage.
The effort will include distributing 10,000 decks of cards to Americans and, perhaps, international servicemembers who will deploy to the "Land of the Pharaohs," Rush said in an interview. "The cards have English and Arabic, so it's a good way to spread the word," Rush said.
The Bright Star exercise will begin in September, but servicemembers will start arriving for planning sessions months earlier. Personnel deploying to Bright Star will receive instruction in safeguarding artifacts and archeologically sensitive sites. The cards will serve as a reminder of those lessons.
Each card has a photograph of the gold funerary mask of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, on one side. On the other, each card has a different photo and factoid on Egyptian history or generic tips to preserve archeological treasures. For example, the five of hearts has a picture of the temple of Abu Simbel and the words "Protecting archeological sites helps preserve them for future generations."
The nine of spades has a shot of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and the caption, "Helicopter rotor wash can damage archeological sites. Locate your [landing zones] a safe distance away from known sites."
"In Egypt, we need our people to really pay attention to their surroundings," Rush said. "If they are in areas where the ground is more than just sand, they need to be as careful as they can be."
Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilizations. People have lived along the Nile River for at least 8,000 years, and great cities rose and fell along the banks of the river. It's not uncommon for visitors there to stumble upon an artifact.
Being mindful of artifacts is more than just being careful in the field, Rush said. Egyptian grave robbers and artifact scavengers sell antiquities.
"Aside from the fact that many of these artifacts are fakes, the Egyptian government and the U.S. military has severe penalties for anyone caught buying or selling these goods," Rush said.
These artifacts often are all that remain of ancient civilizations, Rush said. Professional archeologists who find artifacts in place can fill in gaps in human history.
Rush worked with experts at the Colorado State University. James A. Zeidler and Tracy Wagner were responsible for the final design and production of the decks.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Legend has it that when the French invaded Egypt in 1798, artillerymen used the Sphinx for target practice and shot the nose off of it. Laurie Rush wants to make sure American troops traveling to Egypt for the upcoming Bright Star military exercise don't make the same impression.
Rush, the cultural resources program manager at Fort Drum, N.Y., has put together a deck of cards for servicemembers that urges them to respect Egyptian heritage. She was the brains behind a similar deck distributed to servicemembers deploying to Iraq.
The cards are part of the Defense Department's Legacy Resource Management Program, which is aimed at preserving natural and cultural resources. Archeologists from around the world are working together to preserve mankind's common heritage.
The effort will include distributing 10,000 decks of cards to Americans and, perhaps, international servicemembers who will deploy to the "Land of the Pharaohs," Rush said in an interview. "The cards have English and Arabic, so it's a good way to spread the word," Rush said.
The Bright Star exercise will begin in September, but servicemembers will start arriving for planning sessions months earlier. Personnel deploying to Bright Star will receive instruction in safeguarding artifacts and archeologically sensitive sites. The cards will serve as a reminder of those lessons.
Each card has a photograph of the gold funerary mask of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, on one side. On the other, each card has a different photo and factoid on Egyptian history or generic tips to preserve archeological treasures. For example, the five of hearts has a picture of the temple of Abu Simbel and the words "Protecting archeological sites helps preserve them for future generations."
The nine of spades has a shot of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and the caption, "Helicopter rotor wash can damage archeological sites. Locate your [landing zones] a safe distance away from known sites."
"In Egypt, we need our people to really pay attention to their surroundings," Rush said. "If they are in areas where the ground is more than just sand, they need to be as careful as they can be."
Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilizations. People have lived along the Nile River for at least 8,000 years, and great cities rose and fell along the banks of the river. It's not uncommon for visitors there to stumble upon an artifact.
Being mindful of artifacts is more than just being careful in the field, Rush said. Egyptian grave robbers and artifact scavengers sell antiquities.
"Aside from the fact that many of these artifacts are fakes, the Egyptian government and the U.S. military has severe penalties for anyone caught buying or selling these goods," Rush said.
These artifacts often are all that remain of ancient civilizations, Rush said. Professional archeologists who find artifacts in place can fill in gaps in human history.
Rush worked with experts at the Colorado State University. James A. Zeidler and Tracy Wagner were responsible for the final design and production of the decks.
Suicide Prevention Hotline Saves Veterans' Lives
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide.
Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007.
The VA initiative is part of a collaborative effort with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a nationwide network of 133 crisis centers. Calls automatically are routed to the nearest center based on the caller's area code.
The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is staffed by trained mental health professionals prepared to deal with immediate crisis. Although the lifeline isn't restricted to military veterans only, callers are prompted to "please press 1 now" if they are a U.S. military veteran or are calling about a veteran. Callers who press 1 are transferred to the nearest VA call center.
More than 2,600 veterans have been "rescued" through the hotline, according to a recent VA statement.
"I urge veterans and their loved ones to take advantage of our suicide-prevention program," VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said in the statement. "Help for these heroes is a phone call away."
An estimated 5,000 veterans commit suicide annually, with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans 35 percent more likely to commit suicide than the general population. VA statistics show that between 2002 and 2006, more than 250 veterans who left the military after Sept. 11, 2001, committed suicide.
The trend has grown within the active-duty military rank,s too. A steady increase in suicides among veterans and active-duty members has been persistent in recent years. The Army recently announced 2008 as its highest suicide year since 1980, with at least 128 soldiers confirmed to have taken their own lives, while 15 other cases are pending investigations.
VA, the Defense Department and local communities are making it a point to understand suicide and determine better prevention methods. Defense leaders, including Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have voiced concerns for short- and long-term solutions.
"We have got to be able to support those individuals in ways that, in some cases, we haven't quite figured out yet," Mullen said during a lecture at Grove City College, Pa., earlier this month.
Mullen routinely advocates for solutions to increase the amount of rest and time at home troops have in between deployments. Officials recognize the high tempo of deployment rotations as being a likely factor for the increased suicide rates.
VA and active-duty military officials are working with outside research organizations to improve their programs and lower the numbers. The Army and National Institute of Mental Health recently launched a five-year research initiative to gain a better understanding in the hope of preventing suicides in the military and nation.
To identify and treat at-risk patients, prevention efforts and initiatives are in place in each of VA's 153 medical centers and more than 750 outpatient clinics across the nation. Also, suicide prevention coordinators are on hand at each facility.
Troubled veterans, whether they call the suicide prevention hotline or walk in, receive follow-up care almost immediately. Preliminary evaluations occur within 24 hours of requests, and referrals are given for mental health appointments. Comprehensive evaluations are conducted within 14 days, with emergency cases handled immediately.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide.
Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007.
The VA initiative is part of a collaborative effort with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a nationwide network of 133 crisis centers. Calls automatically are routed to the nearest center based on the caller's area code.
The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is staffed by trained mental health professionals prepared to deal with immediate crisis. Although the lifeline isn't restricted to military veterans only, callers are prompted to "please press 1 now" if they are a U.S. military veteran or are calling about a veteran. Callers who press 1 are transferred to the nearest VA call center.
More than 2,600 veterans have been "rescued" through the hotline, according to a recent VA statement.
"I urge veterans and their loved ones to take advantage of our suicide-prevention program," VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said in the statement. "Help for these heroes is a phone call away."
An estimated 5,000 veterans commit suicide annually, with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans 35 percent more likely to commit suicide than the general population. VA statistics show that between 2002 and 2006, more than 250 veterans who left the military after Sept. 11, 2001, committed suicide.
The trend has grown within the active-duty military rank,s too. A steady increase in suicides among veterans and active-duty members has been persistent in recent years. The Army recently announced 2008 as its highest suicide year since 1980, with at least 128 soldiers confirmed to have taken their own lives, while 15 other cases are pending investigations.
VA, the Defense Department and local communities are making it a point to understand suicide and determine better prevention methods. Defense leaders, including Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have voiced concerns for short- and long-term solutions.
"We have got to be able to support those individuals in ways that, in some cases, we haven't quite figured out yet," Mullen said during a lecture at Grove City College, Pa., earlier this month.
Mullen routinely advocates for solutions to increase the amount of rest and time at home troops have in between deployments. Officials recognize the high tempo of deployment rotations as being a likely factor for the increased suicide rates.
VA and active-duty military officials are working with outside research organizations to improve their programs and lower the numbers. The Army and National Institute of Mental Health recently launched a five-year research initiative to gain a better understanding in the hope of preventing suicides in the military and nation.
To identify and treat at-risk patients, prevention efforts and initiatives are in place in each of VA's 153 medical centers and more than 750 outpatient clinics across the nation. Also, suicide prevention coordinators are on hand at each facility.
Troubled veterans, whether they call the suicide prevention hotline or walk in, receive follow-up care almost immediately. Preliminary evaluations occur within 24 hours of requests, and referrals are given for mental health appointments. Comprehensive evaluations are conducted within 14 days, with emergency cases handled immediately.
Center Tracks Icebergs to Ensure Safety at Sea
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - A multiagency center operated by the Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard provides continuous tracking and monitoring of ice movements to support national interests throughout the world. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gary Premo, a senior ice analyst at the National Ice Center, was interviewed on "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" on BlogTalkRadio.com on Feb. 11 about the NIC's role in analyzing ice movements for safety of navigation and operations and in monitoring the changing Arctic climate.
"We record the ice change on a global scale. We also provide tactical support to the Navy and government agencies," Premo said.
Premo is an aerographer's mate, jokingly known as "weather guessers" in the Navy. They draw on extensive training in meteorology and oceanography to assess weather situations and provide commanders with tactical support. They can specialize in a variety of fields, including ice monitoring, aviation weather, hydrography, and anti-submarine and mine warfare.
Premo explained the breadth of factors that must be considered when monitoring ice, including variation in climate, currents and topography.
"To know a certain area, you have to know its climatological features dealing with weather, its wind regimes, and you have to know how to read the weather charts," Premo said.
Ice analysts rely on a wide array of satellite imaging and geospatial information technologies housed at the NOAA's Satellite Operations Facility. These tools include high-resolution synthetic aperture radar, infrared imagery, and passive microwave sensors for positional analysis of ice structures.
NIC also developed and maintains a system for naming Antarctic ice structures that have broken free from land. Icebergs that are at least 10 nautical miles at their longest axis are named and tracked through the open water until they melt below this threshold.
"We're actually the agency that does it globalwide. If you see a named iceberg in the news, that's actually us doing it," Premo said.
In addition to tracking ice movements, NIC provides tactical analyses and daily forecasts of ice conditions in the Arctic, Antarctica and the Great Lakes. The Fractures/Leads and Polynyas product is used by the U.S. Navy to identify ice fractures and aid in submarine surfacing. NIC makes daily sea ice edge measurements and ice consolidation data available to the public.
"The edge line is probably one of our most used products downloaded off our Web [site] and used by our customers," Premo said.
Premo described some of the climate changes observed in the Arctic over the past decade, including a decrease in "multiyear ice", the ice that historically survives the yearly summer melt.
"More and more of that multiyear ice has been diminishing," Premo said. "When you actually go into a melt season, that multiyear [ice] becomes smaller and smaller, which is making the Arctic more open water -- "sea ice free" as we call it -- and that's been happening over the last decade."
(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - A multiagency center operated by the Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard provides continuous tracking and monitoring of ice movements to support national interests throughout the world. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gary Premo, a senior ice analyst at the National Ice Center, was interviewed on "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" on BlogTalkRadio.com on Feb. 11 about the NIC's role in analyzing ice movements for safety of navigation and operations and in monitoring the changing Arctic climate.
"We record the ice change on a global scale. We also provide tactical support to the Navy and government agencies," Premo said.
Premo is an aerographer's mate, jokingly known as "weather guessers" in the Navy. They draw on extensive training in meteorology and oceanography to assess weather situations and provide commanders with tactical support. They can specialize in a variety of fields, including ice monitoring, aviation weather, hydrography, and anti-submarine and mine warfare.
Premo explained the breadth of factors that must be considered when monitoring ice, including variation in climate, currents and topography.
"To know a certain area, you have to know its climatological features dealing with weather, its wind regimes, and you have to know how to read the weather charts," Premo said.
Ice analysts rely on a wide array of satellite imaging and geospatial information technologies housed at the NOAA's Satellite Operations Facility. These tools include high-resolution synthetic aperture radar, infrared imagery, and passive microwave sensors for positional analysis of ice structures.
NIC also developed and maintains a system for naming Antarctic ice structures that have broken free from land. Icebergs that are at least 10 nautical miles at their longest axis are named and tracked through the open water until they melt below this threshold.
"We're actually the agency that does it globalwide. If you see a named iceberg in the news, that's actually us doing it," Premo said.
In addition to tracking ice movements, NIC provides tactical analyses and daily forecasts of ice conditions in the Arctic, Antarctica and the Great Lakes. The Fractures/Leads and Polynyas product is used by the U.S. Navy to identify ice fractures and aid in submarine surfacing. NIC makes daily sea ice edge measurements and ice consolidation data available to the public.
"The edge line is probably one of our most used products downloaded off our Web [site] and used by our customers," Premo said.
Premo described some of the climate changes observed in the Arctic over the past decade, including a decrease in "multiyear ice", the ice that historically survives the yearly summer melt.
"More and more of that multiyear ice has been diminishing," Premo said. "When you actually go into a melt season, that multiyear [ice] becomes smaller and smaller, which is making the Arctic more open water -- "sea ice free" as we call it -- and that's been happening over the last decade."
(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)
Reserve Component Units Recognized for Superb Family Support
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Seven National Guard and reserve units received recognition for their support of families of deployed troops at a Pentagon ceremony today. Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, hosted the annual Department of Defense Reserve Family Readiness Awards presentation, which highlighted the best National Guard and reserve unit family readiness support programs in 2008.
The awardees constitute "a mirror image of all of those units throughout our country" that labor to assist the families of deployed National Guard members and reservists, Hall said.
Each recognized unit received an engraved wood Defense Department plaque and a certificate signed by Hall. Award recipients also received a certificate and $1,000 from the Military Officers Association of America.
The military's aircraft, ships, tanks and other equipment have little value without the servicemembers who operate and maintain them, Hall pointed out.
"People are the key, and always have been the key, and that's what this ceremony today is about," Hall said. That's why, he added, it's important to support the families of deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members who perform vital wartime missions.
Having deployed to Iraq in 2003, Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Keough Cofield knows what it's like to serve in a war zone. Today, Cofield is a family program liaison with the 3rd Brigade, 98th Division, 108th Training Command, based at Lexington, Ky. The 108th was among the awardees at today's Pentagon ceremony.
"It's definitely an honor to win this [award]," Cofield said, noting that his unit established an informational Web site for families of deployed servicemembers.
"Families can go online and click on a link and find all of the resources that are available to them," Cofield said, such as the USO and the Red Cross.
When he was in Iraq, Cofield recalled being comforted by the thought that there were family support personnel ready to assist his family.
"Knowing that there were individuals back home taking care of my family put my mind at ease and let me focus on the mission at hand," he said.
Cofield's family support assistant, Chevonne Baxter, echoed his comments. "Helping families is very important, because they are the soldier's support system," she said. "If family isn't taken care of, the soldier will worry.
"We're going to make sure that the families are taken care of in support of that soldier," she said.
The 108th's family support program operates a monthly family newsletter, Baxter said, and families of deployed servicemembers are frequently contacted via e-mail "to see if everything is running smoothly."
Other units recognized at the ceremony include:
--Army National Guard: 263d Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Anderson, S.C.;
-- Navy Reserve: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24, Huntsville, Ala.;
--Marine Corps Reserve: 6th Engineer Support Battalion, Portland, Ore.;
-- Air National Guard: 153d Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyo.;
--Air Force Reserve: 439th Airlift Wing, Springfield, Mass.;
--Coast Guard Reserve: Port Security Unit 309, Port Clinton, Ohio.
The department's Reserve Family Readiness Awards program was established in 2000. Robust family support programs are important and vital to mission success, officials said, as significant numbers of servicemembers have deployed overseas in support of the global war on terrorism.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Seven National Guard and reserve units received recognition for their support of families of deployed troops at a Pentagon ceremony today. Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, hosted the annual Department of Defense Reserve Family Readiness Awards presentation, which highlighted the best National Guard and reserve unit family readiness support programs in 2008.
The awardees constitute "a mirror image of all of those units throughout our country" that labor to assist the families of deployed National Guard members and reservists, Hall said.
Each recognized unit received an engraved wood Defense Department plaque and a certificate signed by Hall. Award recipients also received a certificate and $1,000 from the Military Officers Association of America.
The military's aircraft, ships, tanks and other equipment have little value without the servicemembers who operate and maintain them, Hall pointed out.
"People are the key, and always have been the key, and that's what this ceremony today is about," Hall said. That's why, he added, it's important to support the families of deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members who perform vital wartime missions.
Having deployed to Iraq in 2003, Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Keough Cofield knows what it's like to serve in a war zone. Today, Cofield is a family program liaison with the 3rd Brigade, 98th Division, 108th Training Command, based at Lexington, Ky. The 108th was among the awardees at today's Pentagon ceremony.
"It's definitely an honor to win this [award]," Cofield said, noting that his unit established an informational Web site for families of deployed servicemembers.
"Families can go online and click on a link and find all of the resources that are available to them," Cofield said, such as the USO and the Red Cross.
When he was in Iraq, Cofield recalled being comforted by the thought that there were family support personnel ready to assist his family.
"Knowing that there were individuals back home taking care of my family put my mind at ease and let me focus on the mission at hand," he said.
Cofield's family support assistant, Chevonne Baxter, echoed his comments. "Helping families is very important, because they are the soldier's support system," she said. "If family isn't taken care of, the soldier will worry.
"We're going to make sure that the families are taken care of in support of that soldier," she said.
The 108th's family support program operates a monthly family newsletter, Baxter said, and families of deployed servicemembers are frequently contacted via e-mail "to see if everything is running smoothly."
Other units recognized at the ceremony include:
--Army National Guard: 263d Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Anderson, S.C.;
-- Navy Reserve: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24, Huntsville, Ala.;
--Marine Corps Reserve: 6th Engineer Support Battalion, Portland, Ore.;
-- Air National Guard: 153d Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyo.;
--Air Force Reserve: 439th Airlift Wing, Springfield, Mass.;
--Coast Guard Reserve: Port Security Unit 309, Port Clinton, Ohio.
The department's Reserve Family Readiness Awards program was established in 2000. Robust family support programs are important and vital to mission success, officials said, as significant numbers of servicemembers have deployed overseas in support of the global war on terrorism.
Senior Leaders Examine 2010 Defense Budget Choices
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Senior defense leaders are taking a serious and critical look at the president's fiscal 2010 defense budget request, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, the combatant commanders, and other civilian and military leaders from the Defense Department are discussing department-related issues, including the budget, during the Defense Senior Leadership Conference, Morrell said at a news conference.
Morrell said the secretary is reshaping the request to reflect current and future realities.
"He wants to make sure the budget balances the demands of the wars we are currently fighting and the future threats we may face," he said. "Of course, he is acutely aware that we are crafting this budget in the midst of a global financial crisis, so it must not only be militarily responsible, but also fiscally realistic."
Gates said in testimony before Congress last month that the department is ready to make the tough choices in the defense budget. The senior leader conference is looking at the budget with this in mind.
"First, we must make tough choices about programs suffering from serious execution problems," Morrell said. "Second, we have to find new ways of doing business more efficiently and cost-effectively. And third, the services must strive to be as joint in their acquisitions as they are in their operations."
The secretary has said he wants the combatant commanders to explore new ideas. "We need to look for cost efficiencies, and we need to be more joint in how we acquire [capabilities]," Morrell said.
The secretary often has mentioned that military services must depend on other services for capabilities. If one service is building a capability, another service does not have to duplicate it.
"The services clearly have been extraordinarily joint in their operations since Operation Enduring Freedom began in late 2001," Morrell said. "They have been increasingly joint in other aspects as well.
"[The secretary] really does believe that we need to put service interests aside as much as we can when it comes to budgeting and acquisitions and so forth, and work more jointly and not see ourselves as separate stovepipe budgets, but one larger defense budget that looks out for our collective capabilities and risks."
Morrell also discussed the Defense Department portion of the economic stimulus package. The White House asked for -- and the department delivered -- a list of military construction projects that could be part of the stimulus bill now being voted on by Congress. "The [Defense Department] portion of the stimulus package ... totals a little more than $7 billion," Morrell said.
If President Barack Obama signs the legislation, the Defense Department will receive the money for near-term construction projects "that could make a difference in the lives of our servicemembers and their families," Morrell said, such as barracks, medical clinics and child care centers.
"For us, anything helps," Morrell said. "It does help us address the needs of our servicemembers and their families, and for that we are thankful. ... And we look forward to executing that money as soon as we get it, because we think it can make a difference not only in their lives, but in the near-term economic state of the country, as well. We can put people to work and do these military construction projects in the next six to 18 months, and hopefully have an impact."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - Senior defense leaders are taking a serious and critical look at the president's fiscal 2010 defense budget request, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, the combatant commanders, and other civilian and military leaders from the Defense Department are discussing department-related issues, including the budget, during the Defense Senior Leadership Conference, Morrell said at a news conference.
Morrell said the secretary is reshaping the request to reflect current and future realities.
"He wants to make sure the budget balances the demands of the wars we are currently fighting and the future threats we may face," he said. "Of course, he is acutely aware that we are crafting this budget in the midst of a global financial crisis, so it must not only be militarily responsible, but also fiscally realistic."
Gates said in testimony before Congress last month that the department is ready to make the tough choices in the defense budget. The senior leader conference is looking at the budget with this in mind.
"First, we must make tough choices about programs suffering from serious execution problems," Morrell said. "Second, we have to find new ways of doing business more efficiently and cost-effectively. And third, the services must strive to be as joint in their acquisitions as they are in their operations."
The secretary has said he wants the combatant commanders to explore new ideas. "We need to look for cost efficiencies, and we need to be more joint in how we acquire [capabilities]," Morrell said.
The secretary often has mentioned that military services must depend on other services for capabilities. If one service is building a capability, another service does not have to duplicate it.
"The services clearly have been extraordinarily joint in their operations since Operation Enduring Freedom began in late 2001," Morrell said. "They have been increasingly joint in other aspects as well.
"[The secretary] really does believe that we need to put service interests aside as much as we can when it comes to budgeting and acquisitions and so forth, and work more jointly and not see ourselves as separate stovepipe budgets, but one larger defense budget that looks out for our collective capabilities and risks."
Morrell also discussed the Defense Department portion of the economic stimulus package. The White House asked for -- and the department delivered -- a list of military construction projects that could be part of the stimulus bill now being voted on by Congress. "The [Defense Department] portion of the stimulus package ... totals a little more than $7 billion," Morrell said.
If President Barack Obama signs the legislation, the Defense Department will receive the money for near-term construction projects "that could make a difference in the lives of our servicemembers and their families," Morrell said, such as barracks, medical clinics and child care centers.
"For us, anything helps," Morrell said. "It does help us address the needs of our servicemembers and their families, and for that we are thankful. ... And we look forward to executing that money as soon as we get it, because we think it can make a difference not only in their lives, but in the near-term economic state of the country, as well. We can put people to work and do these military construction projects in the next six to 18 months, and hopefully have an impact."
Decision Pending on Status of Suspected Somali Pirates
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - The 16 suspected pirates captured by American ships yesterday and Feb. 11 have been transferred to the USNS Lewis and Clark, defense officials said today. The suspects -- all believed to be Somali -- are being treated properly and humanely, Defense Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said during a Pentagon news conference.
The suspects will "remain aboard that ship until information and evidence is assembled and evaluated and a decision is ultimately made regarding their future transfer," Morrell said.
Servicemembers in Task Force 151 -- the anti-piracy group operating in the Gulf of Aden -- will compile the evidence in each case and determine if there is ample evidence to recommend prosecution.
"If there isn't, we will likely repatriate these individuals -- of course, minus the weapons that they were apprehended with," Morrell said.
The United States has a memorandum of understanding with Kenya on the piracy issue. Under the agreement, any pirates captured would be brought to justice in Kenya. Prosecuting these men will show there is a price to criminal behavior on the high seas, Defense Department officials said.
"The commander of the task force is ultimately responsible for determining whether or not these individuals will be taken to Kenya for adjudication or whether they -- some of them or all of them -- can be released," Morrell said.
The U.S. decision is being made even as a Russian cruiser seized 10 suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The Russian cruiser is part of a multinational effort to stop piracy in the region. The ships operate under a United Nations Security Council resolution.
"Overall, this speaks to the fact that the task force is aggressively patrolling this body of water as, frankly, are many other nations that are not a part of this task force, all in response to an international cry to do more to protect cargo and other material and individuals being shipped through there," Morrell said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - The 16 suspected pirates captured by American ships yesterday and Feb. 11 have been transferred to the USNS Lewis and Clark, defense officials said today. The suspects -- all believed to be Somali -- are being treated properly and humanely, Defense Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said during a Pentagon news conference.
The suspects will "remain aboard that ship until information and evidence is assembled and evaluated and a decision is ultimately made regarding their future transfer," Morrell said.
Servicemembers in Task Force 151 -- the anti-piracy group operating in the Gulf of Aden -- will compile the evidence in each case and determine if there is ample evidence to recommend prosecution.
"If there isn't, we will likely repatriate these individuals -- of course, minus the weapons that they were apprehended with," Morrell said.
The United States has a memorandum of understanding with Kenya on the piracy issue. Under the agreement, any pirates captured would be brought to justice in Kenya. Prosecuting these men will show there is a price to criminal behavior on the high seas, Defense Department officials said.
"The commander of the task force is ultimately responsible for determining whether or not these individuals will be taken to Kenya for adjudication or whether they -- some of them or all of them -- can be released," Morrell said.
The U.S. decision is being made even as a Russian cruiser seized 10 suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The Russian cruiser is part of a multinational effort to stop piracy in the region. The ships operate under a United Nations Security Council resolution.
"Overall, this speaks to the fact that the task force is aggressively patrolling this body of water as, frankly, are many other nations that are not a part of this task force, all in response to an international cry to do more to protect cargo and other material and individuals being shipped through there," Morrell said.
Guard, Reserve Members Score Support from USA Basketball
By Jessica Gonzalez
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - On the eve of the highly anticipated National Basketball Association's All-Star weekend, the managing director of the Men's USA Basketball National Team signed an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve statement of support here yesterday. Jerry Colangelo was joined by political, business and military officials from throughout Arizona.
ESGR is a Defense Department organization that works to promote cooperation and understanding between Guard and Reserve members and their civilian employers, and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.
The occasion represented USA Basketball's continued recognition of the nearly 700,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen that have gone to war for the United States since Sept. 11, 2001.
ESGR State Chairman Scott Essex thanked USA Basketball and other supporting businesses on behalf of nearly 13,000 Arizona National Guard and Reserve members. He also recognized the dozens of volunteers that help ESGR achieve its employer-outreach goals.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon extended the city's support for Arizona's servicemembers and veterans by offering the city and its resources in recognition and respect for their sacrifices, at one point noting that there is nothing more important to the city of Phoenix than assisting servicemembers in need.
Phoenix was the first major city in Arizona to support employees activated into service by providing differential pay to prevent financial hardship while deployed, officials said.
Reflecting on his world travels, Colangelo noted the pride he felt as an American overseas. He said he encountered servicemembers from foreign nations who spoke of the respect they had for America and how much its military aided in the protection of the world.
Colangelo also pointed out how much it meant to him and USA Basketball to be a part of ESGR. Supporting the Guard and Reserve, a seemingly basic responsibility of employers, took on a new meaning with USA Basketball's statement of support.
Colangelo said he hopes his organization's participation in this program will help other companies see the need to reform or establish their own polices.
(Jessica Gonzalez serves in the Arizona National Guard.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2009 - On the eve of the highly anticipated National Basketball Association's All-Star weekend, the managing director of the Men's USA Basketball National Team signed an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve statement of support here yesterday. Jerry Colangelo was joined by political, business and military officials from throughout Arizona.
ESGR is a Defense Department organization that works to promote cooperation and understanding between Guard and Reserve members and their civilian employers, and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.
The occasion represented USA Basketball's continued recognition of the nearly 700,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen that have gone to war for the United States since Sept. 11, 2001.
ESGR State Chairman Scott Essex thanked USA Basketball and other supporting businesses on behalf of nearly 13,000 Arizona National Guard and Reserve members. He also recognized the dozens of volunteers that help ESGR achieve its employer-outreach goals.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon extended the city's support for Arizona's servicemembers and veterans by offering the city and its resources in recognition and respect for their sacrifices, at one point noting that there is nothing more important to the city of Phoenix than assisting servicemembers in need.
Phoenix was the first major city in Arizona to support employees activated into service by providing differential pay to prevent financial hardship while deployed, officials said.
Reflecting on his world travels, Colangelo noted the pride he felt as an American overseas. He said he encountered servicemembers from foreign nations who spoke of the respect they had for America and how much its military aided in the protection of the world.
Colangelo also pointed out how much it meant to him and USA Basketball to be a part of ESGR. Supporting the Guard and Reserve, a seemingly basic responsibility of employers, took on a new meaning with USA Basketball's statement of support.
Colangelo said he hopes his organization's participation in this program will help other companies see the need to reform or establish their own polices.
(Jessica Gonzalez serves in the Arizona National Guard.)
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