By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 25, 2009 - What keeps the top U.S. commanders up at night? Three four-star officers from Europe and the Pacific got asked that question yesterday during a House Armed Services Committee hearing and shared their most pressing concerns. Army Gen. Walter "Skip" Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said his No. 1 concern lies directly north of his Seoul headquarters. "It's Kin Jong Il in the North Korea regime ... and his willingness to be able to do everything he can for his regime's survival," even at the expense of his own people, he told the panel.
For Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, commander of U.S. European Command, the biggest concern is making sure NATO has a force "ready and adequate" to respond to a threat or direct attack.
Meanwhile, at U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating said he sees "the spread of radical terrorists and those who would support them" as the biggest threats in an otherwise stable region.
Sharp called North Korea "the primary threat to stability and security in northeast Asia."
"We continue to be concerned with the threat posed by North Korea's large conventional military, artillery, ballistic missiles and special-operating forces, all that are located very near the North-South Korea border," he told the panel.
In addition, North Korea is the world's leading supplier to ballistic missiles and related technology, and a major proliferator of conventional weapons, he said.
Sharp pointed to North Korea's most recent provocations -- including a planned satellite launch -- "an attempt to ensure the regime survival and improve its bargaining position at international negotiations to gain concessions."
Meanwhile, Craddock said his biggest issue is ensuring the 26-nation NATO alliance is ready to respond to "Article 4 or 5 directives" issued due to a direct threat or attack on a NATO ally.
"It's when they tell me to do it, I have something capable to do it with," Craddock told American Forces Press Service.
Russia's incursion into Georgia last summer shook some long-held assumptions, he said during yesterday's testimony.
"For years -- 15, 16 years -- the assumption made in our focus on Europe was that there would be no invasions of anyone's land borders," Craddock said. "Well, that turned upside down, and that created an angst, a sense of tension among many of the NATO nations."
The key in moving toward the future, he said, is to "find and strike a balance between Russia and the NATO members and NATO partners."
"I believe we need to open up a dialogue and an engagement both bilaterally, the United States with Russia, and also from an alliance perspective," Craddock said.
As the discussion turned to the Pacific, Keating told the committee, "We don't lose sleep over many things at our headquarters."
He called the threat of violent extremism a black mark in his area of operations that's otherwise characterized by "a remarkable level of stability."
Keating noted progress made in preventing its spread, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines, during congressional testimony yesterday and last week. "I think we're making reasonable to good progress on our efforts to make life difficult for them, to reduce their number and to reduce their support base," he said.
Pacom currently has about 650 special operations forces in the Philippines, training the Philippine military, Keating told the panel. As a result of this type of cooperation, the Philippines' armed forces are "making great strides in reducing the vulnerability and the sustainability of the Abuy Sayyaf group and the Jamaah Islamiyah terrorists that have been trying to secure a foothold in the southern Philippines," he said.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
China's Military Capabilities Continue to Grow, Report Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 25, 2009 - Transformation of the Chinese military has gained speed, but U.S. officials would like to see China become more transparent about military and security affairs, according to a report to Congress released today. The Defense Department report, called "Military Power of the People's Republic of China," provides some new details, "but there are no new, major strategic insights revealed or capabilities revealed," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
In the report, officials said that Chinese transparency has improved over the past year, "but much remains to be learned about China's national and military strategies, progress and trends in its military modernization, and the related implications for regional security and stability."
China's increased military ability stems from the nation's emergence as an economic superpower. With 8 percent per year economic growth, the Chinese have been able to invest significant sums in military modernization.
Morrell said the United States continues to ask for "more dialogue and transparency in our dealings with the Chinese government and military, all in an effort to reduce suspicions on both sides."
The Chinese still look at transparency as "a transaction to be negotiated." U.S. officials would like the Chinese to see transparency as a responsibility that accompanies the accumulation of national power. Without this transparency, conclusions in the report are subject to best guesses by U.S. experts.
To begin, the Chinese need to be more transparent in budgeting, the report says. The People's Liberation Army budget has more than doubled since 2000 -- from $27.9 billion to $60.1 billion. Officials believe the Chinese are underreporting the amount they spend on security. The real budget in 2008 is probably between $105 billion and $150 billion.
The limited transparency might even be dangerous and could contribute to instability. The Chinese reluctance creates uncertainty and increases the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation. "The United States continues to work with our allies and friends in the region to monitor these developments and adjust our policies accordingly," the report says.
Chinese military capabilities have increased tremendously. People's Liberation Army officials have invested in the acquisition of advanced foreign weapons, and they have fueled hothouse growth in domestic defense industries. The Chinese military also has poured money into research and development. On top of this, there is a far-reaching organizational and doctrinal reform of the People's Liberation Army.
"China's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited, but its armed forces continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies, including those for anti-access/area-denial, as well as for nuclear, space and cyber warfare, that are changing regional military balances and that have implications beyond the Asia-Pacific region," the report says.
China continues to put military pressure on Taiwan. "China's armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan's pursuit of de jure independence," the report says. More advanced missiles, more equipment and better-trained troops have deployed to the military regions opposite the island. The military balance in the region continues to shift in Beijing's favor, the report says, and Taiwan no longer enjoys "air dominance" over the Taiwan Straits.
The capabilities the Chinese are putting in place "could in the future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing's terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict," the report says.
Some of the Chinese capabilities have allowed the military to contribute to peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counter-piracy. "However, some of these capabilities, as well as other, more disruptive ones, could allow China to project power to ensure access to resources or enforce claims to disputed territories," the report says.
The Chinese assert that the People's Liberation Army is purely defensive in nature, and aimed solely at protecting China's security and interests. "Over the past several years, China has begun a new phase of military development by beginning to articulate roles and missions for the PLA that go beyond China's immediate territorial interests," the report says. But these statements have not cleared up international community questions about the purposes and objectives of the PLA's evolving doctrine and capabilities.
China has modernized its intercontinental ballistic missile arsenal with the deployment of DF-31 and DF-31A missiles, the report says. They also are readying to launch a new class of ballistic missile submarines soon.
The Chinese military has worked to develop anti-access and area-denial weapons, the report says. This capability goes beyond the nation's borders. China has developed the capability to hold surface ships, including aircraft carriers, at risk. The weaponry includes quiet submarines, advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, wire-guided and wake-homing torpedoes, or anti-ship ballistic missiles. They are working to deny use of shore-based airfields, secure bastions and regional logistics hubs via conventional ballistic missiles with greater ranges and accuracy, and land-attack cruise missiles.
The Chinese also can project air power using new advanced aircraft, advanced long-range surface-to-air missile systems, air surveillance systems and ship-borne air defenses, the report says. China's space-based reconnaissance and positioning are leading to a precision-strike capability.
China still lags in developing an amphibious and airborne capability, airborne, air-to-air refueling, at-sea replenishment and in joint integration, the report says.
American Forces Press Service
March 25, 2009 - Transformation of the Chinese military has gained speed, but U.S. officials would like to see China become more transparent about military and security affairs, according to a report to Congress released today. The Defense Department report, called "Military Power of the People's Republic of China," provides some new details, "but there are no new, major strategic insights revealed or capabilities revealed," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
In the report, officials said that Chinese transparency has improved over the past year, "but much remains to be learned about China's national and military strategies, progress and trends in its military modernization, and the related implications for regional security and stability."
China's increased military ability stems from the nation's emergence as an economic superpower. With 8 percent per year economic growth, the Chinese have been able to invest significant sums in military modernization.
Morrell said the United States continues to ask for "more dialogue and transparency in our dealings with the Chinese government and military, all in an effort to reduce suspicions on both sides."
The Chinese still look at transparency as "a transaction to be negotiated." U.S. officials would like the Chinese to see transparency as a responsibility that accompanies the accumulation of national power. Without this transparency, conclusions in the report are subject to best guesses by U.S. experts.
To begin, the Chinese need to be more transparent in budgeting, the report says. The People's Liberation Army budget has more than doubled since 2000 -- from $27.9 billion to $60.1 billion. Officials believe the Chinese are underreporting the amount they spend on security. The real budget in 2008 is probably between $105 billion and $150 billion.
The limited transparency might even be dangerous and could contribute to instability. The Chinese reluctance creates uncertainty and increases the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation. "The United States continues to work with our allies and friends in the region to monitor these developments and adjust our policies accordingly," the report says.
Chinese military capabilities have increased tremendously. People's Liberation Army officials have invested in the acquisition of advanced foreign weapons, and they have fueled hothouse growth in domestic defense industries. The Chinese military also has poured money into research and development. On top of this, there is a far-reaching organizational and doctrinal reform of the People's Liberation Army.
"China's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited, but its armed forces continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies, including those for anti-access/area-denial, as well as for nuclear, space and cyber warfare, that are changing regional military balances and that have implications beyond the Asia-Pacific region," the report says.
China continues to put military pressure on Taiwan. "China's armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan's pursuit of de jure independence," the report says. More advanced missiles, more equipment and better-trained troops have deployed to the military regions opposite the island. The military balance in the region continues to shift in Beijing's favor, the report says, and Taiwan no longer enjoys "air dominance" over the Taiwan Straits.
The capabilities the Chinese are putting in place "could in the future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing's terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict," the report says.
Some of the Chinese capabilities have allowed the military to contribute to peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counter-piracy. "However, some of these capabilities, as well as other, more disruptive ones, could allow China to project power to ensure access to resources or enforce claims to disputed territories," the report says.
The Chinese assert that the People's Liberation Army is purely defensive in nature, and aimed solely at protecting China's security and interests. "Over the past several years, China has begun a new phase of military development by beginning to articulate roles and missions for the PLA that go beyond China's immediate territorial interests," the report says. But these statements have not cleared up international community questions about the purposes and objectives of the PLA's evolving doctrine and capabilities.
China has modernized its intercontinental ballistic missile arsenal with the deployment of DF-31 and DF-31A missiles, the report says. They also are readying to launch a new class of ballistic missile submarines soon.
The Chinese military has worked to develop anti-access and area-denial weapons, the report says. This capability goes beyond the nation's borders. China has developed the capability to hold surface ships, including aircraft carriers, at risk. The weaponry includes quiet submarines, advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, wire-guided and wake-homing torpedoes, or anti-ship ballistic missiles. They are working to deny use of shore-based airfields, secure bastions and regional logistics hubs via conventional ballistic missiles with greater ranges and accuracy, and land-attack cruise missiles.
The Chinese also can project air power using new advanced aircraft, advanced long-range surface-to-air missile systems, air surveillance systems and ship-borne air defenses, the report says. China's space-based reconnaissance and positioning are leading to a precision-strike capability.
China still lags in developing an amphibious and airborne capability, airborne, air-to-air refueling, at-sea replenishment and in joint integration, the report says.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Army Program Builds 'Strong Bonds' Among Couples, Families
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - As one spouse tried to navigate the other across a room and through a minefield of foam toys, the games had begun at the Army's "Strong Bonds" marriage retreat near Baltimore. "What these workshops do is it helps us to understand that communication is an ongoing process," Army Cpl. Paul Garzon, a retreat participant, said. "It never ends."
And that's precisely what the game at last month's retreat was about -- spouses learning to communicate with and listen to each other despite outside distractions. In this case, the distraction was an immense hoopla created by the other retreat participants.
Founded in 1997 as the "Building Strong and Ready Families," the Armywide program was renamed Strong Bonds in 2005 and expanded to include programs for families and single soldiers. The unit-based, chaplain-led program helps soldiers and their families build strong relationships.
With more than half of today's soldiers married, the stress of deployment and frequent relocations also can stress intimate relationships.
Strong Bonds provides training not only in communication skills, but also in intimacy and conflict management. A better grasp of these skills has been shown to increase marriage satisfaction and reduce rates of family violence, according to the Strong Bonds Web site.
Though it's not all fun and games, the retreats also provide couples a chance to escape the stresses of everyday life.
"The beauty about these workshops is that it gives you opportunity to actually sit and talk about certain things," Garzon said.
He and his wife, Army Staff Sgt. Jennifer Garcia, both with the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade from Fort Meade, Md., agree that the program is beneficial.
"I think that all married personnel should go through it whether they're in the military or not," Garcia said. "It brings you back to the basics of why you're together and how to remain together peacefully; and if you do have conflicts, how to resolve them the best way."
That is especially true for Garcia and her husband, who have been married just two-and-a-half years, but have been together for four. The separations in those four years haven't been easy, they said, but the Strong Bonds program, firmly rooted in learning communication skills, has helped.
"It always felt like starting over every time we got back to see each other," Garzon said.
"We need to learn how to communicate again," Garcia agreed.
To date, the Army has provided this kind of training to more than 60,000 soldiers from the active and reserve components. The service takes healthy personal relationships seriously, acknowledging that solid personal bonds make for a better soldier.
"I think that strong relationships at home clearly make a stronger unit," Army Col. Robert Taylor, commander of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, said. "I think that the strength of our organization is not only with the soldier, himself, but their family is part of ... making our unit successful."
The program, while run by the Army, is open to servicemembers from all branches.
The 740th Military Intelligence Brigade Chaplain (Capt.) Bill Killough runs the unit's Strong Bonds program with his wife of 17 years, Holly. They take turns guiding participants through a workbook with exercises on topics such as determining whether a person is an introvert or an extrovert, and what time of the day is best for each spouse to sit down and talk.
"It gives soldiers and their spouses an opportunity to do something that's intentional about increasing their marriage wellness, their intimacy," Killough said. "If a soldier's happy at home, they're going to be happy at work."
This statement has received validation by way of increased support from commanders who are responsible for ensuring the Strong Bonds program is adequately resourced and is given time on the unit's training calendar, according to the Web site.
It spoke volumes to Killough that not only did the 704th commander lend his support and make time for his soldiers to attend, but attended the retreat himself.
Strong Bonds retreats are held throughout the United States and in locations overseas. Visit the Web site to find local events.
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - As one spouse tried to navigate the other across a room and through a minefield of foam toys, the games had begun at the Army's "Strong Bonds" marriage retreat near Baltimore. "What these workshops do is it helps us to understand that communication is an ongoing process," Army Cpl. Paul Garzon, a retreat participant, said. "It never ends."
And that's precisely what the game at last month's retreat was about -- spouses learning to communicate with and listen to each other despite outside distractions. In this case, the distraction was an immense hoopla created by the other retreat participants.
Founded in 1997 as the "Building Strong and Ready Families," the Armywide program was renamed Strong Bonds in 2005 and expanded to include programs for families and single soldiers. The unit-based, chaplain-led program helps soldiers and their families build strong relationships.
With more than half of today's soldiers married, the stress of deployment and frequent relocations also can stress intimate relationships.
Strong Bonds provides training not only in communication skills, but also in intimacy and conflict management. A better grasp of these skills has been shown to increase marriage satisfaction and reduce rates of family violence, according to the Strong Bonds Web site.
Though it's not all fun and games, the retreats also provide couples a chance to escape the stresses of everyday life.
"The beauty about these workshops is that it gives you opportunity to actually sit and talk about certain things," Garzon said.
He and his wife, Army Staff Sgt. Jennifer Garcia, both with the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade from Fort Meade, Md., agree that the program is beneficial.
"I think that all married personnel should go through it whether they're in the military or not," Garcia said. "It brings you back to the basics of why you're together and how to remain together peacefully; and if you do have conflicts, how to resolve them the best way."
That is especially true for Garcia and her husband, who have been married just two-and-a-half years, but have been together for four. The separations in those four years haven't been easy, they said, but the Strong Bonds program, firmly rooted in learning communication skills, has helped.
"It always felt like starting over every time we got back to see each other," Garzon said.
"We need to learn how to communicate again," Garcia agreed.
To date, the Army has provided this kind of training to more than 60,000 soldiers from the active and reserve components. The service takes healthy personal relationships seriously, acknowledging that solid personal bonds make for a better soldier.
"I think that strong relationships at home clearly make a stronger unit," Army Col. Robert Taylor, commander of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, said. "I think that the strength of our organization is not only with the soldier, himself, but their family is part of ... making our unit successful."
The program, while run by the Army, is open to servicemembers from all branches.
The 740th Military Intelligence Brigade Chaplain (Capt.) Bill Killough runs the unit's Strong Bonds program with his wife of 17 years, Holly. They take turns guiding participants through a workbook with exercises on topics such as determining whether a person is an introvert or an extrovert, and what time of the day is best for each spouse to sit down and talk.
"It gives soldiers and their spouses an opportunity to do something that's intentional about increasing their marriage wellness, their intimacy," Killough said. "If a soldier's happy at home, they're going to be happy at work."
This statement has received validation by way of increased support from commanders who are responsible for ensuring the Strong Bonds program is adequately resourced and is given time on the unit's training calendar, according to the Web site.
It spoke volumes to Killough that not only did the 704th commander lend his support and make time for his soldiers to attend, but attended the retreat himself.
Strong Bonds retreats are held throughout the United States and in locations overseas. Visit the Web site to find local events.
Medical Officers Discuss Efforts to Identify, Treat Brain Injuries, Stress
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - Two Air Force medical officers highlighted military efforts to identify and assist servicemembers with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder at a military mental health care seminar here yesterday. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Christopher S. Williams, senior executive director for traumatic brain injury at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, told participants at the Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar that he's personally acquainted with TBI after being injured in a parachuting accident at Fort Benning, Ga., in the early 1990s.
"I have about 20 hours [of memory] that I'll never get back," Williams said, "that's probably a result of that bad parachute-landing fall."
TBI had affected him "in some ways that are indescribable," Williams said.
Fast-forwarding to present day, Williams said he'd witnessed servicemembers with TBI injuries last year during five months of service at an Air Force combat hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Head concussions caused by explosions, blasts or blunt-force trauma constitute about 90 percent of TBI incidents that result in a loss of consciousness or an alteration of consciousness, Williams said.
And, post-concussive symptoms "are a hodge-podge of a lot of nonspecific things," Williams explained, including headaches, dizziness, balance problems, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and visual disturbances.
"All of those things own to a number of emotional things," Williams pointed out, such as irritability, anxiety, moodiness and cognitive problems.
Unreported or undiagnosed cognitive problems caused by TBI, he said, may constitute "one of the most significant" and potentially dangerous symptoms exhibited by injured servicemembers in war zones.
"When they have slow processing, decreased attention, poor concentration, they are a danger to their teammates when they are out on patrols and so on," Williams said of servicemembers who've sustained TBI. Many of those injured troops must be forced to seek treatment, he said, because they want to continue to serve with their comrades.
Consequently, Williams said, the military has instituted overseas field-screening processes to identify and treat servicemembers with TBI. And, he said, medical research, often taken from National Football League studies, shows that people who sustain three or more concussions exhibit more pronounced symptoms and lower memory scores.
And, TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can appear intermixed, Williams pointed out.
"A lot of these [TBI] symptoms," he said, can be "overlapped with some of the psychological and mental health disorders, such as PTSD."
PTSD has been with the military a long time, said Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jay M. Stone, a clinical psychologist and Iraq veteran who also works at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
PTSD-related symptoms have been described and addressed by writers "for centuries," Stone said, going back to Homer in ancient Greece. The malady, he added, has been known as shell-shock, war-neurosis, combat exhaustion, battle fatigue, combat stress, and now PTSD.
Yet, PTSD isn't caused only by combat experiences, Stone pointed out, noting that any horrific, life-threatening event can trigger the disorder.
"Most people during their lifetime will be exposed to a traumatic incident," Stone said. However, he said, most don't develop PTSD.
Research demonstrates that the encountering of horrific, severe experiences increases a person's likelihood of developing PTSD, Stone said. The absence of social support after the trauma, he said, also supports the development of PTSD.
People who have had bad childhood experiences, have little education and low social-economic status, as well as those who have been exposed to multiple stressful events are at increased risk for developing PTSD, Stone said. Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men, he said.
Many other problems seem to develop alongside PTSD, Stone said, such as drinking and drugging, legal and relationship problems, and divorce. Feelings of hopelessness, shame or despair may beset a person afflicted with the disorder, which may end in homelessness or suicide.
No one knows how many servicemembers have PTSD, Stone said, noting best-guess estimates are based on the reporting of symptoms. However, he said, studies show that people who have experienced combat are five times more likely to report PTSD symptoms than others who didn't.
Meanwhile, Stone said, it's important that all of the military services have programs in place that address PTSD across the spectrum, from pre-deployment to in-country and back to post-deployment screenings, as well as educational briefings.
"That's having programs to prevent PTSD from developing and building resilience among our military members so that they're less likely to have problems," Stone said.
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - Two Air Force medical officers highlighted military efforts to identify and assist servicemembers with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder at a military mental health care seminar here yesterday. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Christopher S. Williams, senior executive director for traumatic brain injury at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, told participants at the Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar that he's personally acquainted with TBI after being injured in a parachuting accident at Fort Benning, Ga., in the early 1990s.
"I have about 20 hours [of memory] that I'll never get back," Williams said, "that's probably a result of that bad parachute-landing fall."
TBI had affected him "in some ways that are indescribable," Williams said.
Fast-forwarding to present day, Williams said he'd witnessed servicemembers with TBI injuries last year during five months of service at an Air Force combat hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Head concussions caused by explosions, blasts or blunt-force trauma constitute about 90 percent of TBI incidents that result in a loss of consciousness or an alteration of consciousness, Williams said.
And, post-concussive symptoms "are a hodge-podge of a lot of nonspecific things," Williams explained, including headaches, dizziness, balance problems, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and visual disturbances.
"All of those things own to a number of emotional things," Williams pointed out, such as irritability, anxiety, moodiness and cognitive problems.
Unreported or undiagnosed cognitive problems caused by TBI, he said, may constitute "one of the most significant" and potentially dangerous symptoms exhibited by injured servicemembers in war zones.
"When they have slow processing, decreased attention, poor concentration, they are a danger to their teammates when they are out on patrols and so on," Williams said of servicemembers who've sustained TBI. Many of those injured troops must be forced to seek treatment, he said, because they want to continue to serve with their comrades.
Consequently, Williams said, the military has instituted overseas field-screening processes to identify and treat servicemembers with TBI. And, he said, medical research, often taken from National Football League studies, shows that people who sustain three or more concussions exhibit more pronounced symptoms and lower memory scores.
And, TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can appear intermixed, Williams pointed out.
"A lot of these [TBI] symptoms," he said, can be "overlapped with some of the psychological and mental health disorders, such as PTSD."
PTSD has been with the military a long time, said Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jay M. Stone, a clinical psychologist and Iraq veteran who also works at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
PTSD-related symptoms have been described and addressed by writers "for centuries," Stone said, going back to Homer in ancient Greece. The malady, he added, has been known as shell-shock, war-neurosis, combat exhaustion, battle fatigue, combat stress, and now PTSD.
Yet, PTSD isn't caused only by combat experiences, Stone pointed out, noting that any horrific, life-threatening event can trigger the disorder.
"Most people during their lifetime will be exposed to a traumatic incident," Stone said. However, he said, most don't develop PTSD.
Research demonstrates that the encountering of horrific, severe experiences increases a person's likelihood of developing PTSD, Stone said. The absence of social support after the trauma, he said, also supports the development of PTSD.
People who have had bad childhood experiences, have little education and low social-economic status, as well as those who have been exposed to multiple stressful events are at increased risk for developing PTSD, Stone said. Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men, he said.
Many other problems seem to develop alongside PTSD, Stone said, such as drinking and drugging, legal and relationship problems, and divorce. Feelings of hopelessness, shame or despair may beset a person afflicted with the disorder, which may end in homelessness or suicide.
No one knows how many servicemembers have PTSD, Stone said, noting best-guess estimates are based on the reporting of symptoms. However, he said, studies show that people who have experienced combat are five times more likely to report PTSD symptoms than others who didn't.
Meanwhile, Stone said, it's important that all of the military services have programs in place that address PTSD across the spectrum, from pre-deployment to in-country and back to post-deployment screenings, as well as educational briefings.
"That's having programs to prevent PTSD from developing and building resilience among our military members so that they're less likely to have problems," Stone said.
Guard Fights Flooding in North Dakota
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - The North Dakota National Guard has stepped up its flood-fighting efforts in the Red River Valley in North Dakota. About 800 Guard troops should be on duty in the eastern part of the state by the end of today. The soldiers and airmen are mostly based in Fargo and Wahpeton, N.D., although contingents have been assisting other towns in need. Additional soldiers are responding in the Bismarck-Mandan area and other western North Dakota communities.
"We have soldiers and airmen working around the clock to respond to communities' emergency requests," said Army Col. Jim Hrdlicka, of Bismarck, N.D., who is commanding the Joint Task Force East here. "Despite predictions, we are very confident that North Dakota citizens and our communities, together with the Guard, Department of Emergency Services, Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can mitigate this threat to the best of our abilities."
Joint Task Force East comprises soldiers from the North Dakota Army National Guard and airmen from the North Dakota Air National Guard working together to coordinate and manage local flood-fighting support.
Since the first group in-processed here March 20, soldiers and airmen have filled and hauled sandbags, transported equipment such as pumps and a generator light set, provided trained military police for traffic control points in risky areas, helped to construct a clay dike here, and worked to set up and fill "Hesco" barriers for flood protection.
Commonly used to protect troops from explosions in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hesco barriers are large containers that offer protection when filled with sand. Guard troops have been helping to haul sand for them from Sabin, Minn.
"As we stabilize the site here in Fargo, we're prepared to move north to Grand Forks later this week," Army Capt. Craig Hillig, operations officer for Joint Task Force East, said. "We will still have personnel in Fargo, but we'll be
moving north to follow the water."
Army Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, extended his gratitude to employers throughout North Dakota who continue to share the talent and skills of citizen-soldiers and -airmen in their employment with the North Dakota National Guard.
"Fighting the flooding of 2009 will take a massive community effort. The North Dakota National Guard is one major component of this effort," the general said. "By allowing employees who also are Guardsmen to serve in this response, employers are contributing to our communities.
"Employers play an incredibly valuable support role throughout our many missions, whether here fighting floods or abroad fighting terrorists, and we thank them sincerely for their continued support of our men and women in uniform."
March 24, 2009 - The North Dakota National Guard has stepped up its flood-fighting efforts in the Red River Valley in North Dakota. About 800 Guard troops should be on duty in the eastern part of the state by the end of today. The soldiers and airmen are mostly based in Fargo and Wahpeton, N.D., although contingents have been assisting other towns in need. Additional soldiers are responding in the Bismarck-Mandan area and other western North Dakota communities.
"We have soldiers and airmen working around the clock to respond to communities' emergency requests," said Army Col. Jim Hrdlicka, of Bismarck, N.D., who is commanding the Joint Task Force East here. "Despite predictions, we are very confident that North Dakota citizens and our communities, together with the Guard, Department of Emergency Services, Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can mitigate this threat to the best of our abilities."
Joint Task Force East comprises soldiers from the North Dakota Army National Guard and airmen from the North Dakota Air National Guard working together to coordinate and manage local flood-fighting support.
Since the first group in-processed here March 20, soldiers and airmen have filled and hauled sandbags, transported equipment such as pumps and a generator light set, provided trained military police for traffic control points in risky areas, helped to construct a clay dike here, and worked to set up and fill "Hesco" barriers for flood protection.
Commonly used to protect troops from explosions in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hesco barriers are large containers that offer protection when filled with sand. Guard troops have been helping to haul sand for them from Sabin, Minn.
"As we stabilize the site here in Fargo, we're prepared to move north to Grand Forks later this week," Army Capt. Craig Hillig, operations officer for Joint Task Force East, said. "We will still have personnel in Fargo, but we'll be
moving north to follow the water."
Army Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, extended his gratitude to employers throughout North Dakota who continue to share the talent and skills of citizen-soldiers and -airmen in their employment with the North Dakota National Guard.
"Fighting the flooding of 2009 will take a massive community effort. The North Dakota National Guard is one major component of this effort," the general said. "By allowing employees who also are Guardsmen to serve in this response, employers are contributing to our communities.
"Employers play an incredibly valuable support role throughout our many missions, whether here fighting floods or abroad fighting terrorists, and we thank them sincerely for their continued support of our men and women in uniform."
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 24, 2009
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Equilon Enterprises, Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $1,509,925,337 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Deer Park, Texas. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0465).
Valero Marketing & Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas * is being awarded a maximum $540,299,718 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0480).
Petromax Refining Co., LLC, Bay City, Texas ** is being awarded a maximum $538,622,438 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0061).
Equilon Enterprises dba, Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $494,696,609 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Mobile Alabama. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0470).
ConocoPhillips Bartlesville, Okla., is being awarded a maximum $433,969,126 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Okla., Kan., and Colo. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0466).
ExxonMobile Fuels Marketing Co., Fairfax, Va. is being awarded a maximum $354,571,555 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Louisiana. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0471).
Calumet Sales Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a maximum $280,807,680 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Louisiana. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0467).
Placid Refining Co., LLC, Port Allen, La.,* is being awarded a maximum $268,649,136 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0473).
Gary-Williams Energy Corp., Denver, Colo.,* is being awarded a maximum $213,495,680 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0478).
AGE Refining, Inc., San Antonio, Texas ** is being awarded a maximum $186,741,311 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0477).
Husky Marketing and Supply Co., Dublin, Ohio is being awarded a maximum $178,794,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Lima Ohio. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0464).
Delek Refining, LTD, Tyler, Texas is being awarded a maximum $162,160,931 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0479).
Alon USA, L.P., Dallas, Texas is being awarded a maximum $121,912,240 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Big Spring, Texas. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0476).
Hunt Refining Co., Tuscaloosa, Ala., is being awarded a maximum $112,324,646 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Tuscaloosa, Ala. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0469).
Tesoro Refining and Marketing Co., San Antonio, Texas is being awarded a maximum $104,315,887 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in N. D., and Minn. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr.30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0468).
NAVY
Oceaneering International, Inc., Hanover, Md., is being awarded a $29,480,948 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-4208) for the design, manufacture, testing and delivery of Transfer Under Pressure Capability hardware items for the Submarine Rescue, Diving and Recompression System, including program management and integrated logistics support. This contract modification includes an option which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this modification to $30,201,838. Work will be performed in Hanover, Md., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $499,147 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
McLaughlin Research Corp., New London, Conn., is being awarded a $24,491,145 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, cost plus fixed fee contract for environmental planning, and technical and administrative support for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport. The Mission Environmental Planning Program (MEPP) of the Environmental Division provides environmental planning and analysis support to NAVSEA 04RE and NAVSEA activities, Chief of Naval Operations, the Fleet Forces Command, Office of Naval Research, Department of Homeland Security, and others that must meet the requirements of NEPA Executive Order 12114 and OPNAVINST 5090.1. The MEPP is also tasked with determining if proposed actions by the proponent organization would result in significant harm to the environment. The field activity must comprehensively address all environmental compliance issues for all of its operations and customers with regard to environmental planning. Work will be performed in Newport, R.I., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds in the amount $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, contracts web site, with one offer received. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, R.I., is the contracting activity (N66604-09-D-2349).
Hewlett-Packard Co., Bethesda, Md., is being awarded a $9,170,195 firm fixed price delivery order #MU73 under a previously awarded contract (W91QUZ-06-D-0004) for a quantity of 4,350 Tablet Personal Computers (PCs) for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) Tablet PC Project. The Tablet PCs shall refresh the current PCs used by MCRC. This delivery order includes Logistics Support Requirements (LSR), and two-year extended warranty for a total of five years. Delivery of PCs is scheduled to be completed no later than Apr. 24, 2009, thirty-days after receipt of order. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. A mini competition was conducted for this delivery order between nine contractors (via posting to the Army Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS), Army Desktop and Mobile Computing (ADMC-2) contract holders). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Slone Associates, Inc.*, Valdosta, Ga., is being awarded at $6,912,052 for firm fixed price task order #0002 under a multiple award construction contract for renovations to Windy Hill Marine Corps Reserve Center. The work to be performed provides for construction of a two-story steel framed structure. It will contain rooms for medical exam, toilets and showers, day locker rooms, a conference room, an armory, comm-shop, maintenance, gear storage lockers, supply storage, fitness center, and NMCI telecommunication rooms. The existing building 1101 and the existing roadway will be demolished to make room for the new building. Work will be performed in Smyrna, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals for this task order were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N69450-08-D-1781).
UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
Lynden Air Cargo, LLC, of Anchorage, Ark., 99502-1809 is being awarded a $52,788,495.19 firm fixed price requirements contract to obtain air cargo service from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ark., to Shemya and various points throughout the state of Alaska. The performance period is from Apr. 1, 2009, to Mar. 31, 2010, plus four one-year options. This contract was a competitive acquisition with one bid received. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisitions, Scott Air Force Base, Ill 62225 (HTC711-09-D-0015).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus award fee contract to Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for $16, 799,185. This action will provide non-personal advisory and assistance services to fully support Aerospace Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Advisory and Assistance Services program primarily focuses on robust systems engineering and technical assistance services. At this time, $94,000 has been obligated. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA9304-09-C-0100).
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with McDonnell Douglas Corp., of Saint Louis Miss., for $7,000,190. This action will purchase 100 Focused Lethality Munitions-Small Diameter Bomb I Variant. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8672-09-C-0047, P00002).
Equilon Enterprises, Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $1,509,925,337 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Deer Park, Texas. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0465).
Valero Marketing & Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas * is being awarded a maximum $540,299,718 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0480).
Petromax Refining Co., LLC, Bay City, Texas ** is being awarded a maximum $538,622,438 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0061).
Equilon Enterprises dba, Houston, Texas is being awarded a maximum $494,696,609 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Mobile Alabama. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0470).
ConocoPhillips Bartlesville, Okla., is being awarded a maximum $433,969,126 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Okla., Kan., and Colo. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0466).
ExxonMobile Fuels Marketing Co., Fairfax, Va. is being awarded a maximum $354,571,555 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Louisiana. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0471).
Calumet Sales Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a maximum $280,807,680 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Louisiana. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0467).
Placid Refining Co., LLC, Port Allen, La.,* is being awarded a maximum $268,649,136 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0473).
Gary-Williams Energy Corp., Denver, Colo.,* is being awarded a maximum $213,495,680 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0478).
AGE Refining, Inc., San Antonio, Texas ** is being awarded a maximum $186,741,311 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0477).
Husky Marketing and Supply Co., Dublin, Ohio is being awarded a maximum $178,794,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Lima Ohio. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0464).
Delek Refining, LTD, Tyler, Texas is being awarded a maximum $162,160,931 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. There are no other locations of performance. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0479).
Alon USA, L.P., Dallas, Texas is being awarded a maximum $121,912,240 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Big Spring, Texas. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0476).
Hunt Refining Co., Tuscaloosa, Ala., is being awarded a maximum $112,324,646 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other location of performance is in Tuscaloosa, Ala. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0469).
Tesoro Refining and Marketing Co., San Antonio, Texas is being awarded a maximum $104,315,887 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in N. D., and Minn. There were originally 68 proposals Web solicited with 26 responses. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr.30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-09-D-0468).
NAVY
Oceaneering International, Inc., Hanover, Md., is being awarded a $29,480,948 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-4208) for the design, manufacture, testing and delivery of Transfer Under Pressure Capability hardware items for the Submarine Rescue, Diving and Recompression System, including program management and integrated logistics support. This contract modification includes an option which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this modification to $30,201,838. Work will be performed in Hanover, Md., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $499,147 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
McLaughlin Research Corp., New London, Conn., is being awarded a $24,491,145 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, cost plus fixed fee contract for environmental planning, and technical and administrative support for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport. The Mission Environmental Planning Program (MEPP) of the Environmental Division provides environmental planning and analysis support to NAVSEA 04RE and NAVSEA activities, Chief of Naval Operations, the Fleet Forces Command, Office of Naval Research, Department of Homeland Security, and others that must meet the requirements of NEPA Executive Order 12114 and OPNAVINST 5090.1. The MEPP is also tasked with determining if proposed actions by the proponent organization would result in significant harm to the environment. The field activity must comprehensively address all environmental compliance issues for all of its operations and customers with regard to environmental planning. Work will be performed in Newport, R.I., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds in the amount $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, contracts web site, with one offer received. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, R.I., is the contracting activity (N66604-09-D-2349).
Hewlett-Packard Co., Bethesda, Md., is being awarded a $9,170,195 firm fixed price delivery order #MU73 under a previously awarded contract (W91QUZ-06-D-0004) for a quantity of 4,350 Tablet Personal Computers (PCs) for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) Tablet PC Project. The Tablet PCs shall refresh the current PCs used by MCRC. This delivery order includes Logistics Support Requirements (LSR), and two-year extended warranty for a total of five years. Delivery of PCs is scheduled to be completed no later than Apr. 24, 2009, thirty-days after receipt of order. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. A mini competition was conducted for this delivery order between nine contractors (via posting to the Army Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS), Army Desktop and Mobile Computing (ADMC-2) contract holders). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Slone Associates, Inc.*, Valdosta, Ga., is being awarded at $6,912,052 for firm fixed price task order #0002 under a multiple award construction contract for renovations to Windy Hill Marine Corps Reserve Center. The work to be performed provides for construction of a two-story steel framed structure. It will contain rooms for medical exam, toilets and showers, day locker rooms, a conference room, an armory, comm-shop, maintenance, gear storage lockers, supply storage, fitness center, and NMCI telecommunication rooms. The existing building 1101 and the existing roadway will be demolished to make room for the new building. Work will be performed in Smyrna, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals for this task order were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N69450-08-D-1781).
UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
Lynden Air Cargo, LLC, of Anchorage, Ark., 99502-1809 is being awarded a $52,788,495.19 firm fixed price requirements contract to obtain air cargo service from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ark., to Shemya and various points throughout the state of Alaska. The performance period is from Apr. 1, 2009, to Mar. 31, 2010, plus four one-year options. This contract was a competitive acquisition with one bid received. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisitions, Scott Air Force Base, Ill 62225 (HTC711-09-D-0015).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus award fee contract to Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for $16, 799,185. This action will provide non-personal advisory and assistance services to fully support Aerospace Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Advisory and Assistance Services program primarily focuses on robust systems engineering and technical assistance services. At this time, $94,000 has been obligated. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA9304-09-C-0100).
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with McDonnell Douglas Corp., of Saint Louis Miss., for $7,000,190. This action will purchase 100 Focused Lethality Munitions-Small Diameter Bomb I Variant. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8672-09-C-0047, P00002).
Henley-Putnam University to offer Strategic Security Scholarship to current and former members of U.S. military
San Jose, CA, March 3, 2009 – Henley-Putnam University (www.Henley-Putnam.edu), a premier university for online higher education in the field of Strategic Security, is pleased to announce the creation of the Henley-Putnam Strategic Security scholarship for current and former members of the military who are interested in working in the field of Strategic Security and who wish to pursue a degree in the area of Intelligence Management, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies, and the Management of Personal Protection.
“We at Henley-Putnam know that in this time of great economic turbulence, all of us are facing many hard choices of where to spend our valuable time and resources to secure our future. We also know that it is during these trying times that there is the greatest need for constant vigilance among our Armed Forces to defend and protect our nation. Our government still needs highly qualified men and women who can meet the strategic security needs of our country. We are therefore committed to helping our nation fill these critical strategic security jobs by helping our students prepare for these mission critical jobs.” - Michael Corcoran, President of Henley-Putnam University
The $5,000 Henley-Putnam University Strategic Security Scholarship will be awarded to qualified prospective students who are active military service members, veterans, or in the reserves and who apply by June 30, 2009 and are admitted and start classes by August 1, 2009.
Interested prospective students can contact our admissions department by calling 1-888-852-8746 to learn more about the scholarship and to take the first step towards continuing their education.
ABOUT HENLEY-PUTNAM UNIVERSITY
A leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security, Henley-Putnam University offers accredited online Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Intelligence Management, Terrorism/Counterterrorism Studies, and Management of Personal Protection, and a Doctoral Degree Program in Strategic Security. Henley-Putnam prepares professionals in law enforcement, the military, intelligence, and private industry with skills and insights to advance their careers and protect the future. Committed to building a student/alumni network that serves its community, Henley-Putnam is an accredited member of DETC (www.detc.org) and offers 125+ courses taught by faculty from the CIA, FBI and other institutions.
For more information on Henley-Putnam University, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at www.henley-putnam.edu.
“We at Henley-Putnam know that in this time of great economic turbulence, all of us are facing many hard choices of where to spend our valuable time and resources to secure our future. We also know that it is during these trying times that there is the greatest need for constant vigilance among our Armed Forces to defend and protect our nation. Our government still needs highly qualified men and women who can meet the strategic security needs of our country. We are therefore committed to helping our nation fill these critical strategic security jobs by helping our students prepare for these mission critical jobs.” - Michael Corcoran, President of Henley-Putnam University
The $5,000 Henley-Putnam University Strategic Security Scholarship will be awarded to qualified prospective students who are active military service members, veterans, or in the reserves and who apply by June 30, 2009 and are admitted and start classes by August 1, 2009.
Interested prospective students can contact our admissions department by calling 1-888-852-8746 to learn more about the scholarship and to take the first step towards continuing their education.
ABOUT HENLEY-PUTNAM UNIVERSITY
A leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security, Henley-Putnam University offers accredited online Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Intelligence Management, Terrorism/Counterterrorism Studies, and Management of Personal Protection, and a Doctoral Degree Program in Strategic Security. Henley-Putnam prepares professionals in law enforcement, the military, intelligence, and private industry with skills and insights to advance their careers and protect the future. Committed to building a student/alumni network that serves its community, Henley-Putnam is an accredited member of DETC (www.detc.org) and offers 125+ courses taught by faculty from the CIA, FBI and other institutions.
For more information on Henley-Putnam University, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at www.henley-putnam.edu.
Southern Command Baseball Team Embarks on 'Friendship Tour' to Latin America
By Petty Officer 1st Class Gino Flores
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - A baseball team representing U.S. Southern Command will begin a 25-day "friendship tour" to five Latin American nations March 27 to play in exhibition games and conduct free clinics for aspiring players. The team, comprising command players, is scheduled to visit communities in Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Chile and the Dominican Republic.
The team will participate in exhibition games with military and civilian teams and conduct clinics for various age groups. It also will visit schools, hospitals, orphanages and little leagues.
"There is no better way to forge individual bonds with our friends in the region than through personal contact," Air Force Lt. Gen. Glenn F. Spears, military deputy commander for U.S. Southern Command, said. "The nations our team will be visiting share our passion for baseball -- a sport that now enjoys a growing global following. It is this shared passion for baseball that will bring players and fans together during this tour.
"Their personal contact will cultivate many new friendships and further strengthen the existing partnerships between our countries," he added.
The tour, dubbed Baseball Partnership Tour 2009, was planned in coordination with the State Department, host governments and Major League Baseball. It affords players an opportunity to take part in camaraderie-building athletic activities as goodwill representatives of their nation and the sport, officials said.
Now in its second year, the tour represents the command's ongoing commitment to strengthening friendships with partner nations in the hemisphere through activities that range from combined military training and exercises to personal interaction outside of traditional military settings.
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gino Flores serves with the U.S. Southern Command public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - A baseball team representing U.S. Southern Command will begin a 25-day "friendship tour" to five Latin American nations March 27 to play in exhibition games and conduct free clinics for aspiring players. The team, comprising command players, is scheduled to visit communities in Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Chile and the Dominican Republic.
The team will participate in exhibition games with military and civilian teams and conduct clinics for various age groups. It also will visit schools, hospitals, orphanages and little leagues.
"There is no better way to forge individual bonds with our friends in the region than through personal contact," Air Force Lt. Gen. Glenn F. Spears, military deputy commander for U.S. Southern Command, said. "The nations our team will be visiting share our passion for baseball -- a sport that now enjoys a growing global following. It is this shared passion for baseball that will bring players and fans together during this tour.
"Their personal contact will cultivate many new friendships and further strengthen the existing partnerships between our countries," he added.
The tour, dubbed Baseball Partnership Tour 2009, was planned in coordination with the State Department, host governments and Major League Baseball. It affords players an opportunity to take part in camaraderie-building athletic activities as goodwill representatives of their nation and the sport, officials said.
Now in its second year, the tour represents the command's ongoing commitment to strengthening friendships with partner nations in the hemisphere through activities that range from combined military training and exercises to personal interaction outside of traditional military settings.
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gino Flores serves with the U.S. Southern Command public affairs office.)
'Super Coaches' to Assist Servicemembers with Psychological Problems
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - The Defense Department is launching a new program soon that's designed to assist transitioning servicemembers in accessing help for mental health issues, a U.S. Public Health Service officer announced here yesterday. The Transitional Support Program is "designed to bridge potential gaps in psychological health services that can occur during periods of transfer," when servicemembers complete military service and re-enter civilian life, according to Cmdr. Guy Mahoney, who is detailed to work with the Defense Department.
Mahoney serves as a senior analyst with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs' force health protection and readiness (psychological health) directorate. He was one of several civilian and military guest speakers who attended yesterday's Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar here on mental health care.
Servicemembers experiencing mental health issues, Mahoney explained, are exposed to a window of vulnerability before they've actually seen a health care provider who can address and treat their maladies.
"During those times that folks are not being seen are pending times of great distress," Mahoney said. "Having someone available and dedicated to servicemembers during these times can be of just enormous help to prevent all sorts of problems from occurring.
"There's always a need to have somebody 'in-between' there for the servicemembers," he said, adding that the program, which is slated to begin later this week, is open to active-duty and reserve component troops.
The program comes in response to a recommendation from the Defense Department Mental Health Task Force, Mahoney said. It will feature a 24-hour, toll-free phone hotline to connect servicemembers in crisis to trained professional whose job is to direct them to mental health services.
The department is deeply committed to assisting servicemembers with psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues, Mahoney said.
"We have a system that is trying desperately to make sure there aren't gaps in services," Mahoney emphasized. "The fact is, when a servicemember leaves a military treatment facility, and they may have a mental health diagnosis of some sort, they may get access to care within a certain period of time, but they may not see a mental health provider for weeks, particularly if they are discharged in rural areas of the country."
The hotline facilitators are mental health experts who are trained in post-traumatic stress disorders, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, also will assist victims of sexual assault and people with personality disorders.
A private-sector, nationwide health care organization has been awarded a contract to manage the transitional support program, Mahoney said.
"We knew that we could not build this [program] from the ground up; we needed to use an existing" health care network, Mahoney said.
The transitional support facilitators will function as "super coaches" and experts in crisis intervention, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, will assist servicemembers by ensuring that they access the appropriate mental health services to help them cope with stressful experiences such as family problems, divorce, thoughts of suicide and other issues.
The facilitators "will provide support for the servicemembers in times of distress," Mahoney said.
American Forces Press Service
March 24, 2009 - The Defense Department is launching a new program soon that's designed to assist transitioning servicemembers in accessing help for mental health issues, a U.S. Public Health Service officer announced here yesterday. The Transitional Support Program is "designed to bridge potential gaps in psychological health services that can occur during periods of transfer," when servicemembers complete military service and re-enter civilian life, according to Cmdr. Guy Mahoney, who is detailed to work with the Defense Department.
Mahoney serves as a senior analyst with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs' force health protection and readiness (psychological health) directorate. He was one of several civilian and military guest speakers who attended yesterday's Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar here on mental health care.
Servicemembers experiencing mental health issues, Mahoney explained, are exposed to a window of vulnerability before they've actually seen a health care provider who can address and treat their maladies.
"During those times that folks are not being seen are pending times of great distress," Mahoney said. "Having someone available and dedicated to servicemembers during these times can be of just enormous help to prevent all sorts of problems from occurring.
"There's always a need to have somebody 'in-between' there for the servicemembers," he said, adding that the program, which is slated to begin later this week, is open to active-duty and reserve component troops.
The program comes in response to a recommendation from the Defense Department Mental Health Task Force, Mahoney said. It will feature a 24-hour, toll-free phone hotline to connect servicemembers in crisis to trained professional whose job is to direct them to mental health services.
The department is deeply committed to assisting servicemembers with psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues, Mahoney said.
"We have a system that is trying desperately to make sure there aren't gaps in services," Mahoney emphasized. "The fact is, when a servicemember leaves a military treatment facility, and they may have a mental health diagnosis of some sort, they may get access to care within a certain period of time, but they may not see a mental health provider for weeks, particularly if they are discharged in rural areas of the country."
The hotline facilitators are mental health experts who are trained in post-traumatic stress disorders, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, also will assist victims of sexual assault and people with personality disorders.
A private-sector, nationwide health care organization has been awarded a contract to manage the transitional support program, Mahoney said.
"We knew that we could not build this [program] from the ground up; we needed to use an existing" health care network, Mahoney said.
The transitional support facilitators will function as "super coaches" and experts in crisis intervention, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, will assist servicemembers by ensuring that they access the appropriate mental health services to help them cope with stressful experiences such as family problems, divorce, thoughts of suicide and other issues.
The facilitators "will provide support for the servicemembers in times of distress," Mahoney said.
Group Encourages Americans to Reach Out to Female Servicemembers
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - During Women's History Month, many Americans take time to salute the contributions of women. Manhattanville My Soldier, a New York-based troop-support group, is paying special attention this month to women serving in the U.S. armed forces.
"The military women I met while serving in Iraq were courageous and kind," My Soldier co-founder Juan Salas, an active-duty Army sergeant and Manhattanville College student, said. "We are asking civilians to pay respect to these brave women during Women's History Month."
In observance of Women's History Month, the group has created "My Soldier: Her Story," a program that encourages Americans to honor deployed female servicemembers by sending letters and care packages in appreciation of their service. The new initiative aims to spotlight women serving in all branches of the military.
"Every March, we have more Girl Scout troops, Brownie troops and women's organizations sign up with us to support female soldiers," Michael Seminara, Manhattanville My Soldier operations director, said. "Most intend to only send one or two packages, but the soldiers are so thankful that the groups continue sending letters and packages until their soldier has returned home safely."
My Soldier: Her Story is tailored to those groups or individuals who want to send support directly to women without an ongoing commitment.
Suggested support includes handwritten letters, thank you cards and children's artwork. Participants also can send care packages with food, nail care products, magazines, shampoo, lotion, and combs and brushes.
Salas is asking everyone -- if not through the My Soldier: Her Story program -- to reach out to female servicemembers this month.
"Please, send a letter to let a woman soldier know that you are thinking of her or to thank her for all she is sacrificing to make the world a safer place," Salas said.
Those interested in participating in "My Soldier: Her Story" program can contact Manhattanville My Soldier, located on the Manhattanville College campus, directly. Within a few days of registering, participants will receive the name and address of a platoon contact. The contact will distribute the letter or package to a female soldier in their unit.
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - During Women's History Month, many Americans take time to salute the contributions of women. Manhattanville My Soldier, a New York-based troop-support group, is paying special attention this month to women serving in the U.S. armed forces.
"The military women I met while serving in Iraq were courageous and kind," My Soldier co-founder Juan Salas, an active-duty Army sergeant and Manhattanville College student, said. "We are asking civilians to pay respect to these brave women during Women's History Month."
In observance of Women's History Month, the group has created "My Soldier: Her Story," a program that encourages Americans to honor deployed female servicemembers by sending letters and care packages in appreciation of their service. The new initiative aims to spotlight women serving in all branches of the military.
"Every March, we have more Girl Scout troops, Brownie troops and women's organizations sign up with us to support female soldiers," Michael Seminara, Manhattanville My Soldier operations director, said. "Most intend to only send one or two packages, but the soldiers are so thankful that the groups continue sending letters and packages until their soldier has returned home safely."
My Soldier: Her Story is tailored to those groups or individuals who want to send support directly to women without an ongoing commitment.
Suggested support includes handwritten letters, thank you cards and children's artwork. Participants also can send care packages with food, nail care products, magazines, shampoo, lotion, and combs and brushes.
Salas is asking everyone -- if not through the My Soldier: Her Story program -- to reach out to female servicemembers this month.
"Please, send a letter to let a woman soldier know that you are thinking of her or to thank her for all she is sacrificing to make the world a safer place," Salas said.
Those interested in participating in "My Soldier: Her Story" program can contact Manhattanville My Soldier, located on the Manhattanville College campus, directly. Within a few days of registering, participants will receive the name and address of a platoon contact. The contact will distribute the letter or package to a female soldier in their unit.
Mail Must be Addressed to Specific Servicemembers, Military Says
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - A recent increase in mail addressed to "Any Servicemember" has prompted the Military Postal Service Agency to remind the general public not to send mail or care packages addressed in such a manner. "Mail to 'Any Servicemember/Any Wounded-Recovering Warrior,' deposited into a collection box and erroneously accepted at a United States Postal Service post office will not be delivered," MPSA officials said in a news release. "This restriction applies to all classes and types of mail."
The Defense Department suspended the "Any Servicemember" and "Operation Dear Abby" programs in 2001 following the terrorist attacks. The policy was adopted as a way to bolster force protection.
"Even though these programs may provide an excellent means of support to deployed personnel and wounded-recovering warriors, they also provide an avenue to introduce hate mail and hazardous substances or materials into the mail system," MPSA officials said in the release.
The Dear Abby program, founded by the newspaper advice columnist, delivered mail to U.S. servicemembers overseas during the holiday season for 25 years. "Any Servicemember" mail grew out of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Since shortly after the start of recent operations in the Middle East, many grassroots organizations have made sure servicemembers know they're remembered. Those interested in writing to servicemembers can visit the Defense Department's Community Relations Web site and click the "Citizen Support" link on the right side of the page to find groups that support troops with letters.
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - A recent increase in mail addressed to "Any Servicemember" has prompted the Military Postal Service Agency to remind the general public not to send mail or care packages addressed in such a manner. "Mail to 'Any Servicemember/Any Wounded-Recovering Warrior,' deposited into a collection box and erroneously accepted at a United States Postal Service post office will not be delivered," MPSA officials said in a news release. "This restriction applies to all classes and types of mail."
The Defense Department suspended the "Any Servicemember" and "Operation Dear Abby" programs in 2001 following the terrorist attacks. The policy was adopted as a way to bolster force protection.
"Even though these programs may provide an excellent means of support to deployed personnel and wounded-recovering warriors, they also provide an avenue to introduce hate mail and hazardous substances or materials into the mail system," MPSA officials said in the release.
The Dear Abby program, founded by the newspaper advice columnist, delivered mail to U.S. servicemembers overseas during the holiday season for 25 years. "Any Servicemember" mail grew out of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Since shortly after the start of recent operations in the Middle East, many grassroots organizations have made sure servicemembers know they're remembered. Those interested in writing to servicemembers can visit the Defense Department's Community Relations Web site and click the "Citizen Support" link on the right side of the page to find groups that support troops with letters.
Three-Year Korea Tours Good for Servicemembers, Alliance, Commander Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Being assigned to Korea will soon be the same as being assigned to Japan or Europe, under a new policy that came into force in December, the commander of U.S. forces on the peninsula said. "Tour normalization in Korea was long overdue," said Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea.
In December, the Defense Department changed the assignment policy in Korea. In the past, almost all assignments to South Korea were unaccompanied and for one year. A few assignments were accompanied and for two-year tours.
The policy change increased accompanied tour lengths from two to three years. In the years to come, more and more servicemembers will be accompanied. The change also allows accompanied two-year tours to Uijongbu and Dongducheon, where they previously were not allowed.
Most unaccompanied tours will continue to be for one year. The change authorizes servicemembers to come to Korea for three-year accompanied tours at Pyeongtaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul, Sharp said.
There have been a limited number of command-sponsored tours in the Republic of Korea for years.
"We have about 2,100 command-sponsored families in Korea right now," the general said. "Our goal is about 4,300 by this time next year."
The mid-range goal is to have between 5,500 and 6,000 command-sponsored families in Korea by 2015. This increase depends on the progress of building Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Sharp said that roughly half of the 28,500 servicemembers deployed to Korea are married, and he hopes that in the future about 14,000 servicemembers will bring their families to the country.
There is a demand for this. Many soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines bring their families over without command sponsorship. They pay the money out of their own pockets rather than be separated, U.S. Forces Korea said.
Infrastructure is the limiting factor right now, Sharp pointed out.
"I'm not going to bring more families to Korea than I can handle in terms of housing, health clinics, community centers and schools," he said. Those transferring to the 2nd Division area will receive housing allowances and use all the health and retail facilities, but the command will not build schools since the 2nd Division will move to Camp Humphreys. Sharps said families with no children or pre-school children will do well in those areas.
The command is already offering those serving two-year accompanied tours the opportunity to serve an additional year. "My goal is to allow as many as want to extend the opportunity to do so," Sharp said.
And Korea is a great place to serve, the general said. The country is a far cry from the war-torn Third World nation of 1953. The Republic of Korea has a trillion-dollar economy, ranked 13th in the world. It is a representative democracy, with an excellent transportation system and accommodations. There is low crime in the country and a state-of-the-art health system.
The Department of Defense schools in Korea annually score among the highest in the system.
Three-year accompanied tours make sense for individual servicemembers. Since many have to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, they do not need another unaccompanied assignment, Sharp said. Three-year family accompanied tours in Korea duplicate what servicemembers have had in Europe and Japan for decades. Putting the same in place in Korea demonstrates "long-term U.S. commitment to the Republic of Korea and other nations in Northeast Asia," Sharp said.
From a military perspective, Korea offers full-spectrum training. From humanitarian missions to high-intensity operations, servicemembers participate in realistic joint and combined exercises, the general said.
"We're very excited about creating the future of Korea, and the future of the U.S. military in Korea," Sharp said.
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Being assigned to Korea will soon be the same as being assigned to Japan or Europe, under a new policy that came into force in December, the commander of U.S. forces on the peninsula said. "Tour normalization in Korea was long overdue," said Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea.
In December, the Defense Department changed the assignment policy in Korea. In the past, almost all assignments to South Korea were unaccompanied and for one year. A few assignments were accompanied and for two-year tours.
The policy change increased accompanied tour lengths from two to three years. In the years to come, more and more servicemembers will be accompanied. The change also allows accompanied two-year tours to Uijongbu and Dongducheon, where they previously were not allowed.
Most unaccompanied tours will continue to be for one year. The change authorizes servicemembers to come to Korea for three-year accompanied tours at Pyeongtaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul, Sharp said.
There have been a limited number of command-sponsored tours in the Republic of Korea for years.
"We have about 2,100 command-sponsored families in Korea right now," the general said. "Our goal is about 4,300 by this time next year."
The mid-range goal is to have between 5,500 and 6,000 command-sponsored families in Korea by 2015. This increase depends on the progress of building Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Sharp said that roughly half of the 28,500 servicemembers deployed to Korea are married, and he hopes that in the future about 14,000 servicemembers will bring their families to the country.
There is a demand for this. Many soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines bring their families over without command sponsorship. They pay the money out of their own pockets rather than be separated, U.S. Forces Korea said.
Infrastructure is the limiting factor right now, Sharp pointed out.
"I'm not going to bring more families to Korea than I can handle in terms of housing, health clinics, community centers and schools," he said. Those transferring to the 2nd Division area will receive housing allowances and use all the health and retail facilities, but the command will not build schools since the 2nd Division will move to Camp Humphreys. Sharps said families with no children or pre-school children will do well in those areas.
The command is already offering those serving two-year accompanied tours the opportunity to serve an additional year. "My goal is to allow as many as want to extend the opportunity to do so," Sharp said.
And Korea is a great place to serve, the general said. The country is a far cry from the war-torn Third World nation of 1953. The Republic of Korea has a trillion-dollar economy, ranked 13th in the world. It is a representative democracy, with an excellent transportation system and accommodations. There is low crime in the country and a state-of-the-art health system.
The Department of Defense schools in Korea annually score among the highest in the system.
Three-year accompanied tours make sense for individual servicemembers. Since many have to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, they do not need another unaccompanied assignment, Sharp said. Three-year family accompanied tours in Korea duplicate what servicemembers have had in Europe and Japan for decades. Putting the same in place in Korea demonstrates "long-term U.S. commitment to the Republic of Korea and other nations in Northeast Asia," Sharp said.
From a military perspective, Korea offers full-spectrum training. From humanitarian missions to high-intensity operations, servicemembers participate in realistic joint and combined exercises, the general said.
"We're very excited about creating the future of Korea, and the future of the U.S. military in Korea," Sharp said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 23, 2009
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., – Maritime Systems & Sensors, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a contract for LCS FY09 Flight 0+ ship construction, class design services, configuration management services, additional crew and shore support, special studies and post delivery support. As this award represents Phase I of a competitive two-phased acquisition approach to procure FY09/FY10 LCS, with Phase II including potential award of up to three additional LCS Flight 0+ Class ships, the award amount is considered source selection information (see FAR 2.101 and 3.104) and will not be made public at this time. LCS Class ships are networked, agile, and high-speed surface combatants with versatile warfighting capabilities optimized for littoral missions. LCS is optimized for flexibility in the littorals as a system of systems that are both manned and unmanned, and mission reconfigurable. LCS focuses on three primary mission areas: Littoral Surface Warfare operations emphasizing prosecution of small boats, Littoral Anti-Submarine Warfare and Littoral Mine Countermeasures. LCS also possesses inherent capabilities to execute other missions such as: Joint Littoral Mobility; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Joint Special Operations Force support; Maritime Interdiction Operations; Homeland Defense; and Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection. Work will be perfo! rmed in Marinette, Wis. (63 percent); Moorestown, N.J. (12 percent); Washington, D.C., (11 percent); Clearwater, Fla., (4 percent); Baltimore, Md., (4 percent); Arlington, Va., (3 percent); Brunswick, Ga., (2 percent); and Eagan, Minn., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2303).
Lockheed Martin-Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $10,711,756 cost plus fixed fee contract to provide training material development and maintenance, instructor services, program management, administration, and training systems in support of International Programs for the Center for Surface Combat Systems. This contract provides purchases for the Governments of Japan, (37 percent) and Norway, (63 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Va., (50 percent), and Moorestown, N.J., (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-09-C-2013).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost type contract to International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y. for $16, 246,981. This contract will provide the Millimeter-Wave Automatic Radio program focus on the development of sub-blocks of a millimeter-wave transceiver chip including local sensors, actuators, and control algorithm. At this time, $2,763,895 has been obligated. AFRL PKDA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-09-C-7924).
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., of Orlando, Fla., for $14,251,799. This action will provide additional depot spares and a Readiness Spares Packages for the AN/AAQ-39 to support a Six Ship deployment for the AC-130 Gunship Aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 667th AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8629-08-C-2402, P00004).
Lockheed Martin Corp., – Maritime Systems & Sensors, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a contract for LCS FY09 Flight 0+ ship construction, class design services, configuration management services, additional crew and shore support, special studies and post delivery support. As this award represents Phase I of a competitive two-phased acquisition approach to procure FY09/FY10 LCS, with Phase II including potential award of up to three additional LCS Flight 0+ Class ships, the award amount is considered source selection information (see FAR 2.101 and 3.104) and will not be made public at this time. LCS Class ships are networked, agile, and high-speed surface combatants with versatile warfighting capabilities optimized for littoral missions. LCS is optimized for flexibility in the littorals as a system of systems that are both manned and unmanned, and mission reconfigurable. LCS focuses on three primary mission areas: Littoral Surface Warfare operations emphasizing prosecution of small boats, Littoral Anti-Submarine Warfare and Littoral Mine Countermeasures. LCS also possesses inherent capabilities to execute other missions such as: Joint Littoral Mobility; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Joint Special Operations Force support; Maritime Interdiction Operations; Homeland Defense; and Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection. Work will be perfo! rmed in Marinette, Wis. (63 percent); Moorestown, N.J. (12 percent); Washington, D.C., (11 percent); Clearwater, Fla., (4 percent); Baltimore, Md., (4 percent); Arlington, Va., (3 percent); Brunswick, Ga., (2 percent); and Eagan, Minn., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2303).
Lockheed Martin-Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $10,711,756 cost plus fixed fee contract to provide training material development and maintenance, instructor services, program management, administration, and training systems in support of International Programs for the Center for Surface Combat Systems. This contract provides purchases for the Governments of Japan, (37 percent) and Norway, (63 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Va., (50 percent), and Moorestown, N.J., (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-09-C-2013).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost type contract to International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y. for $16, 246,981. This contract will provide the Millimeter-Wave Automatic Radio program focus on the development of sub-blocks of a millimeter-wave transceiver chip including local sensors, actuators, and control algorithm. At this time, $2,763,895 has been obligated. AFRL PKDA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-09-C-7924).
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., of Orlando, Fla., for $14,251,799. This action will provide additional depot spares and a Readiness Spares Packages for the AN/AAQ-39 to support a Six Ship deployment for the AC-130 Gunship Aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 667th AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8629-08-C-2402, P00004).
Missile Defense Requires New Focus, Vice Chairman Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - The future of missile defense requires a new way of thinking that will benefit the American taxpayer and allow the United States to stay ahead of foreign threats, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. "As you look toward the future, it is a time, because of the economy, that we have to make some pretty significant decisions" regarding missile defense and related programs, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright said during the 7th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here.
Speaking to an audience of more than 300 missile defense experts, Cartwright said that keeping up with the rate of change in technology and accurately guessing the enemy has never been a forte of the military and missile defense community. And that trend must change, he noted.
"A perfect solution after the fact doesn't do us much good," the general said, addressing ballistic missile defense capabilities as an example. "Ballistic missiles are about as passé as sea mail. Nobody does it anymore."
Ballistic missile threats aren't as significant today as they once were, he explained, adding that "even countries who we consider 'Third World' have gone beyond that."
The Pentagon's focus on missile defense is shifting away from developing and improving individual weapons, such as ballistic missiles. Today and future programs must have flexibility, which is more attainable by enhancing other aspects of missile defense, he said.
"When you think about the sensors, command and control and the weapon, it's always been about the weapon," he explained. "The flexibility for the unknown lies in the sensors and the command and control."
Acquiring data and intelligence through satellite interceptor and sensory systems, as well as the command and control element of identifying and prioritizing strategic and tactical objectives will provide better defense for deployed forces and allies in the long term, he continued. These facets of missile defense tie into other national security missions, such as space and cyberspace, which will bring together a more unified, cost-effective and consolidated effort.
"With the range of threats this nation will face over the next 20 years ... if we're going to do something over the next couple of years to address the unknown, then my dollars are going to go to sensor and command and control," Cartwright said.
As the Defense Department tailors its fiscal 2010 budget, decisions for missile defense will be among the most scrutinized areas. But, the Pentagon hopes to procure the aspects that provide the most opportunity to address "the unknown" and stay ahead of the threat to protect the nation, he said.
"What it is that we really have to be doing is thinking about how to build capabilities during these hard times," he said. "When we're dealing with a global capability like missile defense, we're trying to put together an architecture that will serve this nation 20 years into the future."
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - The future of missile defense requires a new way of thinking that will benefit the American taxpayer and allow the United States to stay ahead of foreign threats, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. "As you look toward the future, it is a time, because of the economy, that we have to make some pretty significant decisions" regarding missile defense and related programs, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright said during the 7th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here.
Speaking to an audience of more than 300 missile defense experts, Cartwright said that keeping up with the rate of change in technology and accurately guessing the enemy has never been a forte of the military and missile defense community. And that trend must change, he noted.
"A perfect solution after the fact doesn't do us much good," the general said, addressing ballistic missile defense capabilities as an example. "Ballistic missiles are about as passé as sea mail. Nobody does it anymore."
Ballistic missile threats aren't as significant today as they once were, he explained, adding that "even countries who we consider 'Third World' have gone beyond that."
The Pentagon's focus on missile defense is shifting away from developing and improving individual weapons, such as ballistic missiles. Today and future programs must have flexibility, which is more attainable by enhancing other aspects of missile defense, he said.
"When you think about the sensors, command and control and the weapon, it's always been about the weapon," he explained. "The flexibility for the unknown lies in the sensors and the command and control."
Acquiring data and intelligence through satellite interceptor and sensory systems, as well as the command and control element of identifying and prioritizing strategic and tactical objectives will provide better defense for deployed forces and allies in the long term, he continued. These facets of missile defense tie into other national security missions, such as space and cyberspace, which will bring together a more unified, cost-effective and consolidated effort.
"With the range of threats this nation will face over the next 20 years ... if we're going to do something over the next couple of years to address the unknown, then my dollars are going to go to sensor and command and control," Cartwright said.
As the Defense Department tailors its fiscal 2010 budget, decisions for missile defense will be among the most scrutinized areas. But, the Pentagon hopes to procure the aspects that provide the most opportunity to address "the unknown" and stay ahead of the threat to protect the nation, he said.
"What it is that we really have to be doing is thinking about how to build capabilities during these hard times," he said. "When we're dealing with a global capability like missile defense, we're trying to put together an architecture that will serve this nation 20 years into the future."
Innovative Brain Therapies Offer Hope to Injured Troops
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Innovative therapies that have assisted previously comatose patients regain consciousness may be incorporated on a greater scale to treat troops diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries, a brain injury expert said here today. Dr. Philip A. DeFina, chief executive and scientific officer at the not-for-profit International Brain Research Foundation Inc., in Edison, N.J., said that, over the past four years, electronic brain stimulation, oxygen-induction, drugs and other therapies were used to bring 43 people, including five injured soldiers, out of minimally-conscious or vegetative states.
DeFina, an Army veteran, is also the chief consultant for the brain injury program at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, a for-profit hospital in West Orange, N.J. He was one of several civilian and military guest speakers who attended today's Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar here on mental health care.
Brain injuries can occur because of blunt-force trauma to the head, explosions, and penetrative wounds, DeFina explained. Such injuries, he said, cause oxygen starvation in the brain, from which damage ensues.
"There are a number of different types of (brain) injuries that we've been dealing with -- all of which have been responding to the protocols," he said.
"What we're doing proactively, with our consortium of doctors and scientists," he said, is "to electrically and chemically stimulate the brain." Other treatments employed, he said, include drugs and oxygen-inducing regimes, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where the brain is inundated with oxygen.
The goal, he said, is to balance the electrical and chemical activity in the brain.
"Once we can stabilize electrical-chemical activity, we can optimize what the brain's capability is at that point," he said.
Doctors can employ functional imagery techniques to examine the state of a person's neural markers, which are the chemical and electrical patterns within the brain, he said.
"We can then use that to guide us for treatment and to predict recovery," he said.
The prognosis for recovery for the five injured soldiers was "close to zero," he said, before they underwent the treatments at the Kessler institute.
"The brain heals," DeFina said, noting there are "different levels of improvement" among patients who'd formerly been minimally conscious and/or unresponsive.
After treatment, some people "wake up and some people can communicate," DeFina said. Other people, he said, may be able to perform simple tasks or return to work.
"So, we have different levels of the ability to recover," he said.
And, applying such innovative therapies to patients with mild to moderate forms of traumatic brain injury, he said, produces "dramatic results."
Congress has set aside about $6.4 million in Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations funding, DeFina said, so that the foundation can conduct continued research and development of the new therapies in cooperation with military health care organizations.
"We're in the process of accessing those funds," he said.
The foundation has developed close relationships with several Defense Department healthcare components, DeFina said, including the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, headed by Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton.
"Within the last year, we've had probably about 30 military doctors from the Army and Marines come visit Kessler to look at the program, including General Sutton," DeFina said. "We've briefed them, we've given them formal presentations on all the science, and then showed them the patients that are there.
"We've gotten a really good response from that," he said.
Many innovative therapies, DeFina said, have been used in a "stand-alone" manner to successfully treat patients with brain injuries.
Yet, using those therapies in combination "is even more powerful," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Innovative therapies that have assisted previously comatose patients regain consciousness may be incorporated on a greater scale to treat troops diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries, a brain injury expert said here today. Dr. Philip A. DeFina, chief executive and scientific officer at the not-for-profit International Brain Research Foundation Inc., in Edison, N.J., said that, over the past four years, electronic brain stimulation, oxygen-induction, drugs and other therapies were used to bring 43 people, including five injured soldiers, out of minimally-conscious or vegetative states.
DeFina, an Army veteran, is also the chief consultant for the brain injury program at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, a for-profit hospital in West Orange, N.J. He was one of several civilian and military guest speakers who attended today's Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar here on mental health care.
Brain injuries can occur because of blunt-force trauma to the head, explosions, and penetrative wounds, DeFina explained. Such injuries, he said, cause oxygen starvation in the brain, from which damage ensues.
"There are a number of different types of (brain) injuries that we've been dealing with -- all of which have been responding to the protocols," he said.
"What we're doing proactively, with our consortium of doctors and scientists," he said, is "to electrically and chemically stimulate the brain." Other treatments employed, he said, include drugs and oxygen-inducing regimes, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where the brain is inundated with oxygen.
The goal, he said, is to balance the electrical and chemical activity in the brain.
"Once we can stabilize electrical-chemical activity, we can optimize what the brain's capability is at that point," he said.
Doctors can employ functional imagery techniques to examine the state of a person's neural markers, which are the chemical and electrical patterns within the brain, he said.
"We can then use that to guide us for treatment and to predict recovery," he said.
The prognosis for recovery for the five injured soldiers was "close to zero," he said, before they underwent the treatments at the Kessler institute.
"The brain heals," DeFina said, noting there are "different levels of improvement" among patients who'd formerly been minimally conscious and/or unresponsive.
After treatment, some people "wake up and some people can communicate," DeFina said. Other people, he said, may be able to perform simple tasks or return to work.
"So, we have different levels of the ability to recover," he said.
And, applying such innovative therapies to patients with mild to moderate forms of traumatic brain injury, he said, produces "dramatic results."
Congress has set aside about $6.4 million in Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations funding, DeFina said, so that the foundation can conduct continued research and development of the new therapies in cooperation with military health care organizations.
"We're in the process of accessing those funds," he said.
The foundation has developed close relationships with several Defense Department healthcare components, DeFina said, including the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, headed by Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton.
"Within the last year, we've had probably about 30 military doctors from the Army and Marines come visit Kessler to look at the program, including General Sutton," DeFina said. "We've briefed them, we've given them formal presentations on all the science, and then showed them the patients that are there.
"We've gotten a really good response from that," he said.
Many innovative therapies, DeFina said, have been used in a "stand-alone" manner to successfully treat patients with brain injuries.
Yet, using those therapies in combination "is even more powerful," he said.
North Dakota, Minnesota Guard Troops Respond to Red River Valley Flooding
By Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Almost 500 Army and Air National Guard troops from two states were called out over the weekend to help stem the flow of floodwaters from the Red River near Fargo, N.D. North Dakota and Minnesota have each called up about 200 soldiers and airmen to provide traffic control points, fill sandbags and build temporary levees in the wake of rains that fell March 22, adding to already-high water levels resulting from melting snow in the area.
"We need this help," said Sheriff Paul Laney of Cass County, N.D. "We need to stay calm, we need to stay cool, but we need to get serious and get this done."
The number of Guard troops called up in North Dakota is expected to grow to 500 by tomorrow, according to a release from the North Dakota National Guard public affairs office.
The National Weather Service reported that the river was over its banks in Fargo on March 22 at a level of about 21 feet and is expected to crest between 39 feet and 41 feet later this week. Many of the major tributaries to the river have also overflowed causing flooding in other areas of the Red River Valley.
In some areas, ground transportation is limited or non-existent, according to local reports.
In response to a request from Grant County emergency services officials on March 22, the North Dakota Army Guard used a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to rescue two families near Carson and New Leipzig, N.D., after floodwaters had surrounded their farmsteads, making it impossible for emergency crews to reach them by ground.
"We've had guys that are 90 years old and have never seen it (water) come up this hard, this fast," said Linton Sheriff Gary Sanders. "We had rain a month ago that froze up all the culverts and held everything back."
Large ice jams have also backed up many tributaries and other waterways.
"There were some ice jams west of Linton," Sanders said. "We got a tracked excavator with a 60-foot boom and broke up the ice jams at the bridges. The water dropped for an hour, then rose again. It's just coming up and coming up."
Meanwhile, in Moorhead, Minn., which sits on the opposite bank of the Red River from Fargo, about 200 Minnesota Guard troops are working to raise levee heights, according to National Guard Bureau reports.
Clay County, Minn., reports numerous secondary roads with water over the roadways.
The Guard's efforts are not going unnoticed in either state.
"When something like this happens, you're grateful for any help you can get," Sanders said. "Having access to the Guard and the resources they provide is a good thing."
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 23, 2009 - Almost 500 Army and Air National Guard troops from two states were called out over the weekend to help stem the flow of floodwaters from the Red River near Fargo, N.D. North Dakota and Minnesota have each called up about 200 soldiers and airmen to provide traffic control points, fill sandbags and build temporary levees in the wake of rains that fell March 22, adding to already-high water levels resulting from melting snow in the area.
"We need this help," said Sheriff Paul Laney of Cass County, N.D. "We need to stay calm, we need to stay cool, but we need to get serious and get this done."
The number of Guard troops called up in North Dakota is expected to grow to 500 by tomorrow, according to a release from the North Dakota National Guard public affairs office.
The National Weather Service reported that the river was over its banks in Fargo on March 22 at a level of about 21 feet and is expected to crest between 39 feet and 41 feet later this week. Many of the major tributaries to the river have also overflowed causing flooding in other areas of the Red River Valley.
In some areas, ground transportation is limited or non-existent, according to local reports.
In response to a request from Grant County emergency services officials on March 22, the North Dakota Army Guard used a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to rescue two families near Carson and New Leipzig, N.D., after floodwaters had surrounded their farmsteads, making it impossible for emergency crews to reach them by ground.
"We've had guys that are 90 years old and have never seen it (water) come up this hard, this fast," said Linton Sheriff Gary Sanders. "We had rain a month ago that froze up all the culverts and held everything back."
Large ice jams have also backed up many tributaries and other waterways.
"There were some ice jams west of Linton," Sanders said. "We got a tracked excavator with a 60-foot boom and broke up the ice jams at the bridges. The water dropped for an hour, then rose again. It's just coming up and coming up."
Meanwhile, in Moorhead, Minn., which sits on the opposite bank of the Red River from Fargo, about 200 Minnesota Guard troops are working to raise levee heights, according to National Guard Bureau reports.
Clay County, Minn., reports numerous secondary roads with water over the roadways.
The Guard's efforts are not going unnoticed in either state.
"When something like this happens, you're grateful for any help you can get," Sanders said. "Having access to the Guard and the resources they provide is a good thing."
Friday, March 20, 2009
Brain Awareness Week Launched at Museum of Health and Medicine
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - Hundreds of middle school students have passed through the halls of the National Museum of Health and Medicine here this week to learn about brain anatomy and pathology, as well as military medical history, as part of National Brain Awareness Week. The students got to hold a human brain, view the bullet that killed President Abraham Lincoln, and learn about the role the museum has had in military and civilian medicine since its Civil War beginnings, Tim Clarke Jr., the museum's director of communications, said during a March 18 "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" audio Webcast on Pentagon Web Radio. The museum is an element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and is located on the campus at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.
"The idea is ... to have young people really inspired about neuroscience and to understand a little more about the brain in a context that they might not be able to get in the classroom today," Clarke said.
Established in 1996 by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a private philanthropic foundation, Brain Awareness Week connects government agencies, universities, scientific societies and other partners to bring neuroscience-based education to young audiences. This year's Brain Awareness Week is March 16 to 22.
Since 1999, the Dana Alliance has worked with the museum and other partners including the National Institutes of Health, George Washington University, Howard University, the Society for Neuroscience, the Tug McGraw Foundation, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, and the Army Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
"We want to find a way through Brain Awareness Week to connect many of the various disciplines that are involved in neurosciences," Clarke said. "And work with those groups to put together very compelling, persuasive, hands-on demonstrations for young people."
The museum maintains the world's largest and most comprehensive neuroanatomical collection, which offers Brain Awareness Week participants a unique, first-hand opportunity to learn about brain anatomy and pathology. Students, chaperones and parents all have a chance to handle actual human brains.
"The look of awe and wonder on a young person's face when they are holding an actual human brain is something you really have to see to believe," Clarke said. "Nothing they had ever done compares to being able to hold a brain with the spinal cord still attached."
This year's Brain Awareness Week includes a new partnership with The Tug McGraw Foundation, which was created by professional baseball player Tug McGraw in 2003 to facilitate research that will improve the lives of those suffering from brain tumors. The foundation taught kids how to start their mornings with brain exercises designed to increase blood flow.
Clarke noted that Brain Awareness Week also highlights the variety of federal agencies conducting important basic and clinical neuroscience research. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism stages an obstacle course that students traverse while wearing "fatal vision goggles," which distort eye-muscle coordination and simulate the loss of balance induced by alcohol intoxication. In addition, the Army Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center informs students about how the center works with soldiers, veterans and their families to treat communication disorders.
"We try to find ways to engage the students on their level," Clarke said. "They are starting and ending the day with a lot of very interesting and compelling scientific information."
Students who participated in Brain Awareness Week also had the opportunity to view the museum's newest exhibition, "Abraham Lincoln: The Final Casualty of War," which features several of its most popular artifacts. The exhibit honors the nation's 16th president with various items associated with his last hours and the Army doctors who cared for him. On display is the actual bullet that took Lincoln's life and fragments of hair and skull that were gathered during his autopsy in the White House.
"We are able to tell a really interesting story that people know about, but we tell a different side of the story than you might get in the history textbooks," Clarke said.
The museum was founded in 1862 during the Civil War to collect anatomical specimens that could be used to develop new treatments for injuries sustained during battle. The museum, once led by Walter Reed, also played a role in shaping modern germ theory and an understanding of infections, as well as helping to found the Army Medical School and various clinical libraries focused on treating soldiers.
"It was Army Medical Museum staff, curators and scientists over the latter half of the 19th century that worked with partners all over the world to indoctrinate those types of practices into Army medicine," Clarke said.
(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the Defense Media Activity's New Media directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - Hundreds of middle school students have passed through the halls of the National Museum of Health and Medicine here this week to learn about brain anatomy and pathology, as well as military medical history, as part of National Brain Awareness Week. The students got to hold a human brain, view the bullet that killed President Abraham Lincoln, and learn about the role the museum has had in military and civilian medicine since its Civil War beginnings, Tim Clarke Jr., the museum's director of communications, said during a March 18 "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" audio Webcast on Pentagon Web Radio. The museum is an element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and is located on the campus at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.
"The idea is ... to have young people really inspired about neuroscience and to understand a little more about the brain in a context that they might not be able to get in the classroom today," Clarke said.
Established in 1996 by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a private philanthropic foundation, Brain Awareness Week connects government agencies, universities, scientific societies and other partners to bring neuroscience-based education to young audiences. This year's Brain Awareness Week is March 16 to 22.
Since 1999, the Dana Alliance has worked with the museum and other partners including the National Institutes of Health, George Washington University, Howard University, the Society for Neuroscience, the Tug McGraw Foundation, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, and the Army Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
"We want to find a way through Brain Awareness Week to connect many of the various disciplines that are involved in neurosciences," Clarke said. "And work with those groups to put together very compelling, persuasive, hands-on demonstrations for young people."
The museum maintains the world's largest and most comprehensive neuroanatomical collection, which offers Brain Awareness Week participants a unique, first-hand opportunity to learn about brain anatomy and pathology. Students, chaperones and parents all have a chance to handle actual human brains.
"The look of awe and wonder on a young person's face when they are holding an actual human brain is something you really have to see to believe," Clarke said. "Nothing they had ever done compares to being able to hold a brain with the spinal cord still attached."
This year's Brain Awareness Week includes a new partnership with The Tug McGraw Foundation, which was created by professional baseball player Tug McGraw in 2003 to facilitate research that will improve the lives of those suffering from brain tumors. The foundation taught kids how to start their mornings with brain exercises designed to increase blood flow.
Clarke noted that Brain Awareness Week also highlights the variety of federal agencies conducting important basic and clinical neuroscience research. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism stages an obstacle course that students traverse while wearing "fatal vision goggles," which distort eye-muscle coordination and simulate the loss of balance induced by alcohol intoxication. In addition, the Army Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center informs students about how the center works with soldiers, veterans and their families to treat communication disorders.
"We try to find ways to engage the students on their level," Clarke said. "They are starting and ending the day with a lot of very interesting and compelling scientific information."
Students who participated in Brain Awareness Week also had the opportunity to view the museum's newest exhibition, "Abraham Lincoln: The Final Casualty of War," which features several of its most popular artifacts. The exhibit honors the nation's 16th president with various items associated with his last hours and the Army doctors who cared for him. On display is the actual bullet that took Lincoln's life and fragments of hair and skull that were gathered during his autopsy in the White House.
"We are able to tell a really interesting story that people know about, but we tell a different side of the story than you might get in the history textbooks," Clarke said.
The museum was founded in 1862 during the Civil War to collect anatomical specimens that could be used to develop new treatments for injuries sustained during battle. The museum, once led by Walter Reed, also played a role in shaping modern germ theory and an understanding of infections, as well as helping to found the Army Medical School and various clinical libraries focused on treating soldiers.
"It was Army Medical Museum staff, curators and scientists over the latter half of the 19th century that worked with partners all over the world to indoctrinate those types of practices into Army medicine," Clarke said.
(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the Defense Media Activity's New Media directorate.)
Mission Develops African Partners in Maritime Safety, Security
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 19, 2009 - Improving the maritime capabilities of West and Central African navies is just one of the key focus areas for the ongoing Africa Partnership Station, a senior officer involved in the effort said yesterday. "I think one of the critical benefits to working here is the involvement of partner nations in the planning process," Navy Capt. Cynthia Thebaud, commodore of the APS staff aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Nashville told bloggers and online journalists taking part in a bloggers roundtable discussion hosted by the Defense Department's Emerging Media directorate.
Nashville is in the Gulf of Guinea on a large-scale APS mission. Thebaud said the APS initiative has evolved into several maritime security conferences that U.S. Navy leaders have attended.
"[We are] trying to develop some concepts of ways forward in helping to enhance and develop maritime safety and security capability, and capacity in West and Central Africa is really the genesis of this initiative," Thebaud said.
Africa Partnership Station began in the fall of 2007 with the deployment of USS Fort McHenry to West Africa. The ship included an international staff and acted as a floating schoolhouse, offering a variety of maritime courses and training. The initiative has continued with deployments of other Navy and Coast Guard ships, aircraft and small training units. In early March, USS Robert G. Bradley completed the first Africa Partnership Station mission to East Africa.
Thebaud said the APS mission covers four areas: "Helping them develop maritime professionals; helping them to develop a maritime domain or a special regional awareness; helping to develop response capability and capacity; and helping to develop the infrastructure," she said.
As APS has continued its mission, it also has matured, Royal Navy Cmdr. Mark Fitzsimmons, staff director for APS Nashville, added.
"One of the things that I think we are the most proud of this year versus past is that we really feel like we are responding to the needs of the ... country teams and the host-nation navies, and we're supporting their navy outreach efforts," Fitzsimmons said.
He added that APS continues to push its knowledge forward for the benefit of future ships and future missions.
"The main mission is maritime safety and security," Fitzsimmons said. "But a by-product of that and a real tertiary benefit is our ability to do community outreach, while at the same time building maritime safety and security."
Thebaud added that the critical component to the success of APS is the involvement of partner nations in the planning process.
"One of the things that we hear said the most frequently is the ... opportunity to come and work in a collaborative and cooperative environment with members of other West and Central African navies," Thebaud added.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 19, 2009 - Improving the maritime capabilities of West and Central African navies is just one of the key focus areas for the ongoing Africa Partnership Station, a senior officer involved in the effort said yesterday. "I think one of the critical benefits to working here is the involvement of partner nations in the planning process," Navy Capt. Cynthia Thebaud, commodore of the APS staff aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Nashville told bloggers and online journalists taking part in a bloggers roundtable discussion hosted by the Defense Department's Emerging Media directorate.
Nashville is in the Gulf of Guinea on a large-scale APS mission. Thebaud said the APS initiative has evolved into several maritime security conferences that U.S. Navy leaders have attended.
"[We are] trying to develop some concepts of ways forward in helping to enhance and develop maritime safety and security capability, and capacity in West and Central Africa is really the genesis of this initiative," Thebaud said.
Africa Partnership Station began in the fall of 2007 with the deployment of USS Fort McHenry to West Africa. The ship included an international staff and acted as a floating schoolhouse, offering a variety of maritime courses and training. The initiative has continued with deployments of other Navy and Coast Guard ships, aircraft and small training units. In early March, USS Robert G. Bradley completed the first Africa Partnership Station mission to East Africa.
Thebaud said the APS mission covers four areas: "Helping them develop maritime professionals; helping them to develop a maritime domain or a special regional awareness; helping to develop response capability and capacity; and helping to develop the infrastructure," she said.
As APS has continued its mission, it also has matured, Royal Navy Cmdr. Mark Fitzsimmons, staff director for APS Nashville, added.
"One of the things that I think we are the most proud of this year versus past is that we really feel like we are responding to the needs of the ... country teams and the host-nation navies, and we're supporting their navy outreach efforts," Fitzsimmons said.
He added that APS continues to push its knowledge forward for the benefit of future ships and future missions.
"The main mission is maritime safety and security," Fitzsimmons said. "But a by-product of that and a real tertiary benefit is our ability to do community outreach, while at the same time building maritime safety and security."
Thebaud added that the critical component to the success of APS is the involvement of partner nations in the planning process.
"One of the things that we hear said the most frequently is the ... opportunity to come and work in a collaborative and cooperative environment with members of other West and Central African navies," Thebaud added.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Army Reserve Employer Partnership Unfazed by Flagging Economy
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - A program that links Army reservists with civilian employers is going strong -- despite record unemployment and gloomy hiring predictions -- as more employers sign on every month so they can hire qualified reservists. The American Trucking Association and INOVA Health Systems of Northern Virginia broke new ground in April 2008 as the first formal members of the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative. Within six months, 65 employers had joined, and the program hit a milestone in February with its 200th employer partner.
Now Army Reserve officials are laying plans for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to sign on in mid-April at the program's first anniversary. That ceremony will bring the partnership to almost 300 employers.
"We have a huge success here," Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz said of the program he introduced to help the Army Reserve and civilian employers share the same talent pool. "We've got more than 200 companies that have signed up, and another 200 that want to talk to us," he said.
The partners run the gamut, Stultz told about 200 reservists during a recent Pentagon town hall meeting. They include Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and General Electric Company, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., mom-and-pop companies and everything in between.
Stultz called the partnership a win-win for everyone involved. Reservists get a leg up in a competitive job market. Employers who understand their military obligations guarantee interviews for qualified reservists, as well as priority placement for openings.
Meanwhile, the employers have a way to tap into a pool of trained, motivated workers. "With the skill sets we have in our force -- medical, law enforcement, transportation, engineering to name a few -- there's a good demand out there," Stultz said.
Even in a tight labor market, employers are clamoring for workers trained in these skills. One of the program's big selling points is that employers can piggyback on training the military already provides.
INOVA Health System, for example, agreed to hire reservists the Army trains in radiology, respiratory therapy and surgical specialties. The arrangement is helping the company fill critical job shortages, while offering career opportunity to Pfc. Jason Black and other Army reservists.
Black, the first reservist INOVA hired through the partnership, is attending the yearlong Army radiology course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After he graduates this fall, he'll start working as a radiology specialist at INOVA. At the same time, he'll be assigned to the Army Reserve's 48th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Meade, Md.
Enthusiasm for the employer partnership extends even to industries that have been particularly hard-hit by the financial crisis.
Kenneth Crowley, president and CEO of the Crowley Auto Group in Bristol, Conn., said he's so impressed with the mechanics, accountants, information technology specialists and administrative staff he's hired through the program that he'd like to expand it beyond his nine dealerships.
"We're still involved with the program and will hire good, qualified people, absolutely," he said. "This downturn in the economy isn't going to last forever, and before you know it, we will be needing people and we won't be able to find them."
Fewer people may be buying new cars, but Crowley said that means they're maintaining the ones they already have. That, in turn, drives up the demand for qualified mechanics he's able to hire through the partnership program. "So it's been a lifesaver to us, actually, because what we are lacking in sales, we are making up in maintenance," he said.
Crowley's such a fan of the partnership that he hopes to build on it to benefit the industry as a whole. He's set up a meeting for early next month so representatives of the Army Reserve and a major auto maker can explore ways to award manufacturer-level diesel-technician certification to qualified Army Reserve mechanics.
This, Crowley said, would short-cut what's typically a two-year process before mechanics can work on warranty claims and other specialized tasks.
Reservists would benefit from the arrangement, too. "My thought was, if I got the Army to work with the manufacturer, now these guys get trained while they are serving," Crowley said. "I can hire them right away and start them at a much higher level of pay because they're already certified."
Like other partnership members, Crowley said he knows what he's getting when he hires a reservist. "What makes me like hiring them so much is that they are serious, and they are there to do the job and do it properly and in a spirit of team effort," he said.
Army Sgt. Maj. Nelson Ildefonso, noncommissioned officer in charge of the partnership program, said reservists have characteristics that make them particularly good employees.
"They're skill-rich, but they're also good leaders," Ildefonso said. "They're good followers. They're drug-tested, and a lot of them have security clearances. They're disciplined. They accept leadership and want to move ahead.
"In a nutshell, they've got the characteristics that an employer looks for in an employee," he said. "And that's why the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative has been such a success."
But echoing sentiments of many fellow partners, Crowley said another big attraction of the program boils down to good, old-fashioned patriotism.
"Being an employer partner is more than just having access to great employees," he said. "It is also a way for me to give back and say thank you to individuals who have dedicated themselves to serving our nation."
Stultz got an indication of the demand for his soldiers, and the partnership's reach, during a recent visit to Camp Bonsteel, Kosovo. A reservist who used the Employer Partnership Initiative Web site to seek out and apply for jobs told Stultz he'd hit pay dirt -- even while deployed thousands of miles from home.
"He went on the site and got three different job offers," Stultz told the Pentagon town hall session. "So his big challenge was deciding which of those offers to accept."
"So it's working," Stultz said of the program. "There's no question about it. We get anecdotal evidence every day."
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - A program that links Army reservists with civilian employers is going strong -- despite record unemployment and gloomy hiring predictions -- as more employers sign on every month so they can hire qualified reservists. The American Trucking Association and INOVA Health Systems of Northern Virginia broke new ground in April 2008 as the first formal members of the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative. Within six months, 65 employers had joined, and the program hit a milestone in February with its 200th employer partner.
Now Army Reserve officials are laying plans for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to sign on in mid-April at the program's first anniversary. That ceremony will bring the partnership to almost 300 employers.
"We have a huge success here," Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz said of the program he introduced to help the Army Reserve and civilian employers share the same talent pool. "We've got more than 200 companies that have signed up, and another 200 that want to talk to us," he said.
The partners run the gamut, Stultz told about 200 reservists during a recent Pentagon town hall meeting. They include Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and General Electric Company, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., mom-and-pop companies and everything in between.
Stultz called the partnership a win-win for everyone involved. Reservists get a leg up in a competitive job market. Employers who understand their military obligations guarantee interviews for qualified reservists, as well as priority placement for openings.
Meanwhile, the employers have a way to tap into a pool of trained, motivated workers. "With the skill sets we have in our force -- medical, law enforcement, transportation, engineering to name a few -- there's a good demand out there," Stultz said.
Even in a tight labor market, employers are clamoring for workers trained in these skills. One of the program's big selling points is that employers can piggyback on training the military already provides.
INOVA Health System, for example, agreed to hire reservists the Army trains in radiology, respiratory therapy and surgical specialties. The arrangement is helping the company fill critical job shortages, while offering career opportunity to Pfc. Jason Black and other Army reservists.
Black, the first reservist INOVA hired through the partnership, is attending the yearlong Army radiology course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After he graduates this fall, he'll start working as a radiology specialist at INOVA. At the same time, he'll be assigned to the Army Reserve's 48th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Meade, Md.
Enthusiasm for the employer partnership extends even to industries that have been particularly hard-hit by the financial crisis.
Kenneth Crowley, president and CEO of the Crowley Auto Group in Bristol, Conn., said he's so impressed with the mechanics, accountants, information technology specialists and administrative staff he's hired through the program that he'd like to expand it beyond his nine dealerships.
"We're still involved with the program and will hire good, qualified people, absolutely," he said. "This downturn in the economy isn't going to last forever, and before you know it, we will be needing people and we won't be able to find them."
Fewer people may be buying new cars, but Crowley said that means they're maintaining the ones they already have. That, in turn, drives up the demand for qualified mechanics he's able to hire through the partnership program. "So it's been a lifesaver to us, actually, because what we are lacking in sales, we are making up in maintenance," he said.
Crowley's such a fan of the partnership that he hopes to build on it to benefit the industry as a whole. He's set up a meeting for early next month so representatives of the Army Reserve and a major auto maker can explore ways to award manufacturer-level diesel-technician certification to qualified Army Reserve mechanics.
This, Crowley said, would short-cut what's typically a two-year process before mechanics can work on warranty claims and other specialized tasks.
Reservists would benefit from the arrangement, too. "My thought was, if I got the Army to work with the manufacturer, now these guys get trained while they are serving," Crowley said. "I can hire them right away and start them at a much higher level of pay because they're already certified."
Like other partnership members, Crowley said he knows what he's getting when he hires a reservist. "What makes me like hiring them so much is that they are serious, and they are there to do the job and do it properly and in a spirit of team effort," he said.
Army Sgt. Maj. Nelson Ildefonso, noncommissioned officer in charge of the partnership program, said reservists have characteristics that make them particularly good employees.
"They're skill-rich, but they're also good leaders," Ildefonso said. "They're good followers. They're drug-tested, and a lot of them have security clearances. They're disciplined. They accept leadership and want to move ahead.
"In a nutshell, they've got the characteristics that an employer looks for in an employee," he said. "And that's why the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Initiative has been such a success."
But echoing sentiments of many fellow partners, Crowley said another big attraction of the program boils down to good, old-fashioned patriotism.
"Being an employer partner is more than just having access to great employees," he said. "It is also a way for me to give back and say thank you to individuals who have dedicated themselves to serving our nation."
Stultz got an indication of the demand for his soldiers, and the partnership's reach, during a recent visit to Camp Bonsteel, Kosovo. A reservist who used the Employer Partnership Initiative Web site to seek out and apply for jobs told Stultz he'd hit pay dirt -- even while deployed thousands of miles from home.
"He went on the site and got three different job offers," Stultz told the Pentagon town hall session. "So his big challenge was deciding which of those offers to accept."
"So it's working," Stultz said of the program. "There's no question about it. We get anecdotal evidence every day."
Face of Defense: NCO Teaches Bistro Cooking in Barracks
By Minnie Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - When it comes to cooking, Army Sgt. Edmund Perez knows how to prepare a healthy, affordable meal in about 30 minutes. Perez, a native of San Antonio, is assigned to Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison here, as the operations noncommissioned officer. And as a professional chef, he brings his cooking talents to a new TV cooking series, "Microwave 101," on The Pentagon Channel.
The show teaches soldiers how to save money and eat healthy, even when that means using a microwave in their barracks to cook meals.
Drawing from his own soldier experiences, Perez creates meals that are good, healthy, affordable and, his fans say, are unbelievably mouth-watering, considering they come from a microwave.
Equally important in his show, Perez tries to get young soldiers to save money. "I want soldiers to quit going to the Macaroni Grill to eat and invest in a [bank account] instead," he said.
Perez's cooking segments range from the quick and easy, like his two-minute breakfast taco, to complete meals like meatballs in sweet chili sauce, chicken with pineapple salsa, and chicken parmesan with glazed carrots and rice. Most of his meals include desserts, such as his molten chocolate cake.
Perez's passion for cooking came at an early age, and he credits his mother for sparking his interest. "I think growing up and watching my mom decorate cakes and staying up late with her to help, intrigued me," he said. "It set a challenge in front of me, the need to be challenged.
"Every time you cook, bake or decorate, it's different. You can be making the same dish repeatedly and it will still be different every time. I think that's why I like cooking. It's a new experience every time."
Perez's passion is molding cooks into chefs and preparing them for competition. He has competed in the All-Army Culinary Arts Team in 2005, 2007 and 2008; the competition only has seven slots a year, earning him the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team badge that he wears proudly.
"I love to train soldiers to compete and becoming skilled chefs," he said. "I like changing their thinking process of being just a cook, to begin taking pride in what they do and transforming them into loving what they do."
Throughout his career, Perez has helped 28 soldiers become certified chefs or higher through the American Culinary Federation. Four work at the Pentagon in various messes and one works for the Army chief of staff as his personal aide.
"There is nothing more rewarding than having a soldier, no matter the rank, come up to you and tell you, 'I have learned something from you,'" he said.
Perez also is popular with those he trains. "He is very thorough," Army Spc. Mary McKoy, Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison, said. "Instead of throwing something at you and telling you to execute, he actually shows you what to do, and how to do it."
When Perez is not taking care of daily business at the garrison, you can find him with the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program, where he serves as the president and program manager for the installation.
Perez, due to a compassionate move, no longer actively works in his military occupational specialty. He has begun to channel some of his motivation of molding cooks into chefs into molding Advanced Individual Training and Initial Entry Training trainees in the BOSS program, into more responsible soldiers.
"I try to have a high standard in everything I do," he said. "And I hold my soldiers to that same standard. Some of them hate it along the way, but in the end, they respect it, understand it and will use it in their own leadership style."
(Minnie Jones works in the Fort Sam Houston public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - When it comes to cooking, Army Sgt. Edmund Perez knows how to prepare a healthy, affordable meal in about 30 minutes. Perez, a native of San Antonio, is assigned to Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison here, as the operations noncommissioned officer. And as a professional chef, he brings his cooking talents to a new TV cooking series, "Microwave 101," on The Pentagon Channel.
The show teaches soldiers how to save money and eat healthy, even when that means using a microwave in their barracks to cook meals.
Drawing from his own soldier experiences, Perez creates meals that are good, healthy, affordable and, his fans say, are unbelievably mouth-watering, considering they come from a microwave.
Equally important in his show, Perez tries to get young soldiers to save money. "I want soldiers to quit going to the Macaroni Grill to eat and invest in a [bank account] instead," he said.
Perez's cooking segments range from the quick and easy, like his two-minute breakfast taco, to complete meals like meatballs in sweet chili sauce, chicken with pineapple salsa, and chicken parmesan with glazed carrots and rice. Most of his meals include desserts, such as his molten chocolate cake.
Perez's passion for cooking came at an early age, and he credits his mother for sparking his interest. "I think growing up and watching my mom decorate cakes and staying up late with her to help, intrigued me," he said. "It set a challenge in front of me, the need to be challenged.
"Every time you cook, bake or decorate, it's different. You can be making the same dish repeatedly and it will still be different every time. I think that's why I like cooking. It's a new experience every time."
Perez's passion is molding cooks into chefs and preparing them for competition. He has competed in the All-Army Culinary Arts Team in 2005, 2007 and 2008; the competition only has seven slots a year, earning him the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team badge that he wears proudly.
"I love to train soldiers to compete and becoming skilled chefs," he said. "I like changing their thinking process of being just a cook, to begin taking pride in what they do and transforming them into loving what they do."
Throughout his career, Perez has helped 28 soldiers become certified chefs or higher through the American Culinary Federation. Four work at the Pentagon in various messes and one works for the Army chief of staff as his personal aide.
"There is nothing more rewarding than having a soldier, no matter the rank, come up to you and tell you, 'I have learned something from you,'" he said.
Perez also is popular with those he trains. "He is very thorough," Army Spc. Mary McKoy, Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison, said. "Instead of throwing something at you and telling you to execute, he actually shows you what to do, and how to do it."
When Perez is not taking care of daily business at the garrison, you can find him with the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program, where he serves as the president and program manager for the installation.
Perez, due to a compassionate move, no longer actively works in his military occupational specialty. He has begun to channel some of his motivation of molding cooks into chefs into molding Advanced Individual Training and Initial Entry Training trainees in the BOSS program, into more responsible soldiers.
"I try to have a high standard in everything I do," he said. "And I hold my soldiers to that same standard. Some of them hate it along the way, but in the end, they respect it, understand it and will use it in their own leadership style."
(Minnie Jones works in the Fort Sam Houston public affairs office.)
Pay Incentives Help Military Avoid Nursing Shortage
By Sara Moore
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - The Army, Navy and Air Force nurse corps are highly trained, capable and critical to the wartime mission of each service, the corps' leaders told a congressional committee this week. The Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee heard testimony March 18 from the services' nursing chiefs. Each reported a healthy force that plays a vital role in maintaining the health of America's servicemembers and saving lives on the battlefield.
Despite a nationwide nursing shortage, all three services have had success in recruiting and retaining nurses, the leaders said. New incentive and training programs will help boost those numbers even further, they noted.
The active-duty Navy nurse corps is staffed at 96 percent and made its accession goal for the third year in a row, Navy Rear Adm. Christine M. Bruzek-Kohler, director of the Navy nurse corps, told the committee. The Reserve component met 107 percent of its recruiting goal in 2008, she noted, but deficits from the three previous years have led to challenges filling junior officer billets.
Several new initiatives, including incentive pay for critical specialties, targeted recruiting efforts, and professional development programs for federal civilian nurses will help maintain its success and bolster retention, Bruzek-Kohler said.
"Built upon a solid foundation of clinical skills, Navy nursing encompasses clinical specialization via advanced education and certification, operational readiness, and leadership development," she said. "When combined, these yield clinical nursing leaders and future executives for Navy medicine who are business savvy, operationally experienced, and clinically adept. These nurses can and will impressively lead our people and organization into the future."
After establishing a brigade in 2007 to focus on recruiting nurses, the Army last year exceeded its goal for active-duty nurses by 147 percent, Army Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, chief of the Army nurse corps, told the committee. Incentive pay also has helped to encourage nurses to stay on active duty, she said.
The Army deploys 400 to 500 nurses a year, so maintaining a robust force focused on specialties like emergency care and intensive care unit skills is important, Horoho said.
"Army nurses are a corps of seasoned combat veterans that are highly trained, highly skilled and highly committed," she said.
The Air Force also has had success in recruiting nurses, particularly novice nurses, Air Force Maj. Gen. Kimberly A. Siniscalchi, chief of the Air Force nurse corps, told the committee. Accession bonuses, loan repayment programs, scholarships and incentive special pay programs will help the Air Force continue its recruiting success and boost retention, where it has been lacking, she said.
"The key to successful peacetime and wartime nursing operations is a robust nursing force, a force with the right numbers, right experience and the right skills," Siniscalchi said. "Recruiting experienced nurses continues to be a significant challenge."
All three leaders praised their nurses' performance during deployments. Bruzek-Kohler noted the many Navy nurses she has spoken to after they return from deployments who talk about how positive their experiences were and express a desire to go back.
"A maturity, sense of personal fulfillment, and confidence of having done something that their peers have not done is readily identifiable among my nurses returning from these unique deployments," she said. "From the way they act, talk and perhaps even the swagger in their walk, one can tell that they have returned with experiences far and ... many, accomplished goals unrealized in the past, and matured in a way years could never have provided."
Through their many deployment experiences, Army nurses have been able to apply lessons learned and improve services, Horoho said. She cited the example of flight nurses who have decreased the incidents of hypothermia among medical evacuation patients from 20 percent to fewer than 5 percent.
"On my recent trip to Iraq, I was absolutely humbled to see the level of care that is provided to not only our servicemembers, but to coalition forces, contractors and the detainee populations that we served," Horoho said.
Army nurses are partnering with Iraqi nurse leaders to rebuild their profession, she noted, and the nurse case management program at Camp Cropper and Camp Bucca has provided specialized care for more then 1,000 detainees.
Siniscalchi recalled several stories of heroics by Air Force nurses, including one who treated a colleague's son and was able to let him speak to his father on the phone before undergoing surgery, and the delivery of the first Afghan baby at Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan.
"Our warriors and their families deserve the best possible care we can provide," she said. "It is the nurses' touch, compassion and care that often wills a patient to recovery or softens the transition from life to death. There has never been a better time to be a member of this great Air Force nursing team."
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - The Army, Navy and Air Force nurse corps are highly trained, capable and critical to the wartime mission of each service, the corps' leaders told a congressional committee this week. The Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee heard testimony March 18 from the services' nursing chiefs. Each reported a healthy force that plays a vital role in maintaining the health of America's servicemembers and saving lives on the battlefield.
Despite a nationwide nursing shortage, all three services have had success in recruiting and retaining nurses, the leaders said. New incentive and training programs will help boost those numbers even further, they noted.
The active-duty Navy nurse corps is staffed at 96 percent and made its accession goal for the third year in a row, Navy Rear Adm. Christine M. Bruzek-Kohler, director of the Navy nurse corps, told the committee. The Reserve component met 107 percent of its recruiting goal in 2008, she noted, but deficits from the three previous years have led to challenges filling junior officer billets.
Several new initiatives, including incentive pay for critical specialties, targeted recruiting efforts, and professional development programs for federal civilian nurses will help maintain its success and bolster retention, Bruzek-Kohler said.
"Built upon a solid foundation of clinical skills, Navy nursing encompasses clinical specialization via advanced education and certification, operational readiness, and leadership development," she said. "When combined, these yield clinical nursing leaders and future executives for Navy medicine who are business savvy, operationally experienced, and clinically adept. These nurses can and will impressively lead our people and organization into the future."
After establishing a brigade in 2007 to focus on recruiting nurses, the Army last year exceeded its goal for active-duty nurses by 147 percent, Army Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, chief of the Army nurse corps, told the committee. Incentive pay also has helped to encourage nurses to stay on active duty, she said.
The Army deploys 400 to 500 nurses a year, so maintaining a robust force focused on specialties like emergency care and intensive care unit skills is important, Horoho said.
"Army nurses are a corps of seasoned combat veterans that are highly trained, highly skilled and highly committed," she said.
The Air Force also has had success in recruiting nurses, particularly novice nurses, Air Force Maj. Gen. Kimberly A. Siniscalchi, chief of the Air Force nurse corps, told the committee. Accession bonuses, loan repayment programs, scholarships and incentive special pay programs will help the Air Force continue its recruiting success and boost retention, where it has been lacking, she said.
"The key to successful peacetime and wartime nursing operations is a robust nursing force, a force with the right numbers, right experience and the right skills," Siniscalchi said. "Recruiting experienced nurses continues to be a significant challenge."
All three leaders praised their nurses' performance during deployments. Bruzek-Kohler noted the many Navy nurses she has spoken to after they return from deployments who talk about how positive their experiences were and express a desire to go back.
"A maturity, sense of personal fulfillment, and confidence of having done something that their peers have not done is readily identifiable among my nurses returning from these unique deployments," she said. "From the way they act, talk and perhaps even the swagger in their walk, one can tell that they have returned with experiences far and ... many, accomplished goals unrealized in the past, and matured in a way years could never have provided."
Through their many deployment experiences, Army nurses have been able to apply lessons learned and improve services, Horoho said. She cited the example of flight nurses who have decreased the incidents of hypothermia among medical evacuation patients from 20 percent to fewer than 5 percent.
"On my recent trip to Iraq, I was absolutely humbled to see the level of care that is provided to not only our servicemembers, but to coalition forces, contractors and the detainee populations that we served," Horoho said.
Army nurses are partnering with Iraqi nurse leaders to rebuild their profession, she noted, and the nurse case management program at Camp Cropper and Camp Bucca has provided specialized care for more then 1,000 detainees.
Siniscalchi recalled several stories of heroics by Air Force nurses, including one who treated a colleague's son and was able to let him speak to his father on the phone before undergoing surgery, and the delivery of the first Afghan baby at Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan.
"Our warriors and their families deserve the best possible care we can provide," she said. "It is the nurses' touch, compassion and care that often wills a patient to recovery or softens the transition from life to death. There has never been a better time to be a member of this great Air Force nursing team."
Quintets From Army Band, Russian Orchestra Perform Royal Music
By Ian GrahamSpecial to American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - As a group of leading diplomats, military officials and scholars made its way into the Russian Embassy here March 17, none of them quite knew what to expect. They had been invited to see a joint performance by brass quintets from the U.S. Army Band and the Russian National Orchestra. That evening, amid a collection of traditional Russian pieces, the two quintets were to perform music from the private collections of Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II, much of which is believed to have been played only in the private company of the Russian royal family and possibly the czar's entourage.
For a musician, said Col. Thomas Rotondi, commander of the Army Band, it's incredibly exciting to think of hearing music that hasn't been played in more than 100 years.
"Anybody can go to the Library of Congress and view the sheet music, but nobody can hear it," he said. "The exciting thing about this, from a musician's perspective, is that you're bringing art back to life."
The Library of Congress bought the original manuscripts in the early 1930s, when the library was trying to expand its foreign holdings.
The library's full Russian Imperial Collection contains books, jewelry, religious artifacts and artwork from five of the czar's palaces in St. Petersburg, in addition to the musical manuscripts.
Kevin LaVine of the Library of Congress's music division said the beauty of the manuscripts is that they provide a look at the cultural life of the Russian royal family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The artwork on the manuscripts represents the artwork that was popular at the time, and the music, which was popular among Russian aristocrats, even hints at some of the royal family's private hobbies.
"You see a lot of piano solos, or piano and vocal duets," Lavine said. "So these were likely arrangements made for the imperial family to perform at home."
The music also represents aspects of the czarist Russian military; some of the pieces are military marches. One of the more interesting books, LaVine said, is a collection of infantry calls, marches and signals, akin to bugle calls still used in modern militaries.
Vladislav Lavrik, principal trumpet player for the Russian National Orchestra, said the concert is a very special occasion for him because the music represents such a significant time in Russia's history.
"This is part of our culture," he said. "It's an honor to get to be the first people to play it for an audience. It means a lot to me."
Sgt. Maj. Dennis Edelbrock, a trumpeter in the Army Band quintet, said it was a great pleasure to play with members of the Russian National Orchestra, which recently was ranked No. 15 of the top 20 orchestras in the world by Gramophone, a British music magazine.
"It was quite a treat to take part in this," he said. "It's been a lot of hard work in a short time, but those guys are pros and I feel good about how we played."
The bands met only the day before at Brucker Hall on Fort Myer, Va., to rehearse their collaborative pieces and get to know each other. But within minutes of meeting, the two groups were playing as if they'd had weeks of practice time, despite any language barriers.
"Those Army guys, they're very professional," Lavrik said.
Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, opened the concert with a quick introduction of the groups and the international friendship the joint performance represents. He said the importance of the night was not only to hear good music, but also to take a lesson in history.
"These musicians are providing for us not only music, but they share something with us that isn't known, even by those who closely follow and study the evolution of music," he said.
The ambassador added that the tone of relations between America and Russia is changing, and that joint efforts like this concert help to establish that tone.
Blair A. Ruble, director of the Kennan Institute, which focuses on Russian studies, said the concert illustrates the strengths of both nations and the power they have when cooperating.
"Tonight shows the capacity of Russia and the United States, when working together, to bring beauty to the world," Ruble said. "This is not a symbolic 'new start.' This is our example of what things have become: a normal relationship. If we should celebrate anything tonight, we should celebrate how normal things have become between us."
A joint ensemble opened with "Quintet," a piece by Russian composer Alexander A. Aliabev. Aliabev was a rising star in Russian music when a gambling dispute led him allegedly to kill a man.
Both full quintets joined on "Suite from the Czar's Library," an arrangement of selections from the Library of Congress's collection, and "Rossiya," a musical glimpse at the many facets of Russian culture, from aristocrats and city life to poor farmers in the Ukraine by Anton Rubinstein.
"That piece, it represents so much about Russia," Lavrik said. "As a Russian, you feel so connected to that music, because it's about you and your family and your history."
The bands concluded the night with encores of Duke Ellington's "Caravan" and a salsa rendition of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff's famous "Flight of the Bumblebee."
Both featured virtuosic solos by Army Band trombonist Sgt. 1st Class Harry Watters, who gave "Bumblebee" -- a song made famous by its adaptation for trumpet in the "Green Hornet" TV theme song -- a new tone with his fluid trombone runs.
After the concert, the members of both bands are ready to continue their collaboration. There has been some talk of bringing the joint performance back to Moscow, said Mary Ann Allin, an American liaison for the Russian National Orchestra and the organizer of the joint concert.
"We'd like to support this partnership; it's really fantastic," Rotondi said. "To have two countries come together to perform works like this, it's the best way to do it. This is a great event to bring these two communities together."
As to whether Edelbrook is ready to give it another go, he said he needs to sleep on it after two whirlwind days of long rehearsals.
"Not tonight," he laughed. "I'm ready to go to bed."
(Ian Graham is a staff writer for the Pentagram newspaper.)
Defense Department Officials List Stimulus Act Projects
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - Defense Department officials today announced 3,000 projects that the economic stimulus legislation signed last month will fund. A complete list of the projects is available at http://www.defenselink.mil/recovery and at http://www.recovery.gov. Defense officials will continue to use those Web sites to post future announcements.
The two biggest projects are hospitals at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Fort Hood, Texas, Defense officials said.
The projects are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law last month. The Defense Department received $7.4 billion under the law, with $5.9 billion going for construction and repair projects.
The funds are to be spent at Defense Department facilities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. The primary purpose of these funds is to create jobs and stimulate economic activity, officials said.
Total funding for the act is $787 billion, with the $7.4 billion Defense Department portion aimed at projects that could be accelerated or started at once. Department officials can obligate stimulus funds for military construction projects through the end of fiscal 2013, and the rest through the end of fiscal 2010.
These projects will provide much-needed improvements to military installations, and include hospitals, child development centers, barracks projects, family housing, community centers, gymnasiums and other facilities for troops and their families.
The act also funds needed infrastructure repairs including water projects, electrical grids, steam lines and sewers.
The hospitals at Camp Pendleton and Fort Hood are examples of this need. Both bases have sent thousands of soldiers and Marines to combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. The current hospital at Fort Hood was built in the 1960s to service a far smaller community. The base hospital now can accommodate a community of roughly 30,000 beneficiaries, but it serves a beneficiary community of 50,000. The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton is a 123-bed hospital, and it needs to expand to handle the Marines and retirees in the area.
Another focal point of the bill is $555 million for a temporary expansion of the Homeowner's Assistance Program benefits for private home sale losses of both military and civilian Defense Department personnel. The program reimburses those who lose money on a home sale due to a forced relocation.
The program allocates roughly $300 million for military energy research programs.
Officials said the ARRA funds would be spent as quickly as possible, with full transparency and accountability.
American Forces Press Service
March 20, 2009 - Defense Department officials today announced 3,000 projects that the economic stimulus legislation signed last month will fund. A complete list of the projects is available at http://www.defenselink.mil/recovery and at http://www.recovery.gov. Defense officials will continue to use those Web sites to post future announcements.
The two biggest projects are hospitals at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Fort Hood, Texas, Defense officials said.
The projects are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law last month. The Defense Department received $7.4 billion under the law, with $5.9 billion going for construction and repair projects.
The funds are to be spent at Defense Department facilities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. The primary purpose of these funds is to create jobs and stimulate economic activity, officials said.
Total funding for the act is $787 billion, with the $7.4 billion Defense Department portion aimed at projects that could be accelerated or started at once. Department officials can obligate stimulus funds for military construction projects through the end of fiscal 2013, and the rest through the end of fiscal 2010.
These projects will provide much-needed improvements to military installations, and include hospitals, child development centers, barracks projects, family housing, community centers, gymnasiums and other facilities for troops and their families.
The act also funds needed infrastructure repairs including water projects, electrical grids, steam lines and sewers.
The hospitals at Camp Pendleton and Fort Hood are examples of this need. Both bases have sent thousands of soldiers and Marines to combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. The current hospital at Fort Hood was built in the 1960s to service a far smaller community. The base hospital now can accommodate a community of roughly 30,000 beneficiaries, but it serves a beneficiary community of 50,000. The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton is a 123-bed hospital, and it needs to expand to handle the Marines and retirees in the area.
Another focal point of the bill is $555 million for a temporary expansion of the Homeowner's Assistance Program benefits for private home sale losses of both military and civilian Defense Department personnel. The program reimburses those who lose money on a home sale due to a forced relocation.
The program allocates roughly $300 million for military energy research programs.
Officials said the ARRA funds would be spent as quickly as possible, with full transparency and accountability.
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