By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited with U.S. troops assigned to NATO's Kosovo Force here today. Gates – making the first visit to Kosovo by a defense secretary since 2001 -- said he wanted to thank the 1,400 American servicemembers deployed here.
"We haven't forgotten about them, and we know how important they are," Gates said during a news conference with Pentagon reporters.
The Europeans and Kosovars depend on the American presence, Gates noted. "There has been a great concern that we might pull out, and what I have reassured our allies is that when the president said 'in together, out together,' [it] will continue to be our policy," Gates said. "We will continue to fulfill our responsibilities there."
The troops are National Guardsmen assigned to the 110th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade of the Missouri National Guard. The Kansas City-based unit also has Guardsmen from Alabama, Illinois, South Dakota, California, Texas and New Mexico. The unit arrived at Camp Bondsteel in June and will return to the United States in March. A unit from the California National Guard will take its place.
The unit works with other NATO units to ensure Kosovo remains safe and secure as the country works through its political issues, said command spokesman Army Sgt. 1st Class Craig L. Collins. Task Force Sabre and Task Force Thunder – two units built around the 110th's maneuver battalions – patrol various areas of the country and work with Kosovar security forces to maintain calm.
Other members of the unit set up medical and dental civil affairs programs for more remote villages in their area of operations.
Camp Bondsteel itself looks like the movie version of a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. Gravel roads and paths run between wooden buildings, and the whole is surrounded by a barbed-wire fence, with guard towers at regular intervals. "But the rooms are decent, the offices are good and we've got movies, a post exchange, coffee bars and gyms," Collins said. "Believe me, no one is complaining here."
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Gates Meets With Kosovo Leaders, Promises Continued U.S. Support
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today congratulated the citizens of Kosovo on their progress in establishing the newest nation on Earth. Gates became the first U.S. cabinet officer to visit Kosovo since it declared its independence from Serbia in February.
Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu thanked America for its support of the nation and thanked Gates for his efforts. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci also thanked the secretary following meetings at the airport and promised the country would do all it can to integrate Serbs and Kosovar Albanians in the new nation. Thaci promised that the Kosovo security force would be pro-Western and under civilian control.
"I'm pleased to be here to congratulate your leaders in person and to re-emphasize our commitment to all of the citizens of Kosovo," Gates said.
Gates said the discussions he had with Kosovo's leaders were productive. "We reiterated our commitment to maintain current U.S. troops levels under United Nations authority," he said. About 1,600 American troops are serving in Kosovo.
"I reaffirmed the pledge that President Bush made to the people of this region and our NATO partners: 'We came in together, and we go our together,'" Gates said. "We all look forward to the day when peace is self-sustaining."
Gates also is visiting U.S. troops. "I want to thank our troops that stationed here," he said. "We often hear about deployments elsewhere in the world, but I want to personally convey to the members of the Kosovo Force that they are neither forgotten nor unappreciated -- a point made abundantly clear in our meetings this morning."
The secretary said the dedication and professionalism of American troops is a bedrock in making NATO's Kosovo Force "the most trusted and respected institution in Kosovo."
"It has helped transform a once-troubled region into a peaceful place where all citizens have the opportunity to live in freedom," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today congratulated the citizens of Kosovo on their progress in establishing the newest nation on Earth. Gates became the first U.S. cabinet officer to visit Kosovo since it declared its independence from Serbia in February.
Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu thanked America for its support of the nation and thanked Gates for his efforts. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci also thanked the secretary following meetings at the airport and promised the country would do all it can to integrate Serbs and Kosovar Albanians in the new nation. Thaci promised that the Kosovo security force would be pro-Western and under civilian control.
"I'm pleased to be here to congratulate your leaders in person and to re-emphasize our commitment to all of the citizens of Kosovo," Gates said.
Gates said the discussions he had with Kosovo's leaders were productive. "We reiterated our commitment to maintain current U.S. troops levels under United Nations authority," he said. About 1,600 American troops are serving in Kosovo.
"I reaffirmed the pledge that President Bush made to the people of this region and our NATO partners: 'We came in together, and we go our together,'" Gates said. "We all look forward to the day when peace is self-sustaining."
Gates also is visiting U.S. troops. "I want to thank our troops that stationed here," he said. "We often hear about deployments elsewhere in the world, but I want to personally convey to the members of the Kosovo Force that they are neither forgotten nor unappreciated -- a point made abundantly clear in our meetings this morning."
The secretary said the dedication and professionalism of American troops is a bedrock in making NATO's Kosovo Force "the most trusted and respected institution in Kosovo."
"It has helped transform a once-troubled region into a peaceful place where all citizens have the opportunity to live in freedom," he said.
Face of Defense: Soldier Serves as Jack of All Trades
By Army Spc. Justin Snyder
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - The phone at the desk is ringing. At the same time, a soldier is hovering, asking for help with getting lights for an event to be held later. You can almost sense that a doorknob just broke somewhere or the air conditioning isn't working in someone's office.
This is the daily juggling act of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Baird, Mountain Visitor Bureau Commandant at the Multinational Division Center headquarters building here.
"I do the little stuff to keep this building running," said Baird, a native of Bartlett, Ill. "The command group is in charge of near 21,000 troops, so it's my job to keep things going so they don't have to worry about the smaller things."
Baird has coordinated projects such as the construction of walls around offices and fixing the electrical grid coming into the headquarters, as well as fixing up the gym in the building's basement.
He also is the "go-to guy" when it comes to work orders coming through the headquarters building.
"Things are always going to need [to be] fixed, and I'm that middle man between it getting done or not," Baird said. "Right now, the biggest issue is working with the electricity. We are going to keep working with things to make life for the soldiers who are here, or will be here, better."
His efforts haven't gone unnoticed among his fellow soldiers.
"He's very proactive, and he is constant at getting his job done," said Army Spc. Sam White, a driver for the 10th Mountain Division's deputy commander for operations. "You can't walk around the building and not see him doing something to improve [it]. He's great at what he does and is important."
Baird, who owned a miniature golf course in Illinois prior to joining the Army, said that while his job is important, he isn't any more important than any other soldier.
"Duty is duty, and everybody has a job that needs to be done," he said. "I believe that every soldier is equally important in accomplishing the overall mission. All I am is another soldier serving their country and doing their job."
Baird knows a few things about serving his country. He's been in the military since 2002, when he felt the call to duty following the 9/11 attacks. This is his fourth deployment – three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He served with the infantry in 2003 and 2005, and worked under a command group in 2006. Though his role has changed with each deployment, he said, his overall mission remains the same: "We are here to take care of one another and make sure everyone comes home," he said. "Deployments are deployments, no matter which way you look at things. No matter what I'm doing, I'm still [a noncommissioned officer]. Whether it's a private or a general, my main focus is to take care of soldiers and improve their quality of life."
Baird was rewarded for his hard work with an Oct. 1 promotion from sergeant to staff sergeant. A small ceremony was held outside his office, where nearly 100 of his colleagues came to show their support.
"It was really outstanding to see that many people come for my promotion," he said. "Lieutenant Colonel Steven Parker pinned me, and Command Sergeant Major James Redmore pinned my hat. People in this building are working hard, and for them to take time out of their busy schedule, I appreciated it a lot."
Baird said he has a lot of plans for when he returns to his home station at Fort Drum, N.Y., but that he remains focused on getting his job done now.
"I recently bought a new home and have plans to renovate it when I get back," he said. "I've got a few months to go, so I'll keep working, just taking every day as it comes and roll with the flow."
(Army Spc. Justin Snyder serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - The phone at the desk is ringing. At the same time, a soldier is hovering, asking for help with getting lights for an event to be held later. You can almost sense that a doorknob just broke somewhere or the air conditioning isn't working in someone's office.
This is the daily juggling act of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Baird, Mountain Visitor Bureau Commandant at the Multinational Division Center headquarters building here.
"I do the little stuff to keep this building running," said Baird, a native of Bartlett, Ill. "The command group is in charge of near 21,000 troops, so it's my job to keep things going so they don't have to worry about the smaller things."
Baird has coordinated projects such as the construction of walls around offices and fixing the electrical grid coming into the headquarters, as well as fixing up the gym in the building's basement.
He also is the "go-to guy" when it comes to work orders coming through the headquarters building.
"Things are always going to need [to be] fixed, and I'm that middle man between it getting done or not," Baird said. "Right now, the biggest issue is working with the electricity. We are going to keep working with things to make life for the soldiers who are here, or will be here, better."
His efforts haven't gone unnoticed among his fellow soldiers.
"He's very proactive, and he is constant at getting his job done," said Army Spc. Sam White, a driver for the 10th Mountain Division's deputy commander for operations. "You can't walk around the building and not see him doing something to improve [it]. He's great at what he does and is important."
Baird, who owned a miniature golf course in Illinois prior to joining the Army, said that while his job is important, he isn't any more important than any other soldier.
"Duty is duty, and everybody has a job that needs to be done," he said. "I believe that every soldier is equally important in accomplishing the overall mission. All I am is another soldier serving their country and doing their job."
Baird knows a few things about serving his country. He's been in the military since 2002, when he felt the call to duty following the 9/11 attacks. This is his fourth deployment – three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He served with the infantry in 2003 and 2005, and worked under a command group in 2006. Though his role has changed with each deployment, he said, his overall mission remains the same: "We are here to take care of one another and make sure everyone comes home," he said. "Deployments are deployments, no matter which way you look at things. No matter what I'm doing, I'm still [a noncommissioned officer]. Whether it's a private or a general, my main focus is to take care of soldiers and improve their quality of life."
Baird was rewarded for his hard work with an Oct. 1 promotion from sergeant to staff sergeant. A small ceremony was held outside his office, where nearly 100 of his colleagues came to show their support.
"It was really outstanding to see that many people come for my promotion," he said. "Lieutenant Colonel Steven Parker pinned me, and Command Sergeant Major James Redmore pinned my hat. People in this building are working hard, and for them to take time out of their busy schedule, I appreciated it a lot."
Baird said he has a lot of plans for when he returns to his home station at Fort Drum, N.Y., but that he remains focused on getting his job done now.
"I recently bought a new home and have plans to renovate it when I get back," he said. "I've got a few months to go, so I'll keep working, just taking every day as it comes and roll with the flow."
(Army Spc. Justin Snyder serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Iranian Reports of Downed U.S. Plane Are Contradictory, Official Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - A senior Defense Department spokesman dismissed Iranian-sourced reports that a U.S. military aircraft had been forced down in Iran. The Iranian reports he has reviewed contradict themselves, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today. One story he read claimed that an American military aircraft had unintentionally violated Iranian airspace and had been forced to land in Iran, Whitman said. A subsequent Iranian state television report, he said, stated that the plane that was forced to land in Iran was not a U.S. military plane, but had Americans on board. Another Iranian TV report said the plane was not American, Whitman said.
A follow-on Iranian state television report, Whitman continued, said the plane in question was Hungarian.
"While we're looking into those reports, there's no evidence to suggest any of these reports are true, with perhaps the exception of the last one about some Hungarian plane," Whitman said. There's nothing to suggest the accuracy of any of the Iranian reports, he added.
Officials at Multinational Force Iraq issued a statement today saying all U.S. aircraft are accounted for, and none is missing.
Turning to other issues, Whitman said senior Chinese officials have canceled or postponed some previously scheduled military-to-military meetings with U.S. military representatives.
"These were some bilateral events, senior-level visits," he said. "There was also a humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exchange that was scheduled to occur between now and the end of November."
The Chinese government has publicly voiced its displeasure with a recently concluded $6 billion U.S.-Taiwan arms deal. Taiwan, an island off the Chinese coast, broke away from the mainland in 1949 after Mao Zedong's communist government emerged victorious in the Chinese civil war. Since then, China has vowed to reunite with Taiwan.
The United States supports a "One China" policy, recognizing China's interests in Taiwan while supporting the Taiwanese government as an ally. The arms deal, which includes Apache helicopters and Patriot missiles, will be used to help modernize Taiwan's military.
The Pentagon is disappointed with China's apparent reaction to the arms deal with Taiwan, Whitman said. U.S. military-to-military relationships with China are important, he said, and contribute to regional understanding.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - A senior Defense Department spokesman dismissed Iranian-sourced reports that a U.S. military aircraft had been forced down in Iran. The Iranian reports he has reviewed contradict themselves, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today. One story he read claimed that an American military aircraft had unintentionally violated Iranian airspace and had been forced to land in Iran, Whitman said. A subsequent Iranian state television report, he said, stated that the plane that was forced to land in Iran was not a U.S. military plane, but had Americans on board. Another Iranian TV report said the plane was not American, Whitman said.
A follow-on Iranian state television report, Whitman continued, said the plane in question was Hungarian.
"While we're looking into those reports, there's no evidence to suggest any of these reports are true, with perhaps the exception of the last one about some Hungarian plane," Whitman said. There's nothing to suggest the accuracy of any of the Iranian reports, he added.
Officials at Multinational Force Iraq issued a statement today saying all U.S. aircraft are accounted for, and none is missing.
Turning to other issues, Whitman said senior Chinese officials have canceled or postponed some previously scheduled military-to-military meetings with U.S. military representatives.
"These were some bilateral events, senior-level visits," he said. "There was also a humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exchange that was scheduled to occur between now and the end of November."
The Chinese government has publicly voiced its displeasure with a recently concluded $6 billion U.S.-Taiwan arms deal. Taiwan, an island off the Chinese coast, broke away from the mainland in 1949 after Mao Zedong's communist government emerged victorious in the Chinese civil war. Since then, China has vowed to reunite with Taiwan.
The United States supports a "One China" policy, recognizing China's interests in Taiwan while supporting the Taiwanese government as an ally. The arms deal, which includes Apache helicopters and Patriot missiles, will be used to help modernize Taiwan's military.
The Pentagon is disappointed with China's apparent reaction to the arms deal with Taiwan, Whitman said. U.S. military-to-military relationships with China are important, he said, and contribute to regional understanding.
Gates Tours Bondsteel, Gjilan During Kosovo Visit
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Flying over Kosovo, it's hard to believe that this new country was the site of suffering. Livestock graze in the fields, and new construction is building factories, barns and apartment buildings. Farmers run tractors over fields, tilling and fertilizing them in advance of winter. Small fires burn off the chaff from the last corn or wheat crop.
This was not what Kosovo looked like in March 1999. That was when the Serbian military cut through the province and drove more than 100,000 Kosovar Albanians from their homes. NATO – with United Nations approval – launched an air campaign against the Serb military that finally drove the Serbs from the nation in June.
Those flying over Kosovo then saw pillars of smoke from farmhouses and uninhabited towns. Whole portions of cities were emptied. The fields were untended, and houses sported blue roofs – tarps spread over blown-up buildings to protect them from the elements.
The United Nations asked NATO to establish the Kosovo Force to provide security and allow stability to grow. KFOR, as it's called, has been in operation ever since. The current peace in Kosovo is a testament to the force's success.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates toured Camp Bondsteel, met with servicemembers there and in Gjilan and saw for himself the changes KFOR has brought to this nation. He met with members of the 110th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade during his trip.
The Americans are part of the 16th rotation of troops into Kosovo. Part of the Missouri National Guard, the brigade also contains elements from Alabama, Illinois, South Dakota, California, Texas and New Mexico. The medical establishment is from the Army Reserve. All of them come under the command of Multinational Task Force East, based at Camp Bondsteel.
The U.S. unit has responsibility for the eastern part of Kosovo, but is on call if needed anywhere in the country, said the unit's commander, Army Brig. Gen. Larry D. King, during an interview with reporters traveling with Gates. The people of Kosovo believe Americans are their saviors, the general said. The main street in the capital of Pristina is named after President Bill Clinton. Kids seeing Americans in uniform wave, and all ethnicities understand the Americans are in the country for their safety, King said.
The American troops work with those other nationalities and with Kosovo's security forces. The biggest danger the KFOR faces today is the ready availability of weapons, ammunition and explosives in the region. King said his explosive ordnance disposal teams have had to blow up World War I munitions. The emptying of Albania's arsenals in the 1990s put hundreds of thousands of weapons on the street. A large black market weapons business – featuring rocket-propelled grenades, missile systems and hand grenades – operates in Kosovo, officials said. Weapons smuggling has increased over the years, following traditional land routes through the region.
The citizen-soldier background of the American unit helps in accomplishing the mission, King said. "We have a depth of civilian experiences that feed into [mission accomplishment]," he said. "It's a civil-military mission with high-intensity information operations."
Many of the soldiers with the unit do these same jobs in civilian life.
"They are the people back in Missouri launching the campaigns to get people to wear seat belts, not drink and drive or use a child seat," he said. "These types of campaigns are what we use to influence the Kosovars."
Peace and stability have come to Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in February. Keeping the country stable and giving the Kosovars the time to get civilian infrastructure in place is KFOR's mission.
For the most part, the NATO soldiers work in a permissive environment. Maneuver units patrol in Humvees and soft caps. Soldiers patrol the streets carrying only 9 mm pistols. They have interceptor ballistic armor and heavier weapons in their vehicles if they need them, but haven't had to use them during this rotation, said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Lederle, the senior enlisted advisor for the brigade.
"Our troops are absolutely motivated and excited about what they are doing on this mission," Lederle said. "This is really a mission of intellect, because the soldier has to think about everything they do and what the second- or third- or sometimes even the fourth-order effects what they do will have on the population, because this part of the world really doesn't forget."
The unit went through five months of training before deploying. Most of that was hammering home that soldiers have to use common sense and understand the culture before making decisions, Lederle said.
"We know how to escalate," the sergeant major said. "In this situation, with these people, we have to know how to de-escalate."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Flying over Kosovo, it's hard to believe that this new country was the site of suffering. Livestock graze in the fields, and new construction is building factories, barns and apartment buildings. Farmers run tractors over fields, tilling and fertilizing them in advance of winter. Small fires burn off the chaff from the last corn or wheat crop.
This was not what Kosovo looked like in March 1999. That was when the Serbian military cut through the province and drove more than 100,000 Kosovar Albanians from their homes. NATO – with United Nations approval – launched an air campaign against the Serb military that finally drove the Serbs from the nation in June.
Those flying over Kosovo then saw pillars of smoke from farmhouses and uninhabited towns. Whole portions of cities were emptied. The fields were untended, and houses sported blue roofs – tarps spread over blown-up buildings to protect them from the elements.
The United Nations asked NATO to establish the Kosovo Force to provide security and allow stability to grow. KFOR, as it's called, has been in operation ever since. The current peace in Kosovo is a testament to the force's success.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates toured Camp Bondsteel, met with servicemembers there and in Gjilan and saw for himself the changes KFOR has brought to this nation. He met with members of the 110th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade during his trip.
The Americans are part of the 16th rotation of troops into Kosovo. Part of the Missouri National Guard, the brigade also contains elements from Alabama, Illinois, South Dakota, California, Texas and New Mexico. The medical establishment is from the Army Reserve. All of them come under the command of Multinational Task Force East, based at Camp Bondsteel.
The U.S. unit has responsibility for the eastern part of Kosovo, but is on call if needed anywhere in the country, said the unit's commander, Army Brig. Gen. Larry D. King, during an interview with reporters traveling with Gates. The people of Kosovo believe Americans are their saviors, the general said. The main street in the capital of Pristina is named after President Bill Clinton. Kids seeing Americans in uniform wave, and all ethnicities understand the Americans are in the country for their safety, King said.
The American troops work with those other nationalities and with Kosovo's security forces. The biggest danger the KFOR faces today is the ready availability of weapons, ammunition and explosives in the region. King said his explosive ordnance disposal teams have had to blow up World War I munitions. The emptying of Albania's arsenals in the 1990s put hundreds of thousands of weapons on the street. A large black market weapons business – featuring rocket-propelled grenades, missile systems and hand grenades – operates in Kosovo, officials said. Weapons smuggling has increased over the years, following traditional land routes through the region.
The citizen-soldier background of the American unit helps in accomplishing the mission, King said. "We have a depth of civilian experiences that feed into [mission accomplishment]," he said. "It's a civil-military mission with high-intensity information operations."
Many of the soldiers with the unit do these same jobs in civilian life.
"They are the people back in Missouri launching the campaigns to get people to wear seat belts, not drink and drive or use a child seat," he said. "These types of campaigns are what we use to influence the Kosovars."
Peace and stability have come to Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in February. Keeping the country stable and giving the Kosovars the time to get civilian infrastructure in place is KFOR's mission.
For the most part, the NATO soldiers work in a permissive environment. Maneuver units patrol in Humvees and soft caps. Soldiers patrol the streets carrying only 9 mm pistols. They have interceptor ballistic armor and heavier weapons in their vehicles if they need them, but haven't had to use them during this rotation, said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Lederle, the senior enlisted advisor for the brigade.
"Our troops are absolutely motivated and excited about what they are doing on this mission," Lederle said. "This is really a mission of intellect, because the soldier has to think about everything they do and what the second- or third- or sometimes even the fourth-order effects what they do will have on the population, because this part of the world really doesn't forget."
The unit went through five months of training before deploying. Most of that was hammering home that soldiers have to use common sense and understand the culture before making decisions, Lederle said.
"We know how to escalate," the sergeant major said. "In this situation, with these people, we have to know how to de-escalate."
Armed Forces Retirement Home Receives Prestigious Accreditation
For the first time in its history, the Armed Forces Retirement Home has applied for and received accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)-Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC).
The accreditation, which will extend through August 2013, results from the findings of an on-site survey of the AFRH facilities conducted Aug. 18-22, 2008. It was awarded in five services and programs at AFRH, an independent federal agency which serves more than 1,100 military retirees and veterans.
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcome of services through a consultative accreditation process. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, it is the leading accrediting body of human services. CARF-CCAC accreditation represents the highest level of endorsement achievable.
"This was a tremendous accomplishment for AFRH" stated Timothy Cox the retirement home's chief operating officer. "Our dedicated staff put many hours into the accreditation process, and they are to be congratulated."
The CARF-CCAC survey report labeled these five AFRH areas exemplary:
There are a wide variety of on-and off-campus activities. The on-campus activity facilities include a movie theater, bowling alley, and a 50,000 volume library.
The performance and accountability annual reports to Congress are extensive, clear, timely documents that give an in-depth overview of the organization and its forward-looking and creative pictures of the strategic direction of AFRH.
AFRH'S chief operating officer has minimized long-term financial threats by developing and seeking implementation of an innovative strategic initiative to lease 77 acres of land to provide a long-term revenue stream.
The strategic plan for AFRH is a complete document that is well developed with input from stakeholders who thoroughly research and outline their respective areas with solid recommendations for consideration in the final strategic plan document.
AFRH's total excess margin ratio, operating ratio, and days cash on hand ratio exceed the 75th percentile for single-site continuing care retirement community in CARF-CCAC's database.
AFRH currently holds an accreditation through the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). JCAHO evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
The accreditation, which will extend through August 2013, results from the findings of an on-site survey of the AFRH facilities conducted Aug. 18-22, 2008. It was awarded in five services and programs at AFRH, an independent federal agency which serves more than 1,100 military retirees and veterans.
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcome of services through a consultative accreditation process. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, it is the leading accrediting body of human services. CARF-CCAC accreditation represents the highest level of endorsement achievable.
"This was a tremendous accomplishment for AFRH" stated Timothy Cox the retirement home's chief operating officer. "Our dedicated staff put many hours into the accreditation process, and they are to be congratulated."
The CARF-CCAC survey report labeled these five AFRH areas exemplary:
There are a wide variety of on-and off-campus activities. The on-campus activity facilities include a movie theater, bowling alley, and a 50,000 volume library.
The performance and accountability annual reports to Congress are extensive, clear, timely documents that give an in-depth overview of the organization and its forward-looking and creative pictures of the strategic direction of AFRH.
AFRH'S chief operating officer has minimized long-term financial threats by developing and seeking implementation of an innovative strategic initiative to lease 77 acres of land to provide a long-term revenue stream.
The strategic plan for AFRH is a complete document that is well developed with input from stakeholders who thoroughly research and outline their respective areas with solid recommendations for consideration in the final strategic plan document.
AFRH's total excess margin ratio, operating ratio, and days cash on hand ratio exceed the 75th percentile for single-site continuing care retirement community in CARF-CCAC's database.
AFRH currently holds an accreditation through the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). JCAHO evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
Defense Secretary 'Walks the Beat' in Kosovo
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Some U.S. soldiers in Kosovo have a job similar to that of a beat cop, and today they took Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates along with them as they walked the streets. The soldiers are members of liaison monitoring teams that grew out of the nationwide riots in March 2004 that caught the NATO-led Kosovo Force unaware.
"We walk the streets. We try to see what's happening in the neighborhoods, so we can perhaps stop something like the riots," said Army Sgt. John Mitchell, a Missouri National Guardsmen who leads a four-man team here.
This is an overt information-gathering group; the soldiers do not spy on people or do "black-bag" jobs to get information. Rather, they meet with the people, they read the fliers being handed out, they decipher the graffiti on the walls and they check out the posters going up, Mitchell said. "We're taking the pulse of the population," he said.
Army 1st Lt. Shelby Wilson, another Guardsman, told the secretary that the teams look at all the nuances behind the scenes. "We don't know what piece of information will be important somewhere else," he told Gates as they stood in the street. "What we turn in may be the small piece of the puzzle that makes it clear farther up the chain of command."
Understanding the mood of the people, what they are concerned about and who worries them allows the 110th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade to better place its other elements. The teams – made up of two or three American soldiers and a translator – walk through the city or ride in a regular sport-utility vehicle in the country. The teams cover 63 rural villages and Gjilan. Team members meet all types and ethnicities of Kosovars and simply talk with them.
The teams also provide a way for the citizens of this new country to get their suggestions, complaints or grievances heard. "They see the patch, they'll talk to us," Wilson told Gates. "We have to build trust and confidence with these people."
It takes a special person to work the teams, for which no military occupational specialty exists. "We have infantrymen, artillerymen, cooks, medics, you name it," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Lederle, the brigade senior enlisted advisor. "We had a very stringent interview process after people volunteered. They have to be able to talk to people and then write their impressions and communicate them up the chain."
Gates walked through the streets with Wilson. He saw businesses open and filled with people. He saw streets crowded with cars and pedestrians. And he saw people everywhere waving at the beat cops in the Army camouflage uniforms.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Some U.S. soldiers in Kosovo have a job similar to that of a beat cop, and today they took Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates along with them as they walked the streets. The soldiers are members of liaison monitoring teams that grew out of the nationwide riots in March 2004 that caught the NATO-led Kosovo Force unaware.
"We walk the streets. We try to see what's happening in the neighborhoods, so we can perhaps stop something like the riots," said Army Sgt. John Mitchell, a Missouri National Guardsmen who leads a four-man team here.
This is an overt information-gathering group; the soldiers do not spy on people or do "black-bag" jobs to get information. Rather, they meet with the people, they read the fliers being handed out, they decipher the graffiti on the walls and they check out the posters going up, Mitchell said. "We're taking the pulse of the population," he said.
Army 1st Lt. Shelby Wilson, another Guardsman, told the secretary that the teams look at all the nuances behind the scenes. "We don't know what piece of information will be important somewhere else," he told Gates as they stood in the street. "What we turn in may be the small piece of the puzzle that makes it clear farther up the chain of command."
Understanding the mood of the people, what they are concerned about and who worries them allows the 110th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade to better place its other elements. The teams – made up of two or three American soldiers and a translator – walk through the city or ride in a regular sport-utility vehicle in the country. The teams cover 63 rural villages and Gjilan. Team members meet all types and ethnicities of Kosovars and simply talk with them.
The teams also provide a way for the citizens of this new country to get their suggestions, complaints or grievances heard. "They see the patch, they'll talk to us," Wilson told Gates. "We have to build trust and confidence with these people."
It takes a special person to work the teams, for which no military occupational specialty exists. "We have infantrymen, artillerymen, cooks, medics, you name it," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Lederle, the brigade senior enlisted advisor. "We had a very stringent interview process after people volunteered. They have to be able to talk to people and then write their impressions and communicate them up the chain."
Gates walked through the streets with Wilson. He saw businesses open and filled with people. He saw streets crowded with cars and pedestrians. And he saw people everywhere waving at the beat cops in the Army camouflage uniforms.
AbilityOne Program Provides Jobs for Disabled Veterans
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - The Defense Department is a strong supporter of the federally managed AbilityOne program, which works with private and public groups to provide goods and services to the government and jobs for the blind and other people who have severe disabilities, including wounded veterans. "As the largest customer of this program, the Department of Defense has a responsibility and a tremendous opportunity to increase support by procuring more goods and services provided by the AbilityOne program," John J. Young Jr., undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, stated in a March 24 memorandum.
AbilityOne, formerly known as the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act, or JWOD, is administered by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, an independent federal agency.
More than 1,300 wounded military veterans are part of the program's 43,000-strong work force, according to a DoD news release. The Defense Department is the program's largest customer, the release said, as it purchases more than $1.3 billion in goods and services each year, including laundry services, uniforms, office supplies and grounds maintenance.
Work contracts arranged through the AbilityOne program provide most of the chemical-protection coats and pants used by U.S. servicemembers. Skilcraft-brand office supplies found across the federal government also are part of the AbilityOne program.
President Bush, in a White House document dated Feb. 11, stated that the AbilityOne program "has taken steps to embrace successful business practices, including e-commerce and performance-based contracting." The program, he said, provides work for tens of thousands of disabled Americans employed at more than 600 community-based nonprofit organizations.
Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England will host a Pentagon ceremony tomorrow to honor the AbilityOne program.
The AbilityOne program can trace its roots to the passage of the Wagner-O'Day Act of 1938, sponsored by Sen. Robert F. Wagner and U.S. Rep. Caroline O'Day. This legislation mandated that the federal government purchase brooms, mops and other items provided by nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind.
The Wagner-O'Day Act was expanded in 1971 through the efforts of Sen. Jacob Javits. The resultant legislation, known as the Wagner-O'Day-Javits Act, permits nonprofit agencies serving people with other severe disabilities in addition to blindness to participate in the JWOD program and authorized nonprofit agencies to provide not only supplies, but also services to the federal government.
The executive-branch Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, the National Industries for the Blind, and NISH, formerly known as National Industries for the Severely Handicapped, form a triad of support for JWOD, whose name was changed to AbilityOne by the U.S. Congress in 2006.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - The Defense Department is a strong supporter of the federally managed AbilityOne program, which works with private and public groups to provide goods and services to the government and jobs for the blind and other people who have severe disabilities, including wounded veterans. "As the largest customer of this program, the Department of Defense has a responsibility and a tremendous opportunity to increase support by procuring more goods and services provided by the AbilityOne program," John J. Young Jr., undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, stated in a March 24 memorandum.
AbilityOne, formerly known as the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act, or JWOD, is administered by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, an independent federal agency.
More than 1,300 wounded military veterans are part of the program's 43,000-strong work force, according to a DoD news release. The Defense Department is the program's largest customer, the release said, as it purchases more than $1.3 billion in goods and services each year, including laundry services, uniforms, office supplies and grounds maintenance.
Work contracts arranged through the AbilityOne program provide most of the chemical-protection coats and pants used by U.S. servicemembers. Skilcraft-brand office supplies found across the federal government also are part of the AbilityOne program.
President Bush, in a White House document dated Feb. 11, stated that the AbilityOne program "has taken steps to embrace successful business practices, including e-commerce and performance-based contracting." The program, he said, provides work for tens of thousands of disabled Americans employed at more than 600 community-based nonprofit organizations.
Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England will host a Pentagon ceremony tomorrow to honor the AbilityOne program.
The AbilityOne program can trace its roots to the passage of the Wagner-O'Day Act of 1938, sponsored by Sen. Robert F. Wagner and U.S. Rep. Caroline O'Day. This legislation mandated that the federal government purchase brooms, mops and other items provided by nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind.
The Wagner-O'Day Act was expanded in 1971 through the efforts of Sen. Jacob Javits. The resultant legislation, known as the Wagner-O'Day-Javits Act, permits nonprofit agencies serving people with other severe disabilities in addition to blindness to participate in the JWOD program and authorized nonprofit agencies to provide not only supplies, but also services to the federal government.
The executive-branch Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, the National Industries for the Blind, and NISH, formerly known as National Industries for the Severely Handicapped, form a triad of support for JWOD, whose name was changed to AbilityOne by the U.S. Congress in 2006.
Army Officials Tout Success of Warrior Transition Units
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Before a major newspaper shed light on the sub-par outpatient conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, the hospital had appointed one soldier to track the recoveries of 200 wounded troops, an Army official said. But now, some 20 months after publication of the provocative series, the Army has three dozen Warrior Transition Units across the country dedicated to nurturing the wounded back to health and even into civilian life, Army Brig. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, director of the Warrior Care and Transition Program, said today.
"If you compare this to Walter Reed and the organization we had in place in February 2007 when the articles from the Washington Post came out, we had one noncommissioned officer responsible for a couple hundred soldiers," he said. "That soldier, in fact, was also a cancer patient."
The key to the 36 transition units across the country is what the Army calls its "triad" of care. One primary-care manager is assigned to 200 soldiers, a nurse case manager is responsible for 20 soldiers, and each squad leader monitors 10. Medical personnel provide individual attention at every turn and coordinate closely to ensure no detail falls through the cracks, officials said.
"Warrior Transition Units [allow us] to house and manage and lead all the soldiers that are going through medical treatment to either return them to the force or to civilian life if necessary," Cheek told an audience at the Association of the U.S. Army conference.
The general also addressed how the Army has mitigated the chaotic bureaucracy that families faced while attempting to visit the injured servicemember they love. Thanks to the Soldier Family Assistance Center, he said, connecting wounded troops and family members is far easier than in the past.
"When the Walter Reed articles were first written, families would have to go all over the place on the Army installation just to get some of these things taken care of," he said.
But now, imagine that a soldier who hails from Wisconsin is hurt while on deployment in Iraq. He is medically evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, en route to the hospital here.
"What we can do with the Soldier Family Assistance Center is assist that family in their travel to Walter Reed, accommodations when they get there [and with] expectations of what their family member's going to go through," Cheek said. "We basically help them with any issue or problem they have in a single place and focus where they can go."
In addition to these initiatives, the Army has invested $350 million into upgrading its facilities to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act strictures. And with an increase in numbers, some 3,200 medical personnel now are committed to helping wounded warriors heal from the moment they "inprocess" to the time they transition back to civilian life.
Army Col. James Rice directs the Army Wounded Warrior Program, which signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Organization on Disability to help increase the rate that disabled Americans are hired. He said that while some employers are reticent to hire recovering troops, others are eager.
"Companies – large and small – will come to organizations like the Army Wounded Warrior Program and say, 'We want to hire wounded warriors,'" he said today. "And that's great, and we want to help them do that."
Echoing Rice's comments, Cheek emphasized the role of employment in a wounded warrior's recovery. "If a soldier is employed, suddenly he begins to heal a lot faster," Cheek said.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 7, 2008 - Before a major newspaper shed light on the sub-par outpatient conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, the hospital had appointed one soldier to track the recoveries of 200 wounded troops, an Army official said. But now, some 20 months after publication of the provocative series, the Army has three dozen Warrior Transition Units across the country dedicated to nurturing the wounded back to health and even into civilian life, Army Brig. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, director of the Warrior Care and Transition Program, said today.
"If you compare this to Walter Reed and the organization we had in place in February 2007 when the articles from the Washington Post came out, we had one noncommissioned officer responsible for a couple hundred soldiers," he said. "That soldier, in fact, was also a cancer patient."
The key to the 36 transition units across the country is what the Army calls its "triad" of care. One primary-care manager is assigned to 200 soldiers, a nurse case manager is responsible for 20 soldiers, and each squad leader monitors 10. Medical personnel provide individual attention at every turn and coordinate closely to ensure no detail falls through the cracks, officials said.
"Warrior Transition Units [allow us] to house and manage and lead all the soldiers that are going through medical treatment to either return them to the force or to civilian life if necessary," Cheek told an audience at the Association of the U.S. Army conference.
The general also addressed how the Army has mitigated the chaotic bureaucracy that families faced while attempting to visit the injured servicemember they love. Thanks to the Soldier Family Assistance Center, he said, connecting wounded troops and family members is far easier than in the past.
"When the Walter Reed articles were first written, families would have to go all over the place on the Army installation just to get some of these things taken care of," he said.
But now, imagine that a soldier who hails from Wisconsin is hurt while on deployment in Iraq. He is medically evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, en route to the hospital here.
"What we can do with the Soldier Family Assistance Center is assist that family in their travel to Walter Reed, accommodations when they get there [and with] expectations of what their family member's going to go through," Cheek said. "We basically help them with any issue or problem they have in a single place and focus where they can go."
In addition to these initiatives, the Army has invested $350 million into upgrading its facilities to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act strictures. And with an increase in numbers, some 3,200 medical personnel now are committed to helping wounded warriors heal from the moment they "inprocess" to the time they transition back to civilian life.
Army Col. James Rice directs the Army Wounded Warrior Program, which signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Organization on Disability to help increase the rate that disabled Americans are hired. He said that while some employers are reticent to hire recovering troops, others are eager.
"Companies – large and small – will come to organizations like the Army Wounded Warrior Program and say, 'We want to hire wounded warriors,'" he said today. "And that's great, and we want to help them do that."
Echoing Rice's comments, Cheek emphasized the role of employment in a wounded warrior's recovery. "If a soldier is employed, suddenly he begins to heal a lot faster," Cheek said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS
Army
Raytheon Co., Largo, Fla., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $21,635,359 cost plus fixed price contract for development effort for the Joint–Tactical Terminal senior upgrade kit. Work will be performed in Ontario, Canada, Linthicum, Md., and Columbia Md., with estimated and completion date of Oct. 1, 2010. Bids solicited were IBOP and one bid was received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-08-C-T210).
John C. Grimberg, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $19,959,706 firm fixed price contract for a central heating plant at Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, New Cumberland, Pa. Work will be performed in New Cumberland, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2011. Bids solicited were via the web and three bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0047).
MaxFour-Weitz, JV, Englewood, Colo., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $19,921,822 construction firm fixed price contract for construction of permanent party barracks, Phase 2, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 30, 2010. Bids solicited were via the Web and one bid was received. Corp of Engineer, Kansas, Mo., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-D-0031).
Alacran/O&S, Joint Venture, Rockford, Ill., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $19,487,767 firm fixed price contract. The work consists of relocation of the metal parts and machinery operations at Riverbank Army Munitions Plant and Miss., Army Ammunition Plant to Rock Island Arsenal. Work will be performed in Rock Island, Ill., with estimated and completion date of Mar. 31, 2010. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting (W912QR-08-C-0057).
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems, Sealy, Texas, was awarded Oct. 1, 2008, a $19,000,000 firm fixed price contract for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) sustainment parts. Work will be performed in Humble, Texas, Lufkin, Texas and Houston, Texas, with estimated and completion date of Aug. 5, 2008. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. ACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0010).
L-3 Communications, Linkabit Division, San Diego, Calif., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $16,546,100 cost plus fixed price contract for a fourteen-month period of performance to provide Technology refresh for the Prophet Block III Spiral I Sensor Vehicle with Satellite Communications on the Move capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., Melbourne, Fla., Scottsdale, Ariz., Austin, Texas, and Aberdeen, Md., with estimated and completion date of Dec. 1, 2010. Bids solicited were via IBOP and three bids were received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (DAAB07-C-L-539).
Cox Construction, Vista, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $15,787,000 firm fixed fee price contract for Building 1 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) remodel at VA Medical Center, Reno, Nev. Work will be performed in Reno, Washoe, Nev., with an estimated completion date of Nov 4, 2011. Bids solicited were via the web and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912BV-06-D-2019).
Tanner Heavy Equipment Co., of Leesville, La., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $14,900,000 firm fixed price contract to construct and repair roads as well as drainage systems at Fort Polk, La. The work also will include military and civil projects within the Corps of Engineers' Southwestern Division. The work will be performed primarily at Fort Polk and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2012. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91-26G-08-D-0074).
U.S. Ordnance of Reno, Nev., was awarded Sept. 27, 2008, a $14,001,700 firm fixed price contract to purchase M2HB nonstandard machines for Afghanistan. The work is being performed at the contractor's Reno plant and was to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command at Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-08-C-0218).
Staffco Construction Co., of Fairborn, Ohio, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $13,938,000 contract to construct an Armed Forces Reserve Center and field maintenance shop in Springfield, Ohio. The work will be performed in Springfield and will be completed by Apr. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and five bids were received. The National Guard Bureau's office in Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (W91364-08-C-0002).
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, LLC, of Oak Brook, Ill., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $13,595,100 firm fixed price contract for erosion and hurricane protection projects in Westhampton, Suffolk County, N.Y. The work will be performed there and will be completed by Mar. 30, 2009. Twenty bids were solicited and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CENAN-CT, in New York City is the contracting activity (W912DS-08-C-0027).
Greenleaf Construction Co., Inc, Kansas City, Mo., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $12,048,527 firm fixed fee price contract for construction of a chapel complex, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Work will be performed in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, Omaha, Neb., is the contracting activity (W9128F-08-C-0037).
Alutiiq International Solution, LLC, Fort Drum, N.Y., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $11,041,307 firm fixed price contract for construction of a standard Automated Qualification Training Range on Range 44 at fort drum, N.Y. Work will be performed in Fort Drum Leray, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. Corp of Engineer, New York City, N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-08-C-0030).
Intercontinental Construction Contracting of Passaic, N.J., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $9,163,524 firm fixed price contract for construction and restoration of Michie Stadium, Phase four at West Point, N.Y. The work will be performed at the campus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and will be completed by Mar. 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and seven bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer in New York, N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-07-C-0029).
Veteran's Enterprise Technology Services, Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $9,459,000 firm fixed price contract for the design and construction of an Army dining facility for 2,400 people at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood and will be completed by Dec. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited by FedBizOps and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0055).
Affolter Contracting, Ltd., of Texas City, Texas, was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $8,950,000 firm fixed price contract for flood control measures along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the West Bank Mississippi River levees, as well as levee enlargement and beams. The work will be performed from Texas City and will be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Eleven bids were received for these projects. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, is the contracting activity (W912EE-08-C-0036).
Greenleaf/ECI Joint Venture of Kansas City, Mo., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,941,714 firm fixed price contract to modify firing ranges seven and eight at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2009. Four bids were solicited and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-0045).
The Selmer Co., of Green Bay, Wis., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,046,600 firm fixed price contract to construct an Army Reserve Center at Hammond, Wis. The work will be performed in Hammond and will be completed by Apr. 2, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOps and six bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, is the contracting activity (W912QE-08-C-0061).
Evergreen Fire Alarm and Security of Tacoma, Wash., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,025,298 firm fixed price contract for Fire-alarm inspections and testing at Fort Lewis, Wash. The work will be performed on Fort Lewis and will be completed by Oct. 1, 2013. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, is the contracting activity (W912DW-08-C-0022).
Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $6,965,366 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity firm fixed price contract to design and building modular buildings for the 5th Armored Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, near Chaparral, N.M. The work will be performed there and will be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Little Rock, Ark., is the contracting activity (W9127S-08-C06006).
Tanner Heavy Equipment Co., of Leesville, La., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,464,817 firm fixed price contract for construction and paving of parking lots at Fort Polk, La. The work will be performed on Fort Polk and will be completed by Apr. 1, 2009. Two bids were received for this small-business set-aside project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0077).
K.O.O. Construction, Inc., of West Sacramento, Calif., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $6,019,642 firm fixed price contract for electrical upgrades at Dock 1 on Beale Air Force Base, Calif. The work will be performed on Beale and will complete by Jan. 3, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Sacramento, is the contracting activity (W91238-08-C-0026).
Computer Sciences Corp. of Alexandria, Va., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $5,727,870 contract for automation support to assist the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The work will be performed at the agency's Fort Belvoir, Va., facility and will be completed by Feb. 27, 2010. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is the contracting activity (HDTRA1-08-C-0073).
Bluegrass Construction Corp. of Lexington, Ky., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,721,103 firm fixed price contract for improvements at the east-access corridor on Fort Knox, Ky. The work will be performed there and will be complete by Mar. 24, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOps and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Louisville, is the contracting activity (W912QR-08-C-0060).
Science Applications International Corp., (SAIC) of Chantilly, Va., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,104,498 contract for acquisition of topographic data. The work will be performed at SAIC's Chantilly facility and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2009. The National Geospatial Agency, Arnold, Mo., is the contracting activity (NMA302-03-D-0006).
Dredge Technology Corp. of Wayne, N.J., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,052,453 firm fixed price contract to acquire 2,000 free of 32-inch floating dredging hose for dredging operations on the Miss., River. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Philadelphia, is the contracting activity (W912BU-08-P-0335).
Navy
Manu Kai, LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $52,983,851 fixed price, indefinite quantity cost plus fixed fee contract for range operations support and base operations support services. This contract includes a one-year base period, with nine one-year option periods which, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $737,932,436. Work will be performed in Kauai, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2018. Contract funds in the amount of $31,700,310 will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill, is being awarded a $35,852,606 firm fixed priced modification to delivery order #0006 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items needed to support Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several engineering change proposals to increase the vehicles' capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Terex Corp., Stafford, Va., is being awarded an $11,703,202 firm fixed price delivery order # 0015 under previously awarded contract (M67854-05-D-5145) for 19 cranes and associated items. Work will be performed by Terex-Demag GmbH&Co.KG, Dinglerstr.24, 66482 Zweibrucken, Germany, and work is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire during the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Air Force
ITT Industries Systems Division of Cape Canaveral, Fla., is having a contract modified for $10,419,168. This in-scope modification is issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. It increases the house ordered and estimated cost for sustainment activities and adds the Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process to Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process project requirement for several Contract Line Items Numbers on the contract. $10,419,168 has been obligated. Peterson AFB, Colo., is the contracting activity F0470-01-C-0001, Modification P00520.
Raytheon Co., Largo, Fla., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $21,635,359 cost plus fixed price contract for development effort for the Joint–Tactical Terminal senior upgrade kit. Work will be performed in Ontario, Canada, Linthicum, Md., and Columbia Md., with estimated and completion date of Oct. 1, 2010. Bids solicited were IBOP and one bid was received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-08-C-T210).
John C. Grimberg, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $19,959,706 firm fixed price contract for a central heating plant at Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, New Cumberland, Pa. Work will be performed in New Cumberland, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2011. Bids solicited were via the web and three bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0047).
MaxFour-Weitz, JV, Englewood, Colo., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $19,921,822 construction firm fixed price contract for construction of permanent party barracks, Phase 2, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 30, 2010. Bids solicited were via the Web and one bid was received. Corp of Engineer, Kansas, Mo., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-D-0031).
Alacran/O&S, Joint Venture, Rockford, Ill., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $19,487,767 firm fixed price contract. The work consists of relocation of the metal parts and machinery operations at Riverbank Army Munitions Plant and Miss., Army Ammunition Plant to Rock Island Arsenal. Work will be performed in Rock Island, Ill., with estimated and completion date of Mar. 31, 2010. U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting (W912QR-08-C-0057).
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems, Sealy, Texas, was awarded Oct. 1, 2008, a $19,000,000 firm fixed price contract for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) sustainment parts. Work will be performed in Humble, Texas, Lufkin, Texas and Houston, Texas, with estimated and completion date of Aug. 5, 2008. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. ACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0010).
L-3 Communications, Linkabit Division, San Diego, Calif., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $16,546,100 cost plus fixed price contract for a fourteen-month period of performance to provide Technology refresh for the Prophet Block III Spiral I Sensor Vehicle with Satellite Communications on the Move capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., Melbourne, Fla., Scottsdale, Ariz., Austin, Texas, and Aberdeen, Md., with estimated and completion date of Dec. 1, 2010. Bids solicited were via IBOP and three bids were received. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (DAAB07-C-L-539).
Cox Construction, Vista, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $15,787,000 firm fixed fee price contract for Building 1 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) remodel at VA Medical Center, Reno, Nev. Work will be performed in Reno, Washoe, Nev., with an estimated completion date of Nov 4, 2011. Bids solicited were via the web and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912BV-06-D-2019).
Tanner Heavy Equipment Co., of Leesville, La., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $14,900,000 firm fixed price contract to construct and repair roads as well as drainage systems at Fort Polk, La. The work also will include military and civil projects within the Corps of Engineers' Southwestern Division. The work will be performed primarily at Fort Polk and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2012. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91-26G-08-D-0074).
U.S. Ordnance of Reno, Nev., was awarded Sept. 27, 2008, a $14,001,700 firm fixed price contract to purchase M2HB nonstandard machines for Afghanistan. The work is being performed at the contractor's Reno plant and was to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command at Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-08-C-0218).
Staffco Construction Co., of Fairborn, Ohio, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $13,938,000 contract to construct an Armed Forces Reserve Center and field maintenance shop in Springfield, Ohio. The work will be performed in Springfield and will be completed by Apr. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and five bids were received. The National Guard Bureau's office in Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (W91364-08-C-0002).
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, LLC, of Oak Brook, Ill., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $13,595,100 firm fixed price contract for erosion and hurricane protection projects in Westhampton, Suffolk County, N.Y. The work will be performed there and will be completed by Mar. 30, 2009. Twenty bids were solicited and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CENAN-CT, in New York City is the contracting activity (W912DS-08-C-0027).
Greenleaf Construction Co., Inc, Kansas City, Mo., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $12,048,527 firm fixed fee price contract for construction of a chapel complex, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Work will be performed in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Corp of Engineer, Omaha, Neb., is the contracting activity (W9128F-08-C-0037).
Alutiiq International Solution, LLC, Fort Drum, N.Y., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $11,041,307 firm fixed price contract for construction of a standard Automated Qualification Training Range on Range 44 at fort drum, N.Y. Work will be performed in Fort Drum Leray, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of Jun. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. Corp of Engineer, New York City, N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-08-C-0030).
Intercontinental Construction Contracting of Passaic, N.J., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $9,163,524 firm fixed price contract for construction and restoration of Michie Stadium, Phase four at West Point, N.Y. The work will be performed at the campus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and will be completed by Mar. 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and seven bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer in New York, N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-07-C-0029).
Veteran's Enterprise Technology Services, Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $9,459,000 firm fixed price contract for the design and construction of an Army dining facility for 2,400 people at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood and will be completed by Dec. 30, 2010. Bids were solicited by FedBizOps and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0055).
Affolter Contracting, Ltd., of Texas City, Texas, was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $8,950,000 firm fixed price contract for flood control measures along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the West Bank Mississippi River levees, as well as levee enlargement and beams. The work will be performed from Texas City and will be completed by Sept. 30, 2009. Eleven bids were received for these projects. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, is the contracting activity (W912EE-08-C-0036).
Greenleaf/ECI Joint Venture of Kansas City, Mo., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,941,714 firm fixed price contract to modify firing ranges seven and eight at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2009. Four bids were solicited and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-0045).
The Selmer Co., of Green Bay, Wis., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,046,600 firm fixed price contract to construct an Army Reserve Center at Hammond, Wis. The work will be performed in Hammond and will be completed by Apr. 2, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOps and six bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, is the contracting activity (W912QE-08-C-0061).
Evergreen Fire Alarm and Security of Tacoma, Wash., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $7,025,298 firm fixed price contract for Fire-alarm inspections and testing at Fort Lewis, Wash. The work will be performed on Fort Lewis and will be completed by Oct. 1, 2013. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, is the contracting activity (W912DW-08-C-0022).
Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $6,965,366 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity firm fixed price contract to design and building modular buildings for the 5th Armored Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, near Chaparral, N.M. The work will be performed there and will be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Little Rock, Ark., is the contracting activity (W9127S-08-C06006).
Tanner Heavy Equipment Co., of Leesville, La., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,464,817 firm fixed price contract for construction and paving of parking lots at Fort Polk, La. The work will be performed on Fort Polk and will be completed by Apr. 1, 2009. Two bids were received for this small-business set-aside project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0077).
K.O.O. Construction, Inc., of West Sacramento, Calif., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $6,019,642 firm fixed price contract for electrical upgrades at Dock 1 on Beale Air Force Base, Calif. The work will be performed on Beale and will complete by Jan. 3, 2010. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Sacramento, is the contracting activity (W91238-08-C-0026).
Computer Sciences Corp. of Alexandria, Va., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $5,727,870 contract for automation support to assist the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The work will be performed at the agency's Fort Belvoir, Va., facility and will be completed by Feb. 27, 2010. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is the contracting activity (HDTRA1-08-C-0073).
Bluegrass Construction Corp. of Lexington, Ky., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,721,103 firm fixed price contract for improvements at the east-access corridor on Fort Knox, Ky. The work will be performed there and will be complete by Mar. 24, 2010. Bids were solicited via FedBizOps and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Louisville, is the contracting activity (W912QR-08-C-0060).
Science Applications International Corp., (SAIC) of Chantilly, Va., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,104,498 contract for acquisition of topographic data. The work will be performed at SAIC's Chantilly facility and will be completed by Sept. 29, 2009. The National Geospatial Agency, Arnold, Mo., is the contracting activity (NMA302-03-D-0006).
Dredge Technology Corp. of Wayne, N.J., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $5,052,453 firm fixed price contract to acquire 2,000 free of 32-inch floating dredging hose for dredging operations on the Miss., River. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Philadelphia, is the contracting activity (W912BU-08-P-0335).
Navy
Manu Kai, LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $52,983,851 fixed price, indefinite quantity cost plus fixed fee contract for range operations support and base operations support services. This contract includes a one-year base period, with nine one-year option periods which, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $737,932,436. Work will be performed in Kauai, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2018. Contract funds in the amount of $31,700,310 will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill, is being awarded a $35,852,606 firm fixed priced modification to delivery order #0006 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items needed to support Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several engineering change proposals to increase the vehicles' capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Terex Corp., Stafford, Va., is being awarded an $11,703,202 firm fixed price delivery order # 0015 under previously awarded contract (M67854-05-D-5145) for 19 cranes and associated items. Work will be performed by Terex-Demag GmbH&Co.KG, Dinglerstr.24, 66482 Zweibrucken, Germany, and work is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire during the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Air Force
ITT Industries Systems Division of Cape Canaveral, Fla., is having a contract modified for $10,419,168. This in-scope modification is issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. It increases the house ordered and estimated cost for sustainment activities and adds the Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process to Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process project requirement for several Contract Line Items Numbers on the contract. $10,419,168 has been obligated. Peterson AFB, Colo., is the contracting activity F0470-01-C-0001, Modification P00520.
Monday, October 06, 2008
California Guard Assists in Fossett Recovery
By Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - When the wreckage of multi-millionaire Steve Fossett's plane was found near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., last week, it ended the year-long search for the missing adventurer. Fossett vanished in September 2007 during what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight.
There are still many unanswered questions, and the California Army National Guard began helping to find answers on Oct. 2.
Using a single UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, California Army National Guard pilots completed several missions in support of the Madera County sheriff's office, flying in supplies, search dogs and personnel, said Jonathan Guibord, a California Guard spokesman.
The California Guard normally would not take part in a mission like this, he said, but state officials asked for help with the recovery operations.
"Due to the dangerous terrain and high altitude, [the Office of Emergency Services] has determined that the California National Guard's specialized aircrew and aircraft were required," Guibord said.
The pilots supported insertion and extraction missions into the area on Oct. 2, but snowfall ended the search in the Sierra Nevada on Oct. 3.
California officials told the Associated Press that recovery efforts around the site may not resume until summer. Authorities said they completed most of what they needed to do on Oct. 3, when they found three more bone fragments that scientists will test to determine whether they came from Fossett.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - When the wreckage of multi-millionaire Steve Fossett's plane was found near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., last week, it ended the year-long search for the missing adventurer. Fossett vanished in September 2007 during what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight.
There are still many unanswered questions, and the California Army National Guard began helping to find answers on Oct. 2.
Using a single UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, California Army National Guard pilots completed several missions in support of the Madera County sheriff's office, flying in supplies, search dogs and personnel, said Jonathan Guibord, a California Guard spokesman.
The California Guard normally would not take part in a mission like this, he said, but state officials asked for help with the recovery operations.
"Due to the dangerous terrain and high altitude, [the Office of Emergency Services] has determined that the California National Guard's specialized aircrew and aircraft were required," Guibord said.
The pilots supported insertion and extraction missions into the area on Oct. 2, but snowfall ended the search in the Sierra Nevada on Oct. 3.
California officials told the Associated Press that recovery efforts around the site may not resume until summer. Authorities said they completed most of what they needed to do on Oct. 3, when they found three more bone fragments that scientists will test to determine whether they came from Fossett.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
New Marine Test Reflects Broad Military Emphasis on Combat Fitness
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Ask Marines deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima what they think of a new Marine Corps test to assess their combat fitness, and one might be surprised by the lack of complaining. After two deployments to Iraq, Sgt. Richard Williams said he's seen firsthand the importance of both strength and stamina that the new combat fitness test will assess. Williams, a machine gunner with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, remembers running across danger areas in Fallujah, Iraq, loaded to the hilt with combat gear and ammunition.
"If you can't keep up, you're dead weight to that squad," he told American Forces Press Service as he and the rest of the Iwo Jima strike group transited toward the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. "You've got to be fit, because it's not just for you. It's for the team."
Williams' sentiment echoed loudly throughout the 26th MEU as the Marines geared up for the new combat fitness test being phased in throughout the Corps. The test was to be fully implemented by Sept. 30 as a supplement to the standard physical fitness test.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway ordered the new test to replicate more closely the demands Marines are likely to face downrange. They'll run a timed 800-yard run, repeatedly lift a 30-pound ammunition can for two minutes, then maneuver through a 300-yard course that requires them to conduct a combat crawl, ammunition resupply, body drag, casualty carry and grenade throw.
The entire test will be conducted in combat boots and utility uniforms.
Col. Mark Desens, the 26th MEU commander, said the test represents heavy emphasis being put on fitness for all ground troops – not just those performing infantry and other highly physical missions. A truck driver running a convoy route, for example, needs to be as ready as the infantrymen he's supporting to respond to an attack and, if necessary, to drag a buddy to safety.
"This combat fitness test is a result of those exact experiences and ensuring that regardless of their jobs, all Marines are physically able to handle themselves in combat," he said.
But Desens said physical fitness is just half of what the new test will deliver. "It's also about the mental piece, and the confidence that comes with it," he said. A Marine who goes into combat knowing he's well-trained, well-equipped and fit for the mission – and that his buddy is equally prepared and can get him to safety or medical help if necessary – is better able to focus on the mission, he said.
"You fight harder and you fight more confidently and you are focused on defeating the enemy, not on [wondering], 'Is today the day that a bad letter is going to go back home?'" Desens said. "So it is mental as much as physical."
Staff Sgt. Vedel Poindexter, a black-belt martial arts instructor with the 26th MEU, said he likes the idea of a test that assesses Marines' combat fitness.
"It's a lot more realistic and geared toward the things Marines would actually do in combat," he said. "You're sprinting. You're manipulating your buddy. You're doing a combat drag. And we're going to be tested the way we fight -- in uniform."
Staff Sgt. William Korth, platoon sergeant for Fox Company's 3rd Platoon, said he has no delusions that the new test is going to be easy. "It's definitely going to be tough," he said, noting that performing well requires speed and strength, as well as endurance. "I think this is going to weed out the weak."
After two combat deployments, Staff Sgt. Angel Alejandre, Golf Company's machine gun section leader, said the test will measure the exact capabilities Marines need in combat.
"You never know when you are going to have to sprint 500 meters with combat gear to chase an insurgent or support someone else," he said. "This test ensures we train the way we fight. Overall, I think it will be good for the Marine Corps."
The Army, too, is putting increased emphasis on fitness to ensure soldiers' combat readiness.
"Fitness has gone beyond just passing the PT test," Army Col. Timothy Touzinsky, chief of staff for the Joint Multinational Training Command, said in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The command ensures U.S. European Command's 45,000 soldiers remain combat-ready.
"It's how to survive the rigors of the combat zone: the extreme heat, the gear we wear, the weapons we carry, the [body armor] we wear, the long hours and the stress," he said. "It all takes a toll on soldiers, and the more fit they are going into a combat zone, the better they are going to be able to sustain themselves there."
As a result, the Army has integrated fitness training into soldiers' regular training schedules.
"The reality of the [operational tempo] and the reality on soldiers now is that physical fitness and nutrition is integral into their day. They do PT every day," Touzinsky said. "Staying fit is a mission. We have got to be ready ... for that next deployment."
Meanwhile, new approaches are maximizing the benefits of the training offered, he said. Mass formation runs have become a thing of the past, except for rare ceremonial events. Soldiers now train in small groups based on ability that push troops to capacity or beyond. Meanwhile, more training has moved indoors, taking advantage of high-tech weight-training and aerobic equipment.
"No longer do you just do push-ups, sit-ups and a three-mile run," Touzinsky said. "These guys are going at it smart. They are training for strength. They are training for stamina. They are training aerobically, [and] they are training anaerobically so they can do it all."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Ask Marines deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima what they think of a new Marine Corps test to assess their combat fitness, and one might be surprised by the lack of complaining. After two deployments to Iraq, Sgt. Richard Williams said he's seen firsthand the importance of both strength and stamina that the new combat fitness test will assess. Williams, a machine gunner with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, remembers running across danger areas in Fallujah, Iraq, loaded to the hilt with combat gear and ammunition.
"If you can't keep up, you're dead weight to that squad," he told American Forces Press Service as he and the rest of the Iwo Jima strike group transited toward the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. "You've got to be fit, because it's not just for you. It's for the team."
Williams' sentiment echoed loudly throughout the 26th MEU as the Marines geared up for the new combat fitness test being phased in throughout the Corps. The test was to be fully implemented by Sept. 30 as a supplement to the standard physical fitness test.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway ordered the new test to replicate more closely the demands Marines are likely to face downrange. They'll run a timed 800-yard run, repeatedly lift a 30-pound ammunition can for two minutes, then maneuver through a 300-yard course that requires them to conduct a combat crawl, ammunition resupply, body drag, casualty carry and grenade throw.
The entire test will be conducted in combat boots and utility uniforms.
Col. Mark Desens, the 26th MEU commander, said the test represents heavy emphasis being put on fitness for all ground troops – not just those performing infantry and other highly physical missions. A truck driver running a convoy route, for example, needs to be as ready as the infantrymen he's supporting to respond to an attack and, if necessary, to drag a buddy to safety.
"This combat fitness test is a result of those exact experiences and ensuring that regardless of their jobs, all Marines are physically able to handle themselves in combat," he said.
But Desens said physical fitness is just half of what the new test will deliver. "It's also about the mental piece, and the confidence that comes with it," he said. A Marine who goes into combat knowing he's well-trained, well-equipped and fit for the mission – and that his buddy is equally prepared and can get him to safety or medical help if necessary – is better able to focus on the mission, he said.
"You fight harder and you fight more confidently and you are focused on defeating the enemy, not on [wondering], 'Is today the day that a bad letter is going to go back home?'" Desens said. "So it is mental as much as physical."
Staff Sgt. Vedel Poindexter, a black-belt martial arts instructor with the 26th MEU, said he likes the idea of a test that assesses Marines' combat fitness.
"It's a lot more realistic and geared toward the things Marines would actually do in combat," he said. "You're sprinting. You're manipulating your buddy. You're doing a combat drag. And we're going to be tested the way we fight -- in uniform."
Staff Sgt. William Korth, platoon sergeant for Fox Company's 3rd Platoon, said he has no delusions that the new test is going to be easy. "It's definitely going to be tough," he said, noting that performing well requires speed and strength, as well as endurance. "I think this is going to weed out the weak."
After two combat deployments, Staff Sgt. Angel Alejandre, Golf Company's machine gun section leader, said the test will measure the exact capabilities Marines need in combat.
"You never know when you are going to have to sprint 500 meters with combat gear to chase an insurgent or support someone else," he said. "This test ensures we train the way we fight. Overall, I think it will be good for the Marine Corps."
The Army, too, is putting increased emphasis on fitness to ensure soldiers' combat readiness.
"Fitness has gone beyond just passing the PT test," Army Col. Timothy Touzinsky, chief of staff for the Joint Multinational Training Command, said in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The command ensures U.S. European Command's 45,000 soldiers remain combat-ready.
"It's how to survive the rigors of the combat zone: the extreme heat, the gear we wear, the weapons we carry, the [body armor] we wear, the long hours and the stress," he said. "It all takes a toll on soldiers, and the more fit they are going into a combat zone, the better they are going to be able to sustain themselves there."
As a result, the Army has integrated fitness training into soldiers' regular training schedules.
"The reality of the [operational tempo] and the reality on soldiers now is that physical fitness and nutrition is integral into their day. They do PT every day," Touzinsky said. "Staying fit is a mission. We have got to be ready ... for that next deployment."
Meanwhile, new approaches are maximizing the benefits of the training offered, he said. Mass formation runs have become a thing of the past, except for rare ceremonial events. Soldiers now train in small groups based on ability that push troops to capacity or beyond. Meanwhile, more training has moved indoors, taking advantage of high-tech weight-training and aerobic equipment.
"No longer do you just do push-ups, sit-ups and a three-mile run," Touzinsky said. "These guys are going at it smart. They are training for strength. They are training for stamina. They are training aerobically, [and] they are training anaerobically so they can do it all."
Military Olympians Visit Pentagon, Express Thanks for Support
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Military Olympians and Paralympians visited the Pentagon today and expressed their gratitude for the Defense Department's support and partnership. "There's been a long history of Military involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic games," Charlie Huebner, chief of Paralympics in Colorado Springs, Col., said.
More than 25 Military athletes in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing were involved in the armed forces, either on active duty or as veterans, Huebner said. They earned seven gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals.
Retired Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, a Paralympic swimmer, is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran to participate in the Paralympic games. Stockwell lost most of her left leg in April 2004 when her convoy was struck by a roadside bomb. Her strength and determination should serve as an inspirational example for other wounded warriors, Huebner said.
Huebner said Stockwell, better than anybody, can walk the halls of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
"One of the biggest things [Military Paralympians] can do is assume roles as mentors for other wounded servicemembers," he said. "Being able to go and spend time with other wounded warriors is critically important, and I can think of none better than those who've been wounded in war [and] then became Olympians."
As chief of Paralympics, one of Huebner's objectives is developing athletic and community programs for wounded veterans. The programs assist the newly injured and their families in letting them know that their lives are not over, he said.
"We just want to let wounded [veterans] know that they can still be physically active, they can still pursue education, and if they want, they can represent their country again at the Paralympic games," he said.
Stockwell expressed her appreciation for the Defense Department's support of returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and wounded warrior programs, citing how sports and competition are important to rehabilitating servicemembers.
"Sports have played a huge role for all of us here," Stockwell said, "and just getting back out there in life and enjoying the things that we used to do and the new things we try is something we have to do. These programs do give hope."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Military Olympians and Paralympians visited the Pentagon today and expressed their gratitude for the Defense Department's support and partnership. "There's been a long history of Military involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic games," Charlie Huebner, chief of Paralympics in Colorado Springs, Col., said.
More than 25 Military athletes in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing were involved in the armed forces, either on active duty or as veterans, Huebner said. They earned seven gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals.
Retired Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, a Paralympic swimmer, is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran to participate in the Paralympic games. Stockwell lost most of her left leg in April 2004 when her convoy was struck by a roadside bomb. Her strength and determination should serve as an inspirational example for other wounded warriors, Huebner said.
Huebner said Stockwell, better than anybody, can walk the halls of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
"One of the biggest things [Military Paralympians] can do is assume roles as mentors for other wounded servicemembers," he said. "Being able to go and spend time with other wounded warriors is critically important, and I can think of none better than those who've been wounded in war [and] then became Olympians."
As chief of Paralympics, one of Huebner's objectives is developing athletic and community programs for wounded veterans. The programs assist the newly injured and their families in letting them know that their lives are not over, he said.
"We just want to let wounded [veterans] know that they can still be physically active, they can still pursue education, and if they want, they can represent their country again at the Paralympic games," he said.
Stockwell expressed her appreciation for the Defense Department's support of returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and wounded warrior programs, citing how sports and competition are important to rehabilitating servicemembers.
"Sports have played a huge role for all of us here," Stockwell said, "and just getting back out there in life and enjoying the things that we used to do and the new things we try is something we have to do. These programs do give hope."
Petreaus, Crocker Receive State Department's Highest Honor
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - The State Department today conferred its highest award on the U.S. commander and diplomat who oversaw a dramatic drop in violence in Iraq and forged a model for future military-civilian partnership. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the Distinguished Service Award to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the former top U.S. commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker, saying that no two public servants are more deserving of the honor.
"May you accept this award as but a small down payment on the vast and enduring gratitude that our entire nation owes to each of you, and may you depart your post in Iraq ... confident in knowledge that you have made an immeasurable contribution to the success of Iraq and to the security of our beloved country," she said.
During his nearly 20-month tenure, Petraeus commanded Multinational Force Iraq amid a surge of 33,000 U.S. troops, overseeing the quelling of fighting in the contentious Anbar province and an ensuing 80-percent drop in overall violence in Iraq. Rice also credited Petraeus with reviving the "lost art" of counterinsurgency.
"Under General Petraeus's leadership, U.S. and coalition troops have not only taken the fight to the enemies of Iraq. They have focused on securing the people of Iraq," Rice said. "They have turned adversaries into allies, and they have provided the new Iraqi Army with the training and support it needs to emerge as an increasingly capable and self-sufficient force."
Rice praised military servicemembers and their families for bearing "the most awful burdens of this fight."
"[They are people] who do everything that is asked of them and more, and who do it all with grace and grit and the silent confidence of true bravery," she said. "America's servicemen and women, both the living and the departed, are heroes for all time, and words do no justice to the debt that we owe them."
Petraeus, who later this month takes the reins of U.S. Central Command, accepted his award today on behalf of the military personnel he served with in Iraq and the families who endured their separation. In a final letter to troops before departing Iraq, the general said he could not envision any greater privilege than having served with them, he told the audience.
He added that improvements would have been impossible without a unity of purpose and effort with the military's diplomatic counterparts.
"No soldier could be so privileged as to have such a great diplomatic partner, and it was a great honor for me to be his military wingman," Petraeus said of Crocker.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised the partnership between the general and the diplomat while appearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee last week.
"Beyond their own brilliant individual performances, the Petraeus-Crocker team was a superb model of military-civilian partnership, and one that should be studied and emulated for years to come," he said.
Accepting his award via videoteleconference from Baghdad, Crocker praised his working relationship with Petraeus, whom he called "the greatest military commander of his generation."
"Thanks to all of you, my colleagues, and thanks to my colleagues who wear the uniforms of our great military for what truly is a total partnership," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - The State Department today conferred its highest award on the U.S. commander and diplomat who oversaw a dramatic drop in violence in Iraq and forged a model for future military-civilian partnership. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the Distinguished Service Award to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the former top U.S. commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker, saying that no two public servants are more deserving of the honor.
"May you accept this award as but a small down payment on the vast and enduring gratitude that our entire nation owes to each of you, and may you depart your post in Iraq ... confident in knowledge that you have made an immeasurable contribution to the success of Iraq and to the security of our beloved country," she said.
During his nearly 20-month tenure, Petraeus commanded Multinational Force Iraq amid a surge of 33,000 U.S. troops, overseeing the quelling of fighting in the contentious Anbar province and an ensuing 80-percent drop in overall violence in Iraq. Rice also credited Petraeus with reviving the "lost art" of counterinsurgency.
"Under General Petraeus's leadership, U.S. and coalition troops have not only taken the fight to the enemies of Iraq. They have focused on securing the people of Iraq," Rice said. "They have turned adversaries into allies, and they have provided the new Iraqi Army with the training and support it needs to emerge as an increasingly capable and self-sufficient force."
Rice praised military servicemembers and their families for bearing "the most awful burdens of this fight."
"[They are people] who do everything that is asked of them and more, and who do it all with grace and grit and the silent confidence of true bravery," she said. "America's servicemen and women, both the living and the departed, are heroes for all time, and words do no justice to the debt that we owe them."
Petraeus, who later this month takes the reins of U.S. Central Command, accepted his award today on behalf of the military personnel he served with in Iraq and the families who endured their separation. In a final letter to troops before departing Iraq, the general said he could not envision any greater privilege than having served with them, he told the audience.
He added that improvements would have been impossible without a unity of purpose and effort with the military's diplomatic counterparts.
"No soldier could be so privileged as to have such a great diplomatic partner, and it was a great honor for me to be his military wingman," Petraeus said of Crocker.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised the partnership between the general and the diplomat while appearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee last week.
"Beyond their own brilliant individual performances, the Petraeus-Crocker team was a superb model of military-civilian partnership, and one that should be studied and emulated for years to come," he said.
Accepting his award via videoteleconference from Baghdad, Crocker praised his working relationship with Petraeus, whom he called "the greatest military commander of his generation."
"Thanks to all of you, my colleagues, and thanks to my colleagues who wear the uniforms of our great military for what truly is a total partnership," he said.
DoD Revises Purple Heart Eligibility Criteria to Allow Award to POWs Who Die in Captivity
The Department of Defense announced today it has expanded the Purple Heart eligibility criteria allowing prisoners-of-war who died in captivity to receive the award.
The revised department policy presumes, for service members who die in captivity as a qualifying prisoner-of-war, that their death was the "result of enemy action," or the result of wounds incurred "in action with the enemy" during capture, or as a result of wounds incurred as a "result of enemy action" during capture, unless compelling evidence is presented to the contrary.
The revised policy allows retroactive award of the Purple Heart to qualifying prisoners-of-war since Dec. 7, 1941. Posthumous award will be made to the deceased service member's representative, as designated by the secretary of the military department concerned, upon application to that military department.
Each military department will publish application procedures and ensure they are accessible by the general public. Family members with questions may contact the services: Army: Military Awards Branch, (703) 325-8700; Navy: Navy Personnel Command, Retired Records Section, (314) 592-1150; Air Force: Air Force Personnel Center, (800) 616-3775; Marine Corps: Military Awards Branch, (703) 784-9340. For further information, media representatives should contact Eileen Lainez, (703) 695-3895, eileen.lainez@osd.mil.
The revised department policy presumes, for service members who die in captivity as a qualifying prisoner-of-war, that their death was the "result of enemy action," or the result of wounds incurred "in action with the enemy" during capture, or as a result of wounds incurred as a "result of enemy action" during capture, unless compelling evidence is presented to the contrary.
The revised policy allows retroactive award of the Purple Heart to qualifying prisoners-of-war since Dec. 7, 1941. Posthumous award will be made to the deceased service member's representative, as designated by the secretary of the military department concerned, upon application to that military department.
Each military department will publish application procedures and ensure they are accessible by the general public. Family members with questions may contact the services: Army: Military Awards Branch, (703) 325-8700; Navy: Navy Personnel Command, Retired Records Section, (314) 592-1150; Air Force: Air Force Personnel Center, (800) 616-3775; Marine Corps: Military Awards Branch, (703) 784-9340. For further information, media representatives should contact Eileen Lainez, (703) 695-3895, eileen.lainez@osd.mil.
Face of Defense: Sergeant Calls Care of Soldiers Primary Mission
By Army Sgt. Carmen Guerrero
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - He hasn't always been a retention noncommissioned officer. In fact, he admitted he was a little leery at first about guiding soldiers down the path of re-enlistment. After all, he was on his first tour himself, and had no prior training to assume the vital role as retention NCO. Now however, Army Sgt. Mark Shamburger, of Hattiesburg, Miss., said it is a job he thoroughly enjoys since it provides him an opportunity to take care of soldiers.
Shamburger works in Multinational Division Baghdad with the personnel office of 890th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, a National Guard unit based out of Gulfport, Miss. His mission of taking care of soldiers expands into other areas, as he also works as an equal opportunity leader. It can be quite a load, Shamburger said, but he accepted the tasks that were laid out in front of him and began running with them.
Shamburger acts as a liaison and career counselor for the companies that fall under the 890th Engineer Battalion, and said he provides information and guidance concerning questions about the Montgomery GI Bill, the Student Loan Repayment Program and the Selective Reserves Incentive Program. He said he also keeps soldiers informed of changes in their specific situations and provides insight for each soldier.
"Some extra things I do for my soldiers is provide them with a re-enlistment certificate, re-enlistment coin, and photographs to commemorate their extension in theater," Shamburger said. "Technically, these things don't have to be done, but I think it's a great way to thank soldiers for staying in the Army."
Shamburger has processed 36 enlisted soldiers' contracts for extension or re-enlistment bonuses. He also has assisted in the paperwork for six officers. The total combined years extended for enlisted and officers, he added, is 208 years, and bonus money the extending soldiers have received so far during the deployment amounts to $483,000 for enlisted soldiers and $120,000 for officers.
There are perks to the job as well, he said, citing July 4, 2008, when what officials here believe was the largest re-enlistment in the history of the armed forces took place at Al Faw Palace. More than 1,200 servicemembers from all branches of the military re-enlisted under the hand of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, then the commanding general of Multinational Force Iraq. It was a day for the history books, Shamburger said, adding that he was proud to witness it.
"His job is critical in maintaining the strength of the 890th Engineer Battalion," said Army Capt. Phillip Moseley, the battalion's personnel officer, "as well as ensuring that each soldier gets their bonus for re-enlisting."
For Shamburger, however, it's just another day at the office doing what he enjoys best – taking care of soldiers.
"I love my job, retention especially," he said. "Taking care of soldiers is what I like doing. I was kind of hesitant about doing this job at first, but now I wouldn't trade it for anything else."
(Army Sgt. Carmen Guerrero serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 890th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - He hasn't always been a retention noncommissioned officer. In fact, he admitted he was a little leery at first about guiding soldiers down the path of re-enlistment. After all, he was on his first tour himself, and had no prior training to assume the vital role as retention NCO. Now however, Army Sgt. Mark Shamburger, of Hattiesburg, Miss., said it is a job he thoroughly enjoys since it provides him an opportunity to take care of soldiers.
Shamburger works in Multinational Division Baghdad with the personnel office of 890th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, a National Guard unit based out of Gulfport, Miss. His mission of taking care of soldiers expands into other areas, as he also works as an equal opportunity leader. It can be quite a load, Shamburger said, but he accepted the tasks that were laid out in front of him and began running with them.
Shamburger acts as a liaison and career counselor for the companies that fall under the 890th Engineer Battalion, and said he provides information and guidance concerning questions about the Montgomery GI Bill, the Student Loan Repayment Program and the Selective Reserves Incentive Program. He said he also keeps soldiers informed of changes in their specific situations and provides insight for each soldier.
"Some extra things I do for my soldiers is provide them with a re-enlistment certificate, re-enlistment coin, and photographs to commemorate their extension in theater," Shamburger said. "Technically, these things don't have to be done, but I think it's a great way to thank soldiers for staying in the Army."
Shamburger has processed 36 enlisted soldiers' contracts for extension or re-enlistment bonuses. He also has assisted in the paperwork for six officers. The total combined years extended for enlisted and officers, he added, is 208 years, and bonus money the extending soldiers have received so far during the deployment amounts to $483,000 for enlisted soldiers and $120,000 for officers.
There are perks to the job as well, he said, citing July 4, 2008, when what officials here believe was the largest re-enlistment in the history of the armed forces took place at Al Faw Palace. More than 1,200 servicemembers from all branches of the military re-enlisted under the hand of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, then the commanding general of Multinational Force Iraq. It was a day for the history books, Shamburger said, adding that he was proud to witness it.
"His job is critical in maintaining the strength of the 890th Engineer Battalion," said Army Capt. Phillip Moseley, the battalion's personnel officer, "as well as ensuring that each soldier gets their bonus for re-enlisting."
For Shamburger, however, it's just another day at the office doing what he enjoys best – taking care of soldiers.
"I love my job, retention especially," he said. "Taking care of soldiers is what I like doing. I was kind of hesitant about doing this job at first, but now I wouldn't trade it for anything else."
(Army Sgt. Carmen Guerrero serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 890th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade.)
$1M Wearable Power Prize Competition Winner Announced
The Department of Defense (DoD) announced today that the DuPont/Smart Fuel Cell (SFC) Team was awarded a $1 million top prize for winning the Wearable Power Prize competition.
Designed to spur innovation, the competition was launched in July 2007 by the DoD's Research and Engineering Directorate to help develop a long-endurance, lightweight power pack for warfighters in the field. After beginning with 169 registered entries, the ultimate testing concluded on Oct. 4 when the final six teams met at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., to determine the winner.
DuPont/SFC won the competition by building the lightest wearable system that provided an average of 20 watts of power for more than 96 hours and weighed less than 4,000 grams, or 8.8 pounds. AMI of Ann Arbor, Mich., was awarded $500,000 for second place, and Jenny 600S of Middleburg, Va., won the $250,000 third place prize.
All of the finalists used either fuel-cell or battery technologies or a combination of both to meet the rigorous standards set by the DoD.
The winners, and really all the teams that competed, have moved wearable power technology forward," said William Rees Jr., the deputy under secretary for defense laboratories and basic sciences. "But the real winners from this competition are our ground warfighters, as these systems show great promise to reduce the weight of batteries they have to carry while performing their critical missions."
Rees, who sponsored the DoD Wearable Power Prize, also hopes this competition will inspire scientists and engineers.
"The rules we developed for this DoD competition attracted small businesses, individual inventors, and large companies alike," said Rees. "Our nation has tremendous capacity for innovation, so we hope that this and future competitions also motivates the scientific community to continue important advancements in technology."
Media can direct queries to Cmdr. Darryn James, DoD Public Affairs, (703)-693-8287. More information on the Wearable Power Prize can be found at:
http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/final_event.html.
Designed to spur innovation, the competition was launched in July 2007 by the DoD's Research and Engineering Directorate to help develop a long-endurance, lightweight power pack for warfighters in the field. After beginning with 169 registered entries, the ultimate testing concluded on Oct. 4 when the final six teams met at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., to determine the winner.
DuPont/SFC won the competition by building the lightest wearable system that provided an average of 20 watts of power for more than 96 hours and weighed less than 4,000 grams, or 8.8 pounds. AMI of Ann Arbor, Mich., was awarded $500,000 for second place, and Jenny 600S of Middleburg, Va., won the $250,000 third place prize.
All of the finalists used either fuel-cell or battery technologies or a combination of both to meet the rigorous standards set by the DoD.
The winners, and really all the teams that competed, have moved wearable power technology forward," said William Rees Jr., the deputy under secretary for defense laboratories and basic sciences. "But the real winners from this competition are our ground warfighters, as these systems show great promise to reduce the weight of batteries they have to carry while performing their critical missions."
Rees, who sponsored the DoD Wearable Power Prize, also hopes this competition will inspire scientists and engineers.
"The rules we developed for this DoD competition attracted small businesses, individual inventors, and large companies alike," said Rees. "Our nation has tremendous capacity for innovation, so we hope that this and future competitions also motivates the scientific community to continue important advancements in technology."
Media can direct queries to Cmdr. Darryn James, DoD Public Affairs, (703)-693-8287. More information on the Wearable Power Prize can be found at:
http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize/final_event.html.
Gates to Attend Meetings in Macedonia, Hungary
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will travel this week to participate in a southeastern Europe defense ministerial conference in Macedonia and a NATO meeting in Hungary, senior defense officials said. The Russian invasion of Georgia probably will be a primary discussion point at the meeting in Macedonia, Defense Department officials said, adding that they believe Gates will get some fresh insights and feedback from his counterparts.
While in Macedonia, Gates and Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov will meet. Officials speaking on background said the meeting is a way for the secretary to show support for Ukraine and its engagement with NATO.
The NATO ministerial meeting in Budapest, Hungary, will focus on NATO operations, specifically those of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, officials said. The meeting will include non-NATO troop-contributing nations, officials said, and the discussion on Afghanistan will zero in on longer-term commitments to the nation.
"The secretary is really intent on focusing on the future of NATO," a senior defense official said. "His term is 'institutionalizing transformation' – the capabilities of NATO looking into the future. His focus is more overarching" than headline-driven, the official said.
Another discussion will focus on issues such as alliance headquarters reform. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has prepared some specific proposals for the ministers to discuss at this session. The ministers also will discuss multinational approaches to defense capabilities, such as NATO buying C-17 Globemaster III cargo jets to bolster strategic airlift capabilities. The C-17s will be based at a Hungarian air base, with the first planes arriving in the spring.
Other issues for discussion are deployability targets and the NATO Response Force, the officials said, and the leaders also will speak about Kosovo and piracy issues, which have come to the forefront following increased pirate attacks of ships in the Indian Ocean, along the Somali coast. Two weeks ago, pirates seized a Ukrainian ship full of military arms in the area.
The secretary also will participate in a NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Budapest. The commission was established a month ago, and this will be the first ministerial-level meeting. "We see this as an excellent opportunity to show support for Georgia at this time," the senior defense official said.
Because of events in Georgia, the NATO-Russia Council will not meet in Budapest, officials said. NATO had planned a NATO-Russia Council meeting for Budapest, but those plans changed after the invasion of Georgia, defense officials said.
"In fact, within two weeks after the invasion, Russia announced that it was suspending all high-level activities with NATO," one official said. "Even if Russia had not done so, it is highly unlikely NATO would have extended an invitation to Russia to participate in the Budapest gathering."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will travel this week to participate in a southeastern Europe defense ministerial conference in Macedonia and a NATO meeting in Hungary, senior defense officials said. The Russian invasion of Georgia probably will be a primary discussion point at the meeting in Macedonia, Defense Department officials said, adding that they believe Gates will get some fresh insights and feedback from his counterparts.
While in Macedonia, Gates and Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov will meet. Officials speaking on background said the meeting is a way for the secretary to show support for Ukraine and its engagement with NATO.
The NATO ministerial meeting in Budapest, Hungary, will focus on NATO operations, specifically those of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, officials said. The meeting will include non-NATO troop-contributing nations, officials said, and the discussion on Afghanistan will zero in on longer-term commitments to the nation.
"The secretary is really intent on focusing on the future of NATO," a senior defense official said. "His term is 'institutionalizing transformation' – the capabilities of NATO looking into the future. His focus is more overarching" than headline-driven, the official said.
Another discussion will focus on issues such as alliance headquarters reform. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has prepared some specific proposals for the ministers to discuss at this session. The ministers also will discuss multinational approaches to defense capabilities, such as NATO buying C-17 Globemaster III cargo jets to bolster strategic airlift capabilities. The C-17s will be based at a Hungarian air base, with the first planes arriving in the spring.
Other issues for discussion are deployability targets and the NATO Response Force, the officials said, and the leaders also will speak about Kosovo and piracy issues, which have come to the forefront following increased pirate attacks of ships in the Indian Ocean, along the Somali coast. Two weeks ago, pirates seized a Ukrainian ship full of military arms in the area.
The secretary also will participate in a NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Budapest. The commission was established a month ago, and this will be the first ministerial-level meeting. "We see this as an excellent opportunity to show support for Georgia at this time," the senior defense official said.
Because of events in Georgia, the NATO-Russia Council will not meet in Budapest, officials said. NATO had planned a NATO-Russia Council meeting for Budapest, but those plans changed after the invasion of Georgia, defense officials said.
"In fact, within two weeks after the invasion, Russia announced that it was suspending all high-level activities with NATO," one official said. "Even if Russia had not done so, it is highly unlikely NATO would have extended an invitation to Russia to participate in the Budapest gathering."
Army Secretary Announces 2009 Will Be 'Year of NCO'
By C. Todd Lopez
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - The Army will recognize the value of its enlisted leaders at all levels of command as it observes "The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer" in 2009, Army Secretary Pete Geren said today. Geren made the announcement during his keynote address at the opening of the 2008 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition here.
"At the front of every Army mission in the United States or overseas, you'll find a noncommissioned officer," he said. "They know their mission, they know their equipment, but most importantly, they know their soldiers."
The secretary said that during the year, the Army will develop new initiatives that enhance the training, education, capability and use of the NCO corps, showcase the NCO story to the Army and the American people, and honor the sacrifices and celebrate contributions of the NCO corps, past and present.
"Today's NCO operates autonomously, and always with confidence and competence," he said. "Our NCOs are empowered and trusted like no other NCO in the world, and most advanced armies in the world today are going to school on our model."
Geren noted he came to the Pentagon late in the summer of 2001, and that he was in the building during the Sept. 11 attack.
"And for seven years, I've watched soldiers go off to war, and watched their families stand with them," he said. "I've been inspired by the service of our soldiers, and humbled by the sacrifice of their families -- spouses and kids, moms and dads. And it's the privilege of a lifetime to work with and for soldiers and Army families."
The Army's first priority, Geren said, are the loved ones in harms way.
"They are front of mind 24 hours a day, and we're committed to meeting with urgency the ever-changing, life-and-death needs and demands of our soldiers in Afghanistan and in Iraq," Geren said. "And not just meet their needs and meet the evolving threats, but anticipate, and do everything we can to get ahead of the threat. And care for those who have borne the battle, and their loved ones. These are moral duties of the highest order for our nation and our Army."
The secretary also talked about an often unseen portion of the military -- those who deliver goods and services to the fighting force: the Army logisticians.
"We have 250,000 soldiers in 80 countries, and we've been at war for seven years, with 140,000 soldiers in theater today," he said. "Nobody ever asks, 'Who feeds those guys?'
"Our logisticians are victims of their own success," he continued. "Their work is so good it is invisible -- it's a given. Wherever our Army goes, whatever our soldiers need, whenever they need it, they get it -- the miracle of Army logistics."
Geren said the Army logistics community repairs more than 14,000 vehicles every year -- a number equal to the number of yellow cabs in New York City. They also move more than 700,000 personnel in and out of theater, equal to the entire population of Charlotte, N.C. And each day, he said, Army logisticians provide 750,000 meals in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They also dispense enough fuel in the combat theater to fill up 750,000 cars -- nearly four times the number of vehicles registered in Washington, D.C.
"We talked much about the surge -- 15,000 more Soldiers in Iraq -- but nobody ever mentioned that Army logisticians would serve 45,000 more meals each day, and ship 120,000 more gallons of water each day," he said. During operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, 619 sustainment and support soldiers have given their lives, the secretary said.
Geren also pointed out the historic anniversaries the Army has celebrated in 2008, including the 25th anniversary of the Army Family Action Plan, the 30th anniversary of the disestablishment of the Women's Army Corps, and the 60th anniversary of the integration of the U.S. military.
"Sixty years ago, our Army did not stand as one," he said. "It was not a single band of brothers, rather, a collection of bands of brothers divided by race."
The policy then, he said, was that the Army was separate, but "hardly equal."
"[It was a] cruel irony of our nation sending soldiers to fight for freedom against the Germans -- yet affording privileges to white German prisoners of war held in the United States that were denied to the African-Americans soldiers who guarded them," the secretary said.
On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, declaring "there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin."
"With the stroke of a pen, President Truman launched the Army on the path to the color-blind institution we know today," Geren said. "The Army moved slowly and stubbornly at first, but now stands as the model for equal opportunity in our nation. Today, we have an Army where the only colors that matter are red, white, and blue."
Geren also took time to reiterate another priority of the Army -- the elimination of sexual assault within the ranks.
"The brothers and sisters of our Army must be able to count on each other, wherever they are, in the battlefield or in the barracks, and whenever, on duty or off, no matter the cost," he said. "We will create a climate of zero tolerance for gender-based misconduct -- in attitude, word, and deed, and become fully, as our values demand, a band of brothers and sisters."
(C. Todd Lopez works at the Soldiers Media Center.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - The Army will recognize the value of its enlisted leaders at all levels of command as it observes "The Year of the Noncommissioned Officer" in 2009, Army Secretary Pete Geren said today. Geren made the announcement during his keynote address at the opening of the 2008 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition here.
"At the front of every Army mission in the United States or overseas, you'll find a noncommissioned officer," he said. "They know their mission, they know their equipment, but most importantly, they know their soldiers."
The secretary said that during the year, the Army will develop new initiatives that enhance the training, education, capability and use of the NCO corps, showcase the NCO story to the Army and the American people, and honor the sacrifices and celebrate contributions of the NCO corps, past and present.
"Today's NCO operates autonomously, and always with confidence and competence," he said. "Our NCOs are empowered and trusted like no other NCO in the world, and most advanced armies in the world today are going to school on our model."
Geren noted he came to the Pentagon late in the summer of 2001, and that he was in the building during the Sept. 11 attack.
"And for seven years, I've watched soldiers go off to war, and watched their families stand with them," he said. "I've been inspired by the service of our soldiers, and humbled by the sacrifice of their families -- spouses and kids, moms and dads. And it's the privilege of a lifetime to work with and for soldiers and Army families."
The Army's first priority, Geren said, are the loved ones in harms way.
"They are front of mind 24 hours a day, and we're committed to meeting with urgency the ever-changing, life-and-death needs and demands of our soldiers in Afghanistan and in Iraq," Geren said. "And not just meet their needs and meet the evolving threats, but anticipate, and do everything we can to get ahead of the threat. And care for those who have borne the battle, and their loved ones. These are moral duties of the highest order for our nation and our Army."
The secretary also talked about an often unseen portion of the military -- those who deliver goods and services to the fighting force: the Army logisticians.
"We have 250,000 soldiers in 80 countries, and we've been at war for seven years, with 140,000 soldiers in theater today," he said. "Nobody ever asks, 'Who feeds those guys?'
"Our logisticians are victims of their own success," he continued. "Their work is so good it is invisible -- it's a given. Wherever our Army goes, whatever our soldiers need, whenever they need it, they get it -- the miracle of Army logistics."
Geren said the Army logistics community repairs more than 14,000 vehicles every year -- a number equal to the number of yellow cabs in New York City. They also move more than 700,000 personnel in and out of theater, equal to the entire population of Charlotte, N.C. And each day, he said, Army logisticians provide 750,000 meals in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They also dispense enough fuel in the combat theater to fill up 750,000 cars -- nearly four times the number of vehicles registered in Washington, D.C.
"We talked much about the surge -- 15,000 more Soldiers in Iraq -- but nobody ever mentioned that Army logisticians would serve 45,000 more meals each day, and ship 120,000 more gallons of water each day," he said. During operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, 619 sustainment and support soldiers have given their lives, the secretary said.
Geren also pointed out the historic anniversaries the Army has celebrated in 2008, including the 25th anniversary of the Army Family Action Plan, the 30th anniversary of the disestablishment of the Women's Army Corps, and the 60th anniversary of the integration of the U.S. military.
"Sixty years ago, our Army did not stand as one," he said. "It was not a single band of brothers, rather, a collection of bands of brothers divided by race."
The policy then, he said, was that the Army was separate, but "hardly equal."
"[It was a] cruel irony of our nation sending soldiers to fight for freedom against the Germans -- yet affording privileges to white German prisoners of war held in the United States that were denied to the African-Americans soldiers who guarded them," the secretary said.
On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, declaring "there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin."
"With the stroke of a pen, President Truman launched the Army on the path to the color-blind institution we know today," Geren said. "The Army moved slowly and stubbornly at first, but now stands as the model for equal opportunity in our nation. Today, we have an Army where the only colors that matter are red, white, and blue."
Geren also took time to reiterate another priority of the Army -- the elimination of sexual assault within the ranks.
"The brothers and sisters of our Army must be able to count on each other, wherever they are, in the battlefield or in the barracks, and whenever, on duty or off, no matter the cost," he said. "We will create a climate of zero tolerance for gender-based misconduct -- in attitude, word, and deed, and become fully, as our values demand, a band of brothers and sisters."
(C. Todd Lopez works at the Soldiers Media Center.)
Military Olympians Visit Pentagon, Express Thanks for Support
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Military Olympians and Paralympians visited the Pentagon today and expressed their gratitude for the Defense Department's support and partnership. "There's been a long history of military involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic games," Charlie Huebner, chief of Paralympics in Colorado Springs, Col., said.
More than 25 military athletes in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing were involved in the armed forces, either on active duty or as veterans, Huebner said. They earned seven gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals.
Retired Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, a Paralympic swimmer, is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran to participate in the Paralympic games. Stockwell lost most of her left leg in April 2004 when her convoy was struck by a roadside bomb. Her strength and determination should serve as an inspirational example for other wounded warriors, Huebner said.
Huebner said Stockwell, better than anybody, can walk the halls of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
"One of the biggest things [military Paralympians] can do is assume roles as mentors for other wounded servicemembers," he said. "Being able to go and spend time with other wounded warriors is critically important, and I can think of none better than those who've been wounded in war [and] then became Olympians."
As chief of Paralympics, one of Huebner's objectives is developing athletic and community programs for wounded veterans. The programs assist the newly injured and their families in letting them know that their lives are not over, he said.
"We just want to let wounded [veterans] know that they can still be physically active, they can still pursue education, and if they want, they can represent their country again at the Paralympic games," he said.
Stockwell expressed her appreciation for the Defense Department's support of returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and wounded warrior programs, citing how sports and competition are important to rehabilitating servicemembers.
"Sports have played a huge role for all of us here," Stockwell said, "and just getting back out there in life and enjoying the things that we used to do and the new things we try is something we have to do. These programs do give hope."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 6, 2008 - Military Olympians and Paralympians visited the Pentagon today and expressed their gratitude for the Defense Department's support and partnership. "There's been a long history of military involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic games," Charlie Huebner, chief of Paralympics in Colorado Springs, Col., said.
More than 25 military athletes in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing were involved in the armed forces, either on active duty or as veterans, Huebner said. They earned seven gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals.
Retired Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, a Paralympic swimmer, is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran to participate in the Paralympic games. Stockwell lost most of her left leg in April 2004 when her convoy was struck by a roadside bomb. Her strength and determination should serve as an inspirational example for other wounded warriors, Huebner said.
Huebner said Stockwell, better than anybody, can walk the halls of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
"One of the biggest things [military Paralympians] can do is assume roles as mentors for other wounded servicemembers," he said. "Being able to go and spend time with other wounded warriors is critically important, and I can think of none better than those who've been wounded in war [and] then became Olympians."
As chief of Paralympics, one of Huebner's objectives is developing athletic and community programs for wounded veterans. The programs assist the newly injured and their families in letting them know that their lives are not over, he said.
"We just want to let wounded [veterans] know that they can still be physically active, they can still pursue education, and if they want, they can represent their country again at the Paralympic games," he said.
Stockwell expressed her appreciation for the Defense Department's support of returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and wounded warrior programs, citing how sports and competition are important to rehabilitating servicemembers.
"Sports have played a huge role for all of us here," Stockwell said, "and just getting back out there in life and enjoying the things that we used to do and the new things we try is something we have to do. These programs do give hope."
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