By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 19, 2009 - The more than 1,000 major facilities that make up the Defense Department's medical infrastructure are key strategic national assets, the department's top medical official told Congress here yesterday. Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant defense secretary for health affairs, told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittees on military personnel and readiness that he not only is an advocate for military medicine and practitioners, but also is committed to dramatically improving the medical infrastructure – a responsibility he said he takes very seriously.
"Our buildings support vital, diverse and worldwide missions of the military health system," Casscells said. "We need outstanding facilities to deliver patient care, train medical professionals, conduct cutting-edge research and provide the support functions necessary to succeed on the battlefield and protect our nation."
The department's current medical infrastructure includes 59 hospitals, 663 medical and dental clinics, 258 veterinary clinics, 26 medical research and development offices, 19 training facilities and 10 medical installations.
The facilities are well-maintained, but improving such a large, diverse and complex set of buildings pose substantial challenges, Casscells said. About 41 percent of inpatient facilities are more than 40 years old, and 72 percent were built more than 20 years ago.
"Most of our hospitals were constructed prior to the introduction of modern and ever-changing clinical processes and technology that today are considered the standard of care," he added.
Military health care is one of the few functions that can be fairly, and directly, compared to the civilian sector, said Casscells, who called for a need to compete with the private sector to preserve the loyalty of the military community.
"The perceived quality of our facilities can often influence the perception of the quality of care we deliver," Casscells said, noting that instances of unfavorable perception by patients have prompted their willingness to seek care outside of the military health system. "In order for the military health system to succeed, we need a diverse and robust mix of patients coming through our doors to train and maintain the readiness of our medical staff and our deployable medical capability."
Military medical facilities also are among the few functions subject to outside civilian review. To maintain their accreditation, military facilities pass civilian inspections to civilian standards to continue operations, he said.
But because medical buildings normally cost more to build and operate than other Defense Department facilities, restoration and new construction projects within the military must be budgeted responsibly, he said.
"Just as we have a responsibility to care for our people, we also must serve as stewards of the resources provided by the American taxpayer," he said. "We must provide and operate truly excellent facilities but do so in a fiscally responsible manner."
Casscells said the military health system provides life-saving services to both "the toughest warfighter and the most vulnerable newborn," work that affects the readiness of the armed forces. Military health services affect the willingness of servicemembers and their families to continue serving, he added.
"Our facilities represent the tangible commitment we make to our active duty servicemembers and their families," he said. "Investing in our buildings tells people that we care about them. Where our facilities fall short, we send a signal that taking care of our people is not a high priority."
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Troop Support Group Helps Vets, Military Families Find Jobs
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
March 19, 2009 - Military veterans and spouses in the New Jersey area are getting help finding jobs from a troop support group. The G.I. Go Fund will join forces with New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez and the city of Newark to host its first Veterans and Military Family Job Fair on March 21 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Nearly 40 government and private employers are scheduled to participate in the job fair, including the Secret Service, FBI, U.S. Marshals, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Prudential, Coca Cola, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"We decided to host this job fair in response to the growing number of unemployed veterans reaching out to our organization for assistance in finding jobs" Alexander E. Manis, deputy director of the G.I. Go Fund, said.
Manis stressed that the event is more than just a job fair. "We are working with government agencies and other nonprofit organizations in providing outreach to our veterans and their families."
Classes will be held that will focus on foreclosure prevention, Veterans Affairs home loans, and help from the Small Business Administration and Helmets to Hardhats, a group that works to employ veterans.
Agencies conducting these classes include the VA Department, the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Library for the Blind and Handicapped.
"Computer terminals will also be available with access to USAjobs.gov Web site so veterans and their spouses can learn about and apply for government employment," Manis said.
The G.I. GO Fund is a New Jersey-based group that works to provide a smooth transition for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars re-entering civilian life. The group expects as many as 300 veterans and family members to participate in the job fair.
Manis said he would like to encourage other troop support-groups to plan and sponsor veterans job fairs across the country.
"As the growing unemployment rate among veterans is not localized in New Jersey, but is found throughout the country, we all should be encouraged to do something for our veterans," Manis said. "Although these are tough economic times, there are employers that are hiring and looking for the values and dedication to hard work that veterans have."
American Forces Press Service
March 19, 2009 - Military veterans and spouses in the New Jersey area are getting help finding jobs from a troop support group. The G.I. Go Fund will join forces with New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez and the city of Newark to host its first Veterans and Military Family Job Fair on March 21 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Nearly 40 government and private employers are scheduled to participate in the job fair, including the Secret Service, FBI, U.S. Marshals, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Prudential, Coca Cola, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"We decided to host this job fair in response to the growing number of unemployed veterans reaching out to our organization for assistance in finding jobs" Alexander E. Manis, deputy director of the G.I. Go Fund, said.
Manis stressed that the event is more than just a job fair. "We are working with government agencies and other nonprofit organizations in providing outreach to our veterans and their families."
Classes will be held that will focus on foreclosure prevention, Veterans Affairs home loans, and help from the Small Business Administration and Helmets to Hardhats, a group that works to employ veterans.
Agencies conducting these classes include the VA Department, the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Library for the Blind and Handicapped.
"Computer terminals will also be available with access to USAjobs.gov Web site so veterans and their spouses can learn about and apply for government employment," Manis said.
The G.I. GO Fund is a New Jersey-based group that works to provide a smooth transition for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars re-entering civilian life. The group expects as many as 300 veterans and family members to participate in the job fair.
Manis said he would like to encourage other troop support-groups to plan and sponsor veterans job fairs across the country.
"As the growing unemployment rate among veterans is not localized in New Jersey, but is found throughout the country, we all should be encouraged to do something for our veterans," Manis said. "Although these are tough economic times, there are employers that are hiring and looking for the values and dedication to hard work that veterans have."
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
End to Stop Loss Announced
The Department of Defense announced today a comprehensive plan to eliminate the current use of Stop Loss, while retaining the authority for future use under extraordinary circumstances. This is an important step along the path in adapting the Army into an expeditionary force.
The Army Reserve and Army National Guard will mobilize units without employing Stop Loss beginning in August and September 2009, respectively. The Regular (active duty) Army will deploy its first unit without Stop Loss by January 2010.
For soldiers Stop Lossed during fiscal 2009, the department will provide a monthly payment of $500. Until the department is able to eliminate Stop Loss altogether, this payment will serve as an interim measure to help mitigate its effects.
"Stop Loss disrupts the plans of those who have served their intended obligation. As such, it is employed only when necessary to ensure minimal staffing in deploying units, when needed to ensure safe and effective unit performance," said Bill Carr, deputy under secretary of defense for military personnel policy. "It is more easily rationalized in the early stages of conflict when events are most dynamic; but tempo changes in this war have frustrated our efforts to end it altogether."
The department intends to provide Stop Loss Special Pay to eligible service members until the point of separation or retirement, to include that time spent on active duty in recovery following redeployment. Stop Loss Special Pay will begin on the date of implementation, and will take effect for those impacted on or after Oct. 1, 2008.
Stop Loss Special Pay implements the authority granted by Section 8116 of the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriation Act, 2009." The appropriation is available to secretaries of the military departments only to provide Special Pay during fiscal 2009.
The Army Reserve and Army National Guard will mobilize units without employing Stop Loss beginning in August and September 2009, respectively. The Regular (active duty) Army will deploy its first unit without Stop Loss by January 2010.
For soldiers Stop Lossed during fiscal 2009, the department will provide a monthly payment of $500. Until the department is able to eliminate Stop Loss altogether, this payment will serve as an interim measure to help mitigate its effects.
"Stop Loss disrupts the plans of those who have served their intended obligation. As such, it is employed only when necessary to ensure minimal staffing in deploying units, when needed to ensure safe and effective unit performance," said Bill Carr, deputy under secretary of defense for military personnel policy. "It is more easily rationalized in the early stages of conflict when events are most dynamic; but tempo changes in this war have frustrated our efforts to end it altogether."
The department intends to provide Stop Loss Special Pay to eligible service members until the point of separation or retirement, to include that time spent on active duty in recovery following redeployment. Stop Loss Special Pay will begin on the date of implementation, and will take effect for those impacted on or after Oct. 1, 2008.
Stop Loss Special Pay implements the authority granted by Section 8116 of the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriation Act, 2009." The appropriation is available to secretaries of the military departments only to provide Special Pay during fiscal 2009.
Marine Corps Recruit Shows Respect Through Winning Artwork
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - A high school student and Marine Corps recruit from Lewisville, Texas, has turned his respect and admiration for servicemembers into award-winning art. Luis G. Hernandez, a 12th-grade high school student, was the winner of the 2009 SemperComm Art Competition this year.
The SemperComm Foundation, a Virginia troop-support group, is dedicated to supplying morale-boosting communications and entertainment equipment, software and services to small and remote, overseas military bases.
"We started the art competition five years ago to provide a creative outlet for high school students to show support and appreciation for the sacrifices made by U.S. servicemembers," Lara Coffee, SemperComm Foundation executive director, said.
The competition's theme, "Five Stars," symbolizes the highest and rarest U.S. military rank ever held, representing the five virtues of men and women in uniform: honor, compassion, respect, responsibility and courage, Coffee said.
Students from across the country were asked to submit entries reflecting the Five Stars theme. They used various forms of media, including photography, illustration, mixed media and sculpture. Graphic design, advertising and digital media, including animation, Web design and motion work, were added to the media options for this year.
"My SemperComm project was only a small token of my gratitude to the armed forces," Hernandez said. "My respect and appreciation for the military cannot be expressed enough."
Hernandez's unique entry, "The True Five Stars," was a welded sculpture that started out with a long piece of copper tubing, cut in half, into which he cut "USA" and the names of each military service.
"Metal and copper can't be welded, so it had to be braised," Hernandez said. "After the branches were on the copper cannons, I cut a rectangular piece of diamond plate, which I welded to four-inch steel. I finished off the project with painting and clear coating. The six cannons represent the protection for this country. Each cannon holds a branch of the military."
He said he added "USA" in the middle to show the country being protected by the services.
Hernandez received a certificate of appreciation for his artwork and an invitation to a future SemperComm event.
Hernandez, who plans to join the Marine Corps later this year, is glad he had the opportunity to participate in the competition.
"The USA represents compassion and respect, along with all the men and women that serve as police officers or help out the community in a major way," Hernandez said. "A lot of pride went into my piece."
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - A high school student and Marine Corps recruit from Lewisville, Texas, has turned his respect and admiration for servicemembers into award-winning art. Luis G. Hernandez, a 12th-grade high school student, was the winner of the 2009 SemperComm Art Competition this year.
The SemperComm Foundation, a Virginia troop-support group, is dedicated to supplying morale-boosting communications and entertainment equipment, software and services to small and remote, overseas military bases.
"We started the art competition five years ago to provide a creative outlet for high school students to show support and appreciation for the sacrifices made by U.S. servicemembers," Lara Coffee, SemperComm Foundation executive director, said.
The competition's theme, "Five Stars," symbolizes the highest and rarest U.S. military rank ever held, representing the five virtues of men and women in uniform: honor, compassion, respect, responsibility and courage, Coffee said.
Students from across the country were asked to submit entries reflecting the Five Stars theme. They used various forms of media, including photography, illustration, mixed media and sculpture. Graphic design, advertising and digital media, including animation, Web design and motion work, were added to the media options for this year.
"My SemperComm project was only a small token of my gratitude to the armed forces," Hernandez said. "My respect and appreciation for the military cannot be expressed enough."
Hernandez's unique entry, "The True Five Stars," was a welded sculpture that started out with a long piece of copper tubing, cut in half, into which he cut "USA" and the names of each military service.
"Metal and copper can't be welded, so it had to be braised," Hernandez said. "After the branches were on the copper cannons, I cut a rectangular piece of diamond plate, which I welded to four-inch steel. I finished off the project with painting and clear coating. The six cannons represent the protection for this country. Each cannon holds a branch of the military."
He said he added "USA" in the middle to show the country being protected by the services.
Hernandez received a certificate of appreciation for his artwork and an invitation to a future SemperComm event.
Hernandez, who plans to join the Marine Corps later this year, is glad he had the opportunity to participate in the competition.
"The USA represents compassion and respect, along with all the men and women that serve as police officers or help out the community in a major way," Hernandez said. "A lot of pride went into my piece."
Gates Recommends New Terms, Positions for Senior Officers
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today announced his recommendations that President Barack Obama re-nominate Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright as the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a second two-year term. Gates also announced he has recommended new commanders for U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Southern Command.
The secretary has recommended Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard to become commander of Pacom, succeeding Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating. Willard is commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet.
Gates also recommended the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, to be the commander of U.S. European Command, succeeding Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock. If confirmed, Stavridis would be the first naval officer to hold the command in Europe. The commander of U.S. European Command also is the NATO supreme allied commander for Europe, and he would have overall responsibility for the NATO effort in Afghanistan.
The secretary has also recommended Air Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Frazer to succeed Stavridis at U.S. Southern Command. Frazer is the deputy commander at U.S. Pacific Command, and if confirmed, would be the first Air Force leader of Southcom.
All of these moves require Senate confirmation.
"If confirmed, these officers would be taking up their commands over the next several months," Gates said at a news conference here today. "I would like to thank the outgoing combatant commanders ... for their decades of dedicated service."
The secretary said the officers he's recommending have the mix of "military acumen, strategic vision and diplomatic and interagency skill that their posts require."
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today announced his recommendations that President Barack Obama re-nominate Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright as the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a second two-year term. Gates also announced he has recommended new commanders for U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Southern Command.
The secretary has recommended Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard to become commander of Pacom, succeeding Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating. Willard is commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet.
Gates also recommended the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, to be the commander of U.S. European Command, succeeding Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock. If confirmed, Stavridis would be the first naval officer to hold the command in Europe. The commander of U.S. European Command also is the NATO supreme allied commander for Europe, and he would have overall responsibility for the NATO effort in Afghanistan.
The secretary has also recommended Air Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Frazer to succeed Stavridis at U.S. Southern Command. Frazer is the deputy commander at U.S. Pacific Command, and if confirmed, would be the first Air Force leader of Southcom.
All of these moves require Senate confirmation.
"If confirmed, these officers would be taking up their commands over the next several months," Gates said at a news conference here today. "I would like to thank the outgoing combatant commanders ... for their decades of dedicated service."
The secretary said the officers he's recommending have the mix of "military acumen, strategic vision and diplomatic and interagency skill that their posts require."
Sesame Workshop Reaches Out to Military Families
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Sesame Workshop continues to find unique and creative ways to reach out to the very youngest in military families, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today during a sneak preview of a new primetime Sesame program. "There are few characters more beloved than the Sesame Street friends, and through Elmo and Rosita, military kids can better grasp how to reconnect with their loved ones after redeployment," Lynn said. "They will see that they are not alone in feeling confused or anxious, and that they and their families can learn new ways of ... supporting one another."
"Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change," is scheduled to air April 1 on PBS at 8 p.m., in conjunction with the start of the Month of the Military Child. The show, which features Queen Latifah, musician John Mayer, and of course, Elmo, allows viewers to step inside a few military families' lives and learn how they've coped with life-altering changes.
With some help from Elmo's friend Rosita, the trio talks with real military families who have faced changes because of a loved one's injuries, which can be either external and visible or internal and invisible.
And Rosita can relate to the military children. Her father's legs "don't work any more," and he uses a wheelchair. he finds that just like her father and her, the military families are adapting to changes in the same way: together.
The relationship between Sesame Workshop and the military, which produced "Talk, Listen, Connect," an initiative providing support and resources for military families facing deployments or changes due to combat, began several years ago, Lynn said.
"The program we are celebrating today is a terrific effort to help those families," he said. "Many of our servicemembers will tell you they fight for our country, but they also fight for our kids and they fight for their kids.
"I know they appreciate groups like Sesame Workshop that are looking out for their interests at home," Lynn added.
The initiative offers some of what Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said men and women in uniform deserve for their service.
"Those who serve our country in uniform deserve the very best nurturing we can provide, and that includes helping their precious children learn to live with a mom or dad who may not be quite the same person they watched go off to war," Shinseki said. "We are grateful to Sesame Street for bringing the sensitive subject to the wider American audience through this TV special and its accompanying educational materials."
Since the inception of Talk, Listen, Connect two years ago, the initiative has grown and evolved, Sesame Workshop's president and chief executive officer said today.
"[It] has struck a chord, we've noticed, with a military community in a way that we never could have expected," Gary Knell said. "Through this project, we're helping kids and families unite and find reassurance that they are not alone in their journey.
"Who would have thought Elmo and Rosita could help these families find ways to grasp and to cope with their changing circumstances?" he added.
That's exactly what is happening, however. Sammy Cila, 9, who participated in the new special with his family, said the one thing he'd like other military kids to know is there are other kids going through this, too.
"There's no need to be worried about it," he said. "It's actually great [to know] that there's other families that are going through the same thing."
Sammy's father, Army Sgt. Sebastian Cila, who was serving in Iraq when his left arm was severely injured, sang the primetime program's praises, too.
"I believe it will help families tremendously. I was thrilled with the project, [and] I think they did a great job," Cila said. "It just kind of gives some insight and some behind-the-scenes of what families go through with injuries and disappointments."
Cila's wife, Anna, agreed. "They did a really nice job portraying the situations that the families are going through," she said. "It's true to my heart that what we saw today is something good; something really good is going to come out of it."
About 800,000 Talk, Listen, Connect kits have been distributed in the two years of the initiative's existence. Each contains DVDs and print materials to help military families cope with different aspects of deployment, change and even loss.
More than 1.3 million kits have been produced and are being distributed at no cost to families, schools, family support programs, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The kits, produced in both English and Spanish, also are available for download from the Sesame Street Web site.
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Sesame Workshop continues to find unique and creative ways to reach out to the very youngest in military families, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today during a sneak preview of a new primetime Sesame program. "There are few characters more beloved than the Sesame Street friends, and through Elmo and Rosita, military kids can better grasp how to reconnect with their loved ones after redeployment," Lynn said. "They will see that they are not alone in feeling confused or anxious, and that they and their families can learn new ways of ... supporting one another."
"Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change," is scheduled to air April 1 on PBS at 8 p.m., in conjunction with the start of the Month of the Military Child. The show, which features Queen Latifah, musician John Mayer, and of course, Elmo, allows viewers to step inside a few military families' lives and learn how they've coped with life-altering changes.
With some help from Elmo's friend Rosita, the trio talks with real military families who have faced changes because of a loved one's injuries, which can be either external and visible or internal and invisible.
And Rosita can relate to the military children. Her father's legs "don't work any more," and he uses a wheelchair. he finds that just like her father and her, the military families are adapting to changes in the same way: together.
The relationship between Sesame Workshop and the military, which produced "Talk, Listen, Connect," an initiative providing support and resources for military families facing deployments or changes due to combat, began several years ago, Lynn said.
"The program we are celebrating today is a terrific effort to help those families," he said. "Many of our servicemembers will tell you they fight for our country, but they also fight for our kids and they fight for their kids.
"I know they appreciate groups like Sesame Workshop that are looking out for their interests at home," Lynn added.
The initiative offers some of what Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said men and women in uniform deserve for their service.
"Those who serve our country in uniform deserve the very best nurturing we can provide, and that includes helping their precious children learn to live with a mom or dad who may not be quite the same person they watched go off to war," Shinseki said. "We are grateful to Sesame Street for bringing the sensitive subject to the wider American audience through this TV special and its accompanying educational materials."
Since the inception of Talk, Listen, Connect two years ago, the initiative has grown and evolved, Sesame Workshop's president and chief executive officer said today.
"[It] has struck a chord, we've noticed, with a military community in a way that we never could have expected," Gary Knell said. "Through this project, we're helping kids and families unite and find reassurance that they are not alone in their journey.
"Who would have thought Elmo and Rosita could help these families find ways to grasp and to cope with their changing circumstances?" he added.
That's exactly what is happening, however. Sammy Cila, 9, who participated in the new special with his family, said the one thing he'd like other military kids to know is there are other kids going through this, too.
"There's no need to be worried about it," he said. "It's actually great [to know] that there's other families that are going through the same thing."
Sammy's father, Army Sgt. Sebastian Cila, who was serving in Iraq when his left arm was severely injured, sang the primetime program's praises, too.
"I believe it will help families tremendously. I was thrilled with the project, [and] I think they did a great job," Cila said. "It just kind of gives some insight and some behind-the-scenes of what families go through with injuries and disappointments."
Cila's wife, Anna, agreed. "They did a really nice job portraying the situations that the families are going through," she said. "It's true to my heart that what we saw today is something good; something really good is going to come out of it."
About 800,000 Talk, Listen, Connect kits have been distributed in the two years of the initiative's existence. Each contains DVDs and print materials to help military families cope with different aspects of deployment, change and even loss.
More than 1.3 million kits have been produced and are being distributed at no cost to families, schools, family support programs, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The kits, produced in both English and Spanish, also are available for download from the Sesame Street Web site.
Africom Commander Describes Conditions for U.S. Involvement
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - U.S. Africa Command will intervene in conflicts on the continent only after warring countries have shown a political will to reconcile, the Africom commander told a congressional panel today. Two main functions of Africom are aiding in stabilization operations and helping build indigenous security forces. But before America's newest combatant command steps in, national governments must take steps toward ending their conflicts, Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward said.
"The actions that we take come on the heels of a policy decision having been taken by the nations themselves," Ward told the House Armed Services Committee today.
Ward cited three areas of current conflict on the continent, including border disputes between Eritrea and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa and in North Africa at the Western Sahara, and clashing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In determining the Africom focus in what Ward characterized as "enduring conflicts," he said political agreement is a prerequisite for U.S. involvement. If American policy makers then determine Africom can play a role, it will proceed in its mission.
Using the example of Central Africa, where a lack of interoperability and information sharing was exacerbating conflicts, the United States was able to lend assistance to Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and to a lesser degree, and the Central African Republic.
"We had the ability to ... help in information sharing, to help with equipment interoperability, providing sometimes needed logistics support and enhancements, to cause those governments to be able to have a better sense of what goes on inside their borders against insurgencies or the rebel factions, and then be able to work in some degree of commonality to address them," he said.
Ward said many African nations are able to provide their own security, citing Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria and Burundi. Though some require logistical or other support, many indigenous forces are self-reliant.
"Many of the African nations, in fact, do what many of them say they want to do -- that is, provide for their own security," said Ward, adding that there's a very broad range of capabilities among African nations.
The general estimated the United States has partnerships with 35 of Africa's 53 nations, representing U.S. relationships that span the continent.
"We work with them [on] counter-terror programs, programs to help in their transformation of their militaries and also in just basic logistic support as they participate in U.N.- or [African Union]-sponsored peacekeeping operations," he told the congressional members.
Ward's committee appearance marked his second consecutive day testifying on Capitol Hill about the role of Africom, which became active last October.
He has emphasized that Africom's role is to support African governments in achieving what is an overarching goal for many nations on the continent: to provide their own security.
"We take all of these [opportunities] as we can to help build the relationships and provide some sustained-level security engagement that leads to a capacity increase in our partner nations," Ward said.
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - U.S. Africa Command will intervene in conflicts on the continent only after warring countries have shown a political will to reconcile, the Africom commander told a congressional panel today. Two main functions of Africom are aiding in stabilization operations and helping build indigenous security forces. But before America's newest combatant command steps in, national governments must take steps toward ending their conflicts, Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward said.
"The actions that we take come on the heels of a policy decision having been taken by the nations themselves," Ward told the House Armed Services Committee today.
Ward cited three areas of current conflict on the continent, including border disputes between Eritrea and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa and in North Africa at the Western Sahara, and clashing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In determining the Africom focus in what Ward characterized as "enduring conflicts," he said political agreement is a prerequisite for U.S. involvement. If American policy makers then determine Africom can play a role, it will proceed in its mission.
Using the example of Central Africa, where a lack of interoperability and information sharing was exacerbating conflicts, the United States was able to lend assistance to Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and to a lesser degree, and the Central African Republic.
"We had the ability to ... help in information sharing, to help with equipment interoperability, providing sometimes needed logistics support and enhancements, to cause those governments to be able to have a better sense of what goes on inside their borders against insurgencies or the rebel factions, and then be able to work in some degree of commonality to address them," he said.
Ward said many African nations are able to provide their own security, citing Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria and Burundi. Though some require logistical or other support, many indigenous forces are self-reliant.
"Many of the African nations, in fact, do what many of them say they want to do -- that is, provide for their own security," said Ward, adding that there's a very broad range of capabilities among African nations.
The general estimated the United States has partnerships with 35 of Africa's 53 nations, representing U.S. relationships that span the continent.
"We work with them [on] counter-terror programs, programs to help in their transformation of their militaries and also in just basic logistic support as they participate in U.N.- or [African Union]-sponsored peacekeeping operations," he told the congressional members.
Ward's committee appearance marked his second consecutive day testifying on Capitol Hill about the role of Africom, which became active last October.
He has emphasized that Africom's role is to support African governments in achieving what is an overarching goal for many nations on the continent: to provide their own security.
"We take all of these [opportunities] as we can to help build the relationships and provide some sustained-level security engagement that leads to a capacity increase in our partner nations," Ward said.
Education, Personal Contact Key to Cutting Suicide Rate, Army Leader Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Ending a policy that excused citizen-soldiers from monthly drills for 90 days after deployment helped the Army National Guard better take care of its troops, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel said. "What they thought they were doing was protecting the soldier from the chain of command," Lt. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle said. "They did reverse the policy. That was the beginning of us ... protecting soldiers, prevention of crisis."
Rochelle made his remarks March 16 to program managers, trainers, and support personnel from across the nation who attended three days of suicide prevention training here hosted by the Army National Guard's Soldier Family Support and Services division.
Maj. Gen. James W. Nuttall, deputy director of the Army National Guard, said suicides in the military now surpass the suicide rate in the general population. The Army has the highest rate in the military, and the Army National Guard has the highest rate of the Army's three components.
"It's critical for us to get our arms around this," Nuttall said.
Soldiers need to have contact with colleagues in their unit, and those in their chain of command need to be able to look them in the eye to determine if they might be having problems, Rochelle said.
"We all know that a senior or a subordinate needs to look every one of us in the eye within a period of time after redeployment – just do that gut-check, 'Is everything going OK? Is everything all right?'" he said.
Leaders at all levels need to be educated in suicide warning signs, Rochelle said, especially at the company level and below. "Platoon sergeants, squad leaders, team leaders, company commanders and first sergeants are missing the signs," he said.
The training focused on developing state suicide prevention programs that include intervention and something presenters call "postvention," meaning responding to the aftermath of a completed or attempted suicide.
Drawing on a study conducted after a wave of suspected suicides at an Army post, Rochelle suggested other improvements:
-- More resources: "We don't have enough behavioral help at the brigade level," he said.
-- More counselors: "We can't hire enough Army substance abuse counselors and ... specialists to meet the demand," he said.
Some specific challenges related to suicide haven't changed through the years, Rochelle said. One study found that the average age of suicides in the military during World War II was 22 – the same as today, he said.
During World War II, "the likelihood increased with time in service," he said. "Responsibilities, as they increase with time in service and grade, heightens the level of stigma associated with seeking help. That's the same problem we are confronting today."
Making it socially acceptable to get help is the No. 1 priority to reducing suicide, Rochelle said. "Our biggest challenge is reducing the stigma," he said. A bright spot: Rochelle said he was encouraged by a visit to Afghanistan where he saw soldiers openly lining up to talk with a counselor after a mission.
Rochelle and his colleagues studied the facts surrounding 15 confirmed servicemember suicides. Some of what they found defied stereotypes:
-- Sixty percent had no deployment history. "That's causing us to go back and ask some questions about the enlistment history – the behavioral health history – of new, junior-level individuals," he said.
-- Relationships were a contributing factor in 75 percent of the cases. "That doesn't mean that that was the major contributing factor. It may have been an aggravating factor – but it was a factor," he said.
-- Half of the cases involved some unit integration or reintegration issues. "We all know how important that is," he said. "In [the continental United States], it's important. It's doubly important for a junior enlisted soldier forward-deployed."
-- Half the cases involved some substance abuse, with alcohol and prescription medication being the biggest problems. "It's most especially alcohol," he said.
That's another case of history repeating itself, Rochelle noted. "There was a high, high correlation of alcohol abuse in the suicides from World War II," he noted. "Very high."
Soldiers need to be able to seek help with alcohol issues without fear, Rochelle said. "This is another area where we're having a challenge reducing stigma," he said.
During his stint as commanding general of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Rochelle said, he lobbied to prevent past Ritalin use from being a disqualifying factor for recruitment. "There are too many people taking it," he explained. But history may become a more important factor in recruitment decisions as the Army drives to slash the suicide rate, he said.
"We are bound and determined to lick this problem," Rochelle said, urging local National Guard leaders to take initiative at the state level, because a local success could be picked up as a model by the entire Army.
He said reducing suicides involves three things: "One is removal of the stigma of seeking professional help, the stigma also associated with substance abuse; two, getting our junior level leaders [involved]; and, three, intervening.
"There's a phenomenon today, ... a little bit of reluctance to reach out and touch somebody, to get inside someone's personal space," Rochelle said. "We have to help our junior-level leaders understand that in this particular dilemma, we have to get inside that space. We have to reach out and touch someone, and we have to be willing to intervene on their behalf in order to prevent the next suicide."
Soldier Family Support and Services is the Army National Guard directorate's newest division, created to improve the quality of life of citizen soldiers and their families by providing services that promote self-sufficiency, resiliency, well-being and prosperity, according to Erin Thede, division chief.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - Ending a policy that excused citizen-soldiers from monthly drills for 90 days after deployment helped the Army National Guard better take care of its troops, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel said. "What they thought they were doing was protecting the soldier from the chain of command," Lt. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle said. "They did reverse the policy. That was the beginning of us ... protecting soldiers, prevention of crisis."
Rochelle made his remarks March 16 to program managers, trainers, and support personnel from across the nation who attended three days of suicide prevention training here hosted by the Army National Guard's Soldier Family Support and Services division.
Maj. Gen. James W. Nuttall, deputy director of the Army National Guard, said suicides in the military now surpass the suicide rate in the general population. The Army has the highest rate in the military, and the Army National Guard has the highest rate of the Army's three components.
"It's critical for us to get our arms around this," Nuttall said.
Soldiers need to have contact with colleagues in their unit, and those in their chain of command need to be able to look them in the eye to determine if they might be having problems, Rochelle said.
"We all know that a senior or a subordinate needs to look every one of us in the eye within a period of time after redeployment – just do that gut-check, 'Is everything going OK? Is everything all right?'" he said.
Leaders at all levels need to be educated in suicide warning signs, Rochelle said, especially at the company level and below. "Platoon sergeants, squad leaders, team leaders, company commanders and first sergeants are missing the signs," he said.
The training focused on developing state suicide prevention programs that include intervention and something presenters call "postvention," meaning responding to the aftermath of a completed or attempted suicide.
Drawing on a study conducted after a wave of suspected suicides at an Army post, Rochelle suggested other improvements:
-- More resources: "We don't have enough behavioral help at the brigade level," he said.
-- More counselors: "We can't hire enough Army substance abuse counselors and ... specialists to meet the demand," he said.
Some specific challenges related to suicide haven't changed through the years, Rochelle said. One study found that the average age of suicides in the military during World War II was 22 – the same as today, he said.
During World War II, "the likelihood increased with time in service," he said. "Responsibilities, as they increase with time in service and grade, heightens the level of stigma associated with seeking help. That's the same problem we are confronting today."
Making it socially acceptable to get help is the No. 1 priority to reducing suicide, Rochelle said. "Our biggest challenge is reducing the stigma," he said. A bright spot: Rochelle said he was encouraged by a visit to Afghanistan where he saw soldiers openly lining up to talk with a counselor after a mission.
Rochelle and his colleagues studied the facts surrounding 15 confirmed servicemember suicides. Some of what they found defied stereotypes:
-- Sixty percent had no deployment history. "That's causing us to go back and ask some questions about the enlistment history – the behavioral health history – of new, junior-level individuals," he said.
-- Relationships were a contributing factor in 75 percent of the cases. "That doesn't mean that that was the major contributing factor. It may have been an aggravating factor – but it was a factor," he said.
-- Half of the cases involved some unit integration or reintegration issues. "We all know how important that is," he said. "In [the continental United States], it's important. It's doubly important for a junior enlisted soldier forward-deployed."
-- Half the cases involved some substance abuse, with alcohol and prescription medication being the biggest problems. "It's most especially alcohol," he said.
That's another case of history repeating itself, Rochelle noted. "There was a high, high correlation of alcohol abuse in the suicides from World War II," he noted. "Very high."
Soldiers need to be able to seek help with alcohol issues without fear, Rochelle said. "This is another area where we're having a challenge reducing stigma," he said.
During his stint as commanding general of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Rochelle said, he lobbied to prevent past Ritalin use from being a disqualifying factor for recruitment. "There are too many people taking it," he explained. But history may become a more important factor in recruitment decisions as the Army drives to slash the suicide rate, he said.
"We are bound and determined to lick this problem," Rochelle said, urging local National Guard leaders to take initiative at the state level, because a local success could be picked up as a model by the entire Army.
He said reducing suicides involves three things: "One is removal of the stigma of seeking professional help, the stigma also associated with substance abuse; two, getting our junior level leaders [involved]; and, three, intervening.
"There's a phenomenon today, ... a little bit of reluctance to reach out and touch somebody, to get inside someone's personal space," Rochelle said. "We have to help our junior-level leaders understand that in this particular dilemma, we have to get inside that space. We have to reach out and touch someone, and we have to be willing to intervene on their behalf in order to prevent the next suicide."
Soldier Family Support and Services is the Army National Guard directorate's newest division, created to improve the quality of life of citizen soldiers and their families by providing services that promote self-sufficiency, resiliency, well-being and prosperity, according to Erin Thede, division chief.
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
Gates Approves Plan to End Army's Involuntary Extensions
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - The Army will phase out use of the so-called "stop-loss" program between now and January, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Since the beginning of his term as defense secretary, Gates has called on the services to eliminate their dependence on the controversial program that allows the involuntary extension of servicemembers' active duty past the scheduled end of their term of service.
The Army currently has 13,000 soldiers whose active duty status was extended through the program so they could deploy with their units. The Army is the only service using the program.
"We have the legal authority to do it," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. "But ... I felt, particularly in these numbers, that it was breaking faith. It wasn't a violation of the enlistment contract. But I believe that when somebody's end date of service comes up, to hold them against their will, if you will, is just not the right thing to do."
The secretary said there will always be the need to hold a few people in the service, but it should be a small number. "I would like to get it down to scores, not thousands," he said.
The secretary's decision will eliminate the use of stop-loss for deploying soldiers.
"Effective this August, the U.S. Army Reserve will no longer mobilize units under stop-loss," Gates said. "The Army National Guard will stop doing so in September, and active Army units will cease employing stop-loss in January."
The goal is to cut the number of soldiers remaining in the Army under stop-loss by 50 percent by June 2010 and to near zero by March 2011. "We will retain the authority to use stop-loss under extraordinary circumstances," Gates said.
The Army will put in place a number of incentives to encourage soldiers to voluntarily extend their enlistments to mitigate the impact the decision will have on unit cohesion and strength. Starting this month, the Army will pay stop-lossed solders $500 a month. The program is retroactive to Oct. 1, which was when Congress passed the law permitting the payments.
While there is some risk, Gates said, he wants to do everything to make sure "soldiers are not unnecessarily forced to stay in the Army past their end of service date."
Army leaders spoke to the secretary recently on the proposal, and they are putting in place the directives and regulations to make it work, Army officials said.
"I think that the way the Army is approaching this mitigates those risks, so I feel comfortable with this plan," Gates said.
The Army is able to make this move because of three reasons, Army officials said: the changing conditions in Iraq, a new unit rotation program that is being put in place, and the increase in the size of the Army. Over the next 18 months, the drawdown in Iraq will far outnumber the increase in Afghanistan, Gates said.
The Marines used stop-loss early in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A total of 3,389 active-duty Marines served beyond their terms of service. About 5,000 Marine reservists were stop-lossed, but only 443 of them were mobilized, Marine Corps officials said. The Marines stopped using the program May 12, 2003.
The Air Force used the program sparingly in 2001, 2002 and 2003. It implemented stop-loss for 43 officers and 56 enlisted airmen for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and ended it on June 23, 2003.
The Navy has not used the program since the spring of 2003, and then it was for medical corpsmen to serve with the Marines, Navy officials said.
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - The Army will phase out use of the so-called "stop-loss" program between now and January, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Since the beginning of his term as defense secretary, Gates has called on the services to eliminate their dependence on the controversial program that allows the involuntary extension of servicemembers' active duty past the scheduled end of their term of service.
The Army currently has 13,000 soldiers whose active duty status was extended through the program so they could deploy with their units. The Army is the only service using the program.
"We have the legal authority to do it," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. "But ... I felt, particularly in these numbers, that it was breaking faith. It wasn't a violation of the enlistment contract. But I believe that when somebody's end date of service comes up, to hold them against their will, if you will, is just not the right thing to do."
The secretary said there will always be the need to hold a few people in the service, but it should be a small number. "I would like to get it down to scores, not thousands," he said.
The secretary's decision will eliminate the use of stop-loss for deploying soldiers.
"Effective this August, the U.S. Army Reserve will no longer mobilize units under stop-loss," Gates said. "The Army National Guard will stop doing so in September, and active Army units will cease employing stop-loss in January."
The goal is to cut the number of soldiers remaining in the Army under stop-loss by 50 percent by June 2010 and to near zero by March 2011. "We will retain the authority to use stop-loss under extraordinary circumstances," Gates said.
The Army will put in place a number of incentives to encourage soldiers to voluntarily extend their enlistments to mitigate the impact the decision will have on unit cohesion and strength. Starting this month, the Army will pay stop-lossed solders $500 a month. The program is retroactive to Oct. 1, which was when Congress passed the law permitting the payments.
While there is some risk, Gates said, he wants to do everything to make sure "soldiers are not unnecessarily forced to stay in the Army past their end of service date."
Army leaders spoke to the secretary recently on the proposal, and they are putting in place the directives and regulations to make it work, Army officials said.
"I think that the way the Army is approaching this mitigates those risks, so I feel comfortable with this plan," Gates said.
The Army is able to make this move because of three reasons, Army officials said: the changing conditions in Iraq, a new unit rotation program that is being put in place, and the increase in the size of the Army. Over the next 18 months, the drawdown in Iraq will far outnumber the increase in Afghanistan, Gates said.
The Marines used stop-loss early in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A total of 3,389 active-duty Marines served beyond their terms of service. About 5,000 Marine reservists were stop-lossed, but only 443 of them were mobilized, Marine Corps officials said. The Marines stopped using the program May 12, 2003.
The Air Force used the program sparingly in 2001, 2002 and 2003. It implemented stop-loss for 43 officers and 56 enlisted airmen for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and ended it on June 23, 2003.
The Navy has not used the program since the spring of 2003, and then it was for medical corpsmen to serve with the Marines, Navy officials said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 18, 2009
NAVY
Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., is being awarded an estimated $977,374,565 requirements contract with firm-fixed unit prices subject to economic price adjustment. This contract will provide a realistic environment to support a variety of training tasks related to the deployment and maneuverability in an urban setting to enable Marines to conduct training in an environment replicating urban conditions. The Military Operations in Urban Terrain system also allows Marine units to master the challenges of urban navigation, movement, target acquisition and engagement and cross boundary coordination. The training may be performed at any Marine Corp base worldwide, and the work is estimated to be completed March 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This effort was awarded by using a full and open competition. The Marine Corps System Command, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity (M67854-09-D-8000).
Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $24,666,665 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009) to exercise an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services program, which provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy and other Government agency aircraft. Work will be performed in Oceana, Va. (45 percent); Point Mugu, Calif. (35 percent); and various military activities across the United States and OCONUS (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
C&G Boat Works*, Inc., Mobile, Ala., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $17,584,236 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2236) to exercise an option to construct two Yard Patrol Training Craft used to train U.S. Navy midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corporation*, Manassas, Va., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $12,619,042 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-6272) for engineering and technical services involving technology assessments, system design, software development, and hardware/software integration for undersea weapons and related undersea warfare combat and submarine platform systems. This effort is a continuation of the concept of Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), and is titled Topic No. N96-278 "Technology Infusion Methodology for Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Based Systems" for the development of processes to introduce commercially available components into existing systems. This process will provide the framework and methodologies for introducing upgrade and/or replacement components for obsolete items as well as for upgrades to the system to provide additional capability. Work will be performed in Charleroi, Pa., (50 percent); Manassas, Va. (30 percent); Middletown, R.I. (15 percent); and Salt Lake City, Utah (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C. is the contracting activity.
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $6,625,124 firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for inner wing conversion and reliability improvements required pursuant to Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 609. This ECP will convert existing F/A-18A/B Lots 5-9 Inner Wing assemblies to be compatible with F/A-18 C/D Lots 10, 11, 12, and up aircraft. This ECP also defines changes required to convert existing F/A-18 C/D Lots 10 and 11 Inner Wings to be compatible with F/A-18 C/D Lots 12 and up aircraft. ECP 609 also addresses reliability issues with two fuel tubes, which will be replaced with heat treated versions and define requirements to improve sealing of the inner wing to prevent stress corrosion cracking of the lower spar flanges. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (74 percent) and Mesa, Ariz. (26 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hermes Consolidated Inc. dba Wyoming Refining Co., Denver, Colo.* is being awarded a maximum $72,591,525 fixed price with economic price adjustment, partial set aside, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. Other location of performance is Wyoming. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. There were originally 68 proposals solicited with 26 responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-0472).
Irving Oil Terminal Inc., Portsmouth, N.H. is being awarded a maximum $60,673,632 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. There were originally 48 proposals solicited with 23 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-0474).
Cardinal Health, Inc., Dublin, Ohio is being awarded a maximum $60,168,630 firm fixed price, pharmaceutical prime vendor, justification and approval contract for distribution of pharmaceutical items. Other location of performance is North Carolina. Using service is Department of Defense. The original proposal was Web solicited on FedBizOps with 3 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Va. (SPM200-01-D-1606).
AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Wayne, Pa. is being awarded a maximum $26,587,371 firm fixed price, pharmaceutical prime vendor, justification and approval contract for distribution of pharmaceutical items. Other location of performance is Hawaii. Using service is Department of Defense. The original proposal was Web solicited on FedBizOps with 3 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Va. (SP0200-00-R-2501).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to InfoSciTex Corporation, of Waltham, Massachusetts for $49,500,000 dollars. This action will provide an aerospace technology evaluation and assessment program will provide research and engineering for the technical requirements for the Air Force Research Laboratory and Aeronautical Systems Center by employing and or generating state-of-the-art modeling, simulation, and analysis tools and techniques. At this time, $627,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKVA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8650-09-D-3900)
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed fee contract to William March Rice University of Houston, Texas for $16,071,769. The platform aware compilation environment contract will improve programmer productivity and application performance through the development of a productive computationally efficient architecture aware complier environment. At this time, $5,255,299 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8650-09-C-7915)
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Marin Corporation of Orlando, Florida for $14,251,799. This action will provide additional depot spares and a readiness spares package for the AN/AAQ-39 to support a six ship deployment for the AC-130 gunship aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 667th AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8629-08-C-2402, P00004)
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to ATC-NY of Ithaca, New York for a maximum $12,000,000. The purpose of this acquisition is to research, develop, enhance and transition critical SBIR technologies to support a secure data sharing environment with multi-level security across multiple organizations. At this time, $220,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKE, Rome, New York is the contracting activity. (FA8750-09-D-0046)
Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., is being awarded an estimated $977,374,565 requirements contract with firm-fixed unit prices subject to economic price adjustment. This contract will provide a realistic environment to support a variety of training tasks related to the deployment and maneuverability in an urban setting to enable Marines to conduct training in an environment replicating urban conditions. The Military Operations in Urban Terrain system also allows Marine units to master the challenges of urban navigation, movement, target acquisition and engagement and cross boundary coordination. The training may be performed at any Marine Corp base worldwide, and the work is estimated to be completed March 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This effort was awarded by using a full and open competition. The Marine Corps System Command, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity (M67854-09-D-8000).
Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $24,666,665 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009) to exercise an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services program, which provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy and other Government agency aircraft. Work will be performed in Oceana, Va. (45 percent); Point Mugu, Calif. (35 percent); and various military activities across the United States and OCONUS (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
C&G Boat Works*, Inc., Mobile, Ala., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $17,584,236 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2236) to exercise an option to construct two Yard Patrol Training Craft used to train U.S. Navy midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corporation*, Manassas, Va., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $12,619,042 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-6272) for engineering and technical services involving technology assessments, system design, software development, and hardware/software integration for undersea weapons and related undersea warfare combat and submarine platform systems. This effort is a continuation of the concept of Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), and is titled Topic No. N96-278 "Technology Infusion Methodology for Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Based Systems" for the development of processes to introduce commercially available components into existing systems. This process will provide the framework and methodologies for introducing upgrade and/or replacement components for obsolete items as well as for upgrades to the system to provide additional capability. Work will be performed in Charleroi, Pa., (50 percent); Manassas, Va. (30 percent); Middletown, R.I. (15 percent); and Salt Lake City, Utah (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C. is the contracting activity.
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded March 17, 2009, a $6,625,124 firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for inner wing conversion and reliability improvements required pursuant to Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 609. This ECP will convert existing F/A-18A/B Lots 5-9 Inner Wing assemblies to be compatible with F/A-18 C/D Lots 10, 11, 12, and up aircraft. This ECP also defines changes required to convert existing F/A-18 C/D Lots 10 and 11 Inner Wings to be compatible with F/A-18 C/D Lots 12 and up aircraft. ECP 609 also addresses reliability issues with two fuel tubes, which will be replaced with heat treated versions and define requirements to improve sealing of the inner wing to prevent stress corrosion cracking of the lower spar flanges. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (74 percent) and Mesa, Ariz. (26 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hermes Consolidated Inc. dba Wyoming Refining Co., Denver, Colo.* is being awarded a maximum $72,591,525 fixed price with economic price adjustment, partial set aside, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. Other location of performance is Wyoming. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. There were originally 68 proposals solicited with 26 responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-0472).
Irving Oil Terminal Inc., Portsmouth, N.H. is being awarded a maximum $60,673,632 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. There were originally 48 proposals solicited with 23 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is April 30, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-09-D-0474).
Cardinal Health, Inc., Dublin, Ohio is being awarded a maximum $60,168,630 firm fixed price, pharmaceutical prime vendor, justification and approval contract for distribution of pharmaceutical items. Other location of performance is North Carolina. Using service is Department of Defense. The original proposal was Web solicited on FedBizOps with 3 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Va. (SPM200-01-D-1606).
AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Wayne, Pa. is being awarded a maximum $26,587,371 firm fixed price, pharmaceutical prime vendor, justification and approval contract for distribution of pharmaceutical items. Other location of performance is Hawaii. Using service is Department of Defense. The original proposal was Web solicited on FedBizOps with 3 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Va. (SP0200-00-R-2501).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to InfoSciTex Corporation, of Waltham, Massachusetts for $49,500,000 dollars. This action will provide an aerospace technology evaluation and assessment program will provide research and engineering for the technical requirements for the Air Force Research Laboratory and Aeronautical Systems Center by employing and or generating state-of-the-art modeling, simulation, and analysis tools and techniques. At this time, $627,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKVA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8650-09-D-3900)
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed fee contract to William March Rice University of Houston, Texas for $16,071,769. The platform aware compilation environment contract will improve programmer productivity and application performance through the development of a productive computationally efficient architecture aware complier environment. At this time, $5,255,299 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8650-09-C-7915)
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Marin Corporation of Orlando, Florida for $14,251,799. This action will provide additional depot spares and a readiness spares package for the AN/AAQ-39 to support a six ship deployment for the AC-130 gunship aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 667th AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8629-08-C-2402, P00004)
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to ATC-NY of Ithaca, New York for a maximum $12,000,000. The purpose of this acquisition is to research, develop, enhance and transition critical SBIR technologies to support a secure data sharing environment with multi-level security across multiple organizations. At this time, $220,000 has been obligated. AFRL/RIKE, Rome, New York is the contracting activity. (FA8750-09-D-0046)
Armed Services Field Programs to Combat Servicemember Suicides
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - One servicemember suicide "is too many," and each military service now has programs designed to combat the problem, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at a Pentagon news conference today. About one-third of the suicides in the military involve members who've never deployed overseas, Gates said.
Gates also said he's been told that broken relationships constitute one of the principal causes of servicemember suicide.
"And it's not hard not to imagine that repeated deployments don't have an impact on those relationships," Gates said, noting that he didn't have any data on hand to support that contention.
"But, it just seems to me [to be] common sense, that repeated deployments have to weigh very heavily on relationships," Gates said. The Army's previous 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan "were a real strain on many of our men and women in uniform, as well," he added. Army units now deploy for 12 months.
Servicemember suicide is an issue the Defense Department "takes very seriously," Gates said.
All of the armed services are working to prevent servicemember suicide, Gates said, and the Army, in particular, is engaged aggressively in that endeavor.
The Army's anti-suicide program, Gates said, appears similar to efforts that seek to identify and assist soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Noncommissioned officers are trained how to recognize if junior-rank soldiers are depressed or seem disconnected from associates and their families.
"I've seen some of the training materials that they've provided, and I think that they are doing the appropriate things," Gates said of the Army's efforts to combat suicide.
Later in the day, a group of senior military officers from across the services told members of a Senate Armed Services subcommittee about their suicide prevention efforts. Before the start of the hearing, committee chairman Sen. Ben Nelson said the military services have seen increased rates of servicemember suicides between calendar years 2007 and 2008.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli said he and other senior leaders are working hard to solve the soldier-suicide issue. The Army has stood up an anti-suicide task force that recently issued an interactive video that attacks "that issue of stigma," Chiarelli said. Some soldiers have been reluctant to seek help for psychological issues because they fear it would affect their careers or that would be perceived as weak for doing so.
Years of war and overseas deployments have "undeniably put a strain" on the Army's soldiers, Chiarelli said, noting that the effects of stress have resulted in increased incidence of suicide.
"We must find ways to relieve some of this stress; particularly the stress caused by deployments and frequent lengthy periods of separation," Chiarelli said.
Even though the demand to deploy soldiers overseas is expected to remain high for some time, Chiarelli said, the Army is "focused on mitigating the stress as much as possible."
Suicide ranks as the third-leading cause of death in the Navy, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Patrick M. Walsh said at the hearing. The Navy, he said, now is embarked on a comprehensive suicide-prevention program.
Sailor suicide also "destroys families, devastates communities [and] unravels the cohesive social fabric and morale inside our commands," Walsh said. The Navy, he said, is instructing its leaders to look for and connect with those individuals seemingly beset with relationship, financial, legal, and work troubles and exhibiting deteriorating physical and mental health, including depression.
The Navy must also "eliminate the perceived stigma, shame and dishonor of asking for help," Walsh said. Naval commanders, he said, have an important, supportive role in this endeavor.
"The tragic loss of a Marine to suicide is deeply felt by all of us who remain behind," Assistant Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos said. The Marines, he said, lost 41 members to suicide in 2008, 33 in 2007, and 25 in 2006.
"That is unacceptable; we are taking action to turn this around," Amos said, noting that the Marine Corps is committed "to fix" the suicide issue. Data shows, he said, that the most likely Marine to die by suicide is a young Caucasian male, ranging in age from 18 to 24, and between the ranks of private and sergeant.
The most likely cause of Marine suicides "is a failed relationship with a woman," Amos said, noting that men are more likely to take their lives. The most common methods of Marine suicide, he said, are gunshots and hanging, similar to civilian statistics.
Suicide prevention, Amos said, is required training at Marine boot camps, for all new officers, and is incorporated throughout the Corps' officer, noncommissioned officer, and enlisted professional development education systems.
"Our NCOs have the day-to-day contact with Marines, and therefore, the best opportunity to see changes in behavior and other problems that can identify Marines in need of further assistance," Amos said. "As a result, we are developing a high-impact leadership training program focused on our noncommissioned officers and our corpsmen."
Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. William M. Fraser III said his service is "doing all we can to focus on suicide prevention, while heightening awareness and exploring new approaches on this issue affecting our Air Force and airmen."
With today's sustained operational tempo, Fraser said, the Air Force is taking steps to ensure that its servicemembers are mentally prepared for deployments and re-deployments as they are prepared physically and professionally.
"We continue to make strides in implementing our Air Force suicide prevention program," Fraser said, "in further enhancing our psychological health treatment and our management programs, and in strengthening our continued partnerships with our sister services and our interagency colleagues."
Despite the successes, Fraser said, one suicide remains too many.
"And so we remain committed to these programs – individually and collectively – as a part of a larger effort to take care of our Air Force's most valuable assets, its people," Fraser said.
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - One servicemember suicide "is too many," and each military service now has programs designed to combat the problem, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at a Pentagon news conference today. About one-third of the suicides in the military involve members who've never deployed overseas, Gates said.
Gates also said he's been told that broken relationships constitute one of the principal causes of servicemember suicide.
"And it's not hard not to imagine that repeated deployments don't have an impact on those relationships," Gates said, noting that he didn't have any data on hand to support that contention.
"But, it just seems to me [to be] common sense, that repeated deployments have to weigh very heavily on relationships," Gates said. The Army's previous 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan "were a real strain on many of our men and women in uniform, as well," he added. Army units now deploy for 12 months.
Servicemember suicide is an issue the Defense Department "takes very seriously," Gates said.
All of the armed services are working to prevent servicemember suicide, Gates said, and the Army, in particular, is engaged aggressively in that endeavor.
The Army's anti-suicide program, Gates said, appears similar to efforts that seek to identify and assist soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Noncommissioned officers are trained how to recognize if junior-rank soldiers are depressed or seem disconnected from associates and their families.
"I've seen some of the training materials that they've provided, and I think that they are doing the appropriate things," Gates said of the Army's efforts to combat suicide.
Later in the day, a group of senior military officers from across the services told members of a Senate Armed Services subcommittee about their suicide prevention efforts. Before the start of the hearing, committee chairman Sen. Ben Nelson said the military services have seen increased rates of servicemember suicides between calendar years 2007 and 2008.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli said he and other senior leaders are working hard to solve the soldier-suicide issue. The Army has stood up an anti-suicide task force that recently issued an interactive video that attacks "that issue of stigma," Chiarelli said. Some soldiers have been reluctant to seek help for psychological issues because they fear it would affect their careers or that would be perceived as weak for doing so.
Years of war and overseas deployments have "undeniably put a strain" on the Army's soldiers, Chiarelli said, noting that the effects of stress have resulted in increased incidence of suicide.
"We must find ways to relieve some of this stress; particularly the stress caused by deployments and frequent lengthy periods of separation," Chiarelli said.
Even though the demand to deploy soldiers overseas is expected to remain high for some time, Chiarelli said, the Army is "focused on mitigating the stress as much as possible."
Suicide ranks as the third-leading cause of death in the Navy, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Patrick M. Walsh said at the hearing. The Navy, he said, now is embarked on a comprehensive suicide-prevention program.
Sailor suicide also "destroys families, devastates communities [and] unravels the cohesive social fabric and morale inside our commands," Walsh said. The Navy, he said, is instructing its leaders to look for and connect with those individuals seemingly beset with relationship, financial, legal, and work troubles and exhibiting deteriorating physical and mental health, including depression.
The Navy must also "eliminate the perceived stigma, shame and dishonor of asking for help," Walsh said. Naval commanders, he said, have an important, supportive role in this endeavor.
"The tragic loss of a Marine to suicide is deeply felt by all of us who remain behind," Assistant Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos said. The Marines, he said, lost 41 members to suicide in 2008, 33 in 2007, and 25 in 2006.
"That is unacceptable; we are taking action to turn this around," Amos said, noting that the Marine Corps is committed "to fix" the suicide issue. Data shows, he said, that the most likely Marine to die by suicide is a young Caucasian male, ranging in age from 18 to 24, and between the ranks of private and sergeant.
The most likely cause of Marine suicides "is a failed relationship with a woman," Amos said, noting that men are more likely to take their lives. The most common methods of Marine suicide, he said, are gunshots and hanging, similar to civilian statistics.
Suicide prevention, Amos said, is required training at Marine boot camps, for all new officers, and is incorporated throughout the Corps' officer, noncommissioned officer, and enlisted professional development education systems.
"Our NCOs have the day-to-day contact with Marines, and therefore, the best opportunity to see changes in behavior and other problems that can identify Marines in need of further assistance," Amos said. "As a result, we are developing a high-impact leadership training program focused on our noncommissioned officers and our corpsmen."
Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. William M. Fraser III said his service is "doing all we can to focus on suicide prevention, while heightening awareness and exploring new approaches on this issue affecting our Air Force and airmen."
With today's sustained operational tempo, Fraser said, the Air Force is taking steps to ensure that its servicemembers are mentally prepared for deployments and re-deployments as they are prepared physically and professionally.
"We continue to make strides in implementing our Air Force suicide prevention program," Fraser said, "in further enhancing our psychological health treatment and our management programs, and in strengthening our continued partnerships with our sister services and our interagency colleagues."
Despite the successes, Fraser said, one suicide remains too many.
"And so we remain committed to these programs – individually and collectively – as a part of a larger effort to take care of our Air Force's most valuable assets, its people," Fraser said.
Families' Wishes Will Drive New Media Guidelines at Dover, Gates Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - The wishes of the families will be the overriding principle guiding any media coverage of fallen warriors' remains arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Gates directed a working group to come up with a plan to change a ban on such coverage imposed during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
"The working group I tasked to come up with an implementation plan has reported back, and we will put a number of its recommendations into action starting next month," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference.
If several remains return to Dover on the same flight, for example, "the media will be permitted to cover only the dignified transfer of individuals whose families have given permission," he said.
"Further, should immediate family members wish to be present for the arrival of their fallen hero at Dover, and this can be done without unduly delaying a fallen's return to his or her own hometown, we will facilitate that travel, and we will fund it," Gates said.
The study began with a survey of the groups concerned with the process. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael J. Basla chaired the Defense Department's working group. He said his group spoke with Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives, veterans groups and senior enlisted advisors. "What we heard were two sides of the story," Basla said during an interview. "Some were very in favor of media access to the dignified transfers when the families agree, and some had concerns."
The concerns were all around wanting to put the fallen heroes in the best of light. "They were concerned that that may not happen if we lose control," Basla said. On the other hand, he said, many family members wanted to tell the stories of their loved ones.
Officials at Dover will work out how the process will work. If families do not want media present, then officials at Dover can accomplish the dignified transfer of remains for those fallen warriors before allowing the media out to the tarmac.
Media professionals will have a strict protocol to follow when covering the story, Basla said. "If any part of the media violates those protocols, then their access would be restricted in the future. We're going to preserve the privacy of these families, and we're going to maintain the dignity of these transfers."
In making his announcement, Gates echoed those sentiments.
"We are committed to seeing that America's fallen heroes are received back to their loved ones and their country with the honor, respect and recognition that they and their families have earned," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 18, 2009 - The wishes of the families will be the overriding principle guiding any media coverage of fallen warriors' remains arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Gates directed a working group to come up with a plan to change a ban on such coverage imposed during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
"The working group I tasked to come up with an implementation plan has reported back, and we will put a number of its recommendations into action starting next month," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference.
If several remains return to Dover on the same flight, for example, "the media will be permitted to cover only the dignified transfer of individuals whose families have given permission," he said.
"Further, should immediate family members wish to be present for the arrival of their fallen hero at Dover, and this can be done without unduly delaying a fallen's return to his or her own hometown, we will facilitate that travel, and we will fund it," Gates said.
The study began with a survey of the groups concerned with the process. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael J. Basla chaired the Defense Department's working group. He said his group spoke with Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives, veterans groups and senior enlisted advisors. "What we heard were two sides of the story," Basla said during an interview. "Some were very in favor of media access to the dignified transfers when the families agree, and some had concerns."
The concerns were all around wanting to put the fallen heroes in the best of light. "They were concerned that that may not happen if we lose control," Basla said. On the other hand, he said, many family members wanted to tell the stories of their loved ones.
Officials at Dover will work out how the process will work. If families do not want media present, then officials at Dover can accomplish the dignified transfer of remains for those fallen warriors before allowing the media out to the tarmac.
Media professionals will have a strict protocol to follow when covering the story, Basla said. "If any part of the media violates those protocols, then their access would be restricted in the future. We're going to preserve the privacy of these families, and we're going to maintain the dignity of these transfers."
In making his announcement, Gates echoed those sentiments.
"We are committed to seeing that America's fallen heroes are received back to their loved ones and their country with the honor, respect and recognition that they and their families have earned," he said.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Progress Made in Southcom Region, Challenges Remain, Admiral Says
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The top U.S. military officer for Latin America and the Caribbean today reported positive developments in the region over the past year, from increased military-to-military cooperation to progress in confronting drug-related terrorism to a dramatic hostage rescue by the Colombian military. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis told the Senate Armed Services Committee he's confident these trends will continue in 2009, with new milestones to be reached in strengthening security cooperation with partner nations.
Stavridis cited major accomplishments during 2008, including the safe return and repatriation of three U.S. defense contractors held hostage for five and a half years in Colombia by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
The Colombian military executed a "very daring, audacious raid" that Stavridis called "a real example of the success in five and a half years of building partnership capacity."
"So I think Colombia is on the right track," he told the senators.
Meanwhile, Stavridis pointed to a "robust year" of military-to-military exercises that he said are building capacity within regional militaries and the cooperation needed to deal with cross-border threats. For example, this year's Panamax exercise, with 22 countries involved, constituted the world's largest military training exercise in terms of participation.
Other exercises that focus on everything from special operations to disaster relief are growing in scale, too, increasing capability in the region. Stavridis called this "very robust schedule of mil-to-mil contacts ... a big part of what we need to do in this region to maintain this positive military-to-military connection wherever we can."
One of Southcom's most gratifying missions last year, Continuing Promise, dispatched the USS Kearsarge and USS Boxer to the region to provide medical assistance. As the teams conducted 200,000 patient treatments ashore, they demonstrated U.S. compassion and competence, Stavridis said.
The mission is "a way we can connect with this region" while at the same time providing "great training" to U.S. forces, he said.
While emphasizing strides made, Stavridis cited the problem of the narcotics flow through the region, and the increased use of semi-submersible watercraft to transport them.
"Last year we were able to stop 230 tons of cocaine," he said, but he emphasized that the challenge is not just on the supply side, but also on the demand side in the United States. Working together with partners in Mexico and Central America, with the help of tracking and interception equipment and training provided through the U.S. Merida Initiative, is an important step in addressing this problem, he said.
Southcom is working to foil the proliferation of semi-submersibles -- submarine-like watercraft built in the Andean Ridge jungles that are difficult to track as they transport as much as 7 tons of cocaine -- the admiral told the committee. "We're focusing a lot of resources on interdicting those, and working with our partners to do so," he said.
Stavridis reminded the committee of the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean to U.S. security and U.S. interests.
"What happens south of us will influence what happens here in our own nation," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The top U.S. military officer for Latin America and the Caribbean today reported positive developments in the region over the past year, from increased military-to-military cooperation to progress in confronting drug-related terrorism to a dramatic hostage rescue by the Colombian military. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis told the Senate Armed Services Committee he's confident these trends will continue in 2009, with new milestones to be reached in strengthening security cooperation with partner nations.
Stavridis cited major accomplishments during 2008, including the safe return and repatriation of three U.S. defense contractors held hostage for five and a half years in Colombia by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
The Colombian military executed a "very daring, audacious raid" that Stavridis called "a real example of the success in five and a half years of building partnership capacity."
"So I think Colombia is on the right track," he told the senators.
Meanwhile, Stavridis pointed to a "robust year" of military-to-military exercises that he said are building capacity within regional militaries and the cooperation needed to deal with cross-border threats. For example, this year's Panamax exercise, with 22 countries involved, constituted the world's largest military training exercise in terms of participation.
Other exercises that focus on everything from special operations to disaster relief are growing in scale, too, increasing capability in the region. Stavridis called this "very robust schedule of mil-to-mil contacts ... a big part of what we need to do in this region to maintain this positive military-to-military connection wherever we can."
One of Southcom's most gratifying missions last year, Continuing Promise, dispatched the USS Kearsarge and USS Boxer to the region to provide medical assistance. As the teams conducted 200,000 patient treatments ashore, they demonstrated U.S. compassion and competence, Stavridis said.
The mission is "a way we can connect with this region" while at the same time providing "great training" to U.S. forces, he said.
While emphasizing strides made, Stavridis cited the problem of the narcotics flow through the region, and the increased use of semi-submersible watercraft to transport them.
"Last year we were able to stop 230 tons of cocaine," he said, but he emphasized that the challenge is not just on the supply side, but also on the demand side in the United States. Working together with partners in Mexico and Central America, with the help of tracking and interception equipment and training provided through the U.S. Merida Initiative, is an important step in addressing this problem, he said.
Southcom is working to foil the proliferation of semi-submersibles -- submarine-like watercraft built in the Andean Ridge jungles that are difficult to track as they transport as much as 7 tons of cocaine -- the admiral told the committee. "We're focusing a lot of resources on interdicting those, and working with our partners to do so," he said.
Stavridis reminded the committee of the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean to U.S. security and U.S. interests.
"What happens south of us will influence what happens here in our own nation," he said.
Tankers Top Shopping List, Transportation Commander Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - Acquiring a new fleet of Air Force tankers, known as KC-X until an airframe is chosen, is imperative, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee today. "My top priority remains the recapitalization of our aging tanker fleet," Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb told the senators. "The KC-X will be a game-changer."
The aircraft, designed to be a refueler with cargo-carrying capability, will revolutionize the mobility world the same way the C-17 did for in-theater and strategic airlift, the general said.
"It will be the ultimate mobility force multiplier," he said.
The Air Force selected Northrop Grumman/EADS for the tanker project last year, but rival bidder Boeing protested the decision. Bidding was reopened after a Government Accountability Office found flaws with the process.
McNabb also gave the senators an overview of Transcom's responsibilities and operations. All told, he said, Transcom aircrews fly 900 sorties per day.
"That's a takeoff and landing every 90 seconds – sometimes in the most austere areas like Antarctica, sometimes in the most dangerous, like a forward operating base in Afghanistan," he said.
McNabb also spoke about the newly developed supply routes open to Afghanistan via the northern distribution network. The supply network uses commercial rail and boat to ship nonlethal cargo to coalition forces operating in Afghanistan. The command ships food, fuel, building materials and other supplies from Europe and Central Asia.
But as important as equipment is to the command, McNabb said, it is Transcom's 136,000 men and women, civilian and military, private and public, who are the true treasures to the nation. Success, he said, is due to the dedicated logistics professionals finding new ways to ensure warfighters have what they need.
Transcom logisticians work long hours, often in dangerous conditions, McNabb said. Aircrews fly night-vision approaches to unimproved airfields or airdrop supplies to troops in Afghanistan. Air refuelers deliver 5 million pounds of fuel "flying every day and night, in the weather, extending the reach of our joint force and coalition partners," he said.
On the sea, merchant mariners and military and civilian port operators load and operate 35 ships every day in support of warfighters. Terminal operators move thousands of containers, domestic freight and rail shipments throughout the world.
The command also provides contingency response groups and port-opening experts "to open up the flow in contingency or disaster relief operations in support of the warfighting commander," the general said. Transcom also provides medical crews and critical care teams that tend to wounded warriors and quickly transport them from the battlefield to world class care.
The command could not accomplish its mission without commercial airlift and sealift partners opening new avenues of supply into Afghanistan or supporting the nation in times of surge, McNabb said.
"The logistics team is responsible for giving the United States unrivalled global reach," the general said. "We are committed to serving our nation's warfighters by delivering the right stuff to the right place at the right time. Whether sustaining the fight, providing disaster relief or moving six brigades simultaneously, we are there."
McNabb thanked the senators for providing the command with the equipment needed to maintain the logistics carriers. He pointed to the large medium speed, roll-on, roll-off ships and upgrades to the ready reserve fleet that were key to the command's success over the past seven years. "The new joint high-speed vessels will give us even greater flexibility," he said.
He also praised the performance of the C-130J and C-17 airlifters. The airframes "have come of age since 9/11 and have allowed us to change how we support the combatant commanders by air," he said. "The current C-5, C-130 and KC-10 modernization programs will make an enormous difference in our capability and reliability."
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - Acquiring a new fleet of Air Force tankers, known as KC-X until an airframe is chosen, is imperative, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee today. "My top priority remains the recapitalization of our aging tanker fleet," Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb told the senators. "The KC-X will be a game-changer."
The aircraft, designed to be a refueler with cargo-carrying capability, will revolutionize the mobility world the same way the C-17 did for in-theater and strategic airlift, the general said.
"It will be the ultimate mobility force multiplier," he said.
The Air Force selected Northrop Grumman/EADS for the tanker project last year, but rival bidder Boeing protested the decision. Bidding was reopened after a Government Accountability Office found flaws with the process.
McNabb also gave the senators an overview of Transcom's responsibilities and operations. All told, he said, Transcom aircrews fly 900 sorties per day.
"That's a takeoff and landing every 90 seconds – sometimes in the most austere areas like Antarctica, sometimes in the most dangerous, like a forward operating base in Afghanistan," he said.
McNabb also spoke about the newly developed supply routes open to Afghanistan via the northern distribution network. The supply network uses commercial rail and boat to ship nonlethal cargo to coalition forces operating in Afghanistan. The command ships food, fuel, building materials and other supplies from Europe and Central Asia.
But as important as equipment is to the command, McNabb said, it is Transcom's 136,000 men and women, civilian and military, private and public, who are the true treasures to the nation. Success, he said, is due to the dedicated logistics professionals finding new ways to ensure warfighters have what they need.
Transcom logisticians work long hours, often in dangerous conditions, McNabb said. Aircrews fly night-vision approaches to unimproved airfields or airdrop supplies to troops in Afghanistan. Air refuelers deliver 5 million pounds of fuel "flying every day and night, in the weather, extending the reach of our joint force and coalition partners," he said.
On the sea, merchant mariners and military and civilian port operators load and operate 35 ships every day in support of warfighters. Terminal operators move thousands of containers, domestic freight and rail shipments throughout the world.
The command also provides contingency response groups and port-opening experts "to open up the flow in contingency or disaster relief operations in support of the warfighting commander," the general said. Transcom also provides medical crews and critical care teams that tend to wounded warriors and quickly transport them from the battlefield to world class care.
The command could not accomplish its mission without commercial airlift and sealift partners opening new avenues of supply into Afghanistan or supporting the nation in times of surge, McNabb said.
"The logistics team is responsible for giving the United States unrivalled global reach," the general said. "We are committed to serving our nation's warfighters by delivering the right stuff to the right place at the right time. Whether sustaining the fight, providing disaster relief or moving six brigades simultaneously, we are there."
McNabb thanked the senators for providing the command with the equipment needed to maintain the logistics carriers. He pointed to the large medium speed, roll-on, roll-off ships and upgrades to the ready reserve fleet that were key to the command's success over the past seven years. "The new joint high-speed vessels will give us even greater flexibility," he said.
He also praised the performance of the C-130J and C-17 airlifters. The airframes "have come of age since 9/11 and have allowed us to change how we support the combatant commanders by air," he said. "The current C-5, C-130 and KC-10 modernization programs will make an enormous difference in our capability and reliability."
U.S. Africom Promotes Stability, Security on Continent
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The nascent U.S. Africa Command is promoting stability and security on the continent through military-to-military activities and a host of other programs, the Africom commander said today. Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward spoke about the Africom mission at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
"We work in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners to ensure that our activities are harmonized," he told the Senate panel. "Our strategy is based on military-to-military efforts to enhance the security capacity and capability of our African partners."
In his dealings with African leaders, Ward said, he receives one common message. "The consistent message they give me is for their intent for their nations to provide for their own security," he said.
Ward said most heads of African states welcome Africom's assistance in reaching their goals for establishing legitimate and professional security forces. Further, he said, most perform operations with integrity and are increasingly able to support the mission in support of international peace.
The U.S. mission in Africa has assumed an interagency approach that combines efforts by the American military and the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as the departments of Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, Agriculture and other agencies doing work on the continent, he said.
"Similarly, we reach out to international partners, including Europeans, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, private enterprises and academia," he said. "Their perspectives on the situation in Africa are valuable."
Currently, Africom – which officially stood up Oct. 1 -- is engaged in military training, education, sustainment operations, and provides logistics support. One activity of note is the International Military Education and Training program, or IMET.
IMET is a State Department-led foreign-assistance program that provides education and training for foreign military and civilian personnel and is critical to building long-term relationships, according to an Africom news release.
Officers and enlisted leaders who received U.S. IMET training fill key positions in many partner African nations. As of last year, for example, 11 of 14 general officers in the Botswana Defense Force, as well as the BDF command sergeant major, were U.S. IMET graduates.
Ward said he anticipates 46 African countries will participate in IMET.
"The International Military Education and Training program, I think, provides long-term benefits for our national interests as well as transforming those militaries in positive ways," he said. "Those programs that deal with training and equipping our partner nations to better enable them to conduct counter-terror activities, to have better abilities to control their internal border, are very valuable."
Meanwhile, Ward said, Africom also is involved in providing training, education and civil military assistance in the Horn of Africa and supporting counterterrorism efforts in North and West African nations. It also is aiding the State Department-led training of roughly 20 battalions of peacekeepers per year and assisting coast guards of the maritime nations in East Africa.
The general said he is honored to serve with Defense Department military and civilian personnel and interagency teammates and make a difference on the continent every day.
"Their dedicated efforts are a testament to the spirit and determination to the American people and our commitment to contributing to the well-being and security of our nation and the people of Africa," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The nascent U.S. Africa Command is promoting stability and security on the continent through military-to-military activities and a host of other programs, the Africom commander said today. Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward spoke about the Africom mission at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
"We work in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners to ensure that our activities are harmonized," he told the Senate panel. "Our strategy is based on military-to-military efforts to enhance the security capacity and capability of our African partners."
In his dealings with African leaders, Ward said, he receives one common message. "The consistent message they give me is for their intent for their nations to provide for their own security," he said.
Ward said most heads of African states welcome Africom's assistance in reaching their goals for establishing legitimate and professional security forces. Further, he said, most perform operations with integrity and are increasingly able to support the mission in support of international peace.
The U.S. mission in Africa has assumed an interagency approach that combines efforts by the American military and the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as the departments of Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, Agriculture and other agencies doing work on the continent, he said.
"Similarly, we reach out to international partners, including Europeans, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, private enterprises and academia," he said. "Their perspectives on the situation in Africa are valuable."
Currently, Africom – which officially stood up Oct. 1 -- is engaged in military training, education, sustainment operations, and provides logistics support. One activity of note is the International Military Education and Training program, or IMET.
IMET is a State Department-led foreign-assistance program that provides education and training for foreign military and civilian personnel and is critical to building long-term relationships, according to an Africom news release.
Officers and enlisted leaders who received U.S. IMET training fill key positions in many partner African nations. As of last year, for example, 11 of 14 general officers in the Botswana Defense Force, as well as the BDF command sergeant major, were U.S. IMET graduates.
Ward said he anticipates 46 African countries will participate in IMET.
"The International Military Education and Training program, I think, provides long-term benefits for our national interests as well as transforming those militaries in positive ways," he said. "Those programs that deal with training and equipping our partner nations to better enable them to conduct counter-terror activities, to have better abilities to control their internal border, are very valuable."
Meanwhile, Ward said, Africom also is involved in providing training, education and civil military assistance in the Horn of Africa and supporting counterterrorism efforts in North and West African nations. It also is aiding the State Department-led training of roughly 20 battalions of peacekeepers per year and assisting coast guards of the maritime nations in East Africa.
The general said he is honored to serve with Defense Department military and civilian personnel and interagency teammates and make a difference on the continent every day.
"Their dedicated efforts are a testament to the spirit and determination to the American people and our commitment to contributing to the well-being and security of our nation and the people of Africa," he said.
Gates Pays Respects to Fallen Servicemembers at Dover
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Dover Air Force Base, Del., last night to pay his respects to four servicemembers killed recently in Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon official said here today. Gates "wanted to personally honor the sacrifice" of the three soldiers and one airman who died last weekend in a roadside bomb attack near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.
Jalalabad is located between the Afghan capital of Kabul and the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
The secretary's visit to Dover last night "was a very moving experience for him," Morrell said.
Gates has wanted to visit the facilities at Dover for some time, Morrell said. Dover's Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs is the Defense Department's largest joint-service mortuary facility, and the only one in the continental United States. Dover also is the U.S. military's largest air terminal.
"The secretary was enormously impressed by the professionalism of the aircrew, the honor guards, the mortuary affairs personnel, and really everyone involved in this process," Morrell said. "He very much appreciates their steadfast commitment to treating our returning war dead as the fallen heroes they truly are."
There was no media presence during Gates' visit to Dover, Morrell said.
"We did not travel even with an official photographer," Morrell said, noting the trip was "merely a personal visit of the secretary's."
Meanwhile, Morrell said, a Defense Department working group probably is within weeks of presenting its recommendations for implementing a change in policy to allow the news media to photograph the flag-draped caskets of returning fallen servicemembers with their families' permission. Gates announced the policy change Feb. 26.
"There is still some additional work to do, and the secretary has to sign off on the final recommendations of the working group, in terms of how this is going to all take place," Morrell said.
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Dover Air Force Base, Del., last night to pay his respects to four servicemembers killed recently in Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon official said here today. Gates "wanted to personally honor the sacrifice" of the three soldiers and one airman who died last weekend in a roadside bomb attack near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.
Jalalabad is located between the Afghan capital of Kabul and the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
The secretary's visit to Dover last night "was a very moving experience for him," Morrell said.
Gates has wanted to visit the facilities at Dover for some time, Morrell said. Dover's Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs is the Defense Department's largest joint-service mortuary facility, and the only one in the continental United States. Dover also is the U.S. military's largest air terminal.
"The secretary was enormously impressed by the professionalism of the aircrew, the honor guards, the mortuary affairs personnel, and really everyone involved in this process," Morrell said. "He very much appreciates their steadfast commitment to treating our returning war dead as the fallen heroes they truly are."
There was no media presence during Gates' visit to Dover, Morrell said.
"We did not travel even with an official photographer," Morrell said, noting the trip was "merely a personal visit of the secretary's."
Meanwhile, Morrell said, a Defense Department working group probably is within weeks of presenting its recommendations for implementing a change in policy to allow the news media to photograph the flag-draped caskets of returning fallen servicemembers with their families' permission. Gates announced the policy change Feb. 26.
"There is still some additional work to do, and the secretary has to sign off on the final recommendations of the working group, in terms of how this is going to all take place," Morrell said.
Stratcom Prepares for Future Capabilities, General Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The global financial crisis and the threat of nuclear proliferation and persistent warfare in the Middle East and Central Asia are playing a major role in determining future national security capabilities, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told Congress here today. Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces that "2009 is an especially noteworthy year" because of the unique security challenges America faces.
Those challenges, along with the ever-changing rate of technology "often outpaces capabilities and policies," Chilton said. He added that he is looking forward to the upcoming Congressional Commissions Report on the Strategic Posture of the United States, as well as this year's Defense Department Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review.
"The recommendations made in these studies will shape our national security capabilities long into the future," he said.
This year will be an important year for Congress to act on the issue of the aging U.S. nuclear stockpile, Chilton said. The stockpile, nuclear infrastructure and human capital are the most urgent concerns for the U.S. nuclear enterprise, he said. Modernization, he added, will "relieve growing uncertainty about the stockpile's future reliability and sustainability."
Credible deterrence operations depend on a reliable stockpile of nuclear weapons, Chilton said. And although U.S. nuclear weapons deployment, production, and testing have reduced substantially since the Cold War, many allies rely on the United States for those capabilities, he noted.
"Deterrence remains as central to America's national security as it was during the Cold War," Chilton said, "because, as ever, we would prefer to prevent war rather than to wage it."
On space operations, Chilton said space-based capabilities give the nation essential, but often unnoticed, capabilities. However, the satellites that carry those capabilities require more and careful attention to eliminate possibly lethal delays in missile defense launches.
"We have made progress in space situational awareness, but capability gaps remain, and require sustained momentum to fill," he said, noting last month's collision between the U.S. Iridium communication satellite and Russia's decommissioned military satellite.
Cyberspace, another key aspect of Stratcom's mission, has become increasingly important to the warfighter, Chilton said. He remains concerned about growing threats on computer networks and is calling for changes within the Defense Department's "fundamental network of culture, conduct and capabilities to address this mission," he said.
"We also endeavor to share our best [networking] practices with partners across the government," he said. "Still the adequate provisioning of cyber missions, especially with manpower, remains our greatest needs."
Stratcom continues to be proficient in executing operations in the realms of space, cyberspace and deterring war, Chilton said. He praised his command for its ability to provide "a unique global perspective in advocating for" missile defense, information operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – capabilities the country needs to ensure national security, he said.
"In this uncertain world, [Congress's] support is critical to enabling successful execution across the command's assigned missions," he said, "and in realizing [the U.S.] vision to be leaders in strategic deterrence and preeminent global war fighters in space and cyberspace."
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The global financial crisis and the threat of nuclear proliferation and persistent warfare in the Middle East and Central Asia are playing a major role in determining future national security capabilities, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told Congress here today. Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces that "2009 is an especially noteworthy year" because of the unique security challenges America faces.
Those challenges, along with the ever-changing rate of technology "often outpaces capabilities and policies," Chilton said. He added that he is looking forward to the upcoming Congressional Commissions Report on the Strategic Posture of the United States, as well as this year's Defense Department Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review.
"The recommendations made in these studies will shape our national security capabilities long into the future," he said.
This year will be an important year for Congress to act on the issue of the aging U.S. nuclear stockpile, Chilton said. The stockpile, nuclear infrastructure and human capital are the most urgent concerns for the U.S. nuclear enterprise, he said. Modernization, he added, will "relieve growing uncertainty about the stockpile's future reliability and sustainability."
Credible deterrence operations depend on a reliable stockpile of nuclear weapons, Chilton said. And although U.S. nuclear weapons deployment, production, and testing have reduced substantially since the Cold War, many allies rely on the United States for those capabilities, he noted.
"Deterrence remains as central to America's national security as it was during the Cold War," Chilton said, "because, as ever, we would prefer to prevent war rather than to wage it."
On space operations, Chilton said space-based capabilities give the nation essential, but often unnoticed, capabilities. However, the satellites that carry those capabilities require more and careful attention to eliminate possibly lethal delays in missile defense launches.
"We have made progress in space situational awareness, but capability gaps remain, and require sustained momentum to fill," he said, noting last month's collision between the U.S. Iridium communication satellite and Russia's decommissioned military satellite.
Cyberspace, another key aspect of Stratcom's mission, has become increasingly important to the warfighter, Chilton said. He remains concerned about growing threats on computer networks and is calling for changes within the Defense Department's "fundamental network of culture, conduct and capabilities to address this mission," he said.
"We also endeavor to share our best [networking] practices with partners across the government," he said. "Still the adequate provisioning of cyber missions, especially with manpower, remains our greatest needs."
Stratcom continues to be proficient in executing operations in the realms of space, cyberspace and deterring war, Chilton said. He praised his command for its ability to provide "a unique global perspective in advocating for" missile defense, information operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – capabilities the country needs to ensure national security, he said.
"In this uncertain world, [Congress's] support is critical to enabling successful execution across the command's assigned missions," he said, "and in realizing [the U.S.] vision to be leaders in strategic deterrence and preeminent global war fighters in space and cyberspace."
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 17, 2009
NAVY
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB), Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $31,800,000 Basic Ordering Agreement for Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) for DDG 51 class destroyers. The orders to be issued are for PSA planning and support services and will include advance planning, engineering support, on-site engineering liaison, craft assistance, the ordering and processing of required material in support of PSAs, and the accomplishment of emergent industrial availabilities. Emergent industrial availabilities include, but are not limited to, restricted availabilities, drydocking availabilities, and technical availabilities which may be required from time of ship's delivery through the SCN obligation work and limiting date. If necessary, orders may be issued to NGSB for PSA planning and support and emergent industrial availabilities for DDG 51 class destroyers built by Bath Iron Works Corporation (BIW) if BIW is unable to perform the work. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss. (40 percent) and in the ships' homeport (60 percent), which may include Norfolk, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; and Mayport, Fla., and is expected to be completed by September 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-G-2305).
Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., is being awarded a $10,969,384 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N68936-06-D-0001) to provide for design and development engineering, test and evaluation, transition engineering, and management support services for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif. (83 percent) and Point Mugu, Calif. (17 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $9,982,999 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4408) for repairs and maintenance to various shipboard systems on the USS Port Royal (CG-73). Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Contract funds in the amount of $11,140 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Harper Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $8,197,536 for firm-fixed-price task order #025 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-06-D-1056) for design, repair, and renovation of BEQ Bldg 530529 and Utility Bldg 530530, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. This task order also contains three unexercised options, which if exercised would increase the cumulative contract value to $10,277,265. Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Electron Devices Division, Williamsport, Pa., is being awarded a $6,313,780 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for repair of cross field amplifier electron tubes for the AN-SPY-1 radar program. Work will be performed at Williamsport, Pa., and work is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity (N00104-09-D-D010).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a cost type contract with Lockheed Martin Corporation of Cherry Hill, New Jersey for $11,449,845. The objective of the Integrated Crisis Early Warning System program is to develop a prototype system of integrated computational, social and political science models that forecast the occurrence and level of intensity of various conflict events of Interests of associated with country instability. At this time, $9,600,000 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRl/PKDA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-07-C-7749, P00004).
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB), Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $31,800,000 Basic Ordering Agreement for Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) for DDG 51 class destroyers. The orders to be issued are for PSA planning and support services and will include advance planning, engineering support, on-site engineering liaison, craft assistance, the ordering and processing of required material in support of PSAs, and the accomplishment of emergent industrial availabilities. Emergent industrial availabilities include, but are not limited to, restricted availabilities, drydocking availabilities, and technical availabilities which may be required from time of ship's delivery through the SCN obligation work and limiting date. If necessary, orders may be issued to NGSB for PSA planning and support and emergent industrial availabilities for DDG 51 class destroyers built by Bath Iron Works Corporation (BIW) if BIW is unable to perform the work. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss. (40 percent) and in the ships' homeport (60 percent), which may include Norfolk, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; and Mayport, Fla., and is expected to be completed by September 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-G-2305).
Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., is being awarded a $10,969,384 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N68936-06-D-0001) to provide for design and development engineering, test and evaluation, transition engineering, and management support services for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif. (83 percent) and Point Mugu, Calif. (17 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $9,982,999 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4408) for repairs and maintenance to various shipboard systems on the USS Port Royal (CG-73). Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Contract funds in the amount of $11,140 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Harper Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $8,197,536 for firm-fixed-price task order #025 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-06-D-1056) for design, repair, and renovation of BEQ Bldg 530529 and Utility Bldg 530530, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. This task order also contains three unexercised options, which if exercised would increase the cumulative contract value to $10,277,265. Work will be performed in Oceanside, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Electron Devices Division, Williamsport, Pa., is being awarded a $6,313,780 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for repair of cross field amplifier electron tubes for the AN-SPY-1 radar program. Work will be performed at Williamsport, Pa., and work is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity (N00104-09-D-D010).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a cost type contract with Lockheed Martin Corporation of Cherry Hill, New Jersey for $11,449,845. The objective of the Integrated Crisis Early Warning System program is to develop a prototype system of integrated computational, social and political science models that forecast the occurrence and level of intensity of various conflict events of Interests of associated with country instability. At this time, $9,600,000 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRl/PKDA, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8650-07-C-7749, P00004).
Defense Department Releases Sexual Assault Statistics
By John J. Kruzel and Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The Defense Department today released a congressional report that examines sexual assault allegations in the military services and sets policies for reducing incidents. Key components of the annual analysis include a finding that indicates a rise in the number of incidents reported in fiscal 2008 and details of department-led initiatives aimed at preventing sexual assault and increasing the accountability of offenders.
"Given the fear and stigma associated with the crime, sexual assault remains one of our nation's most under-reported crimes in both the military and civilian community," Dr. Kaye Whitley, the director of the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, said during a Pentagon news conference here today. "The department has been aggressively pursuing efforts to increase reporting and convince more victims to seek care and support services."
The analysis found 2,908 sexual assault "reports" in fiscal 2008, which is roughly an 8 percent increase compared to fiscal 2007. But officials cautioned that the rise in reporting -- a figure that represents the total number of sexual assaults reported -- is not necessarily indicative that more incidents occurred.
One possible explanation for the increase could be that higher numbers of victims are reporting incidents as people become more aware of sexual assault in general, and the military's robust support network, Whitley said.
"This does not mean sexual assaults have gone up," she said. "This means that reports have gone up, which we see as very positive. The increase of reports means the department's policy of getting victims to come forward is making a difference."
Defense officials said during a briefing yesterday that the aggregate number of reports combines incidents that vary in the degree of offense committed. About 63 percent represent rape or aggravated assault. Also, 251 incidents occurred in combat areas, with 141 in Iraq and 22 in Afghanistan. Those numbers increased from fiscal 2007, Whitley said.
Speaking on sexual assault prevention, Whitley said the department seeks to establish a military culture that calls on bystanders to play a more active role in preventing assaults.
She said the spirit of the effort was partly inspired by a campaign launched to curb drunk driving, in which friends were encouraged to dissuade their peers from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. There are parallels between the programs as many cases of sexual assault involve alcohol.
"If you see one of your buddies serve drinks to somebody to get them drunk, maybe what you do is step up and say, 'Why don't you wait until she's sober?'" Whitley said in an interview last week, illustrating an example of bystander intervention.
As part of the department's social marketing prevention campaign, a public service announcement is set to launch worldwide next month, which will promote bystander intervention. The 20-second video shows still pictures of male and female servicemembers with a dubbed, male voice saying, "preventing sexual assault is part of my duty."
"Our goal is to strengthen the knowledge and the skills of servicemembers and empower them to identify and safely intervene in situations that may lead up to sexual assault," Whitley said.
The department's multipronged approach to tackling the subject acknowledges that not all incidents are preventable. Another component of the policy is raising awareness that victims have a strong support network should they seek help.
Whitley said an average of one in six women and one in 32 men in the United States experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime.
But the department hopes its robust approach to caring for victims will encourage them to alert the proper authority -- the sexual assault response coordinator based on every military installation and dedicated to providing such assistance -- when incidents occur.
"We have a 24-hour system in place to respond to sexual assaults," she said, adding that the response coordinator supports the victim through every step of the process, including medical care counseling and other services.
Those who are victimized by sexual assault can report the incident one of two ways: they can file an unrestricted or restricted report, the latter of which protects the anonymity of the victim and does not lead to a criminal investigation.
Of the 2,908 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2008, 2,155 were unrestricted, while 753 were restricted, according to the congressional report.
The Defense Department understands the need to balance victims' anonymity vs. pursuing justice against the perpetrator, Whitley said, adding that the department will always support the victim's right to choose which course of reporting with which they're most comfortable.
Neither the victim's command nor the police are notified in cases of restricted, or anonymous, reporting. But victims are permitted to have a voluntary forensic examination performed soon after the incident, with the results being saved for up to a year, should an investigation be launched later.
Whitley noted that last year, 110 incidents that began as restricted reports were decided by the victims to be transferred to unrestricted.
"What we hope is that the victim will feel that they've gained a sense of control back and maybe they'll begin to develop confidence in our system and later switch to unrestricted so we can hold that offender accountable," Whitley said.
Oftentimes, taking the first step -- reporting the incident -- proves difficult. According to defense officials, of the 6.8 percent of women and 1.8 percent of men who indicated they experienced unwanted sexual contact, the majority -- 79 percent of women and 78 percent of men -- chose not to report it.
The most frequently cited reasons for not reporting the incident include:
-- Felt uncomfortable making a report (58 percent of women and 51 percent of men);
-- Thought they would be labeled a troublemaker (56 percent of women and 41 percent of men);
-- Did not want anyone to know about the incident (56 percent of women and 47 percent of men);
-- Did not think anything would be done (53 percent of women and 44 percent of men);
-- Feared retaliation (50 percent of women and 38 percent of men);
-- Not important enough to report (48 percent of women and 60 percent of men);
-- Thought they would not be believed (41 percent of women and 35 percent of men);
-- Thought reporting would take too much time and effort (36 percent of women and 46 percent of men); and
-- Did not report because they did not know how (18 percent of women and 26 percent of men).
"It is my hope today that when [servicemembers] see this report or press conference, that they will be encouraged and come forward to report sexual assault and receive care," Whitley said. "Sexual assault harms our people and erodes our mission readiness. The department remains committed to aggressively pursuing increased reporting of sexual assault, providing first-class care and preventing this crime before it occurs."
American Forces Press Service
March 17, 2009 - The Defense Department today released a congressional report that examines sexual assault allegations in the military services and sets policies for reducing incidents. Key components of the annual analysis include a finding that indicates a rise in the number of incidents reported in fiscal 2008 and details of department-led initiatives aimed at preventing sexual assault and increasing the accountability of offenders.
"Given the fear and stigma associated with the crime, sexual assault remains one of our nation's most under-reported crimes in both the military and civilian community," Dr. Kaye Whitley, the director of the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, said during a Pentagon news conference here today. "The department has been aggressively pursuing efforts to increase reporting and convince more victims to seek care and support services."
The analysis found 2,908 sexual assault "reports" in fiscal 2008, which is roughly an 8 percent increase compared to fiscal 2007. But officials cautioned that the rise in reporting -- a figure that represents the total number of sexual assaults reported -- is not necessarily indicative that more incidents occurred.
One possible explanation for the increase could be that higher numbers of victims are reporting incidents as people become more aware of sexual assault in general, and the military's robust support network, Whitley said.
"This does not mean sexual assaults have gone up," she said. "This means that reports have gone up, which we see as very positive. The increase of reports means the department's policy of getting victims to come forward is making a difference."
Defense officials said during a briefing yesterday that the aggregate number of reports combines incidents that vary in the degree of offense committed. About 63 percent represent rape or aggravated assault. Also, 251 incidents occurred in combat areas, with 141 in Iraq and 22 in Afghanistan. Those numbers increased from fiscal 2007, Whitley said.
Speaking on sexual assault prevention, Whitley said the department seeks to establish a military culture that calls on bystanders to play a more active role in preventing assaults.
She said the spirit of the effort was partly inspired by a campaign launched to curb drunk driving, in which friends were encouraged to dissuade their peers from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. There are parallels between the programs as many cases of sexual assault involve alcohol.
"If you see one of your buddies serve drinks to somebody to get them drunk, maybe what you do is step up and say, 'Why don't you wait until she's sober?'" Whitley said in an interview last week, illustrating an example of bystander intervention.
As part of the department's social marketing prevention campaign, a public service announcement is set to launch worldwide next month, which will promote bystander intervention. The 20-second video shows still pictures of male and female servicemembers with a dubbed, male voice saying, "preventing sexual assault is part of my duty."
"Our goal is to strengthen the knowledge and the skills of servicemembers and empower them to identify and safely intervene in situations that may lead up to sexual assault," Whitley said.
The department's multipronged approach to tackling the subject acknowledges that not all incidents are preventable. Another component of the policy is raising awareness that victims have a strong support network should they seek help.
Whitley said an average of one in six women and one in 32 men in the United States experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime.
But the department hopes its robust approach to caring for victims will encourage them to alert the proper authority -- the sexual assault response coordinator based on every military installation and dedicated to providing such assistance -- when incidents occur.
"We have a 24-hour system in place to respond to sexual assaults," she said, adding that the response coordinator supports the victim through every step of the process, including medical care counseling and other services.
Those who are victimized by sexual assault can report the incident one of two ways: they can file an unrestricted or restricted report, the latter of which protects the anonymity of the victim and does not lead to a criminal investigation.
Of the 2,908 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2008, 2,155 were unrestricted, while 753 were restricted, according to the congressional report.
The Defense Department understands the need to balance victims' anonymity vs. pursuing justice against the perpetrator, Whitley said, adding that the department will always support the victim's right to choose which course of reporting with which they're most comfortable.
Neither the victim's command nor the police are notified in cases of restricted, or anonymous, reporting. But victims are permitted to have a voluntary forensic examination performed soon after the incident, with the results being saved for up to a year, should an investigation be launched later.
Whitley noted that last year, 110 incidents that began as restricted reports were decided by the victims to be transferred to unrestricted.
"What we hope is that the victim will feel that they've gained a sense of control back and maybe they'll begin to develop confidence in our system and later switch to unrestricted so we can hold that offender accountable," Whitley said.
Oftentimes, taking the first step -- reporting the incident -- proves difficult. According to defense officials, of the 6.8 percent of women and 1.8 percent of men who indicated they experienced unwanted sexual contact, the majority -- 79 percent of women and 78 percent of men -- chose not to report it.
The most frequently cited reasons for not reporting the incident include:
-- Felt uncomfortable making a report (58 percent of women and 51 percent of men);
-- Thought they would be labeled a troublemaker (56 percent of women and 41 percent of men);
-- Did not want anyone to know about the incident (56 percent of women and 47 percent of men);
-- Did not think anything would be done (53 percent of women and 44 percent of men);
-- Feared retaliation (50 percent of women and 38 percent of men);
-- Not important enough to report (48 percent of women and 60 percent of men);
-- Thought they would not be believed (41 percent of women and 35 percent of men);
-- Thought reporting would take too much time and effort (36 percent of women and 46 percent of men); and
-- Did not report because they did not know how (18 percent of women and 26 percent of men).
"It is my hope today that when [servicemembers] see this report or press conference, that they will be encouraged and come forward to report sexual assault and receive care," Whitley said. "Sexual assault harms our people and erodes our mission readiness. The department remains committed to aggressively pursuing increased reporting of sexual assault, providing first-class care and preventing this crime before it occurs."
Caring for Veterans Is Matter of American Honor, Obama Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2009 - Caring for veterans is a responsibility and duty for all Americans, and the employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are those who are charged with repaying "that debt of honor," President Barack Obama said during a ceremony here marking the department's 20th anniversary today. The president promised the VA employees that he will make good on his promise to create a 21st-century department.
VA, formerly called the Veterans Administration, became a cabinet-level department in 1989. The employees are charged with providing education, training benefits, health care, home loans and cemeteries for American veterans. "It's a commitment that lasts from the day our veterans retire that uniform to the day that they are put to rest, and it continues on for their families," the president said.
U.S. servicemembers are the country's best and brightest, Obama said. "They are our bravest, enlisting in a time of war, enduring tour after tour of duty, serving with honor under the most difficult circumstances and making sacrifices that many of us cannot begin to imagine," he said. The department must take care of these people and of their families, he added.
The VA mission always is vital, Obama said, but it is even more so during long and difficult conflicts like today's. "Last month, I announced my strategy for ending the war in Iraq, and I made it very clear that this strategy would not end with the military plans and diplomatic agendas, but would endure through my commitment to upholding our sacred trust with every man and woman who has served this country," the president said. "And the same holds true for our troops serving in Afghanistan."
The president has requested an extra $25 billion for the department over the next five years. The agency – under the leadership of retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, former Army chief of staff – is reviewing its operations.
"With this budget, we don't just fully fund our VA health care program," the president said. "We expand it to serve an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013, to provide better health care in more places and to dramatically improve services related to mental health and injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury."
Obama said technology also will help to cut red tape and ease the transition from active duty. He promised new help for homeless veterans, "because those heroes have a home."
"It's the country they served -- the United States of America," he said. "And until we reach a day when not a single veteran sleeps on our nation's streets, our work remains unfinished."
He called on VA employees to help to implement the GI Bill for the 21st century. Just as the veterans of World War II formed the backbone of the progress after that war, the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan too, can be the catalyst for progress. The deadline for putting the rules for the new GI Bill in place is Aug. 1.
"That's how we'll show our servicemen and women that when you come home to America, America will be here for you," Obama said. "That's how we will ensure that those who have borne the battle, and their families, will have every chance to live out their dreams."
Transforming the agency is a tall order, Obama said, but he added that he has the fullest confidence that the men and women of the department can do it.
The United States will "fulfill our sacred trust and serve our returning heroes as well as they've served us," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 16, 2009 - Caring for veterans is a responsibility and duty for all Americans, and the employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are those who are charged with repaying "that debt of honor," President Barack Obama said during a ceremony here marking the department's 20th anniversary today. The president promised the VA employees that he will make good on his promise to create a 21st-century department.
VA, formerly called the Veterans Administration, became a cabinet-level department in 1989. The employees are charged with providing education, training benefits, health care, home loans and cemeteries for American veterans. "It's a commitment that lasts from the day our veterans retire that uniform to the day that they are put to rest, and it continues on for their families," the president said.
U.S. servicemembers are the country's best and brightest, Obama said. "They are our bravest, enlisting in a time of war, enduring tour after tour of duty, serving with honor under the most difficult circumstances and making sacrifices that many of us cannot begin to imagine," he said. The department must take care of these people and of their families, he added.
The VA mission always is vital, Obama said, but it is even more so during long and difficult conflicts like today's. "Last month, I announced my strategy for ending the war in Iraq, and I made it very clear that this strategy would not end with the military plans and diplomatic agendas, but would endure through my commitment to upholding our sacred trust with every man and woman who has served this country," the president said. "And the same holds true for our troops serving in Afghanistan."
The president has requested an extra $25 billion for the department over the next five years. The agency – under the leadership of retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, former Army chief of staff – is reviewing its operations.
"With this budget, we don't just fully fund our VA health care program," the president said. "We expand it to serve an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013, to provide better health care in more places and to dramatically improve services related to mental health and injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury."
Obama said technology also will help to cut red tape and ease the transition from active duty. He promised new help for homeless veterans, "because those heroes have a home."
"It's the country they served -- the United States of America," he said. "And until we reach a day when not a single veteran sleeps on our nation's streets, our work remains unfinished."
He called on VA employees to help to implement the GI Bill for the 21st century. Just as the veterans of World War II formed the backbone of the progress after that war, the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan too, can be the catalyst for progress. The deadline for putting the rules for the new GI Bill in place is Aug. 1.
"That's how we'll show our servicemen and women that when you come home to America, America will be here for you," Obama said. "That's how we will ensure that those who have borne the battle, and their families, will have every chance to live out their dreams."
Transforming the agency is a tall order, Obama said, but he added that he has the fullest confidence that the men and women of the department can do it.
The United States will "fulfill our sacred trust and serve our returning heroes as well as they've served us," he said.
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