Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Face of Defense: Buddy System Proves Friendly for Medics From Guam


By Chuck Roberts
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 18, 2008 - Whenever Airman Tiamae Cruz needed a helping hand while growing up in Guam, a friendly face seemed to arrive within minutes. So when the 18-year-old decided to join the
Air Force and leave the confines of her Pacific island measuring 30 miles long by 12 miles wide, she looked around for the usual reassurance. Enter Airman Taija Alcantara. The grammar school chum, high school sporting rival and rediscovered best friend was a fellow student at the University of Guam. Both wondered what to do with their lives and were on similar career paths. Cruz aspired to become a veterinarian; Alcantara hoped to become a cardiac surgeon.

"It would be great if you joined (the
Air Force with) me," Cruz recalls saying to Alcantara.

A
military career in unknown lands was a daunting proposal. Alcantara had never left the island, except for a few months as a 4-year-old, while Cruz had visited the U.S. occasionally, but only with family.

"We were really, really scared and nervous," Cruz said. "It was a big step. Being from Guam, everything is small and you're used to leaning on your family and friends."

It seemed clear the developing plan called for some sort of guaranteed Guam support network, which fortunately the local
military recruiter was able to offer. Through the Air Force Buddy System, he was able to guarantee the friends would spend the first six weeks of their military career together at basic training. At the time it seemed like enough, but the contract they signed would later turn out to be much more than they could have hoped for.

When their 24-hour flight to basic
military training ended with a screaming welcoming committee at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, the value of the buddy system became immediately apparent.

"Basic training was kind of scary," Cruz said. "Taija was my support network."

Their companionship helped overcome the initial tears and desire to return home, but it wasn't always encouraged, said Alcantara, a native of Mangilao, Guam.

From basic training, the two comrades could have gone in different directions both professionally and geographically. They entered the
Air Force as "open general," meaning they did not have a guaranteed specific job. Instead, during basic training they would pick a job among five choices, and surgical technician was an option offered to both. For two women seeking medical careers, it was the obvious choice.

The Guam connection continued to Sheppard
Air Force Base, Texas, for eight weeks of technical training. When that ended, they once again beat the buddy system odds and were both assigned to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., for six additional weeks of on-the-job training.

Not only their basic training instructor, but also subsequent technical school instructors felt the young women were too dependent upon each other and attempted to separate the pair. Cruz said some encouraged competitiveness between them, but for Cruz and Alcantara, the issue was friendship and supporting each other along this new
military adventure.

"We can work on our own. We can function on our own. It's just that we find sometimes we function better together," said Cruz, whose hometown is Yona, Guam.

At both training bases they said they continued to hear comments such as, "Where's your other half?" or "Why aren't you with your twin?" In fact, now that they were roommates with more free time on their hands, they joked about feeling like true sisters, sharing both good times and occasional spats followed by a door slam.

With technical school completed, both airmen returned to Guam, where they participated in the Recruiter Assistance Program while on leave. As part of the recruiter program, airmen visit schools and other locations to help promote the
Air Force. Alcantara also got married, with her maid of honor being who else but her fellow airman and best friend. They picked out the wedding gown together while wearing their battle dress uniforms.

After their trip home, it was time to begin their
Air Force careers. The odds were further stacked against the buddy system extending to a job at the same location in the global Air Force. But they both put Germany at the top of their "dream sheet" of potential bases they would like to be stationed at, and Germany it was.

"We were excited when we heard we were coming (to Ramstein Air Base)," Alcantara said. "But it's so big and you just don't know where to start. I'm in culture shock."

She soon faces even further adjustment when her husband, Shawn Alcantara, departs for Air Force basic
military training.

Cruz has had to adjust her lifestyle too.

"I'm freezing, first of all," Cruz said. Since her Dec. 2 arrival, she has adjusted to life in Landstuhl, which is in stark contrast with Guam, where she described a life of "always at the beach" swimming, snorkeling or playing sports.

"My whole system has been thrown off," Cruz said. "I don't know what to do. I don't know who I am. I don't know how to act sometimes. It's weird trying to readjust and find myself again."

Although new to their career field and to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where they continue with their on-the-job training, both airmen are solid performers who have hit the ground running, their supervisor said.

"Airmen Alcantara and Cruz have already proven themselves to be valuable assets to our surgical suite," said Tech. Sgt. Jonah Gruner, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the operating room. "They both are extremely motivated. They work together seamlessly, yet they seem to keep a good-natured competition between them while completing their career development courses. Hopefully, their friendship will continue to grow throughout their careers. We are thrilled to have them here."

Their friendship seems certain to continue throughout their careers, but only time will tell if their careers will continue parallel to their friendship.

"That will be interesting. We don't know," Cruz said of the prospect. If their future leads in different directions, she said that will be okay because they will have grown both personally and professionally in the meantime.

"Honestly, she's like my sister," Cruz said. "We're always going to be there for each other. Family is family. If something happens to your family, you're going to be there for them."

(Chuck Roberts is assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Public Affairs.)

National Security Archive Update, March 19, 2008

Treasury Wins 2008 "Rosemary Award" as Worst FOIA Agency

National Security Archive Annual Award Cites Shredded Letters, Decade-Long Delays, and Sub-Prime Performance

For more information contact the National
Security Archive staff:
Thomas Blanton, Meredith Fuchs, Kristin Adair, Catherine Nielsen 202/994-7000

http://www.nsarchive.org

Washington D.C., March 19, 2008 - As if the sub-prime credit crisis was not enough, the U.S. Treasury Department today won the fourth annual Rosemary Award for the worst performance by a federal agency under the Freedom of Information Act.

Given annually by the Emmy- and George Polk Award-winning National
Security Archive at George Washington University, the Rosemary recognizes outstandingly bad responsiveness to the public that flouts the letter and spirit of the Freedom of Information Act. The Award is named after President Nixon's secretary Rose Mary Woods and the backwards-leaning stretch with which she erased an eighteen-and-a-half minute section of a key Watergate conversation on the White House tapes.

"The Treasury Department has brought new meaning to the notion of sub-prime performance," remarked the Archive's director Tom Blanton. "Instead of answering Freedom of Information requests, Treasury puts the burden on requesters to repeatedly confirm interest in their requests and actually destroys the original request letters the way Rose Mary Woods erased the tapes."

On one Archive request filed in 1997 about the Clinton administration's certification of Mexican efforts against drug trafficking, Treasury:

(1) repeatedly asked the Archive (in 2001, 2004 and 2007) if we were still interested (Treasury has sent the Archive 74 such letters for 42 different requests in the past seven years),

(2) asked for another copy of the request since the original had been "destroyed," (Treasury has asked for similar replacement letters for other Archive requests 42 times),

(3) finally closed the request without ever processing a document, claiming so much time had elapsed that the records had been retired to the National Archives (Treasury has asserted such claims in at least 10 of the Archive's FOIA cases).

Air Force was the recipient of the 2007 Rosemary for its status as an "E-Delinquent" in the 2007 National Security Archive audit of agency compliance with the Electronic FOIA, which found 139 broken links on the Air Force FOIA Web sites. In its latest Audit, 'Mixed Signals, Mixed Results: How President Bush's Executive Order on FOIA Failed to Deliver,' the National Security Archive found that the Air Force has since made significant strides in improving its FOIA Web site and developing it into an effective tool for FOIA requesters.

The Archive presented the 2006 Rosemary Award to the Central Intelligence Agency for "the most dramatic one-year drop-off in professionalism and responsiveness to the public we have seen in 20 years of monitoring federal government compliance with the freedom of information law." After this poor performance, however, the CIA received high marks for its E-FOIA performance in the Archive's audit, 'File Not Found: 10 Years After E-FOIA, Most Federal Agencies Are Delinquent,' and for its handling of backlogged FOIA requests in the Archive's latest audit 'Mixed Signals, Mixed Results: How President Bush's Executive Order on FOIA Failed to Deliver.'

Visit the Web site of the National
Security Archive for more information about today's posting.

http://www.nsarchive.org

THE NATIONAL
SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals.

MILITARY CONTRACT March 18, 2008

AIR FORCE

Orbital Science Corp., Launch Systems Group of Chandler, Ariz.; Space Vector Corp., of Chatsworth, Calif.; L-3 Communications Corp., Coleman Aerospace of
Orlando, Fla.; and ATK Launch Systems of ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah, are being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for $250,000,000. This action will provide multiple awards with a seven year ordering period to provide engineering and technical services necessary to support the Sounding Rocket Program three. The Sounding Rocket Program three provides launch systems and services for sun-orbital ballistic trajectories up to 5,500 km downrange. At this time $200,000 has been obligated. Robins AFB, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8523-07-C-0008-PZ0001).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems of Marietta, Ga., is being awarded a modified contract for $133,200,000. This contract modification is an undefinitized contract action (UCA) for the procurement of two FY 09 KC-130J aircraft and the associated long lead effort. At this time $30,000,000 has been obligated. Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA8625-06-C-6456 P00033).

ITT Avionics of Chandler, Ariz., is being awarded a modified firm fixed price contract for $78,172,524. This requirement is for Foreign
Military Sales of the ALQ-211(V)4 Advanced Integrated Defense Electronics Warfare system to the country of Pakistan. This Electronic Warfare system will be used on the F-16 aircraft being procured under separate acquisition by the F-16 program office. Associated spares, support equipment, training, engineering services, flight test support and data are also being acquired under this contract. At this time $39,003,041 has been obligated. Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA8818-08-D-0036, FA8816-08-D-0037, FA8818-08-D-0038, and F8818-08-D-0039).

DEFENSE LOGISTIC AGENCY

Sysco Foodservices of Conn., Rock Hill, Conn., is being awarded a maximum $35,261,204.28 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for full line garrison feeding support. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Federal Civilian Agencies. The original proposal was solicited on FEDBIZOPS with three responses. This contract is a six year contract with two year base term and three 18-month option periods. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Mar. 22, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3238).

Sopakco, Inc., Mullins, S.C.* is being awarded a maximum $8,878,080.00 firm fixed price contract for first strike rations. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were 38 proposals originally solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Jan. 31, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM3S1-08-D-Z101).

Sysco Foodservices of Northern New England, Westbrook,
Maine is being awarded $6,984,773.94 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for full line garrison feeding support. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Navy, Air Force, and Federal Civilian Agencies. The original proposal was solicited on FEDBIZOPS with three responses. This contract is a six year contract with two year base term and three 18-month option periods. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Mar. 22, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3237).

NAVY

EDO RSS,
Morgan Hill, Calif., is being awarded a $7,751,810 delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-05-G-0006) for manufacturing and delivery of 38 R-4100 chassis with internal TN-500 Digital RF Tuner and Automatic Identification System (AIS) capabilities for the P-3 aircraft. Work will be conducted in Morgan Hill, Calif. and work is expected to be completed in Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity.

Correction: The contract announcement awarded on Mar. 14, 2008, to International
Military and Government LLC, Warrenville, Ill, contract number M67854-07-D5032, should have read the delivery order amount as $405,963,830 vice $410,730,320.

U.S., Russian Officials Agree to Create Strategic Framework Document

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

March 18, 2008 - After two days of intense talks here, U.S. and Russian officials have agreed to a draft of a "strategic framework" document that will hopefully guide the two sides through dealing with tough issues such as a European missile defense plan. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the draft to Russian President Vladimir Putin and their Russian counterparts at the start of their talks yesterday and have since been hammering out its details.

The document contains about a dozen initiatives, many which are already in the works between the two countries, but it also contains missile defense and strategic arms reduction treaty initiatives -- two most contentious points between the two countries.
"We had the opportunity to elaborate on a number of confidence building measures and measures for transparency to provide assurance to the Russian Republic that our missile sites and radars would not constitute a threat to Russia," Gates said in mid-day press conference with Rice and Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov and Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"I think both President Putin [yesterday] and our Russian colleagues today found these ideas useful and important ... and they will be studying them further," Gates said.

The bulk of the effort the past two days was working through the missile defense and strategic arms reduction treaty topics, said a senior U.S. official later, speaking on background.

Gates was on hand to clarify some points in the initiatives that were thought to be mistaken or misunderstood by the Russian
leaders. Officials worked through the document paragraph by paragraph and an edited document derived from the talks will be delivered to the Russians before the secretaries leave tomorrow. Their leaders have promised to have their experts "analyze" it, the official said.

"I think based on the discussions we've had in the last 24 hours, we feel like we've moved the ball forward here in Moscow," the official said.

This is not the first time U.S. officials have put their ideas in writing for the Russians. In the first of these talks officials agreed to submit their proposals in writing. Lower-level U.S. and Russian officials have met about a half-dozen times in the past year. But this document is collective, collaborative and aimed at reconstructing a relationship that was sliding downward on tough issues, obscuring in part the issues that the two countries were making progress, the official said.

The official said the United States wanted "to capture those areas where we have made progress and try to frame up those where we have differences in a larger context which includes all the progress."

Also, with each iteration of the document, levels of detail are added to the complex agreements, the official said.

Russian officials agreed that the United States was working to assuage their fears that the proposed missile defense sites planed for Poland and the Czech Republic will not become a threat to their country. They also agreed that it is important to maintain continuity while both administrations transitioning its top leadership in the next several months.

But, Russia's Defense Minister finished the talks by reiterating their current stand on the U.S. proposal.

"In principle our positions have not changed," Serdyukov said. "We can say that we have a lot of work to do but we need to see these proposals to look at them, to understand them, and then, following the work at the expert level, we'll make a decision on how to move forward."

The Russian foreign minister also said that the best way to allay their concerns would be to not build the missile defense sites. But he also said that the proposal would be sent to Putin once they are reviewed.

"While not agreeing with us on substantial issues, they [the U.S.] recognize that we have these concerns and they put forward proposals aimed at allaying or making these concerns [minor]," Lavrov said.

Because of the Russians' concerns about the missile defense plan and a strategic arms treaty, getting them to allow those items into the strategic framework document is in itself progress, a senior U.S. official said.

"No one on either side expected dramatic breakthroughs. But we were pleased by the progress we made. A lot of work remains but it was a productive day-and-a-half of talks," the senior official said. "This is realistically what we hoped for."

Secretary Rice said at the news conference that the two countries had good discussions even on the tough issues.

"We have agreed on the elements that will be included in the document and have made considerable progress on a number of them," Rice said.

"We have work to do but I think it is fair to say that U.S.-Russian relations ... [are] proceeding in a way that we are able to go forward in various areas of cooperation and when we have differences we can talk about them in an atmosphere of mutual respect," Rice said.

Gates, in coming to the talks, was very vocal about expecting the Russians to be responsive to the United States' efforts to allay their fears about the missile defense system.

"I would say that they listened very carefully. President Putin took extensive notes and obviously there was a lot done during the day today," Gates said. "... I would expect and hope that we would hear back from them reasonably quickly."

A senior U.S. official later said that he expected to be back negotiating with the Russians in less than six months.

"There's grounds for much more rapid follow up work," he said. "We've really set the stage with these talks here."