By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - The United States remains steadfast in its support of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, President Bush pledged to U.S. military veterans gathered in Orlando, Fla., today. "The United States of America will continue to support Georgia's democracy," Bush vowed to Veterans of Foreign Wars members at their convention.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military "will continue to provide needed humanitarian aid to the Georgian people," he said.
Russian troops have occupied the northern Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia for days since Russian troops and regional separatists joined forces to defeat Georgian troops during a series of battles that began Aug. 7.
France recently brokered a cease-fire agreement between Russia and Georgia, but the Russians have been slow to withdraw their troops from Georgian soil as agreed. Though the Russians have said they'll pull out their troops, U.S. officials have noted, there's been little evidence of that yet.
Bush repeatedly denounced Moscow's military incursion into Georgia as "unacceptable in the 21st century."
"South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia, and the United States will work with our allies to ensure Georgia's independence and territorial integrity," Bush said in Orlando.
Georgia established a democratic government in 2003. Since then, Georgia and Ukraine, another eastern European country that also was once in the former Soviet Union's orbit, have both asked to be admitted as members of NATO. The Russian government often has cited its displeasure at the thought of such an event ever taking place.
The Russians also are upset about a planned U.S.-Polish-Czech missile interceptor system that U.S. officials say doesn't threaten Moscow and is instead designed as a deterrent against rogue states' ballistic missiles. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski signed the missile-defense agreement today in Warsaw. The Czech Republic reportedly has agreed to base radar nodes for the system.
This morning, senior Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters that unofficial reports indicate Russian military forces began a withdrawal from the Georgian town of Gori last evening. However, U.S. officials are "going to have to see whether or not that is the beginning of a true withdrawal," Whitman said.
NATO is reevaluating the nature of its relationship with Russia in view of its military actions in Georgia, Bush said in Orlando today. NATO leaders have "determined that business as usual cannot continue with Russia, and the alliance agreed to help Georgia by sending NATO teams to assess the country's needs and by forming a new NATO-Georgia commission," Bush said.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Afflicted Soldier Exemplifies 'America's Heroes at Work'
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - After being medically retired from the Army last year as a result of mental wounds he suffered in Iraq, Michael Bradley faced a daunting challenge that would later prove pivotal in his recovery: holding down a job in the civilian world. But a new education campaign, America's Heroes at Work, aims to make employment a less intimidating transition by teaching bosses and managers how to accommodate workers like Bradley -- a pool of productive, capable employees who are afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.
Bradley, who today joined officials from the departments of Labor and Defense and industry representatives at a news conference to kick off the new program, shared his story with American Forces Press Service.
With six years under his belt as an active-duty medic, Bradley's move back to civilian life was precipitated by a roadside bomb in Baqouba, Iraq, that detonated under his vehicle.
"I was driving a high-profile individual," recalled Bradley, a former staff sergeant with the Army's 4th Infantry Division. "All I remember is that I saw the flash, and I pulled him to get him out of the way of the blast. That's all I remember."
Moments later, a 155 mm mortar struck the driver's seat. "A piece of shrapnel had taken out my seat where I was sitting; it probably would have killed me," he said. But the preceding blast that knocked him unconscious had caused him to slump over and out of the way.
Though he escaped the horrific scene without serious physical wounds, the scar tissue on the former staff sergeant's mind is still fresh. His memories are so raw that the sound of a slammed door makes him edgy and on guard.
"I went to Disneyland, and the cannons starting firing off the ship," Bradley recalled. "And here I am low-crawling across the ground, knowing full well that I'm in Disneyland, but my body's reacting.
"My mind is saying, 'Get up you fool.' But my body's saying, 'No. I'm not going to do it,'" he said.
Intense physiological responses to harmless stimuli often are a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury -- known as PTSD and TBI -- afflictions that affect Bradley and an estimated 20 percent of U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report by the Rand Corporation.
But Bradley, who was hired as an analyst with Halfacre & Associates in February, has found that, in addition to dispelling his fears that the skills he learned in the Army wouldn't translate into a civilian job, his employment also has helped on the road to recovery.
"To get back into the work force and be able to see that I can succeed [and that] what I wrote down on my resume is true, and that I can do it, and I have a lot to offer ... has really decreased stress," he said. "To overcome those obstacles, and being able to be out in the work force, has really helped emphasize that I can do it and I can succeed."
Bradley, 27, credits his patient boss for exercising understanding when Bradley takes occasional brief breaks from work to mitigate problems stemming from his ailments. Common symptoms can include dizziness, headaches and anxiety, according to the Department of Labor.
But in most cases, employers need only make modest and inexpensive changes -- most totaling under $500 -- to adapt a workplace to fit the needs of an employee with similar mental afflictions, said Neil Romano, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.
The mitigation of minor symptoms, which in some instances can take the form of basic accommodations like providing better-lit office space or a quieter work area, can pay huge dividends, Romano said. Eighty percent of the time, he added, effects of mild TBI cases disappear in about a year.
"We can't lose their productivity; we can't lose their skills; we can't lose their value to society," Romano said last week. "These are human beings that deserve the opportunity to continue doing what it is they want to do, which is to continue to be productive in society."
Romano noted that while the America's Heroes at Work initiative applies to a wide range of Americans suffering from PTSD and TBI, the nation has a special obligation to its returning veterans.
"An initiative like this is terribly important, because if you're going to have one in five veterans coming home with this, they're just not people we can afford to forget or lose," he said. "They didn't forget us, they did their job. And we can't [forget them]."
The Labor Department spent almost a half-million dollars developing the program's Web site, americasheroesatwork.gov, Romano said, adding that additional contributions have come from interagency and business partners.
David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said the Labor Department-led effort is to create the kind of environment that "promotes resiliency."
"What Labor is trying is to do, in my judgment, is help employers understand [that] if you support [the employee], he'll perk back up again," Chu said. "It's a bit like being on team with a good coach. You've got a good coach, that performer somehow finds an extra amount of energy, an extra effort.
"What we're hoping to do is to give each one of these veterans a little bit of extra coaching, a little bit of extra help that will get them to the finish line," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - After being medically retired from the Army last year as a result of mental wounds he suffered in Iraq, Michael Bradley faced a daunting challenge that would later prove pivotal in his recovery: holding down a job in the civilian world. But a new education campaign, America's Heroes at Work, aims to make employment a less intimidating transition by teaching bosses and managers how to accommodate workers like Bradley -- a pool of productive, capable employees who are afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.
Bradley, who today joined officials from the departments of Labor and Defense and industry representatives at a news conference to kick off the new program, shared his story with American Forces Press Service.
With six years under his belt as an active-duty medic, Bradley's move back to civilian life was precipitated by a roadside bomb in Baqouba, Iraq, that detonated under his vehicle.
"I was driving a high-profile individual," recalled Bradley, a former staff sergeant with the Army's 4th Infantry Division. "All I remember is that I saw the flash, and I pulled him to get him out of the way of the blast. That's all I remember."
Moments later, a 155 mm mortar struck the driver's seat. "A piece of shrapnel had taken out my seat where I was sitting; it probably would have killed me," he said. But the preceding blast that knocked him unconscious had caused him to slump over and out of the way.
Though he escaped the horrific scene without serious physical wounds, the scar tissue on the former staff sergeant's mind is still fresh. His memories are so raw that the sound of a slammed door makes him edgy and on guard.
"I went to Disneyland, and the cannons starting firing off the ship," Bradley recalled. "And here I am low-crawling across the ground, knowing full well that I'm in Disneyland, but my body's reacting.
"My mind is saying, 'Get up you fool.' But my body's saying, 'No. I'm not going to do it,'" he said.
Intense physiological responses to harmless stimuli often are a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury -- known as PTSD and TBI -- afflictions that affect Bradley and an estimated 20 percent of U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report by the Rand Corporation.
But Bradley, who was hired as an analyst with Halfacre & Associates in February, has found that, in addition to dispelling his fears that the skills he learned in the Army wouldn't translate into a civilian job, his employment also has helped on the road to recovery.
"To get back into the work force and be able to see that I can succeed [and that] what I wrote down on my resume is true, and that I can do it, and I have a lot to offer ... has really decreased stress," he said. "To overcome those obstacles, and being able to be out in the work force, has really helped emphasize that I can do it and I can succeed."
Bradley, 27, credits his patient boss for exercising understanding when Bradley takes occasional brief breaks from work to mitigate problems stemming from his ailments. Common symptoms can include dizziness, headaches and anxiety, according to the Department of Labor.
But in most cases, employers need only make modest and inexpensive changes -- most totaling under $500 -- to adapt a workplace to fit the needs of an employee with similar mental afflictions, said Neil Romano, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.
The mitigation of minor symptoms, which in some instances can take the form of basic accommodations like providing better-lit office space or a quieter work area, can pay huge dividends, Romano said. Eighty percent of the time, he added, effects of mild TBI cases disappear in about a year.
"We can't lose their productivity; we can't lose their skills; we can't lose their value to society," Romano said last week. "These are human beings that deserve the opportunity to continue doing what it is they want to do, which is to continue to be productive in society."
Romano noted that while the America's Heroes at Work initiative applies to a wide range of Americans suffering from PTSD and TBI, the nation has a special obligation to its returning veterans.
"An initiative like this is terribly important, because if you're going to have one in five veterans coming home with this, they're just not people we can afford to forget or lose," he said. "They didn't forget us, they did their job. And we can't [forget them]."
The Labor Department spent almost a half-million dollars developing the program's Web site, americasheroesatwork.gov, Romano said, adding that additional contributions have come from interagency and business partners.
David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said the Labor Department-led effort is to create the kind of environment that "promotes resiliency."
"What Labor is trying is to do, in my judgment, is help employers understand [that] if you support [the employee], he'll perk back up again," Chu said. "It's a bit like being on team with a good coach. You've got a good coach, that performer somehow finds an extra amount of energy, an extra effort.
"What we're hoping to do is to give each one of these veterans a little bit of extra coaching, a little bit of extra help that will get them to the finish line," he said.
Bush Salutes Veterans, Present-Day Military at VFW Convention
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - The United States is beholden to servicemembers fighting the war against terrorism and to military veterans who served in past conflicts, President Bush said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Orlando, Fla., today. "America owes the men and women of the VFW a debt that could really never be repaid," Bush said to a group that included some of today's servicemembers as well as veterans of past conflicts. "You fought for our freedoms. And then when you came home, you volunteered to continue to serve this nation."
Bush also thanked and praised present-day U.S. servicemembers for their service during the global war against terrorism.
"I want to thank the members of the armed forces that are here today," the president said. "There is no greater honor than being the commander in chief of the United States military, and I'm proud to be in your presence." Bush told servicemembers.
The men and women of the VFW not only support today's servicemembers, Bush said, but also mentor youth groups. The organization, he added, also sponsors blood drives and sends packages to overseas-deployed military members.
The federal government, the VFW and municipal authorities, have teamed up to expand grant money to assist homeless veterans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Bush said.
No military veteran "who served in distant lands should have to live without shelter in the land they fought to defend," Bush said, and he added that quality of service and care for injured servicemembers have been improved "to help our wounded warriors build lives of hope and promise and dignity."
The federal government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to develop new treatment for conditions such as traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, Bush said.
America's military members, like the veterans before them, "deserve our full support," Bush said, "because they are defending America in our nation's first war in the 21st century."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - The United States is beholden to servicemembers fighting the war against terrorism and to military veterans who served in past conflicts, President Bush said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Orlando, Fla., today. "America owes the men and women of the VFW a debt that could really never be repaid," Bush said to a group that included some of today's servicemembers as well as veterans of past conflicts. "You fought for our freedoms. And then when you came home, you volunteered to continue to serve this nation."
Bush also thanked and praised present-day U.S. servicemembers for their service during the global war against terrorism.
"I want to thank the members of the armed forces that are here today," the president said. "There is no greater honor than being the commander in chief of the United States military, and I'm proud to be in your presence." Bush told servicemembers.
The men and women of the VFW not only support today's servicemembers, Bush said, but also mentor youth groups. The organization, he added, also sponsors blood drives and sends packages to overseas-deployed military members.
The federal government, the VFW and municipal authorities, have teamed up to expand grant money to assist homeless veterans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Bush said.
No military veteran "who served in distant lands should have to live without shelter in the land they fought to defend," Bush said, and he added that quality of service and care for injured servicemembers have been improved "to help our wounded warriors build lives of hope and promise and dignity."
The federal government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to develop new treatment for conditions such as traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, Bush said.
America's military members, like the veterans before them, "deserve our full support," Bush said, "because they are defending America in our nation's first war in the 21st century."
Civilian-Leader Engagement Builds Understanding, Advocacy
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - When Jason Reed scanned the horizon from the bridge of USS Tarawa during this year's Fuerzas Aliadas Panamax exercise, the Walt Disney Studios executive vice president wasn't scouting out a location for an upcoming motion picture. Reed was among civilian business and civic leaders from around the country who traveled here yesterday to observe the ongoing Panamax 2008 exercise.
The annual exercise began Aug. 11 and continues through Aug. 22, bringing together air, ground and naval forces from 20 countries to confront a fictional terrorist group threatening the Panama Canal.
U.S. Southern Command, which is sponsoring Panamax, invited the community leaders to see the exercise activity first hand so they could return home to share what they learned.
The trip was part of an increasing effort within SouthCom and throughout the Defense Department to reach out to "movers and shakers" within the civilian community to help educate them about the military.
Mario Alvarez, SouthCom's communication and outreach chief, organized the trip as part of his campaign to increase awareness about the command, which has no units, no bases and only about 1,500 people assigned to its Miami headquarters.
"The way I look at it, the more knowledge people have and the more understanding they have of what we do, the better," he said.
The Defense Department has long recognized the importance of reaching out to influential members of the civilian community so they could draw their own conclusions about the military rather than relying on what they read in newspapers or see on TV.
The first U.S. defense secretary, James V. Forrestal, created the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference program in 1948 to introduce civilian leaders with little or no military exposure to the workings of the armed forces. Six decades later, the JCOC remains the department's premier civic leader program. Participants in the twice-annual trips are selected from hundreds of candidates nominated by military commands worldwide and pay their own expenses.
Most of the leaders who visited the Panamax exercise yesterday, including Reed, were past JCOC participants. "We want to maintain that relationship after we start it," Alvarez said. "Our goal is to build stakeholders."
Other participants, like David Stritzinger, chief technical officer for Brightstar Corp., and Bert de Armas, a senior vice president at Mellon United National Bank, were Miami area leaders getting their first exposure to both SouthCom and the military.
Alvarez remembers his amazement after arriving at the SouthCom job three years ago that many local leaders knew little about the combatant command on their doorstep. Committed to changing that, he joined the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and other civic organizations, set up a speakers bureau to get SouthCom staff to speak to groups about the command, and started an aggressive community outreach program.
"We need to change people's perception of the military so they understand that what we do isn't all about killing," Alvarez said. "We're involved in humanitarian assistance. We do disaster relief. We train other military forces in our area. We need people to see these things so they can go back and talk about what they've learned with their circles."
Toward that end, SouthCom now sponsors about four trips a year within its area of responsibility so community leaders can see its operations. Alvarez has taken numerous civilian groups to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to observe detainee operations. He recently took them aboard USS Kearsarge, which is transiting Central and South America and the Caribbean, providing desperately needed medical, dental and veterinary care as well as engineering assistance.
Yesterday, another group of civilian leaders spent a day visiting the combined exercise control group's center for the Panamax exercise, then boarded UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to fly offshore to the USS Tarawa, the command and control flagship for the exercise.
Throughout their visit, group members received briefings about the activities of about 7,000 troops, more than 30 ships and a dozen aircraft involved in the exercise.
Navy Capt. Brian Luther, commander of USS Tarawa, conceded to the civilians as they toured his vessel that it's "a technological marvel." But Luther said he hoped a bigger takeaway would be new insights into people like 21-year-old Seaman Spencer Williams, who was steering the Tarawa while the group visited the bridge. "The true treasure here is the men and women who serve here who are very proud of their ship and of what they do," he said.
"It's pretty amazing to have them see a multi-billion-dollar asset being run for the most part by 19- and 20-year-olds," agreed Navy Capt. David F. Bean, Tarawa's executive officer. "We entrust them with a tremendous amount of responsibility, and they live up to it. We have a lot of bright kids on board. I hope [the civilian leaders] take that message back with them."
Dan Simons, president of the electronic division at The World Company of Lawrence, Kan., and co-manager of WorldWest LLC, said the visit "reaffirmed what a great job our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are doing."
Living in a college town, Simons said, he sees examples of young people he refers to as "slackers." Not so, he said, in the military. "They're doing a [kick-butt] job," he said. "They're really good people."
John Stross, owner of Leverock's Restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla., said the visit gave him a new appreciation of those who serve in the military as well as their leaders. "These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and being led by some of the country's very best," he said. "It's scary to think what we would do without them."
Reed, the Walt Disney moviemaker, said he walked away from the visit struck by everything from the professionalism of the crew to the flexibility of the Tarawa to handle different missions to the multinational scope of SouthCom's operations.
Reed conceded that political debate sometimes overshadows "the incredible job" servicemembers are doing and the professionalism of the military as an organization. He said he'll strive to apply these insights to his movie-making ventures so he's able to more accurately portray "not just the technical aspects, but also the spirit of the military."
Ultimately, Reed said, everyone benefits when civilians have a better understanding of their military and how it operates.
"As an engaged citizen who is more knowledgeable about what our government is doing, you're better able to act as an advocate," he said. "And it's important to have civilians be advocates, particularly for the men and women who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety and security."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - When Jason Reed scanned the horizon from the bridge of USS Tarawa during this year's Fuerzas Aliadas Panamax exercise, the Walt Disney Studios executive vice president wasn't scouting out a location for an upcoming motion picture. Reed was among civilian business and civic leaders from around the country who traveled here yesterday to observe the ongoing Panamax 2008 exercise.
The annual exercise began Aug. 11 and continues through Aug. 22, bringing together air, ground and naval forces from 20 countries to confront a fictional terrorist group threatening the Panama Canal.
U.S. Southern Command, which is sponsoring Panamax, invited the community leaders to see the exercise activity first hand so they could return home to share what they learned.
The trip was part of an increasing effort within SouthCom and throughout the Defense Department to reach out to "movers and shakers" within the civilian community to help educate them about the military.
Mario Alvarez, SouthCom's communication and outreach chief, organized the trip as part of his campaign to increase awareness about the command, which has no units, no bases and only about 1,500 people assigned to its Miami headquarters.
"The way I look at it, the more knowledge people have and the more understanding they have of what we do, the better," he said.
The Defense Department has long recognized the importance of reaching out to influential members of the civilian community so they could draw their own conclusions about the military rather than relying on what they read in newspapers or see on TV.
The first U.S. defense secretary, James V. Forrestal, created the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference program in 1948 to introduce civilian leaders with little or no military exposure to the workings of the armed forces. Six decades later, the JCOC remains the department's premier civic leader program. Participants in the twice-annual trips are selected from hundreds of candidates nominated by military commands worldwide and pay their own expenses.
Most of the leaders who visited the Panamax exercise yesterday, including Reed, were past JCOC participants. "We want to maintain that relationship after we start it," Alvarez said. "Our goal is to build stakeholders."
Other participants, like David Stritzinger, chief technical officer for Brightstar Corp., and Bert de Armas, a senior vice president at Mellon United National Bank, were Miami area leaders getting their first exposure to both SouthCom and the military.
Alvarez remembers his amazement after arriving at the SouthCom job three years ago that many local leaders knew little about the combatant command on their doorstep. Committed to changing that, he joined the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and other civic organizations, set up a speakers bureau to get SouthCom staff to speak to groups about the command, and started an aggressive community outreach program.
"We need to change people's perception of the military so they understand that what we do isn't all about killing," Alvarez said. "We're involved in humanitarian assistance. We do disaster relief. We train other military forces in our area. We need people to see these things so they can go back and talk about what they've learned with their circles."
Toward that end, SouthCom now sponsors about four trips a year within its area of responsibility so community leaders can see its operations. Alvarez has taken numerous civilian groups to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to observe detainee operations. He recently took them aboard USS Kearsarge, which is transiting Central and South America and the Caribbean, providing desperately needed medical, dental and veterinary care as well as engineering assistance.
Yesterday, another group of civilian leaders spent a day visiting the combined exercise control group's center for the Panamax exercise, then boarded UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to fly offshore to the USS Tarawa, the command and control flagship for the exercise.
Throughout their visit, group members received briefings about the activities of about 7,000 troops, more than 30 ships and a dozen aircraft involved in the exercise.
Navy Capt. Brian Luther, commander of USS Tarawa, conceded to the civilians as they toured his vessel that it's "a technological marvel." But Luther said he hoped a bigger takeaway would be new insights into people like 21-year-old Seaman Spencer Williams, who was steering the Tarawa while the group visited the bridge. "The true treasure here is the men and women who serve here who are very proud of their ship and of what they do," he said.
"It's pretty amazing to have them see a multi-billion-dollar asset being run for the most part by 19- and 20-year-olds," agreed Navy Capt. David F. Bean, Tarawa's executive officer. "We entrust them with a tremendous amount of responsibility, and they live up to it. We have a lot of bright kids on board. I hope [the civilian leaders] take that message back with them."
Dan Simons, president of the electronic division at The World Company of Lawrence, Kan., and co-manager of WorldWest LLC, said the visit "reaffirmed what a great job our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are doing."
Living in a college town, Simons said, he sees examples of young people he refers to as "slackers." Not so, he said, in the military. "They're doing a [kick-butt] job," he said. "They're really good people."
John Stross, owner of Leverock's Restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla., said the visit gave him a new appreciation of those who serve in the military as well as their leaders. "These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and being led by some of the country's very best," he said. "It's scary to think what we would do without them."
Reed, the Walt Disney moviemaker, said he walked away from the visit struck by everything from the professionalism of the crew to the flexibility of the Tarawa to handle different missions to the multinational scope of SouthCom's operations.
Reed conceded that political debate sometimes overshadows "the incredible job" servicemembers are doing and the professionalism of the military as an organization. He said he'll strive to apply these insights to his movie-making ventures so he's able to more accurately portray "not just the technical aspects, but also the spirit of the military."
Ultimately, Reed said, everyone benefits when civilians have a better understanding of their military and how it operates.
"As an engaged citizen who is more knowledgeable about what our government is doing, you're better able to act as an advocate," he said. "And it's important to have civilians be advocates, particularly for the men and women who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety and security."
Russian Forces Reportedly Withdrawing From Georgian Town
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - Unofficial reports indicate that Russian troops began to withdraw from the Georgian town of Gori last evening, a senior Defense Department spokesman said here today. "We're going to have to see whether or not that is the beginning of a true withdrawal," Bryan Whitman said, or "some sort of token effort."
Meanwhile, deliveries of U.S. humanitarian supplies to Georgia continue, Whitman said. About 264 tons of supplies have been air-delivered to Georgia so far, he said.
Whitman also told reporters that Russian troops in Georgia took some U.S. military Humvee vehicles. He said he didn't have a number of confiscated vehicles to provide to reporters, but he noted that they are U.S. government property.
The Humvee issue "is unresolved at this point," Whitman said.
Russia escalated a simmering conflict with neighboring Georgia when it invaded the former Soviet republic, followed by bombing civilian infrastructure and wreaking "havoc and destruction" in Georgian villages, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference in conjunction with a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, earlier this week.
"The behavior of Russia in this most recent crisis is isolating Russia from the principles of cooperation among nations of the communities of states," Rice said. "It is not an act of the United States or the European Union or anyone else to isolate Russia, it is what Russia is doing."
In a strongly worded statement, NATO leaders today called for an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces to pre-conflict levels. This posture is in accordance with a peace agreement signed late last week by Russia's President Dmitriy Medvedev and Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Aug. 20, 2008 - Unofficial reports indicate that Russian troops began to withdraw from the Georgian town of Gori last evening, a senior Defense Department spokesman said here today. "We're going to have to see whether or not that is the beginning of a true withdrawal," Bryan Whitman said, or "some sort of token effort."
Meanwhile, deliveries of U.S. humanitarian supplies to Georgia continue, Whitman said. About 264 tons of supplies have been air-delivered to Georgia so far, he said.
Whitman also told reporters that Russian troops in Georgia took some U.S. military Humvee vehicles. He said he didn't have a number of confiscated vehicles to provide to reporters, but he noted that they are U.S. government property.
The Humvee issue "is unresolved at this point," Whitman said.
Russia escalated a simmering conflict with neighboring Georgia when it invaded the former Soviet republic, followed by bombing civilian infrastructure and wreaking "havoc and destruction" in Georgian villages, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference in conjunction with a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, earlier this week.
"The behavior of Russia in this most recent crisis is isolating Russia from the principles of cooperation among nations of the communities of states," Rice said. "It is not an act of the United States or the European Union or anyone else to isolate Russia, it is what Russia is doing."
In a strongly worded statement, NATO leaders today called for an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces to pre-conflict levels. This posture is in accordance with a peace agreement signed late last week by Russia's President Dmitriy Medvedev and Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Manufacturing Company Employees Unite to Support Guard Coworker
By Sara Moore
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - When they found out one of their own was going to deploy overseas with the Tennessee National Guard, the leadership and employees of Lochinvar Corp. didn't waste any time. They immediately found out what they could do to help, and they worked together to help him and his unit before, during and after the deployment. The deploying employee, Army Sgt. 1st Class Bill Jacobs, who was an Apache helicopter platoon sergeant with the National Guard and a manufacturing engineer manager with Lochinvar, was so impressed with the level of support he received that he nominated the company for the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
Lochinvar, a manufacturing company specializing in water heaters, boilers, pool heaters and storage tanks, is one of 15 companies selected to receive the award.
When the president of Lochinvar, Bill Vallett Jr., found out about Jacobs' deployment, he assured him his job would be waiting for him when he got back and then asked what else the company could do to help. Right away, Lochinvar donated $2,000 to help start up and support the unit family readiness group.
When Jacobs deployed in February 2006 to Afghanistan, Lochinvar's 400 employees decided to "adopt" him and his unit. They organized a drive to collect items that the troops requested, such as headlamps, DVDs, books, hard-to-get goods and food. Lochinvar ended up sending 15 large boxes, which even included 200 pounds of topsoil, grass seed and fertilizer to build a small plot of grass at the unit command post.
"It is hard to describe the pride I had in the company, and the overwhelming thanks of the soldiers," Jacobs said of his feelings upon receiving the shipment. The grass was a unique touch, he said. His unit had the only plot of grass in Kandahar, and it gave a taste of home to soldiers, airmen and NATO forces throughout the task force, he said.
Lochinvar's support didn't end there, Jacobs said. The employees sent two more shipments to his unit during the deployment. One was at Christmastime and included cards for every soldier, wrapped presents, enough goods for distribution to other units in the task force and a 6-foot-tall Christmas tree with ornaments and lights. The other was in the summer and included inflatable pools, which offered welcome relief from the searing heat, he said.
Lochinvar also sent a shipment of hundreds of stuffed animals to hand out to children in Afghanistan, Jacobs said. The employees also kept in touch with Jacobs and his fellow soldiers and featured updates on the unit in the company newsletter.
Vallett credits his employees for the support, saying they went "above and beyond" in their efforts to support Jacobs and his unit. "We're very proud of our employees and their involvement in the support of the troops," he said.
While Jacobs was deployed, Lochinvar continued his full salary and benefits and provided two salary increases he was scheduled to receive. The company also kept in touch with his family and included them in company functions.
When Jacobs returned from his deployment, Lochinvar continued supporting him by checking on him and his family and helping him make up for missed payments to his retirement fund, he said. The employees, still eager to show their support for the troops overseas, found a new servicemember to adopt: another coworker had a daughter in the Marines who was deployed to Iraq.
Jacobs recently retired from the military, but is still going strong with Lochinvar.
"The people and the management are outstanding and truly make working here enjoyable," he said. "I have been provided the opportunity to make a difference in the operation, direction and success of the company."
Employees with military training and experience benefit the company with their knowledge and discipline, Vallett said, and he and the rest of his employees are happy to support them in their military careers.
"I think it's pretty simple. Certainly, it's a tremendous sacrifice for the National Guard and the disruption that they have in their life to go and fight for our freedom," he said. "They're sacrificing so much; we can sacrifice just a little to support them."
Lochinvar will receive the Freedom Award along with 14 other companies in a ceremony Sept. 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional support from the employer community.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - When they found out one of their own was going to deploy overseas with the Tennessee National Guard, the leadership and employees of Lochinvar Corp. didn't waste any time. They immediately found out what they could do to help, and they worked together to help him and his unit before, during and after the deployment. The deploying employee, Army Sgt. 1st Class Bill Jacobs, who was an Apache helicopter platoon sergeant with the National Guard and a manufacturing engineer manager with Lochinvar, was so impressed with the level of support he received that he nominated the company for the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
Lochinvar, a manufacturing company specializing in water heaters, boilers, pool heaters and storage tanks, is one of 15 companies selected to receive the award.
When the president of Lochinvar, Bill Vallett Jr., found out about Jacobs' deployment, he assured him his job would be waiting for him when he got back and then asked what else the company could do to help. Right away, Lochinvar donated $2,000 to help start up and support the unit family readiness group.
When Jacobs deployed in February 2006 to Afghanistan, Lochinvar's 400 employees decided to "adopt" him and his unit. They organized a drive to collect items that the troops requested, such as headlamps, DVDs, books, hard-to-get goods and food. Lochinvar ended up sending 15 large boxes, which even included 200 pounds of topsoil, grass seed and fertilizer to build a small plot of grass at the unit command post.
"It is hard to describe the pride I had in the company, and the overwhelming thanks of the soldiers," Jacobs said of his feelings upon receiving the shipment. The grass was a unique touch, he said. His unit had the only plot of grass in Kandahar, and it gave a taste of home to soldiers, airmen and NATO forces throughout the task force, he said.
Lochinvar's support didn't end there, Jacobs said. The employees sent two more shipments to his unit during the deployment. One was at Christmastime and included cards for every soldier, wrapped presents, enough goods for distribution to other units in the task force and a 6-foot-tall Christmas tree with ornaments and lights. The other was in the summer and included inflatable pools, which offered welcome relief from the searing heat, he said.
Lochinvar also sent a shipment of hundreds of stuffed animals to hand out to children in Afghanistan, Jacobs said. The employees also kept in touch with Jacobs and his fellow soldiers and featured updates on the unit in the company newsletter.
Vallett credits his employees for the support, saying they went "above and beyond" in their efforts to support Jacobs and his unit. "We're very proud of our employees and their involvement in the support of the troops," he said.
While Jacobs was deployed, Lochinvar continued his full salary and benefits and provided two salary increases he was scheduled to receive. The company also kept in touch with his family and included them in company functions.
When Jacobs returned from his deployment, Lochinvar continued supporting him by checking on him and his family and helping him make up for missed payments to his retirement fund, he said. The employees, still eager to show their support for the troops overseas, found a new servicemember to adopt: another coworker had a daughter in the Marines who was deployed to Iraq.
Jacobs recently retired from the military, but is still going strong with Lochinvar.
"The people and the management are outstanding and truly make working here enjoyable," he said. "I have been provided the opportunity to make a difference in the operation, direction and success of the company."
Employees with military training and experience benefit the company with their knowledge and discipline, Vallett said, and he and the rest of his employees are happy to support them in their military careers.
"I think it's pretty simple. Certainly, it's a tremendous sacrifice for the National Guard and the disruption that they have in their life to go and fight for our freedom," he said. "They're sacrificing so much; we can sacrifice just a little to support them."
Lochinvar will receive the Freedom Award along with 14 other companies in a ceremony Sept. 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional support from the employer community.
MILITARY CONTRACTS August 20, 2008
Navy
Core Tech International Corp., Tamuning, Guam, is being awarded a $41,956,600 firm-fixed-price contract to replace housing units at Old Apra, Phase 2, Naval Base, Guam. This is a design-build project with performance and prescriptive requirements provided by the Government. The family units will consist of single and duplex family housing units. As housing units are also typhoon shelters with special construction criteria for reinforced concrete structures, exterior doors, windows and storm shutters that will meet the provisions for withstanding typhoon wind speed of 170 mph, Exposure D and Zone 4 seismic loading. The contract contains one option at $7,633,400 which may be exercised within 180 calendar days, bringing the total cumulative value to $49,590,000. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 68 offers solicited and four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1310).
Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $19,567,500 firm-fixed-price task order 0004 under previously awarded contract (N62473-08-D-8609) for modifications to Hangar 6, Building 9670 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Modification will provide for Hangar 6 to accommodate two squadrons of MV-22 aircraft. The modifications will include a building extension onto the existing aircraft parking with sufficient internal plan area and clear height to accommodate the MV-22 when it is in airplane or helicopter configurations. The interior improvements will include installation of four new built-in cranes, electrical improvements, ventilation additions, compressed air, and installation of additional Aqueous Film Forming-Foam (AFFF) suppression system. Exterior improvements include new airfield surface pavement from the increased building foundation. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively procured with five proposals received under a multiple award construction contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $17,949,701 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under and existing contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle integrated logistic support sustainment parts, training equipment, training material, tool sets, outside the continental United States (OCONUS) FSRs, continental United States, and OCONUS admin tech. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.; Gulfport, Miss.; Port Hueneme, Calif.; Fort Story, Va.; Texarakana, Texas, and in OIF/OEF Area's of responsibilities, and work is expected to be completed December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Phoenix International, Inc., Largo, Md., is being awarded a $13,813,728 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4204) to exercise an option for services to manage, maintain, mobilize and operate the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS), including associated facilities and equipment. SRDRS is a highly portable and mobile submarine rescue and recompression system capable of transferring personnel from a disabled submarine, under pressure, from depths up to 2,000 feet. The contractor is tasked to operate and maintain the SRDRS and be capable of carrying out an end-to-end rescue operation and maintaining a high level of readiness for a worldwide deployment on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week basis. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (80 percent) and Largo, Md., (20 percent), and work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $3,367,830 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Koam Engineering Services, Inc.,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $12,868,413 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $33,550,763. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0134).
Actionet, Inc.,* Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $12,127,255 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $31,957,490. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0063).
Conexus, LLC,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $11,813,002 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $30,567,520. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0135).
ITT Corp., Aerospace Communications Division, Fort Wayne, Ind., is being awarded an $11,198,413 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). The SRW software application will operate on Joint Tactical Radio (JTR) sets to provide voice, data, and video tactical communications services in support of network-centric operations. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $116,947,363. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J., (90 percent) and Fort Wayne, Ind., (10 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2010 (Jul. 2010 with options exercised). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-07-C-5876).
Vector Planning and Service, Inc.,* Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $10,933,976 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,501,423. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an 8(a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0132).
S4 Inc.*, Bellevue, Neb., is being awarded a $10,432,967 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,307,413. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0133).
TSM Corp., Bartlett, Tenn., is being awarded an $8,210,420 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for professional support services in the areas of program management, engineering, logistics and financial management to the Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command New Orleans, La. This contract includes a one-year base period, and four one-year options, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $43,197,928. Work will be performed in New Orleans, La., (60 percent); and various CONUS locations (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This offer was awarded through full and open competition, with 12 offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Philadelphia Office is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z049)
AIR FORCE
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of McLean, Va.; Shafer Corp., of Chelmsford, Mass.; and Systems Research and Application Corporation of Fairfax, Va., are being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $95 million. This action will provide professional defense science, engineering, and technical non-personal advisory and assistance support services. At this time no funds have been obligated. AIR FORCE District of Washington/A7KI, Anacostia Annex, D.C., is the contracting activity (FA7014-08-D-0008 – Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; FA7014-08-D-0009 – Schafer Corp.; FA7014-08-D-0010 – SRA).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Point Blank Body Armor Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., is being awarded a maximum $22,151,750 firm fixed price and fixed quantity contract for outer tactical camouflage vests. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are ARMY, Navy, AIR FORCE, and Marine Corps. There were four proposals originally solicited with four responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Jan. 15, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-08-F-C005).
Sysco Food Services of Seattle, Kent, Wash., is being awarded a maximum $5,800,000 firm fixed price, indefinite quantity contract for full line food distribution service. Other location of performance is Anchorage, Ala. Using services are ARMY, AIR FORCE and Job Corps. This proposal was originally web solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is the third option year of a five-year contract which includes four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Aug. 26, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPm300-08-D-3160).
ARMY
Science Applications International Corp., Newton, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $8,622,630 cost plus fixed fee contract for the procurement of research and development for enhanced air purification media and system performance. Work will be performed in Newton, Mass., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2013. Bids were solicited via a Broad Agency Announcement with one bid received. U.S. ARMY Research and Development Command, Edgewood Branch, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W911SR-08-C-0052).
W.M. Jordan/Versar, Newport News, Va., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $27,500,000 firm-fixed price contract to construct standard-design barracks for 419 soldiers. Work includes living/sleeping rooms, private baths, walk-in closets, storage, mailroom, activity room, mudroom, visitor area, and centeral restroom/vending/payphone area. Work is to be performed at Fort Lee, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Three bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. ARMY Engineer District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0056).
Foulger-Pratt Contracting, LLC, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $33,094,000 fixed-price construction contract for two phase design-build headquarters command center, Missile Defense Agency. Work is to be performed at Fort Belvoir, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web with 11 bids received. U.S. ARMY Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0039).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $27,609,057 cost plus fixed fee contract modification to support incremental funding to support the requirement for 100 additional base expeditionary targeting and surveillance system-combined, rapid aerostat initial deployment systems. Work is to be performed at Andover, Md., with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. ARMY Space and Missile Defense Command, Contracting and Acquisition Management Office, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W9113M-08-C-0171).
AMEC EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., Plymouth Meeting, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $6,722,979 firm fixed price contract to supply the expertise, materials, labor and equipment necessary to design and construct helicopter parking ramp extensions, pre-engineered / expedient construction buildings, munitions storage area, and communications facilities. Work is to be performed at the Taji National Depot, Iraq with and estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2009. Four bids were solicited with three bids received. Gulf Region Division, Central District, Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq is the contracting activity (w917bg-07-d-0010).
Core Tech International Corp., Tamuning, Guam, is being awarded a $41,956,600 firm-fixed-price contract to replace housing units at Old Apra, Phase 2, Naval Base, Guam. This is a design-build project with performance and prescriptive requirements provided by the Government. The family units will consist of single and duplex family housing units. As housing units are also typhoon shelters with special construction criteria for reinforced concrete structures, exterior doors, windows and storm shutters that will meet the provisions for withstanding typhoon wind speed of 170 mph, Exposure D and Zone 4 seismic loading. The contract contains one option at $7,633,400 which may be exercised within 180 calendar days, bringing the total cumulative value to $49,590,000. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 68 offers solicited and four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1310).
Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $19,567,500 firm-fixed-price task order 0004 under previously awarded contract (N62473-08-D-8609) for modifications to Hangar 6, Building 9670 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Modification will provide for Hangar 6 to accommodate two squadrons of MV-22 aircraft. The modifications will include a building extension onto the existing aircraft parking with sufficient internal plan area and clear height to accommodate the MV-22 when it is in airplane or helicopter configurations. The interior improvements will include installation of four new built-in cranes, electrical improvements, ventilation additions, compressed air, and installation of additional Aqueous Film Forming-Foam (AFFF) suppression system. Exterior improvements include new airfield surface pavement from the increased building foundation. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively procured with five proposals received under a multiple award construction contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $17,949,701 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under and existing contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle integrated logistic support sustainment parts, training equipment, training material, tool sets, outside the continental United States (OCONUS) FSRs, continental United States, and OCONUS admin tech. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.; Gulfport, Miss.; Port Hueneme, Calif.; Fort Story, Va.; Texarakana, Texas, and in OIF/OEF Area's of responsibilities, and work is expected to be completed December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Phoenix International, Inc., Largo, Md., is being awarded a $13,813,728 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4204) to exercise an option for services to manage, maintain, mobilize and operate the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS), including associated facilities and equipment. SRDRS is a highly portable and mobile submarine rescue and recompression system capable of transferring personnel from a disabled submarine, under pressure, from depths up to 2,000 feet. The contractor is tasked to operate and maintain the SRDRS and be capable of carrying out an end-to-end rescue operation and maintaining a high level of readiness for a worldwide deployment on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week basis. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (80 percent) and Largo, Md., (20 percent), and work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $3,367,830 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Koam Engineering Services, Inc.,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $12,868,413 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $33,550,763. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0134).
Actionet, Inc.,* Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $12,127,255 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $31,957,490. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0063).
Conexus, LLC,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $11,813,002 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $30,567,520. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0135).
ITT Corp., Aerospace Communications Division, Fort Wayne, Ind., is being awarded an $11,198,413 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). The SRW software application will operate on Joint Tactical Radio (JTR) sets to provide voice, data, and video tactical communications services in support of network-centric operations. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $116,947,363. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J., (90 percent) and Fort Wayne, Ind., (10 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2010 (Jul. 2010 with options exercised). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-07-C-5876).
Vector Planning and Service, Inc.,* Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $10,933,976 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,501,423. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an 8(a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0132).
S4 Inc.*, Bellevue, Neb., is being awarded a $10,432,967 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,307,413. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0133).
TSM Corp., Bartlett, Tenn., is being awarded an $8,210,420 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for professional support services in the areas of program management, engineering, logistics and financial management to the Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command New Orleans, La. This contract includes a one-year base period, and four one-year options, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $43,197,928. Work will be performed in New Orleans, La., (60 percent); and various CONUS locations (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This offer was awarded through full and open competition, with 12 offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Philadelphia Office is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z049)
AIR FORCE
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of McLean, Va.; Shafer Corp., of Chelmsford, Mass.; and Systems Research and Application Corporation of Fairfax, Va., are being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $95 million. This action will provide professional defense science, engineering, and technical non-personal advisory and assistance support services. At this time no funds have been obligated. AIR FORCE District of Washington/A7KI, Anacostia Annex, D.C., is the contracting activity (FA7014-08-D-0008 – Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; FA7014-08-D-0009 – Schafer Corp.; FA7014-08-D-0010 – SRA).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Point Blank Body Armor Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., is being awarded a maximum $22,151,750 firm fixed price and fixed quantity contract for outer tactical camouflage vests. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are ARMY, Navy, AIR FORCE, and Marine Corps. There were four proposals originally solicited with four responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Jan. 15, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-08-F-C005).
Sysco Food Services of Seattle, Kent, Wash., is being awarded a maximum $5,800,000 firm fixed price, indefinite quantity contract for full line food distribution service. Other location of performance is Anchorage, Ala. Using services are ARMY, AIR FORCE and Job Corps. This proposal was originally web solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is the third option year of a five-year contract which includes four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Aug. 26, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPm300-08-D-3160).
ARMY
Science Applications International Corp., Newton, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $8,622,630 cost plus fixed fee contract for the procurement of research and development for enhanced air purification media and system performance. Work will be performed in Newton, Mass., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2013. Bids were solicited via a Broad Agency Announcement with one bid received. U.S. ARMY Research and Development Command, Edgewood Branch, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W911SR-08-C-0052).
W.M. Jordan/Versar, Newport News, Va., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $27,500,000 firm-fixed price contract to construct standard-design barracks for 419 soldiers. Work includes living/sleeping rooms, private baths, walk-in closets, storage, mailroom, activity room, mudroom, visitor area, and centeral restroom/vending/payphone area. Work is to be performed at Fort Lee, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Three bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. ARMY Engineer District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0056).
Foulger-Pratt Contracting, LLC, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $33,094,000 fixed-price construction contract for two phase design-build headquarters command center, Missile Defense Agency. Work is to be performed at Fort Belvoir, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web with 11 bids received. U.S. ARMY Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0039).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $27,609,057 cost plus fixed fee contract modification to support incremental funding to support the requirement for 100 additional base expeditionary targeting and surveillance system-combined, rapid aerostat initial deployment systems. Work is to be performed at Andover, Md., with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. ARMY Space and Missile Defense Command, Contracting and Acquisition Management Office, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W9113M-08-C-0171).
AMEC EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., Plymouth Meeting, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $6,722,979 firm fixed price contract to supply the expertise, materials, labor and equipment necessary to design and construct helicopter parking ramp extensions, pre-engineered / expedient construction buildings, munitions storage area, and communications facilities. Work is to be performed at the Taji National Depot, Iraq with and estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2009. Four bids were solicited with three bids received. Gulf Region Division, Central District, Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq is the contracting activity (w917bg-07-d-0010).
America Supports You: North Carolina Group Honors State's Fallen
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - More than 100 runners are expected to participate in a 99-mile run Aug. 23-24 hosted by a Greenville, N.C.-based care package group in honor of the 117 North Carolinians who have lost their lives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Barbara Whitehead, director of the North Carolina branch of Give2theTroops, said the group's run is scheduled to coincide with the last two days of the national "Run for the Fallen."
The national event will cover more than 4,000 miles, one mile for each servicemember killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, by the time it ends at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 24. It began at Fort Irwin, Calif., on June 14, Flag Day.
While the North Carolina event is for all of the state's fallen troops, it was one in particular who sparked Give2theTroops to organize the event.
"We have a volunteer whose son died March 1, 2007, in Baquoba [Iraq]," Whitehead said. "She wanted to go, initially, to the national Run for the Fallen to run her son's mile."
Though that proved unfeasible because of the distance and cost of travel, her desire to honor her son prevailed. "She thought, 'I want to run a mile for Ryan here, and then we can't forget the other troops,'" Whitehead said. "So, we're doing it on our own list of troops."
The Give2theTroops run is open to anyone wanting to participate. Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., are scheduled to run in honor of their fallen comrades. Soldiers from Fort Bragg will do the same for their fallen.
No one is expected to complete all 99 miles, Whitehead said. In fact, participants aren't even obligated to run.
"They can walk. They can ride a bicycle. We have some motorcyclists that have expressed interest in riding," Whitehead said. "If there's a grandmamma or a Great Aunt Sally who wants to put a flag on the car and ride along behind us, they're welcome to do that."
Give2theTroops is inviting participants to gather at the group's headquarters late in the afternoon on Aug. 24. About a block from the center, they'll be greeted by a Marine Corps honor guard, which will lead them into the building.
As they enjoy refreshments, visitors will be able to take in two Give2theTroops walls of honor. Honoring the servicemembers killed in Iraq, a midnight-blue wall bears more than 4,000 sponge-painted stars. A lighter blue wall bears tribute to those killed in Afghanistan, with 500 stars.
"At the corner, the apex of the two walls joining, is a floor-to-ceiling American flag painted on the wall," Whitehead said.
The owner of the space, an area business that donates the building, the utilities and the maintenance, considers the walls too important to cover up. So, when the current missions end, the walls will be covered with Plexiglas and incorporated into the business' office space, she said.
Whitehead said anyone who wants more information about the event or plans to join it mid-route can e-mail her at Barbara@give2thetroops.org.
Give2theTroops is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 20, 2008 - More than 100 runners are expected to participate in a 99-mile run Aug. 23-24 hosted by a Greenville, N.C.-based care package group in honor of the 117 North Carolinians who have lost their lives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Barbara Whitehead, director of the North Carolina branch of Give2theTroops, said the group's run is scheduled to coincide with the last two days of the national "Run for the Fallen."
The national event will cover more than 4,000 miles, one mile for each servicemember killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, by the time it ends at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 24. It began at Fort Irwin, Calif., on June 14, Flag Day.
While the North Carolina event is for all of the state's fallen troops, it was one in particular who sparked Give2theTroops to organize the event.
"We have a volunteer whose son died March 1, 2007, in Baquoba [Iraq]," Whitehead said. "She wanted to go, initially, to the national Run for the Fallen to run her son's mile."
Though that proved unfeasible because of the distance and cost of travel, her desire to honor her son prevailed. "She thought, 'I want to run a mile for Ryan here, and then we can't forget the other troops,'" Whitehead said. "So, we're doing it on our own list of troops."
The Give2theTroops run is open to anyone wanting to participate. Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., are scheduled to run in honor of their fallen comrades. Soldiers from Fort Bragg will do the same for their fallen.
No one is expected to complete all 99 miles, Whitehead said. In fact, participants aren't even obligated to run.
"They can walk. They can ride a bicycle. We have some motorcyclists that have expressed interest in riding," Whitehead said. "If there's a grandmamma or a Great Aunt Sally who wants to put a flag on the car and ride along behind us, they're welcome to do that."
Give2theTroops is inviting participants to gather at the group's headquarters late in the afternoon on Aug. 24. About a block from the center, they'll be greeted by a Marine Corps honor guard, which will lead them into the building.
As they enjoy refreshments, visitors will be able to take in two Give2theTroops walls of honor. Honoring the servicemembers killed in Iraq, a midnight-blue wall bears more than 4,000 sponge-painted stars. A lighter blue wall bears tribute to those killed in Afghanistan, with 500 stars.
"At the corner, the apex of the two walls joining, is a floor-to-ceiling American flag painted on the wall," Whitehead said.
The owner of the space, an area business that donates the building, the utilities and the maintenance, considers the walls too important to cover up. So, when the current missions end, the walls will be covered with Plexiglas and incorporated into the business' office space, she said.
Whitehead said anyone who wants more information about the event or plans to join it mid-route can e-mail her at Barbara@give2thetroops.org.
Give2theTroops is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
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