Pentagon Monitors Air Force Review of Dover Mortuary

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2011 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has directed that the Air Force report back to him in 30 days on disciplinary action taken against employees at the Dover Port Mortuary in Delaware.

Panetta asked Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley to update him on the Air Force review of disciplinary action taken against employees who last year filed complaints about how some service member remains were handled at the facility, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters today.

The Air Force inspector general and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel -- an independent federal “watchdog” agency -- investigated the charges. A former commander and two other mortuary officials were disciplined as a result of the investigation, Defense Department officials said.

The Air Force implemented multiple corrective actions as a result of the investigation, officials said.

Little noted the Office of Special Counsel also is reviewing past disciplinary actions and current procedures at the mortuary. The OSC’s work is still ongoing, and the Air Force report will proceed in parallel, the press secretary added.

“The Air Force report won’t and shouldn’t go final until the OSC report is complete,” Little said.

During a Nov. 10 news conference, Panetta said he wants special attention paid to possible management reprisals taken against those employees.

“As someone who voted for the whistleblower legislation, I directed Secretary Donley to report back to me … to ensure that all appropriate action has been taken,” Panetta said.

The defense secretary also emphasized that one of the military’s most profound obligations is to treat service members’ remains with dignity and respect.

Gates Says Nuclear Mission Shortcomings Only Reason for AF Dismissals

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

June 9, 2008 - If it were not for the serious decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today, he would not have felt the need to replace the Air Force leadership. Gates asked for and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley June 6 in the wake of an investigation that found problems with the focus, performance and effective leadership of the service's nuclear weapons program.

Speaking to airmen and Air Force civilians of Air Combat Command, Gates called the nuclear mission the Air Force's most sensitive one.

"The mere existence of weapons with such destructive power alters the international landscape – and rightfully brings much scrutiny to bear on how they are handled," Gates said.

Today, he recommended that Michael B. Donley be nominated to replace Wynne and that Gen. Norton A. Schwartz replace Moseley. White House officials announced today President Bush's intention to nominate Donley and to designate him as acting Air Force secretary.

Two instances highlighted the nuclear failures. In one, a B-52 crew unknowingly carried six nuclear weapons from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. In another incident, nose cones for Minuteman missiles mistakenly were delivered to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. More than a year elapsed before the error became known.

In light of these failures, Gates asked Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald to evaluate the system. He found three systemic problems.

"The Air Force does not have a clear, dedicated authority responsible for the nuclear enterprise who sets and maintains rigorous standards of operations," Gates said.

Second, he said, the failures that led to the nose-cone misshipment could have been prevented had existing controls been followed.

Finally, "the investigation confirmed a decline in Air Force nuclear expertise similar to findings in other, earlier reports," Gates said. In addition, the nuclear mission has not received adequate funding for years, he said.

Gates said the decisive action was needed because Air Force leadership allowed the service's focus to drift away from the nuclear mission. They also allowed performance standards to decline, and they did not identify these problems for correction, the secretary said.

"The Air Force's investigation into what went wrong did not get to the root causes, requiring my personal intervention," he said.

Gates has stressed accountability with all services. He encouraged all servicemembers to assess their jobs, take accountability for what they can and ensure that changes outside their purview receive the appropriate attention.

"The important thing is to have an open and respectful airing of views in good faith," Gates said. "When decisions are made, everyone – both civilian and military – must do his or her part to see them through to success," he said.

Walter Reed Medical Team Honored in Staff Appreciation Day

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

April 25, 2008 - Walter Reed Army Medical Center today honored its 4,000-person team during Staff Appreciation Day, highlighting efforts over the past 14 months to improve wounded warrior care and cut delays in disability evaluations. On the sunny hospital grounds here, staff members in medical scrubs and soldiers in uniform gathered to hear officials praise the invigorated work that has improved the medical center's image in the wake of a critical investigation published early last year. Over that time, the staff also evaluated a backlogged list of more than 350 injured soldiers waiting to learn their disability status.

"Over the past year, we've looked very carefully and honestly at every aspect of health care delivery. And where we found room for improvement, the staff moved out, busted through any bureaucratic challenges, and set a new standard for care, for compassion and for healing," Army Col. Patricia Horoho, commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, told the crowd.

In February 2007, the Washington Post published a series of articles that shed light on poor conditions at the hospital's outpatient facilities, describing America's wounded warrior outpatients living in moldy rooms laden with belly-up cockroaches and stained carpets, and soldiers forced to face a cumbersome bureaucracy at the center.

In the wake of the reports, President Bush established a bipartisan panel tasked to fix problems with wounded servicemembers' care. Since then, the hospital has improved housekeeping and hospitality services and its efficiency in responding to patients' needs, Horoho said, including the creation of a healthier menu with meals of higher nutritional value.

Further, the center has advanced the way it physically and administratively transfers wounded soldiers from the battlefield to the hospital and upgraded its patient and family facilities. It stepped up its process for tracking military medical histories, set up warrior transition brigades, and added new communications tools to improve coordination with patients.

"In my view, every one of you has pulled together to make this the best place to heal and to serve," Horoho said, citing several top-notch medical accreditations the hospital received recently.

But the staff's "above and beyond" achievement, the colonel said, was completing 358 backlogged medical evaluation board cases, which reduced the number of soldiers waiting for an assessment on their disability status.

"Our staff rose to this historical challenge to restore the trust and reputation of Walter Reed as the home of warrior care and the flagship of [Defense Department] medicine by providing the best care to past, present and future warriors," she said.

Army Maj. Gen. Carla G. Hawley-Bowland, commander of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said the "boots on the ground" response to outpatient care problems evoked the Army's warrior ethos and ensured that no fallen comrade would be left behind.

"Some people may have looked to Walter Reed as the most visible example of systemic problems," she said. "They now view Walter Reed as the solution source and the leader in warrior care."

Providing closing remarks at the United Service Organizations-sponsored event was Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England. England told the medical staff it represents what every free American owes servicemembers who become injured while fighting on behalf of the nation.

"Tomorrow morning, every single person across this great land will wake up free," he said. "And the reason they will wake up free tomorrow -- and hopefully for generations after tomorrow -- is that, for 230 years, great Americans have stepped forward preserve those freedoms and liberties.

"It is the responsibility and obligation not just of the government, but of every single person who enjoys the fruits of those freedoms, to not only express their appreciation, but to take care of those who serve," he continued. "There could be no better calling than taking care of those who need help, and particularly those who have given us our freedoms and our liberties."

MILITARY CONTRACTS April 10, 2008

NAVY

The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Raleigh, N.C., is being awarded a $35,631,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of an aircraft maintenance hangar, phases I and II, at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Camp Lejeune. The work to be performed provides for construction of a multi-story aircraft maintenance hangar to provide hangar bay, shop space, flight line operations, and maintenance functions in support of the V-22 aircraft squadrons. Work also includes mechanical, electrical support systems and telephone system. Built-in equipment includes a freight elevator and five ton bridge crane. Site improvements include parking and landscaping and incidental related work. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, N.C., and work is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Naval Facilities Engineering Command e-solicitation website with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-08-C-1419).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded an $11,738,328 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for non-recurring efforts for the E-2D halon system replacement in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye System Development and Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y., (87.3 percent) and St. Augustine, Fla., (12.7 percent) and is expected to be completed in Sep. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Services Inc., Cherry Hill, N.J., is being awarded a $9,862,594 cost-plus- fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for security cooperation, security assistance and foreign military sales technical and program/project management support services to Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) OF and applicable customers of NAVICP. This contract contains three one-year option periods which, if exercised, will bring the total estimated value of the contract to $47,538,817. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., (70 percent) and Washington, D.C., (30 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded competitively through full and open competition, with one offer received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Philadelphia Division, is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z029). This contract was previously announced on Mar. 19, 2008, as contract number N00189-08-D-Z025.

Harris Corp., Melbourne, Fla., is being awarded a $9,174,475 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-05-C-0044) to exercise an option for the procurement of 133 Tactical Aircraft Moving Map Capability (TAMMAC) Digital Map Computer (DMC); 66 TAMMAC Digital Video Map Computer (DVMC); and 251 TAMMAC DMC Extension Housings for U.S. Navy use in F/A-18C/D/E/F, EA-18G, AV-8B, UH-1Y/ AH-1Z aircraft. In addition, this contract provides for the procurement of 12 TAMMAC DVMC and 12 TAMMAC DMC Extension Housings for the Government of Australia. Work will be performed in Malabar, Fla., (80 percent) and Palm Bay, Fla., (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($8,452,663; 92 percent); and the Government of Australia ($721,812; 7 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

RJC Architects*, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a maximum $7,500,000 (base and options - with a guaranteed minimum of $5,000) firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for renovation/repair and new construction of facilities in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for engineering studies and site investigation reports to support new development on raw land, or re-development of existing developed sites; preparation of Requests for Proposals for design-build projects; preparation of fully designed plans and specifications for Invitation for Bid projects; other engineering designs, studies, reports, cost estimates, evaluations, and construction support services. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited, to Calif., (87 percent); Ariz., (5 percent); Nev., (5 percent); Colo., (1 percent); N.M., (1 percent) and Utah (1 percent), and work is expected to be completed Apr. 2009 (April 2013 with options exercised). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Naval Facilities Engineering Command e-solicitation website with 20 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-D-8624).

Windermere Information Technology Systems, Annapolis, Md., is being awarded a $5,622,481 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee performance-based contract to continue the government's operational requirement to develop miniaturized hardware packaging components, equipment camouflaging components, and a miniaturized un-attended Direction-Finding (DF) sensor module. This is in support of the time-critical technical requirements for both the Joint Threat Warning System (JTWS) Team Transportable (TT) and Ground Signal Kit (GSK) systems, and an innovative power source capability that can satisfy the power source requirements for the JTWS TT, GSK II, and other United States Special Operations Command tactical force protection system power requirements. The contract includes four one-year option periods, which, if exercised, will bring the total cumulative value of the contract to the estimated amount of $29,517,858. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Md., and work is expected to be completed by Apr. 2009 (Apr. 2013 with exercised options). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was sole source procured under other than full and open competition. The effort was synopsized in Federal Business Opportunities website in accordance with the provisions of FAR Part 5, indicating the Government's intent to award a sole source action. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-6807).

ARMY

Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, was awarded on Apr. 8, 2008, a modification to increase the total mount of their existing contract by $78,500,000 to a total of $177,548,330 for a cost-reimbursable contract for the Scientific Services Program to provide scientific, technical and advisory services for problems related to research and development projects within the government. Work location will be determined with each task order, and is expected to be completed by Apr. 10, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. U.S. Army Research Development Engineering Command, Durham, N.C., is the contracting activity (W911NF-07-D-0001).

John. C. Gremberg Co., Inc, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Apr. 8, 2008, a $27,066,325 firm-fixed price contract for construction of a new three level steel and concrete steam sterilization plan that will have the capacity to decontaminate 126,000 gallons per-day of liquid bio-waste. Work will be performed at Fort Detrick, Md., and is expected to be completed by Apr. 30, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0016).

CCI, Inc., Anchorage, Ala., was awarded on Apr. 8, 2008, a 13,078,378 firm-fixed price contract for repair of airfield pavements at Bangor Air National Guard Base. Work will be performed in Bangor, Maine, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 12, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. United States Property & Fiscal Office for Maine, National Guard Bureau is the contracting activity (W912JD-08-C-0001).

AIR FORCE

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. of Herndon, Va., is being awarded a modified contract for $27,970,673. The action will provide survivability and vulnerability technical research and development analysis for U.S. Coast Guard ship, aviation, and Command and Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. At this time $7,714,009 has been obligated. Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380, Delivery Order: 0250).

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of Herndon, Va., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $8,661,265. The contract action will provide information assurance analysis for Naval Weapons Center, Weapons Division-Weapons Engagement Office Development Command and Control Technology. At this time $ 96,618 has been obligated. Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SPO700-98-D-4002, DO 0336).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Ansul, Inc., Marinette, Wis. is being awarded a maximum $6,488,858 fixed-price with economic price adjustment, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract for Aqueous Film Forming Foam. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 3 responses.

Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Apr. 9, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM8EH-08-D-0251).

Odierno Calls on Safety Team to Help Cut Non-Hostile Fatalities

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 18, 2007 - An Army safety team soon will wrap up its month-long analysis conducted at the Multinational Corps Iraq commander's request to find ways to stop the recent uptick in non-combat injuries and fatalities among deployed troops. A team from the Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center left its Fort Rucker, Ala., headquarters Sept. 29 at the bidding of Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno to get to the bottom of the problem. It is expected to return Oct. 21.

At issue is the increase in deaths and injuries unrelated to combat. Non-combat deaths began climbing in July and increased each month through September. The Defense Department reported 12 non-combat and 66 combat fatalities in July, 29 non-combat and 55 combat deaths in August, and 23 non-combat and 42 combat deaths in September.

The vast majority of fatalities were in the Army, which reported 27 non-combat deaths in August and 21 in September.

Seven soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Falcon Brigade" were killed Sept. 10 in western Baghdad when their 5-ton truck overturned. The wreck, which occurred as the unit was returning from a raid, left 10 soldiers injured. The accident is under investigation, but officials said it occurred when a tire blew out.

Fourteen soldiers died in an Aug. 22 Black Hawk helicopter crash during night operations in Multaka, killing all aboard. Four of the troops were assigned to the Fort Lewis, Wash.-based 4th Squadron, 6th U.S. Air Cavalry Regiment, and 10 were from the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Officials said a mechanical malfunction is the likely cause of the crash.

Ground commanders in Iraq are "very focused" on the problem and have asked for help, Army Lt. Gen. Carter F. Ham, the Joint Staff's operations director, told Pentagon reporters Oct. 16. "Safety is paramount and is a very, very high priority," he said.

He noted that with the surge still in effect in Iraq and troop numbers up, it's understandable that non-battle casualties might increase. He emphasized, however, that "even one non-battle casualty is one too many."

Officials at the Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center call "leader engagement" vital to raising safety awareness and reducing accident rates. By identifying the problem and calling in safety experts for assistance, Odierno already has increased awareness throughout the theater, center spokeswoman Kelly Widener said.

"The MNCI command's initiative and the actions to address safety demonstrate the commitment the Army has to protect its soldiers and formations from accidental loss," Widener said. "The chain of command noted the recent trend and is actively engaging to address the situation and reverse the trend."

In Iraq, the six-person safety team is collecting and analyzing information about accidents, not losses due to suicide, medical, criminal or other factors. Army Brig. Gen. William H. Forrester, commander of the Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center and Army safety director, joined the team Oct. 14 to review the team's ongoing efforts and confer with commanders before briefing the Multinational Corps Iraq command group, Widener said.

He is expected to provide the team's detailed analysis and recommend ways to stop deaths and injuries related to accidents "proactively and aggressively," she said.

Non-hostile deaths have long been a problem for the military, both in peacetime and war. Especially during wartime, increased training and combat preparation pose additional risk, Widener noted.

"However, it is one of the Army's top priorities to minimize that loss and learn from past trends," she said. "Engaged leaders, awareness of best safety practices, accident trend recognition, and valuable safety tools ... will fight against this accident loss and increased exposure."

Trends point to factors that often contribute to non-combat-related accidents. In Army aviation, it's frequently aircrews' assumption that a mission is low-risk, coordination failures, or overconfidence, Widener reported. Ground losses commonly result from vehicle accidents, sports injuries, maintenance operations and weapons handling.

The military has introduced a wide variety of safety tools and initiatives to help increase safety awareness and reduce accidents, Widener noted.

The Commanders Aviation Risk Tool, for example, is an automated risk-management tool used in mission planning to assess each aviation mission's risk.

Several tools focus on reducing ground accidents. Among them is the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, developed to reduce deaths from vehicle rollovers; improved emergency procedures in the event of a rollover; a driver's training toolbox; and a pamphlet on safe weapons handling. Videos, newsletter, posters, magazines and other materials constantly reinforce the safety message, Widener said.

In addition, Army Materiel Command continually enhances military equipment to make it safer for troops, officials said. Among its initiatives are improved restraint systems, communication systems, fire-suppression systems and personal protective equipment, Widener said.