By Sharon Foster
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 16, 2008 - The Military Officers Association of America and the U.S. Naval Institute will host a one-day forum titled "Measuring Success: Keeping Faith with Wounded Warriors and Their Families" tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill here. Michigan U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, will start the day, which also is scheduled to include remarks from Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. James B. Peake.
"Our wounded warriors deserve the best care and support that we can muster, and the American people rightly insist on no less," Levin said in a statement issued by his office. "I am hopeful that this conference will aid in our efforts to ensure that the men and women of our armed forces are well cared for while they remain in Military service, during the transition from the Military to the VA, and after this transition while in the care of the VA."
At the forum, key uniformed service and administration leaders, legislators, health care providers and wounded warriors and family members will join fellow concerned professionals to discuss subjects such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and the progress to date on various pilot projects to improve programs and support for wounded warriors.
The forum also will include panel discussions on key wounded warrior issues, and questions from the audience will be taken, organizers said.
MOAA officials said the symposium will assess a report card measuring progress in wounded warrior issues, highlighting problems encountered and assessing additional options to sustain momentum and achieve common objectives.
Online registration for the forum is closed. Attendees will need to register in person beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow. The forum, including lunch, is free to active-duty Military members. The cost is $20 for MOAA and USNI members, and $35 for nonmembers.
Showing posts with label michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label michigan. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Face of Defense: Former Stunt Man Makes Leap to Ministry
By Army Spc. Justin Snyder
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 21, 2008 - Army Chaplain (Capt.) Eric Light gives a weekly sermon and is available for counseling whenever a soldier might need it. But he is not your ordinary chaplain. "When I was in college, money was kind of hard to come by, so I became a stunt guy to pay for college," said Light, who serves with the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
In the late 1980s, Hollywood was experiencing a writers' strike. Feeling the pinch from a lack of work there, some of the companies in show business took their shows on the road.
"A guy who was a stuntman moved into town and would put on a Wild West show while trying to obtain the contracts for movies when they came through," said Light, a native of Kingspen, Tenn., and a graduate of East Tennessee State University. "We happened to go to the same church, and he took me under his wing, teaching me the ropes."
Light began working at the Wild West show, which led to performing a few stunts for television shows such as "Unsolved Mysteries" and "Rescue 911." The work on those shows paid most of his way through college.
Following college graduation in 1993, Light quit the stunt man life and began what he said he believed to be his true calling, ministry. He started working with college students in a counselor-like role at the University of Michigan, then at the University of California State in Fullerton.
After the university's program diminished due to a lack of funding, Light found himself without a job. He struggled to find employment for a few years, eventually distributing a resume with the hope someone would contact him for work. He finally got a call, but from an unexpected place: the Army.
"I got a call from a retired Army chaplain asking if I'd be interested in being a chaplain in the military. I told him, 'No,' because I wanted to work with college-age kids from 18 to 25 years old." Light said.
"He kind of laughed at me after that statement, because soldiers of that age make up a lot of the Army. After that, the light bulb came on, and I knew this was what God was calling me to do."
Over the next 15 months, he lost 50 pounds to meet the Army's weight standards and headed off to basic chaplains training. After graduation, he was assigned to the 1-187th Infantry Regiment, where he received word that he would be deploying to Iraq.
"Getting deployed was never a problem for me," Light said. "All of the active-duty people in my class were getting deployed, so I knew it was a matter of time. What good would I be if I could not deploy with the soldiers I am here for?"
Light said he constantly is learning and trying to improve himself as a better chaplain during his first deployment. Recently, he had an experience that served as a confidence booster.
"I was sitting outside reading when the company commander came walking by and told me I was a good chaplain," he recalled. "For someone outside of the Chaplain Corps to randomly come up to me and notice what I was doing, that really proved to me that being here was the right thing and that I was doing a good job."
While he isn't outside the wire all the time, Light said, he knows his job is equally as important. He must be there not only for the soldiers who are deployed, but also for their families back at home.
"Never in our nation's history have families had to give up so much," he said. "While I'm not out there on the front line fighting, it's my job to be there for [soldiers] when they come back. If I can help prepare these soldiers to go back to their families, I'm doing my part."
(Army Spc. Justin Snyder serves in the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 21, 2008 - Army Chaplain (Capt.) Eric Light gives a weekly sermon and is available for counseling whenever a soldier might need it. But he is not your ordinary chaplain. "When I was in college, money was kind of hard to come by, so I became a stunt guy to pay for college," said Light, who serves with the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
In the late 1980s, Hollywood was experiencing a writers' strike. Feeling the pinch from a lack of work there, some of the companies in show business took their shows on the road.
"A guy who was a stuntman moved into town and would put on a Wild West show while trying to obtain the contracts for movies when they came through," said Light, a native of Kingspen, Tenn., and a graduate of East Tennessee State University. "We happened to go to the same church, and he took me under his wing, teaching me the ropes."
Light began working at the Wild West show, which led to performing a few stunts for television shows such as "Unsolved Mysteries" and "Rescue 911." The work on those shows paid most of his way through college.
Following college graduation in 1993, Light quit the stunt man life and began what he said he believed to be his true calling, ministry. He started working with college students in a counselor-like role at the University of Michigan, then at the University of California State in Fullerton.
After the university's program diminished due to a lack of funding, Light found himself without a job. He struggled to find employment for a few years, eventually distributing a resume with the hope someone would contact him for work. He finally got a call, but from an unexpected place: the Army.
"I got a call from a retired Army chaplain asking if I'd be interested in being a chaplain in the military. I told him, 'No,' because I wanted to work with college-age kids from 18 to 25 years old." Light said.
"He kind of laughed at me after that statement, because soldiers of that age make up a lot of the Army. After that, the light bulb came on, and I knew this was what God was calling me to do."
Over the next 15 months, he lost 50 pounds to meet the Army's weight standards and headed off to basic chaplains training. After graduation, he was assigned to the 1-187th Infantry Regiment, where he received word that he would be deploying to Iraq.
"Getting deployed was never a problem for me," Light said. "All of the active-duty people in my class were getting deployed, so I knew it was a matter of time. What good would I be if I could not deploy with the soldiers I am here for?"
Light said he constantly is learning and trying to improve himself as a better chaplain during his first deployment. Recently, he had an experience that served as a confidence booster.
"I was sitting outside reading when the company commander came walking by and told me I was a good chaplain," he recalled. "For someone outside of the Chaplain Corps to randomly come up to me and notice what I was doing, that really proved to me that being here was the right thing and that I was doing a good job."
While he isn't outside the wire all the time, Light said, he knows his job is equally as important. He must be there not only for the soldiers who are deployed, but also for their families back at home.
"Never in our nation's history have families had to give up so much," he said. "While I'm not out there on the front line fighting, it's my job to be there for [soldiers] when they come back. If I can help prepare these soldiers to go back to their families, I'm doing my part."
(Army Spc. Justin Snyder serves in the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team public Affairs Office.)
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
America Supports You: Lake Michigan Cruise Recognizes Veterans
By Meghan Vittrup
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
Monday, May 05, 2008
America Supports You: Chrysler Kicks Off Military Appreciation Month
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2008 - Patriotism was in full gear at the Chrysler headquarters today, as hundreds gathered inside the star-spangled atrium of the automaker's main hub to honor America's men and women in uniform. On the tiered floors of the glass-enclosed plaza here, employees hung over railings to watch while their chief executive kicked off Military Appreciation Month by signing an agreement strengthening Chrysler's ties to Reserve and National Guard troops, and recognizing past and present servicemembers on the automaker's roster.
"I just want to thank all the men and women who give of themselves, who are apart from their families, who are enduring tremendous hardship to maintain the freedom the democracy on which this country was founded," said Robert Nardelli, Chrysler's chairman and chief executive officer. "We are truly blessed."
As an expression of Chrysler's gratitude to servicemembers' sacrifice, Nardelli today signed a 5-Star Military Support Agreement. The document promises Chrysler's commitment to continue supporting employees who are called into active military service.
"A lot of times people ask, 'Gee Bob, isn't that an expense?'" Nardelli said of the pledge. "But I think it's an investment. People say, 'Well, isn't this a burden?' I say, 'It's a responsibility.'
"So today," he continued, "it is really demonstrating that personal commitment to our men and women in uniform."
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee agreement signed today follows Chrysler's recent decision to partner with America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"Today was above and beyond any corporate event I've seen to honor our men and women in the military," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, and the architect of America Supports You. "Chrysler is a terrific America Supports You partner and a great example to other corporations that tell the full story."
In an event that included remarks from Defense Department and military officials, local radio personality Paul W. Smith, the master of ceremonies, listed the names of more than 40 Chrysler employees currently deployed to U.S. operations abroad.
With each name Smith read, a camo-clad servicemember on the second story of the circular plaza draped a flag with a blue star over the railing. A tradition since World War I, the blue flag is a symbol displayed by family members in remembrance of their loved ones serving in harm's way.
In a somber postscript to the presentation, the family of Army Master Sgt. William Balinski accepted a flag embroidered with a gold star.
After being employed at Chrysler for nine years as a sheet metal worker, Balinski -- an Army reservist -- was called to active duty. While stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2005, Balinski was involved in an automobile accident that took his life.
"The Gold Star flag will always be a reminder of Master Sergeant Balinski's service and patriotic support of this country," Nardelli said, before announcing that Balinski's Gold Star flag and the Blue Star flags would become permanent fixtures here.
Later, Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs and signatory to the 5-star agreement, told the audience that during his six-year tenure in his current position, he has addressed more than 200,000 people at more than 300 events. "And I have never seen a ceremony equal this," he said.
"Employer support is so important for [servicemembers] when they come home," he said. "It's so important for their families. So I thank Chrysler and all the supporting corporations."
Honoring its home-state servicemembers, Chrysler donated $50,000 today to members of Michigan's National Guard.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas G. Cutler, adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard, called Chrysler "a great corporate citizen," and said the donation will allow the Guard's family fund to continuing providing financial support to the loved ones of those called up to active duty.
"Citizens across the country -- and here in Michigan certainly -- appreciate the service of all their soldiers and sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guard members," he said. "They do deeply appreciate, and I think today was just a day to celebrate their service."
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2008 - Patriotism was in full gear at the Chrysler headquarters today, as hundreds gathered inside the star-spangled atrium of the automaker's main hub to honor America's men and women in uniform. On the tiered floors of the glass-enclosed plaza here, employees hung over railings to watch while their chief executive kicked off Military Appreciation Month by signing an agreement strengthening Chrysler's ties to Reserve and National Guard troops, and recognizing past and present servicemembers on the automaker's roster.
"I just want to thank all the men and women who give of themselves, who are apart from their families, who are enduring tremendous hardship to maintain the freedom the democracy on which this country was founded," said Robert Nardelli, Chrysler's chairman and chief executive officer. "We are truly blessed."
As an expression of Chrysler's gratitude to servicemembers' sacrifice, Nardelli today signed a 5-Star Military Support Agreement. The document promises Chrysler's commitment to continue supporting employees who are called into active military service.
"A lot of times people ask, 'Gee Bob, isn't that an expense?'" Nardelli said of the pledge. "But I think it's an investment. People say, 'Well, isn't this a burden?' I say, 'It's a responsibility.'
"So today," he continued, "it is really demonstrating that personal commitment to our men and women in uniform."
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee agreement signed today follows Chrysler's recent decision to partner with America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"Today was above and beyond any corporate event I've seen to honor our men and women in the military," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, and the architect of America Supports You. "Chrysler is a terrific America Supports You partner and a great example to other corporations that tell the full story."
In an event that included remarks from Defense Department and military officials, local radio personality Paul W. Smith, the master of ceremonies, listed the names of more than 40 Chrysler employees currently deployed to U.S. operations abroad.
With each name Smith read, a camo-clad servicemember on the second story of the circular plaza draped a flag with a blue star over the railing. A tradition since World War I, the blue flag is a symbol displayed by family members in remembrance of their loved ones serving in harm's way.
In a somber postscript to the presentation, the family of Army Master Sgt. William Balinski accepted a flag embroidered with a gold star.
After being employed at Chrysler for nine years as a sheet metal worker, Balinski -- an Army reservist -- was called to active duty. While stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2005, Balinski was involved in an automobile accident that took his life.
"The Gold Star flag will always be a reminder of Master Sergeant Balinski's service and patriotic support of this country," Nardelli said, before announcing that Balinski's Gold Star flag and the Blue Star flags would become permanent fixtures here.
Later, Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs and signatory to the 5-star agreement, told the audience that during his six-year tenure in his current position, he has addressed more than 200,000 people at more than 300 events. "And I have never seen a ceremony equal this," he said.
"Employer support is so important for [servicemembers] when they come home," he said. "It's so important for their families. So I thank Chrysler and all the supporting corporations."
Honoring its home-state servicemembers, Chrysler donated $50,000 today to members of Michigan's National Guard.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas G. Cutler, adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard, called Chrysler "a great corporate citizen," and said the donation will allow the Guard's family fund to continuing providing financial support to the loved ones of those called up to active duty.
"Citizens across the country -- and here in Michigan certainly -- appreciate the service of all their soldiers and sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guard members," he said. "They do deeply appreciate, and I think today was just a day to celebrate their service."
Friday, January 18, 2008
Contracts
NAVY
Radant Technologies, Incorporated, Stow, Mass., is being awarded a $14,114,142 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee provisions for submarine communication antenna radomes and related engineering services. This contract allows for the procurement of up to 20 radomes per year for the five year life of this contract along with the procurement of special tooling needed for the manufacturing of these radomes. This contract includes services for the testing, inspection and evaluation of damaged radomes, engineering services to include studies, upgrades, technical improvements, and life cycle refurbishment. Work will be performed in Stow, Mass., and work is expected to be completed by January 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $177,191 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, R.I., is the contracting activity (N66604-08-D-0660).
L3 Communications, Communication Systems - West, Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded a $13,847,222 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract to provide for continued life cycle sustainment of the Deployable Multi-Channel Satellite Communications System. Equipment available under the proposed contract includes quad band satellite terminals, terminal IP upgrades, IP baseband interface modules, Ka band upgrades, critical spares, and replacement components. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $65,758,336. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and work is expected to be completed by January 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The request for proposals was issued directly to L3 Communications, Communication Systems - West. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-5137).
General Dynamics Land Systems, under its operating unit General Dynamics Amphibious Systems, Woodbridge, Va., is being awarded an $11,960,776 modification to previously awarded contract (M67854-05-C-0072) for the advanced procurement of long lead materials for Systems Development and Demonstration (SDD) 2 phase of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program. Work will be performed in Michigan (37 percent), Indiana (20 percent), Arizona (13 percent), Maryland (5 percent), Louisiana (3 percent), Florida (2 percent), Mississippi (2 percent), New Jersey (2 percent), New York (2 percent), Ohio (2 percent), and Germany (12 percent), and work is expected to be completed by November 2009. The contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Chemical Specialists and Development, Inc., Conroe, Texas, is being awarded a minimum $11,619,400 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for fuel system icing inhibitor. Other locations of performance are Georgia, New Jersey, California, and Washington. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. The proposals were originally solicited by FBO with 3 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a 12 month contract with a 30-day carryover period. Date of performance completion is January 30, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0752).
Falcon Fuels Inc., Paramount, Calif., is being awarded a maximum $2,080,350.00 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for regular unleaded gasoline. Other location of performance located in California. Using services are federal civilian agencies. There were originally 28 proposals solicited with 21 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is August 31, 2009. The contracting activity is the contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-05-D-4526).
AIR FORCE
ITT Industries, Systems Division of Cape Canaveral, Fla. is being awarded a contract modification for $6,792,630. This action will provide spares and interim supply for the Space Lift Range Systems contract. It addresses the continued wholesale supply sustainment for previously fielded spares following the tenants of interim supply support. The project also provides additional initial spares procurement, initial spares fielding, and interim supply support sustainment in support of Prime Mission Equipment projected to be field by the Space Lift Range Systems contract. At this time all funds have been obligated. SMC SLG/PK, Peterson Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (F04701-01-C-0001, P00465).
International Business Machines Corporation of N.Y. is being awarded a contract option for $6,375,674. The objective of the Sub-threshold-slope Transistors for electronics with extremely-low power program is to develop, novel transistor technologies that will enable high-performance logic circuits with extremely low power consumption. This program will develop transistors based on on-thermionic switching that will result in extremely low power consumption. At this time $4,462,051 has been obligated. Det 1 AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-7806).
ARMY
Kidde Technologies, Inc., Goleta, Calif., was awarded on Jan. 16, 2008, a $5,715,150 firm-fixed-price contract for Stryker tire fire suppression kits. Work will be performed in Goleta, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 1, 2007, and one bid was received. The Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, is the contracting activity W56HZV-08-C-B001.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Kosovo Force Watches Fighting, Shooting – NHL Style
By Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 12, 2007 - Just after the Dec. 10 deadline for the conclusion of negotiating the status of Kosovo, servicemembers assigned to NATO's Kosovo Force sat back in their chairs and enjoyed the fighting and shooting. The fighting was actually thousands of miles away, where hockey players were throwing punches and shooting pucks during the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers hockey broadcast on Versus, the national cable home of the National Hockey League.
During this critical period in Kosovo's history, pictures of American soldiers, airmen and sailors deployed to camps Film City and Bondsteel, Kosovo, were shown to a national television audience in the United States.
At the same time the troops' family members were watching the game at home, about 35 servicemembers gathered at Camp Film City's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at 1 a.m. Dec. 12 to watch the live broadcast on the American Forces Network.
When the first pictures of KFOR members appeared on the screen, the troops erupted with cheers and clapping. The sporting, yet relaxed, atmosphere gave some soldiers the chance to unwind for a little while and forget about the stress of the deployment.
"I e-mailed everyone I know," said Army Lt. Col. Elaine Berkowitz. "I'm from Pittsburgh, and I came to see my Penguins win. I think this is a fabulous event, and it's great for camaraderie."
The idea for the game came about when a small group of troops gathered for the Oct. 24 game between the Penguins and New York Rangers. A story was written about the game and sent to Versus. Eventually, Michael Baker, coordinating producer of the National Hockey League on Versus, received an e-mail with the story. Baker contacted the author of the story to thank the troops for watching the game. Through e-mails, they worked together to put on the Dec. 11 show.
"My mom and dad in Michigan are watching," said Army Spc. Graham Besonen. "It's important for them to see me and know I'm safe. I'm really a Red Wings fan, but I came to enjoy a hockey game and for my family to see me."
Most of the pictures were sent to Versus at least a week prior to the game. However, the network wanted to make sure all of the troops were recognized. Just prior to the start of the game, a group photo was taken and e-mailed to Baker. During the third period, the picture was shown on TV.
"I was really impressed with Versus and the NHL putting our pictures on during the game," said Army Sgt. Rich Allen. "I've always been a hockey fan, and to be deployed and see myself on television during a game was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
The game ended with the Flyers dominating the Penguins, 8-2. This was disappointing for Penguins fans in the crowd, but being recognized at home was the most important thing for most of the people involved.
In addition to American troops, a few other NATO and Partnership for Peace troops were on hand at the MWR Center to cheer for their favorite team. Camp Film City, which serves as the Kosovo Force Headquarters, is a deployed home to troops of 34 nations.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith is assigned to Kosovo Force Public Affairs.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 12, 2007 - Just after the Dec. 10 deadline for the conclusion of negotiating the status of Kosovo, servicemembers assigned to NATO's Kosovo Force sat back in their chairs and enjoyed the fighting and shooting. The fighting was actually thousands of miles away, where hockey players were throwing punches and shooting pucks during the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers hockey broadcast on Versus, the national cable home of the National Hockey League.
During this critical period in Kosovo's history, pictures of American soldiers, airmen and sailors deployed to camps Film City and Bondsteel, Kosovo, were shown to a national television audience in the United States.
At the same time the troops' family members were watching the game at home, about 35 servicemembers gathered at Camp Film City's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at 1 a.m. Dec. 12 to watch the live broadcast on the American Forces Network.
When the first pictures of KFOR members appeared on the screen, the troops erupted with cheers and clapping. The sporting, yet relaxed, atmosphere gave some soldiers the chance to unwind for a little while and forget about the stress of the deployment.
"I e-mailed everyone I know," said Army Lt. Col. Elaine Berkowitz. "I'm from Pittsburgh, and I came to see my Penguins win. I think this is a fabulous event, and it's great for camaraderie."
The idea for the game came about when a small group of troops gathered for the Oct. 24 game between the Penguins and New York Rangers. A story was written about the game and sent to Versus. Eventually, Michael Baker, coordinating producer of the National Hockey League on Versus, received an e-mail with the story. Baker contacted the author of the story to thank the troops for watching the game. Through e-mails, they worked together to put on the Dec. 11 show.
"My mom and dad in Michigan are watching," said Army Spc. Graham Besonen. "It's important for them to see me and know I'm safe. I'm really a Red Wings fan, but I came to enjoy a hockey game and for my family to see me."
Most of the pictures were sent to Versus at least a week prior to the game. However, the network wanted to make sure all of the troops were recognized. Just prior to the start of the game, a group photo was taken and e-mailed to Baker. During the third period, the picture was shown on TV.
"I was really impressed with Versus and the NHL putting our pictures on during the game," said Army Sgt. Rich Allen. "I've always been a hockey fan, and to be deployed and see myself on television during a game was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
The game ended with the Flyers dominating the Penguins, 8-2. This was disappointing for Penguins fans in the crowd, but being recognized at home was the most important thing for most of the people involved.
In addition to American troops, a few other NATO and Partnership for Peace troops were on hand at the MWR Center to cheer for their favorite team. Camp Film City, which serves as the Kosovo Force Headquarters, is a deployed home to troops of 34 nations.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith is assigned to Kosovo Force Public Affairs.)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
America Supports You: Deployed Units Get Boost From Donated Computers
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 10, 2007 - Many deployed servicemembers have received a morale boost thanks to computers donated by a Michigan-based organization. "We are a group of volunteers (who) rebuild laptop computers and supply them to deployed units for (morale, welfare and recreation), education and entertainment," said James R. Payne, a Vietnam veteran who's president of JDS Computer Donations.
The group accepts laptops, which it refurbishes and donates to nonprofit groups, public schools, and most recently, to deployed servicemembers. Nearly 500 of the refurbished machines already have been sent overseas to help servicemembers keep in touch with their loved ones back home.
Payne and his volunteers have received many responses from grateful servicemembers, many of which appear on the JDS Computer Donations Web site. One from the executive officer of Company A, 50th Signal Battalion, is a good summary of the sentiment expressed by others.
"On behalf of the soldiers, NCOs, and officers of Alpha Company, 50th Signal Battalion, I want to express how grateful we are for the donation of laptops to our unit," said Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Quimby. "Especially with the price of telephone minutes being so high, being able to use computers to communicate to loved ones back in the States is a convenience that we do not take for granted.
"Your effort in supporting our deployed soldiers is inspiring and represents the true heart of the American people," he concluded.
JDS Computer Donation as part of the Any Soldier Inc. support team. Both JDS Computer Donations and Any Soldier Inc. are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 10, 2007 - Many deployed servicemembers have received a morale boost thanks to computers donated by a Michigan-based organization. "We are a group of volunteers (who) rebuild laptop computers and supply them to deployed units for (morale, welfare and recreation), education and entertainment," said James R. Payne, a Vietnam veteran who's president of JDS Computer Donations.
The group accepts laptops, which it refurbishes and donates to nonprofit groups, public schools, and most recently, to deployed servicemembers. Nearly 500 of the refurbished machines already have been sent overseas to help servicemembers keep in touch with their loved ones back home.
Payne and his volunteers have received many responses from grateful servicemembers, many of which appear on the JDS Computer Donations Web site. One from the executive officer of Company A, 50th Signal Battalion, is a good summary of the sentiment expressed by others.
"On behalf of the soldiers, NCOs, and officers of Alpha Company, 50th Signal Battalion, I want to express how grateful we are for the donation of laptops to our unit," said Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Quimby. "Especially with the price of telephone minutes being so high, being able to use computers to communicate to loved ones back in the States is a convenience that we do not take for granted.
"Your effort in supporting our deployed soldiers is inspiring and represents the true heart of the American people," he concluded.
JDS Computer Donation as part of the Any Soldier Inc. support team. Both JDS Computer Donations and Any Soldier Inc. are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
Friday, September 21, 2007
New San Antonio Center for Wounded Warriors to Replace Current Facility
By Minnie Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 20, 2007 - A new Warrior and Family Support Center being built here will be 10 times the size of the current facility. A Sept. 15 groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction on the new 12,000-square-foot facility located across from the post's Fisher Houses, where many wounded warriors and their families stay during long rehabilitations.
The new Warrior and Family Support Center will provide a nurturing and comfortable environment where returning soldiers and their families can rest and recover. The new building will replace the 1,200-square-foot facility currently housed on the second floor of the Powless Guest House here.
"President Theodore Roosevelt once said: 'A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that, no man is entitled to, and less than that, no man shall have,'" Maj. Gen. Russell Czerw, commander of Army Medical Department Center and School and Fort Sam Houston, said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
"In my mind, Roosevelt would approve of what we are doing here today for our wounded soldiers," Czerw said. "He would be proud. Not only are we taking care of the soldier, but we are also taking care of their entire family."
Since opening its doors in December 2003, the Warrior and Family Support Center, formerly the Soldier and Family Assistance Center, has accommodated more than 180,000 visits from wounded warriors and their families -- family members who have left their jobs and homes to come to Fort Sam Houston to help with the rehabilitation of their loved ones.
The current center has outgrown its space, due to the length of the war and an increase in wounded warriors, officials said. The additional influx requires a permanent facility to meet all of the Warrior and Family Support Center operations.
The new building will provide a "living room" environment, a place for social interaction and recreation between wounded warriors and their families. It was designed with wounded warriors' requirements in mind -- fully wheelchair-accessible, with an atmosphere that will encourage healing. The new facility will have a computer classroom, kitchen, dining room, conference room, adequate bathrooms, and storage and social-gathering areas. It also will provide opportunities in training for new job skills.
In attendance at the groundbreaking was Jayne Webber-Hardy, the mother of Sgt. Matthew Webber, a member of the Michigan National Guard who died of injuries he suffered in Iraq. Webber-Hardy explained how the center helped her during her stay here by her son's side and how she would have been lost without the assistance and help provided by Judith Markelz, the center's program manager, and her staff.
"This new building is absolutely the most wonderful, precious gift of healing that you as a community, the sponsors and parents can give to these soldiers and their families," Webber-Hardy said.
Army Spc. Francesca Duke, who was injured by a car bomb in Ramadi, Iraq, is now an outpatient receiving treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center. She recalled her first encounter with the center.
"The Warrior and Family Support Center is where my mother and I found solace; it is one of the beginning steps in aiding in the recovery process for all heroes injured in support of operations Enduring (Freedom) and Iraqi Freedom. This is your home away from home," Duke said.
Markelz said she is thrilled about the new facility. "This is a place to honor (wounded warriors), a place where they can come and be themselves."
Steve Huffman, president of Huffman Developments and the Returning Heroes Home Board of Directors, attended the ceremony along with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and several local and state politicians.
Huffman helped to organize the effort to build the facility, and the fund has raised more than $800,000. Construction of the $3.5 million building is scheduled for completion in 2008, and Huffman said he expects that the remainder of the funds will be raised by the end of this year.
This project is just one of many pledges under the new Army Medical Action Plan that soldiers returning home from fighting the battles of war will not have fight a bureaucracy to obtain health care and other services during their recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center and elsewhere and their transition back to service or to civilian life afterwards.
"I have never seen a more collaborative and successful team. The plans were completed, reviewed and submitted to Washington for approval within one week," Huffman said. "From the time the plans left the post and sent to Washington, it was approved and accepted in record time by Pete Geren, the secretary of the Army. This project was a clear reflection of the efforts of the entire team – Col. Wendy Martinson (commander of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sam Houston), Randy Robinson (director of Installation Management Command West Region) and their outstanding staff.
"Why did we get involved? The answer is simple: the men and women, our warriors and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we can enjoy the liberties and freedom that we too many times take for granted," he said.
(Minnie Jones works at the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Sept. 20, 2007 - A new Warrior and Family Support Center being built here will be 10 times the size of the current facility. A Sept. 15 groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction on the new 12,000-square-foot facility located across from the post's Fisher Houses, where many wounded warriors and their families stay during long rehabilitations.
The new Warrior and Family Support Center will provide a nurturing and comfortable environment where returning soldiers and their families can rest and recover. The new building will replace the 1,200-square-foot facility currently housed on the second floor of the Powless Guest House here.
"President Theodore Roosevelt once said: 'A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that, no man is entitled to, and less than that, no man shall have,'" Maj. Gen. Russell Czerw, commander of Army Medical Department Center and School and Fort Sam Houston, said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
"In my mind, Roosevelt would approve of what we are doing here today for our wounded soldiers," Czerw said. "He would be proud. Not only are we taking care of the soldier, but we are also taking care of their entire family."
Since opening its doors in December 2003, the Warrior and Family Support Center, formerly the Soldier and Family Assistance Center, has accommodated more than 180,000 visits from wounded warriors and their families -- family members who have left their jobs and homes to come to Fort Sam Houston to help with the rehabilitation of their loved ones.
The current center has outgrown its space, due to the length of the war and an increase in wounded warriors, officials said. The additional influx requires a permanent facility to meet all of the Warrior and Family Support Center operations.
The new building will provide a "living room" environment, a place for social interaction and recreation between wounded warriors and their families. It was designed with wounded warriors' requirements in mind -- fully wheelchair-accessible, with an atmosphere that will encourage healing. The new facility will have a computer classroom, kitchen, dining room, conference room, adequate bathrooms, and storage and social-gathering areas. It also will provide opportunities in training for new job skills.
In attendance at the groundbreaking was Jayne Webber-Hardy, the mother of Sgt. Matthew Webber, a member of the Michigan National Guard who died of injuries he suffered in Iraq. Webber-Hardy explained how the center helped her during her stay here by her son's side and how she would have been lost without the assistance and help provided by Judith Markelz, the center's program manager, and her staff.
"This new building is absolutely the most wonderful, precious gift of healing that you as a community, the sponsors and parents can give to these soldiers and their families," Webber-Hardy said.
Army Spc. Francesca Duke, who was injured by a car bomb in Ramadi, Iraq, is now an outpatient receiving treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center. She recalled her first encounter with the center.
"The Warrior and Family Support Center is where my mother and I found solace; it is one of the beginning steps in aiding in the recovery process for all heroes injured in support of operations Enduring (Freedom) and Iraqi Freedom. This is your home away from home," Duke said.
Markelz said she is thrilled about the new facility. "This is a place to honor (wounded warriors), a place where they can come and be themselves."
Steve Huffman, president of Huffman Developments and the Returning Heroes Home Board of Directors, attended the ceremony along with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and several local and state politicians.
Huffman helped to organize the effort to build the facility, and the fund has raised more than $800,000. Construction of the $3.5 million building is scheduled for completion in 2008, and Huffman said he expects that the remainder of the funds will be raised by the end of this year.
This project is just one of many pledges under the new Army Medical Action Plan that soldiers returning home from fighting the battles of war will not have fight a bureaucracy to obtain health care and other services during their recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center and elsewhere and their transition back to service or to civilian life afterwards.
"I have never seen a more collaborative and successful team. The plans were completed, reviewed and submitted to Washington for approval within one week," Huffman said. "From the time the plans left the post and sent to Washington, it was approved and accepted in record time by Pete Geren, the secretary of the Army. This project was a clear reflection of the efforts of the entire team – Col. Wendy Martinson (commander of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sam Houston), Randy Robinson (director of Installation Management Command West Region) and their outstanding staff.
"Why did we get involved? The answer is simple: the men and women, our warriors and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we can enjoy the liberties and freedom that we too many times take for granted," he said.
(Minnie Jones works at the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)
Friday, July 06, 2007
Massachusetts and Michigan
Editor's Note: One of the writers is former US Army.
Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added two police officers from Massachusetts and one from Michigan.
Ray Rubino has devoted the majority of his fifty-five years to his country and native city, Lawrence, Massachusetts. He attended the Massachusetts State Police Academy and earned an associates degree in law enforcement from Northern Essex Community College. A former Marine and Viet Nam veteran, he proudly served twenty-eight years as a member of the Lawrence Police Department.
Ray Rubino is the author of Police Work It's Not All Coffee and Donuts: A Read for Police Officers and Those Who Dare to Learn What Makes Them Tick and Ticked Off. According to the book description, Ray Rubino’s book is “a journey through the mind and emotions of a civilian who becomes a police officer, and explores the metamorphosis from an energetic rookie to an apathetic veteran. Join him as he takes the absurd academic and physical tests; takes a tour of the police station and his city; rides in a cruiser on his first day, and experiences the rigors of the police academy. Prepare for the unexpected realities, and not a trendy batch of horror stories. It is not the expected confrontations with criminals, but the surprising reception by the public, the twisted coverage of the media, the crippling political influences within the department and the disappointing leniency of the justice system that will rip the fighting spirit from the heart of a police officer.”
In 1986, Michael Conti joined the Massachusetts State Police. During his career he has worked in a variety of assignments, including patrol, SWAT, special security details and undercover assignments. He has been involved as a professional trainer since 1991 and holds numerous instructor certifications in various use of force disciplines.
In January 2000, Michael Conti was tasked by then Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police to organize, staff, and train the first full-time Firearms Training Unit. During the creation of the unit, Michael Conti developed a firearms training program specifically geared to preparing police officers for the realities of the lethal force encounter. This successful program, dubbed The New Paradigm of Police Firearms Training, has received nation-wide attention and been profiled by the Law Enforcement Training Network (LETN).
In addition to his work for the Massachusetts State Police, Michael Conti has written two books, In the Line of Fire: A Working Cop’s Guide to Pistolcraft (1997), and Beyond Pepper Spray: The Complete Guide to Chemical Agents, Delivery Systems, and Protective Masks (2002). He has also had more than 100 articles published in various local and national publications
Brian Willingham is a police officer with the Flint Police Department (Michigan). In addition to being former U.S. Army Sergeant, husband and father of three, Brian Willingham is an accomplished public speaker and the author of Soul of a Black Cop.
According to Howard Zinn, Professor Emeritus, Boston University, “Brian Willingham’s extraordinary day-by-day account of his life as a cop reminds us that behind at least one of those forbidding police badges is someone with compassion and a profound understanding of the human condition. Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to sit beside a policeman in his cruiser and follow him through the day? As we read Willingham’s carefully crafted memoir, we are brought close to the scenes he describes: the beaten women, the desperate shoplifters, the crack victims, the raped children, the mentally disturbed. But there are moments which save him and us from despair: the smile of a child reminds him that "children are born happy. The world makes them sad." Willingham sees beyond the cruelties of everyday life to the deeper sickness of a society that doesn't realize its own addiction to war is reproduced in the violence on its city streets. He writes gracefully, with a generous spirit.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 617 police officers (representing 268 police departments) and their 1321 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added two police officers from Massachusetts and one from Michigan.
Ray Rubino has devoted the majority of his fifty-five years to his country and native city, Lawrence, Massachusetts. He attended the Massachusetts State Police Academy and earned an associates degree in law enforcement from Northern Essex Community College. A former Marine and Viet Nam veteran, he proudly served twenty-eight years as a member of the Lawrence Police Department.
Ray Rubino is the author of Police Work It's Not All Coffee and Donuts: A Read for Police Officers and Those Who Dare to Learn What Makes Them Tick and Ticked Off. According to the book description, Ray Rubino’s book is “a journey through the mind and emotions of a civilian who becomes a police officer, and explores the metamorphosis from an energetic rookie to an apathetic veteran. Join him as he takes the absurd academic and physical tests; takes a tour of the police station and his city; rides in a cruiser on his first day, and experiences the rigors of the police academy. Prepare for the unexpected realities, and not a trendy batch of horror stories. It is not the expected confrontations with criminals, but the surprising reception by the public, the twisted coverage of the media, the crippling political influences within the department and the disappointing leniency of the justice system that will rip the fighting spirit from the heart of a police officer.”
In 1986, Michael Conti joined the Massachusetts State Police. During his career he has worked in a variety of assignments, including patrol, SWAT, special security details and undercover assignments. He has been involved as a professional trainer since 1991 and holds numerous instructor certifications in various use of force disciplines.
In January 2000, Michael Conti was tasked by then Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police to organize, staff, and train the first full-time Firearms Training Unit. During the creation of the unit, Michael Conti developed a firearms training program specifically geared to preparing police officers for the realities of the lethal force encounter. This successful program, dubbed The New Paradigm of Police Firearms Training, has received nation-wide attention and been profiled by the Law Enforcement Training Network (LETN).
In addition to his work for the Massachusetts State Police, Michael Conti has written two books, In the Line of Fire: A Working Cop’s Guide to Pistolcraft (1997), and Beyond Pepper Spray: The Complete Guide to Chemical Agents, Delivery Systems, and Protective Masks (2002). He has also had more than 100 articles published in various local and national publications
Brian Willingham is a police officer with the Flint Police Department (Michigan). In addition to being former U.S. Army Sergeant, husband and father of three, Brian Willingham is an accomplished public speaker and the author of Soul of a Black Cop.
According to Howard Zinn, Professor Emeritus, Boston University, “Brian Willingham’s extraordinary day-by-day account of his life as a cop reminds us that behind at least one of those forbidding police badges is someone with compassion and a profound understanding of the human condition. Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to sit beside a policeman in his cruiser and follow him through the day? As we read Willingham’s carefully crafted memoir, we are brought close to the scenes he describes: the beaten women, the desperate shoplifters, the crack victims, the raped children, the mentally disturbed. But there are moments which save him and us from despair: the smile of a child reminds him that "children are born happy. The world makes them sad." Willingham sees beyond the cruelties of everyday life to the deeper sickness of a society that doesn't realize its own addiction to war is reproduced in the violence on its city streets. He writes gracefully, with a generous spirit.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 617 police officers (representing 268 police departments) and their 1321 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
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