MILITARY CONTRACTS September 19, 2008

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

BP West Coast Products LLC, La Palma, Calif. Is being awarded a maximum $1,130,287,795 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for aviation fuel. Other location of performance is Ferndale, Washington. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. There were originally 29 proposals solicited with 16 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 30, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-0508).

Montana Refining Co., Inc., Great Falls, Mont.*, is being awarded a maximum $24,856,825 fixed price with economic price adjustment, partial set-aside, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for jet fuel. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Defense Energy Support Center. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 16 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Oct. 31, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-0510).

Excel Manufacturing, El Paso, Texas,* is being awarded a maximum $8,375,220 firm fixed price, total set-aside contract for coats. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 13 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract represents option year one. The date of performance completion is Sept. 24 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM1C1-07-D-1501).

Navy

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $220,509,647 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5444) for MK15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System Block 1B upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware. The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) is an automatic terminal defense weapon system designed to detect, track, engage, and destroy anti-ship missile threats penetrating other defense envelopes. The Phalanx Block 1B CIWS weapon systems are also being installed on low-boy trailers with self contained diesel electric power and cooling water. This configuration of the Phalanx CIWS is the MK 15 MOD 29 land-based Phalanx Weapon system and has been deployed to Iraq. Work will be performed in Louisville, Ky., (30 percent); Andover, Mass., (19 percent); Tucson, Ariz., (16 percent); Syracuse, N.Y., (7 percent); Long Beach, Calif., (6 percent); Radford, Va., (6 percent); Burlington, Vt., (6 percent); Palm Bay, Fla., (2 percent); Pittsburg, Pa., (2 percent); Bloomington, Minn.; (2 percent), Salt Lake City, Utah, (2 percent); Norcross, Ga., (1 percent); and New Albany, Ind., (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $19,904,529 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

ITT Industries Avionics Div., Clifton, N. J., is being awarded a $55,744,000 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-05-C-0054) to exercise an option for the procurement of 32 AN/ALQ-214 On-Board Jammer Systems for the F/A-18 E/F aircraft for the U.S. Navy, (13) and the Government of Australia, (19). Work will be performed at various locations for all other vendors throughout the United States, (43.5 percent); Clifton, N.J., (34.4 percent); East Syracuse, N.Y., (8.8 percent); San Diego, Calif., (8.3 percent); and Rancho Cordova, Calif., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This option combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, ($22,646,000; 41 percent), and the Government of Australia, ($33,098,000; 59 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Space and Strategic Missiles, Sunnyvale, Calif., is being awarded $54,131,262 for modification #P00017 under a previously awarded contract (N00030-06-C-0100) for low-cost test missile kit production. This modification increases the total contract value to $854,612,333. Work will be performed in Pennsylvania, (Lancaster, Bristol) (65 percent); California, (Camarillo, Hollister, Sunnyvale, San Diego, Simi Valley, Santa Ana, Los Angeles) (24 percent); Missouri, (Joplin) (3 percent); Virgina, (Fairfax) (1 percent); New York, (Depew) (1 percent); Massachusetts, (Walpole) (1 percent); and other (5 percent). The expected date of completion is through Dec. 31, 2011. Contract fund will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting agency.

Baldi Bros. Inc.*, Beaumont, Calif., is being awarded a $44,288,213 firm fixed price contract for repairs to Runway 21L-03R and assault landing zone lighting at Travis Air Force Base. The contract also contains three unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $57,008,804. Work will be performed in Fairfield, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $44,288,213 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Naval Facilities Engineering Command e-solicitation website, with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-C-2206).

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $31,617,706 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-03-C-0055) to exercise an option for the manufacture, test and delivery of 23 Reconfigurable Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System for the U.S. Navy, (21); U.S. Air Force, (1); and the Government of Finland, (1) and 13 Self -Maintenance and Test/Calibration Interface Devices (SMAT/CAL ID) for the U.S. Navy, (11); the U.S. Air Force (1); and the Government of Finland, (1). Work will be performed in North Reading, Mass., (60 percent) and St. Louis, Mo., (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, ($28,786,790; 91.04 percent); the U.S. Air Force, ($1,415,458; 4.48 percent); and the Government of Finland, ($1,415,458; 4.48 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

ESY Co.*, Everett, Wash., was awarded an $8,955,694 firm fixed price contract on Sept. 17, 2008, for the construction and installation of dry dock Caisson #3. The contractor shall construct, test, and deliver dry dock Caisson #3. This caisson will replace the existing caisson and will be a reversible, ship-type, floating caisson having super flood-through capability constructed of steel. Work will be performed in Everett, Wash., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $8,955,694 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with six proposals solicited and two offers received via Navy Electronic Commerce Online. The Northwest Regional Maintenance Center, Bremerton, Wash., is the contracting activity (N4523A-08-C-0308).

Advanced Technology Construction*, Renton, Wash., is being awarded $7,926,790 for firm-fixed price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N44255-08-D-3015) for emergency power repair and upgrades at Naval Hospital Bremerton. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Wash., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Wash., is the contracting activity.

Barling Bay, LLC,* Anchorage, Ala., was awarded a $7,352,515 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus fixed fee, performance-based contract on Sept, 17, 2008, to provide services in the full range of hardware, software, and network engineering, information Technology (IT), and information assurance (IA) disciplines. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of the contract to an estimated amount of $47,652,820. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., (80 percent) and Charleston, S.C., (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009 (Sept. 2013 with options exercised). Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-6810).

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $6,824,720 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle OCONUS Field Service Representative (FSR) Site Lead, OCONUS Welders and definitizing the cost for Battle Damage Assessment Repair (BDAR) Kits and Deprocessing Kits. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and in OIF/OEF Area's of responsibilities, and work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 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.

Adaptive Technologies, Inc.*, Blacksburg, Va., is being awarded a $6,174,521 cost plus fix fee, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to research and develop a noise dosimetry for personnel noise exposure assessments which include digital noise-cancelling microphone, pilot active noise reduction earplug, active noise reduction impulse control, and noise monitor. Work will be performed in Blacksburg, Va., and is expected to be completed in Sept. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via a Broad Agency Announcement with one offer received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (N00421-08-D-0022).

Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $5,890,000 for firm fixed price task order #0003 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8615) for design and construction of Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Office (JIEDDO) battle courses at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of battle courses, three training lanes, an observational tower, and a range support facility. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $6,543,000. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Army

AAI Corporation, Hunt Valley, Md., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $66,334,705 cost plus fee price contract for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System, Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) IV Technology Refreshment. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Md., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0016).

Basic Marine Inc, Escanaba, Mich., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $25,102,510 firm fixed fee price contract for 14 deck barges. Work will be performed in Escanaba, Mich., with an estimated completion date of Oct 31, 2009. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-08-C-0037).

Korte Construction Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $17,496,964 firm fixed fee price contract for fiscal year 2008, construction of medical and dental clinics at Fort Lewis, Wash. Work will be performed in Fort Lewis, Wash., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 18, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and four bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Wash., is the contracting activity (W912DW-08-C-0018).

Sauers Incorporated d/b/a Sauer Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., was awarded on Sept. 17, 2008, a $17,376,400 firm fixed fee price contract for design and construction of a new ammunition storage facility. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 26, 2010. Four bids were solicited and three bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0061)

Northrop Grumman Technical Services, Sierra Vista (Garden Canon), Ariz., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $16,900,000 cost plus fixed fee price contract for over and above effort for reset of hunter hardware for interoperability verification. Work will be performed in Sierra Vista, (Garden Canon), Ariz., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 17, 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0025).

M.C. Dean Inc, Dulles, Va., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $16,206,929 firm fixed fee price contract for construction of electrical systems upgrade at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Ga., (Del Kalb County), Ga. Construct new electrical penthouse on the second floor of the main hospital, install new normal power distribution switchboards and connect to existing power ring bus. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 1, 2010. Bids were solicited via the FedBizOps and one bid was received. Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W9127-08-C-0056).

Nicholson Construction Company, Cuddy, Pa., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $10,415,194 firm fixed fee price contract for Phase I of auxiliary spillway channel excavation, Canton Lake Dam, and Canton Lake, Okla. Work will be performed in Canton, Okla., with an estimated completion date of Sept, 30, 2010. Bids were solicited via the FedBizOps were solicited and two bids was received. U.S. Army Engineer District Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla., is the contracting activity (W912BV-08C-1010).

Leupold & Stevens Inc, Beaverton, Ore., was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $9,498,475 five year IDIQ firm fixed price contract. This award is for various sight scopes from Leupold & Stevens Inc. Work will be performed in Beaverton, Ore., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 19, 2013. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. TACOM LCMMC, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52H09-08-D-0445).

Texas Sterling Construction Co., San Antonio, Texas, was awarded on Sept. 18, 2008, a $6,449,071 firm fixed price contract. This work includes design and construction of a new bridge structure over Salado Creek, extending from Nursery Road to W.W. White Road and includes approach roadways and a three-way intersection at Nursery Road, utilities, drainage structures and area lighting. Work will be performed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. US Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0050).

Air Force

Wyle Laboratories, Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for an estimated $19,323,667. This contract action is for the Reliability Information Analysis Center and will perform Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division research, and development and testing of the Exodus Data Warehouse program. At this time $1,515,589 has been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (HC1047-05-D-4005, DO: 0072).

Battelle Memorial Institute of Columbus, Ohio, is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for an estimated $15,865,585. The objective is to investigate and analyze current and anticipated health, medical, veterinary, and agricultural related chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear and weapons of mass destruction issues and requirements; develop plans for modernization; and conduct senior leader workshops. 55th Contracting Squadron, 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-00-D-3180, DO: 0557).

The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with LinQuest Corp., of Los Angeles, Calif., for $10,597,239. This contract modification will provide system engineering and integration support to the Military Satellite Communications Wing through FY09. At this time $8,032,327 has been obligated. Space and Missile Systems Center, Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-06-C-0002, P00045).

Cardinal Maintenance Service of Grand Rapid, Mich., is being awarded an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $9.6 million. This action will provide grounds maintenance requirement for Hill Air Force Base, Utah. At this time $1,219,343 has been obligated. 75 CONS/PKB, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8201-08-D-0019).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated System Sector, of El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $8,000,005. The INVENT program will design, develop and ground test an integrated suite of energy, power, and thermal advanced technologies based on the INVENT consensus architecture. This effort will consist of critical subsystems and vehicle system Technology integrations and demonstrations that ameliorate the risks identified by the INVENT consensus architecture studies. Component Technology and subsystem development work will be done outside of this effort. The three critical INVENT subsystem demonstrations identified are defined as 1) Adaptive Power and Thermal Management System, 2) Robust Electrical Power System, and 3) High Performance Electric Actuation System. Integrated designs shall be developed using high fidelity modeling and simulation techniques at an air system level to validate the approach achieves the expected benefits identified by the INVENT consensus architecture study. At this time $10,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKPA, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-2935).

ITT Corp., of Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a time and material, cost reimbursement no fee contract for $7,527,936. This action will provide AN/ALQ-172 (V) Software Block Cycle Support. At this time all funds have been obligated. 542 CBSSS/PKS, Robins AFB, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8523-05-G-0002-0014).

Battelle Memorial Institute of Columbus, Ohio, is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee, indefinite delivery, and requirements contract for an estimated $5,924,814. This contract action will conduct development of the DoD's chemical and biological equipment database, develop Chemical and Biological (CB) defense analytic tools, and perform research and analysis on CB defense initiatives. At this time $347,826 has been obligated. 55th Contracting Squadron, 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-00-D-3180, DO: 0565).

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

Agarigen Inc.*, Durham, N.C., is being awarded a $9,360,477 modification to a previously awarded other transaction for prototypes agreement for phase II of the Accelerated Manufacture of Pharmaceuticals program. Work will be performed in Durham, N.C., (96 percent), Coatsville, Pa., (1 percent), University Park, Pa., (3 percent), and is expected to be completed Dec. 2010. Funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a follow on to a competitive award based on a solicitation issued in Federal Business Opportunities on May 11, 2006, for which over 10 proposals were received. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-07-9-0004, P00006).

BAE Systems National Security Solutions, Burlington, Mass., was awarded on Sept. 12, 2008, a $7,177,621 cost plus fixed fee contract for the video and image retrieval and Analysis Tool program. Work will be performed in Burlington, Mass., (70 percent), Cambridge, Mass., (21 percent), and Los Angeles, (9 percent), and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Funds being obligated at time of award ($1,803,138) will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. DARPA issued a solicitation in Federal Business Opportunities on Mar. 3, 2008, and 20 proposals were received. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-08-C-0134).

Montana Guard Starts Pilot Program on Post-Deployment Stress

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

July 3, 2008 - TriWest and the Montana Army and Air National Guard recently launched a pilot program to help Guard members and their families deal with post-deployment stress. TriWest administers the military's Tricare health care program in 21 western states.

The program gives servicemembers at armories in Helena and Great Falls, Mont., face-to-face and confidential opportunities with TriWest mental health providers to discuss post-deployment stress issues. The providers also participate in monthly unit-level health training.

Post-traumatic stress is a disorder more and more common in servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In April 2006, the Montana National Guard formed a task force to evaluate the care and needs of Guardsmen returning from deployments, said Army Capt. Jeremy Hedges, manager of the post-deployment health reassessment program for the Montana National Guard.

The task force made 14 recommendations to change existing post-deployment programs, including mandated enrollment in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, mental health-focused training, and the TriWest pilot program, according to a progress report issued in May.

The task force found that the Montana Guard was following all of the state's guidelines, but that guidelines fell short of taking care of returned veterans, Hedges said.

Cooperation with TriWest, the state of Montana and the National Guard led to the commitment to implement all 14 recommendations. Hedges said officials hope the changes and the TriWest program will aid in providing immediate service and early detection.

"This program has the potential to save lives," he said. "If a Guardsman has thoughts of suicide or is in a risk category, these professionals will be able to diagnose and talk to him, and immediate referrals will be made for the Guardsman to seek further treatment."

The program began June 1 and is scheduled to continue through the end of the year. The task force will track progress and feedback, with hopes to secure a long-term commitment from TriWest and other sources, Hedges said.

America Supports You: Wounded Soldier Gets Canine Companion

By Army Spc. Andrew Orillion
Special to American Forces Press Service

June 27, 2008 - On Aug. 19, 2006, the life of Army Capt. James Barclay IV changed forever. He was in the lead vehicle of a convoy in a remote area of Afghanistan when a roadside bomb tore through his vehicle. Barclay survived, but suffered burns over 40 percent of his body.

Barclay's life changed again June 24, but this time for the better.

Marc Illman, owner of The Pet Resort at Greensprings here, reunited Barclay with Bryant, a chocolate Labrador retriever specially trained for hunting. Illman spent the last three months training the dog while Barclay underwent treatment for his injuries.
Bryant and Barclay's story began shortly after Barclay started his recovery at the Wounded Warrior Center at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. A long-time outdoorsman, Barclay was eager to return to hunting, his favorite pastime. He adopted Bryant in August, but soon found that his injuries prevented him from properly caring for the pooch.

"I had him for about three weeks," he said. "Due to the surgeries, I wasn't going to able to do what I wanted to do with him, and spend as much time as I should with him, so I sent him to my dad's house."

In March, Barclay's father, Army Brig. Gen. James Barclay III, former director of U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Center for Operational Analysis, brought Bryant and another pet to Illman for boarding. When Illman found out about the situation, he volunteered to help train Bryant free of charge.

"I'm thrilled to do this, and I hope the dog works out for him and his family," Illman said. "These young men in the armed services really don't have a choice. They're where they're told to go, when they're told to go there, and no matter what your political ideals are, they're committed to serve the armed services, and it's important they know that when they come home, as opposed to other wars we've had, that they have some support."

Bryant's training began with basic obedience training and socialization. Illman then moved on to more hunting and outdoor-specific training such as running through deep undergrowth and proper reaction to gunfire. He specifically trained the pup to hunt both water fowl and upland birds such as quail and pheasant. Illman said Bryant took easily to the training.

"What makes him really special is that, sometimes you have a dog that's great around people [and] becomes a great house dog. We call them 'couch potatoes,' Illman said. "But he also has the ability to switch that off and become a great field-trial hunting dog."

The elder Barclay, who recently left JFCom to become commanding general at Fort Rucker, Ala., said he's grateful not only for Illman's help, but also for everyone who reaches out to wounded servicemembers in need.

"It's great to have Americans who support our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, and he is prime example of that kind of support that is willing to give and do things for these kids," the general said. "We've got great Americans out there that show their support in different ways for our kids. I think it's wonderful, and folks like that need recognition."

As Barclay reunited with his old friend, the two recognized each other right away and were inseparable from the moment they were reunited.

"It really means a lot to see that people here support me and the soldiers out here," Barclay said. "Hopefully, [Bryant will] be my right-hand man."

In addition to Bryant, Barclay received a free one-year supply of dog food and a weekend hunting trip at a resort in Montana.

With Bryant in tow, Barclay will head back to San Antonio to continue his recovery. He said he hopes to be better in time for the bird-hunting season in the fall.

"Once I get back, I'll start working with him right away to try and create that bond you need in a hunting dog," Barclay said.

(Army Spc. Andrew Orillion serves in the U.S. Joint Forces Command Public Affairs Office.)

Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.

Family Support Network Helps Families During Marine Deployments

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

April 7, 2008 - Dealing with a loved one's deployment can be difficult. But for Marine families based thousands of miles from home, the challenges might seem even more daunting if not for an active family support network in place to help them. Here at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, home to more than 11,000 Marines and sailors and their families, the Marine Corps Family Team Building program plays a critical role in helping families through multiple deployments.

Historically a volunteer-based effort, the program now benefits from a recent Headquarters Marine Corps decision to create permanent, paid positions at every Marine base to ensure consistent, continuous family support programs throughout the Corps, explained Xiomara Bowes, the program's director.

The Marine Corps dedicated other expanded resources to the program, as well, introducing broader family support efforts. "We have supplies; we have equipment; we have office spaces; we have facilities," as well as additional child care and extended-hour training programs, Bowes said.

Now, she said, the program can provide additional services and training, not only to spouses, but also to children of deployed Marines and sailors, as well as their parents and extended families. "It opens it up for more training opportunities, more learning opportunities to just get through the challenging lifestyle," she said.

But even with this seven-person paid staff, Bowes said the network couldn't serve the families of about 1,700 currently deployed Marines without a vast volunteer network. The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force's 2nd Battalion is deployed now, and the 1st Battalion is preparing to deploy later this year.

"We're busy when it comes to deployments, especially with the times we are in," Bowes said. "There's simply no way we could provide the support families need by ourselves, without the commitment of our volunteers."

Bowes described the far-reaching efforts she said are particularly important here, because there's no way to hop into the family car and drive home, and airline tickets home cost hundreds of dollars.

"There's a sense of isolation for many of them," said Bowes, a Navy wife herself who understands the challenges deployments bring. "When you're here in Hawaii and your family is Montana, it's not like you can get on a plane and go to Montana."

The isolation can be particularly difficult for younger spouses experiencing their first deployment, she said. The average Marine here is 19 to 20 years old, and about 25 percent of the base population is married.

Even spouses able to pick up and fly home during the deployment can run into a quandary, explained Cheryl Roy, the base's readiness and deployment support trainer and wife of a 30-year Marine who recently retired. If they leave their base housing for more than 90 days, they're required to give it up to the next person in line for housing and to get back on the waiting list when they return.

Their medical benefits can transfer with them, but change because the family is moving from a base outside the continental United States to one within CONUS. And if they have pets, they have to consider the quarantine requirements on their return to Hawaii, Roy said. "It's not an easy move; even if they decide to do that, it has challenges, as well," Bowes said.

These factors, she said, make a solid family support network especially important.

Spouses often seek out the Family Team Building staff to help them deal with a particular problems, but get something far more important, Roy said. "I think what they're looking for and what we're trying to give them are possibly two different things," she said, "because they come looking for services, and we want to teach them how to take care of themselves. And if you look at each one of our programs, you'll see that the commonality is in teaching them and educating them in different ways to do just that."

Training programs are offered on base and online, and they run the gamut from courses that promote personal development such as communication skills and financial awareness to those that develop career skills.

"Our focus is on empowering them. We're building resiliency," Bowes said.

"It's always going to be up and down. It's just the nature of being in a military family. ... There are constant changes to our lifestyle," she said. "And so because of that, what we want to build is resiliency so they can accept change, transition from one thing to the next, and never skip a beat. ... We want to help build resiliency so they can get through those challenges.

The LINKS program -- better known by its acronym than its full name: Lifestyle Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills program -- is a vital part of this effort, Bowes said. She described LINKS as "Marine Corps 101," a program that teaches families about the Marine Corps and its traditions. This, she said, helps build pride among family members and helps them better understand the culture they live in and how it operates.

LINKS also covers topics ranging from how to read a leave and earnings statement, to what services are provided on base and where to go for them, to an overview of Hawaiian culture and language.

The base's programs also help families understand the family dynamics that take place before, during and after a deployment. Roy pointed to a seven-stage emotional cycle that begins up to six weeks before the Marine's departure and continues up to 12 weeks after the homecoming -- each stage involving emotional ups and downs for the family.

"We want to teach them about the emotional cycles of deployment, so they understand and are prepared for the emotional roller coaster," she said. The Family Team Building program's offerings span the full deployment cycle, from pre-deployment briefings to prepare families for what's ahead to support groups during the deployment to a warrior transition briefing that helps redeploying Marines transition back to their roles at home.

To help families reach out to each other and give them a little fun during the deployment the base also sponsors an active Operation Homefront program, said Louise Yeager, Marine Corps community services area coordinator. Each month, the program offers a free event for families of deployed Marines and sailors: a bowling day, pool party, picnic, or visit to the local Tiki Island amusement park.

"The families really look forward to these events," Yeager said. "It's a chance for them to have fun, but also to get together with the other family members for sharing and support."

As the Marine Corps Family Team Building program helps families, it's also helping improve the Marines' readiness for their deployments, Bowes said.

If the family is not ready for a deployment and not stable enough to handle the deployment -- to be alone, to be without the second parent -- then the Marine can't go off and do his job," she said. "A Marine has to be able to go out and concentrate solely on what the mission is. ... We have found that, in order to have mission readiness, you also have to have family readiness. They actually correlate."

A distracted Marine puts his or her entire unit at risk, Roy said. "And we can't have that, because we want our Marines and sailors to come home. That's why we're so committed to this program. We believe in what we're doing. We believe in our mission to help them achieve their mission."

DoD to Award $15.7 Million for Science and Engineering Research

The Department of Defense announced today plans to award $15.7 million to 24 academic institutions in 18 states to perform research in science and engineering, under the fiscal 2008 Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR).

The Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research solicited proposals using a defense-wide broad agency announcement. The announcement was published on the Internet and accessed by the DEPSCoR state committees, which solicited and selected projects for each state's proposal.

Academic researchers in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming were eligible to receive awards under this competition.

All awards are subject to the successful completion of negotiations between DoD and the academic institutions.