The 74th Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter, resigned his office today as planned. Winter had agreed to remain in office until March 13, 2009, to ease the transition of the Department of Defense.
"As I relinquish my duties as Secretary of the Navy, I count myself blessed for having had the opportunity to serve as your Secretary," Winter said in a message to the Navy and Marine Corps. "No period in my professional life can compare to the experiences that I have had in this position."
Winter became the Secretary of the Navy on Jan. 3, 2006. During his tenure, Winter focused on three priorities: prosecuting the war against terrorist enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan; taking care of wounded Sailors, Marines and their families; and building the future fleet. Additionally, he carried out far-reaching acquisition reforms, with an emphasis on rebuilding an acquisition corps of professionals within the department, demanding accountability, and insisting on a systems engineering approach to acquisitions.
Under Winter's leadership, the Department of the Navy strove to maintain a balance of environmental stewardship while preserving the professional training requirements of the Navy and Marine Corps. The importance of these efforts was recognized by the Supreme Court in a precedent setting opinion. Winter also enhanced the Navy's role in missile defense, codified policies to leverage special operations capabilities in the Navy and Marine Corps, and increased the department's focus on intelligence collection and analysis.
"Every time I meet with Sailors and Marines, I come away impressed by the tremendous capability and flexibility of our warfighters to accomplish the mission, no matter what the challenge," he said. "I am honored to have served you as your Secretary. Thank you for your service to our nation."
BJ Penn will be the acting Secretary of the Navy until the Senate confirms a nominee chosen by President Barack Obama.
Friday, March 13, 2009
First Lady Brings Military Family Issues to Front Burner
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama, having just returned from a meeting yesterday with military families at Fort Bragg, N.C., reiterated today on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" her commitment to ensuring they get the support they deserve.
Obama said she chose Fort Bragg for her first trip outside Washington as first lady to turn the spotlight on "a huge need out there" that she conceded most Americans are "pretty oblivious" to.
Obama admitted she had no idea of the outstanding needs before taking on the military family cause during her husband's presidential campaign. "I just assumed that if we care about our troops and we send them to war, that naturally, we'd be taking care of their families," she said.
Most Americans probably don't realize how many times military families move or how expensive those moves can be, she said this morning. They disrupt children's school schedules and cause spouses to scramble to find new jobs and quality child care, and to transfer school credits.
Also not widely understood, she said, is how many young, enlisted families are living "right at the poverty line because the pay isn't enough."
That's particularly troubling, she said, when their loved ones are deployed into harm's way in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"It hurts. It hurts," she said. "These are people who are willing to send their loved ones off to, perhaps, give their lives -- the ultimate sacrifice. But yet, they're living back at home on food stamps. It's not right, and it's not where we should be as a nation."
President Barack Obama's proposed 2.9 percent military pay raise will offer a start toward helping these families, she said. But she conceded it's only "a down payment on what we need to do."
A strong military depends on the support of military families, and the country can't expect to get that support if it doesn't demonstrate that it values what families contribute, she said.
"If, when it's time to re-enlist, they look around and they can't find a life for themselves, I can assure you that spouse will say, 'Let's go. Let's call it a day. Let's pull down our tent and move on to something else,'" she said.
"And we lose support that we desperately need as a nation."
Yesterday, during an emotional meeting at Fort Bragg's community center, the first lady told military families in person the United States owes them more.
"Our soldiers and their families have done their duty. They do it without complaint," she said. "And we as a grateful nation must do ours and do everything in our power to honor them by supporting them."
Rallying the country around military families' challenges isn't difficult, she said today. "People understand it, once the issue is brought to their attention. And they're ready to do whatever they can."
American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama, having just returned from a meeting yesterday with military families at Fort Bragg, N.C., reiterated today on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" her commitment to ensuring they get the support they deserve.
Obama said she chose Fort Bragg for her first trip outside Washington as first lady to turn the spotlight on "a huge need out there" that she conceded most Americans are "pretty oblivious" to.
Obama admitted she had no idea of the outstanding needs before taking on the military family cause during her husband's presidential campaign. "I just assumed that if we care about our troops and we send them to war, that naturally, we'd be taking care of their families," she said.
Most Americans probably don't realize how many times military families move or how expensive those moves can be, she said this morning. They disrupt children's school schedules and cause spouses to scramble to find new jobs and quality child care, and to transfer school credits.
Also not widely understood, she said, is how many young, enlisted families are living "right at the poverty line because the pay isn't enough."
That's particularly troubling, she said, when their loved ones are deployed into harm's way in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"It hurts. It hurts," she said. "These are people who are willing to send their loved ones off to, perhaps, give their lives -- the ultimate sacrifice. But yet, they're living back at home on food stamps. It's not right, and it's not where we should be as a nation."
President Barack Obama's proposed 2.9 percent military pay raise will offer a start toward helping these families, she said. But she conceded it's only "a down payment on what we need to do."
A strong military depends on the support of military families, and the country can't expect to get that support if it doesn't demonstrate that it values what families contribute, she said.
"If, when it's time to re-enlist, they look around and they can't find a life for themselves, I can assure you that spouse will say, 'Let's go. Let's call it a day. Let's pull down our tent and move on to something else,'" she said.
"And we lose support that we desperately need as a nation."
Yesterday, during an emotional meeting at Fort Bragg's community center, the first lady told military families in person the United States owes them more.
"Our soldiers and their families have done their duty. They do it without complaint," she said. "And we as a grateful nation must do ours and do everything in our power to honor them by supporting them."
Rallying the country around military families' challenges isn't difficult, she said today. "People understand it, once the issue is brought to their attention. And they're ready to do whatever they can."
Standardization Program Presents Annual Achievment Awards
Three individuals and Five Teams have won awards from the Defense Standardization Program Office (DSPO) for outstanding contributions to the Department of Defense last fiscal year. The awards were presented today, March 12, 2009, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Hall of Heroes.
Since 1987 the DSPO has recognized individuals and organization that have effected significant improvements in quality, reliability, readiness, cost reduction, and interoperability through standardization. The DSP mission is to identify, influence, develop, manage, and provide access to standardization processes, products and services for warfighters and the acquisition and logistics communities. The program also promotes interoperability and assists in reducing total ownership cost and sustaining readiness.
Individual recipients for 2008 include Abdonasser Abdouni of the Defense Logistics Agency for developing a new series of alternative connector finishes for the high reliability electrical circular connection program in lieu of traditional finishes that rely on the hazardous chemical Cadmium. Ralph Liguori, Defense Information Systems Agency, led the DoD effort to define the IPv6 requirements, chairing various committees and working groups to define the initial IPv6 capable requirements resulting in significant savings in costs and promoting competition amongst vendors. Tim Sharpe of the Defense Information Systems Agency is recognized for leading a NATO nation effort to develop a standard interface between national tactical systems that created a federated network Standardization Agreements that resulted in standard wideband interface between multinational tactical networks.
Team winners include the Joint U.S. Army/Defense Logistics Agency Team, which coordinated the reinstatement of the MIL-STD-147 palletized unit loads standard. This standard covers the methods, materials, and techniques employed for palletized unit loads of military supplies. Members of that team include Thomas Kozlowski, Kenneth Hill, Timothy Keller, Ann Podrasky, and Joseph Wolak.
The Army team at the Army Research Laboratory led an international effort to develop a manufacturing process known as "Cold Spray" and the accompanying Manufacturing Process Standard, MIL-STD-3021, entitled Materials Deposition, Cold Spray. Cold Spray will allow the reclamation of existing parts during overhaul and repair. Studies conducted by the Army and its partners show that with a small investment, the Army will recover millions of dollars in cost avoidance savings not having to purchase new parts. Team members are Richard Squillacioti, Dennis Helfritch and Victor Champagne.
Naval Air Systems Command's team developed a virtual tactical bridge integrating live and virtual radio devices using different standards into a seamless communications architecture. This effort bridges the gap between live and virtual communications. This program will result in an estimated $2.6 million annual cost avoidances by facilitating engineering and quality investigations common among aviation equipment and platforms used by multiple services. Members include Robert Reif, John Allen, Lance Legan, Christopher Sprague and Peter McCarthy.
A joint Navy, Army, Air Force Coast Guard, and Defense Contract Management Agency Team at Naval Air Systems Command worked together in standardizing the reporting process for all services in the Joint Deficiency Reporting System. The team integrated each services system into a web-based, workflow driven application, with a shared relational database. This was accomplished while maintaining service specific fields and workflow requirements. JDRS now provides full deficiency report processing. The payoff is improved performance, safety, reliability, quality, sustainability, interoperability, and a substantial cost savings. This joint team includes Steven Hauck, William Queener, David Christy, William Duren and William Folsom.
An Air Force Team led the way to coordinate and publish MIL-STD-3027 on performance requirements and testing of body armor. This standard provides military unique requirements for ballistic threat protection, environmental exposure, durability, and testing for use in the development of new soft and hard body armor. This standard now enables the all services whose forces' mission requirements preclude using the Interceptor Body Armor System to accurately specify and verify standard military unique requirements in future body armor procurements. Members are Capt. Mark Mallory, Todd Turner, Timothy Staley, Madeline Istvan and Christopher Ptachik.
Additional information on the Defense Standardization Program is available on the DSP website at http://www.dsp.dla.mil .
Since 1987 the DSPO has recognized individuals and organization that have effected significant improvements in quality, reliability, readiness, cost reduction, and interoperability through standardization. The DSP mission is to identify, influence, develop, manage, and provide access to standardization processes, products and services for warfighters and the acquisition and logistics communities. The program also promotes interoperability and assists in reducing total ownership cost and sustaining readiness.
Individual recipients for 2008 include Abdonasser Abdouni of the Defense Logistics Agency for developing a new series of alternative connector finishes for the high reliability electrical circular connection program in lieu of traditional finishes that rely on the hazardous chemical Cadmium. Ralph Liguori, Defense Information Systems Agency, led the DoD effort to define the IPv6 requirements, chairing various committees and working groups to define the initial IPv6 capable requirements resulting in significant savings in costs and promoting competition amongst vendors. Tim Sharpe of the Defense Information Systems Agency is recognized for leading a NATO nation effort to develop a standard interface between national tactical systems that created a federated network Standardization Agreements that resulted in standard wideband interface between multinational tactical networks.
Team winners include the Joint U.S. Army/Defense Logistics Agency Team, which coordinated the reinstatement of the MIL-STD-147 palletized unit loads standard. This standard covers the methods, materials, and techniques employed for palletized unit loads of military supplies. Members of that team include Thomas Kozlowski, Kenneth Hill, Timothy Keller, Ann Podrasky, and Joseph Wolak.
The Army team at the Army Research Laboratory led an international effort to develop a manufacturing process known as "Cold Spray" and the accompanying Manufacturing Process Standard, MIL-STD-3021, entitled Materials Deposition, Cold Spray. Cold Spray will allow the reclamation of existing parts during overhaul and repair. Studies conducted by the Army and its partners show that with a small investment, the Army will recover millions of dollars in cost avoidance savings not having to purchase new parts. Team members are Richard Squillacioti, Dennis Helfritch and Victor Champagne.
Naval Air Systems Command's team developed a virtual tactical bridge integrating live and virtual radio devices using different standards into a seamless communications architecture. This effort bridges the gap between live and virtual communications. This program will result in an estimated $2.6 million annual cost avoidances by facilitating engineering and quality investigations common among aviation equipment and platforms used by multiple services. Members include Robert Reif, John Allen, Lance Legan, Christopher Sprague and Peter McCarthy.
A joint Navy, Army, Air Force Coast Guard, and Defense Contract Management Agency Team at Naval Air Systems Command worked together in standardizing the reporting process for all services in the Joint Deficiency Reporting System. The team integrated each services system into a web-based, workflow driven application, with a shared relational database. This was accomplished while maintaining service specific fields and workflow requirements. JDRS now provides full deficiency report processing. The payoff is improved performance, safety, reliability, quality, sustainability, interoperability, and a substantial cost savings. This joint team includes Steven Hauck, William Queener, David Christy, William Duren and William Folsom.
An Air Force Team led the way to coordinate and publish MIL-STD-3027 on performance requirements and testing of body armor. This standard provides military unique requirements for ballistic threat protection, environmental exposure, durability, and testing for use in the development of new soft and hard body armor. This standard now enables the all services whose forces' mission requirements preclude using the Interceptor Body Armor System to accurately specify and verify standard military unique requirements in future body armor procurements. Members are Capt. Mark Mallory, Todd Turner, Timothy Staley, Madeline Istvan and Christopher Ptachik.
Additional information on the Defense Standardization Program is available on the DSP website at http://www.dsp.dla.mil .
First Lady Visits Fort Bragg, Vows Support for Military Families
By Reginald Rogers
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama said she was committed to improving support for military families yesterday during her first visit here as first lady. Obama said her commitment to improving family support began two years ago at the beginning of her husband's campaign, after hearing about the challenges military spouses faced. "I spent a lot of my time talking about issues that really affected me as a working mom," Obama said. "I met more and more military families who were not just struggling with those basic issues that all civilians are dealing with, but they were tacking on multiple tours of duty and having to figure out how do you keep a family together when you moved 10 times in the same number of years.
"I was moved by the power of those stories, and I committed to myself then that if I was blessed with the opportunity to be the nation's first lady, then I would make the issues facing military families a top priority for me," she said.
The first lady pointed out a few of the issues military families face including quality education on military posts, adequate childcare for families who live on- and off-post, and for military spouses, how to balance higher education, careers and family support during deployments.
Obama said it is important to hear military families' concerns and provide a voice for them in Washington.
"First of all, my job is to listen and learn and to make sure that the families understand that not only the Obama family, but the Obama administration values their service and is going to be working to shine a light," she said. "I want to make sure that I use my platform to ensure that the nation is aware of these challenges."
She said many people may assume that by caring for the troops, they also are taking care of military families.
"I think many people were like me, not realizing so many of our military families are living right at the poverty line," she explained, "not realizing that it is hard for spouses to get jobs when the move, or that they can't often transfer credits and finish their education, and they're struggling with the high cost of quality and affordable childcare."
Obama said she wants to bring military families' issues to light.
"I also think that there are some real practical issues that the Obama administration is expected to address," she said. "In the stimulus package, there is more money for improved housing support, expanding childcare, and making sure that we're caring for our wounded veterans."
The first lady said it is important to make sure that when wounded veterans return home, they will receive quality medical care. She added that in the current budget, the president also is looking for more money to increase military pay, expand childcare and ensure that there is adequate mental health support.
"Those are just some of the things," she said. "As Barack said, this is a down payment on what we need to be doing, and we've got to make sure that this budget passes and the dollars start flowing."
Obama spoke on the importance of having adequate childcare for military families.
"I think everyone calms down when they think their kids are taken care of," she said. "So having good childcare facilities -- I think we're going to see some of that money start to come in so that folks can get off the waiting lists and get into childcare facilities. Not just on bases, but in the surrounding communities as well, because not everybody lives on a base; not everybody can transfer their kids back and forth to bases."
Many family members spoke to her about streamlining the available support so that it is more consistent at all bases, Obama said. It is equally important to make information available to families to prevent hardships once they transfer to different bases, she noted.
Obama said she was impressed with the Fort Bragg community.
"The spirit here, that impressed me the first time I came here, just a little over a year ago," she said. "The folks here are very proud of their service, and the leadership here takes support to families very seriously."
She recalled one of the military spouses who recently had spoken with her own mother and explained the kind of support available on the post. She said the mother pointed out that none of those systems or programs existed in the past when she was raising her family here.
"Fort Bragg demonstrates that we've made a lot of progress in term of support for military families," Obama said. "But I think the leadership here would say that we still have work to do."
Obama praised Fort Bragg and the Fayetteville community, saying it is a model for other military towns because of the support and facilities available to soldiers and family members.
"There is a commitment to the resources that are needed across the board for families," she said. "There's the Family Covenant that really sets forth the priorities and the values that should guide the support that the military is going to give.
"There's a broader community of support here in Fayetteville and the surrounding counties that is the model," she continued. "So this is one of the places that we should look for the type of support that we need."
Obama wants to put a call out to the nation to be mindful that this is a nation at war.
"There are troops out there right now fighting for our freedom and our security," she said. "When they go, they leave behind families.
The first lady extended the opportunity to help military families to the rest of the nation, whether they live in military communities or not.
"It's incumbent upon us as a nation to look in our schools and figure out which child has parents that's deployed and be aware of that and be conscious of that," she said. "It's incumbent upon us to look in our own backyards to our neighbors and to figure out who's out there serving our country, and what kind of support that they need. We need to make sure, as a community, that we're coming together around those families."
(Reginald Rogers serves with the Fort Bragg public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama said she was committed to improving support for military families yesterday during her first visit here as first lady. Obama said her commitment to improving family support began two years ago at the beginning of her husband's campaign, after hearing about the challenges military spouses faced. "I spent a lot of my time talking about issues that really affected me as a working mom," Obama said. "I met more and more military families who were not just struggling with those basic issues that all civilians are dealing with, but they were tacking on multiple tours of duty and having to figure out how do you keep a family together when you moved 10 times in the same number of years.
"I was moved by the power of those stories, and I committed to myself then that if I was blessed with the opportunity to be the nation's first lady, then I would make the issues facing military families a top priority for me," she said.
The first lady pointed out a few of the issues military families face including quality education on military posts, adequate childcare for families who live on- and off-post, and for military spouses, how to balance higher education, careers and family support during deployments.
Obama said it is important to hear military families' concerns and provide a voice for them in Washington.
"First of all, my job is to listen and learn and to make sure that the families understand that not only the Obama family, but the Obama administration values their service and is going to be working to shine a light," she said. "I want to make sure that I use my platform to ensure that the nation is aware of these challenges."
She said many people may assume that by caring for the troops, they also are taking care of military families.
"I think many people were like me, not realizing so many of our military families are living right at the poverty line," she explained, "not realizing that it is hard for spouses to get jobs when the move, or that they can't often transfer credits and finish their education, and they're struggling with the high cost of quality and affordable childcare."
Obama said she wants to bring military families' issues to light.
"I also think that there are some real practical issues that the Obama administration is expected to address," she said. "In the stimulus package, there is more money for improved housing support, expanding childcare, and making sure that we're caring for our wounded veterans."
The first lady said it is important to make sure that when wounded veterans return home, they will receive quality medical care. She added that in the current budget, the president also is looking for more money to increase military pay, expand childcare and ensure that there is adequate mental health support.
"Those are just some of the things," she said. "As Barack said, this is a down payment on what we need to be doing, and we've got to make sure that this budget passes and the dollars start flowing."
Obama spoke on the importance of having adequate childcare for military families.
"I think everyone calms down when they think their kids are taken care of," she said. "So having good childcare facilities -- I think we're going to see some of that money start to come in so that folks can get off the waiting lists and get into childcare facilities. Not just on bases, but in the surrounding communities as well, because not everybody lives on a base; not everybody can transfer their kids back and forth to bases."
Many family members spoke to her about streamlining the available support so that it is more consistent at all bases, Obama said. It is equally important to make information available to families to prevent hardships once they transfer to different bases, she noted.
Obama said she was impressed with the Fort Bragg community.
"The spirit here, that impressed me the first time I came here, just a little over a year ago," she said. "The folks here are very proud of their service, and the leadership here takes support to families very seriously."
She recalled one of the military spouses who recently had spoken with her own mother and explained the kind of support available on the post. She said the mother pointed out that none of those systems or programs existed in the past when she was raising her family here.
"Fort Bragg demonstrates that we've made a lot of progress in term of support for military families," Obama said. "But I think the leadership here would say that we still have work to do."
Obama praised Fort Bragg and the Fayetteville community, saying it is a model for other military towns because of the support and facilities available to soldiers and family members.
"There is a commitment to the resources that are needed across the board for families," she said. "There's the Family Covenant that really sets forth the priorities and the values that should guide the support that the military is going to give.
"There's a broader community of support here in Fayetteville and the surrounding counties that is the model," she continued. "So this is one of the places that we should look for the type of support that we need."
Obama wants to put a call out to the nation to be mindful that this is a nation at war.
"There are troops out there right now fighting for our freedom and our security," she said. "When they go, they leave behind families.
The first lady extended the opportunity to help military families to the rest of the nation, whether they live in military communities or not.
"It's incumbent upon us as a nation to look in our schools and figure out which child has parents that's deployed and be aware of that and be conscious of that," she said. "It's incumbent upon us to look in our own backyards to our neighbors and to figure out who's out there serving our country, and what kind of support that they need. We need to make sure, as a community, that we're coming together around those families."
(Reginald Rogers serves with the Fort Bragg public affairs office.)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Obama Nominates Hill, Eikenberry for Posts
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - President Barack Obama nominated Christopher R. Hill as ambassador to Iraq and Army Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry to serve as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan yesterday. The nominations require Senate confirmation.
"I am honored and grateful that these dedicated public servants have agreed to join my administration as we work to tackle the great challenges of our time," the president said in written statement issued by the White House. "These extraordinarily accomplished individuals have served their country with great distinction, and they have each agreed to take on tough assignments."
Hill is currently the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and has been instrumental in leading the U.S. delegation to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. He also has served as ambassador to the Republic of Korea, ambassador to Poland, ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia and special envoy to Kosovo. Hill also has served on the National Security Council.
Eikenberry is currently the deputy chairman of the NATO military committee in Brussels, Belgium. His previous assignment was commander of the Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. He has served with mechanized, light, airborne and ranger infantry units in the continental United States, Hawaii, Korea and Italy.
Obama also nominated Alexander Vershbow to serve as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and Ivo Daalder to serve as the U.S. permanent representative on the NATO council.
Vershbow served as ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2005 to 2008, capping a 32-year career with the U.S. Foreign Service. He is a long-time expert on Russia, East-West relations, nonproliferation and European security affairs. From 2001 to 2005, he was U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. ambassador to NATO. From 1994 to 1997, Vershbow served as special assistant to President Bill Clinton and senior director for European Affairs at the National Security Council.
Daalder is currently a senior fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, and a well-known expert on American foreign policy, European security, and national security affairs. He advised candidate Obama and served on the transition team. During the Clinton administration he was a director for European Affairs on the National Security Council staff from 1995 to 1997, where he was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy toward Bosnia.
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - President Barack Obama nominated Christopher R. Hill as ambassador to Iraq and Army Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry to serve as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan yesterday. The nominations require Senate confirmation.
"I am honored and grateful that these dedicated public servants have agreed to join my administration as we work to tackle the great challenges of our time," the president said in written statement issued by the White House. "These extraordinarily accomplished individuals have served their country with great distinction, and they have each agreed to take on tough assignments."
Hill is currently the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and has been instrumental in leading the U.S. delegation to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. He also has served as ambassador to the Republic of Korea, ambassador to Poland, ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia and special envoy to Kosovo. Hill also has served on the National Security Council.
Eikenberry is currently the deputy chairman of the NATO military committee in Brussels, Belgium. His previous assignment was commander of the Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. He has served with mechanized, light, airborne and ranger infantry units in the continental United States, Hawaii, Korea and Italy.
Obama also nominated Alexander Vershbow to serve as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and Ivo Daalder to serve as the U.S. permanent representative on the NATO council.
Vershbow served as ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2005 to 2008, capping a 32-year career with the U.S. Foreign Service. He is a long-time expert on Russia, East-West relations, nonproliferation and European security affairs. From 2001 to 2005, he was U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. ambassador to NATO. From 1994 to 1997, Vershbow served as special assistant to President Bill Clinton and senior director for European Affairs at the National Security Council.
Daalder is currently a senior fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, and a well-known expert on American foreign policy, European security, and national security affairs. He advised candidate Obama and served on the transition team. During the Clinton administration he was a director for European Affairs on the National Security Council staff from 1995 to 1997, where he was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy toward Bosnia.
Former Hostages Honored With Defense of Freedom Medal
By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Wimbish
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - Three U.S. defense contractors held captive for more than five years by Colombian narcoterrorists were presented the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart award today during a ceremony at U.S. Southern Command headquarters here. All three were injured during 1,967 days of grueling captivity in the jungles of Colombia at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. The group is classified by the United States and many other nations as a terrorist group.
"What a great moment this is," Stavridis said. "We welcome you back to Southern Command; you always have a home here. We are proud of all three of you."
For Southcom personnel in attendance, many of whom had worked to help secure the hostages' release, the ceremony was an emotional moment of triumph and a chance to express admiration.
"The men and women of the United States military are proud to have served with you and for you," said Robert Stewart, who, as Southcom's Joint Personnel Recovery Agency representative, worked closely with the hostages' families during the ordeal.
The three contractors were crewmembers taking part in a routine aerial mission to detect cocaine crops over southern Colombia on Feb. 13, 2003, when engine problems forced the pilot to crash-land the aircraft. FARC members stormed the crash site and murdered pilot Thomas Janis, a U.S. citizen, and Colombian army Sgt. Luis Alcides Cruz.
During the ceremony, Howes thanked the Southcom team and described a moment of difficulty early in captivity when Stansell slipped him a note of encouragement. "[The note] said, 'We're not forgotten, people are trying to get us out, and we have family to go home to,'" Howes told the crowd. "You folks are basically my family. You spent an incredible amount of time trying to get us out, and you never forgot us."
Stansell tearfully thanked his family, who was in attendance, singling out his father, a Korean War veteran. He also expressed gratitude to those who helped get him home.
"Don't forget how great this country is and how fortunate we are to have our lives," Stansell told the crowd.
Gonsalves spoke about his experiences as a hostage and the fear of being forgotten.
"You were sending us reminders that you were looking for us," said Gonsalves, describing how he would hear the "buzz" of aircraft engines. "We would look up and try to see it, but we could never see it because it was up so high, and there were just so many trees. But we knew what it was, and that gave us strength to carry on.
"Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for doing everything that you did to bring us home," he said.
Their imprisonment came to a dramatic end July 2, 2008, when Colombian military agents posing as humanitarian workers convinced the captors that they were taking the hostages to FARC leadership. The mission, conducted without a single shot being fired, also freed a dozen other hostages.
An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft transported Gonsalves, Stansell and Howes later that day to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. They were transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center at neighboring Fort Sam Houston, where they underwent a medical evaluation, were reunited with their families, and received assistance to help them smoothly transition back into their lives as freed U.S. citizens.
During a press conference after the award ceremony, Stansell reiterated his gratitude to the Colombians for getting him home.
"I love Colombia. Tom and Mark love Colombia," Stansell said. "I want Americans to understand that there's some tough things going on down there, but it's a beautiful place, and a country we should support."
Southcom's efforts to return Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes home began almost immediately after their capture.
During their captivity, the command devoted 17,000 flight hours, pursued hundreds of leads, and had a staff of 35 people dedicated full-time to try to secure their safe release. Additionally, 300 Defense Department and interagency personnel stood ready to support repatriation operations and to help the former hostages adjust to life afterward.
The Defense Department established the Defense of Freedom Medal following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to honor Defense Department employees and defense contractors injured or killed while supporting department activities. Including Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes, 40 people have received the award.
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Wimbish serves with the U.S. Southern Command public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - Three U.S. defense contractors held captive for more than five years by Colombian narcoterrorists were presented the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart award today during a ceremony at U.S. Southern Command headquarters here. All three were injured during 1,967 days of grueling captivity in the jungles of Colombia at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. The group is classified by the United States and many other nations as a terrorist group.
"What a great moment this is," Stavridis said. "We welcome you back to Southern Command; you always have a home here. We are proud of all three of you."
For Southcom personnel in attendance, many of whom had worked to help secure the hostages' release, the ceremony was an emotional moment of triumph and a chance to express admiration.
"The men and women of the United States military are proud to have served with you and for you," said Robert Stewart, who, as Southcom's Joint Personnel Recovery Agency representative, worked closely with the hostages' families during the ordeal.
The three contractors were crewmembers taking part in a routine aerial mission to detect cocaine crops over southern Colombia on Feb. 13, 2003, when engine problems forced the pilot to crash-land the aircraft. FARC members stormed the crash site and murdered pilot Thomas Janis, a U.S. citizen, and Colombian army Sgt. Luis Alcides Cruz.
During the ceremony, Howes thanked the Southcom team and described a moment of difficulty early in captivity when Stansell slipped him a note of encouragement. "[The note] said, 'We're not forgotten, people are trying to get us out, and we have family to go home to,'" Howes told the crowd. "You folks are basically my family. You spent an incredible amount of time trying to get us out, and you never forgot us."
Stansell tearfully thanked his family, who was in attendance, singling out his father, a Korean War veteran. He also expressed gratitude to those who helped get him home.
"Don't forget how great this country is and how fortunate we are to have our lives," Stansell told the crowd.
Gonsalves spoke about his experiences as a hostage and the fear of being forgotten.
"You were sending us reminders that you were looking for us," said Gonsalves, describing how he would hear the "buzz" of aircraft engines. "We would look up and try to see it, but we could never see it because it was up so high, and there were just so many trees. But we knew what it was, and that gave us strength to carry on.
"Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for doing everything that you did to bring us home," he said.
Their imprisonment came to a dramatic end July 2, 2008, when Colombian military agents posing as humanitarian workers convinced the captors that they were taking the hostages to FARC leadership. The mission, conducted without a single shot being fired, also freed a dozen other hostages.
An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft transported Gonsalves, Stansell and Howes later that day to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. They were transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center at neighboring Fort Sam Houston, where they underwent a medical evaluation, were reunited with their families, and received assistance to help them smoothly transition back into their lives as freed U.S. citizens.
During a press conference after the award ceremony, Stansell reiterated his gratitude to the Colombians for getting him home.
"I love Colombia. Tom and Mark love Colombia," Stansell said. "I want Americans to understand that there's some tough things going on down there, but it's a beautiful place, and a country we should support."
Southcom's efforts to return Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes home began almost immediately after their capture.
During their captivity, the command devoted 17,000 flight hours, pursued hundreds of leads, and had a staff of 35 people dedicated full-time to try to secure their safe release. Additionally, 300 Defense Department and interagency personnel stood ready to support repatriation operations and to help the former hostages adjust to life afterward.
The Defense Department established the Defense of Freedom Medal following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to honor Defense Department employees and defense contractors injured or killed while supporting department activities. Including Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes, 40 people have received the award.
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Wimbish serves with the U.S. Southern Command public affairs office.)
Petraeus Praises Medics, Corpsmen at 'Angels of Battlefield' Gala
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - The commander of U.S. Central Command last night praised the Army medics and Navy corpsmen whose courage on the battlefield protects the lives of fellow servicemembers. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told the 400-person audience at the 3rd Annual Armed Services YMCA Gala here that he was an appropriate keynote speaker, given that he's survived two near-fatal injuries.
"Some out there may wonder what my qualifications are to offer assessments of our medics," he said. "The fact is I'm quite well qualified on the subject, having twice awakened to the caring eyes of an angel on the battlefield following life-threatening injuries."
Petraeus' most recent injury occurred in 2000 when his parachute collapsed at low altitude during a skydiving jump. The snafu caused a hard landing that broke his pelvis. Nine years earlier, Petraeus was wounded by friendly fire in a live-fire training accident while commanding the 3rd Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In an odd twist of fate, the surgeon who treated Petraeus' gunshot wound at Vanderbilt University in Nashville was Dr. Bill Frist, who later became the U.S. Senate majority leader. Frist joined Petraeus on stage at the gala.
"We are tied together in a single garment of destiny," Frist said, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. "What affects one individually, affects all of us indirectly.
"You are that garment of destiny," he told the medics and corpsmen. "Thank you for being that angel to us all."
Petraeus said his simple, yet hugely important, task during the event was to thank combat medical personnel -- in particular, the troops accepting awards on behalf of their respective services.
"Wherever they serve, they always exhibit extraordinary qualities, skill, courage, cool under pressure, and selflessness," Petraeus said. "Tonight, we recognize and thank them, the angels of the battlefield, for all that they've done, and all that they continue to do for their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, and for our great country."
Those who received awards last night were Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Waiters, Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephanie Cates, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Jordan, Navy Seaman Apprentice Thomas Geary, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Ryals, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Sarah Hanson, Air National Guard Master Sgt. Marty Snider and Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Matthew Lavoie.
Lavoie encountered frequent attacks as an Army medic deployed to Iraq with the 172nd Infantry of the Rhode Island Army National Guard. In 2006, while traveling near Al Asad Air Base, his convoy encountered multiple improvised explosive device attacks.
"Numerous vehicles were hit; we had one rollover," he recalled. "We evacuated two U.S. soldiers, and the rest of them had superficial wounds. We were down for probably two hours." Asked what his role was during the ambush, he said: "I was the only medic there."
Lavoie said being honored at the event was "surreal."
"The truth is, I do what I do every day for 10 years to be able to help somebody," he said. "It's about more than just me."
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - The commander of U.S. Central Command last night praised the Army medics and Navy corpsmen whose courage on the battlefield protects the lives of fellow servicemembers. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told the 400-person audience at the 3rd Annual Armed Services YMCA Gala here that he was an appropriate keynote speaker, given that he's survived two near-fatal injuries.
"Some out there may wonder what my qualifications are to offer assessments of our medics," he said. "The fact is I'm quite well qualified on the subject, having twice awakened to the caring eyes of an angel on the battlefield following life-threatening injuries."
Petraeus' most recent injury occurred in 2000 when his parachute collapsed at low altitude during a skydiving jump. The snafu caused a hard landing that broke his pelvis. Nine years earlier, Petraeus was wounded by friendly fire in a live-fire training accident while commanding the 3rd Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In an odd twist of fate, the surgeon who treated Petraeus' gunshot wound at Vanderbilt University in Nashville was Dr. Bill Frist, who later became the U.S. Senate majority leader. Frist joined Petraeus on stage at the gala.
"We are tied together in a single garment of destiny," Frist said, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. "What affects one individually, affects all of us indirectly.
"You are that garment of destiny," he told the medics and corpsmen. "Thank you for being that angel to us all."
Petraeus said his simple, yet hugely important, task during the event was to thank combat medical personnel -- in particular, the troops accepting awards on behalf of their respective services.
"Wherever they serve, they always exhibit extraordinary qualities, skill, courage, cool under pressure, and selflessness," Petraeus said. "Tonight, we recognize and thank them, the angels of the battlefield, for all that they've done, and all that they continue to do for their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, and for our great country."
Those who received awards last night were Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Waiters, Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephanie Cates, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Jordan, Navy Seaman Apprentice Thomas Geary, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Ryals, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Sarah Hanson, Air National Guard Master Sgt. Marty Snider and Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Matthew Lavoie.
Lavoie encountered frequent attacks as an Army medic deployed to Iraq with the 172nd Infantry of the Rhode Island Army National Guard. In 2006, while traveling near Al Asad Air Base, his convoy encountered multiple improvised explosive device attacks.
"Numerous vehicles were hit; we had one rollover," he recalled. "We evacuated two U.S. soldiers, and the rest of them had superficial wounds. We were down for probably two hours." Asked what his role was during the ambush, he said: "I was the only medic there."
Lavoie said being honored at the event was "surreal."
"The truth is, I do what I do every day for 10 years to be able to help somebody," he said. "It's about more than just me."
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 12, 2009
NAVY
FCX Systems *, Morgantown, W. Va., is being awarded a $25,381,248 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for delivery of an estimated quantity of 270 volts direct current power supplies ship supply equipment intended for shipboard aircraft maintenance for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and related technical data. Work will be performed in Morgantown, W. Va., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $5,999,999 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with five offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-09-D-0016).
Aranea Solutions, Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a $17,929,431 firm-fixed-price time and materials indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for support of the Joint Technical Data Integration (JTDI) System and other tactical logistics IT programs. This contract includes a base year and three option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $70,164,715. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., (60 percent) and Patuxent River, Md., (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with one offer received in response to this solicitation. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity (N00104-09-D-Q451).
BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $12,755,479 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-4404) to exercise an option for alterations and repairs for the USS Cole (DDG-67) FY09 docking selected restricted availability. The major alterations and repairs for the USS Cole include: repairs to underwater hull; repairs to propeller shafts and struts; repair to sonar dome; and bow-strengthening alteration. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $12,755,479 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,066,515 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0025) for Increment II of the CV-22 aircraft Block 20 upgrade program. Efforts to be provided include concept definition, non-recurring engineering, drawings, non-recurring prototype manufacturing, installation, and associated logistic support to integrate and test the V-22 Multi-Mission Advanced Tactical Terminal Replacement Receiver, and improved crew interface of broadcast data. Additionally, this procurement provides for the non-recurring logistical support to augment the contractor engineering technical support team. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., (81 percent); Fort Worth, Texas, (10 percent); and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., (9 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sept. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,671,692 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) to incorporate Value Engineering Change Proposals (VECP) to the Evolved SEASPARROW missiles for the NATO SEASPARROW consortium and the United Arab Emirates. This contract modification with Raytheon Co., incorporates VECPs to the Evolved SEASPARROW Missiles for Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United States. The NATO SEASPARROW consortium, which includes the United States and 9 other countries and the United Arab Emirates, will fund the effort under this contract. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., (45 percent); Camden, Ark., (2 percent); Andover, Mass., (10 percent); Australia, (11 percent); Canada, (7 percent); Denmark, (1 percent); Greece, (1 percent); Germany, (8 percent); The Netherlands, (6 percent); Norway, (5 percent); Spain, (3 percent); and Turkey, (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $9,511,957 modification to previously awarded contract (N00164-09-C-WQ19) for engineering service support for Quick Reaction Dismounted Guardian Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems. The CREW systems are used to counter the continuous and evolving improvised explosive device threat as it becomes known in theater. The engineering service support will include analyzing new IED threat devices and development of jamming waveforms to counter the devices. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $1,434,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane Ind., is the contracting activity.
Barnhart Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $8,874,998 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8614) for design and construction of a new in-service engineering facility for ordnance maintenance operations at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif. The task order also contains one unexercised option for physical security equipment, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $8,974,998.00. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
HydroAcoustics Inc., Henrietta, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum $8,700,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for HLF-1D and HLF-1E transducers. Efforts will include procurement of HydroAcoustic Low Frequency (HLF) series transducers and maintenance kits, along with refurbishment, conversion and support services associated with existing HLF-1 series transducer. Work will be performed in Henrietta, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 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 (N66604-09-D-1860).
Imedia.it, Houston, Texas, is being awarded an $8,370,187 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for education/training products and support services managed by the Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC), Pensacola, Fla. This contract includes a base year and four option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $43,850,230. Work will be performed at Houston, Texas, (95 percent); and Pensacola, Fla., (5 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with18 offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z039).
Jacobs Engineering, Dumfries, Va., is being awarded $7,322,634 for task order #0021 under previously awarded contract (M67854-02-A-9017) to provide technical support to the Marine Corps Systems Command, Information Systems and Infrastructure Product Group, Marine Corps network and infrastructure services program office for sustainment support and additional transition support to include assisting in monitoring the cutover progress and attending daily meetings. Throughout the contract period the contractor will be required to coordinate schedules, assist with data collection for assets, user requirements management; application inventory; and related actions necessary to effect transition activities and seat cutover, technical refresh schedules and activities and life-cycle sustainment in the NMCI environment (e. g. SRM data collection, asset reconciliation and tracking). The scope of this task will be structured to reflect support for Major Commands across the Marine Corps sites. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, N.C.,(22 percent); New Orleans, La., (15 percent); Okinawa, Japan, (12 percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif., (11 percent); Quantico, Va., (11 percent); Miramar, Calif., (8 percent); Beaufort, S.C., (3 percent); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, (3 percent); Albany, Ga., (3 percent); Arlington, Va., (2 percent); Barstow, Calif., (2 percent); Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., (2 percent); Yuma, Ariz., (2 percent); San Diego, Calif., (2 percent); and Parris Island, S.C., (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed in December 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Pacific Program-Design Management Services JV, Pasadena, Calif., is being awarded $5,727,416 for firm-fixed price task order #0004 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect/engineer contract (N62742-08-D-0009) for the program support services for various projects covered by the Defense Policy Review Initiative and other projects under the cognizance of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific. The work to be performed provides for preparation of the technical sections of the Request for Proposal contract documents for the design-build acquisition at NCTS Finegayan and Apra Harbor, Guam. The project at NCTS Finegayan prepares for the Finegayan USMC Bachelor Enlisted Quarters area. The project will include site preparation, arterial access and perimeter roads, street lighting, electrical distribution, water distribution, wastewater collection lines, and communication distribution system lines. The project will also include gate houses for commercial vehicles and main gate to control access to the site. The project at Apra Harbor will upgrade the existing utilities to support the Marine Corps embarkation capability package on Guam. The project will provide shore side utility improvements including Bilge Oily Waste Transfer System, steam, compressed air, potable water, power, communications, wastewater, fire alarm and hydrants. Work will be performed in Guam and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price incentive firm contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for an amount not to exceed $107,575,999. This action will provide for long lead items associated with LRIP Lot 8 Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles. At this time, $25,999,999 has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8620-08-C-3001, P00007).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Mine Safety Appliances, Pittsburgh, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $44,938,296 firm fixed price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract for advanced combat helmets. Other location of performance is Vermont. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The proposal was originally DIBBS solicited with three responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 10, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-09-0036).
General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a maximum $7,587,417 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for equipment delivery. Other location of performance is Massachusetts. Using service is Air Force. There was one proposal originally solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 29, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Richmond, ZBA (DSCR-ZBA), Tinker AFB, Oklahoma (FA8104-05-G-0004-UN06).
FCX Systems *, Morgantown, W. Va., is being awarded a $25,381,248 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for delivery of an estimated quantity of 270 volts direct current power supplies ship supply equipment intended for shipboard aircraft maintenance for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and related technical data. Work will be performed in Morgantown, W. Va., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds in the amount of $5,999,999 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with five offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-09-D-0016).
Aranea Solutions, Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a $17,929,431 firm-fixed-price time and materials indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for support of the Joint Technical Data Integration (JTDI) System and other tactical logistics IT programs. This contract includes a base year and three option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $70,164,715. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., (60 percent) and Patuxent River, Md., (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 2014. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with one offer received in response to this solicitation. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity (N00104-09-D-Q451).
BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $12,755,479 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-4404) to exercise an option for alterations and repairs for the USS Cole (DDG-67) FY09 docking selected restricted availability. The major alterations and repairs for the USS Cole include: repairs to underwater hull; repairs to propeller shafts and struts; repair to sonar dome; and bow-strengthening alteration. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $12,755,479 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,066,515 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0025) for Increment II of the CV-22 aircraft Block 20 upgrade program. Efforts to be provided include concept definition, non-recurring engineering, drawings, non-recurring prototype manufacturing, installation, and associated logistic support to integrate and test the V-22 Multi-Mission Advanced Tactical Terminal Replacement Receiver, and improved crew interface of broadcast data. Additionally, this procurement provides for the non-recurring logistical support to augment the contractor engineering technical support team. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., (81 percent); Fort Worth, Texas, (10 percent); and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., (9 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sept. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,671,692 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) to incorporate Value Engineering Change Proposals (VECP) to the Evolved SEASPARROW missiles for the NATO SEASPARROW consortium and the United Arab Emirates. This contract modification with Raytheon Co., incorporates VECPs to the Evolved SEASPARROW Missiles for Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United States. The NATO SEASPARROW consortium, which includes the United States and 9 other countries and the United Arab Emirates, will fund the effort under this contract. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., (45 percent); Camden, Ark., (2 percent); Andover, Mass., (10 percent); Australia, (11 percent); Canada, (7 percent); Denmark, (1 percent); Greece, (1 percent); Germany, (8 percent); The Netherlands, (6 percent); Norway, (5 percent); Spain, (3 percent); and Turkey, (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $9,511,957 modification to previously awarded contract (N00164-09-C-WQ19) for engineering service support for Quick Reaction Dismounted Guardian Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems. The CREW systems are used to counter the continuous and evolving improvised explosive device threat as it becomes known in theater. The engineering service support will include analyzing new IED threat devices and development of jamming waveforms to counter the devices. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $1,434,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane Ind., is the contracting activity.
Barnhart Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $8,874,998 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8614) for design and construction of a new in-service engineering facility for ordnance maintenance operations at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif. The task order also contains one unexercised option for physical security equipment, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $8,974,998.00. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
HydroAcoustics Inc., Henrietta, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum $8,700,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for HLF-1D and HLF-1E transducers. Efforts will include procurement of HydroAcoustic Low Frequency (HLF) series transducers and maintenance kits, along with refurbishment, conversion and support services associated with existing HLF-1 series transducer. Work will be performed in Henrietta, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 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 (N66604-09-D-1860).
Imedia.it, Houston, Texas, is being awarded an $8,370,187 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for education/training products and support services managed by the Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC), Pensacola, Fla. This contract includes a base year and four option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $43,850,230. Work will be performed at Houston, Texas, (95 percent); and Pensacola, Fla., (5 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with18 offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z039).
Jacobs Engineering, Dumfries, Va., is being awarded $7,322,634 for task order #0021 under previously awarded contract (M67854-02-A-9017) to provide technical support to the Marine Corps Systems Command, Information Systems and Infrastructure Product Group, Marine Corps network and infrastructure services program office for sustainment support and additional transition support to include assisting in monitoring the cutover progress and attending daily meetings. Throughout the contract period the contractor will be required to coordinate schedules, assist with data collection for assets, user requirements management; application inventory; and related actions necessary to effect transition activities and seat cutover, technical refresh schedules and activities and life-cycle sustainment in the NMCI environment (e. g. SRM data collection, asset reconciliation and tracking). The scope of this task will be structured to reflect support for Major Commands across the Marine Corps sites. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, N.C.,(22 percent); New Orleans, La., (15 percent); Okinawa, Japan, (12 percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif., (11 percent); Quantico, Va., (11 percent); Miramar, Calif., (8 percent); Beaufort, S.C., (3 percent); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, (3 percent); Albany, Ga., (3 percent); Arlington, Va., (2 percent); Barstow, Calif., (2 percent); Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., (2 percent); Yuma, Ariz., (2 percent); San Diego, Calif., (2 percent); and Parris Island, S.C., (2 percent), and work is expected to be completed in December 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Pacific Program-Design Management Services JV, Pasadena, Calif., is being awarded $5,727,416 for firm-fixed price task order #0004 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect/engineer contract (N62742-08-D-0009) for the program support services for various projects covered by the Defense Policy Review Initiative and other projects under the cognizance of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific. The work to be performed provides for preparation of the technical sections of the Request for Proposal contract documents for the design-build acquisition at NCTS Finegayan and Apra Harbor, Guam. The project at NCTS Finegayan prepares for the Finegayan USMC Bachelor Enlisted Quarters area. The project will include site preparation, arterial access and perimeter roads, street lighting, electrical distribution, water distribution, wastewater collection lines, and communication distribution system lines. The project will also include gate houses for commercial vehicles and main gate to control access to the site. The project at Apra Harbor will upgrade the existing utilities to support the Marine Corps embarkation capability package on Guam. The project will provide shore side utility improvements including Bilge Oily Waste Transfer System, steam, compressed air, potable water, power, communications, wastewater, fire alarm and hydrants. Work will be performed in Guam and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a fixed price incentive firm contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for an amount not to exceed $107,575,999. This action will provide for long lead items associated with LRIP Lot 8 Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles. At this time, $25,999,999 has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8620-08-C-3001, P00007).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Mine Safety Appliances, Pittsburgh, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $44,938,296 firm fixed price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract for advanced combat helmets. Other location of performance is Vermont. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The proposal was originally DIBBS solicited with three responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 10, 2011. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-09-0036).
General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a maximum $7,587,417 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for equipment delivery. Other location of performance is Massachusetts. Using service is Air Force. There was one proposal originally solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 29, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Richmond, ZBA (DSCR-ZBA), Tinker AFB, Oklahoma (FA8104-05-G-0004-UN06).
Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado
Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter announced today that the fourth littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS Coronado.
The announcement continues the practice of naming the agile LCS vessels after American mid-sized cities, small towns and communities. The ship is named in honor of the patriotic citizens of Coronado, Calif. Home to Naval Air Base North Island (NASNI) and Naval Amphibious Base (NAB), Coronado has been home to the Navy since 1917.
More than 90 tenant commands reside at NASNI, including the Naval Aviation Depot, the largest aerospace employer in San Diego. The base is homeport to two aircraft carriers, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
NAB Coronado has approximately 5,000 personnel and more than 30 tenant commands including Naval Surface Force Pacific and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific. The base is also home to Naval Special Warfare Command including several SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) and special boat teams, and the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training center.
Two previous ships have been named for Coronado. USS Coronado (PF 38), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, earned four battle stars for supporting landings in New Guinea and Leyte during World War II. USS Coronado (AGF 11) served as flagship for the Third Fleet and was decommissioned in 2006.
Designated LCS 4, Coronado will be designed to defeat littoral threats and provide access and dominance in coastal waters for missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. There are two different LCS hull forms – a semiplaning monohull and an aluminum trimaran – designed and built by two industry teams, respectively led by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. These seaframes will be outfitted with reconfigurable payloads, called mission packages, which can be changed out quickly. Mission packages are supported by special detachments that will deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors.
More information about the LCS can be seen at
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4.
The announcement continues the practice of naming the agile LCS vessels after American mid-sized cities, small towns and communities. The ship is named in honor of the patriotic citizens of Coronado, Calif. Home to Naval Air Base North Island (NASNI) and Naval Amphibious Base (NAB), Coronado has been home to the Navy since 1917.
More than 90 tenant commands reside at NASNI, including the Naval Aviation Depot, the largest aerospace employer in San Diego. The base is homeport to two aircraft carriers, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
NAB Coronado has approximately 5,000 personnel and more than 30 tenant commands including Naval Surface Force Pacific and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific. The base is also home to Naval Special Warfare Command including several SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) and special boat teams, and the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training center.
Two previous ships have been named for Coronado. USS Coronado (PF 38), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, earned four battle stars for supporting landings in New Guinea and Leyte during World War II. USS Coronado (AGF 11) served as flagship for the Third Fleet and was decommissioned in 2006.
Designated LCS 4, Coronado will be designed to defeat littoral threats and provide access and dominance in coastal waters for missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. There are two different LCS hull forms – a semiplaning monohull and an aluminum trimaran – designed and built by two industry teams, respectively led by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. These seaframes will be outfitted with reconfigurable payloads, called mission packages, which can be changed out quickly. Mission packages are supported by special detachments that will deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors.
More information about the LCS can be seen at
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4.
Partnership Mission Shows U.S. Commitment to Africa, Commander Says
By Navy Lt. Patrick Foughty
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - The USS Robert G. Bradley has completed the first Africa Partnership Station mission to East Africa, signifying the U.S. commitment to helping African nations achieve stability and prosperity, the APS East Africa commander said. Africa Partnership Station -- an international initiative – is a U.S.-led response to requests by African nations for military-to-military or civilian-military maritime training.
Navy Capt. Nick Holman led the mission to Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania, and explained the growing initiative and its impact in Africa to bloggers and online journalists yesterday during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable
"Africa Partnership Station responds to [East] African requests for training by providing a delivery vehicle for international, interagency and nongovernmental organization assistance," Holman said. "The U.S. government and our Navy are committed to helping all African nations and regions achieve stability and economic prosperity, and East Africa is looking for help."
Africa Partnership Station began in fall 2007 with the deployment of USS Fort McHenry to West Africa. The ship included an international staff and acted as a floating schoolhouse, offering a variety of maritime courses and training. The initiative has continued with deployments of other Navy and Coast Guard ships, aircraft and small training units. The USS Nashville is in the Gulf of Guinea on a similar large-scale APS mission.
"APS brings to a country a team of maritime experts," Holman said, "be it through Navy sailors on a frigate like Bradley, or a team of Seabees working a community-relations project such as a school or clinic, or ... what's found now on APS Nashville currently on the west coast of Africa -- which is a large international team including European, African and South American personnel."
Training is conducted using the ship's crew as instructors and covers subjects such as small boat operations, navigation, damage control and visit, and board, search and seizure procedures.
Holman discussed the maritime security threats that East African countries are facing, most importantly that of illegal fishing. "Illegal fishing, at a billion-dollar [per year] loss to Africa, with an estimated $310 million loss on East Africa alone, has a negative impact on the economic stability and prosperity of each of the countries affected," Holman said. "Drugs, arms, human trafficking and other criminal activities are ongoing."
Many African countries have new or developing navies that are not yet trained or equipped to enforce the law in their maritime environment, Holman noted.
"The countries we visited do have some capability," he said, "but it's not what you would consider a typical navy or typical military in having the capacity, the training and the wherewithal to go out through the oceans and search for illegal activity right now."
A frigate is a great platform to showcase, Holman said, because as the African navies grow, ships like frigates may be what they will grow into.
"When you show up with a brand-new DDG [Navy destroyer] like a Forrest Sherman, a billion-dollar ship, they know that's way out of their reach," he said. "Frigates can go into places that some can't, and the perspective from the military is ... we're a smaller navy, and this is something maybe we can see in our future."
The frigate also brings a small crew and an intimate training environment more conducive to small-group, hands-on training, he added.
Holman emphasized the importance and value of Africa Partnership Station.
"We can show up, provide training, provide resources, and then leave very little footprint behind. And they're looking for our help," Holman said. "APS is an enduring mission. And only through continuous presence and interaction with the people we meet will this partnership-building program and maritime safety and security program succeed."
(Navy Lt. Patrick Foughty serves with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa, U.S. 6th Fleet public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - The USS Robert G. Bradley has completed the first Africa Partnership Station mission to East Africa, signifying the U.S. commitment to helping African nations achieve stability and prosperity, the APS East Africa commander said. Africa Partnership Station -- an international initiative – is a U.S.-led response to requests by African nations for military-to-military or civilian-military maritime training.
Navy Capt. Nick Holman led the mission to Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania, and explained the growing initiative and its impact in Africa to bloggers and online journalists yesterday during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable
"Africa Partnership Station responds to [East] African requests for training by providing a delivery vehicle for international, interagency and nongovernmental organization assistance," Holman said. "The U.S. government and our Navy are committed to helping all African nations and regions achieve stability and economic prosperity, and East Africa is looking for help."
Africa Partnership Station began in fall 2007 with the deployment of USS Fort McHenry to West Africa. The ship included an international staff and acted as a floating schoolhouse, offering a variety of maritime courses and training. The initiative has continued with deployments of other Navy and Coast Guard ships, aircraft and small training units. The USS Nashville is in the Gulf of Guinea on a similar large-scale APS mission.
"APS brings to a country a team of maritime experts," Holman said, "be it through Navy sailors on a frigate like Bradley, or a team of Seabees working a community-relations project such as a school or clinic, or ... what's found now on APS Nashville currently on the west coast of Africa -- which is a large international team including European, African and South American personnel."
Training is conducted using the ship's crew as instructors and covers subjects such as small boat operations, navigation, damage control and visit, and board, search and seizure procedures.
Holman discussed the maritime security threats that East African countries are facing, most importantly that of illegal fishing. "Illegal fishing, at a billion-dollar [per year] loss to Africa, with an estimated $310 million loss on East Africa alone, has a negative impact on the economic stability and prosperity of each of the countries affected," Holman said. "Drugs, arms, human trafficking and other criminal activities are ongoing."
Many African countries have new or developing navies that are not yet trained or equipped to enforce the law in their maritime environment, Holman noted.
"The countries we visited do have some capability," he said, "but it's not what you would consider a typical navy or typical military in having the capacity, the training and the wherewithal to go out through the oceans and search for illegal activity right now."
A frigate is a great platform to showcase, Holman said, because as the African navies grow, ships like frigates may be what they will grow into.
"When you show up with a brand-new DDG [Navy destroyer] like a Forrest Sherman, a billion-dollar ship, they know that's way out of their reach," he said. "Frigates can go into places that some can't, and the perspective from the military is ... we're a smaller navy, and this is something maybe we can see in our future."
The frigate also brings a small crew and an intimate training environment more conducive to small-group, hands-on training, he added.
Holman emphasized the importance and value of Africa Partnership Station.
"We can show up, provide training, provide resources, and then leave very little footprint behind. And they're looking for our help," Holman said. "APS is an enduring mission. And only through continuous presence and interaction with the people we meet will this partnership-building program and maritime safety and security program succeed."
(Navy Lt. Patrick Foughty serves with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa, U.S. 6th Fleet public affairs office.)
First Lady to Visit Military Families at Fort Bragg
By Reginald Rogers
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama will meet today with military families and several organizations that support them during her first visit here as first lady. "Mrs. Obama's visit is important to our Fort Bragg families, because we will hear firsthand from the first lady of the United States about her support and concern as it relates to the impact of repeated deployments on our families and children over the past eight years," said Charlene Austin, wife of Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq and 18th Airborne Corps.
Austin said she expects that the post will make a favorable impression on the first lady as well.
"I have no doubt that Mrs. Obama will leave as impressed and excited as I have been about the events, activities and initiatives I have seen demonstrated by our volunteers, civilian work force and community partners in support of military families," Austin said.
Members of the community here said they look forward to welcoming the first lady and realize the importance of her visit. "It demonstrates the emphasis and concern that this current administration has about the well-being and lifestyle of our soldiers and their families," Barbara Trower-Simpkins, director of the Fort Bragg Army Community Service, said.
During her visit here, the first lady will have the opportunity to see some of Fort Bragg's newest facilities, several of which have opened their doors within the past year.
"I think it's a wonderful opportunity to showcase what we're doing to take care of our soldiers and their families," Gregory Bean, installation support manager for the Directorate of Public Works said. "The facilities and homes are a manifestation of respect we have for them and their dedication to our country."
Karen L. Miller, chief of Child, Youth and School Services on post, said she is equally excited about today's activities.
"Child, Youth and School Services is excited that Mrs. Obama's first visit as the first lady to an Army installation includes a visit to a Fort Bragg child development center," Miller said. "It demonstrates her commitment to improve the lives of Army families and continued support of the Army Family Covenant."
Austin said Obama's visit also provides an opportunity for Fort Bragg's leaders, volunteers and civilians, along with the community, to showcase the post's proactive support for military families and children.
"Mrs. Obama's visit also provides an opportunity to say "thank you" for your decision to focus on military families and children," she said. "We will ask Mrs. Obama to help continue the way forward for military families ... who are true heroes on the home front."
(Reginald Rogers works in the Fort Bragg public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama will meet today with military families and several organizations that support them during her first visit here as first lady. "Mrs. Obama's visit is important to our Fort Bragg families, because we will hear firsthand from the first lady of the United States about her support and concern as it relates to the impact of repeated deployments on our families and children over the past eight years," said Charlene Austin, wife of Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq and 18th Airborne Corps.
Austin said she expects that the post will make a favorable impression on the first lady as well.
"I have no doubt that Mrs. Obama will leave as impressed and excited as I have been about the events, activities and initiatives I have seen demonstrated by our volunteers, civilian work force and community partners in support of military families," Austin said.
Members of the community here said they look forward to welcoming the first lady and realize the importance of her visit. "It demonstrates the emphasis and concern that this current administration has about the well-being and lifestyle of our soldiers and their families," Barbara Trower-Simpkins, director of the Fort Bragg Army Community Service, said.
During her visit here, the first lady will have the opportunity to see some of Fort Bragg's newest facilities, several of which have opened their doors within the past year.
"I think it's a wonderful opportunity to showcase what we're doing to take care of our soldiers and their families," Gregory Bean, installation support manager for the Directorate of Public Works said. "The facilities and homes are a manifestation of respect we have for them and their dedication to our country."
Karen L. Miller, chief of Child, Youth and School Services on post, said she is equally excited about today's activities.
"Child, Youth and School Services is excited that Mrs. Obama's first visit as the first lady to an Army installation includes a visit to a Fort Bragg child development center," Miller said. "It demonstrates her commitment to improve the lives of Army families and continued support of the Army Family Covenant."
Austin said Obama's visit also provides an opportunity for Fort Bragg's leaders, volunteers and civilians, along with the community, to showcase the post's proactive support for military families and children.
"Mrs. Obama's visit also provides an opportunity to say "thank you" for your decision to focus on military families and children," she said. "We will ask Mrs. Obama to help continue the way forward for military families ... who are true heroes on the home front."
(Reginald Rogers works in the Fort Bragg public affairs office.)
Mullen Discusses World Issues with Tomorrow's Leaders
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - In the midst of working through today's global issues, leaders should not forget to foster tomorrow's generation to carry on their efforts, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen shared his experiences and insights on the challenges the United States is facing today with about 150 members of the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy organization during a lecture at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here.
"What I've always tried to focus on in every job I've been in is my relief," Mullen said. "Who are our young people we're raising up to face [future] challenges?"
Today, diplomats and national leaders are engaged in persistent conflict and wars, a world financial crisis, and building international relationships to prevent further divergences, he said. Mullen touched on the continuing turmoil in the Middle East and the importance of understanding the region's history and culture. And he noted that although vast security and governance improvements have been made in Iraq, the insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to grow.
"The area from Tehran to Beirut is the most unstable and daunting challenge we have as a country," he said, "It's not just one country; it's a regional issue with a rich history that we need to understand ... to move forward."
Mullen lauded the resilience of American military members and their families, while addressing the health of the force. Soldiers and Marines aren't given enough time at home between deployments, which has presented a "huge" problem for the Pentagon, he said.
The Army and Marine Corps are growing their forces as the Navy and Air Force reduce their manpower to build more time at home for continuously training and deploying combat troops, he said. The Navy and Air Force are stressed thin too, he said, but the ground forces have been "extraordinarily" stressed.
"We've stretched our ground forces in ways that many of us never imagined we could," the admiral said. "They have been brilliant, but they are stressed, and the tempo continues."
Mullen also addressed the global financial crisis and the need to engage and build partners with countries in every region of the world. About 80 percent of the U.S. military's forces are focused on the Middle East, but other relationships must continue to grow too, he said. He stressed the need to participate in more joint-military exercises as well as civilian partnerships with federal and nongovernment organizations.
"We're getting to a point where the United States can't do it alone any more," he said. "We've got to have partners. We've got to have allies. That's the global world that we're living in, and I don't think that's going to change."
He referred to a trip he took last week to Mexico and South America, calling the regions "extraordinarily important" partnerships for the United States. The Mexican drug trade and related violence there have escalated to a level requiring military interference, while South America has risen to become one of the world's "economic engines," he said.
"We're economically tied, and those relationships are vital and will continue to grow over time," he said, also noting China's and Europe's economic influences on the world. "These economic engines are very much tied to the ability to create a better life and higher standard of living. We are inextricably linked economically."
Tomorrow's global issues, he said, are going to be even more challenging than today's.
"One of the biggest worries I have ... is the world [in] which we live is one that is going to challenge you probably more than any challenge that has ever come up in my lifetime," the admiral said.
Mullen told the audience it's not too early to begin thinking about the health of their professions -- how to recruit, educate and bring other individuals into their career paths as the next leaders.
He said the cycle of preparing today's youth for tomorrow's issues is much like a parent raising a child to a higher standard of living with more opportunities and more resources to succeed.
"[Mentoring] is a wonderful opportunity, and it's going to be a lot of work," he said. "So I'm really encouraged to see you out here, and would love to follow your careers over the next three or four decades to see you make a difference. You are our future."
March 12, 2009 - In the midst of working through today's global issues, leaders should not forget to foster tomorrow's generation to carry on their efforts, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen shared his experiences and insights on the challenges the United States is facing today with about 150 members of the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy organization during a lecture at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here.
"What I've always tried to focus on in every job I've been in is my relief," Mullen said. "Who are our young people we're raising up to face [future] challenges?"
Today, diplomats and national leaders are engaged in persistent conflict and wars, a world financial crisis, and building international relationships to prevent further divergences, he said. Mullen touched on the continuing turmoil in the Middle East and the importance of understanding the region's history and culture. And he noted that although vast security and governance improvements have been made in Iraq, the insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to grow.
"The area from Tehran to Beirut is the most unstable and daunting challenge we have as a country," he said, "It's not just one country; it's a regional issue with a rich history that we need to understand ... to move forward."
Mullen lauded the resilience of American military members and their families, while addressing the health of the force. Soldiers and Marines aren't given enough time at home between deployments, which has presented a "huge" problem for the Pentagon, he said.
The Army and Marine Corps are growing their forces as the Navy and Air Force reduce their manpower to build more time at home for continuously training and deploying combat troops, he said. The Navy and Air Force are stressed thin too, he said, but the ground forces have been "extraordinarily" stressed.
"We've stretched our ground forces in ways that many of us never imagined we could," the admiral said. "They have been brilliant, but they are stressed, and the tempo continues."
Mullen also addressed the global financial crisis and the need to engage and build partners with countries in every region of the world. About 80 percent of the U.S. military's forces are focused on the Middle East, but other relationships must continue to grow too, he said. He stressed the need to participate in more joint-military exercises as well as civilian partnerships with federal and nongovernment organizations.
"We're getting to a point where the United States can't do it alone any more," he said. "We've got to have partners. We've got to have allies. That's the global world that we're living in, and I don't think that's going to change."
He referred to a trip he took last week to Mexico and South America, calling the regions "extraordinarily important" partnerships for the United States. The Mexican drug trade and related violence there have escalated to a level requiring military interference, while South America has risen to become one of the world's "economic engines," he said.
"We're economically tied, and those relationships are vital and will continue to grow over time," he said, also noting China's and Europe's economic influences on the world. "These economic engines are very much tied to the ability to create a better life and higher standard of living. We are inextricably linked economically."
Tomorrow's global issues, he said, are going to be even more challenging than today's.
"One of the biggest worries I have ... is the world [in] which we live is one that is going to challenge you probably more than any challenge that has ever come up in my lifetime," the admiral said.
Mullen told the audience it's not too early to begin thinking about the health of their professions -- how to recruit, educate and bring other individuals into their career paths as the next leaders.
He said the cycle of preparing today's youth for tomorrow's issues is much like a parent raising a child to a higher standard of living with more opportunities and more resources to succeed.
"[Mentoring] is a wonderful opportunity, and it's going to be a lot of work," he said. "So I'm really encouraged to see you out here, and would love to follow your careers over the next three or four decades to see you make a difference. You are our future."
Obama Considers Deploying National Guard to U.S.-Mexico Border
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - As President Barack Obama considers deploying National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to control escalating violence, Arizona's governor has requested about 250 more National Guard troops on its border with Mexico, and the Texas governor is considering a similar action. "We're going to examine whether, and if, National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation," Obama told reporters yesterday, according to media reports. The White House does not release transcripts of media roundtable sessions.
"I haven't drawn any conclusions yet," reporters said Obama told them. "I don't have a particular tipping point in mind."
While emphasizing that he does not want to "militarize" the border, Obama called it "unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing our citizens."
The president noted that Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Mexico last week to meet with his Mexican counterparts about the situation and to discuss additional support the United States could provide.
Meanwhile, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates requesting 250 more National Guard soldiers to be posted along the 350-mile Arizona-Mexico border.
Although Brewer has the authority to call up the troops, she asked Gates to mobilize them as part of the federally funded Joint Counter Narco-terrorism Task Force. That force currently includes about 150 Army and Air National Guard members.
"Arizona communities and citizens are negatively affected by the impacts of the illegal drug trade and related border violence, and enforcement agencies in all jurisdictions are stretched as they attempt to address the enormity of the problems," Brewer said. "The support these additional soldiers can provide to law enforcement agency operations would prove invaluable."
In neighboring Texas, Gov. Rick Perry has expressed the need for more troops or border agents along its border with Mexico. Perry reiterated at a ceremony last week the need for more help to disrupt operations of the Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, Barrio Azteca, MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today it's too soon to know if additional military support will be granted.
The last major federal National Guard mission along the U.S.-Mexico border was Operation Jump Start. The two-year mission, from June 2006 to July 2008, dispatched as many as 6,000 National Guard members to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to make the border more secure for legal immigration and commerce until the U.S. Border Patrol could boost its own ranks.
Guard members did not serve in a direct law-enforcement role, but provided vital reinforcement to the Border Patrol. Their missions included engineering, aviation, entry identification teams, and a wide range of technical, logistical and administrative support.
By the time the mission ended in July, more than 30,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen from across the nation had participated.
Whitman emphasized that the proposed border mission, if ultimately approved, would have a very different purpose and timeline than Operation Jump Start.
In the meantime, the United States is exploring other ways it can help Mexico deal with escalating violence, he said. "We continue to offer Mexico assistance in any number of ways," he told reporters.
The Merida Initiative, for example, provides Mexico and several other countries funding to counter drug trafficking, and the U.S. military has a strong military-to-military partnership with Mexico. The United States also is providing Mexico foreign military financing for five helicopters, a maritime surveillance aircraft and handheld scanners used for detection purposes, Whitman said.
"The U.S. government as a whole is concerned about the escalating violence and its effect on public security as well as the Southwest U.S. border," he said. "I think that what you are seeing is a recognition of the problem that is facing the Mexican government, and as good neighbors, the United States is looking at any number of ways in which we might be able to render some additional assistance."
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - As President Barack Obama considers deploying National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to control escalating violence, Arizona's governor has requested about 250 more National Guard troops on its border with Mexico, and the Texas governor is considering a similar action. "We're going to examine whether, and if, National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation," Obama told reporters yesterday, according to media reports. The White House does not release transcripts of media roundtable sessions.
"I haven't drawn any conclusions yet," reporters said Obama told them. "I don't have a particular tipping point in mind."
While emphasizing that he does not want to "militarize" the border, Obama called it "unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing our citizens."
The president noted that Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Mexico last week to meet with his Mexican counterparts about the situation and to discuss additional support the United States could provide.
Meanwhile, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates requesting 250 more National Guard soldiers to be posted along the 350-mile Arizona-Mexico border.
Although Brewer has the authority to call up the troops, she asked Gates to mobilize them as part of the federally funded Joint Counter Narco-terrorism Task Force. That force currently includes about 150 Army and Air National Guard members.
"Arizona communities and citizens are negatively affected by the impacts of the illegal drug trade and related border violence, and enforcement agencies in all jurisdictions are stretched as they attempt to address the enormity of the problems," Brewer said. "The support these additional soldiers can provide to law enforcement agency operations would prove invaluable."
In neighboring Texas, Gov. Rick Perry has expressed the need for more troops or border agents along its border with Mexico. Perry reiterated at a ceremony last week the need for more help to disrupt operations of the Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, Barrio Azteca, MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today it's too soon to know if additional military support will be granted.
The last major federal National Guard mission along the U.S.-Mexico border was Operation Jump Start. The two-year mission, from June 2006 to July 2008, dispatched as many as 6,000 National Guard members to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to make the border more secure for legal immigration and commerce until the U.S. Border Patrol could boost its own ranks.
Guard members did not serve in a direct law-enforcement role, but provided vital reinforcement to the Border Patrol. Their missions included engineering, aviation, entry identification teams, and a wide range of technical, logistical and administrative support.
By the time the mission ended in July, more than 30,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen from across the nation had participated.
Whitman emphasized that the proposed border mission, if ultimately approved, would have a very different purpose and timeline than Operation Jump Start.
In the meantime, the United States is exploring other ways it can help Mexico deal with escalating violence, he said. "We continue to offer Mexico assistance in any number of ways," he told reporters.
The Merida Initiative, for example, provides Mexico and several other countries funding to counter drug trafficking, and the U.S. military has a strong military-to-military partnership with Mexico. The United States also is providing Mexico foreign military financing for five helicopters, a maritime surveillance aircraft and handheld scanners used for detection purposes, Whitman said.
"The U.S. government as a whole is concerned about the escalating violence and its effect on public security as well as the Southwest U.S. border," he said. "I think that what you are seeing is a recognition of the problem that is facing the Mexican government, and as good neighbors, the United States is looking at any number of ways in which we might be able to render some additional assistance."
Public Affairs Chief Takes Stock of Tumultuous Year
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - Information is a critical element of national power, and public affairs personnel have a role in how the government and military employ that element, the outgoing principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs said today. "Information is absolutely part of diplomacy and success on the battlefield," said Robert T. Hastings, who is stepping down after a year as the top public affairs official in the Defense Department.
Hastings became principal deputy on March 10, 2008. Later, President George W. Bush nominated him to be assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, but the nomination never reached the Senate. He was one of the Bush appointees asked to remain at his post after the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Breaking down the walls between services and within the public affairs community was Hastings' first priority upon taking office, he said.
"Where I think we have made the biggest gain is just re-establishing and rebuilding the sense of community within public affairs," he said during an interview. "The sense of pride, the sense of mission and building that across the silos – not just Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines [and Defense Department] silos, but even within public affairs."
Public affairs traditionally is split into four areas of concentration: command, or internal, information, media operations, community relations, and plans.
"That's what I attacked first, and my sense is that's where we made the biggest progress," Hastings said. "Public affairs is a community. We have a common role, and we can accomplish more working better among ourselves than staying in our silos."
A responsibility to inform their fellow citizens is something every member of the military public affairs community understands, Hastings said.
"The public must know and understand and really has a vote on what we are doing in the [Defense Department]," Hastings said. "And we are also communicating with the world. I think that information element of power is very important, and I think public affairs is square in the middle of that."
Terrorists understand that public opinion can be swayed, Hastings noted, and prey on signs of weakness in public trust. Public opinion can be as important to success as victory on the battlefield, he said.
"That thinking may have crystallized a bit in the past year," Hastings said. "I made a real effort to work with the combatant commands, the field commands and the services and the other players on the National Security Council to ensure that public affairs was vital."
Government leaders are talking more and more about the concept of strategic communications, Hastings said, and public affairs has been successful in helping to shape the idea.
"There is a formal definition of the concept, but beyond that I think it is the synchronization of images, actions and words to accomplish our national objectives," he said.
Synchronization of information functions is key to the concept, and is at the heart of the reason many people do not understand or feel comfortable with public affairs in strategic communications, Hastings said.
"It is not integration or merging – it is synchronization; public affairs remains public affairs," he explained. "It is not part of information operations. It is not part of psychological operations. It is not deception.
"What we do and how we do it isn't changed by strategic communications, but we have to be synchronized so that the messages that we promulgate and disseminate through our public affairs channels are complementary to what is out there in the rest of the communications spectrum."
Public affairs needs a vote on what strategic communications does, Hastings said. That means public affairs personnel need to be close enough to the concept to understand the goals and objectives of strategic communications, and to convey that to the various audiences.
"I think public affairs should be pretty close to leading the strategic communications effort," Hastings said. "It depends on the effort. In some cases it might be public affairs, in others information operations. In some cases, it might be led by the State Department or [the U.S. Agency for International Development] or some other agency."
But however that happens, he said, it requires leaders capable of moving ideas forward, and the public affairs community must develop workersgrow personnel who can do it.
Senior public affairs officers must have the experience and gravitas to lead such an effort and advise commanders in this new information age, Hastings said.
In the past, journalism was a strong focus for public affairs officers. "That's a skill that's important in development," he said. "But by the time you are the advisor to the [commander of U.S. Central Command], you are into international relations and diplomacy and understanding economic power and understanding how the economic forces of the world move."
Hastings said he's tried to ensure the services are selecting, developing, training and preparing senior public affairs officers for that role.
"We've made some progress, [but] there's a lot more there left to do," he said. "My challenge to everyone we are leaving behind here is to keep the focus on that."
Interagency cooperation has improved largely because of the example set by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Hastings said, noting they had a strong relationship and went out of their way to work on that.
Hastings spoke about his trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to most of the combatant commands to understand the environment that troops and leaders were operating in.
"Equally important was to visit the public affairs troops that we have out there," he said, to ensure the people doing the work had the resources they needed to perform their missions.
Hastings said he doesn't know what public affairs will look like in five years, but that there are hints about the future.
"I hear combatant commanders talk about public affairs and strategic communications more than ever now," he said. "The leaders know the power of communications and the roles played. So that is a hint that it will be more important in the future."
The Defense Media Activity is another hint. The organization grew out of the latest base realignment and closure commission findings and has placed the command information assets of the services and the department in one unit.
"We've just taken half of the public affairs community worldwide and put it in one joint command," he said. "Five years from now, the impact of that will be that public affairs will essentially be a joint function. You'll still wear an Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps uniform, but you are going to think and act and behave jointly."
New media and social media also are changing the face of communications, Hastings said, adding that he sees that continuing.
"I think we will no longer think in terms of channels to communicate with audiences. Channels are going to change so fast," he said. "Facebook is so hot today, but Facebook may be gone tomorrow, replaced by something else. Public affairs personnel will have to think in terms of message and audience, and then use whatever channels are available. The impact of that could be profound."
Hastings has worked closely with Gates, and said he will remember the secretary "as the best boss I've ever had."
"To my mind," he said. "he epitomizes what I call the patriot civil servant."
Gates called his previous job as president of Texas A&M his dream job, yet he came back on duty when President Bush called him, Hastings said. Before he succeeded Bush in the Oval Office, Obama asked Gates to remain on the job with his administration.
"President Obama called him, and again, he said yes," Hastings said. "Over his entire career, [Gates] has always put his nation first. And that really is him."
Though Gates is the "most intellectual" boss he has ever worked with, Hastings said, the secretary retains a strong identification with servicemembers and their families, and is constantly asking about their well-being.
And the secretary understands communications and sets an example, he added.
"The only guidance he gave me when I came in was to help him help this building better react to bad news," Hastings said. "He understands that our obligation in a democracy is to make sure our fellow citizens are fully informed of what we're doing, how we're doing it and why we're doing it.
"I suspect that history will judge him as among the best to have held his job," he said.
Hastings will leave for a job in the defense industry. His last day is tomorrow.
American Forces Press Service
March 12, 2009 - Information is a critical element of national power, and public affairs personnel have a role in how the government and military employ that element, the outgoing principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs said today. "Information is absolutely part of diplomacy and success on the battlefield," said Robert T. Hastings, who is stepping down after a year as the top public affairs official in the Defense Department.
Hastings became principal deputy on March 10, 2008. Later, President George W. Bush nominated him to be assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, but the nomination never reached the Senate. He was one of the Bush appointees asked to remain at his post after the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Breaking down the walls between services and within the public affairs community was Hastings' first priority upon taking office, he said.
"Where I think we have made the biggest gain is just re-establishing and rebuilding the sense of community within public affairs," he said during an interview. "The sense of pride, the sense of mission and building that across the silos – not just Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines [and Defense Department] silos, but even within public affairs."
Public affairs traditionally is split into four areas of concentration: command, or internal, information, media operations, community relations, and plans.
"That's what I attacked first, and my sense is that's where we made the biggest progress," Hastings said. "Public affairs is a community. We have a common role, and we can accomplish more working better among ourselves than staying in our silos."
A responsibility to inform their fellow citizens is something every member of the military public affairs community understands, Hastings said.
"The public must know and understand and really has a vote on what we are doing in the [Defense Department]," Hastings said. "And we are also communicating with the world. I think that information element of power is very important, and I think public affairs is square in the middle of that."
Terrorists understand that public opinion can be swayed, Hastings noted, and prey on signs of weakness in public trust. Public opinion can be as important to success as victory on the battlefield, he said.
"That thinking may have crystallized a bit in the past year," Hastings said. "I made a real effort to work with the combatant commands, the field commands and the services and the other players on the National Security Council to ensure that public affairs was vital."
Government leaders are talking more and more about the concept of strategic communications, Hastings said, and public affairs has been successful in helping to shape the idea.
"There is a formal definition of the concept, but beyond that I think it is the synchronization of images, actions and words to accomplish our national objectives," he said.
Synchronization of information functions is key to the concept, and is at the heart of the reason many people do not understand or feel comfortable with public affairs in strategic communications, Hastings said.
"It is not integration or merging – it is synchronization; public affairs remains public affairs," he explained. "It is not part of information operations. It is not part of psychological operations. It is not deception.
"What we do and how we do it isn't changed by strategic communications, but we have to be synchronized so that the messages that we promulgate and disseminate through our public affairs channels are complementary to what is out there in the rest of the communications spectrum."
Public affairs needs a vote on what strategic communications does, Hastings said. That means public affairs personnel need to be close enough to the concept to understand the goals and objectives of strategic communications, and to convey that to the various audiences.
"I think public affairs should be pretty close to leading the strategic communications effort," Hastings said. "It depends on the effort. In some cases it might be public affairs, in others information operations. In some cases, it might be led by the State Department or [the U.S. Agency for International Development] or some other agency."
But however that happens, he said, it requires leaders capable of moving ideas forward, and the public affairs community must develop workersgrow personnel who can do it.
Senior public affairs officers must have the experience and gravitas to lead such an effort and advise commanders in this new information age, Hastings said.
In the past, journalism was a strong focus for public affairs officers. "That's a skill that's important in development," he said. "But by the time you are the advisor to the [commander of U.S. Central Command], you are into international relations and diplomacy and understanding economic power and understanding how the economic forces of the world move."
Hastings said he's tried to ensure the services are selecting, developing, training and preparing senior public affairs officers for that role.
"We've made some progress, [but] there's a lot more there left to do," he said. "My challenge to everyone we are leaving behind here is to keep the focus on that."
Interagency cooperation has improved largely because of the example set by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Hastings said, noting they had a strong relationship and went out of their way to work on that.
Hastings spoke about his trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to most of the combatant commands to understand the environment that troops and leaders were operating in.
"Equally important was to visit the public affairs troops that we have out there," he said, to ensure the people doing the work had the resources they needed to perform their missions.
Hastings said he doesn't know what public affairs will look like in five years, but that there are hints about the future.
"I hear combatant commanders talk about public affairs and strategic communications more than ever now," he said. "The leaders know the power of communications and the roles played. So that is a hint that it will be more important in the future."
The Defense Media Activity is another hint. The organization grew out of the latest base realignment and closure commission findings and has placed the command information assets of the services and the department in one unit.
"We've just taken half of the public affairs community worldwide and put it in one joint command," he said. "Five years from now, the impact of that will be that public affairs will essentially be a joint function. You'll still wear an Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps uniform, but you are going to think and act and behave jointly."
New media and social media also are changing the face of communications, Hastings said, adding that he sees that continuing.
"I think we will no longer think in terms of channels to communicate with audiences. Channels are going to change so fast," he said. "Facebook is so hot today, but Facebook may be gone tomorrow, replaced by something else. Public affairs personnel will have to think in terms of message and audience, and then use whatever channels are available. The impact of that could be profound."
Hastings has worked closely with Gates, and said he will remember the secretary "as the best boss I've ever had."
"To my mind," he said. "he epitomizes what I call the patriot civil servant."
Gates called his previous job as president of Texas A&M his dream job, yet he came back on duty when President Bush called him, Hastings said. Before he succeeded Bush in the Oval Office, Obama asked Gates to remain on the job with his administration.
"President Obama called him, and again, he said yes," Hastings said. "Over his entire career, [Gates] has always put his nation first. And that really is him."
Though Gates is the "most intellectual" boss he has ever worked with, Hastings said, the secretary retains a strong identification with servicemembers and their families, and is constantly asking about their well-being.
And the secretary understands communications and sets an example, he added.
"The only guidance he gave me when I came in was to help him help this building better react to bad news," Hastings said. "He understands that our obligation in a democracy is to make sure our fellow citizens are fully informed of what we're doing, how we're doing it and why we're doing it.
"I suspect that history will judge him as among the best to have held his job," he said.
Hastings will leave for a job in the defense industry. His last day is tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 11, 2009
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $265,000,000 for long lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air System Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot IV procurement of 12 Air Force Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) air systems, 14 Marine Corps Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) air systems, one Navy Carrier Variant air system, and one Netherlands CTOL air system. In addition, this contract provides for associated ancillary mission equipment, sustainment support, special tooling/special test equipment and technical/financial data. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif., (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom, (20 percent); Orlando, Fla., (10 percent); Nashua, N.H., (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jan. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-C-0010).
Engineering/Remediation Resources Group *, Martinez, Calif.; EOD Technology Inc.*, Lenoir City, Tenn.; Bering Sea Eccotech Inc.*, Anchorage, Alaska; and Pika-Malcolm Pirnie JV *, LLC, Stafford, Texas, are each being awarded a firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple award contract for range sustainment environmental remediation services in support of the Navy and Marine Corps installations nationwide. The maximum dollar value for all four contracts combined is $100,000,000. The work to be performed provides for services for operational range clearance/range sustainment and remediation services, to include demilitarization, mutilation, certification/verification, disposal and recycling of range residue. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations nationwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of Mar. 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with eight proposals received. Four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Environmental Core Contracts, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-09-D-2615/2616/2617/2618).
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LLP, Sealy, Texas, is being awarded a $33,233,718 firm fixed priced modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5030) delivery order #0003. The purpose of this modification is to update the unit cost for the following: CLIN (contract line item number) 0241 – Improved Front Seat – LRIP 10; CLIN 0251 – ECP 12 Pin/24V Electrical Connector for Towing and CLIN 0252 – ECP Door Assist System (DAS) Safety Strip – Retrofit. The following CLINs have been added to the contract: CLIN 0031 – Technical Manual Verification; CLIN 0255 – MEAP Technical Bulletin; CLIN 0258 – MAMA Bear IBOM LRIP 11; CLIN 0260 – Repair Damage Vehicles at SPAWAR; CLIN 0262 – Developing CAIMAN DEMIL Procedures; CLIN 1015 – CONUS Instructors; CLIN 1016 – OCONUS Instructors; and CLIN 1017 – OCONUS FSR. The Authorized Stock List Supplemental Spares parts will be delivered to SR W4GG HQ US Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., and Defense Distribution System, Red River, Texarkana, Texas and deliveries associated with this delivery order will take place after receipt of this modification. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems, Minneapolis, Minn., is being awarded a $23,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5117) to exercise an option for development of the Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP). LRLAPs are guided flight projectiles that are loaded and fired by the Advanced Gun System, a fully automated, single barrel, 155-mm, vertically loaded, stabilized gun mount. Its primary mission is Land Attack Warfare in support of ground and expeditionary forces beyond line-of-sight in the DDG 1000 System's littoral engagement area where precise, rapid-response, high-volume, long-range fire support are required. Work will be preformed in Orlando, Fla., (75 percent) and Minneapolis, Minn., (25 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is extending a firm fixed price contract with Raytheon Company of Tucson, Arizona for $11,397,736. This action will extend the period of performance to provide Contractor Logistics Support for CY09. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida is the contracting activity. (FA8675-08-C-0064, P00007)
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $265,000,000 for long lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air System Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot IV procurement of 12 Air Force Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) air systems, 14 Marine Corps Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) air systems, one Navy Carrier Variant air system, and one Netherlands CTOL air system. In addition, this contract provides for associated ancillary mission equipment, sustainment support, special tooling/special test equipment and technical/financial data. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif., (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom, (20 percent); Orlando, Fla., (10 percent); Nashua, N.H., (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jan. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-C-0010).
Engineering/Remediation Resources Group *, Martinez, Calif.; EOD Technology Inc.*, Lenoir City, Tenn.; Bering Sea Eccotech Inc.*, Anchorage, Alaska; and Pika-Malcolm Pirnie JV *, LLC, Stafford, Texas, are each being awarded a firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple award contract for range sustainment environmental remediation services in support of the Navy and Marine Corps installations nationwide. The maximum dollar value for all four contracts combined is $100,000,000. The work to be performed provides for services for operational range clearance/range sustainment and remediation services, to include demilitarization, mutilation, certification/verification, disposal and recycling of range residue. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations nationwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of Mar. 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with eight proposals received. Four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Environmental Core Contracts, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-09-D-2615/2616/2617/2618).
BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LLP, Sealy, Texas, is being awarded a $33,233,718 firm fixed priced modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5030) delivery order #0003. The purpose of this modification is to update the unit cost for the following: CLIN (contract line item number) 0241 – Improved Front Seat – LRIP 10; CLIN 0251 – ECP 12 Pin/24V Electrical Connector for Towing and CLIN 0252 – ECP Door Assist System (DAS) Safety Strip – Retrofit. The following CLINs have been added to the contract: CLIN 0031 – Technical Manual Verification; CLIN 0255 – MEAP Technical Bulletin; CLIN 0258 – MAMA Bear IBOM LRIP 11; CLIN 0260 – Repair Damage Vehicles at SPAWAR; CLIN 0262 – Developing CAIMAN DEMIL Procedures; CLIN 1015 – CONUS Instructors; CLIN 1016 – OCONUS Instructors; and CLIN 1017 – OCONUS FSR. The Authorized Stock List Supplemental Spares parts will be delivered to SR W4GG HQ US Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., and Defense Distribution System, Red River, Texarkana, Texas and deliveries associated with this delivery order will take place after receipt of this modification. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems, Minneapolis, Minn., is being awarded a $23,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5117) to exercise an option for development of the Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP). LRLAPs are guided flight projectiles that are loaded and fired by the Advanced Gun System, a fully automated, single barrel, 155-mm, vertically loaded, stabilized gun mount. Its primary mission is Land Attack Warfare in support of ground and expeditionary forces beyond line-of-sight in the DDG 1000 System's littoral engagement area where precise, rapid-response, high-volume, long-range fire support are required. Work will be preformed in Orlando, Fla., (75 percent) and Minneapolis, Minn., (25 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is extending a firm fixed price contract with Raytheon Company of Tucson, Arizona for $11,397,736. This action will extend the period of performance to provide Contractor Logistics Support for CY09. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida is the contracting activity. (FA8675-08-C-0064, P00007)
Remembrance Ceremony Honors Fallen Military Medics
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Beneath the rows of simple white headstones evenly spaced beneath a dull and cloudy mid-March sky, the stories of those who rest at Arlington National Cemetery here today are anything but ordinary. Some were killed by heavy machine-gun fire. Others were showered with rockets or mortars. And many were surprised by the explosion of an unexpected roadside bomb. But for the more than 210 military medics, corpsmen, doctors and nurses who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, they were killed trying to save others, the Defense Department's top medical official said.
"Their motto is 'Good medicine, bad places,'" Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant defense secretary for health affairs, said during the first remembrance ceremony and wreath laying for military medical personnel killed in the war on terror. "When it mattered most, they answered the call."
More than 100 friends, relatives and military members turned out for what officials plan to make an annual event to honor their loved ones and pay homage to a profession that almost always places its practitioners in difficult situations.
Casscells, who's also an Army Reserve colonel in the medical corps, talked of his fellow medics and corpsmen who never hesitated to treat their enemy. He read excerpts of medics who were so badly wounded they died giving first aid instructions calmly to others, because they couldn't provide the treatment themselves. He talked of others who gave their last minutes of life bandaging Iraqi children after a suicide bomb detonated.
"The decisions these medics and doctors and nurses make on the battlefield are a triumph of the human spirit," he said. "No greater love has any man than this than to lay down his life for his friends -- and they have done exactly that.
Combat medics have one of the highest-risk jobs in the military, he said, noting the intense, rigorous training they undergo to save lives.
"They had training that didn't exist in Vietnam or World War II," he said. "They're training to the level of [emergency medical treatment] and higher because of the tactical combat environment. They're so intensively trained in things that would make a [civilian] doctor pause."
More than 5,000 U.S. military lives have been lost on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan under the backdrop of guerilla warfare and unpredictably sophisticated tactics and military capability. However, thousands more may have been lost if not for medics and corpsmen first responders in the field, he said.
"Their skill and their bravery is the single most important reason why the fatality rate today in Iraq and Afghanistan is 10 percent vs. 23 percent in Vietnam," he said. "This is despite much more powerful munitions, munitions which explode right under your vehicle."
Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered her condolences and praised the military medical corps for their devotion to others. She said to remember them not for the life that was lost, but for the lives they saved.
"We come here today to pay tribute to the heroes of our heroes -- the men and women who risked their own lives and limbs to save the lives and limbs of others," Mullen said. "Time cannot describe and words fail to convey the fidelity and ardor in which these brave souls did their duty."
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Beneath the rows of simple white headstones evenly spaced beneath a dull and cloudy mid-March sky, the stories of those who rest at Arlington National Cemetery here today are anything but ordinary. Some were killed by heavy machine-gun fire. Others were showered with rockets or mortars. And many were surprised by the explosion of an unexpected roadside bomb. But for the more than 210 military medics, corpsmen, doctors and nurses who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, they were killed trying to save others, the Defense Department's top medical official said.
"Their motto is 'Good medicine, bad places,'" Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant defense secretary for health affairs, said during the first remembrance ceremony and wreath laying for military medical personnel killed in the war on terror. "When it mattered most, they answered the call."
More than 100 friends, relatives and military members turned out for what officials plan to make an annual event to honor their loved ones and pay homage to a profession that almost always places its practitioners in difficult situations.
Casscells, who's also an Army Reserve colonel in the medical corps, talked of his fellow medics and corpsmen who never hesitated to treat their enemy. He read excerpts of medics who were so badly wounded they died giving first aid instructions calmly to others, because they couldn't provide the treatment themselves. He talked of others who gave their last minutes of life bandaging Iraqi children after a suicide bomb detonated.
"The decisions these medics and doctors and nurses make on the battlefield are a triumph of the human spirit," he said. "No greater love has any man than this than to lay down his life for his friends -- and they have done exactly that.
Combat medics have one of the highest-risk jobs in the military, he said, noting the intense, rigorous training they undergo to save lives.
"They had training that didn't exist in Vietnam or World War II," he said. "They're training to the level of [emergency medical treatment] and higher because of the tactical combat environment. They're so intensively trained in things that would make a [civilian] doctor pause."
More than 5,000 U.S. military lives have been lost on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan under the backdrop of guerilla warfare and unpredictably sophisticated tactics and military capability. However, thousands more may have been lost if not for medics and corpsmen first responders in the field, he said.
"Their skill and their bravery is the single most important reason why the fatality rate today in Iraq and Afghanistan is 10 percent vs. 23 percent in Vietnam," he said. "This is despite much more powerful munitions, munitions which explode right under your vehicle."
Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered her condolences and praised the military medical corps for their devotion to others. She said to remember them not for the life that was lost, but for the lives they saved.
"We come here today to pay tribute to the heroes of our heroes -- the men and women who risked their own lives and limbs to save the lives and limbs of others," Mullen said. "Time cannot describe and words fail to convey the fidelity and ardor in which these brave souls did their duty."
Defense Decisions to be Subject to 'Hard Scrutiny' During Budget Process
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will await the results of a thorough review process before making decisions about major defense systems, keeping U.S. security interests at the forefront, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters today. "Every program imaginable is subjected to this very, very hard scrutiny that is under way right now as part of the budget process," Morrell said at today's Pentagon briefing. "We are still very much in the midst of that process."
Morrell responded to questions about news reports that the White House had directed the Pentagon to delay buying new aerial tankers. He acknowledged that the Office of Management and Budget has weighed in on the tanker issue, but clarified that OPM merely suggested options to consider during the fiscal 2010 budget process.
"I can assure you that no decisions have been made about any one of the programs that are under review," Morrell said. "If you hear contrary, you're hearing false information."
Gates' decisions, when made, will be "based upon what is in the best interest of our nation's security," Morrell said.
"He will make recommendations to the president according to that fundamental tenet of this process," he added. "And ultimately, it's up to the president and the Congress to decide if they want to adhere to his advice."
The secretary also is approaching the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review with an open mind, Morrell said.
A central concept to be reviewed is the so-called "two-war doctrine," Gates said during an interview yesterday with National Public Radio.
"Our military planning ... going back at least 20 years has been to have the ability to fight two major combat operations simultaneously," the secretary said. He explained that the doctrine calls for one of those fights to be "an aggressive effort," while the other is put on hold until the job can be finished.
"I think one of the central questions that this department will face in the Quadrennial Defense Review, which will begin shortly, is whether that model makes any sense in the 21st century," Gates said. The QDR will help determine "whether what may have fit in a Cold War environment or an immediately post-Cold War environment really has application to today's world," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will await the results of a thorough review process before making decisions about major defense systems, keeping U.S. security interests at the forefront, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters today. "Every program imaginable is subjected to this very, very hard scrutiny that is under way right now as part of the budget process," Morrell said at today's Pentagon briefing. "We are still very much in the midst of that process."
Morrell responded to questions about news reports that the White House had directed the Pentagon to delay buying new aerial tankers. He acknowledged that the Office of Management and Budget has weighed in on the tanker issue, but clarified that OPM merely suggested options to consider during the fiscal 2010 budget process.
"I can assure you that no decisions have been made about any one of the programs that are under review," Morrell said. "If you hear contrary, you're hearing false information."
Gates' decisions, when made, will be "based upon what is in the best interest of our nation's security," Morrell said.
"He will make recommendations to the president according to that fundamental tenet of this process," he added. "And ultimately, it's up to the president and the Congress to decide if they want to adhere to his advice."
The secretary also is approaching the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review with an open mind, Morrell said.
A central concept to be reviewed is the so-called "two-war doctrine," Gates said during an interview yesterday with National Public Radio.
"Our military planning ... going back at least 20 years has been to have the ability to fight two major combat operations simultaneously," the secretary said. He explained that the doctrine calls for one of those fights to be "an aggressive effort," while the other is put on hold until the job can be finished.
"I think one of the central questions that this department will face in the Quadrennial Defense Review, which will begin shortly, is whether that model makes any sense in the 21st century," Gates said. The QDR will help determine "whether what may have fit in a Cold War environment or an immediately post-Cold War environment really has application to today's world," he said.
Budget Would Transform VA to 21st-century Organization, Shinseki Says
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - President Barack Obama's fiscal 2010 budget proposal is necessary to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs into the 21st century organization he envisions, VA's top official said here yesterday. VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on veterans affairs that the proposed budget is "critical to realizing the president's mission" for future veteran care.
"President Obama has charged me with transforming the VA into a 21st-century organization," Shinseki said. "Not change for the sake of change, not nibbling around the edges, but [to bring] a fundamental and comprehensive view in all that we do for veterans."
The proposal would raise the VA's budget to $112.8 billion for 2010, which is a $15 billion boost from the previous year. The proposal is the largest one-year dollar and percentage increase ever requested by a president for veterans, Shinseki said.
Nearly two-thirds of the $15 billion increase would go to mandatory programs, while the remaining $5.5 billion would be for discretionary funding, he said, noting that the total budget would almost evenly split between mandatory funding at $56.9 billion, and discretionary funding at $55.9 billion.
The 2010 budget proposal would fund the new Post 9/11 GI Bill and allow a gradual expansion of health care eligibility to Priority Group 8 veterans. Priority Group 8 comprises veterans whose injuries are not service-related. This group has been excluded from VA care since 2003, he noted.
The VA expects an expansion of 550,000 new enrollees by 2013, due to the Priority Group 8 veterans, Shinseki said.
"[The budget proposal] contains sufficient resources so that we will maintain our quality of health care for all veterans with no adverse impact on wait times or quality for those already enrolled," he said, noting that the VA's health care system sets the bar for the nation's.
The president's request will provide greater benefits for veterans who are medically retired from active duty and allows highly disabled veterans to receive both their military retired pay and VA disability compensation benefits, he said.
The proposal also supports additional specialty care for aging and homeless veterans, women, mental health and vision issues, and spinal cord injuries. It also will provide an outreach of VA services to rural communities that lack access to care, he said.
Shinseki also addressed the VA's desire to make enrollment and claims easier for veterans by working to go "paperless" and institute a joint venture called "uniform registration" with the Defense Department. The initiatives eventually will create a single electronic record that governs how each department will acknowledge, identify, track and manage its clients in both the active and reserve components, he said.
"From the moment [military members] take the oath of allegiance in uniform, our management decisions will be better, faster, more consistent and fair, and less subject to lost files or destroyed claims," Shinseki said. "We have benefited from the insights and experience and advice of [Defense Department officials], so we are committed to doing this smartly and differently from some of our past hard lessons learned."
The uniform registration initiative also will help control VA's backlogs of claims, he said.
Shinseki called the budget proposal a demonstration of Obama's commitment to the nation's veterans, and a sign that the president is "moving boldly to acknowledge new times, new demographic realities and leveraging new technologies to renew our commitment to veterans wherever they live," he said.
The details of Obama's federal budget proposal are still being assessed, but are expected to be finalized in April for congressional review.
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - President Barack Obama's fiscal 2010 budget proposal is necessary to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs into the 21st century organization he envisions, VA's top official said here yesterday. VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on veterans affairs that the proposed budget is "critical to realizing the president's mission" for future veteran care.
"President Obama has charged me with transforming the VA into a 21st-century organization," Shinseki said. "Not change for the sake of change, not nibbling around the edges, but [to bring] a fundamental and comprehensive view in all that we do for veterans."
The proposal would raise the VA's budget to $112.8 billion for 2010, which is a $15 billion boost from the previous year. The proposal is the largest one-year dollar and percentage increase ever requested by a president for veterans, Shinseki said.
Nearly two-thirds of the $15 billion increase would go to mandatory programs, while the remaining $5.5 billion would be for discretionary funding, he said, noting that the total budget would almost evenly split between mandatory funding at $56.9 billion, and discretionary funding at $55.9 billion.
The 2010 budget proposal would fund the new Post 9/11 GI Bill and allow a gradual expansion of health care eligibility to Priority Group 8 veterans. Priority Group 8 comprises veterans whose injuries are not service-related. This group has been excluded from VA care since 2003, he noted.
The VA expects an expansion of 550,000 new enrollees by 2013, due to the Priority Group 8 veterans, Shinseki said.
"[The budget proposal] contains sufficient resources so that we will maintain our quality of health care for all veterans with no adverse impact on wait times or quality for those already enrolled," he said, noting that the VA's health care system sets the bar for the nation's.
The president's request will provide greater benefits for veterans who are medically retired from active duty and allows highly disabled veterans to receive both their military retired pay and VA disability compensation benefits, he said.
The proposal also supports additional specialty care for aging and homeless veterans, women, mental health and vision issues, and spinal cord injuries. It also will provide an outreach of VA services to rural communities that lack access to care, he said.
Shinseki also addressed the VA's desire to make enrollment and claims easier for veterans by working to go "paperless" and institute a joint venture called "uniform registration" with the Defense Department. The initiatives eventually will create a single electronic record that governs how each department will acknowledge, identify, track and manage its clients in both the active and reserve components, he said.
"From the moment [military members] take the oath of allegiance in uniform, our management decisions will be better, faster, more consistent and fair, and less subject to lost files or destroyed claims," Shinseki said. "We have benefited from the insights and experience and advice of [Defense Department officials], so we are committed to doing this smartly and differently from some of our past hard lessons learned."
The uniform registration initiative also will help control VA's backlogs of claims, he said.
Shinseki called the budget proposal a demonstration of Obama's commitment to the nation's veterans, and a sign that the president is "moving boldly to acknowledge new times, new demographic realities and leveraging new technologies to renew our commitment to veterans wherever they live," he said.
The details of Obama's federal budget proposal are still being assessed, but are expected to be finalized in April for congressional review.
Medical Center Uses Innovative Methods to Improve Patient Safety
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Health care providers at the largest Air Force medical center on the West Coast are using state-of-the-art, interactive human patient simulators as just one of many safety initiatives to improve medical care, the medical center's commander said yesterday. "Actually, you would be very surprised. [The simulators] respond just like real patients," Air Force Col. (Dr.) Lee Payne, commander of the 60th Medical Group at David Grant U.S. Air Force Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., told "Dot Mil Docs" listeners on Pentagon Web Radio.
"They breathe, they blink, and they talk back to our staff, depending on the scenario," Payne continued. "They have a pulse, and they react when you treat it right or don't treat it properly. It makes the scenario extremely real."
The use of human patient simulators is just one of the many ways the medical center is implementing the Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety, or TeamSTEPPS, program at one of the largest inpatient military treatment facilities in the Air Force.
"[TeamSTEPPS] really builds their confidence," Payne said. "Our doctors, nurses and medical technicians have expressed a greater sense of confidence in their abilities to perform as teams when these concepts are used.
"Applying these concepts is actually like speaking one common language," he continued. "This is due to each team member understanding what their roles and responsibilities are."
Payne said training is built into the work day at the center. "We are consistently implementing TeamSTEPPS training into our practices for our doctors, nurses and medical technicians, and we have seen an increase of incident reporting as a result," Payne noted.
TeamSTEPPS is the cornerstone of the Military Health System patient safety program, Payne said. "Our next goal is to be able prove that [by] improving TeamSTEPPS scores in training scenarios, [we] directly improve patient outcomes and reduce medical errors."
Another positive outcome from TeamSTEPPS is the number of process improvements at the center. "Last year, we used our TeamSTEPPS training in incident reports to generate 46 process improvements," Payne said.
One example is the introduction of debriefing after each procedure and operation.
"That really improved communication, resulting in a 66 percent decrease in incidents where needed equipment wasn't readily available at the time of the procedure," Payne said.
"It's really critical that we encourage reporting of incidences and near-misses," he said. "The identification of these potential problems allows us to intervene before someone is actually harmed, and so increasing incident reporting is one of our key strategic objectives."
Payne said medical center officials continue to set their sights on offering world-class health care. "One of our three stated objectives is to become the nation's safest health care organization," he said. "We submitted our application to [the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration] to be evaluated in June for [Voluntary Protection Program] Star status."
OSHA's Star program is designed for worksites with exemplary health management systems, according to the OSHA Web site.
If they are successful, the center will be one of eight hospitals with that status nationwide, and the first in the Defense Department to receive that recognition.
The medical center provides a full spectrum of care to more than 95,000 eligible beneficiaries, and 400,000 people eligible through the Veterans Affairs Department's Northern California Health Care System.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg is assigned to the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Health care providers at the largest Air Force medical center on the West Coast are using state-of-the-art, interactive human patient simulators as just one of many safety initiatives to improve medical care, the medical center's commander said yesterday. "Actually, you would be very surprised. [The simulators] respond just like real patients," Air Force Col. (Dr.) Lee Payne, commander of the 60th Medical Group at David Grant U.S. Air Force Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., told "Dot Mil Docs" listeners on Pentagon Web Radio.
"They breathe, they blink, and they talk back to our staff, depending on the scenario," Payne continued. "They have a pulse, and they react when you treat it right or don't treat it properly. It makes the scenario extremely real."
The use of human patient simulators is just one of the many ways the medical center is implementing the Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety, or TeamSTEPPS, program at one of the largest inpatient military treatment facilities in the Air Force.
"[TeamSTEPPS] really builds their confidence," Payne said. "Our doctors, nurses and medical technicians have expressed a greater sense of confidence in their abilities to perform as teams when these concepts are used.
"Applying these concepts is actually like speaking one common language," he continued. "This is due to each team member understanding what their roles and responsibilities are."
Payne said training is built into the work day at the center. "We are consistently implementing TeamSTEPPS training into our practices for our doctors, nurses and medical technicians, and we have seen an increase of incident reporting as a result," Payne noted.
TeamSTEPPS is the cornerstone of the Military Health System patient safety program, Payne said. "Our next goal is to be able prove that [by] improving TeamSTEPPS scores in training scenarios, [we] directly improve patient outcomes and reduce medical errors."
Another positive outcome from TeamSTEPPS is the number of process improvements at the center. "Last year, we used our TeamSTEPPS training in incident reports to generate 46 process improvements," Payne said.
One example is the introduction of debriefing after each procedure and operation.
"That really improved communication, resulting in a 66 percent decrease in incidents where needed equipment wasn't readily available at the time of the procedure," Payne said.
"It's really critical that we encourage reporting of incidences and near-misses," he said. "The identification of these potential problems allows us to intervene before someone is actually harmed, and so increasing incident reporting is one of our key strategic objectives."
Payne said medical center officials continue to set their sights on offering world-class health care. "One of our three stated objectives is to become the nation's safest health care organization," he said. "We submitted our application to [the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration] to be evaluated in June for [Voluntary Protection Program] Star status."
OSHA's Star program is designed for worksites with exemplary health management systems, according to the OSHA Web site.
If they are successful, the center will be one of eight hospitals with that status nationwide, and the first in the Defense Department to receive that recognition.
The medical center provides a full spectrum of care to more than 95,000 eligible beneficiaries, and 400,000 people eligible through the Veterans Affairs Department's Northern California Health Care System.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg is assigned to the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Military Looks to Dispel Myths, Advance Treatment for Brain Injuries
By Mark Heeter
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Get a good night's sleep. That is seemingly simple, yet sometimes complicated, advice from medical professionals as part of a reintegration program for redeploying soldiers who might have suffered traumatic brain injuries, the commander of Europe Regional Medical Command said. "When you come back from Afghanistan or Iraq, part of the screening program process is [confirming] if you had multiple concussive injuries downrange," Army Brig. Gen. Keith W. Gallagher said.
The objective of the reintegration is to "get you to where you can function and go to sleep at night," he said. "Sleep is very important for the healing process."
And, contrary to popular misconceptions, these physical injuries will heal, said Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton, special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs for psychological health and traumatic brain injury.
"One of the myths out there is that mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, means that somehow your brain is broken forever. No, it's an injury," said Sutton, who also is director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
"If you have some long-term, later symptoms that pop up, that's probably post-traumatic stress. That's probably not related to the concussion," she explained.
Sutton and Gallagher were joined for a recent meeting and video teleconference at the Schweinfurt Army Health Clinic here by Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Rhonda Cornum, director of comprehensive soldier fitness for the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff.
"We need to address [brain injury and psychological health] in a holistic fashion," said Cornum, who aims to see more components of soldiers' total health come into focus through prevention and training across the Army culture.
"[Recruits] come in, and we do the [physical training] test twice a year. We do PT training every week. And so we have a program to make people stronger, but we have not had a program to worry about psychological, spiritual, emotional, family," she said.
"The [Defense] Department has made an enormous investment in both better understanding concussions, mild TBI, and in psychological health," said Sutton, noting that doctors' and researchers' recent discoveries about the brain make this an "exciting" time to be working on injured servicemembers' behalf.
"When I was in medical school, in the '80s, we were taught what was then thought to be true: ... you're born into this world with all the brain cells you're ever going to get," Sutton said, quickly dispelling those old misconceptions with words like neurogenesis and neuroplasticity that define the brain's ability to recover and adapt.
Soldiers -- or anyone -- who have likely suffered a TBI should seek help with their care providers, Gallagher stressed.
"If they're having problems, they can go see their primary care provider. If they're still having problems, go see them again," he said.
"But don't stay awake watching movies because you can't go to sleep, and then wonder why you're getting up late for work. That's not helpful," Cornum advised.
It's not just about that good night's sleep.
(Mark Heeter works at the U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - Get a good night's sleep. That is seemingly simple, yet sometimes complicated, advice from medical professionals as part of a reintegration program for redeploying soldiers who might have suffered traumatic brain injuries, the commander of Europe Regional Medical Command said. "When you come back from Afghanistan or Iraq, part of the screening program process is [confirming] if you had multiple concussive injuries downrange," Army Brig. Gen. Keith W. Gallagher said.
The objective of the reintegration is to "get you to where you can function and go to sleep at night," he said. "Sleep is very important for the healing process."
And, contrary to popular misconceptions, these physical injuries will heal, said Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton, special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs for psychological health and traumatic brain injury.
"One of the myths out there is that mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, means that somehow your brain is broken forever. No, it's an injury," said Sutton, who also is director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
"If you have some long-term, later symptoms that pop up, that's probably post-traumatic stress. That's probably not related to the concussion," she explained.
Sutton and Gallagher were joined for a recent meeting and video teleconference at the Schweinfurt Army Health Clinic here by Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Rhonda Cornum, director of comprehensive soldier fitness for the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff.
"We need to address [brain injury and psychological health] in a holistic fashion," said Cornum, who aims to see more components of soldiers' total health come into focus through prevention and training across the Army culture.
"[Recruits] come in, and we do the [physical training] test twice a year. We do PT training every week. And so we have a program to make people stronger, but we have not had a program to worry about psychological, spiritual, emotional, family," she said.
"The [Defense] Department has made an enormous investment in both better understanding concussions, mild TBI, and in psychological health," said Sutton, noting that doctors' and researchers' recent discoveries about the brain make this an "exciting" time to be working on injured servicemembers' behalf.
"When I was in medical school, in the '80s, we were taught what was then thought to be true: ... you're born into this world with all the brain cells you're ever going to get," Sutton said, quickly dispelling those old misconceptions with words like neurogenesis and neuroplasticity that define the brain's ability to recover and adapt.
Soldiers -- or anyone -- who have likely suffered a TBI should seek help with their care providers, Gallagher stressed.
"If they're having problems, they can go see their primary care provider. If they're still having problems, go see them again," he said.
"But don't stay awake watching movies because you can't go to sleep, and then wonder why you're getting up late for work. That's not helpful," Cornum advised.
It's not just about that good night's sleep.
(Mark Heeter works at the U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt public affairs office.)
Discussions Aim to Resolve U.S. Survey Ship Incident
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - The incident in the South China Sea involving a U.S. ocean surveillance ship is serious enough to merit face-to-face discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. The USNS Impeccable – an unarmed Military Sealift Command vessel -- was conducting operations in international waters 70 miles south of Hainan Island on March 8 when the ship was surrounded and harassed by five Chinese vessels.
Morrell said the U.S. defense attaché in Beijing has been talking with China's defense ministry about the incident.
The Chinese defense attaché also is speaking with Defense Department officials.
"[The incident] is serious enough that we believe it requires face-to-face talks to find out what was going on here and to ensure that there are no further incidents of this nature in the future," Morrell said.
Morrell reiterated the U.S. position that the Impeccable was performing its mission in international waters.
"We hope that the Chinese would behave in a similar way, that is, according to international law," he said. "Furthermore, this incident is not at all consistent with the expressed desire of both governments to build a closer relationship, particularly a closer military-to-military relationship."
The U.S. position is that if a ship is lawfully operating in international waters, "that that is legal and permitted, and there should be no ... reason to interfere with those operations," Morrell said. Officials are hopeful that the conversations between the two nations will clear up any misunderstandings about this incident and ensure it doesn't happen again, he added.
American Forces Press Service
March 11, 2009 - The incident in the South China Sea involving a U.S. ocean surveillance ship is serious enough to merit face-to-face discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. The USNS Impeccable – an unarmed Military Sealift Command vessel -- was conducting operations in international waters 70 miles south of Hainan Island on March 8 when the ship was surrounded and harassed by five Chinese vessels.
Morrell said the U.S. defense attaché in Beijing has been talking with China's defense ministry about the incident.
The Chinese defense attaché also is speaking with Defense Department officials.
"[The incident] is serious enough that we believe it requires face-to-face talks to find out what was going on here and to ensure that there are no further incidents of this nature in the future," Morrell said.
Morrell reiterated the U.S. position that the Impeccable was performing its mission in international waters.
"We hope that the Chinese would behave in a similar way, that is, according to international law," he said. "Furthermore, this incident is not at all consistent with the expressed desire of both governments to build a closer relationship, particularly a closer military-to-military relationship."
The U.S. position is that if a ship is lawfully operating in international waters, "that that is legal and permitted, and there should be no ... reason to interfere with those operations," Morrell said. Officials are hopeful that the conversations between the two nations will clear up any misunderstandings about this incident and ensure it doesn't happen again, he added.
Bombs, Bullets and Fast Talk
On March 27, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a
discussion Special James Botting, FBI (ret.) the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast
Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Program Date: March 27, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk
About the Guest
Special Agent James Botting (ret.) served in the FBI for twenty-five years, sixteen as a crisis/hostage negotiator. He served as the team leader of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) from 1981 to 1995 and a supervisory member of its international Critical Incident Negotiation Team since its inception in 1985 until his retirement. He has personally negotiated numerous hostage/barricade incidents and responded to several high-profile events. He lives in California. James Botting is the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
According to the book description of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories, “A desperate gunman holds a planeload of innocent passengers hostage. A heavily armed cult leader refuses to leave his compound, threatening mass suicide by a hundred of his brainwashed followers. A neo-Nazi militant in a cabin hideout keeps federal agents at bay with gunfire. A baby disappears; his only trace is an ominous ransom call to his parents. Prisoners riot, threatening the lives of prison officers and hundreds of other inmates. How do you react? What do you do? What do you say? Your words, your actions can save lives--or lose them.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
discussion Special James Botting, FBI (ret.) the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast
Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Program Date: March 27, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk
About the Guest
Special Agent James Botting (ret.) served in the FBI for twenty-five years, sixteen as a crisis/hostage negotiator. He served as the team leader of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) from 1981 to 1995 and a supervisory member of its international Critical Incident Negotiation Team since its inception in 1985 until his retirement. He has personally negotiated numerous hostage/barricade incidents and responded to several high-profile events. He lives in California. James Botting is the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
According to the book description of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories, “A desperate gunman holds a planeload of innocent passengers hostage. A heavily armed cult leader refuses to leave his compound, threatening mass suicide by a hundred of his brainwashed followers. A neo-Nazi militant in a cabin hideout keeps federal agents at bay with gunfire. A baby disappears; his only trace is an ominous ransom call to his parents. Prisoners riot, threatening the lives of prison officers and hundreds of other inmates. How do you react? What do you do? What do you say? Your words, your actions can save lives--or lose them.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
MILITARY CONTRACTS March 10, 2009
NAVY
Atlantic Marine Mayport, LLC, Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded a $37,035,816 firm-fixed-price contract to perform drydock, ship alterations, and maintenance and repair work for the extended drydock selected restricted availability of the USS Philippine Sea (CG 58). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,476,685. Work will be performed in the Jacksonville, Fla., area and is expected to be completed by Dec. 22, 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $42,476,685 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with six proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N40027-09-C-0048).
Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction, Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $26,226,750 for firm-fixed price task order #0008 under a previously awarded multiple award construction (N62473-08-D-8615) for design and construction of a new Weapons and Armament Research, Development, Acquisition, Test, and Evaluation Laboratory (RDT&E) Facility #3 at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif. The facility will provide technical and management support offices with electronic computer labs, laboratory work areas, and miscellaneous supporting spaces to support electronic work on guidance systems. The task order also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $28,786,750. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
GE Aviation Systems, LLC, Bohemia, N.Y., is being awarded a ceiling $9,300,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of spare components for the GE avionics system for flight control and communications in support of the C-130J aircraft sustainment program. Thirty seven components are included in this contract over the next five years. These components are considered end items or weapons replaceable assemblies of the K/H/C-130J. Work will be performed in Bohemia, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by March 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-09-D-WT30).
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
ITT Corp., of Roanoke, Va., is being awarded a $11,422,775 firm-fixed-price contract for image intensifier assemblies, 18 MM microchannel wafer high performance tubes, MX-10160 GS in support of U.S. Special Operations Command Procurement Division. The work will be performed in Roanoke and is expected to be completed by May 26, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded on a competitive basis. The contract number is H92222-09-C-0025.
Atlantic Marine Mayport, LLC, Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded a $37,035,816 firm-fixed-price contract to perform drydock, ship alterations, and maintenance and repair work for the extended drydock selected restricted availability of the USS Philippine Sea (CG 58). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,476,685. Work will be performed in the Jacksonville, Fla., area and is expected to be completed by Dec. 22, 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $42,476,685 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with six proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N40027-09-C-0048).
Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction, Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $26,226,750 for firm-fixed price task order #0008 under a previously awarded multiple award construction (N62473-08-D-8615) for design and construction of a new Weapons and Armament Research, Development, Acquisition, Test, and Evaluation Laboratory (RDT&E) Facility #3 at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif. The facility will provide technical and management support offices with electronic computer labs, laboratory work areas, and miscellaneous supporting spaces to support electronic work on guidance systems. The task order also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $28,786,750. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
GE Aviation Systems, LLC, Bohemia, N.Y., is being awarded a ceiling $9,300,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of spare components for the GE avionics system for flight control and communications in support of the C-130J aircraft sustainment program. Thirty seven components are included in this contract over the next five years. These components are considered end items or weapons replaceable assemblies of the K/H/C-130J. Work will be performed in Bohemia, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by March 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-09-D-WT30).
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
ITT Corp., of Roanoke, Va., is being awarded a $11,422,775 firm-fixed-price contract for image intensifier assemblies, 18 MM microchannel wafer high performance tubes, MX-10160 GS in support of U.S. Special Operations Command Procurement Division. The work will be performed in Roanoke and is expected to be completed by May 26, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded on a competitive basis. The contract number is H92222-09-C-0025.
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