By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - A NATO flag-raising ceremony yesterday punctuated the entrance of Albania and Croatia into the 60-year old collective security alliance. Attending the event at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, was NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the heads of state of the newly added member countries.
"The accession of Albania and Croatia demonstrates that the idea of freedom is irresistible," de Hoop Scheffer said. "It demonstrates that nations and peoples across the Atlantic come together when they are given the chance to make their own free choice. This is the clearest demonstration that in today's Europe, geography no longer is destiny."
The enlargement, which became official April 1, marks only the sixth time the organization has expanded its borders, and brings to 28 the number of members now in the alliance, six decades after a dozen nations endorsed the North Atlantic Treaty at an April 4, 1949 ceremony here.
De Hoop Scheffer said membership for Albania and Croatia marks the well-deserved reward for many years of hard preparation.
"It is a full vindication of the vision of those who have, for years, seen their countries' future in NATO," he said. "Both countries will now have a seat at the table where key decisions are made to shape Euro-Atlantic security. And both countries can now enjoy the ultimate security guarantee of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty."
Article 5 stipulates that an attack against one NATO member is tantamount to an attack against the whole alliance.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha expressed pride in raising his nation's flag alongside those of other alliance members.
"For this flag and the nation it represents, this day is the greatest day after the declaration of independence of Albania," he said.
Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said the day was one of joy and celebration for Croatians.
"We have raised the Croatian flag at NATO Headquarters, which will represent, alongside the other 27 allied banners, the shared values, such as freedom, peace, democracy, rule of law, human rights, and social market economy," Sanader said. "After many testing years and despite all difficulties, we can proudly say that we have succeeded."
Accession by the two Balkan nations follows the addition of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania in 2004; Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland in 1999; Spain in 1982; West Germany in 1955; and Greece and Turkey in 1952.
The founding NATO members were the United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Official Cites Value of Cyberspace to Warfighting Operations
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - Maintaining and protecting the U.S. military's worldwide computer network is a vital component of national security, a senior official said here today. "For the United States military, cyberspace is a warfighting domain and it is critical to our operations," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters. "And so, we do have to aggressively protect our networks and our ability to work in cyberspace."
It also is important, Whitman said, that the Defense Department dedicate the resources necessary to maintain its cyberspace capabilities. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has indicated he'd like to bolster the Pentagon's cyberspace capability, he noted.
During an April 6 Pentagon news conference in which he discussed the proposed fiscal 2010 defense budget, Gates told reporters he wants to increase the number of cyber experts who can be trained for departmental service from 80 students per year to 250 per year in fiscal 2011.
Maintaining cyberspace assets is increasingly important to warfighters, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told members of the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces March 17. Chilton also told the House legislators he's concerned about growing threats against military computer networks.
Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pointed out that times have changed, as he sat at Gates' side during the April 6 Pentagon news conference. In the past, Cartwright said, conventional-warfare adversaries "knew exactly" who they were fighting and where the threat emanated.
However, "that's not the case anymore in cyber warfare and weapons of mass destruction," Cartwright said, "because there are venues without attribution that we have to deal with as we move to the future."
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - Maintaining and protecting the U.S. military's worldwide computer network is a vital component of national security, a senior official said here today. "For the United States military, cyberspace is a warfighting domain and it is critical to our operations," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters. "And so, we do have to aggressively protect our networks and our ability to work in cyberspace."
It also is important, Whitman said, that the Defense Department dedicate the resources necessary to maintain its cyberspace capabilities. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has indicated he'd like to bolster the Pentagon's cyberspace capability, he noted.
During an April 6 Pentagon news conference in which he discussed the proposed fiscal 2010 defense budget, Gates told reporters he wants to increase the number of cyber experts who can be trained for departmental service from 80 students per year to 250 per year in fiscal 2011.
Maintaining cyberspace assets is increasingly important to warfighters, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told members of the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces March 17. Chilton also told the House legislators he's concerned about growing threats against military computer networks.
Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pointed out that times have changed, as he sat at Gates' side during the April 6 Pentagon news conference. In the past, Cartwright said, conventional-warfare adversaries "knew exactly" who they were fighting and where the threat emanated.
However, "that's not the case anymore in cyber warfare and weapons of mass destruction," Cartwright said, "because there are venues without attribution that we have to deal with as we move to the future."
Uniform Registration Process to Promote Seamless Military-to-Veteran Transition
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - The best way to ensure servicemembers transition seamlessly from the Defense Department to the Department of Veterans Affairs when they leave the military is to start the process at the swearing-in ceremony, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told American Forces Press Service. "Seamless transition really has to begin when that servicemember is still serving, puts on the uniform, raises a right hand and takes the oath of allegiance," said Shinseki, who spent 38 years in uniform before retiring in 2003 as Army chief of staff. "We need to begin the transition then."
Shinseki said he's had several conversations with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates about ways to continue improving the transition process between the two departments.
One concept, called "uniform registration," would enroll servicemembers automatically in a single Defense-VA management system when they join the military. As envisioned, the system would have two components: one for personnel files and another for medical files.
Shinseki explained the benefits of uniform registration last month during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing. "Uniform registration will push both of us, both the VA and the [Defense Department], to create a single, electronic record that would govern how we acknowledge, identify, track and manage each of our clients," he said.
"That way, we could begin to track them throughout the course of their service in uniform – whether it's two years, four years, 10 years, 30 years," he told American Forces Press Service.
"And when the change in their status occurs and they take the uniform off and return to civilian life, the transition has already been done," he continued. "They are already a member of our department, we know who they are, and we have been watching their development."
The initiative, he said, would result in better, faster, more consistent management decisions, with less chance of lost files or destroyed claims and fewer backlogs in processing claims. Servicemembers leaving the military would come to VA as known entities, and their entitlements would be clear, Shinseki said. Meanwhile, VA could better project veterans' needs.
Shinseki told the Senate committee both VA and the Defense Department "are in agreement about the goodness of such a system and have people working toward making this a reality."
Uniform registration is really just an extension of other VA-administered programs that cover those in uniform, Shinseki said. These include Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, educational loans and guaranteed home loans.
"So this idea that your benefits begin when you take off the uniform is misleading," he said. "Those benefits are there in those categories from the time they begin serving."
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have been working diligently to eliminate gaps as servicemembers – particularly wounded warriors – transition from military to civilian life. Congressional panels, blue-ribbon commissions and in-house investigations all have pointed to the need for the two departments to improve their coordination and cooperation to better serve transitioning troops.
Shinseki told the Senate panel progress being made will help ensure better care and support for veterans. "Through a cooperative effort, we seek to improve the delivery of benefits and assure the availability of medical data to support the care of patients shared by VA and [the Defense Department]," he wrote in his written testimony. "This will enhance our ability to provide world-class care to veterans, active-duty servicemembers receiving care from both health-care systems, and our wounded warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan."
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - The best way to ensure servicemembers transition seamlessly from the Defense Department to the Department of Veterans Affairs when they leave the military is to start the process at the swearing-in ceremony, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told American Forces Press Service. "Seamless transition really has to begin when that servicemember is still serving, puts on the uniform, raises a right hand and takes the oath of allegiance," said Shinseki, who spent 38 years in uniform before retiring in 2003 as Army chief of staff. "We need to begin the transition then."
Shinseki said he's had several conversations with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates about ways to continue improving the transition process between the two departments.
One concept, called "uniform registration," would enroll servicemembers automatically in a single Defense-VA management system when they join the military. As envisioned, the system would have two components: one for personnel files and another for medical files.
Shinseki explained the benefits of uniform registration last month during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing. "Uniform registration will push both of us, both the VA and the [Defense Department], to create a single, electronic record that would govern how we acknowledge, identify, track and manage each of our clients," he said.
"That way, we could begin to track them throughout the course of their service in uniform – whether it's two years, four years, 10 years, 30 years," he told American Forces Press Service.
"And when the change in their status occurs and they take the uniform off and return to civilian life, the transition has already been done," he continued. "They are already a member of our department, we know who they are, and we have been watching their development."
The initiative, he said, would result in better, faster, more consistent management decisions, with less chance of lost files or destroyed claims and fewer backlogs in processing claims. Servicemembers leaving the military would come to VA as known entities, and their entitlements would be clear, Shinseki said. Meanwhile, VA could better project veterans' needs.
Shinseki told the Senate committee both VA and the Defense Department "are in agreement about the goodness of such a system and have people working toward making this a reality."
Uniform registration is really just an extension of other VA-administered programs that cover those in uniform, Shinseki said. These include Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, educational loans and guaranteed home loans.
"So this idea that your benefits begin when you take off the uniform is misleading," he said. "Those benefits are there in those categories from the time they begin serving."
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have been working diligently to eliminate gaps as servicemembers – particularly wounded warriors – transition from military to civilian life. Congressional panels, blue-ribbon commissions and in-house investigations all have pointed to the need for the two departments to improve their coordination and cooperation to better serve transitioning troops.
Shinseki told the Senate panel progress being made will help ensure better care and support for veterans. "Through a cooperative effort, we seek to improve the delivery of benefits and assure the availability of medical data to support the care of patients shared by VA and [the Defense Department]," he wrote in his written testimony. "This will enhance our ability to provide world-class care to veterans, active-duty servicemembers receiving care from both health-care systems, and our wounded warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan."
Cyber Defense Cost Pentagon $100 Million in Six Months, Officials Say
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - Defending the Defense Department's global information grid from attacks cost the U.S. military more than $100 million over the past six months, U.S. Strategic Command officials said yesterday. Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, Stratcom commander, and Army Brig. Gen. John Davis, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Global Network Operations, spoke from a cyber security conference in Omaha, Neb.
Chilton said Stratcom – charged with overseeing cyber operations – needs to treat computer network operations just as commanders treat operations on the land, in the air or on the sea. Defense Department networks are attacked thousands of times a day, he said. The attacks run the gamut from "bored teenagers to the nation state with criminal elements sandwiched in there."
The motives of those attacking the networks go from just plain vandalism to theft of money or information to espionage. Protecting the networks is a huge challenge for the command, Chilton said.
"Pay me now or pay me later," Davis said in assessing how to handle the threat. "In the last six months, we spent more than $100 million reacting to things on our networks after the fact. It would be nice to spend that money proactively to put things in place so we'd be more active and proactive in posture rather than cleaning up after the fact."
Davis' command is responsible for defensive and offensive operations in cyberspace. The expenses were in manpower, time, contractors, tools, technology and procedures, he said.
Training is needed for personnel to launch both defensive and offensive operations, Chilton said. "We need to train all our folks and we need high-end skill training," he said.
Stratcom operates the Defense Department's global information grid, Chilton noted. "We also have the responsibility to plan for and when directed to conduct offensive operations," he said. "As in all domains, a good defense relies on a good offense."
As in land, sea and air domains, the United States wants to retain freedom of action in the cyber domain, Chilton said. "We need to have the tools, skills and expertise in a time of conflict so we can maintain our freedom of action," he said.
Chilton said Defense Department personnel need to change the way they think about cyberspace. "It's not just a convenience. It's a dependency that we have," he said. "We need to change the way we conduct ourselves in cyberspace and hold our military folks to the same high standards that we hold our air, land and sea operators to."
A prohibition on using so-called "thumb-drives" and other portable data storage devices on Defense Department computers will remain in effect, Davis said. "I don't think anybody realizes how much better shape we'd be in if we just did the basics right," he said. "People need to just apply the basic rules and procedures that have been put in place to protect ourselves."
While this won't stop the more sophisticated threats, "it sure will get rid of the thousands of things that clutter the environment," Davis said.
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - Defending the Defense Department's global information grid from attacks cost the U.S. military more than $100 million over the past six months, U.S. Strategic Command officials said yesterday. Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, Stratcom commander, and Army Brig. Gen. John Davis, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Global Network Operations, spoke from a cyber security conference in Omaha, Neb.
Chilton said Stratcom – charged with overseeing cyber operations – needs to treat computer network operations just as commanders treat operations on the land, in the air or on the sea. Defense Department networks are attacked thousands of times a day, he said. The attacks run the gamut from "bored teenagers to the nation state with criminal elements sandwiched in there."
The motives of those attacking the networks go from just plain vandalism to theft of money or information to espionage. Protecting the networks is a huge challenge for the command, Chilton said.
"Pay me now or pay me later," Davis said in assessing how to handle the threat. "In the last six months, we spent more than $100 million reacting to things on our networks after the fact. It would be nice to spend that money proactively to put things in place so we'd be more active and proactive in posture rather than cleaning up after the fact."
Davis' command is responsible for defensive and offensive operations in cyberspace. The expenses were in manpower, time, contractors, tools, technology and procedures, he said.
Training is needed for personnel to launch both defensive and offensive operations, Chilton said. "We need to train all our folks and we need high-end skill training," he said.
Stratcom operates the Defense Department's global information grid, Chilton noted. "We also have the responsibility to plan for and when directed to conduct offensive operations," he said. "As in all domains, a good defense relies on a good offense."
As in land, sea and air domains, the United States wants to retain freedom of action in the cyber domain, Chilton said. "We need to have the tools, skills and expertise in a time of conflict so we can maintain our freedom of action," he said.
Chilton said Defense Department personnel need to change the way they think about cyberspace. "It's not just a convenience. It's a dependency that we have," he said. "We need to change the way we conduct ourselves in cyberspace and hold our military folks to the same high standards that we hold our air, land and sea operators to."
A prohibition on using so-called "thumb-drives" and other portable data storage devices on Defense Department computers will remain in effect, Davis said. "I don't think anybody realizes how much better shape we'd be in if we just did the basics right," he said. "People need to just apply the basic rules and procedures that have been put in place to protect ourselves."
While this won't stop the more sophisticated threats, "it sure will get rid of the thousands of things that clutter the environment," Davis said.
Group Donates Easter Baskets for Month of Military Child
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - A California based troop-support group has collected and mailed more than 600 Easter baskets as part of April's observance of the Month of the Military Child. "Because the Easter bunny and children go hand-in-hand, our Easter project was directly targeted to the children," said Karla Davis, Pennsylvania state coordinator for Soldiers' Angels. "We were blessed enough with support for sending out over 610 Easter baskets this year. There were also several hundred gift cards sent with the baskets to help the parents in purchasing Easter dinner."
The majority of the baskets went directly to Fisher Houses and military bases to be distributed to military children.
"Fisher Houses and military bases have contacted me already, to say, 'Wow, we received the Easter baskets,'" Caren Vink, vice president of Soldiers' Angels, said. "They say, 'This was awfully nice of Soldiers' Angels outreach to honor our families.' This mission focused on supporting military families with children here at home for the Easter holidays."
Soldiers' Angels collected Easter items by posting a letter of invitation on the group's Web site several months ago, asking Americans to support military families with children for the Easter holiday. Americans were asked to drop off Easter baskets at different Soldiers' Angels locations.
"We had such a great outpouring by our donors and angels," Vink said. "We had many donors that were prepared to send pre-filled Easter baskets, sealed bags of Easter candy and gift cards across the country to these kids."
Military families not at Fisher Houses or military bases were able to request Easter baskets via e-mail.
In the past, Davis said, Soldiers' Angels had received many requests for help with purchasing Easter baskets and felt honored to reach out to military families during the Month of the Military Child.
"These children are making as many sacrifices for our country as our heroes," she said. "They are lending their hero to the entire world. Soldiers' Angels has always paid particular attention to military children during this month and every month."
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - A California based troop-support group has collected and mailed more than 600 Easter baskets as part of April's observance of the Month of the Military Child. "Because the Easter bunny and children go hand-in-hand, our Easter project was directly targeted to the children," said Karla Davis, Pennsylvania state coordinator for Soldiers' Angels. "We were blessed enough with support for sending out over 610 Easter baskets this year. There were also several hundred gift cards sent with the baskets to help the parents in purchasing Easter dinner."
The majority of the baskets went directly to Fisher Houses and military bases to be distributed to military children.
"Fisher Houses and military bases have contacted me already, to say, 'Wow, we received the Easter baskets,'" Caren Vink, vice president of Soldiers' Angels, said. "They say, 'This was awfully nice of Soldiers' Angels outreach to honor our families.' This mission focused on supporting military families with children here at home for the Easter holidays."
Soldiers' Angels collected Easter items by posting a letter of invitation on the group's Web site several months ago, asking Americans to support military families with children for the Easter holiday. Americans were asked to drop off Easter baskets at different Soldiers' Angels locations.
"We had such a great outpouring by our donors and angels," Vink said. "We had many donors that were prepared to send pre-filled Easter baskets, sealed bags of Easter candy and gift cards across the country to these kids."
Military families not at Fisher Houses or military bases were able to request Easter baskets via e-mail.
In the past, Davis said, Soldiers' Angels had received many requests for help with purchasing Easter baskets and felt honored to reach out to military families during the Month of the Military Child.
"These children are making as many sacrifices for our country as our heroes," she said. "They are lending their hero to the entire world. Soldiers' Angels has always paid particular attention to military children during this month and every month."
Face of Defense: Army's NATO Brigade Commander Blazes Trail
By Kristen Marquez
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - As a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., Leah R. Fuller-Friel became her battalion's first female commander. Now, 25 years later and a colonel, she's the first female commander of the U.S. Army NATO Brigade, headquartered at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany.
Fuller-Friel's military interests started in high school when, she says, a "diligent recruiter" told her of the opportunities the Army could offer her through ROTC. Back then, she admits she didn't really even know what the letters R-O-T-C stood for.
Today, she's the commander of all U.S. soldiers serving in three NATO battalions and 10 companies scattered throughout 33 locations in 13 countries.
"My husband and I served in NATO as majors and we really didn't know this opportunity was there," Fuller-Friel said. She was serving with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command as the Adjutant General, she said, when she was asked to take over the U.S. Army NATO brigade.
"I thought 'there's no such thing,'" she said.
Sgt. 1st Class Larry Gray, the brigade's equal opportunity advisor, said having Fuller-Friel take command as the first female in that role is noteworthy not only for the women in the brigade, but for the Army as a whole.
"I think it's really good that other nations know that in our country, females are getting the opportunity to lead troops and can do it just as well as the men," Gray said. "They get those opportunities to train and lead, and having her in that role is very significant."
The Friel family, overall, is making a significant contribution to the military. Fuller-Friel and her husband, retired Army Maj. Jack Friel, a field artilleryman, met and married on Fort Leavenworth, Kan. They have three sons: John, a company commander on Fort Hood, Texas, who is serving his third tour in Iraq; Mark, a captain in the Indiana National Guard; and Matthew, a sixth-grader, whom Fuller-Friel says "can't wait to be in uniform."
As an Army retiree, Jack Friel serves as the senior family readiness advisor for the brigade and, according to his wife, is "working harder than he ever has worked. He's a very busy man."
"We always do a command team charter, my husband and I, what expectations we are going to do - we are going to balance faith, profession and family," she said. "[With] that trio, we are in sync, and usually the kids or the soldiers will let us know if we are not."
The couple has served five tours in Europe - 12 of the 25 years of service so far for Fuller-Friel. She's held all of her levels of command in Europe as well.
Fuller-Friel said her favorite job so far has been being a company commander, a job that allowed her to get to know each soldier and spouse in her company on a more personal level. In her current role, it's a little harder to get to know every soldier, though she tries.
Her favorite part of her current job, she said, is "going to see the soldiers, in their environment, with their issues, and letting them show us what they actually do in support of NATO. We try to get into their element as opposed to them coming here."
With March being Women's History Month, Fuller-Friel reflected on some of the women of her past who have made an impact on her life and helped her get to where she is today.
"First, my mother," she said. "She just instilled a great work ethic, and (encouraged me to) give everything that you do 110 percent and it will show. People will notice and you'll go far.
"And then I got over here in Europe and worked for Maj. Gen. Pat Hickerson and Maj. Gen. Dee Anne McWilliams, and basically those two [made me think] 'Wow, women can be general officers?' They were just absolutely professional subject matter experts in their field, and they're in my field, too. As they retired, they just passed on the torch and said 'you need to go on and do the jobs that we were never able to do.'"
She also mentioned Gen. Ann Dunwoody, commander of Army Materiel Command, with whom she worked when Dunwoody was a two-star general on Fort Lee, Va.
"She's absolutely a master logistician," Fuller-Friel said. "She just said 'know your field, know your Army, and you'll go far' and kept that philosophy."
The military's diversity is something Fuller-Friel said is unique and should be celebrated.
"I think that's one of the reasons why the Armed Forces is considered to be one of the most prestigious institutions - because of the diversity," she said. "We need the diversity. I don't see that in the civilian life, I don't see it in my hometowns, I didn't see it in college, but the Army absolutely gives everyone the opportunity. You just have to seize it, become experts in your field and go from there, whether you are a man or woman."
(Editor's Note: Kristen Marquez works in the USAG Baden-Wuerttemberg public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - As a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., Leah R. Fuller-Friel became her battalion's first female commander. Now, 25 years later and a colonel, she's the first female commander of the U.S. Army NATO Brigade, headquartered at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany.
Fuller-Friel's military interests started in high school when, she says, a "diligent recruiter" told her of the opportunities the Army could offer her through ROTC. Back then, she admits she didn't really even know what the letters R-O-T-C stood for.
Today, she's the commander of all U.S. soldiers serving in three NATO battalions and 10 companies scattered throughout 33 locations in 13 countries.
"My husband and I served in NATO as majors and we really didn't know this opportunity was there," Fuller-Friel said. She was serving with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command as the Adjutant General, she said, when she was asked to take over the U.S. Army NATO brigade.
"I thought 'there's no such thing,'" she said.
Sgt. 1st Class Larry Gray, the brigade's equal opportunity advisor, said having Fuller-Friel take command as the first female in that role is noteworthy not only for the women in the brigade, but for the Army as a whole.
"I think it's really good that other nations know that in our country, females are getting the opportunity to lead troops and can do it just as well as the men," Gray said. "They get those opportunities to train and lead, and having her in that role is very significant."
The Friel family, overall, is making a significant contribution to the military. Fuller-Friel and her husband, retired Army Maj. Jack Friel, a field artilleryman, met and married on Fort Leavenworth, Kan. They have three sons: John, a company commander on Fort Hood, Texas, who is serving his third tour in Iraq; Mark, a captain in the Indiana National Guard; and Matthew, a sixth-grader, whom Fuller-Friel says "can't wait to be in uniform."
As an Army retiree, Jack Friel serves as the senior family readiness advisor for the brigade and, according to his wife, is "working harder than he ever has worked. He's a very busy man."
"We always do a command team charter, my husband and I, what expectations we are going to do - we are going to balance faith, profession and family," she said. "[With] that trio, we are in sync, and usually the kids or the soldiers will let us know if we are not."
The couple has served five tours in Europe - 12 of the 25 years of service so far for Fuller-Friel. She's held all of her levels of command in Europe as well.
Fuller-Friel said her favorite job so far has been being a company commander, a job that allowed her to get to know each soldier and spouse in her company on a more personal level. In her current role, it's a little harder to get to know every soldier, though she tries.
Her favorite part of her current job, she said, is "going to see the soldiers, in their environment, with their issues, and letting them show us what they actually do in support of NATO. We try to get into their element as opposed to them coming here."
With March being Women's History Month, Fuller-Friel reflected on some of the women of her past who have made an impact on her life and helped her get to where she is today.
"First, my mother," she said. "She just instilled a great work ethic, and (encouraged me to) give everything that you do 110 percent and it will show. People will notice and you'll go far.
"And then I got over here in Europe and worked for Maj. Gen. Pat Hickerson and Maj. Gen. Dee Anne McWilliams, and basically those two [made me think] 'Wow, women can be general officers?' They were just absolutely professional subject matter experts in their field, and they're in my field, too. As they retired, they just passed on the torch and said 'you need to go on and do the jobs that we were never able to do.'"
She also mentioned Gen. Ann Dunwoody, commander of Army Materiel Command, with whom she worked when Dunwoody was a two-star general on Fort Lee, Va.
"She's absolutely a master logistician," Fuller-Friel said. "She just said 'know your field, know your Army, and you'll go far' and kept that philosophy."
The military's diversity is something Fuller-Friel said is unique and should be celebrated.
"I think that's one of the reasons why the Armed Forces is considered to be one of the most prestigious institutions - because of the diversity," she said. "We need the diversity. I don't see that in the civilian life, I don't see it in my hometowns, I didn't see it in college, but the Army absolutely gives everyone the opportunity. You just have to seize it, become experts in your field and go from there, whether you are a man or woman."
(Editor's Note: Kristen Marquez works in the USAG Baden-Wuerttemberg public affairs office.)
Pirate Attack Foiled by Ship's Crew, Defense Officials Say
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - A ship taken by pirates off the coast of Somalia this morning is now presumed to be under the control of its crew again, Defense Department officials said. The cargo ship Maersk Alabama was attacked by pirates early this morning and presumed hijacked, according to information provided by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. The vessel was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was assaulted about 300 miles off Somalia's coast, officials said.
The Maersk Alabama is home-ported in Norfolk, Va., and has a crew of about 20 U.S. nationals, John Reinhart, president and CEO of the ship's owner, Maersk Line Ltd., told reporters today.
Reinhart said his company is contacting the crew's family members. He declined to confirm the ship's retaking by its crew, or to release the names of crew members.
The Maersk Alabama's crewmembers were trained to deal with pirate attacks, Reinhart said.
Pentagon officials noted there were four would-be hijackers, at least one of whom was captured by the ship's crew.
Pirates who attack merchant ships traveling off the coast of Somalia are difficult to deter because of the large area in which they operate, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today that he didn't want to comment on possible actions that could be taken in response to the Maersk Alabama's apparent hijacking.
However, Whitman said the piracy issue "is not going to be something that is solved in a purely military way or in international waters."
"This is going to have to be something that is addressed broadly by the international community," Whitman continued, "It's going to have to be addressed diplomatically, militarily (and) legally."
The complexity of the piracy issue requires taking "a very broad approach to addressing it," Whitman added.
Pirates operating off the coast of Somalia have attacked five vessels over the past week, according to news reports, not including today's attack on the Maersk Alabama.
Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, commander of Combined Maritime Forces based in Bahrain that oversees anti-piracy efforts in the region, provided an updated advisory notice to regional merchant shipping in a news release issued yesterday.
"We synchronize the efforts of the naval forces deployed to the region," Gortney said in the release. "However, as we have often stated, international naval forces alone will not be able to solve the problem of piracy at sea."
Piracy "is a problem that starts ashore," Gortney added.
And, despite the increased naval presence in the region, Gortney's notice said, because of an area of water that's four times the size of Texas, ships and aircraft are unlikely to be close enough to provide support to vessels under attack.
In view of the pirates' activity, merchant mariners should be highly vigilant when traveling through Somalia's coastal region, the release stated.
The release noted that a number of merchant vessels transiting the waters off Somalia have successfully employed evasive maneuvers and other defensive tactics to thwart attempted pirate attacks.
For example, a Panamanian-flagged vessel employed evasive maneuvers and fire hoses to thwart an attempted pirate attack, according to the release.
American Forces Press Service
April 8, 2009 - A ship taken by pirates off the coast of Somalia this morning is now presumed to be under the control of its crew again, Defense Department officials said. The cargo ship Maersk Alabama was attacked by pirates early this morning and presumed hijacked, according to information provided by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. The vessel was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was assaulted about 300 miles off Somalia's coast, officials said.
The Maersk Alabama is home-ported in Norfolk, Va., and has a crew of about 20 U.S. nationals, John Reinhart, president and CEO of the ship's owner, Maersk Line Ltd., told reporters today.
Reinhart said his company is contacting the crew's family members. He declined to confirm the ship's retaking by its crew, or to release the names of crew members.
The Maersk Alabama's crewmembers were trained to deal with pirate attacks, Reinhart said.
Pentagon officials noted there were four would-be hijackers, at least one of whom was captured by the ship's crew.
Pirates who attack merchant ships traveling off the coast of Somalia are difficult to deter because of the large area in which they operate, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today that he didn't want to comment on possible actions that could be taken in response to the Maersk Alabama's apparent hijacking.
However, Whitman said the piracy issue "is not going to be something that is solved in a purely military way or in international waters."
"This is going to have to be something that is addressed broadly by the international community," Whitman continued, "It's going to have to be addressed diplomatically, militarily (and) legally."
The complexity of the piracy issue requires taking "a very broad approach to addressing it," Whitman added.
Pirates operating off the coast of Somalia have attacked five vessels over the past week, according to news reports, not including today's attack on the Maersk Alabama.
Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, commander of Combined Maritime Forces based in Bahrain that oversees anti-piracy efforts in the region, provided an updated advisory notice to regional merchant shipping in a news release issued yesterday.
"We synchronize the efforts of the naval forces deployed to the region," Gortney said in the release. "However, as we have often stated, international naval forces alone will not be able to solve the problem of piracy at sea."
Piracy "is a problem that starts ashore," Gortney added.
And, despite the increased naval presence in the region, Gortney's notice said, because of an area of water that's four times the size of Texas, ships and aircraft are unlikely to be close enough to provide support to vessels under attack.
In view of the pirates' activity, merchant mariners should be highly vigilant when traveling through Somalia's coastal region, the release stated.
The release noted that a number of merchant vessels transiting the waters off Somalia have successfully employed evasive maneuvers and other defensive tactics to thwart attempted pirate attacks.
For example, a Panamanian-flagged vessel employed evasive maneuvers and fire hoses to thwart an attempted pirate attack, according to the release.
Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders
Editor's Note: Given the DOD's recent announcements regarding sexual assaults committed against servicemembers, this information is likely useful to military CID personnel.
On April 17, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will explore interviewing sexually motivated offenders with author, expert and retired police detective Don Howell.
Program Date: April 17, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/04/18/Interviewing-Sexually-Motivated-Offenders
About the Guests
Detective Don Howell, Huntington Beach Police Department (ret.) “graduated with honors with a degree in Police Science and Administration. He spent 25 years as a police officer for two different agencies in Southern California cities. As a detective for more than 15 years, he specialized in the investigation of sexual assaults and child abuse. Don Howell is a court certified expert in these areas and is a highly sought after consultant to agencies on complex cases. As a consultant to the California Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and training (P.O.S.T.), Don was considered to be one of the best in his field and was selected to assist in making a teleconference course on rape investigations.” Detective Don Howell is the author of Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders and Interviewing Sex Crime Victims.
According to the book description of Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders, “Sex offenders are the most fascinating criminals law enforcement deals with. Taking the mystery out of interviewing them isn't difficult. Replacing the complex psychological definitions with a working understanding of how sex offenders think and act is the key to improving your interviewing skills. Combine this with the five trademarks of the actual interview and you have a new interviewing strategy that will increase your confession rate. This is not magic. Instead it approaches interviewing the sex offender from a different direction or perspective, to allow you to identify the offender's behavior and use it to your advantage.”
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/2009/04/18/Interviewing-Sexually-Motivated-Offenders
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
On April 17, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will explore interviewing sexually motivated offenders with author, expert and retired police detective Don Howell.
Program Date: April 17, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/04/18/Interviewing-Sexually-Motivated-Offenders
About the Guests
Detective Don Howell, Huntington Beach Police Department (ret.) “graduated with honors with a degree in Police Science and Administration. He spent 25 years as a police officer for two different agencies in Southern California cities. As a detective for more than 15 years, he specialized in the investigation of sexual assaults and child abuse. Don Howell is a court certified expert in these areas and is a highly sought after consultant to agencies on complex cases. As a consultant to the California Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and training (P.O.S.T.), Don was considered to be one of the best in his field and was selected to assist in making a teleconference course on rape investigations.” Detective Don Howell is the author of Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders and Interviewing Sex Crime Victims.
According to the book description of Interviewing Sexually Motivated Offenders, “Sex offenders are the most fascinating criminals law enforcement deals with. Taking the mystery out of interviewing them isn't difficult. Replacing the complex psychological definitions with a working understanding of how sex offenders think and act is the key to improving your interviewing skills. Combine this with the five trademarks of the actual interview and you have a new interviewing strategy that will increase your confession rate. This is not magic. Instead it approaches interviewing the sex offender from a different direction or perspective, to allow you to identify the offender's behavior and use it to your advantage.”
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/2009/04/18/Interviewing-Sexually-Motivated-Offenders
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Budget Calls for Growth to Sustain Defense Department Programs, Gates Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Recommendations for the fiscal 2010 budget include a 2-percent growth requirement for the Defense Department to help sustain its programs, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "I believe we need at least 2-percent real growth going forward and I will make the best case I can," Gates said today during a Pentagon roundtable.
The topline, or the total amount of money the department can budget, for fiscal 2010 is $534 billion. Two-percent real growth is 2-percent growth on top of inflation.
The department cannot sustain its programs with flat growth. The department's budget must grow in the "out years," which in this case is beyond fiscal 2010, to keep the programs on track, Gates said.
The secretary also emphasized the need for warfighters to have a place at the budget and resources table. His recommendations put the warfighters needs in the base budget. Since 2001, these needs have been funded through supplemental budget requests.
These programs include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities; and greater helicopter and special operations forces capabilities.
"All of those things being in the base budget rather than in the supplemental means they will be part of a service's budget," Gates said. "And we know how good the services are at defending their budgets."
Gates also has built into the base budget an increase in end-strength for the Army and Marine Corps and a halt to personnel reductions in the Navy and Air Force. These and other quality-of-life initiatives also had previously been paid through supplemental budget requests.
"By putting those in the base budget it becomes a permanent part of the [Defense Department] budget going forward rather than depending on whether we get a supplemental next year or not," Gates said.
The department then must ensure warfighters' needs are met in the future. Placing needed equipment and programs in the base budget is one way, but "maybe because I'm an old Kremlinologist," Gates said he thinks the real institutionalization comes through appointments.
Leaders such as Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.; Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli; Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command; and Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of 18th Airborne Corps, all have served in places and positions that give them the experience and understanding of the warfighters.
"Their experience will allow them to institutionalize in the Army the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. "These are all warfighters. Their appointments were not accidents or happenstance."
An institution can always beat one or two people, Gates said. But "it's very tough to outlast four, five or six. It's very tough to outlast that many," he said.
These generals then will recommend appointments of those behind them. Gates used Petraeus chairing the Army brigadier general board last year as an example of this. The same situation holds true for the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy, the secretary said.
Turning to health care, the secretary said he would like a dialogue on Tricare with Capitol Hill as part of his fiscal 2010 budget recommendations. The department is fully funding the health care program in the 2010 request, but there must be an agreement between the Hill and the Pentagon on the program.
"We have gone up there three years in a row seeking an increase in premiums -- a very modest increase, I might add -- in a program where there has been no increase since it started," Gates said. "I think we need to lay out for Congress how health care is eating the department alive."
In the fiscal 2010 request, health care costs $47 billion. "We will spend on health care what the entire foreign affairs budget is," he said.
The secretary said he delayed making recommendations in some cases to either let the technology mature a bit or so a more complete review can be done as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review or the Nuclear Posture Review next year. "That work will go toward reshaping the fiscal 2011 budget," he said.
The secretary stressed that "all the debate and discussion and the decisions that were made really emanated from within this building. I got no outside 'steers' or direction of guidance."
President Barack Obama agreed with the unorthodox method of announcing the recommendations weeks ago, Gates said. He wanted to do this so people could put the recommendations in context.
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Recommendations for the fiscal 2010 budget include a 2-percent growth requirement for the Defense Department to help sustain its programs, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "I believe we need at least 2-percent real growth going forward and I will make the best case I can," Gates said today during a Pentagon roundtable.
The topline, or the total amount of money the department can budget, for fiscal 2010 is $534 billion. Two-percent real growth is 2-percent growth on top of inflation.
The department cannot sustain its programs with flat growth. The department's budget must grow in the "out years," which in this case is beyond fiscal 2010, to keep the programs on track, Gates said.
The secretary also emphasized the need for warfighters to have a place at the budget and resources table. His recommendations put the warfighters needs in the base budget. Since 2001, these needs have been funded through supplemental budget requests.
These programs include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities; and greater helicopter and special operations forces capabilities.
"All of those things being in the base budget rather than in the supplemental means they will be part of a service's budget," Gates said. "And we know how good the services are at defending their budgets."
Gates also has built into the base budget an increase in end-strength for the Army and Marine Corps and a halt to personnel reductions in the Navy and Air Force. These and other quality-of-life initiatives also had previously been paid through supplemental budget requests.
"By putting those in the base budget it becomes a permanent part of the [Defense Department] budget going forward rather than depending on whether we get a supplemental next year or not," Gates said.
The department then must ensure warfighters' needs are met in the future. Placing needed equipment and programs in the base budget is one way, but "maybe because I'm an old Kremlinologist," Gates said he thinks the real institutionalization comes through appointments.
Leaders such as Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.; Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli; Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command; and Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of 18th Airborne Corps, all have served in places and positions that give them the experience and understanding of the warfighters.
"Their experience will allow them to institutionalize in the Army the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. "These are all warfighters. Their appointments were not accidents or happenstance."
An institution can always beat one or two people, Gates said. But "it's very tough to outlast four, five or six. It's very tough to outlast that many," he said.
These generals then will recommend appointments of those behind them. Gates used Petraeus chairing the Army brigadier general board last year as an example of this. The same situation holds true for the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy, the secretary said.
Turning to health care, the secretary said he would like a dialogue on Tricare with Capitol Hill as part of his fiscal 2010 budget recommendations. The department is fully funding the health care program in the 2010 request, but there must be an agreement between the Hill and the Pentagon on the program.
"We have gone up there three years in a row seeking an increase in premiums -- a very modest increase, I might add -- in a program where there has been no increase since it started," Gates said. "I think we need to lay out for Congress how health care is eating the department alive."
In the fiscal 2010 request, health care costs $47 billion. "We will spend on health care what the entire foreign affairs budget is," he said.
The secretary said he delayed making recommendations in some cases to either let the technology mature a bit or so a more complete review can be done as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review or the Nuclear Posture Review next year. "That work will go toward reshaping the fiscal 2011 budget," he said.
The secretary stressed that "all the debate and discussion and the decisions that were made really emanated from within this building. I got no outside 'steers' or direction of guidance."
President Barack Obama agreed with the unorthodox method of announcing the recommendations weeks ago, Gates said. He wanted to do this so people could put the recommendations in context.
New Capabilities Play Vital Role in Budget Recommendations, Gates Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - New capabilities, which are playing a greater role in America's defense, are an integral part of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' recommendations for the fiscal 2010 budget request. Gates discussed some of these capabilities and his budget recommendations at a Pentagon roundtable this afternoon also attended by Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
To start, the secretary is recommending the Air Force retire 250 of its oldest aircraft next year and halt production of the F-22 Raptor at 187.
Part of the reasoning behind this is that the Predator and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles are coming on line. These UAVs are starting to supplant some of the mission space that manned aircraft once dominated.
"Heretofore, they were not put into the missions that the F-18, F-16, F-15 occupied," Cartwright said. "Now you start to bring that capability on, especially with the Reaper."
The Reaper is like a Predator UAV on steroids. The aircraft can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons and stay aloft for hours.
"Given that the conflicts that we are in or likely to be in in the next couple of years, are conflicts where being on station for extended periods of time and not carrying maximum loads every sortie -- those platforms really do give you a qualitative edge," the general said.
The secretary called the UAVs new pieces of the defense equations. "These are not just the Predators doing strikes; it is long distances and long dwells," he said. "An F-16 has a range of about 500 miles. The Reaper has a range of about 3,000 miles. This is going to be an increasing part of the Air Force arsenal."
On the F-22 Raptor, the secretary decided to halt the build at 187 -- a number the Air Force and combatant commanders agree on, Gates said. The emphasis will go to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. He said he does not see a risk in the decision.
"The intelligence I've gotten is the first [initial operating capability] for anything like a fifth generation fighter in Russia is 2016," Gates said. "In China it's about 2020."
The Army's Future Combat System was the last and toughest decision he made, Gates said. There is no argument that the Army needs new weapons systems.
"At the end of the day, the principal concern I had was that a program first designed nine years ago had not fully integrated the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan into the vehicle part," he said.
The FCS infantry fighting vehicle has a flat bottom and is 18 inches off the ground. The mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, called an MRAP, -- which has arguably saved many lives -- has a V-shaped hull and is feet above the roadbed.
"We needed to stop, take a deep breath and look at this thing freshly with an eye toward what we had learned," Gates said.
Cartwright said commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan have three sets of vehicles at their disposal -- Humvees, Bradleys and MRAPs. "The question is, can one vehicle really cover that span?" the general said.
"I didn't think the program had integrated the operational experience that we have had in Iraq and Afghanistan where the commander has a menu of vehicles he can draw on in any given unit depending on what the mission is," Gates said.
Gates' decisions are meant to fill the gaps between capabilities. He said there are enemies who field a terrorist with an AK-47 assault rifle, but he is backed by a ballistic missile.
"One example is Hezbollah," Gates said. "Hezbollah has more missiles and rockets than most countries and some pretty sophisticated equipment to go with it. And yet, they also have a basic terrorist and irregular warfare capability."
And in Iraq, low-tech terrorists plant sophisticated explosive penetrating devices.
The secretary's recommendations recognize the increasing lethality of all portions of the combat spectrum. "It's not so much the specific capabilities of this budget, but the recognition that the irregular side of this threat has to be in the base budget along with the programs to deal with the more modern kinds of systems which has been in the budget forever," Gates said.
"I think there has been a lot of discussion between the nexus between an extremist organization and weapons of mass destruction, and the proliferation of that WMD in ways that, in the past, only sophisticated nation states could hope to field these kind of weapons," Cartwright said. "That time is coming to an end.
"What we acknowledge here is that the entire span of military operations is extremely lethal," he continued.
Gates said any procurement change has to begin with a professional acquisition cadre in the services and at the defense level. He has recommended hiring more government employees to oversee contractors, because "oversight of the acquisition process is inherently governmental," he said.
Gates said he believes his recommendations have a good chance at passage. "I am an optimist," he said.
The secretary said there is support for acquisition reform on the Hill and the package of changes needs to be seen as a whole rather than as parts.
"I think we will have a productive dialogue of the next couple of months, and I'm optimistic," he said.
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - New capabilities, which are playing a greater role in America's defense, are an integral part of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' recommendations for the fiscal 2010 budget request. Gates discussed some of these capabilities and his budget recommendations at a Pentagon roundtable this afternoon also attended by Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
To start, the secretary is recommending the Air Force retire 250 of its oldest aircraft next year and halt production of the F-22 Raptor at 187.
Part of the reasoning behind this is that the Predator and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles are coming on line. These UAVs are starting to supplant some of the mission space that manned aircraft once dominated.
"Heretofore, they were not put into the missions that the F-18, F-16, F-15 occupied," Cartwright said. "Now you start to bring that capability on, especially with the Reaper."
The Reaper is like a Predator UAV on steroids. The aircraft can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons and stay aloft for hours.
"Given that the conflicts that we are in or likely to be in in the next couple of years, are conflicts where being on station for extended periods of time and not carrying maximum loads every sortie -- those platforms really do give you a qualitative edge," the general said.
The secretary called the UAVs new pieces of the defense equations. "These are not just the Predators doing strikes; it is long distances and long dwells," he said. "An F-16 has a range of about 500 miles. The Reaper has a range of about 3,000 miles. This is going to be an increasing part of the Air Force arsenal."
On the F-22 Raptor, the secretary decided to halt the build at 187 -- a number the Air Force and combatant commanders agree on, Gates said. The emphasis will go to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. He said he does not see a risk in the decision.
"The intelligence I've gotten is the first [initial operating capability] for anything like a fifth generation fighter in Russia is 2016," Gates said. "In China it's about 2020."
The Army's Future Combat System was the last and toughest decision he made, Gates said. There is no argument that the Army needs new weapons systems.
"At the end of the day, the principal concern I had was that a program first designed nine years ago had not fully integrated the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan into the vehicle part," he said.
The FCS infantry fighting vehicle has a flat bottom and is 18 inches off the ground. The mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, called an MRAP, -- which has arguably saved many lives -- has a V-shaped hull and is feet above the roadbed.
"We needed to stop, take a deep breath and look at this thing freshly with an eye toward what we had learned," Gates said.
Cartwright said commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan have three sets of vehicles at their disposal -- Humvees, Bradleys and MRAPs. "The question is, can one vehicle really cover that span?" the general said.
"I didn't think the program had integrated the operational experience that we have had in Iraq and Afghanistan where the commander has a menu of vehicles he can draw on in any given unit depending on what the mission is," Gates said.
Gates' decisions are meant to fill the gaps between capabilities. He said there are enemies who field a terrorist with an AK-47 assault rifle, but he is backed by a ballistic missile.
"One example is Hezbollah," Gates said. "Hezbollah has more missiles and rockets than most countries and some pretty sophisticated equipment to go with it. And yet, they also have a basic terrorist and irregular warfare capability."
And in Iraq, low-tech terrorists plant sophisticated explosive penetrating devices.
The secretary's recommendations recognize the increasing lethality of all portions of the combat spectrum. "It's not so much the specific capabilities of this budget, but the recognition that the irregular side of this threat has to be in the base budget along with the programs to deal with the more modern kinds of systems which has been in the budget forever," Gates said.
"I think there has been a lot of discussion between the nexus between an extremist organization and weapons of mass destruction, and the proliferation of that WMD in ways that, in the past, only sophisticated nation states could hope to field these kind of weapons," Cartwright said. "That time is coming to an end.
"What we acknowledge here is that the entire span of military operations is extremely lethal," he continued.
Gates said any procurement change has to begin with a professional acquisition cadre in the services and at the defense level. He has recommended hiring more government employees to oversee contractors, because "oversight of the acquisition process is inherently governmental," he said.
Gates said he believes his recommendations have a good chance at passage. "I am an optimist," he said.
The secretary said there is support for acquisition reform on the Hill and the package of changes needs to be seen as a whole rather than as parts.
"I think we will have a productive dialogue of the next couple of months, and I'm optimistic," he said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 7, 2009
NAVY
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a $22,427,138 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee term, level of effort contract (N00421-06-C-0085) to exercise an option for maintenance, logistics, and life cycle services in support of communication-electronic equipment/systems and subsystems for various Navy, Army, Air Force, Special Operations Forces and other federal agencies. The estimated level of effort for this option period is 328,000 man-hours. These services are in support of the Special Communications Requirements Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Va., (32 percent); Fayetteville, N.C., (28 percent); California, Md., (22 percent); San Diego, Calif., (6 percent); Fort Bliss, Texas, (4 percent); Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., (2 percent); Panzer Kaserne, Germany, (2 percent); Homestead, Fla., (2 percent); Tampa, Fla., (1 percent), and the District of Columbia, (1 percent); and is expected to be completed in Apr. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $21,869,956 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0007 under contract M67854-07-D-5031 for the purchase of the augmentation parts for the Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) for Category (CAT) I and II Prescribed Load List; CAT I and II Authorized Stockage List; CAT I and II Battle Damage Repair List; and I and II Deprocessing Kit. Work will be performed in Detroit, Mich., and work is expected to be completed by Oct. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $19,999,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-08-C-0027) for long lead material and support for two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Low Rate Initial Production Lot 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y., (32.6 percent), various locations within the United States, (23.7 percent); Bethpage, N.Y., (15.5 percent); Dallas, Texas, (12.4 percent); Menlo Park, Calif., (9.8 percent); and Woodland Hills, Calif., (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $14,564,535 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee contract (N00019-06-C-0086) for H-1 Upgrade logistics products and services. This modification includes logistic management support, technical material for maintenance planning, design interface, supply /material support, support of support equipment, technical data, distribution and inventory management/packaging, handling, storage & transportation, configuration management, supportability analysis, aircraft acceptance discrepancies, and contractor logistics support/technical liaison. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2010. 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.
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,628,351 cost plus fixed fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-07-G-0008) to conduct non-recurring engineering for the modification and improvement of the countermeasure transmitters and cabling associated with the Suite of Integrated Radio Frequency Countermeasures (SIRFC) system for the CV-22 aircraft. These improvements will increase transmitter output, expand countermeasure performance and improve the reliability of the SIRFC system. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., (94 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas, (6 percent) and is expected to be completed in Dec. 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.
Ecology & Environment, Inc., Lancaster, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum amount $7,500,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity architect/engineering contract for preparation of Navy and Marine Corps Environmental Planning Documentation primarily in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest area of responsibility (AOR); however, work may be located any where in the United States. The work to be performed provides for National Environmental Policy Act documents such as Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements. Environmental studies and documents include, but are not limited to, historical, cultural, archaeological, traffic, acoustic (e.g., sound in water and on land), geotechnical, air quality and biological assessments for threatened and endangered species, and protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, wetlands surveys and Section 404 permitting, and agency consultation and permitting documentation for the California Coastal Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service and other miscellaneous environmental studies, and cost estimates and sketches for the preparation of Architect-Engineer (A-E) Documents and reports. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited to Calif., (80 percent), Ariz., (5 percent), Nev., (5 percent), Colo., (1 percent), N.M., (1 percent), and Utah, (1 percent). Work may also be performed in Alaska, (1 percent), Hawaii, (1 percent), and remainder of the U.S., (5 percent). The contract is expected to be completed by Apr. 2014. Contract funds ($5,000) will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-09-D-2601).
MN3M, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $6,890,653 firm fixed price architect/engineering contract for the replacement of Pier 5 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed provides for design services, preparation of specifications, design calculations, cost estimates, field investigations, geotechnical services, topographic surveys, hazardous material testing, renderings, post construction award services, and National Environmental Policy Act Planning. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 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 seven proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-09-C-5070).
AIR FORCE
Today the Air Force is modifying a fixed price incentive contract to Boeing Satellite Systems, Incorporated, El Segundo, Calif., for an estimated $8,105,000. This action will provide sustaining engineering for Post-Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the Wideband Satellite System for Wideband Global Satellite (WGS)-25. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC/MCSW), Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. is the contracting activity (FA8808-06C-0001, P00044).
Today, the Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe Enterprise, Samson, Ala., for an estimated $6,900,806. This action will provide non-personal services contract for Facility Technical Engineering Support Services. At this time $698,805 has been obligated. AFDW/AF7KM-S, Brooks City-Base, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7014-09-C-0037).
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a $22,427,138 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee term, level of effort contract (N00421-06-C-0085) to exercise an option for maintenance, logistics, and life cycle services in support of communication-electronic equipment/systems and subsystems for various Navy, Army, Air Force, Special Operations Forces and other federal agencies. The estimated level of effort for this option period is 328,000 man-hours. These services are in support of the Special Communications Requirements Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Va., (32 percent); Fayetteville, N.C., (28 percent); California, Md., (22 percent); San Diego, Calif., (6 percent); Fort Bliss, Texas, (4 percent); Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., (2 percent); Panzer Kaserne, Germany, (2 percent); Homestead, Fla., (2 percent); Tampa, Fla., (1 percent), and the District of Columbia, (1 percent); and is expected to be completed in Apr. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity.
Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $21,869,956 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0007 under contract M67854-07-D-5031 for the purchase of the augmentation parts for the Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) for Category (CAT) I and II Prescribed Load List; CAT I and II Authorized Stockage List; CAT I and II Battle Damage Repair List; and I and II Deprocessing Kit. Work will be performed in Detroit, Mich., and work is expected to be completed by Oct. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems, Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $19,999,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-08-C-0027) for long lead material and support for two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Low Rate Initial Production Lot 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y., (32.6 percent), various locations within the United States, (23.7 percent); Bethpage, N.Y., (15.5 percent); Dallas, Texas, (12.4 percent); Menlo Park, Calif., (9.8 percent); and Woodland Hills, Calif., (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $14,564,535 modification to a previously awarded cost plus fixed fee contract (N00019-06-C-0086) for H-1 Upgrade logistics products and services. This modification includes logistic management support, technical material for maintenance planning, design interface, supply /material support, support of support equipment, technical data, distribution and inventory management/packaging, handling, storage & transportation, configuration management, supportability analysis, aircraft acceptance discrepancies, and contractor logistics support/technical liaison. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2010. 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.
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,628,351 cost plus fixed fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-07-G-0008) to conduct non-recurring engineering for the modification and improvement of the countermeasure transmitters and cabling associated with the Suite of Integrated Radio Frequency Countermeasures (SIRFC) system for the CV-22 aircraft. These improvements will increase transmitter output, expand countermeasure performance and improve the reliability of the SIRFC system. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pa., (94 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas, (6 percent) and is expected to be completed in Dec. 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.
Ecology & Environment, Inc., Lancaster, N.Y., is being awarded a maximum amount $7,500,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity architect/engineering contract for preparation of Navy and Marine Corps Environmental Planning Documentation primarily in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest area of responsibility (AOR); however, work may be located any where in the United States. The work to be performed provides for National Environmental Policy Act documents such as Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements. Environmental studies and documents include, but are not limited to, historical, cultural, archaeological, traffic, acoustic (e.g., sound in water and on land), geotechnical, air quality and biological assessments for threatened and endangered species, and protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, wetlands surveys and Section 404 permitting, and agency consultation and permitting documentation for the California Coastal Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service and other miscellaneous environmental studies, and cost estimates and sketches for the preparation of Architect-Engineer (A-E) Documents and reports. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited to Calif., (80 percent), Ariz., (5 percent), Nev., (5 percent), Colo., (1 percent), N.M., (1 percent), and Utah, (1 percent). Work may also be performed in Alaska, (1 percent), Hawaii, (1 percent), and remainder of the U.S., (5 percent). The contract is expected to be completed by Apr. 2014. Contract funds ($5,000) will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-09-D-2601).
MN3M, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $6,890,653 firm fixed price architect/engineering contract for the replacement of Pier 5 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed provides for design services, preparation of specifications, design calculations, cost estimates, field investigations, geotechnical services, topographic surveys, hazardous material testing, renderings, post construction award services, and National Environmental Policy Act Planning. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 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 seven proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-09-C-5070).
AIR FORCE
Today the Air Force is modifying a fixed price incentive contract to Boeing Satellite Systems, Incorporated, El Segundo, Calif., for an estimated $8,105,000. This action will provide sustaining engineering for Post-Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the Wideband Satellite System for Wideband Global Satellite (WGS)-25. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC/MCSW), Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. is the contracting activity (FA8808-06C-0001, P00044).
Today, the Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe Enterprise, Samson, Ala., for an estimated $6,900,806. This action will provide non-personal services contract for Facility Technical Engineering Support Services. At this time $698,805 has been obligated. AFDW/AF7KM-S, Brooks City-Base, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7014-09-C-0037).
Vice President to Visit Fort Bragg, Welcome Home 18th Airborne Corps
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Fort Bragg, N.C., tomorrow to welcome home Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III and his 18th Airborne Corps soldiers during a ceremony marking the end of their 15-month deployment to Iraq. Biden and Austin are expected to speak at the Main Post Parade Field on Fort Bragg.
About 200 soldiers from 18th Airborne Corps headquarters flew into Green Ramp on Pope Air Force Base, N.C., on April 4. Austin and 40 more soldiers flew in the following day after officially relinquishing command of Multinational Corps Iraq to 1st Corps from Fort Lewis, Wash.
The 18th Airborne Corps was the operational headquarters in charge of the Iraq military theater from February 2005 to January 2006 and then again from February 2007 until April 4. The corps was responsible for nearly 160,000 coalition troops within three Army divisions, one Marine expeditionary force, three coalition divisions and numerous separate brigades.
Their mission was to manage and oversee full-spectrum operations to counter extremist groups, provide security for the Iraqi people, and to develop Iraqi security forces as well as the government's capacity.
Under 18th Airborne Corps' watch, security and violence drastically improved throughout the country. Following redeployment of the "surge" brigades in June and July 2008, insurgent attack levels fell by 400 percent and remained increasingly low, Austin said in a Pentagon news conference last month.
Austin said he knew going in that his corps' main responsibility would be to build on the success of the surge. The trend continues today with little violence and steadily decreasing attack levels throughout the country, which has allowed U.S. forces to shift focus to Afghanistan -- including more Fort Bragg soldiers.
The Fort Bragg-Fayetteville, N.C., community has been a revolving door of deployments and continuous combat training since 9/11. The community is home to more than 60,000 soldiers, airmen and their families from Pope Air Force Base, the 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, 82nd Aviation Brigade and 4th Brigade Combat Team are all scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this spring and summer. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team is deployed to Baghdad.
Airmen from Pope Air Force Base and Special Forces soldiers from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command as well as 3rd and 7th Special Forces Groups have been rotating back and forth to Afghanistan since 9/11.
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Fort Bragg, N.C., tomorrow to welcome home Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III and his 18th Airborne Corps soldiers during a ceremony marking the end of their 15-month deployment to Iraq. Biden and Austin are expected to speak at the Main Post Parade Field on Fort Bragg.
About 200 soldiers from 18th Airborne Corps headquarters flew into Green Ramp on Pope Air Force Base, N.C., on April 4. Austin and 40 more soldiers flew in the following day after officially relinquishing command of Multinational Corps Iraq to 1st Corps from Fort Lewis, Wash.
The 18th Airborne Corps was the operational headquarters in charge of the Iraq military theater from February 2005 to January 2006 and then again from February 2007 until April 4. The corps was responsible for nearly 160,000 coalition troops within three Army divisions, one Marine expeditionary force, three coalition divisions and numerous separate brigades.
Their mission was to manage and oversee full-spectrum operations to counter extremist groups, provide security for the Iraqi people, and to develop Iraqi security forces as well as the government's capacity.
Under 18th Airborne Corps' watch, security and violence drastically improved throughout the country. Following redeployment of the "surge" brigades in June and July 2008, insurgent attack levels fell by 400 percent and remained increasingly low, Austin said in a Pentagon news conference last month.
Austin said he knew going in that his corps' main responsibility would be to build on the success of the surge. The trend continues today with little violence and steadily decreasing attack levels throughout the country, which has allowed U.S. forces to shift focus to Afghanistan -- including more Fort Bragg soldiers.
The Fort Bragg-Fayetteville, N.C., community has been a revolving door of deployments and continuous combat training since 9/11. The community is home to more than 60,000 soldiers, airmen and their families from Pope Air Force Base, the 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, 82nd Aviation Brigade and 4th Brigade Combat Team are all scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this spring and summer. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team is deployed to Baghdad.
Airmen from Pope Air Force Base and Special Forces soldiers from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command as well as 3rd and 7th Special Forces Groups have been rotating back and forth to Afghanistan since 9/11.
Budget Recommendations Provide 'Home' for Warfighters, Gates Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says the changes to the budget that he proposed yesterday will provide a "home" for warfighters that doesn't currently exist in the Pentagon's institutions. The Defense Department has a set of institutions arranged largely to prepare for conflicts against other modern navies, armies and air forces.
"Programs to directly support, protect and care for the man and woman at the front have been developed ad hoc and ... funded outside the base budget," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference announcing his fiscal 2010 budget recommendations. "Put simply, until recently, there has not been an institutional home in the Defense Department for today's warfighter."
The most likely scenarios American servicemembers will face in the coming years is warfare such as that in Iraq and Afghanistan in which both conventional and unconvential, or irregular, tactics are used, Gates said.
"Our contemporary wartime needs must receive steady long-term funding and a bureaucratic constituency similar to conventional modernization programs," the secretary said. "I intend to use the fiscal 2010 budget to begin this process."
Conventional weapons systems have advocates for their long-range needs and points of view -- within the department and in industry, Gates said. For example, the F-22 Raptor has built-in advocates pushing for the program. There are Army offices specializing in the Future Combat System. But if warfighters need a capability like the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle or new protective gear, there isn't a home for that.
Trying to put the Defense Department bureaucracy on an unconventional war footing has "revealed underlying flaws in the priorities, cultural preferences and reward structures of America's defense establishment," Gates said.
Gates said the Defense Department budget, with his recommendations incorporated, would break into roughly "10 percent for irregular warfare; about 50 percent for traditional, strategic and conventional conflict; and about 40-percent dual-purpose capabilities."
The decisions are not about irregular warfare putting the conventional capabilities in the shade. "This is just a matter ... of having the irregular-war constituency have a seat at the table for the first time when it comes to the base budget," he said.
The debate between conventional and irregular capabilities is artificial, Gates said. Most experts talk about "a spectrum of conflict in which you may face at the same time an insurgent with an AK-47 [assault rifle] and his supporting element with a highly sophisticated ballistic missile," he said.
They call this threat spectrum "complex hybrid warfare," he said.
The budget recommendations the secretary made strengthen the ability of the department to meet these threats. He said he does not want to supplant conventional capabilities with irregular capabilities.
"I'm just trying to get the irregular guys to have a seat at the table and to institutionalize some of the needs that they have so that we can get what they need to them faster, and so that we don't have go outside the Pentagon bureaucracy every time there's a need for the warfighter that has to be met in a relatively short period of time," he said.
The secretary said his conclusions were the result, in part, of a lifetime of experience in national security.
"I set out here to develop a budget and a program, really, that I thought best served the national security interests of the United States," Gates said. "And I, frankly, decided that I would not take the political issues associated with any of these programs into account. I would just do what I thought was best for the country.
"And my hope is that in the months ahead that, first, the president will approve this budget, and then second, that the Congress, after careful deliberation, will support as much of it as possible."
American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says the changes to the budget that he proposed yesterday will provide a "home" for warfighters that doesn't currently exist in the Pentagon's institutions. The Defense Department has a set of institutions arranged largely to prepare for conflicts against other modern navies, armies and air forces.
"Programs to directly support, protect and care for the man and woman at the front have been developed ad hoc and ... funded outside the base budget," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference announcing his fiscal 2010 budget recommendations. "Put simply, until recently, there has not been an institutional home in the Defense Department for today's warfighter."
The most likely scenarios American servicemembers will face in the coming years is warfare such as that in Iraq and Afghanistan in which both conventional and unconvential, or irregular, tactics are used, Gates said.
"Our contemporary wartime needs must receive steady long-term funding and a bureaucratic constituency similar to conventional modernization programs," the secretary said. "I intend to use the fiscal 2010 budget to begin this process."
Conventional weapons systems have advocates for their long-range needs and points of view -- within the department and in industry, Gates said. For example, the F-22 Raptor has built-in advocates pushing for the program. There are Army offices specializing in the Future Combat System. But if warfighters need a capability like the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle or new protective gear, there isn't a home for that.
Trying to put the Defense Department bureaucracy on an unconventional war footing has "revealed underlying flaws in the priorities, cultural preferences and reward structures of America's defense establishment," Gates said.
Gates said the Defense Department budget, with his recommendations incorporated, would break into roughly "10 percent for irregular warfare; about 50 percent for traditional, strategic and conventional conflict; and about 40-percent dual-purpose capabilities."
The decisions are not about irregular warfare putting the conventional capabilities in the shade. "This is just a matter ... of having the irregular-war constituency have a seat at the table for the first time when it comes to the base budget," he said.
The debate between conventional and irregular capabilities is artificial, Gates said. Most experts talk about "a spectrum of conflict in which you may face at the same time an insurgent with an AK-47 [assault rifle] and his supporting element with a highly sophisticated ballistic missile," he said.
They call this threat spectrum "complex hybrid warfare," he said.
The budget recommendations the secretary made strengthen the ability of the department to meet these threats. He said he does not want to supplant conventional capabilities with irregular capabilities.
"I'm just trying to get the irregular guys to have a seat at the table and to institutionalize some of the needs that they have so that we can get what they need to them faster, and so that we don't have go outside the Pentagon bureaucracy every time there's a need for the warfighter that has to be met in a relatively short period of time," he said.
The secretary said his conclusions were the result, in part, of a lifetime of experience in national security.
"I set out here to develop a budget and a program, really, that I thought best served the national security interests of the United States," Gates said. "And I, frankly, decided that I would not take the political issues associated with any of these programs into account. I would just do what I thought was best for the country.
"And my hope is that in the months ahead that, first, the president will approve this budget, and then second, that the Congress, after careful deliberation, will support as much of it as possible."
Air Guard Fighters Intercept Suspicious Aircraft
By Army Staff Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Air National Guard fighter aircraft from two states intercepted a suspicious aircraft as it flew into U.S. airspace yesterday afternoon. North American Aerospace Defense Command directed F-16C aircraft assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minn., to initially intercept the Cessna 172 single-engine aircraft near Michigan's Upper Peninsula, before handing off the mission to F-16s assigned to the 115th FW of Madison, Wis.
Pilots attempted to notify the pilot to establish communications with local Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers and land safety for further follow-on action, according to a Wisconsin National Guard news release.
The Cessna pilot acknowledged the fighters, but was unresponsive to specific nonverbal commands, according to a NORAD press release.
Mike Kucharek, a NORAD spokesman, said the Cessna was reported as stolen from an aviation school in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and departed without Navigation Canada authority.
The pilot was flying erratically and did not communicate with fighter pilots, the spokesman told national news agencies.
The Wisconsin fighters were about to hand the mission over to aircraft from the 159th FW of the Louisiana Air National Guard when the Cessna ran out of gas over southern Missouri. U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft intercepted the Cessna as well, but the F-16s followed the aircraft until it landed in an area 23 miles northwest of Poplar Bluff, Mo., at 9:45 p.m. EDT. The aircraft landed on Highway 60 near Ellsinore, Mo., and was apprehended by local authorities.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, the adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard and the homeland security advisor to the state, ordered the evacuation of the Capitol building in Madison as a precautionary measure, according to a state-issued press release. At 5:45 p.m., the evacuation was terminated based on the aircraft's proximity to the building.
(Army Staff Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 7, 2009 - Air National Guard fighter aircraft from two states intercepted a suspicious aircraft as it flew into U.S. airspace yesterday afternoon. North American Aerospace Defense Command directed F-16C aircraft assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minn., to initially intercept the Cessna 172 single-engine aircraft near Michigan's Upper Peninsula, before handing off the mission to F-16s assigned to the 115th FW of Madison, Wis.
Pilots attempted to notify the pilot to establish communications with local Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers and land safety for further follow-on action, according to a Wisconsin National Guard news release.
The Cessna pilot acknowledged the fighters, but was unresponsive to specific nonverbal commands, according to a NORAD press release.
Mike Kucharek, a NORAD spokesman, said the Cessna was reported as stolen from an aviation school in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and departed without Navigation Canada authority.
The pilot was flying erratically and did not communicate with fighter pilots, the spokesman told national news agencies.
The Wisconsin fighters were about to hand the mission over to aircraft from the 159th FW of the Louisiana Air National Guard when the Cessna ran out of gas over southern Missouri. U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft intercepted the Cessna as well, but the F-16s followed the aircraft until it landed in an area 23 miles northwest of Poplar Bluff, Mo., at 9:45 p.m. EDT. The aircraft landed on Highway 60 near Ellsinore, Mo., and was apprehended by local authorities.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, the adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard and the homeland security advisor to the state, ordered the evacuation of the Capitol building in Madison as a precautionary measure, according to a state-issued press release. At 5:45 p.m., the evacuation was terminated based on the aircraft's proximity to the building.
(Army Staff Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Monday, April 06, 2009
New Fitness Program Helps Soldiers Maximize Potential, General Says
By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - The Army's newest resiliency training, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, is a program designed to improve the emotional and psychological fitness of soldiers and their families, the program's director said. "Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is really a strategy that the Army is starting to use to ensure that each soldier has the opportunity to maximize his or her potential in each important aspect of their life and their health, which is not just physical, it is really part of the roadmap to arrive at 'Army Strong,'" Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Rhonda Cornum told "DotMilDocs" listeners April 2 on Pentagon Web Radio.
Cornum discussed the program's intent, which is to boost the resilience of soldiers and their families by increasing their physical, emotional, social, spiritual and family strengths. She said the Army has historically concentrated on the physical fitness and physical health aspect of its soldiers.
"It's a preventative measure to not get people surviving, but thriving," Cornum said. "The idea is to make them more emotionally and psychologically fit."
Cornum added that the five domains -- mental, emotional, spiritual, family strength and fitness -- don't just happen, they have to be trained.
"We recognize now that those other domains are equally important, particularly in this time when the Army really is under a lot of stress," Cornum said.
"The program will start off with assessing where you are in those five domains and developing an ... individualized training program," Cornum continued. "It will link soldiers with what [is] needed prior to any problem developing."
Resiliency training will be initiated in all training schools, she added.
"Just like being able to do more push-ups or run faster, these aptitudes can be trained and they can be practiced and perfected and everybody can be improved," Cornum explained.
The Army's strength is its diversity, she said, but noted there are areas in which the Army can help soldiers do better.
"It's like changing your diet and your exercise and your blood pressure so that you don't get heart disease; not waiting until somebody has heart disease, has a heart attack and then doing CPR," Cornum said.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - The Army's newest resiliency training, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, is a program designed to improve the emotional and psychological fitness of soldiers and their families, the program's director said. "Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is really a strategy that the Army is starting to use to ensure that each soldier has the opportunity to maximize his or her potential in each important aspect of their life and their health, which is not just physical, it is really part of the roadmap to arrive at 'Army Strong,'" Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Rhonda Cornum told "DotMilDocs" listeners April 2 on Pentagon Web Radio.
Cornum discussed the program's intent, which is to boost the resilience of soldiers and their families by increasing their physical, emotional, social, spiritual and family strengths. She said the Army has historically concentrated on the physical fitness and physical health aspect of its soldiers.
"It's a preventative measure to not get people surviving, but thriving," Cornum said. "The idea is to make them more emotionally and psychologically fit."
Cornum added that the five domains -- mental, emotional, spiritual, family strength and fitness -- don't just happen, they have to be trained.
"We recognize now that those other domains are equally important, particularly in this time when the Army really is under a lot of stress," Cornum said.
"The program will start off with assessing where you are in those five domains and developing an ... individualized training program," Cornum continued. "It will link soldiers with what [is] needed prior to any problem developing."
Resiliency training will be initiated in all training schools, she added.
"Just like being able to do more push-ups or run faster, these aptitudes can be trained and they can be practiced and perfected and everybody can be improved," Cornum explained.
The Army's strength is its diversity, she said, but noted there are areas in which the Army can help soldiers do better.
"It's like changing your diet and your exercise and your blood pressure so that you don't get heart disease; not waiting until somebody has heart disease, has a heart attack and then doing CPR," Cornum said.
(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media directorate.)
Ties Between U.S., Muslim World Important for All, Obama Says
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - President Barack Obama addressed Turkey's Parliament today in Ankara, calling America's partnership with Turkey and the Muslim world critical in "rolling back the violent ideologies" and strengthening "opportunities for all its people." In his first visit to a predominantly Muslim nation as president, Obama said, "The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam."
He called Turkey a "critical" ally and an important part of Europe that must stand together with the United States to overcome "the challenges of our time."
Obama said the economic crisis, terrorist extremism and persistent conflicts, global energy constraints and nuclear weapon proliferation "are the greatest tests of our young century."
"No one nation can confront these challenges alone, and all nations have a stake in overcoming them," he said. "That is why we must listen to one another, and seek common ground ... build mutual interests and rise above our differences. We are stronger when we act together."
Americans and Turks can prosper from partnerships in expanded energy markets, which will create job, trade and investment opportunities for both countries, he said. Building on the U.S. clean technology fund will leverage efficiency and renewable energy investments, he added.
"This economic cooperation only reinforces the common security that Europe and the United States share with Turkey as a NATO ally and the common values we share as democracies," the president said. "In meeting the challenges of the 21st century, we must seek the strength of a Europe that is truly united, peaceful and free."
Obama emphasized the United States' strong support for Turkey's European Union membership bid. He called Turkey a "resolute ally" and responsible partner in transatlantic and European institutions, citing the democratic progress in political reform the country has made to strengthen freedom of the press and reform its penal code. In the past several years, Turkey also lifted bans on Kurdish teachings and broadcasts, he said.
"Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe's foundation once more," he said. "Turkey has pursued difficult political reforms not simply because it's good for Europe, but because it is right for Turkey."
Obama said that peace in the Middle East is another common goal shared by the United States, Turkey and Europe. Israelis and Palestinians must live up to commitments they've made for peace, while Iran must forgo ambitions for nuclear weapons to improve relations in the region. Also, new dialogue must be forged between Iraq and its neighbors to reconcile disputes among Turkey, Kurdish people in Iraq and Iraq's government, he added.
He also addressed the common goal of denying safe havens to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan and praised Turkish troops for their efforts as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"The world has come too far to let this region backslide, and to let al-Qaida terrorists plot further attacks," he said. "Turkey has been a true partner. Together we can rise to meet this challenge, like we have so many before."
The U.S. relationship with the Muslim world can't be shaped by its opposition to al-Qaida, Obama said. The U.S. commitment to improve partnerships with Islamic nations as well as to fight terrorism is demonstrated through their actions towards a better future, he said.
In the coming months, Obama said he will present specific programs to advance the two countries' mutual goals for expanded trade and investments. The programs also will address education and health care in Turkey and throughout the Middle East, he said.
"Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes and our common dreams," he said. "And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship to all people."
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - President Barack Obama addressed Turkey's Parliament today in Ankara, calling America's partnership with Turkey and the Muslim world critical in "rolling back the violent ideologies" and strengthening "opportunities for all its people." In his first visit to a predominantly Muslim nation as president, Obama said, "The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam."
He called Turkey a "critical" ally and an important part of Europe that must stand together with the United States to overcome "the challenges of our time."
Obama said the economic crisis, terrorist extremism and persistent conflicts, global energy constraints and nuclear weapon proliferation "are the greatest tests of our young century."
"No one nation can confront these challenges alone, and all nations have a stake in overcoming them," he said. "That is why we must listen to one another, and seek common ground ... build mutual interests and rise above our differences. We are stronger when we act together."
Americans and Turks can prosper from partnerships in expanded energy markets, which will create job, trade and investment opportunities for both countries, he said. Building on the U.S. clean technology fund will leverage efficiency and renewable energy investments, he added.
"This economic cooperation only reinforces the common security that Europe and the United States share with Turkey as a NATO ally and the common values we share as democracies," the president said. "In meeting the challenges of the 21st century, we must seek the strength of a Europe that is truly united, peaceful and free."
Obama emphasized the United States' strong support for Turkey's European Union membership bid. He called Turkey a "resolute ally" and responsible partner in transatlantic and European institutions, citing the democratic progress in political reform the country has made to strengthen freedom of the press and reform its penal code. In the past several years, Turkey also lifted bans on Kurdish teachings and broadcasts, he said.
"Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe's foundation once more," he said. "Turkey has pursued difficult political reforms not simply because it's good for Europe, but because it is right for Turkey."
Obama said that peace in the Middle East is another common goal shared by the United States, Turkey and Europe. Israelis and Palestinians must live up to commitments they've made for peace, while Iran must forgo ambitions for nuclear weapons to improve relations in the region. Also, new dialogue must be forged between Iraq and its neighbors to reconcile disputes among Turkey, Kurdish people in Iraq and Iraq's government, he added.
He also addressed the common goal of denying safe havens to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan and praised Turkish troops for their efforts as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"The world has come too far to let this region backslide, and to let al-Qaida terrorists plot further attacks," he said. "Turkey has been a true partner. Together we can rise to meet this challenge, like we have so many before."
The U.S. relationship with the Muslim world can't be shaped by its opposition to al-Qaida, Obama said. The U.S. commitment to improve partnerships with Islamic nations as well as to fight terrorism is demonstrated through their actions towards a better future, he said.
In the coming months, Obama said he will present specific programs to advance the two countries' mutual goals for expanded trade and investments. The programs also will address education and health care in Turkey and throughout the Middle East, he said.
"Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes and our common dreams," he said. "And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship to all people."
General Urges Servicemembers to Seek Help for Stress Disorder
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Servicemembers at war can be confronted with traumatic, sometimes shocking, events that can cause long-lasting emotional and psychological wounds. In some cases, servicemembers develop what is called post-traumatic stress disorder. In past wars, the disorder was known by other names. In World War I, the medical profession called it shell-shock. In World War II and Korea, it was called battle fatigue. During and after the Vietnam War, it became PTSD.
No matter the name, the devastating effects remain the same, and the disorder can manifest itself in many ways. For Army Brig. Gen. Gary S. Patton, the dreams are the worst. Patton, now the Joint Staff's director for personnel, served as a brigade commander with the 2nd Infantry Division in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004 and 2005. As a colonel, he commanded 4,100 soldiers who deployed from Korea to Iraq, and then redeployed to Fort Carson, Colo.
"It was a very tough neighborhood," he said during an interview. "It was a very active terrorist threat."
Patton calls the dreams "sleep disturbances," and said that was one of the reasons he sought mental health help. "I'll wake up in the middle of the night with a loud explosion going off in my head," he said. "Not only do you have the sound, but the recreation of the smell and taste that you get from being right there in an [improvised explosive device] explosion.
"That effect has diminished, but it's disturbing nonetheless."
One of the dreams centers on Army Spc. Robert Oliver Unruh. Patton was observing actions on the north side of Ramadi when Unruh, a 25-year-old combat engineer, was hit in the torso by small-arms fire.
"We put him in an armored vehicle to [medically evacuate] him to our aid station," the general said. "I was the last person to talk to Specialist Unruh because he died before my eyes there."
Calling the sleep disturbances dreams doesn't really give them their due. The incidents unroll as they happened, he said. He smells the cordite, he feels the blood, he hears the conversations, and he sees the young specialist die.
Patton wears a bracelet with Unruh's name on it as part of remembering the 69 soldiers from his brigade who paid the ultimate sacrifice over a year in Iraq.
"No one is immune from the stresses of combat," Patton said. "It affects everyone, in all specialties."
When he returned from the deployment, Patton said, even driving became a challenge.. "When I first got back, I had what I call driver anxiety," he said. "It was very hard for me to drive or ride in my car. I found myself scanning to the front, to the side as we drove along."
It was a natural reaction in Ramadi as he looked for snipers, roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades, but it wasn't logical in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Patton sought mental health treatment.
"Servicemembers coming back need to understand that they are not alone," he said. "There are others who have experienced the same things and they can get help."
Sleeplessness, anxiety and rage are normal outcomes for human beings going through this, Patton said. Servicemembers need to understand that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, and it does not derail careers.
This is a change from the past. When Patton entered the service in 1979, he served with noncommissioned Vietnam veterans who suffered from the disorder, but did not seek help because it was widely believed that superiors considered those with the disorder shirkers.
"It was something that wasn't on our radar screens back then," he said. "It's pretty common knowledge that we have some ground to cover just in overcoming the stigma associated with PTSD, but we're doing it."
Superiors also recognize the disorder and are working to reduce the stigma. Patton made brigadier general. Army Gen. Carter Ham, the four-star commander at U.S. Army Europe, made two, three and four stars after seeking treatment.
When Patton's brigade left Iraq in 2005, every unit had lost people in Ramadi. The brigade and post leadership treated the screening process seriously and offered mental health services.
In his case, Patton found that counseling and conversation helped. "One of the best things for me is just communication with others who went through the same thing," he said. "Our family members, who love us dearly, have a hard time relating to what we went through. My greatest relief was just through talking over the experiences with others who had been there. I gained coping skills just by talking to other soldiers."
Counseling helps, but there are other treatments as well. The disorder often comes in tandem with traumatic brain injuries and military and Veterans Affairs researchers continue to make progress in treatments.
But this won't help if personnel don't seek aid. "My advice is to go seek mental health care as you would for a physical ailment," Patton said.
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Servicemembers at war can be confronted with traumatic, sometimes shocking, events that can cause long-lasting emotional and psychological wounds. In some cases, servicemembers develop what is called post-traumatic stress disorder. In past wars, the disorder was known by other names. In World War I, the medical profession called it shell-shock. In World War II and Korea, it was called battle fatigue. During and after the Vietnam War, it became PTSD.
No matter the name, the devastating effects remain the same, and the disorder can manifest itself in many ways. For Army Brig. Gen. Gary S. Patton, the dreams are the worst. Patton, now the Joint Staff's director for personnel, served as a brigade commander with the 2nd Infantry Division in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004 and 2005. As a colonel, he commanded 4,100 soldiers who deployed from Korea to Iraq, and then redeployed to Fort Carson, Colo.
"It was a very tough neighborhood," he said during an interview. "It was a very active terrorist threat."
Patton calls the dreams "sleep disturbances," and said that was one of the reasons he sought mental health help. "I'll wake up in the middle of the night with a loud explosion going off in my head," he said. "Not only do you have the sound, but the recreation of the smell and taste that you get from being right there in an [improvised explosive device] explosion.
"That effect has diminished, but it's disturbing nonetheless."
One of the dreams centers on Army Spc. Robert Oliver Unruh. Patton was observing actions on the north side of Ramadi when Unruh, a 25-year-old combat engineer, was hit in the torso by small-arms fire.
"We put him in an armored vehicle to [medically evacuate] him to our aid station," the general said. "I was the last person to talk to Specialist Unruh because he died before my eyes there."
Calling the sleep disturbances dreams doesn't really give them their due. The incidents unroll as they happened, he said. He smells the cordite, he feels the blood, he hears the conversations, and he sees the young specialist die.
Patton wears a bracelet with Unruh's name on it as part of remembering the 69 soldiers from his brigade who paid the ultimate sacrifice over a year in Iraq.
"No one is immune from the stresses of combat," Patton said. "It affects everyone, in all specialties."
When he returned from the deployment, Patton said, even driving became a challenge.. "When I first got back, I had what I call driver anxiety," he said. "It was very hard for me to drive or ride in my car. I found myself scanning to the front, to the side as we drove along."
It was a natural reaction in Ramadi as he looked for snipers, roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades, but it wasn't logical in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Patton sought mental health treatment.
"Servicemembers coming back need to understand that they are not alone," he said. "There are others who have experienced the same things and they can get help."
Sleeplessness, anxiety and rage are normal outcomes for human beings going through this, Patton said. Servicemembers need to understand that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, and it does not derail careers.
This is a change from the past. When Patton entered the service in 1979, he served with noncommissioned Vietnam veterans who suffered from the disorder, but did not seek help because it was widely believed that superiors considered those with the disorder shirkers.
"It was something that wasn't on our radar screens back then," he said. "It's pretty common knowledge that we have some ground to cover just in overcoming the stigma associated with PTSD, but we're doing it."
Superiors also recognize the disorder and are working to reduce the stigma. Patton made brigadier general. Army Gen. Carter Ham, the four-star commander at U.S. Army Europe, made two, three and four stars after seeking treatment.
When Patton's brigade left Iraq in 2005, every unit had lost people in Ramadi. The brigade and post leadership treated the screening process seriously and offered mental health services.
In his case, Patton found that counseling and conversation helped. "One of the best things for me is just communication with others who went through the same thing," he said. "Our family members, who love us dearly, have a hard time relating to what we went through. My greatest relief was just through talking over the experiences with others who had been there. I gained coping skills just by talking to other soldiers."
Counseling helps, but there are other treatments as well. The disorder often comes in tandem with traumatic brain injuries and military and Veterans Affairs researchers continue to make progress in treatments.
But this won't help if personnel don't seek aid. "My advice is to go seek mental health care as you would for a physical ailment," Patton said.
Airmen Cover the Fallen With Dignity, Honor, Respect
By Air Force Capt. Shannon CollinsSpecial to American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - For some, it means red, white and blue. It means 13 stripes for the original colonies and 50 stars for the states. For the families of the fallen, the American flag means so much more. Because of this, two airmen assigned to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here take their mission very seriously.
"These men and women who gave their lives for their country for the sake of freedom deserve the utmost dignity, honor and respect," Air Force Tech. Sgt. Willard Rico, a shipping specialist here, said. "I'm very privileged to be a part of that, especially for the families left behind."
Rico is deployed from the 60th Force Support Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. His co-worker, Air Force Staff Sgt. Star Samuels, a shipping specialist deployed from the 43rd Force Support Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C., echoes his sentiment.
"We're taking care of someone's child, mother, father, husband, wife. They passed away protecting this country; we try to make everything perfect to give them and their families the utmost respect," Samuels said.
The shipping specialists are part of the final process for fallen heroes prior to beginning their journey home to their loved ones. The mortuary staff prepares the remains of fallen U.S. servicemembers, as well as government officials and their families stationed abroad in Europe and Southwest Asia. Since 1955, the remains of more than 50,000 servicemembers have arrived here for identification and funeral preparations.
The shipping specialists, Rico and Samuels, inspect the caskets, as well as perform a final check to make sure the dog tags, ribbons, flag and more are correct and up to standards. They are the final "eyes" before the fallen are sent to their loved ones.
"We make sure everything is perfect," Samuels said. "Our mission is to send them out the way they're remembered, not how they came in."
Before any fallen come through the doors of the mortuary, the airmen prepare the flags. They remove the flags from their protective packaging, unfold them and then slowly feed them into an industrial steamer for pressing. As the airmen gently unfurl the 5-by-9 foot flag and feed it into the steamer, they spray a mist of water on it. The machine folds the flag over as it presses so that the flag never touches the ground.
The airmen slowly take the freshly pressed flag and put it on a frame for later use. The flags will gently caress the caskets of the fallen as they return to their families. Ultimately, these same flags will be folded by an honor guard at the funeral and presented to the family as a final remembrance of their fallen hero's service and ultimate sacrifice.
For Samuels, pressing the flags brings home the experience and importance of what they mean.
"When I'm pressing a flag, I'm pressing a flag for someone who hasn't died yet," she said. "Today, we pressed 12 flags. Those flags could be here until next weekend, then all of a sudden, we're pressing 12 more flags."
The flags drape over a rack until needed. Once a flag is needed, the two airmen, standing on either side of the casket, slowly pull the pressed flag off of the rack and onto the casket. One of them stands at the foot, one at the head, working in harmony, making eye contact, as they carefully and delicately drape the flag to embody the casket with the fallen soldier, sailor, Marine or airman.
The movements are slow, deliberate and in sync. Their eyes roam around the casket, making sure everything is perfect.
"I have so much respect for my fallen heroes," Samuels said. "These heroes have families, loved ones, who could've talked to them just a couple of hours ago. Just one mistake, one trip down the road, anything can happen. I take nothing for granted."
The airmen perform this mission day in and day out for the families.
"We're here for the families," Rico said. "I'm privileged to be working here, giving dignity, honor and respect to the fallen for their families. It's the most rewarding job I've ever done so far in my career."
As the red, white and blue is secured around the casket, the stars and stripes drawn taunt, the airmen prepare to send the fallen home. They render the slow salute as the American flag passes by.
(Air Force Capt. Shannon Collins serves with the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center public affairs office.)
North Korean Missile Launch Requires 'Strong' U.N. Response, Official Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - The United States and its allies want the U.N. to issue a robust response to North Korea's April 4 missile launch, a U.S. State Department official told reporters here today. "We're going to continue to go forward in discussions with our partners in the council to see and to seek a strong, coordinated and effective response to the North Korean missile launch," spokesman Robert Wood said at a State Department news conference.
Despite international diplomatic urging not to do so, the North Koreans launched a three-stage missile on April 4. The missile, which the North Koreans say carried a communications satellite as its payload, failed to achieve orbit and fell back into the Pacific Ocean without incident, according to the U.S. military.
Senior world leaders including President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have denounced the missile launch, citing it as a violation of Security Resolution 1718, which prohibits North Korea from making such missile launches or conducting nuclear-weapons research.
Some observers believe that North Korea tested a nuclear-type device in 2006. Also that year, the North Koreans test-fired another missile that also flew over Japan.
The U.N. Security Council met in New York yesterday to discuss the North Korean missile launch, but it didn't issue a statement.
Yesterday's U.N. Security Council session "was trying to deal with the aftermath of this launch," Wood said, noting it is early in the process and the issue is "very complicated."
Consultations at the U.N. over the North Korean missile launch continue, Wood said.
The bottom line, Wood said, is that any missile launch by North Korea is "provocative" and "not in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718."
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on ABC-TV's "This Week" with host George Stephanopoulos yesterday that the United States is "in close consultation with our allies in Asia, in particular, Japan and South Korea about the appropriate response" to the North Korean missile launch.
Rice also told Stephanopoulos that the U.S. has discussed the North Korean missile launch issue "with the Russians and the Chinese" as well.
"We're working very closely with China," Rice said. "China shares the same goal that we do, which is a denuclearized Korean peninsula."
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - The United States and its allies want the U.N. to issue a robust response to North Korea's April 4 missile launch, a U.S. State Department official told reporters here today. "We're going to continue to go forward in discussions with our partners in the council to see and to seek a strong, coordinated and effective response to the North Korean missile launch," spokesman Robert Wood said at a State Department news conference.
Despite international diplomatic urging not to do so, the North Koreans launched a three-stage missile on April 4. The missile, which the North Koreans say carried a communications satellite as its payload, failed to achieve orbit and fell back into the Pacific Ocean without incident, according to the U.S. military.
Senior world leaders including President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have denounced the missile launch, citing it as a violation of Security Resolution 1718, which prohibits North Korea from making such missile launches or conducting nuclear-weapons research.
Some observers believe that North Korea tested a nuclear-type device in 2006. Also that year, the North Koreans test-fired another missile that also flew over Japan.
The U.N. Security Council met in New York yesterday to discuss the North Korean missile launch, but it didn't issue a statement.
Yesterday's U.N. Security Council session "was trying to deal with the aftermath of this launch," Wood said, noting it is early in the process and the issue is "very complicated."
Consultations at the U.N. over the North Korean missile launch continue, Wood said.
The bottom line, Wood said, is that any missile launch by North Korea is "provocative" and "not in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718."
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on ABC-TV's "This Week" with host George Stephanopoulos yesterday that the United States is "in close consultation with our allies in Asia, in particular, Japan and South Korea about the appropriate response" to the North Korean missile launch.
Rice also told Stephanopoulos that the U.S. has discussed the North Korean missile launch issue "with the Russians and the Chinese" as well.
"We're working very closely with China," Rice said. "China shares the same goal that we do, which is a denuclearized Korean peninsula."
Gates Lays Out Budget Recommendations
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today laid out his recommendations for the 2010 budget during a Pentagon press conference. The secretary said he included his experiences in national security to make the decisions.
To start, Gates plans to significantly restructure the Army's Future Combat Systems program. "We will retain and accelerate the initial increment of the program to spin out technology enhancements to all combat brigades," he said.
But he said there are unanswered questions about the program's vehicle design strategy. "I am also concerned that, despite some adjustments, the FCS vehicles -- where lower weight, higher-fuel efficiency and greater informational awareness are expected to compensate for less armor -- do not adequately reflect the lessons of counterinsurgency and close-quarters combat in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.
The current vehicle program, developed in fiscal 2000, does not include the recent $25 billion investment in the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles that have saved so many lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. Gates also noted problems with the current fee structure, which he said gives the government little leverage to promote cost efficiency.
"Because the vehicle part of the FCS program is currently estimated to cost over $87 billion, I believe we must have more confidence in the program strategy, requirements and maturity of the technologies before proceeding further," he said. "Accordingly, I will recommend that we cancel the vehicle component of the current FCS program, re-evaluate the requirements, technology and approach -- and then re-launch the Army's vehicle modernization program, including a competitive bidding process."
The Army needs a vehicle modernization program to meet the needs of the full spectrum of conflict. "But because of its size and importance, we must get the acquisition right, even at the cost of delay," the secretary said.
The secretary recommended halting the F-22 Raptor procurement at 187, and investing instead in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The secretary also would like to end other under-performing programs, such as the VH-71 presidential helicopter. "This program was originally designed to provide 23 helicopters to support the president at a cost of $6.5 billion," he said. "Today, the program is estimated to cost over $13 billion, has fallen six years behind schedule, and runs the risk of not delivering the requested capability."
Gates said the military will develop options in fiscal 2011 for a follow-on program.
The secretary also would like to terminate the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue X helicopter program. The program has a troubled acquisition history and raises the question of whether this important mission can only be accomplished by yet another single-service solution with single-purpose aircraft.
"We will take a fresh look at the requirement behind this program and develop a more sustainable approach," he said.
Gates said he is recommending an end to the $26 billion transformational satellite program, and instead would like to purchase two more advanced, extremely high frequency satellites as alternatives.
Turning to missile defense, he recommended restructuring the program to focus on the rogue state and theater missile threat, meaning the United States will not increase the number of ground-based interceptors in Alaska.
"But we will continue to robustly fund continued research and development to improve the capability we already have to defend against long-range rogue missile threats -- a threat North Korea's missile launch this past weekend reminds us is real," he said.
The secretary said he would like to cancel the second airborne laser prototype aircraft, and shift the existing aircraft and program to a research and development effort. Under his recommendation, the multiple kill vehicle program also would end "because of its significant technical challenges and the need to take a fresh look at the requirement," he said.
Overall funding at the Missile Defense Agency would drop by $1.4 billion.
The recommendation also calls for the purchase of two destroyers in fiscal 2010. "These plans depend on being able to work out contracts to allow the Navy to efficiently build all three DDG-1000 class ships at Bath Iron Works in Maine and to smoothly restart the DDG-51 Aegis destroyer program at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi," Gates said.
The secretary also will delay or re-evaluate the next generation cruiser, amphibious landing and sea-basing programs.
Acquisition workforce changes also are imperative for the process to get on the right track.
"Under this budget request, we will reduce the number of support service contractors from our current 39 percent of the workforce to the pre-2001 level of 26 percent and replace them with full-time government employees," he said.
"Our goal is to hire as many as 13,000 new civil servants in fiscal 2010 to replace contract employees, and up to 30,000 new civil servants in place of contractors over the next five years," he said.
These are just a portion of the recommendations Gates will make. The secretary stressed that his recommendations reflect lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I know that in the coming weeks we will hear a great deal about threats, and risk and danger to our country and to our men and women in uniform associated with different budget choices," he said.
"Some will say I am too focused on the wars we are in and not enough on future threats," he continued. "The allocation of dollars in this budget definitely belies that claim.
"But, it is important to remember that every defense dollar spent to over-insure against a remote or diminishing risk -- or, in effect, to 'run up the score' in a capability where the United States is already dominant -- is a dollar not available to take care of our people, reset the force, win the wars we are in, and improve capabilities in areas where we are underinvested and potentially vulnerable. That is a risk I will not take."
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he fully supports Gates' decisions.
"None of them was easy to make; all of them are vital to the future," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said in a written statement.
In his statement, Mullen said it is imperative that the U.S. military invest more in the counterinsurgency mission. Gates' budget recommendations preserve traditional U.S. strengths while investing in this vital mission.
"The secretary presided over a comprehensive and collaborative process to arrive at his decisions," Mullen said. "Every service chief and combatant commander had a voice, and every one of them used it. I know I speak for all of them when I say we are prepared to execute each and every one of these recommendations."
April 6, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today laid out his recommendations for the 2010 budget during a Pentagon press conference. The secretary said he included his experiences in national security to make the decisions.
To start, Gates plans to significantly restructure the Army's Future Combat Systems program. "We will retain and accelerate the initial increment of the program to spin out technology enhancements to all combat brigades," he said.
But he said there are unanswered questions about the program's vehicle design strategy. "I am also concerned that, despite some adjustments, the FCS vehicles -- where lower weight, higher-fuel efficiency and greater informational awareness are expected to compensate for less armor -- do not adequately reflect the lessons of counterinsurgency and close-quarters combat in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.
The current vehicle program, developed in fiscal 2000, does not include the recent $25 billion investment in the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles that have saved so many lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. Gates also noted problems with the current fee structure, which he said gives the government little leverage to promote cost efficiency.
"Because the vehicle part of the FCS program is currently estimated to cost over $87 billion, I believe we must have more confidence in the program strategy, requirements and maturity of the technologies before proceeding further," he said. "Accordingly, I will recommend that we cancel the vehicle component of the current FCS program, re-evaluate the requirements, technology and approach -- and then re-launch the Army's vehicle modernization program, including a competitive bidding process."
The Army needs a vehicle modernization program to meet the needs of the full spectrum of conflict. "But because of its size and importance, we must get the acquisition right, even at the cost of delay," the secretary said.
The secretary recommended halting the F-22 Raptor procurement at 187, and investing instead in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The secretary also would like to end other under-performing programs, such as the VH-71 presidential helicopter. "This program was originally designed to provide 23 helicopters to support the president at a cost of $6.5 billion," he said. "Today, the program is estimated to cost over $13 billion, has fallen six years behind schedule, and runs the risk of not delivering the requested capability."
Gates said the military will develop options in fiscal 2011 for a follow-on program.
The secretary also would like to terminate the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue X helicopter program. The program has a troubled acquisition history and raises the question of whether this important mission can only be accomplished by yet another single-service solution with single-purpose aircraft.
"We will take a fresh look at the requirement behind this program and develop a more sustainable approach," he said.
Gates said he is recommending an end to the $26 billion transformational satellite program, and instead would like to purchase two more advanced, extremely high frequency satellites as alternatives.
Turning to missile defense, he recommended restructuring the program to focus on the rogue state and theater missile threat, meaning the United States will not increase the number of ground-based interceptors in Alaska.
"But we will continue to robustly fund continued research and development to improve the capability we already have to defend against long-range rogue missile threats -- a threat North Korea's missile launch this past weekend reminds us is real," he said.
The secretary said he would like to cancel the second airborne laser prototype aircraft, and shift the existing aircraft and program to a research and development effort. Under his recommendation, the multiple kill vehicle program also would end "because of its significant technical challenges and the need to take a fresh look at the requirement," he said.
Overall funding at the Missile Defense Agency would drop by $1.4 billion.
The recommendation also calls for the purchase of two destroyers in fiscal 2010. "These plans depend on being able to work out contracts to allow the Navy to efficiently build all three DDG-1000 class ships at Bath Iron Works in Maine and to smoothly restart the DDG-51 Aegis destroyer program at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi," Gates said.
The secretary also will delay or re-evaluate the next generation cruiser, amphibious landing and sea-basing programs.
Acquisition workforce changes also are imperative for the process to get on the right track.
"Under this budget request, we will reduce the number of support service contractors from our current 39 percent of the workforce to the pre-2001 level of 26 percent and replace them with full-time government employees," he said.
"Our goal is to hire as many as 13,000 new civil servants in fiscal 2010 to replace contract employees, and up to 30,000 new civil servants in place of contractors over the next five years," he said.
These are just a portion of the recommendations Gates will make. The secretary stressed that his recommendations reflect lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I know that in the coming weeks we will hear a great deal about threats, and risk and danger to our country and to our men and women in uniform associated with different budget choices," he said.
"Some will say I am too focused on the wars we are in and not enough on future threats," he continued. "The allocation of dollars in this budget definitely belies that claim.
"But, it is important to remember that every defense dollar spent to over-insure against a remote or diminishing risk -- or, in effect, to 'run up the score' in a capability where the United States is already dominant -- is a dollar not available to take care of our people, reset the force, win the wars we are in, and improve capabilities in areas where we are underinvested and potentially vulnerable. That is a risk I will not take."
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he fully supports Gates' decisions.
"None of them was easy to make; all of them are vital to the future," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said in a written statement.
In his statement, Mullen said it is imperative that the U.S. military invest more in the counterinsurgency mission. Gates' budget recommendations preserve traditional U.S. strengths while investing in this vital mission.
"The secretary presided over a comprehensive and collaborative process to arrive at his decisions," Mullen said. "Every service chief and combatant commander had a voice, and every one of them used it. I know I speak for all of them when I say we are prepared to execute each and every one of these recommendations."
Gates Says People Take Top Priority in Budget Recommendations
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Personnel needs are at the heart of his proposal to reshape the priorities of America's defense establishment, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said. Gates laid out his budget recommendations today during a news conference at the Pentagon.
The secretary's recommendations will eliminate some high-cost, under-performing programs, but will "fully protect and properly fund" the growth in the Army and Marine Corps and halt reductions in the Navy and Air Force, Gates said.
The secretary's second priority is to rebalance Defense Department capabilities to fund programs that are most needed today and most likely needed in the future. His third priority, he said, is to reform the acquisition process.
Gates said his proposed changes are interconnected and cannot be properly communicated or understood in isolation from one another.
"Collectively, they represent a budget crafted to reshape the priorities of America's defense establishment," he said. "If approved, these recommendations will profoundly reform how this department does business."
Taking care of the all-volunteer force is the secretary's first priority in the budget. In the past, funding for growing the force and other quality of life initiatives was often done on an ad hoc basis in the yearly supplemental. The secretary said he believes these are too important not to include in the base budget.
Growing the land services and halting reductions in the Navy and Air Force will add $11 billion to the fiscal 2010 base budget.
The secretary also would like an extra $400 million to continue growth in military medical research and development.
The secretary noted the importance of recognizing the critical and permanent nature of programs for the wounded, ill and injured, as well as traumatic brain injury and psychological health programs.
"This means institutionalizing and properly funding these efforts in the base budget and increasing overall spending by $300 million," he said. "The department will spend over $47 billion on health care in fiscal 2010."
The department also will increase funding by $200 million for improvements in child care, spousal support, lodging and education.
Since he took office, the secretary has been critical of the lack of a "home for warfighters" in the institution. The budget changes seek to build that home.
"Our struggles to put the defense bureaucracies on a war footing these past few years have revealed underlying flaws in the priorities, cultural preferences and reward structures of America's defense establishment -- a set of institutions largely arranged to prepare for conflicts against other modern armies, navies and air forces," Gates said.
Programs to directly support, protect and care for warfighters have been developed and funded outside the base budget.
"Put simply, until recently there has not been an institutional home in the Defense Department for today's warfighter," he said. "Our contemporary wartime needs must receive steady long-term funding and a bureaucratic constituency similar to conventional modernization programs. I intend to use the fiscal 2010 budget to begin this process."
The U.S. military must maintain support for current wars, but must be ready to contend with the security challenges posed by the military forces of other countries -- from those actively hostile to those at strategic crossroads, he said.
"Last year's National Defense Strategy concluded that although U.S. predominance in conventional warfare is not unchallenged, it is sustainable for the medium term given current trends," Gates said. "This year's budget deliberations focused on what programs are necessary to deter aggression, project power when necessary, and protect our interests and allies around the globe."
Maintaining America's technological and conventional edge requires a dramatic change in the way the department acquires equipment.
"This department must consistently demonstrate the commitment and leadership to stop programs that significantly exceed their budget or which spend limited tax dollars to buy more capability than the nation needs," Gates said. "Our conventional modernization goals should be tied to the actual and prospective capabilities of known future adversaries -- not by what might be technologically feasible for a potential adversary given unlimited time and resources."
The department also must ensure requirements are reasonable and technology is mature enough to allow the department to successfully execute the programs.
"Again, my decisions act on this principle by terminating a number of programs where the requirements were truly in the 'exquisite' category, and the technologies required were not reasonably available to affordably meet the programs' cost or scheduled goals," he said.
The secretary also aimed to realistically estimate program costs, provide budget stability for programs, adequately staff the government acquisition team and provide disciplined and constant oversight.
"We must constantly guard against so-called 'requirements creep,' validate the maturity of technology at milestones, fund programs to independent cost estimates and demand stricter contract terms and conditions," he said.
Every defense dollar is precious, Gates said. Money spent to "over-insure against a remote or diminishing risk is a dollar not available to take care of our people, reset the force, win the wars we are in and improve capabilities in areas where we are underinvested and potentially vulnerable," Gates said.
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Personnel needs are at the heart of his proposal to reshape the priorities of America's defense establishment, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said. Gates laid out his budget recommendations today during a news conference at the Pentagon.
The secretary's recommendations will eliminate some high-cost, under-performing programs, but will "fully protect and properly fund" the growth in the Army and Marine Corps and halt reductions in the Navy and Air Force, Gates said.
The secretary's second priority is to rebalance Defense Department capabilities to fund programs that are most needed today and most likely needed in the future. His third priority, he said, is to reform the acquisition process.
Gates said his proposed changes are interconnected and cannot be properly communicated or understood in isolation from one another.
"Collectively, they represent a budget crafted to reshape the priorities of America's defense establishment," he said. "If approved, these recommendations will profoundly reform how this department does business."
Taking care of the all-volunteer force is the secretary's first priority in the budget. In the past, funding for growing the force and other quality of life initiatives was often done on an ad hoc basis in the yearly supplemental. The secretary said he believes these are too important not to include in the base budget.
Growing the land services and halting reductions in the Navy and Air Force will add $11 billion to the fiscal 2010 base budget.
The secretary also would like an extra $400 million to continue growth in military medical research and development.
The secretary noted the importance of recognizing the critical and permanent nature of programs for the wounded, ill and injured, as well as traumatic brain injury and psychological health programs.
"This means institutionalizing and properly funding these efforts in the base budget and increasing overall spending by $300 million," he said. "The department will spend over $47 billion on health care in fiscal 2010."
The department also will increase funding by $200 million for improvements in child care, spousal support, lodging and education.
Since he took office, the secretary has been critical of the lack of a "home for warfighters" in the institution. The budget changes seek to build that home.
"Our struggles to put the defense bureaucracies on a war footing these past few years have revealed underlying flaws in the priorities, cultural preferences and reward structures of America's defense establishment -- a set of institutions largely arranged to prepare for conflicts against other modern armies, navies and air forces," Gates said.
Programs to directly support, protect and care for warfighters have been developed and funded outside the base budget.
"Put simply, until recently there has not been an institutional home in the Defense Department for today's warfighter," he said. "Our contemporary wartime needs must receive steady long-term funding and a bureaucratic constituency similar to conventional modernization programs. I intend to use the fiscal 2010 budget to begin this process."
The U.S. military must maintain support for current wars, but must be ready to contend with the security challenges posed by the military forces of other countries -- from those actively hostile to those at strategic crossroads, he said.
"Last year's National Defense Strategy concluded that although U.S. predominance in conventional warfare is not unchallenged, it is sustainable for the medium term given current trends," Gates said. "This year's budget deliberations focused on what programs are necessary to deter aggression, project power when necessary, and protect our interests and allies around the globe."
Maintaining America's technological and conventional edge requires a dramatic change in the way the department acquires equipment.
"This department must consistently demonstrate the commitment and leadership to stop programs that significantly exceed their budget or which spend limited tax dollars to buy more capability than the nation needs," Gates said. "Our conventional modernization goals should be tied to the actual and prospective capabilities of known future adversaries -- not by what might be technologically feasible for a potential adversary given unlimited time and resources."
The department also must ensure requirements are reasonable and technology is mature enough to allow the department to successfully execute the programs.
"Again, my decisions act on this principle by terminating a number of programs where the requirements were truly in the 'exquisite' category, and the technologies required were not reasonably available to affordably meet the programs' cost or scheduled goals," he said.
The secretary also aimed to realistically estimate program costs, provide budget stability for programs, adequately staff the government acquisition team and provide disciplined and constant oversight.
"We must constantly guard against so-called 'requirements creep,' validate the maturity of technology at milestones, fund programs to independent cost estimates and demand stricter contract terms and conditions," he said.
Every defense dollar is precious, Gates said. Money spent to "over-insure against a remote or diminishing risk is a dollar not available to take care of our people, reset the force, win the wars we are in and improve capabilities in areas where we are underinvested and potentially vulnerable," Gates said.
Gates Addresses NATO Summit, North Korean Missile Launch
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the recent NATO summit, in which allies pledged additional support to Afghanistan, exceeded his expectations. In a news conference today that centered mainly on the Pentagon budget, Gates fielded questions regarding commitments by NATO allies and a missile launch by North Korea -- both of which took place two days ago.
"I think that what came out of the NATO summit in terms of commitments was for me a pleasant surprise," Gates said. "I think the summit was actually more successful than I expected in what we were able to get."
The April 3 to 4 NATO summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, culminated with allies offering more finances and personnel to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.
NATO members promised to finance and provide more security -- including 3,000 more personnel -- for the Afghan election in August, to send 300 additional military trainers and mentors, and 70 NATO embedded training teams to help grow the Afghan National Army. Other pledges include $500 million for civilian assistance and $100 million in support of the Afghan army.
"For the Europeans to have pledged an additional 3,000 or so troops plus the trainers I think was a significant achievement," said Gates, who did not attend the summit due to defense budget obligations here.
On North Korea, Gates said the decision by the government in Pyongyang to launch a missile serves as a reminder that long-range rogue missile threats are real.
Pyongyang had maintained the launch was "peaceful" and intended only to send a satellite to orbit, but military officials characterized it as a step toward increasing North Korean weapons technology. President Barack Obama denounced the move as a provocation that violated United Nations international security rules.
The three-stage missile North Korea launched April 4 failed to achieve orbit and fell back into the Pacific Ocean without incident, according to the U.S. military. But a successful launch would not have affected his budget recommendations, Gates said today.
The United States was prepared to use a hit-to-kill technology had the missile threatened Hawaii, and ground-based interceptors in Alaska, he added.
"I think ...we're in a pretty good place with respect to the rogue country missile threat in terms of midcourse and terminal phase," he said. "What we're looking at and doing is continuing the [research and development] on the boost phase."
The midcourse phase allows the longest window of opportunity to intercept an incoming missile up to 20 minutes, whereas the terminal phase occurs when the warhead falls back into the atmosphere -- a process that lasts about 30 seconds to a minute. The boost phase is the part of a missile flight path from launch until it stops accelerating under its own power, according to the Missile Defense Agency.
Regarding the launch, Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States was gauging North Korea's ability to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a weapon of mass destruction, and Pyongyang's desire to proliferate and sell the technology.
"The technology they were seeking after the first two failures was the ability to stage -- in other words, transition from one stage of boost to the next. "They failed," Cartwright said during the joint news conference with the defense secretary today.
"On the idea of proliferation," he continued, "would you buy from somebody that had failed three times in a row and never been successful?"
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the recent NATO summit, in which allies pledged additional support to Afghanistan, exceeded his expectations. In a news conference today that centered mainly on the Pentagon budget, Gates fielded questions regarding commitments by NATO allies and a missile launch by North Korea -- both of which took place two days ago.
"I think that what came out of the NATO summit in terms of commitments was for me a pleasant surprise," Gates said. "I think the summit was actually more successful than I expected in what we were able to get."
The April 3 to 4 NATO summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, culminated with allies offering more finances and personnel to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.
NATO members promised to finance and provide more security -- including 3,000 more personnel -- for the Afghan election in August, to send 300 additional military trainers and mentors, and 70 NATO embedded training teams to help grow the Afghan National Army. Other pledges include $500 million for civilian assistance and $100 million in support of the Afghan army.
"For the Europeans to have pledged an additional 3,000 or so troops plus the trainers I think was a significant achievement," said Gates, who did not attend the summit due to defense budget obligations here.
On North Korea, Gates said the decision by the government in Pyongyang to launch a missile serves as a reminder that long-range rogue missile threats are real.
Pyongyang had maintained the launch was "peaceful" and intended only to send a satellite to orbit, but military officials characterized it as a step toward increasing North Korean weapons technology. President Barack Obama denounced the move as a provocation that violated United Nations international security rules.
The three-stage missile North Korea launched April 4 failed to achieve orbit and fell back into the Pacific Ocean without incident, according to the U.S. military. But a successful launch would not have affected his budget recommendations, Gates said today.
The United States was prepared to use a hit-to-kill technology had the missile threatened Hawaii, and ground-based interceptors in Alaska, he added.
"I think ...we're in a pretty good place with respect to the rogue country missile threat in terms of midcourse and terminal phase," he said. "What we're looking at and doing is continuing the [research and development] on the boost phase."
The midcourse phase allows the longest window of opportunity to intercept an incoming missile up to 20 minutes, whereas the terminal phase occurs when the warhead falls back into the atmosphere -- a process that lasts about 30 seconds to a minute. The boost phase is the part of a missile flight path from launch until it stops accelerating under its own power, according to the Missile Defense Agency.
Regarding the launch, Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States was gauging North Korea's ability to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a weapon of mass destruction, and Pyongyang's desire to proliferate and sell the technology.
"The technology they were seeking after the first two failures was the ability to stage -- in other words, transition from one stage of boost to the next. "They failed," Cartwright said during the joint news conference with the defense secretary today.
"On the idea of proliferation," he continued, "would you buy from somebody that had failed three times in a row and never been successful?"
MILITARY CONTRACTS April 6, 2009
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Joint Operations Group, Lexington, Ky., is being awarded a $200,000,000 ceiling increase modification to an existing indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for contractor logistics support services, supporting the United States Special Operations Command, Special Operations Forces Support Activity. The work will be performed in various locations and is expected to be completed by Oct. 24. This increase is required to sustain operations pending the results of a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed priced contract to United Launch Services, LLC, Centennial, Colo., for $184,000,000. This action will provide launch services for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) mission, NROL-15; the undefinitized contract will ensure that the current launch schedule is maintained. At this time, $138,000,000 has been obligated. LRSW/PK, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8811-09-C-003).
NAVY
Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp., (NG), San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $27,305,848 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, cost plus fixed fee contract for systems engineering and technical support services in support of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific), Command Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) programs. Specific efforts include standards engineering and analysis, test support, configuration management of tactical information design standards, fleet support engineering services, and network design facility operation. These efforts ensure interfacing Navy, joint service, and allied nations air, surface, subsurface and land C4I systems are interoperable. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option, which, if exercised, would bring the potential, cumulative value of the contract to $73,506,359. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 7, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central web! site, wi th four offers received. SSC Pacific is the contracting activity (N66001-09-D-0077).
Lockheed Martin Services, Inc., Cherry Hill, N.J., is being awarded a $26,324,675 firm-fixed-price task order #EX03 under previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00189-08-D-Z003) to perform non-guard security functions, which include Armory and ready-for-issue services, Pass and ID Office services, vehicle inspection services, and working dogs services. Work will be performed in Guam (3 percent); Hawaii (4 percent); and various CONUS locations (93 percent); and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The basic contract was awarded under competitive conditions. Two offers were received in response to the solicitation. One contract was awarded as a result of the solicitation. This requirement is a task order under that contract. The Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $9,248,723 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for fabrication of production rate tooling in support of the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (70 percent) and Amarillo, Texas, (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2011. 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-0023).
T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $9,123,862 for firm fixed price task order #0005 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8612) for design and construction of a new combat training tank complex at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The work to be performed provides for construction of a new outdoor combat training tank complex, which includes a swimming pool with a dive tower, lighted concrete pool deck, and a single-story masonry and steel pool building with an attached mechanical equipment building. The site infrastructure improvements include perimeter walls and gates, utilities, parking, and roadwork. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, materials, and equipment necessary to complete the work as described in the request for proposal. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase the cumulative task order value to $10,323,862. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 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.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, N.Y., is being awarded a $7,787,221 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-04-C-0028) for the procurement of 18 MH-60S Mission Computers for the MH-60S helicopter. In addition, this modification provides for components for MH-60R/S Common Cockpit Trainers. Work will be performed in Owego, N.Y., and is expected to be completed in Apr. 2010. 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.
Special Tactical Services, LLC*, Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a $5,764,496 modification to a previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N61339-07-D-0016) to exercise an option for course instructors for various crew-served weapons courses in support of the Center for Security Forces, Little Creek, Va. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (53 percent); and Chesapeake, Va., (47 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $5,764,496 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Triumph Structures, Westbury, N.Y.*, is being awarded a maximum $7,056,225 firm fixed price contract for UH-60 Blackhawk spare parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is the Army. There were originally two proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 20, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Huntsville, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., (SPRRA1-09-D-0005).
DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
Marshall University Research Corp., Huntington, W. Va., is being awarded a $6,834,506 modification to a previously awarded cost-reimbursement grant for the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing. Work will be performed in Huntington, W. Va., and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2010. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-06-1-0028, P00003).
SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., was awarded on Mar. 23, 2009, a $9,843,152 cost plus fixed fee contract for the Panoptic Analysis of Chemical Traces program. Work will be performed in Menlo Park, Calif., (71 percent); Minneapolis, Minn., (20 percent); Poway, Calif., (8 percent); Newark, Calif., (1 percent); and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. DARPA issued a solicitation in Federal Business Opportunities on Aug. 19, 2008, and 15 proposals were received. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-09-C-0049).
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Joint Operations Group, Lexington, Ky., is being awarded a $200,000,000 ceiling increase modification to an existing indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for contractor logistics support services, supporting the United States Special Operations Command, Special Operations Forces Support Activity. The work will be performed in various locations and is expected to be completed by Oct. 24. This increase is required to sustain operations pending the results of a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office.
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed priced contract to United Launch Services, LLC, Centennial, Colo., for $184,000,000. This action will provide launch services for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) mission, NROL-15; the undefinitized contract will ensure that the current launch schedule is maintained. At this time, $138,000,000 has been obligated. LRSW/PK, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8811-09-C-003).
NAVY
Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp., (NG), San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $27,305,848 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, cost plus fixed fee contract for systems engineering and technical support services in support of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific), Command Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) programs. Specific efforts include standards engineering and analysis, test support, configuration management of tactical information design standards, fleet support engineering services, and network design facility operation. These efforts ensure interfacing Navy, joint service, and allied nations air, surface, subsurface and land C4I systems are interoperable. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option, which, if exercised, would bring the potential, cumulative value of the contract to $73,506,359. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and work is expected to be completed Apr. 7, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central web! site, wi th four offers received. SSC Pacific is the contracting activity (N66001-09-D-0077).
Lockheed Martin Services, Inc., Cherry Hill, N.J., is being awarded a $26,324,675 firm-fixed-price task order #EX03 under previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00189-08-D-Z003) to perform non-guard security functions, which include Armory and ready-for-issue services, Pass and ID Office services, vehicle inspection services, and working dogs services. Work will be performed in Guam (3 percent); Hawaii (4 percent); and various CONUS locations (93 percent); and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The basic contract was awarded under competitive conditions. Two offers were received in response to the solicitation. One contract was awarded as a result of the solicitation. This requirement is a task order under that contract. The Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $9,248,723 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for fabrication of production rate tooling in support of the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (70 percent) and Amarillo, Texas, (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2011. 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-0023).
T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $9,123,862 for firm fixed price task order #0005 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-08-D-8612) for design and construction of a new combat training tank complex at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The work to be performed provides for construction of a new outdoor combat training tank complex, which includes a swimming pool with a dive tower, lighted concrete pool deck, and a single-story masonry and steel pool building with an attached mechanical equipment building. The site infrastructure improvements include perimeter walls and gates, utilities, parking, and roadwork. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, materials, and equipment necessary to complete the work as described in the request for proposal. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase the cumulative task order value to $10,323,862. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 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.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, N.Y., is being awarded a $7,787,221 modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-04-C-0028) for the procurement of 18 MH-60S Mission Computers for the MH-60S helicopter. In addition, this modification provides for components for MH-60R/S Common Cockpit Trainers. Work will be performed in Owego, N.Y., and is expected to be completed in Apr. 2010. 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.
Special Tactical Services, LLC*, Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a $5,764,496 modification to a previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N61339-07-D-0016) to exercise an option for course instructors for various crew-served weapons courses in support of the Center for Security Forces, Little Creek, Va. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (53 percent); and Chesapeake, Va., (47 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $5,764,496 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Triumph Structures, Westbury, N.Y.*, is being awarded a maximum $7,056,225 firm fixed price contract for UH-60 Blackhawk spare parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is the Army. There were originally two proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Mar. 20, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Huntsville, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., (SPRRA1-09-D-0005).
DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
Marshall University Research Corp., Huntington, W. Va., is being awarded a $6,834,506 modification to a previously awarded cost-reimbursement grant for the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing. Work will be performed in Huntington, W. Va., and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2010. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-06-1-0028, P00003).
SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., was awarded on Mar. 23, 2009, a $9,843,152 cost plus fixed fee contract for the Panoptic Analysis of Chemical Traces program. Work will be performed in Menlo Park, Calif., (71 percent); Minneapolis, Minn., (20 percent); Poway, Calif., (8 percent); Newark, Calif., (1 percent); and is expected to be completed in Mar. 2010. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. DARPA issued a solicitation in Federal Business Opportunities on Aug. 19, 2008, and 15 proposals were received. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-09-C-0049).
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