By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2010 - Plans to strengthen conventional U.S. military equipment and warheads will allow the United States to draw down its nuclear arsenal while maintaining deterrence, Vice President Joe Biden said today. Biden outlined the Obama Administration's nonproliferation and nuclear security plans at the National Defense University here to an audience that included National Security Advisor retired Gen. Jim Jones and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
Biden noted that the Quadrennial Defense Review and the Ballistic Missile Defense Review, which Gates released two weeks ago, call for further strengthening of the military's preeminent conventional forces with capabilities such as an adaptive missile defense shield and conventional warheads that have worldwide reach.
"With these modern capabilities, even with deep nuclear reductions, we will remain undeniably strong and in a position to defend our interests against all our enemies," he said.
Until then, Biden said, "We have to do everything in our power to maintain our arsenal and make sure it's reliable. At the vanguard of this effort, alongside our military, are our nuclear weapons laboratories."
President Barack Obama has proposed $7 billion over five years to reverse years of declining budgets for maintenance of the nation's nuclear stockpile and related facilities, which are becoming a national security threat, Biden said.
The administration is reviewing its nuclear posture and has come to "broad and deep consensus" on strengthening the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that soon will be sent to Congress, Biden said. The "basic bargain" of the treaty is that nuclear powers will pursue disarmament and non-nuclear states will not acquire such weapons while gaining access to civilian nuclear technology, he said.
Now 42 years after its initial signing, "the consensus is fraying" among world leaders to sign on, Biden said.
"It's time," he said, "for us to reinforce this consensus and to strengthen the treaty for the future."
At the same time, Biden said, the administration is increasing sanctions against nations like North Korea and Iran for attempting to procure nuclear weapons. The administration also is calling for a ban on the production of fissile material that can be used to produce nuclear weapons, which the vice president said, "won't be done easily."
A third piece of the administration's nonproliferation agenda is a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons testing, which Biden said "is designed to keep emerging states from perfecting arsenals and preventing others from getting there."
Nonproliferation policies are as important today as they were during the Cold War, Biden said. "It's very easy to recognize the threat posed by nuclear terrorism," he said. "But we must not underestimate how proliferation to a state could be destabilizing in an entire region regions critical to us, to our security and may very well prompt the neighbors in that region to feel that they have to garner nuclear weapons themselves."
Speaking of the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, Biden said, "We're absolutely confident that all reasonable concerns raised about the treaty..., concerns about verification and reliability of our own arsenal, have now been addressed."
Obama is to host a national security conference in April to discuss eliminating nuclear waste material in four years, Biden said. Obama also is slated to host a nonproliferation treaty review conference in May.
"As both the only nation to have ever used a nuclear weapon, and as a strong proponent of nonproliferation, the United States has long embodied a stark but inevitable contradiction," Biden said. "The horror of nuclear conflict may make its occurrence unlikely, but the very existence of nuclear weapons leaves the human race ever at the brink of self-destruction, particularly if the weapons fall into the wrong hands."
Speaking to the government and military leaders in the room, Biden said, "The awesome force at our disposal must always be balanced by the weight of our shared responsibility. Every day, many of you help bear that burden with professionalism, courage and grace. Together, we will lead this world toward a world of less reliance ultimately, no reliance on nuclear weapons."
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Coast Guard Stands Ready For Challenges, Commandant Says
By Ian Graham
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2010 - The U.S. Coast Guard stands ready to confront current and future challenges, said Adm. Thad W. Allen, commandant of the service. Today's Coast Guard is a strong, resilient force, Allen said during a DoDLive blogger's roundtable Feb. 16. The Coast Guard, he said, plans to restore and refurbish some of its aging fleet with the $1.4 billion contained in this year's proposed federal budget.
Yet a tight budgeting process brought about by a down economy poses potential challenges for the Coast Guard, the admiral said.
"When you're operating in a constrained budget environment, it's very, very difficult to make tradeoffs. But in this case, we have to focus on recapitalizing and rebuilding new ships," Allen said. "Otherwise you create what they would call a hollow force."
The problem in explaining the Coast Guard's funding requirements Allen said, comes, in part, from its national presence across maritime domains and many agencies' jurisdictions. While the service falls under Homeland Security, the Coast Guard also partners in operations involving the Defense Department and performs tasks across every branch of the government.
The Coast Guard, Allen said, is a multi-mission organization that performs both military and law enforcement duties.
"I think we're the exact type of agency the government needs right now, but in a constrained budget environment we're the hardest to explain," he said. "We have cutters that can do a number of missions. But they can't do them all at once."
Consequently, Allen said, there's "an inherent risk-management process that takes place, in how we allocate our resources now."
Allen thanked President Barack Obama for his support and also thanked First Lady Michelle Obama for her work on behalf of military families. The Coast Guard, the admiral noted, has received $14 million to build new family housing for its servicemembers. The proposed budget, he added, also would support acquisition of additional cutters, aircraft, fast-response cutters and funding to begin the design process for the new medium-endurance cutters.
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr. has been nominated to succeed Allen as the new Coast Guard commandant. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Papp would relieve Allen in May 2010.
"The challenges I see that are going to kind of transcend across my tenure and Adm. Papp's tenure; pending his confirmation are going to have to do with really clearly defining what we do within the Department of Homeland Security," Allen said.
(Ian Graham is assigned to Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media Directorate.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 18, 2010 - The U.S. Coast Guard stands ready to confront current and future challenges, said Adm. Thad W. Allen, commandant of the service. Today's Coast Guard is a strong, resilient force, Allen said during a DoDLive blogger's roundtable Feb. 16. The Coast Guard, he said, plans to restore and refurbish some of its aging fleet with the $1.4 billion contained in this year's proposed federal budget.
Yet a tight budgeting process brought about by a down economy poses potential challenges for the Coast Guard, the admiral said.
"When you're operating in a constrained budget environment, it's very, very difficult to make tradeoffs. But in this case, we have to focus on recapitalizing and rebuilding new ships," Allen said. "Otherwise you create what they would call a hollow force."
The problem in explaining the Coast Guard's funding requirements Allen said, comes, in part, from its national presence across maritime domains and many agencies' jurisdictions. While the service falls under Homeland Security, the Coast Guard also partners in operations involving the Defense Department and performs tasks across every branch of the government.
The Coast Guard, Allen said, is a multi-mission organization that performs both military and law enforcement duties.
"I think we're the exact type of agency the government needs right now, but in a constrained budget environment we're the hardest to explain," he said. "We have cutters that can do a number of missions. But they can't do them all at once."
Consequently, Allen said, there's "an inherent risk-management process that takes place, in how we allocate our resources now."
Allen thanked President Barack Obama for his support and also thanked First Lady Michelle Obama for her work on behalf of military families. The Coast Guard, the admiral noted, has received $14 million to build new family housing for its servicemembers. The proposed budget, he added, also would support acquisition of additional cutters, aircraft, fast-response cutters and funding to begin the design process for the new medium-endurance cutters.
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr. has been nominated to succeed Allen as the new Coast Guard commandant. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Papp would relieve Allen in May 2010.
"The challenges I see that are going to kind of transcend across my tenure and Adm. Papp's tenure; pending his confirmation are going to have to do with really clearly defining what we do within the Department of Homeland Security," Allen said.
(Ian Graham is assigned to Defense Media Activity's Emerging Media Directorate.)
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 18, 2010
NAVY
CACI, Inc., Federal, Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $41,462,505 level-of-effort, cost-plus-fixed-fee, performance-based contract for management, engineering and technical support services for various business information technology support systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to an estimated $218,988,868. Work will be performed in Tidewater, Va. (98 percent), and military shore/fleet OCONUS (2 percent). If all options are exercised, work could continue until October 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and the SPAWAR E-commerce Web site, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-10-C-2843).
Canadian Commercial Corp., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada, London, Ontario, is being awarded a $29,196,463 modification under previously awarded firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5028) delivery order #0006 for procurement of 127 independent suspension system (ISS) kits and associated support. Installation of the ISS will be at the MRAP sustainment facility in Kuwait. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2010. This contract modification was a sole-source procurement. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
HBA-H&A, JV, Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a maximum $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for Marine Corps projects located in North Carolina. The work to be performed provides for architect-engineering and engineering services including DD Form 1391 documentation; plans; specifications; preparation of requests for proposals for design/build projects; cost estimates; related studies; surveying; soil borings; hazardous material identification; energy computation; life safety code studies; interior space planning/design; other associated engineering services; shop drawing review; as-built drawing preparation; operation and maintenance support information; sustainable engineering design practices; and construction inspection and engineering consultation services during construction. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities at Camp Lejeune, N.C. (80 percent), and Cherry Point, N.C. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site, with 46 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-10-D-5301).
AIR FORCE
ITT Corp., Clifton, N.J., was awarded a $24,900,000 contract which will provide an integrated demonstrations and applications laboratory. This program will conduct applications research and operational assessments through unique/specialized digital models and real-time man/hardware in the loop simulators. At this time, $3,709,468 has been obligated. AFRL/PKKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-D-7015).
Clark County Water Reclamation District, Las Vegas, Nev., was awarded a $24,177,588 contract which will provide utility service contract for wastewater treatment services at Creech Air Force Base. At this time, no money has been obligated. 99 CONS/LGCB, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., is the contracting activity. (FA4861-10-C-B005)
United Launch Services, Littleton, Colo., was awarded a $6,300,000 contract which will provide for phase two of the enhancement of Delta IV launch operations capabilities for FY 10. At this time, $4,725,000 has been obligated. SMC/LR, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8816-06-C-0002).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
CFM International, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a maximum $8,670,720 firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for engine compressor cases. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is January 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency (DSCR-ZBAB), Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8104-08-G-0002-UNW6).
CACI, Inc., Federal, Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $41,462,505 level-of-effort, cost-plus-fixed-fee, performance-based contract for management, engineering and technical support services for various business information technology support systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to an estimated $218,988,868. Work will be performed in Tidewater, Va. (98 percent), and military shore/fleet OCONUS (2 percent). If all options are exercised, work could continue until October 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and the SPAWAR E-commerce Web site, with an unlimited number of proposals solicited and two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-10-C-2843).
Canadian Commercial Corp., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada, London, Ontario, is being awarded a $29,196,463 modification under previously awarded firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5028) delivery order #0006 for procurement of 127 independent suspension system (ISS) kits and associated support. Installation of the ISS will be at the MRAP sustainment facility in Kuwait. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2010. This contract modification was a sole-source procurement. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.
HBA-H&A, JV, Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a maximum $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect/engineering contract for Marine Corps projects located in North Carolina. The work to be performed provides for architect-engineering and engineering services including DD Form 1391 documentation; plans; specifications; preparation of requests for proposals for design/build projects; cost estimates; related studies; surveying; soil borings; hazardous material identification; energy computation; life safety code studies; interior space planning/design; other associated engineering services; shop drawing review; as-built drawing preparation; operation and maintenance support information; sustainable engineering design practices; and construction inspection and engineering consultation services during construction. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities at Camp Lejeune, N.C. (80 percent), and Cherry Point, N.C. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site, with 46 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-10-D-5301).
AIR FORCE
ITT Corp., Clifton, N.J., was awarded a $24,900,000 contract which will provide an integrated demonstrations and applications laboratory. This program will conduct applications research and operational assessments through unique/specialized digital models and real-time man/hardware in the loop simulators. At this time, $3,709,468 has been obligated. AFRL/PKKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-D-7015).
Clark County Water Reclamation District, Las Vegas, Nev., was awarded a $24,177,588 contract which will provide utility service contract for wastewater treatment services at Creech Air Force Base. At this time, no money has been obligated. 99 CONS/LGCB, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., is the contracting activity. (FA4861-10-C-B005)
United Launch Services, Littleton, Colo., was awarded a $6,300,000 contract which will provide for phase two of the enhancement of Delta IV launch operations capabilities for FY 10. At this time, $4,725,000 has been obligated. SMC/LR, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8816-06-C-0002).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
CFM International, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a maximum $8,670,720 firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for engine compressor cases. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is January 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency (DSCR-ZBAB), Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8104-08-G-0002-UNW6).
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Starting Glitch Costs Teela in Olympic Biathlon
By Tim Hipps
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - Army World Class Athlete Program biathlete Sgt. Jeremy Teela of the Vermont National Guard was penalized for starting early and finished 24th in the Olympic men's 12.5-kilometer pursuit race yesterday. Sweden's Bjorn Ferry, who was supposed to start eighth and one spot ahead of Teela, rallied from a 1-minute, 12-second starting deficit to win the gold medal with a time of 33 minutes, 38.4 seconds at Whistler Olympic Park.
Summan Christoph of Austria took the silver medal with a time of 33:54.9. France's Vincent Jay, who won the men's 10-kilometer sprint Feb. 14, claimed the bronze in 34:06.6.
Teela, who was penalized 22 seconds for leaving the starting area two positions early, realized something was wrong when he arrived at the shooting range in seventh place without passing anyone. He was scheduled to start ninth, 1:14 behind top-seeded Jay.
"I was in No. 7, and I was Bib 9, and I had passed nobody on the course," Teela said. "That's when I realized that something was wrong. I saw the Swedish guy pass me on the third loop, and that's when I knew that he wasn't sitting out of the race and they actually started me too soon.
"They gave me a countdown," Teela said. "They said, 'Go.' I left. That's what I do I'm a racer."
Teela's official time was 35:45.4 2:07 behind gold medalist Ferry. Teela nailed all 10 of his targets from the prone position, but missed four while standing.
"Halfway through the race, when I realized this was happening, it just zapped the energy from me," he said. "It just mentally kind of drains the will out of you. But we've got a couple more races this week. ... I think we'll be all right."
(Tim Hipps works in the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command public affairs office.)
Army Releases January Suicide Data
February 17, 2010 - The Army released suicide data today for the month of January. Among active-duty soldiers, there were 12 potential suicides: one has been confirmed as suicide, and 11 remain under investigation. For December, the Army reported ten potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, three have been confirmed as suicides, and seven remain under investigation.
During January 2010, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 15 potential suicides. For December, among that same group, there were seven total suicides. Of those, five were confirmed as suicides and two are pending determination of the manner of death.
"In the new year, we won't just maintain our current focus on suicide prevention, we're going to sharpen that focus," said Col. Christopher Philbrick, director, Army Suicide Prevention Task Force. "We've made significant changes in our health promotion, risk reduction, and suicide prevention programs, policies, and initiatives. But over the last year, you could describe our Army effort as shining a flood light on the problem of suicide. Now in 2010, we're going to move from a flood light to a laser light— identifying our most effective programs, so we can target and reinforce what's working and fix what isn't."
In January, the Suicide Prevention Resource Council and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention selected the Army's "Ask, Care, Escort" model for inclusion in their national registry of programs reflecting "best practices" in suicide prevention. The Army's model is one of only thirteen suicide prevention programs, nationwide, included in the registry.
"One suicide prevention approach that is working is the Army's 'Ask, Care, Escort' model of suicide prevention," said Philbrick. "The 'Ask, Care, Escort' model is fundamentally about engaged, concerned leadership, and caring for your fellow soldier. That's something the Army knows how to do."
Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63, Health Promotion at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf.
Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20. Army Knowledge Online is required to download materials.
Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact Military OneSource or the Defense Center of Excellence (DCOE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center. Trained consultants are available from both organizations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The Military OneSource toll-free number for those residing in the continental U.S. is 1-800-342-9647; their Web site address is http://www.militaryonesource.com/. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource Web site for dialing instructions for their specific location.
The DCOE Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at Resources@DCoEOutreach.org .and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil/
The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/default.asp
More information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/
During January 2010, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 15 potential suicides. For December, among that same group, there were seven total suicides. Of those, five were confirmed as suicides and two are pending determination of the manner of death.
"In the new year, we won't just maintain our current focus on suicide prevention, we're going to sharpen that focus," said Col. Christopher Philbrick, director, Army Suicide Prevention Task Force. "We've made significant changes in our health promotion, risk reduction, and suicide prevention programs, policies, and initiatives. But over the last year, you could describe our Army effort as shining a flood light on the problem of suicide. Now in 2010, we're going to move from a flood light to a laser light— identifying our most effective programs, so we can target and reinforce what's working and fix what isn't."
In January, the Suicide Prevention Resource Council and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention selected the Army's "Ask, Care, Escort" model for inclusion in their national registry of programs reflecting "best practices" in suicide prevention. The Army's model is one of only thirteen suicide prevention programs, nationwide, included in the registry.
"One suicide prevention approach that is working is the Army's 'Ask, Care, Escort' model of suicide prevention," said Philbrick. "The 'Ask, Care, Escort' model is fundamentally about engaged, concerned leadership, and caring for your fellow soldier. That's something the Army knows how to do."
Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63, Health Promotion at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf.
Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20. Army Knowledge Online is required to download materials.
Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact Military OneSource or the Defense Center of Excellence (DCOE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center. Trained consultants are available from both organizations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The Military OneSource toll-free number for those residing in the continental U.S. is 1-800-342-9647; their Web site address is http://www.militaryonesource.com/. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource Web site for dialing instructions for their specific location.
The DCOE Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at Resources@DCoEOutreach.org .and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil/
The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/default.asp
More information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/
Demand Dwindles for U.S. Forces in Haiti, Official Says
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - The need for U.S military forces in Haiti is dwindling as Haitian authorities and nongovernmental organizations begin to accept a greater share of relief efforts in the ravaged country, an American military official said.
About 13,000 U.S. troops are involved in the earthquake-relief effort -- with 7,000 forces on the ground -- down from a peak overall level of about 20,000 at the start of this month, Army Lt. Gen. P.K. "Ken" Keen, the top U.S. commander in Haiti, told Pentagon reporters today.
"As we see this transition occurring, we see our civilian partners increase their capabilities -- both the government here in Haiti as well as the nongovernment organizations -- and we see the need for our military assistance dwindling," Keen said via video teleconference from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
The update on Haiti's recovery comes about a month after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the Caribbean nation, creating what an official called one of the greatest humanitarian emergencies in the history of the Americas. U.S. aid began pouring into affected areas in the immediate aftermath, but a greater share of relief efforts has been transferred to partners as conditions progress.
The American commander declined to describe a timeline or expected scope of the U.S. military presence in Haiti, saying conditions in the country would determine the response.
"As we look at our military requirements in supporting [the U.S. Agency for International Development] and the government of Haiti," Keen said, "we're dialing it back where unnecessary as we right-size the force as requirements are needed on the ground, and we're dialing it up where it's necessary, based upon the needs on the ground."
Keen estimated military operations to date have totaled about $250 million.
As of yesterday, U.S. military forces had delivered more than 2.6 million bottles of water, 2.2 million food rations, 15.1 million pounds of bulk food and 125,230 pounds of medical supplies into Haiti.
In addition to running ongoing humanitarian assistance missions, Keen said U.S. forces also are assisting in procuring shelter for Haitians affected by the earthquake. Troops also are working to provide medical care, removing rubble from damaged sites and assisting in engineering and logistics.
Keen said the U.S. military is working under USAID, the lead American component, and alongside partners such as the United Nations.
"So we will continue to be involved in those two entities until [operations are] completely transferred to either the government of Haiti or other organizations," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - The need for U.S military forces in Haiti is dwindling as Haitian authorities and nongovernmental organizations begin to accept a greater share of relief efforts in the ravaged country, an American military official said.
About 13,000 U.S. troops are involved in the earthquake-relief effort -- with 7,000 forces on the ground -- down from a peak overall level of about 20,000 at the start of this month, Army Lt. Gen. P.K. "Ken" Keen, the top U.S. commander in Haiti, told Pentagon reporters today.
"As we see this transition occurring, we see our civilian partners increase their capabilities -- both the government here in Haiti as well as the nongovernment organizations -- and we see the need for our military assistance dwindling," Keen said via video teleconference from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
The update on Haiti's recovery comes about a month after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the Caribbean nation, creating what an official called one of the greatest humanitarian emergencies in the history of the Americas. U.S. aid began pouring into affected areas in the immediate aftermath, but a greater share of relief efforts has been transferred to partners as conditions progress.
The American commander declined to describe a timeline or expected scope of the U.S. military presence in Haiti, saying conditions in the country would determine the response.
"As we look at our military requirements in supporting [the U.S. Agency for International Development] and the government of Haiti," Keen said, "we're dialing it back where unnecessary as we right-size the force as requirements are needed on the ground, and we're dialing it up where it's necessary, based upon the needs on the ground."
Keen estimated military operations to date have totaled about $250 million.
As of yesterday, U.S. military forces had delivered more than 2.6 million bottles of water, 2.2 million food rations, 15.1 million pounds of bulk food and 125,230 pounds of medical supplies into Haiti.
In addition to running ongoing humanitarian assistance missions, Keen said U.S. forces also are assisting in procuring shelter for Haitians affected by the earthquake. Troops also are working to provide medical care, removing rubble from damaged sites and assisting in engineering and logistics.
Keen said the U.S. military is working under USAID, the lead American component, and alongside partners such as the United Nations.
"So we will continue to be involved in those two entities until [operations are] completely transferred to either the government of Haiti or other organizations," he said.
Soldier Suicides
Task Force Vows Sharper Focus on Soldier Suicides
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - The number of suspected soldier suicides increased for the first month of this year, and the Army's head of suicide prevention vowed today to sharpen the focus on combating the problem. "In the new year, we won't just maintain our current focus on suicide prevention; we're going to sharpen that focus," Army Col. Christopher Philbrick, director of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force, said in a statement the service released today, along with higher numbers of suspected suicides.
"We've made significant changes in our health promotion, risk reduction, and suicide prevention programs, policies, and initiatives," Philbrick said. "But over the last year, you could describe our Army effort as shining a flood light on the problem of suicide. Now in 2010, we're going to move from a flood light to a laser light – identifying our most effective programs so we can target and reinforce what's working and fix what isn't."
For January, the Army identified 12 potential suicides – one confirmed, the rest under investigation – among active-duty soldiers, compared to 10 potential suicides among the same group in December, an Army news release says. Of the 10 in December, three have been confirmed as suicides and seven remain under investigation.
Also for January, the Army identified 15 potential suicides among reserve-component soldiers who were not on active duty, compared to seven in December. Of the seven, five have been confirmed as suicides and two investigations are pending, the release says.
2009 saw 160 reports of potential soldier suicides, the most since the Army began recording such data in 1980, Army officials have said.
Still, the Army is being recognized for its suicide prevention programs. In January, the Suicide Prevention Resource Council and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention selected the service's "Ask, Care, Escort" model for inclusion in their national registry of best practices in suicide prevention, along with 12 other programs.
The Army last year began a partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health to prevent suicides.
"One suicide prevention approach that is working is the Army's 'Ask, Care, Escort' model of suicide prevention," Philbrick said, adding that the model "is fundamentally about engaged, concerned leadership, and caring for your fellow soldier. That's something the Army knows how to do."
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - The number of suspected soldier suicides increased for the first month of this year, and the Army's head of suicide prevention vowed today to sharpen the focus on combating the problem. "In the new year, we won't just maintain our current focus on suicide prevention; we're going to sharpen that focus," Army Col. Christopher Philbrick, director of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force, said in a statement the service released today, along with higher numbers of suspected suicides.
"We've made significant changes in our health promotion, risk reduction, and suicide prevention programs, policies, and initiatives," Philbrick said. "But over the last year, you could describe our Army effort as shining a flood light on the problem of suicide. Now in 2010, we're going to move from a flood light to a laser light – identifying our most effective programs so we can target and reinforce what's working and fix what isn't."
For January, the Army identified 12 potential suicides – one confirmed, the rest under investigation – among active-duty soldiers, compared to 10 potential suicides among the same group in December, an Army news release says. Of the 10 in December, three have been confirmed as suicides and seven remain under investigation.
Also for January, the Army identified 15 potential suicides among reserve-component soldiers who were not on active duty, compared to seven in December. Of the seven, five have been confirmed as suicides and two investigations are pending, the release says.
2009 saw 160 reports of potential soldier suicides, the most since the Army began recording such data in 1980, Army officials have said.
Still, the Army is being recognized for its suicide prevention programs. In January, the Suicide Prevention Resource Council and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention selected the service's "Ask, Care, Escort" model for inclusion in their national registry of best practices in suicide prevention, along with 12 other programs.
The Army last year began a partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health to prevent suicides.
"One suicide prevention approach that is working is the Army's 'Ask, Care, Escort' model of suicide prevention," Philbrick said, adding that the model "is fundamentally about engaged, concerned leadership, and caring for your fellow soldier. That's something the Army knows how to do."
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 17, 2010
AIR FORCE
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif., was awarded a $64,778,516 contract which will provide mission communication system upgrade on four C-32A aircraft and four C-40B aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 655 AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-10-C-6500).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif., was awarded a $46,213,411 contract which will provide the Heterogeneous Airborne Reconnaissance Team Program to develop technologies enabling mission-driven command and control of a heterogeneous team on uninhabited platforms for the conduct of coordinated urban operations. At this time, $9,304,633 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDB, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-C-7004).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $9,210,552 fixed-price with economic price adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, total set-aside contract for khaki cloth. Other locations of performance are Raeford, N.C.; Cordova, N.C.; and Hurt, Va. Using service is the Navy. The proposal was originally solicited through Gateway with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 16, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
NAVY
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded a $7,921,004 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) for long lead time material (LLTM) associated with the construction of DDG 1001. This contract provides LLTM general material of plate, shapes, and pipe to support DDG 1001 ship construction commencing in FY 10. The LLTM procured or manufactured for construction or installation in DDG 1001 under previously contract awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) is expected to be transferred with its associated costs to the as-yet-to-be-negotiated DDG 1001 ship construction contract. Work is expected to be performed in Bath, Maine (38 percent); Coatesville, Pa. (31 percent); and Burns Harbor, Ind. (31 percent). Work is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Menlo Park, Calif., is being awarded a $7,272,748 ceiling-priced order #7005 under previously awarded contract (N00383-06-G-072B) for the repair of items required to support the E-2C aircraft. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by February 2011. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $7,050,112 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5215) for applied research in support of reliable acoustic path vertical line array (RAP VLA) sensor systems for distributed network systems (DNS). RAP VLA sensor systems for DNS advanced development efforts are intended to result in a deep water, bottom-mounted, high-grain sensor system that can automatically detect, classify, localize, track and report contacts of interest. Work will be performed in Arlington, Va. (40 percent); Riviera Beach, Fla. (30 percent); Greensboro, N.C. (25 percent); and Groton, Conn. (5 percent). Work is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif., was awarded a $64,778,516 contract which will provide mission communication system upgrade on four C-32A aircraft and four C-40B aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 655 AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-10-C-6500).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif., was awarded a $46,213,411 contract which will provide the Heterogeneous Airborne Reconnaissance Team Program to develop technologies enabling mission-driven command and control of a heterogeneous team on uninhabited platforms for the conduct of coordinated urban operations. At this time, $9,304,633 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDB, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-C-7004).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $9,210,552 fixed-price with economic price adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, total set-aside contract for khaki cloth. Other locations of performance are Raeford, N.C.; Cordova, N.C.; and Hurt, Va. Using service is the Navy. The proposal was originally solicited through Gateway with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 16, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
NAVY
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded a $7,921,004 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) for long lead time material (LLTM) associated with the construction of DDG 1001. This contract provides LLTM general material of plate, shapes, and pipe to support DDG 1001 ship construction commencing in FY 10. The LLTM procured or manufactured for construction or installation in DDG 1001 under previously contract awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) is expected to be transferred with its associated costs to the as-yet-to-be-negotiated DDG 1001 ship construction contract. Work is expected to be performed in Bath, Maine (38 percent); Coatesville, Pa. (31 percent); and Burns Harbor, Ind. (31 percent). Work is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Menlo Park, Calif., is being awarded a $7,272,748 ceiling-priced order #7005 under previously awarded contract (N00383-06-G-072B) for the repair of items required to support the E-2C aircraft. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by February 2011. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $7,050,112 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5215) for applied research in support of reliable acoustic path vertical line array (RAP VLA) sensor systems for distributed network systems (DNS). RAP VLA sensor systems for DNS advanced development efforts are intended to result in a deep water, bottom-mounted, high-grain sensor system that can automatically detect, classify, localize, track and report contacts of interest. Work will be performed in Arlington, Va. (40 percent); Riviera Beach, Fla. (30 percent); Greensboro, N.C. (25 percent); and Groton, Conn. (5 percent). Work is expected to be completed by April 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Lynn Sets Stage for Further U.S.-Australian Cooperation
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III's meetings with Australian leaders over the last several days have helped to set the stage for new levels of cooperation between the long-time allies. "I think we were able to establish a foundation that we will be able to build on for the rest of the year," Lynn said.
During the six-day trip, Lynn met with business and civic leaders in Sydney and with Australian government and defense leaders in Adelaide and Canberra. He also visited with Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, during a stopover in Honolulu.
Lynn discussed Afghanistan and Australia's contribution to the effort against al-Qaida with government and defense leaders.
"I expressed our gratitude for all their efforts, both in terms of the direct military efforts and the training they are doing of the Afghan security forces," Lynn said. Australia has about 1,550 servicemembers in Afghanistan, most of them based in Oruzgan province in Regional Command South.
Lynn also spoke to Australian leaders about the F-35 joint strike fighter program and hopes for U.S. Senate ratification of the Defense Trade Cooperation.
"We were also able to exchange ideas on acquisition reform and budget reform, just to improve both our prospects in that regard," Lynn said.
But most important, he said, are the new doors opened especially in cyber and space operations in the alliance.
"I think we're going to be able to build our cooperation by building on the foundation of this decades-long alliance," the deputy said. "As these new threats emerge, I feel that we'll be able to rely on our oldest allies to aggressively go after them."
In space operations, Australia and the United States share common interests. "We're putting in place mechanisms to explore them jointly," he said. "Technology cooperation is one element, joint policy exploration is another, and how we integrate our assets with their assets is another."
The two nations also have mutual interests in cybersecurity. "We can develop shared awareness of the threat, we can cooperate on technologies, and we can collaborate as we work our way through the conception and development that needs to take place in this new domain," Lynn said.
The domain is new; just over 20 years old; but the pace of cyber operations; and threats against the cyber infrastructure will continue to increase, he warned.
"I don't think we have any choice but to keep pace with the technology," Lynn said. "The technology is going to drive us to develop doctrinal concepts, legal concepts and they are going to allow us to protect this critical area."
In Honolulu, Lynn briefed U.S. Pacific Command officials on the trip and had a chance to discuss with commanders their issues and concerns.
Officials briefed Lynn on the realignment of U.S. forces in the Pacific – the Marines moving from Futenma, Japan, to Guam; and other challenges, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. Willard and Pacom's service-component commanders spoke about humanitarian and disaster operations, maritime security, weapons proliferation and combating terrorism and extremism.
"The deputy commented on the broad nature of their work and that the command is leaning forward on missions that go beyond the traditional sphere," Whitman said. "They held good discussions on cybersecurity."
Willard hosted Lynn and his party for a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. "It was a very moving experience, and a reminder of the sacrifices made," Whitman said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 17, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III's meetings with Australian leaders over the last several days have helped to set the stage for new levels of cooperation between the long-time allies. "I think we were able to establish a foundation that we will be able to build on for the rest of the year," Lynn said.
During the six-day trip, Lynn met with business and civic leaders in Sydney and with Australian government and defense leaders in Adelaide and Canberra. He also visited with Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, during a stopover in Honolulu.
Lynn discussed Afghanistan and Australia's contribution to the effort against al-Qaida with government and defense leaders.
"I expressed our gratitude for all their efforts, both in terms of the direct military efforts and the training they are doing of the Afghan security forces," Lynn said. Australia has about 1,550 servicemembers in Afghanistan, most of them based in Oruzgan province in Regional Command South.
Lynn also spoke to Australian leaders about the F-35 joint strike fighter program and hopes for U.S. Senate ratification of the Defense Trade Cooperation.
"We were also able to exchange ideas on acquisition reform and budget reform, just to improve both our prospects in that regard," Lynn said.
But most important, he said, are the new doors opened especially in cyber and space operations in the alliance.
"I think we're going to be able to build our cooperation by building on the foundation of this decades-long alliance," the deputy said. "As these new threats emerge, I feel that we'll be able to rely on our oldest allies to aggressively go after them."
In space operations, Australia and the United States share common interests. "We're putting in place mechanisms to explore them jointly," he said. "Technology cooperation is one element, joint policy exploration is another, and how we integrate our assets with their assets is another."
The two nations also have mutual interests in cybersecurity. "We can develop shared awareness of the threat, we can cooperate on technologies, and we can collaborate as we work our way through the conception and development that needs to take place in this new domain," Lynn said.
The domain is new; just over 20 years old; but the pace of cyber operations; and threats against the cyber infrastructure will continue to increase, he warned.
"I don't think we have any choice but to keep pace with the technology," Lynn said. "The technology is going to drive us to develop doctrinal concepts, legal concepts and they are going to allow us to protect this critical area."
In Honolulu, Lynn briefed U.S. Pacific Command officials on the trip and had a chance to discuss with commanders their issues and concerns.
Officials briefed Lynn on the realignment of U.S. forces in the Pacific – the Marines moving from Futenma, Japan, to Guam; and other challenges, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. Willard and Pacom's service-component commanders spoke about humanitarian and disaster operations, maritime security, weapons proliferation and combating terrorism and extremism.
"The deputy commented on the broad nature of their work and that the command is leaning forward on missions that go beyond the traditional sphere," Whitman said. "They held good discussions on cybersecurity."
Willard hosted Lynn and his party for a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. "It was a very moving experience, and a reminder of the sacrifices made," Whitman said.
Former U.S. Military Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Defense Department Contracts in Support of Iraqi War
Defendant to Forfeit $15,757,000 to the U.S. Government
February 17, 2010 - WASHINGTON—Former military contractor Terry Hall, 43, of Snellville, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to pay more than $3 million in bribes to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, and to money laundering conspiracy, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.
Terry Hall was indicted on May 6, 2009, along with U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, 39, and his wife, Eurica Pressley, 37, both of Harvest, Ala.According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Hall’s companies received approximately $21 million between 2005 and 2007 in connection with contracts his companies received.To obtain the contracting business and facilitate unlawful payments by other contractors, Hall admitted he made more than $3 million in unlawful payments and provided other valuable items and services to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, including U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, and former Majors John Cockerham, James Momon and Christopher Murray, among others.
According to court documents, Hall owned and operated several companies, including Freedom Consulting and Catering Co., (FCC) and Total Government Allegiance (TGA), which provided goods and services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom.Hall’s companies received a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to deliver bottled water in Iraq and a contract to construct a security fence in Kuwait.
A BPA is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract by which the DoD agrees to pay a contractor a specified price for a particular good or service. ased on a BPA, the DoD is permitted to order the supplies on an as-needed basis, and the contractor is bound by the price agreed upon in the BPA.The term for this type of order by the DoD is a “call.”
The case against Hall arose out of a wide-ranging investigation of corruption at the Camp Arifjan contracting office.To date, eight individuals including Hall have pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme.
On Dec. 2, 2009, former Cockerham was sentenced to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $9.6 million in restitution. According to court documents, Cockerham arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth more than $2.6 million, as a result of which Hall paid Cockerham approximately $800,000.
According to court documents, Momon arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth approximately $6.4 million, as a result of which Hall paid Momon more than $300,000.Momon pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2008, to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and is awaiting sentencing.
Also according to court documents, Murray arranged for Hall to receive contracts to construct security fences at Camp Arifjan, as a result of which Hall paid Murray approximately $30,000.Murray pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and making a false statement.He was sentenced on Jan. 8, 2009, to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay $245,000 in restitution.
The case against Eddie Pressley and his wife, Eurica Pressley, is scheduled for trial on April 5, 2010.The indictment alleges that the Pressleys received more than $2.8 million in money and other valuable items from Hall, in exchange for Eddie Pressley’s agreement to take official actions to benefit Hall.Eurica Pressley, at her husband’s request, allegedly arranged for an entity named EGP Business Solutions Inc., (EGP) to be incorporated, opened a bank account in the name of EGP, and opened bank accounts in her name in the United States, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the Cayman Islands, all in order to receive the bribe payments.
The charge of bribery conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine.The money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.According to the court documents, Hall will forfeit $15,757,000 to the U.S. government.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Peter C. Sprung and Edward J. Loya Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.The case is being investigated by special agents of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Army Criminal Investigation Command, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, and the FBI.
The National Procurement Fraud Task Force, created in October 2006 by the Department of Justice, was designed to promote the early detection, identification, prevention, and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs.
February 17, 2010 - WASHINGTON—Former military contractor Terry Hall, 43, of Snellville, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to pay more than $3 million in bribes to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, and to money laundering conspiracy, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.
Terry Hall was indicted on May 6, 2009, along with U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, 39, and his wife, Eurica Pressley, 37, both of Harvest, Ala.According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Hall’s companies received approximately $21 million between 2005 and 2007 in connection with contracts his companies received.To obtain the contracting business and facilitate unlawful payments by other contractors, Hall admitted he made more than $3 million in unlawful payments and provided other valuable items and services to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, including U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, and former Majors John Cockerham, James Momon and Christopher Murray, among others.
According to court documents, Hall owned and operated several companies, including Freedom Consulting and Catering Co., (FCC) and Total Government Allegiance (TGA), which provided goods and services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom.Hall’s companies received a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to deliver bottled water in Iraq and a contract to construct a security fence in Kuwait.
A BPA is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract by which the DoD agrees to pay a contractor a specified price for a particular good or service. ased on a BPA, the DoD is permitted to order the supplies on an as-needed basis, and the contractor is bound by the price agreed upon in the BPA.The term for this type of order by the DoD is a “call.”
The case against Hall arose out of a wide-ranging investigation of corruption at the Camp Arifjan contracting office.To date, eight individuals including Hall have pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme.
On Dec. 2, 2009, former Cockerham was sentenced to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $9.6 million in restitution. According to court documents, Cockerham arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth more than $2.6 million, as a result of which Hall paid Cockerham approximately $800,000.
According to court documents, Momon arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth approximately $6.4 million, as a result of which Hall paid Momon more than $300,000.Momon pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2008, to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and is awaiting sentencing.
Also according to court documents, Murray arranged for Hall to receive contracts to construct security fences at Camp Arifjan, as a result of which Hall paid Murray approximately $30,000.Murray pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and making a false statement.He was sentenced on Jan. 8, 2009, to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay $245,000 in restitution.
The case against Eddie Pressley and his wife, Eurica Pressley, is scheduled for trial on April 5, 2010.The indictment alleges that the Pressleys received more than $2.8 million in money and other valuable items from Hall, in exchange for Eddie Pressley’s agreement to take official actions to benefit Hall.Eurica Pressley, at her husband’s request, allegedly arranged for an entity named EGP Business Solutions Inc., (EGP) to be incorporated, opened a bank account in the name of EGP, and opened bank accounts in her name in the United States, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the Cayman Islands, all in order to receive the bribe payments.
The charge of bribery conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine.The money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.According to the court documents, Hall will forfeit $15,757,000 to the U.S. government.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Peter C. Sprung and Edward J. Loya Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.The case is being investigated by special agents of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Army Criminal Investigation Command, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, and the FBI.
The National Procurement Fraud Task Force, created in October 2006 by the Department of Justice, was designed to promote the early detection, identification, prevention, and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs.
National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of February 16, 2010
This week all five services announced a decrease in activated reservists. The net collective result is 1,049 fewer reservists activated than last week.
At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 110,935; Navy Reserve, 6,627; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 16,729; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,403; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 774. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 141,468, including both units and individual augmentees.
A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/Feb2010/d20100216ngr.pdf.
At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 110,935; Navy Reserve, 6,627; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 16,729; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,403; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 774. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 141,468, including both units and individual augmentees.
A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/Feb2010/d20100216ngr.pdf.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Military Olympians: Soldier Takes 9th in Biathlon Sprint
By Tim Hipps
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program biathlete Sgt. Jeremy Teela had the best American performance at the Winter Olympics in biathlon history here Feb. 14. Teela, a member of the Vermont National Guard, led four Team USA competitors with a ninth-place finish in the men's 10-kilometer sprint race at Whistler Olympic Park.
France's Vincent Jay, 24, won the gold medal with a time of 24 minutes, 7.8 seconds. Norway's Emil Hegle Svendsen, 24, a four-time winner this season on the World Cup circuit, battled illness and took the silver in 24:20. Croatia's Jakov Fak, 22, who is ranked 64th in the World Cup standings, claimed the bronze with a time of 24:21.8.
Teela, 33, of Heber City, Utah, missed one of five shots from both the prone and standing positions that forced him to ski two 150-meter penalty loops. He finished just over a minute behind the winner with a time of 25 minutes, 21.7 seconds. Had he hit either of the two missed targets, Teela likely would have medaled.
"I would say normally this would be a decent race with the amount of penalties that I had, but definitely not a medal race," Teela said after the race. "It was an OK race, but as far as trying to get on the podium, it was a little disappointing.
"I don't think anyone's going to land on the podium with two penalties," he added. "I missed one or two too many (targets) – however you want to look at it."
Teela, however, was relieved to put the first of a potential five Olympic races behind him.
"The nerves and the jitters you get from racing your first Olympics in the quad, having your parents here, and having kind of a home-course-advantage feeling, it was a little stress for a little bit," he said. "It's good to get this one out of the way."
Teela, who started 13th in the staggered start, led all Team USA competitors. Lowell Bailey, who cleanly shot his 10 targets, finished 36th in 26:26.6. Tim Burke was 47th in 26:54.8. Jay Hakkinen also shot perfectly and finished 54th in 27:17.4.
All four Americans qualified for the 12.5-kilometer pursuit race on Tuesday. Teela's ninth-place finish, much better than the "top-20 or top-25" he had anticipated before the results were announced, places him in a much stronger position to medal. He will lead Team USA's parade by starting ninth, 1:14 behind Jay.
On Valentine's Day, Teela was the biathlon heartthrob not only for Team USA but the U.S. Army, as well.
"It's an honor to be able to represent the United States, but I get the special privilege to also represent the United States Army," he said. "I'm just trying to do something here to make them proud and give them something to cheer."
Teela said he needed this race to get his legs into competitive rhythm for the upcoming Olympic contests.
"I was a little tired, actually, a little lethargic," he said. "I think I needed this to get it into the legs. The last two weeks I've just been resting and prepping but really not pushing it to the extreme during my prep... I think this will be good for the rest of the week to have one hard race in."
Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, the 36-year-old sentimental favorite who holds five Olympic and 13 World Championship gold medals, finished 17th with a time of 25:48.9. He missed three shots from the prone position and another while standing.
All in all, Teela accepted his performance as a starting point for the Vancouver Games.
"It's an OK race to start," he said. "Obviously, you want to start out swinging. It would be nice to land on the podium first run at it. We have a race on Tuesday. On Thursday, we have the mass start, and we've got the relay. We've got five chances, four guys, so I think it's looking pretty good for us to medal."
(Tim Hipps works with the U.S. Army's Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command public affairs.)
Mullen: Iran's Goal to Further Enrich Uranium 'Destabilizing'
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - The top U.S. military officer criticized Iran's recent announcement that it would increase levels of uranium enrichment to 20 percent, saying the move further destabilizes the Middle East. The remarks by Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came after the government in Tehran reportedly vowed on Feb. 9 to produce uranium at higher levels, fueling fears it would move Iran a step closer to obtaining nuclear weaponry. "The Iranian announcement a couple of days ago is of concern to all of us," Mullen told reporters on Feb. 14 in Tel Aviv, Israel. "I think Iran needs to make strategic moves which help stabilize the region, and in fact, they continue to make moves which further destabilize the region, which is what happened the other day with this announcement."
Tehran has stated its nuclear pursuit is toward peaceful ends, saying the more highly enriched uranium would produce fuel to power medical equipment. But many international observers believe that Iran wants to obtain a nuclear weapon.
President Barack Obama has repeatedly called on Tehran to provide assurances to the international community that its nuclear program is peaceful and transparent, a request backed by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany. But Iran continues to ignore demands by these so-called P5-plus-1 nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog organization.
"An awful lot of people [are focused] on Iran and the announcement the other day that they've increased the level of enrichment in what I would call a pretty public and defiant way," Mullen said in a Feb. 14 interview with McClatchy Newspapers.
Mullen, during a trip through the Middle East, said the Iranian government's announcement presented an opportunity to reinforce engagement with Iran. He characterized the U.S. as working from "the diplomatic and engagement and sanctions point of view," and added that tougher sanctions were being discussed.
Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Mullen declined to identify at what point Tehran's nuclear ambitions might prompt military action. But he warned against the prospect of war with Iran.
"I think them getting a weapon and/or the outbreak of a conflict would be a big, big problem for all of us," he said, "and I worry a great deal about the unintended consequences of a strike."
But the chairman repeatedly has refused to rule out any options in dealing with Iran, which appears to be extending its reach in the Middle East.
Mullen said Iranian influence appears to be growing in Yemen, where Tehran reportedly is backing the Shiite Houthi clan engaged in a civil war against the Saudi-backed Sunni government in Yemen. Iran also reportedly has contacts with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"Their reach into Lebanon, their reach into Gaza and throughout the region; their reach into Yemen," he told reporters in Cairo, "I think all those things may continue to foment a lot of instability, which is very dangerous for all of us."
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - The top U.S. military officer criticized Iran's recent announcement that it would increase levels of uranium enrichment to 20 percent, saying the move further destabilizes the Middle East. The remarks by Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came after the government in Tehran reportedly vowed on Feb. 9 to produce uranium at higher levels, fueling fears it would move Iran a step closer to obtaining nuclear weaponry. "The Iranian announcement a couple of days ago is of concern to all of us," Mullen told reporters on Feb. 14 in Tel Aviv, Israel. "I think Iran needs to make strategic moves which help stabilize the region, and in fact, they continue to make moves which further destabilize the region, which is what happened the other day with this announcement."
Tehran has stated its nuclear pursuit is toward peaceful ends, saying the more highly enriched uranium would produce fuel to power medical equipment. But many international observers believe that Iran wants to obtain a nuclear weapon.
President Barack Obama has repeatedly called on Tehran to provide assurances to the international community that its nuclear program is peaceful and transparent, a request backed by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany. But Iran continues to ignore demands by these so-called P5-plus-1 nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog organization.
"An awful lot of people [are focused] on Iran and the announcement the other day that they've increased the level of enrichment in what I would call a pretty public and defiant way," Mullen said in a Feb. 14 interview with McClatchy Newspapers.
Mullen, during a trip through the Middle East, said the Iranian government's announcement presented an opportunity to reinforce engagement with Iran. He characterized the U.S. as working from "the diplomatic and engagement and sanctions point of view," and added that tougher sanctions were being discussed.
Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Mullen declined to identify at what point Tehran's nuclear ambitions might prompt military action. But he warned against the prospect of war with Iran.
"I think them getting a weapon and/or the outbreak of a conflict would be a big, big problem for all of us," he said, "and I worry a great deal about the unintended consequences of a strike."
But the chairman repeatedly has refused to rule out any options in dealing with Iran, which appears to be extending its reach in the Middle East.
Mullen said Iranian influence appears to be growing in Yemen, where Tehran reportedly is backing the Shiite Houthi clan engaged in a civil war against the Saudi-backed Sunni government in Yemen. Iran also reportedly has contacts with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"Their reach into Lebanon, their reach into Gaza and throughout the region; their reach into Yemen," he told reporters in Cairo, "I think all those things may continue to foment a lot of instability, which is very dangerous for all of us."
MILITARY CONTRACTS February 16, 2010
NAVY
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $751,514,198 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0014 for the procurement of Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) low rate initial production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability. This order will also be used for the procurement of Category I MRAP vehicles which provide protection of U.S. military personnel supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss. and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. Procurement funds in the amount of $751,514,198 will expire on Sept. 30, 2012. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5032 / D.O.0009).
CACI, Inc., Chantilly, Va. (N00039-10-D-0005); Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego (N00039-10-D-0006); G2 Software Systems, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0007); Northrop Grumman, Herndon, Va. (N00039-10-D-0008); and Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0009), were each awarded on Feb. 11, 2010, an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for Department of Defense command and control (C2) software development, as well as modification and enhancement of existing C2 systems. Services that may be ordered under these contracts include software design, development, and modification; software integration at the unit- and system-level; related test and evaluation support; software systems engineering support; and support functions including integrated logistics support, configuration and program management support. Each contractor will be awarded a $5,000 task order at the time of contract award. These contracts include a three-year base period and two one-year award terms, making the potential period of performance five years. The five-year estimated amounts of each of these contracts range from $493 million to $648 million. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in the contractors' facilities and is expected to be completed by January 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-commerce Web site and the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, with 13 offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command, San Diego, Calif., awarded the contracts on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence.
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, London, Ontario, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2010, a $227,380,750 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0007. The procurement is for 250 MRAP RG-31A2 vehicles and associated engineering change proposal upgrades to include an independent suspension system. The work is expected to be completed no later than Oct. 30, 2010. The major production and assembly work will be performed in South Africa. Major subassemblies will be purchased from companies in Fairfield, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Ogdensburg, N.Y. This contract delivery order was sole source procurement. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5028).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 9 a $143,882,042 modification to previously awarded contract for the FY10 STANDARD Missile II option for production of all-up-round missiles, missiles serviced under the service life extension program, section level spares, post production spares, shipping containers, and associated data. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (74 percent); Andover, Mass. (18 percent); Camden, Ark. (5 percent); and Farmington, N.M. (3 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-5301).
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $90,561,200.00 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order #0012 for the purchase of 58 U.S. Special Operations Command Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Category I vehicles including independent suspension systems, engineering change proposals and integrated logistics support sustainment. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds of $44,820,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5025).
ITT Electronic Systems, Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a $44,703,060 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the full rate production Lot 7 of 17 AN/ALQ-214(V)2 on-board jammers, a component of the F/A-18 E/F Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasure for the Navy and the government of Australia. In addition, this option provides for spare AN/ALQ-214(V)3 weapons replacement assemblies for installation on F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J. (34.4 percent); East Syracuse, N.Y. (8.8 percent); San Diego, Calif. (8.3 percent); Rancho Cordova, Calif. (5 percent); and at various locations throughout the United States (43.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($35,566,060; 79.57 percent) and the government of Australia ($9,137,000; 20.43 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-05-C-0054).
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded on Feb. 10 a $41,288,005 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support services on the LPD 17 class amphibious transport dock ship program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $186,963 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2203).
BAE Systems, Information and Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, N.H., was awarded on Feb. 9 a firm-fixed-price requirements performance-based logistics contract in the amount of $31,215,444 for support of the AN/ALQ-12B electronic countermeasures system used in support of the F/A-18A-D and AV-8B aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla. (55 percent), Nashua, N.H. (33 percent), and Crane, Ind. (12 percent). Work is to be completed by February 2015. Funding is provided by Navy Working Capital Fund. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year. This announcement does not include foreign military sales. This contract was not competitively awarded. One company was solicited and one offer was received. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-10-D-027G).
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $26,310,047 modification to previously awarded contract for continued procurement of common missile compartment prototype material, manufacturing and test. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2100).
Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $23,674,727, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. 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 Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0018).
BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $21,853,550 modification to previously awarded contract for the USS Bataan (LHD-5) FY10 phased maintenance availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $20,454,853 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N00024-05-C-4403).
ISPA Technology, LLC, Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $17,681,498 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. 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 Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0017).
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo, was awarded an $11,392,787 firm-fixed-price contract for the production acceptance test and evaluation of the direct attack moving target capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via electronic request for proposal and one offer was received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0030).
Stauder Technologies*, St. Peters, Mo., is being awarded a $9,256,117 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for nine lab prototype and engineering development StrikeLink/airborne units and the associated data package, to provide a prototype communications capability for use in the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Peters, Mo. (95 percent), and China Lake, Calif. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-07-C-0004).
General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $7,340,382 modification to a previously issued order under basic ordering agreement. This contract action provides additional funding for the demonstration of new technologies, with the goal of reducing the specific fuel consumption of the F414-GE-400 engine by three percent. The F414-GE-400 engine powers the F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G Navy aircraft. This effort is in support of the Near Term Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration and Research Project, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass. (89 percent), and Evendale, Ohio (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,340,382 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-G-0009).
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,323,056 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 208 ARC-210 radio high power amplifiers and LNA diplexers for the Air Force F-16 Block 40/50 aircraft. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in July 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 (N00019-09-C-0069).
AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 11 a firm-fixed-price task order 0002 modification at $6,930,966 for the pre-design sampling and analysis plan and expansion of Area 1a; remedial action for Area 6; and full time radiological health and safety support to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract task order for the remedial design and remedial action installation Restoration Site 1, 1943-1956 disposal area at Alameda Point. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $21,563,531. Work will be performed in Alameda, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-D-8816).
Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded a $5,698,440 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 60 AN/APN-245 radio beacon sets in support of the AN/SON46 automatic carrier landing system capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-08-D-0032).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Thermo Pac, LLC, Stone Mountain, Ga., is being awarded a maximum $22,735,230 firm-fixed-price contract for various food items. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 30 proposals solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM3S1-06-D-Z135).
AIR FORCE
Boeing Co., Newark, Ohio, was awarded a $15,533,727 contract which will provide incremental funding for the ICBM Minuteman III missile system guidance repair. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKE, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-99-D-0006).
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $751,514,198 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0014 for the procurement of Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) low rate initial production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability. This order will also be used for the procurement of Category I MRAP vehicles which provide protection of U.S. military personnel supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss. and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. Procurement funds in the amount of $751,514,198 will expire on Sept. 30, 2012. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5032 / D.O.0009).
CACI, Inc., Chantilly, Va. (N00039-10-D-0005); Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego (N00039-10-D-0006); G2 Software Systems, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0007); Northrop Grumman, Herndon, Va. (N00039-10-D-0008); and Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0009), were each awarded on Feb. 11, 2010, an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for Department of Defense command and control (C2) software development, as well as modification and enhancement of existing C2 systems. Services that may be ordered under these contracts include software design, development, and modification; software integration at the unit- and system-level; related test and evaluation support; software systems engineering support; and support functions including integrated logistics support, configuration and program management support. Each contractor will be awarded a $5,000 task order at the time of contract award. These contracts include a three-year base period and two one-year award terms, making the potential period of performance five years. The five-year estimated amounts of each of these contracts range from $493 million to $648 million. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in the contractors' facilities and is expected to be completed by January 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-commerce Web site and the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, with 13 offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command, San Diego, Calif., awarded the contracts on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence.
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, London, Ontario, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2010, a $227,380,750 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0007. The procurement is for 250 MRAP RG-31A2 vehicles and associated engineering change proposal upgrades to include an independent suspension system. The work is expected to be completed no later than Oct. 30, 2010. The major production and assembly work will be performed in South Africa. Major subassemblies will be purchased from companies in Fairfield, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Ogdensburg, N.Y. This contract delivery order was sole source procurement. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5028).
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 9 a $143,882,042 modification to previously awarded contract for the FY10 STANDARD Missile II option for production of all-up-round missiles, missiles serviced under the service life extension program, section level spares, post production spares, shipping containers, and associated data. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (74 percent); Andover, Mass. (18 percent); Camden, Ark. (5 percent); and Farmington, N.M. (3 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-5301).
BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $90,561,200.00 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order #0012 for the purchase of 58 U.S. Special Operations Command Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Category I vehicles including independent suspension systems, engineering change proposals and integrated logistics support sustainment. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds of $44,820,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5025).
ITT Electronic Systems, Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a $44,703,060 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the full rate production Lot 7 of 17 AN/ALQ-214(V)2 on-board jammers, a component of the F/A-18 E/F Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasure for the Navy and the government of Australia. In addition, this option provides for spare AN/ALQ-214(V)3 weapons replacement assemblies for installation on F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J. (34.4 percent); East Syracuse, N.Y. (8.8 percent); San Diego, Calif. (8.3 percent); Rancho Cordova, Calif. (5 percent); and at various locations throughout the United States (43.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($35,566,060; 79.57 percent) and the government of Australia ($9,137,000; 20.43 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-05-C-0054).
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded on Feb. 10 a $41,288,005 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support services on the LPD 17 class amphibious transport dock ship program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $186,963 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2203).
BAE Systems, Information and Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, N.H., was awarded on Feb. 9 a firm-fixed-price requirements performance-based logistics contract in the amount of $31,215,444 for support of the AN/ALQ-12B electronic countermeasures system used in support of the F/A-18A-D and AV-8B aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla. (55 percent), Nashua, N.H. (33 percent), and Crane, Ind. (12 percent). Work is to be completed by February 2015. Funding is provided by Navy Working Capital Fund. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year. This announcement does not include foreign military sales. This contract was not competitively awarded. One company was solicited and one offer was received. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-10-D-027G).
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $26,310,047 modification to previously awarded contract for continued procurement of common missile compartment prototype material, manufacturing and test. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2100).
Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $23,674,727, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. 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 Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0018).
BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $21,853,550 modification to previously awarded contract for the USS Bataan (LHD-5) FY10 phased maintenance availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $20,454,853 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N00024-05-C-4403).
ISPA Technology, LLC, Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $17,681,498 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. 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 Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0017).
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo, was awarded an $11,392,787 firm-fixed-price contract for the production acceptance test and evaluation of the direct attack moving target capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via electronic request for proposal and one offer was received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0030).
Stauder Technologies*, St. Peters, Mo., is being awarded a $9,256,117 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for nine lab prototype and engineering development StrikeLink/airborne units and the associated data package, to provide a prototype communications capability for use in the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Peters, Mo. (95 percent), and China Lake, Calif. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-07-C-0004).
General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $7,340,382 modification to a previously issued order under basic ordering agreement. This contract action provides additional funding for the demonstration of new technologies, with the goal of reducing the specific fuel consumption of the F414-GE-400 engine by three percent. The F414-GE-400 engine powers the F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G Navy aircraft. This effort is in support of the Near Term Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration and Research Project, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass. (89 percent), and Evendale, Ohio (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,340,382 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-G-0009).
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,323,056 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 208 ARC-210 radio high power amplifiers and LNA diplexers for the Air Force F-16 Block 40/50 aircraft. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in July 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 (N00019-09-C-0069).
AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 11 a firm-fixed-price task order 0002 modification at $6,930,966 for the pre-design sampling and analysis plan and expansion of Area 1a; remedial action for Area 6; and full time radiological health and safety support to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract task order for the remedial design and remedial action installation Restoration Site 1, 1943-1956 disposal area at Alameda Point. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $21,563,531. Work will be performed in Alameda, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-D-8816).
Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded a $5,698,440 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 60 AN/APN-245 radio beacon sets in support of the AN/SON46 automatic carrier landing system capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-08-D-0032).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Thermo Pac, LLC, Stone Mountain, Ga., is being awarded a maximum $22,735,230 firm-fixed-price contract for various food items. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 30 proposals solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM3S1-06-D-Z135).
AIR FORCE
Boeing Co., Newark, Ohio, was awarded a $15,533,727 contract which will provide incremental funding for the ICBM Minuteman III missile system guidance repair. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKE, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-99-D-0006).
U.S. Donates Boats, Military Equipment to Pakistan
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American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - The United States recently donated a number of water trucks, field artillery cannon and patrol boats to the Pakistani government, according to U.S. State Department news releases. Four water trucks were provided to the Pakistani Army's special services group Feb. 12. The next day, Pakistan's maritime security agency obtained five American fast-patrol boats, while the Pakistani army received 48 self-propelled field artillery cannon.
The water trucks will be employed in humanitarian relief missions in Pakistan's South Waziristan region. The boats will enhance Pakistan's coastal interdiction and patrol capabilities. And, the cannon will be used by Pakistani government forces to combat terrorists that operate in its homeland.
"These field artillery cannons are an important part of enhancing the capabilities of Pakistan's army as it continues to wage its courageous fight against terrorists who seek to destroy Pakistan's people and way of life," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Michael Nagata, U.S. Office of the Defense Representative-Pakistan deputy commander, as he officially handed over the M1095A5 howitzers to Pakistani Army Brig. Gen. Farrukh Saeed, commander of the 25th Mechanized Artillery Division.
Nagata also participated in ceremonies featuring the turning over of the water trucks and fast boats to Pakistani senior military officials.
Pakistan is slated to receive another four fast-patrol boats later this year.
"Whether it's search-and-rescue, combating smugglers, preventing crime or protecting Pakistan's coastal areas, we hope the increased capabilities these boats provide greatly enhance the MSA's ability to conduct the full spectrum of maritime operations," Nagata said during the handover ceremony in Karachi Feb. 13.
During the past three years, U.S. civilian and military assistance to Pakistan has totaled more than $4 billion. Assistance provided and delivered has included support for medical aid, school refurbishment, bridge and well reconstruction, food distribution, agricultural and education projects, 14 F-16 fighter aircraft, 10 Mi-17 helicopters, more than 450 vehicles for Pakistan's Frontier Corps, hundreds of night-vision goggles, day/night scopes, radios, and thousands of protective vests and first-aid items for Pakistan's security forces.
In addition, the United States has funded and provided training for more than 370 Pakistani military officers in a wide range of leadership and development programs, covering topics such as counterterrorism, intelligence, logistics, medical operations, flight safety and military law.
(Compiled from U.S. Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan, news releases.)
Guardsmen Rescue Mom, Baby
By Army Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - Necessity has often been called the mother of invention. Just ask two West Virginia National Guard soldiers who found themselves attempting to rescue a mother and her four-week-old premature baby stranded at their home in Morgan County.
The mother and her baby became isolated thanks to back-to-back blizzards that socked the region with more than three feet of snow in some areas.
To reach the pair in the early morning hours of Feb. 10, Staff Sgt. Harry F. Accor III and Spc. Derek C. Folk, two medics with the 201st Field Artillery Battalion based in Fairmont, W.Va., fashioned two pairs of snowshoes from pine tree branches and clothes lines.
What makes the feat perhaps even more amazing is that Folk performed the rescue with three bones broken in his right hand. He sustained the injury earlier in the week while helping to evacuate a bi-lateral amputee with diabetes from his home here.
Both soldiers were innovative in their efforts to rescue the trapped mother and baby, said Maj. Chris Nasser, assigned from the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing as a military liaison officer at the Morgan County emergency services complex.
"They made their own handmade snowshoes to evacuate them," Nasser said. "They were really prepared for whatever they faced."
A concerned neighbor alerted officials to help the mother and baby who were living in an area that had been without power for two days, Accor said.
Because the snow was so deep - up to eight-foot snow drifts in some places - the soldiers were forced to hike about three miles up a ridge to the home. The only way they could maneuver though the snow without sinking was on the snowshoes.
Getting the mother and baby back down the ridge to a waiting Humvee was just as tricky.
"The child was already wrapped," Accor recalled. Both men said they never stopped to learn the woman's name or even the sex of the baby as they were on a mission.
"We just wanted to get them out of there to safety," Accor said, noting after he got hold of the baby, he wrapped it in more blankets and tucked it into his rucksack. After the baby was nestled in the bag, he placed heated hand warmers around the blankets to keep it warm.
The woman was placed on a 6 feet by 3 feet sked, known as an emergency medical extraction device. Folk said he acted as a sled dog by putting the sked's rope around his waist and pulling it to the waiting Humvee down the ridge.
"The whole time I was walking through the snow I was happy that the snowshoes didn't break," Accor said. As the soldiers made their way back down the ridge, Folk would look in on the baby who was snuggled in the rucksack on Accor's back.
Once back at the Humvee, the soldiers transported the mother and baby to a nearby relative's home. "They made arrangements to go to another state to be with family members," Accor said.
Sgt. 1st Class David Hoffman, a fellow member of the 201st Field Artillery Battalion who lives in Falling Waters, praised his comrades for their successful rescue effort. "They did a really great job," Hoffman said.
"It's our job," Accor said. "That's what we are here for."
And what about the now famous snowshoes?
Both pairs are expected to be put on display in the battalion's headquarters ... after the two soldiers are finished using them.
(Army Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein is assigned to the West Virginia National Guard.)
General Officer Assignments
February 16, 2010 - The chief of staff, Air Force announced today the following assignments: Brig. Gen. Michael A. Keltz, vice commander, 7th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, and chief of staff, Air Component Command, Republic of Korea, Osan Air Base, South Korea, to assistant director of operations, plans, programs and requirements, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
Brig. Gen. Robert P. Otto, commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Air Combat Command, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to director, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, deputy chief of staff, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Brig. Gen. Robert P. Otto, commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Air Combat Command, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to director, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, deputy chief of staff, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Former Navy Sailor Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Fraud Schemes
February 16, 2010 - Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL L. WILLIAMS, 38, of Hamden, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. On October 15, 2008, WILLIAMS pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of making a false statement in a health care matter.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from October 1988 until his discharge on approximately August 14, 2003, WILLIAMS was a member of the United States Navy/United States Naval Reserve. Beginning on approximately April 18, 2003 and continuing until approximately August 14, 2003, WILLIAMS was assigned to the Transient Personnel Unit (TPU), Norfolk Naval Station. A Transient Personnel Unit serves as a temporary or transient residence for service personnel awaiting assignment to a permanent duty station, or for service personnel moving between duty stations. WILLIAMS has admitted that, during his assignment to TPU, Norfolk, and for a period of time thereafter, he participated in a scheme to defraud USAA Federal Savings Bank.
As part of the scheme, WILLIAMS fraudulently opened bank accounts and then withdrew funds from those accounts before USAA Bank discovered the fraud. WILLIAMS also used at the identities of 10 U.S. Naval service members to open the bank accounts. When the bank accounts were opened, WILLIAMS received debit cards at various addresses in Virginia and Connecticut, and then used the debit cards associated with the fraudulently opened accounts. Through this scheme, USAA Bank was defrauded of approximately $69,000.
After WILLIAMS’ discharge from the U.S. Navy, he sought medical treatment on several occasions at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) facilities in Connecticut, and at other locations. On several occasions, WILLIAMS stated that he had recently suffered seizures and, as a result of his complaints, he received treatment, including prescription medications, from VA facilities and other providers. On approximately October 20, 2003, WILLIAMS filed a claim with the VA seeking compensation benefits for a service connected disability. As part of his claim, he stated that he suffered from a service connected disability arising from seizures.
On approximately October 30, 2006, WILLIAMS provided the VA with a letter from “Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology” dated March 10, 2006 wherein it stated that a physician had examined an MRI of the defendant’s and found that he had a “cyst/tumor mass” located in his “front temporal lobe.” As a result of receiving this letter, the provider at the VA changed her determination and found that it is as likely as not that WILLIAMS’ seizure disorder is related to his active duty in the U.S. Navy. However, WILLIAMS admitted that the March 10 letter was fraudulent in that the purported author was not a medical doctor as described in the letter, the author of the letter never met or examined WILLIAMS, and no provider at Yale had ever diagnosed the condition as described in the letter.
As a result of the fraudulent letter and other false statements by the defendant, the VA increased WILLIAMS’ service-related pension. Also, when WILLIAMS applied for Social Security disability payments, the false records were considered by the Social Security Administration, which granted WILLIAMS disability payments for himself and his minor daughter.
Judge Droney has scheduled a restitution hearing for April 16 to resolve a dispute between the parties concerning the amount of restitution WILLIAMS must make to the VA and the Social Security Administration arising from the false documents, which the Government will argue is approximately $120,000.
WILLIAMS has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on July 16, 2008.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Sheldon and Brian P. Leaming.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from October 1988 until his discharge on approximately August 14, 2003, WILLIAMS was a member of the United States Navy/United States Naval Reserve. Beginning on approximately April 18, 2003 and continuing until approximately August 14, 2003, WILLIAMS was assigned to the Transient Personnel Unit (TPU), Norfolk Naval Station. A Transient Personnel Unit serves as a temporary or transient residence for service personnel awaiting assignment to a permanent duty station, or for service personnel moving between duty stations. WILLIAMS has admitted that, during his assignment to TPU, Norfolk, and for a period of time thereafter, he participated in a scheme to defraud USAA Federal Savings Bank.
As part of the scheme, WILLIAMS fraudulently opened bank accounts and then withdrew funds from those accounts before USAA Bank discovered the fraud. WILLIAMS also used at the identities of 10 U.S. Naval service members to open the bank accounts. When the bank accounts were opened, WILLIAMS received debit cards at various addresses in Virginia and Connecticut, and then used the debit cards associated with the fraudulently opened accounts. Through this scheme, USAA Bank was defrauded of approximately $69,000.
After WILLIAMS’ discharge from the U.S. Navy, he sought medical treatment on several occasions at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) facilities in Connecticut, and at other locations. On several occasions, WILLIAMS stated that he had recently suffered seizures and, as a result of his complaints, he received treatment, including prescription medications, from VA facilities and other providers. On approximately October 20, 2003, WILLIAMS filed a claim with the VA seeking compensation benefits for a service connected disability. As part of his claim, he stated that he suffered from a service connected disability arising from seizures.
On approximately October 30, 2006, WILLIAMS provided the VA with a letter from “Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology” dated March 10, 2006 wherein it stated that a physician had examined an MRI of the defendant’s and found that he had a “cyst/tumor mass” located in his “front temporal lobe.” As a result of receiving this letter, the provider at the VA changed her determination and found that it is as likely as not that WILLIAMS’ seizure disorder is related to his active duty in the U.S. Navy. However, WILLIAMS admitted that the March 10 letter was fraudulent in that the purported author was not a medical doctor as described in the letter, the author of the letter never met or examined WILLIAMS, and no provider at Yale had ever diagnosed the condition as described in the letter.
As a result of the fraudulent letter and other false statements by the defendant, the VA increased WILLIAMS’ service-related pension. Also, when WILLIAMS applied for Social Security disability payments, the false records were considered by the Social Security Administration, which granted WILLIAMS disability payments for himself and his minor daughter.
Judge Droney has scheduled a restitution hearing for April 16 to resolve a dispute between the parties concerning the amount of restitution WILLIAMS must make to the VA and the Social Security Administration arising from the false documents, which the Government will argue is approximately $120,000.
WILLIAMS has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on July 16, 2008.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Sheldon and Brian P. Leaming.
Lynn Honors Australia's War Dead
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III concluded his visit to Australia today by paying tribute to Australian servicemembers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation. Lynn attended the daily closing ceremony at the Australian War Memorial here. He and his wife, Mary, then placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
The ceremony was dignified and sad and is the way Australians close the memorial at 5 p.m. each day. A lone bagpiper marched slowly out playing the Scottish lament, "Flowers of the Forest." The piper's song signifies to servicemembers that "the duty day is over and they can now rest in peace."
"The whole ceremony was very moving and a fitting tribute to the sacrifice Australians have made," Lynn said during an interview. "Australia has fought alongside us in every conflict from World War I to Afghanistan. I thought it was important to recognize the sacrifices they've made as part of that partnership."
The war memorial was built to honor the dead of World War I. Designed in the 1920s, construction of the memorial was slowed by the Great Depression. It was dedicated on November 11, 1941.
"Of course, by then we were two years into World War II," said Gerard Pratt, a memorial official. The memorial is co-located with the Australian War Museum.
The memorial features an open area with a rectangular, reflecting pool at its center. The bottom of the pool is layered with coins that people have thrown in. On either side of the pool are steps leading up to covered hallways. Lining those walls are bronze tablets featuring the names of fallen servicemembers. On one side of the memorial are inscribed the dates "1914-1918" and 60,000 names are listed.
"It was an incredible sacrifice for a nation of at the time about 4.5 million people," Gerard said of Australia's military war dead of World War I.
On the other side of the courtyard is another hall featuring the names of Australia's war dead from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. All names are presented alphabetically by unit. There are no ranks or awards.
"The number of the names on those walls and the sacrifices Australians have made is quite staggering," Lynn said.
Alongside the thousands of names are small paper poppies put there by people remembering departed loved ones. Poppies symbolize World War I sacrifice and paper poppies have been a way to pay tribute since the publication of the poem, "In Flanders Fields" in 1915.
In all, the names of 102,000 Australian men and women are listed at the memorial.
At the end of the memorial's courtyard is a chapel housing the Unknown. The Australian government brought the Unknown to the site from a World War I battle cemetery in 1993. The soldier represents the sacrifices of all Australian servicemembers. Lynn placed a wreath at the tomb and then walked back toward the entrance looking at the names as he went along.
At the end of the row, there is a new plaque and on it are the dead from more recent operations in Somalia, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq. Two Australian servicemembers were killed in Iraq, and 11 have died in Afghanistan.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 16, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III concluded his visit to Australia today by paying tribute to Australian servicemembers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation. Lynn attended the daily closing ceremony at the Australian War Memorial here. He and his wife, Mary, then placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
The ceremony was dignified and sad and is the way Australians close the memorial at 5 p.m. each day. A lone bagpiper marched slowly out playing the Scottish lament, "Flowers of the Forest." The piper's song signifies to servicemembers that "the duty day is over and they can now rest in peace."
"The whole ceremony was very moving and a fitting tribute to the sacrifice Australians have made," Lynn said during an interview. "Australia has fought alongside us in every conflict from World War I to Afghanistan. I thought it was important to recognize the sacrifices they've made as part of that partnership."
The war memorial was built to honor the dead of World War I. Designed in the 1920s, construction of the memorial was slowed by the Great Depression. It was dedicated on November 11, 1941.
"Of course, by then we were two years into World War II," said Gerard Pratt, a memorial official. The memorial is co-located with the Australian War Museum.
The memorial features an open area with a rectangular, reflecting pool at its center. The bottom of the pool is layered with coins that people have thrown in. On either side of the pool are steps leading up to covered hallways. Lining those walls are bronze tablets featuring the names of fallen servicemembers. On one side of the memorial are inscribed the dates "1914-1918" and 60,000 names are listed.
"It was an incredible sacrifice for a nation of at the time about 4.5 million people," Gerard said of Australia's military war dead of World War I.
On the other side of the courtyard is another hall featuring the names of Australia's war dead from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. All names are presented alphabetically by unit. There are no ranks or awards.
"The number of the names on those walls and the sacrifices Australians have made is quite staggering," Lynn said.
Alongside the thousands of names are small paper poppies put there by people remembering departed loved ones. Poppies symbolize World War I sacrifice and paper poppies have been a way to pay tribute since the publication of the poem, "In Flanders Fields" in 1915.
In all, the names of 102,000 Australian men and women are listed at the memorial.
At the end of the memorial's courtyard is a chapel housing the Unknown. The Australian government brought the Unknown to the site from a World War I battle cemetery in 1993. The soldier represents the sacrifices of all Australian servicemembers. Lynn placed a wreath at the tomb and then walked back toward the entrance looking at the names as he went along.
At the end of the row, there is a new plaque and on it are the dead from more recent operations in Somalia, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq. Two Australian servicemembers were killed in Iraq, and 11 have died in Afghanistan.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New DoD/VA Center to Improve Eye Care
By Matt Pueschel
FHP&R Staff Writer
February 15, 2010 - The new Vision Center of Excellence (VCE) is beginning to take flight since it was formed at the behest of Congress to track eye injuries emanating from the war theater and improve treatment outcomes across the services and VA.
“It’s important to look at how injuries are occurring, what can we do to mitigate the extent of morbidity when doing treatment, and how can we enhance treatment and research and improve the rehabilitation process to bring better functioning in life to patients,” said Col. Donald A. Gagliano, M.D., M.H.A., DoD principal advisor for vision and VCE’s executive director, during a presentation in January before a group of military and veterans service organizations at the FHP&R offices in Falls Church, Va.
VCE was formed after the fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act directed DoD and VA to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries, and to better coordinate visual rehabilitative care and benefits for service members’ continuum of care between the agencies.
The need for the VCE is evidenced in the variety of injuries that impact soldiers’ vision, from traumatic eye injury as a result of explosive devices and projectiles, to vision disorders associated with TBI, and eye injury caused by exposure to chemicals, biohazards, lasers or extreme environmental conditions. VCE is facilitating collaborative efforts that support optimal DoD/VA vision care transition, such as a process developed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for blind rehabilitation care.
Gagliano said there are increasing numbers of eye injuries occurring among service members from OEF/OIF compared with previous conflicts. According to the November 2008 Medical Surveillance Monthly Report of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, more than 1,000 ocular injuries caused by war, guns and explosives were treated in fixed hospitals from 2003 to 2007.
“We’re also starting to see visual disorders with TBI, so we’re looking at that,” he said. “Part of the problem is that patients are moving back and forth between VA and DoD [and] there is a very broad care and recovery program instituted. VA has visual impairment support teams [and] there are vision care capabilities in DoD and VA that I can influence, advocate for, integrate and collaborate with [toward] a purpose of trying to find ways to bring some answers.”
About 60-70 percent of severe and moderate TBI cases and 40 percent of mild TBI cases include some form of visual impairment, such as nerve damage from concussive events. VCE is looking at capturing reports from the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, which collects intake information on visual issues caused by mild TBI.
“Mild TBI is still an enigma,” Gagliano said. “We’re looking at clinical symptoms and maybe some cognitive testing. Some of the blast exposure injuries are injuries to the globe. When a blast wave hits your eye, it causes tissue, retinal, nerve, and zonular injury and we don’t understand it well. It’s like two times the force of being punched. The eye is compressible, so we’re looking at how to mitigate it.”
Better Tracking
VCE is spearheading development of a new database to track eye injuries across the DoD and VA systems of care and to integrate pertinent information from all of the services. The new Defense and Veterans Eye Injury Registry (DVEIR) will record and follow the occurrence, treatment and outcomes of all eye injuries experienced by active duty service members since 9/11.
Gagliano said this will show how patients with the same types of injuries were treated and allow the VCE to focus research more effectively, evaluate DoD and VA health care processes and establish treatment guidelines. “It will allow us to manage both individuals and cohorts of patients and analyze outcomes and improve care and enact change,” he said.
A key goal with the database is to develop a common documentation strategy for vision care among DoD’s and VA’s varying health records. “We spent two years developing the database and getting the DoD electronic health records from nine different systems to talk to each other,” Gagliano said. “We want to track outcomes, but we need incidence data in order to get to outcomes. We think we’re getting closer [with] VA and DoD sharing information. When we first started, there were two separate registry projects, and now there is one joint registry.”
Gagliano said VA and DoD are working on ways to share more patient information, and DoD is looking at redesigning an electronic health record to make its records more user friendly. “If you don’t fix these technical issues you won’t have the ability to impact patient care,” he said. “If we make more information available to providers, we think we’ll be able to improve care.”
The aim is to follow service members from the point of injury in theater through joint medical and patient tracking systems until they get to the U.S. Because of the little information that is available on eye injuries in theater, VCE is also developing an eye module for trauma wounds.
“We have a lot of ophthalmologists in theater who worked on [recording eye injuries in] spreadsheets, so we’re bringing that information in,” Gagliano said. “My goal is to gather all information [on eye injuries and care] back to ’01. In another couple months, we’ll be able to collect [and input] databases from theater and combat registries into our registry on incidents and identification of casualties that have occurred in theater. After that, we’ll go back to the first Gulf War.”
The joint registry will also provide a synergy with other centers of excellence being developed for service members exposed to blasts, such as one on hearing issues. Blast injuries can cause hearing and vision problems, as well as limited sense of smell and taste.
“This is why Congress put together this grouping of registries [to look at] how do we bring people with sensory deficits to function better in life, so it’s an excellent idea [to bring all the pieces together],” Gagliano said. “There will be some cross communication between registries. The vision registry will be for performance improvement with patient tracking and vision research, which will pool information from other databases, such as on TBI.”
Looking Ahead
Another component of the VCE is to focus vision research on eye trauma, TBI post-traumatic visual syndrome, refractive surgery, and degenerative eye diseases. Gagliano sits on a joint committee that establishes priorities for the new Vision Research Program.
With a limited amount of funds ($3.75 million this year) and many research proposals to consider, the program has a focus on five topic areas: developing treatments for TBI-associated visual dysfunction; treatments to slow or stop vision loss in traumatic optic neuropathies; computational models of mechanisms of primary blast injury to the eye and vision system; methods to test visual dysfunction in the presence of cognitive impairment; and treatments for blast and burn injury to ocular structures.
“Our real priority is the blast model and how we mitigate that and direct research efforts towards fixing that problem,” Gagliano said.
VA only funds intramural vision research, but has special centers focused on TBI-related vision disorders, researching the use of implants and artificial mechanical means to restore some vision, and developing new techniques for visual rehabilitation. Meanwhile DoD jointly funds other vision research projects with the National Eye Institute, and is also working with the Food and Drug Administration to examine refractive surgery outcomes and set a baseline standard.
“We do more refractive surgery in DoD than any other entity in the country,” Gagliano said. “Our outcomes and satisfaction are very high, but DoD requirements are different. It’s an operational requirement, so I want to capture that information on refractive surgery outcomes and track them through to VA.”
Gagliano said that combat eye care education should be enhanced. “We have a lot of eye care providers with no trauma experience,” he said. “We want to build simulation models for trauma training. There is no recognized capability in DoD for blind rehab specialists, so we’re trying to get that as a recognized specialty.”
Furthermore, through development of combat protective eyewear, the line has reduced the amount of eye injuries in the field, Gagliano said. “That has really impacted on ballistics protection, but not blast protection,” he advised. “We’ll have to redesign facial protection.”
VCE is in the process of building its staff and spaces and will have a deputy director from the VA as part of an organizational office scheduled to open in Crystal City, Va., in a few months. Eventually there will be a mix of optometrists, ophthalmologists and vision rehabilitation specialists as part of a 25-member staff based in a clinical component that will serve as VCE’s headquarters at the new Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda in 2011.
The VCE received $4 million from Congress to carry out the needed renovations for the space over the next 12-18 months. “We’ll be opening the new VCE at the new hospital and it will be co-located with an optometry and ophthalmology and refractive surgery center, and we’ll build a space for outreach, [including] computer stations for visually impaired service members and veterans so they can use it as a resource for information,” Gagliano said, adding that VCE will have six cells with nurse vision care coordinators and capabilities that support MTFs throughout the country.
VA has further agreed to fund several VA visual clinical care and policy positions in the VCE, but both the DoD and VA positions for the VCE are being filled deliberately, pending funding. “We’ve been excited to get going,” Gagliano said. “We are making progress where we can.”
For more information, please visit http://www.visioncenterofexcellence/
FHP&R Staff Writer
February 15, 2010 - The new Vision Center of Excellence (VCE) is beginning to take flight since it was formed at the behest of Congress to track eye injuries emanating from the war theater and improve treatment outcomes across the services and VA.
“It’s important to look at how injuries are occurring, what can we do to mitigate the extent of morbidity when doing treatment, and how can we enhance treatment and research and improve the rehabilitation process to bring better functioning in life to patients,” said Col. Donald A. Gagliano, M.D., M.H.A., DoD principal advisor for vision and VCE’s executive director, during a presentation in January before a group of military and veterans service organizations at the FHP&R offices in Falls Church, Va.
VCE was formed after the fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act directed DoD and VA to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries, and to better coordinate visual rehabilitative care and benefits for service members’ continuum of care between the agencies.
The need for the VCE is evidenced in the variety of injuries that impact soldiers’ vision, from traumatic eye injury as a result of explosive devices and projectiles, to vision disorders associated with TBI, and eye injury caused by exposure to chemicals, biohazards, lasers or extreme environmental conditions. VCE is facilitating collaborative efforts that support optimal DoD/VA vision care transition, such as a process developed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for blind rehabilitation care.
Gagliano said there are increasing numbers of eye injuries occurring among service members from OEF/OIF compared with previous conflicts. According to the November 2008 Medical Surveillance Monthly Report of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, more than 1,000 ocular injuries caused by war, guns and explosives were treated in fixed hospitals from 2003 to 2007.
“We’re also starting to see visual disorders with TBI, so we’re looking at that,” he said. “Part of the problem is that patients are moving back and forth between VA and DoD [and] there is a very broad care and recovery program instituted. VA has visual impairment support teams [and] there are vision care capabilities in DoD and VA that I can influence, advocate for, integrate and collaborate with [toward] a purpose of trying to find ways to bring some answers.”
About 60-70 percent of severe and moderate TBI cases and 40 percent of mild TBI cases include some form of visual impairment, such as nerve damage from concussive events. VCE is looking at capturing reports from the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, which collects intake information on visual issues caused by mild TBI.
“Mild TBI is still an enigma,” Gagliano said. “We’re looking at clinical symptoms and maybe some cognitive testing. Some of the blast exposure injuries are injuries to the globe. When a blast wave hits your eye, it causes tissue, retinal, nerve, and zonular injury and we don’t understand it well. It’s like two times the force of being punched. The eye is compressible, so we’re looking at how to mitigate it.”
Better Tracking
VCE is spearheading development of a new database to track eye injuries across the DoD and VA systems of care and to integrate pertinent information from all of the services. The new Defense and Veterans Eye Injury Registry (DVEIR) will record and follow the occurrence, treatment and outcomes of all eye injuries experienced by active duty service members since 9/11.
Gagliano said this will show how patients with the same types of injuries were treated and allow the VCE to focus research more effectively, evaluate DoD and VA health care processes and establish treatment guidelines. “It will allow us to manage both individuals and cohorts of patients and analyze outcomes and improve care and enact change,” he said.
A key goal with the database is to develop a common documentation strategy for vision care among DoD’s and VA’s varying health records. “We spent two years developing the database and getting the DoD electronic health records from nine different systems to talk to each other,” Gagliano said. “We want to track outcomes, but we need incidence data in order to get to outcomes. We think we’re getting closer [with] VA and DoD sharing information. When we first started, there were two separate registry projects, and now there is one joint registry.”
Gagliano said VA and DoD are working on ways to share more patient information, and DoD is looking at redesigning an electronic health record to make its records more user friendly. “If you don’t fix these technical issues you won’t have the ability to impact patient care,” he said. “If we make more information available to providers, we think we’ll be able to improve care.”
The aim is to follow service members from the point of injury in theater through joint medical and patient tracking systems until they get to the U.S. Because of the little information that is available on eye injuries in theater, VCE is also developing an eye module for trauma wounds.
“We have a lot of ophthalmologists in theater who worked on [recording eye injuries in] spreadsheets, so we’re bringing that information in,” Gagliano said. “My goal is to gather all information [on eye injuries and care] back to ’01. In another couple months, we’ll be able to collect [and input] databases from theater and combat registries into our registry on incidents and identification of casualties that have occurred in theater. After that, we’ll go back to the first Gulf War.”
The joint registry will also provide a synergy with other centers of excellence being developed for service members exposed to blasts, such as one on hearing issues. Blast injuries can cause hearing and vision problems, as well as limited sense of smell and taste.
“This is why Congress put together this grouping of registries [to look at] how do we bring people with sensory deficits to function better in life, so it’s an excellent idea [to bring all the pieces together],” Gagliano said. “There will be some cross communication between registries. The vision registry will be for performance improvement with patient tracking and vision research, which will pool information from other databases, such as on TBI.”
Looking Ahead
Another component of the VCE is to focus vision research on eye trauma, TBI post-traumatic visual syndrome, refractive surgery, and degenerative eye diseases. Gagliano sits on a joint committee that establishes priorities for the new Vision Research Program.
With a limited amount of funds ($3.75 million this year) and many research proposals to consider, the program has a focus on five topic areas: developing treatments for TBI-associated visual dysfunction; treatments to slow or stop vision loss in traumatic optic neuropathies; computational models of mechanisms of primary blast injury to the eye and vision system; methods to test visual dysfunction in the presence of cognitive impairment; and treatments for blast and burn injury to ocular structures.
“Our real priority is the blast model and how we mitigate that and direct research efforts towards fixing that problem,” Gagliano said.
VA only funds intramural vision research, but has special centers focused on TBI-related vision disorders, researching the use of implants and artificial mechanical means to restore some vision, and developing new techniques for visual rehabilitation. Meanwhile DoD jointly funds other vision research projects with the National Eye Institute, and is also working with the Food and Drug Administration to examine refractive surgery outcomes and set a baseline standard.
“We do more refractive surgery in DoD than any other entity in the country,” Gagliano said. “Our outcomes and satisfaction are very high, but DoD requirements are different. It’s an operational requirement, so I want to capture that information on refractive surgery outcomes and track them through to VA.”
Gagliano said that combat eye care education should be enhanced. “We have a lot of eye care providers with no trauma experience,” he said. “We want to build simulation models for trauma training. There is no recognized capability in DoD for blind rehab specialists, so we’re trying to get that as a recognized specialty.”
Furthermore, through development of combat protective eyewear, the line has reduced the amount of eye injuries in the field, Gagliano said. “That has really impacted on ballistics protection, but not blast protection,” he advised. “We’ll have to redesign facial protection.”
VCE is in the process of building its staff and spaces and will have a deputy director from the VA as part of an organizational office scheduled to open in Crystal City, Va., in a few months. Eventually there will be a mix of optometrists, ophthalmologists and vision rehabilitation specialists as part of a 25-member staff based in a clinical component that will serve as VCE’s headquarters at the new Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda in 2011.
The VCE received $4 million from Congress to carry out the needed renovations for the space over the next 12-18 months. “We’ll be opening the new VCE at the new hospital and it will be co-located with an optometry and ophthalmology and refractive surgery center, and we’ll build a space for outreach, [including] computer stations for visually impaired service members and veterans so they can use it as a resource for information,” Gagliano said, adding that VCE will have six cells with nurse vision care coordinators and capabilities that support MTFs throughout the country.
VA has further agreed to fund several VA visual clinical care and policy positions in the VCE, but both the DoD and VA positions for the VCE are being filled deliberately, pending funding. “We’ve been excited to get going,” Gagliano said. “We are making progress where we can.”
For more information, please visit http://www.visioncenterofexcellence/
Australia's 'Shipyard of Future'
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 15, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III observed the opening of the heart of one of the most modern shipbuilding plants in the world here today.
Techport is a $300 million investment in Australia's defense. The shipyard is where the nation of 22 million people will build the country's next class of air warfare destroyers and its next-generation submarine fleet.
The shipyard; on the banks of the Port River; is a state-of-the-art facility. Lynn observed the opening of Techport's common-user facility; a huge expanse that includes a wharf, a ship runway, a dry berth, a transfer system and the largest shiplift in the Southern Hemisphere.
To symbolize the opening of the facility, South Australia Premier Mike Rann pushed a button starting the shiplift. A klaxon sounded, and the more-than-500-foot lift began descending into the water. The lift has a capacity of 9,300 tons, and may in years to come expand to nearly 700 feet with a lift capacity of 22,000 tons, officials said.
"Great to see such a fabulous facility and see the enormous capability that you have here in an area so important to your security," Lynn said during a short media availability following the opening. "It's very hopeful that our closest allies are moving in such strength in the naval area. We're just glad to be a part of it."
Lynn put on a hard hat and a yellow reflective vest to tour the facility. He saw buildings and shops where plates of steel will turn into the hulls of new ships. He saw where skilled workers will put together the modules of Australia's next-generation warships.
Everything was new and gleaming. There wasn't a speck of rust or misplaced brick in the whole shipyard, and the Australian workers in the area obviously are proud of what they have built.
The plan to build three destroyers is part of an Australian push to replace about 80 percent of the equipment in its military forces that stems from the Australian Defense White Paper published in May.
"They've got a financial plan that matches their strategy," Lynn said during a later interview. "It's got 3 percent real growth. Even with that kind of growth, it's an aggressive plan, but they have thought it through."
Techport; and many other decisions; backs up the defense White Paper, Lynn said. Techport is part of "a really strong industrial foundation that supports the maritime emphasis in the strategy," he said.
While the shipyard is an Australian capability, it integrates U.S. defense industry partners. Bath Iron Works and Lockheed are working with the Australians, "and I'm sure if the U.S. Navy needed it to support our operations, it would be available, and it's an option for the Pacific Command to examine," Lynn said.
Australian reporters asked Lynn about the U.S. program to build the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter for use by its Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps and its allies. "We've taken some steps to strengthen the program," Lynn said. "We took a look at it when we came into office last year. We thought the costs were underestimated in terms of production, and we thought the development was going to last longer than originally projected."
The U.S. Defense Department "re-costed" the production to a better estimate, Lynn said. Officials also strengthened the aircraft's development with additional test aircraft.
"With those steps, the F-35 will continue on the path to be the backbone of tactical aviation for both the United States and Australia," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 15, 2010 - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III observed the opening of the heart of one of the most modern shipbuilding plants in the world here today.
Techport is a $300 million investment in Australia's defense. The shipyard is where the nation of 22 million people will build the country's next class of air warfare destroyers and its next-generation submarine fleet.
The shipyard; on the banks of the Port River; is a state-of-the-art facility. Lynn observed the opening of Techport's common-user facility; a huge expanse that includes a wharf, a ship runway, a dry berth, a transfer system and the largest shiplift in the Southern Hemisphere.
To symbolize the opening of the facility, South Australia Premier Mike Rann pushed a button starting the shiplift. A klaxon sounded, and the more-than-500-foot lift began descending into the water. The lift has a capacity of 9,300 tons, and may in years to come expand to nearly 700 feet with a lift capacity of 22,000 tons, officials said.
"Great to see such a fabulous facility and see the enormous capability that you have here in an area so important to your security," Lynn said during a short media availability following the opening. "It's very hopeful that our closest allies are moving in such strength in the naval area. We're just glad to be a part of it."
Lynn put on a hard hat and a yellow reflective vest to tour the facility. He saw buildings and shops where plates of steel will turn into the hulls of new ships. He saw where skilled workers will put together the modules of Australia's next-generation warships.
Everything was new and gleaming. There wasn't a speck of rust or misplaced brick in the whole shipyard, and the Australian workers in the area obviously are proud of what they have built.
The plan to build three destroyers is part of an Australian push to replace about 80 percent of the equipment in its military forces that stems from the Australian Defense White Paper published in May.
"They've got a financial plan that matches their strategy," Lynn said during a later interview. "It's got 3 percent real growth. Even with that kind of growth, it's an aggressive plan, but they have thought it through."
Techport; and many other decisions; backs up the defense White Paper, Lynn said. Techport is part of "a really strong industrial foundation that supports the maritime emphasis in the strategy," he said.
While the shipyard is an Australian capability, it integrates U.S. defense industry partners. Bath Iron Works and Lockheed are working with the Australians, "and I'm sure if the U.S. Navy needed it to support our operations, it would be available, and it's an option for the Pacific Command to examine," Lynn said.
Australian reporters asked Lynn about the U.S. program to build the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter for use by its Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps and its allies. "We've taken some steps to strengthen the program," Lynn said. "We took a look at it when we came into office last year. We thought the costs were underestimated in terms of production, and we thought the development was going to last longer than originally projected."
The U.S. Defense Department "re-costed" the production to a better estimate, Lynn said. Officials also strengthened the aircraft's development with additional test aircraft.
"With those steps, the F-35 will continue on the path to be the backbone of tactical aviation for both the United States and Australia," he said.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Guardsman Posts Best U.S. Finish in Olympic Biathlon
By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Special to American Forces Press Service
Feb. 14, 2010 - A Utah National Guard soldier today posted the best American finish ever in the biathlon at the Winter Olympics. Army Sgt. Jeremy Teela, a three-time Olympian, finished ninth in the men's 10-kilometer sprint on the first day of competition in the biathlon in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. The previous best finish was recorded by Teela's teammate, Jay Hakkinen, who was 10th in the Torino Olympics in 2006.
Despite missing two targets, Teela's strong skiing pushed him five seconds ahead of one of Russia's top skiers.
"That's good for the ski form of Jeremy Teela," said Chad Salmela, a commentator for NBC Sports.
With this finish, Teela will start ninth in the men's 12.5-kilometer pursuit Feb. 16. He also will compete in the 20-kilometer event Feb. 18, the 15-kilometer mass start Feb. 21, and the 4x7 five-kilometer relay Feb. 26.
Earlier this season, Teela finished third in the men's 20-kilometer event in the World Cup, also held in Whistler. He was the first American biathlete to win a World Cup medal since 1992.
His U.S. teammates include Tim Burke, who finished 47th today, but medaled twice on the 2009-2010 World Cup circuit; four-time Olympian Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, Alaska, who finished 54th today; Lowell Bailey, 28, of Lake Placid, N.Y., who was 36th today; and first-timer Wynn Roberts, 21, of Battle Creek, Mich.
The biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau.)
Deputy Secretary Discusses U.S.-Australia Alliance
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2010 - U.S. officials are "very satisfied" with the contributions Australia is making in Afghanistan and will not ask the nation for more troops in the country, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said during an interview here. Lynn is visiting Australia to meet with government, civic and business leaders about expanding the U.S.–Australia alliance to face new threats.
Australia has 1,550 troops committed to the battle in Afghanistan – mostly in Oruzgan province in Regional Command South. The province is thought to be the birthplace of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Australia has lost 11 servicemembers in the fighting in Afghanistan.
Even though a surge of new troops is moving into Afghanistan, the United States has no intention of asking Australia for more forces, the deputy secretary told Annabel McGilvray of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
He said the alliance with Australia is critical to the United States. President Barack Obama's planned visit to Australia next month points to the significance of the alliance to the United States and will serve to re-affirm America's commitment to it, the deputy secretary added.
Lynn praised the adaptability of the U.S.-Australia alliance.
"We've fought together side by side in all of the major wars in the last century, and now we're fighting side by side in Afghanistan in a very different war, but a very important one," Lynn said. "One of the reasons I'm here this week is to talk about collaboration in a new area; cybersecurity; where we have a common understanding of the threats and can work together to meet those threats."
Lynn noted that the Internet itself is only 20 years old, and that governments around the world still are trying to develop appropriate doctrines. In the United States, these doctrines proceed on at least three levels, he said.
"We need at the individual user level good hygiene – you just need to download all of the appropriate patches and make sure your security is up to speed," he explained. "You also need a second layer which is a string of firewalls and intrusion-detection devices. And then you need a layer that I call more active defenses, which is an ability for governments to understand and then counter the kinds of more malicious threats that might be out there against both government and critical private-sector computers."
In January, Google officials came forward about sophisticated cyber attacks aimed at the firm's source code and Gmail accounts of Chinese human-rights activists around the world. While Google officials couldn't say the Chinese government was behind the attacks, they did say other American firms were the victims of such attacks in the past.
"One of the things about that threat is people have often focused on the immediate damage that a cyber attack or intrusion might do – that it might bring down a power grid or do damage to a financial network or something like that," Lynn said. "And those are things we need to worry about. But the Google threat is much more the theft of intellectual property.
"The U.S. and Australian economies thrive on the strength of the kinds of intellectual developments our societies have made," he continued, "and we need to be able to protect those from theft on the Internet and elsewhere. That's one of the new avenues that the cyber threat poses."
Governments need to collaborate against the threat, Lynn said, because the Internet knows no national boundaries, and what is a threat against Google in the United States now could be threat to international companies elsewhere within nanoseconds.
"As we see the kinds of threats and develop the means to address them, we can share that warning, we can share technology, we can share approaches," Lynn said. "We need a broad set of collaborative international agreements to address the nature of that threat."
The idea is moving forward. Last year, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia signed an agreement of principle on the cyber threat, and the countries are looking to expand the collaboration.
The U.S.-Australian alliance began more than 100 years ago, and now it needs to move into more current areas – Afghanistan, cybersecurity and counterpiracy, Lynn said, adding that U.S. and Australian leaders must be open to new ideas and practices for the future.
American Forces Press Service
Feb. 13, 2010 - U.S. officials are "very satisfied" with the contributions Australia is making in Afghanistan and will not ask the nation for more troops in the country, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said during an interview here. Lynn is visiting Australia to meet with government, civic and business leaders about expanding the U.S.–Australia alliance to face new threats.
Australia has 1,550 troops committed to the battle in Afghanistan – mostly in Oruzgan province in Regional Command South. The province is thought to be the birthplace of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Australia has lost 11 servicemembers in the fighting in Afghanistan.
Even though a surge of new troops is moving into Afghanistan, the United States has no intention of asking Australia for more forces, the deputy secretary told Annabel McGilvray of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
He said the alliance with Australia is critical to the United States. President Barack Obama's planned visit to Australia next month points to the significance of the alliance to the United States and will serve to re-affirm America's commitment to it, the deputy secretary added.
Lynn praised the adaptability of the U.S.-Australia alliance.
"We've fought together side by side in all of the major wars in the last century, and now we're fighting side by side in Afghanistan in a very different war, but a very important one," Lynn said. "One of the reasons I'm here this week is to talk about collaboration in a new area; cybersecurity; where we have a common understanding of the threats and can work together to meet those threats."
Lynn noted that the Internet itself is only 20 years old, and that governments around the world still are trying to develop appropriate doctrines. In the United States, these doctrines proceed on at least three levels, he said.
"We need at the individual user level good hygiene – you just need to download all of the appropriate patches and make sure your security is up to speed," he explained. "You also need a second layer which is a string of firewalls and intrusion-detection devices. And then you need a layer that I call more active defenses, which is an ability for governments to understand and then counter the kinds of more malicious threats that might be out there against both government and critical private-sector computers."
In January, Google officials came forward about sophisticated cyber attacks aimed at the firm's source code and Gmail accounts of Chinese human-rights activists around the world. While Google officials couldn't say the Chinese government was behind the attacks, they did say other American firms were the victims of such attacks in the past.
"One of the things about that threat is people have often focused on the immediate damage that a cyber attack or intrusion might do – that it might bring down a power grid or do damage to a financial network or something like that," Lynn said. "And those are things we need to worry about. But the Google threat is much more the theft of intellectual property.
"The U.S. and Australian economies thrive on the strength of the kinds of intellectual developments our societies have made," he continued, "and we need to be able to protect those from theft on the Internet and elsewhere. That's one of the new avenues that the cyber threat poses."
Governments need to collaborate against the threat, Lynn said, because the Internet knows no national boundaries, and what is a threat against Google in the United States now could be threat to international companies elsewhere within nanoseconds.
"As we see the kinds of threats and develop the means to address them, we can share that warning, we can share technology, we can share approaches," Lynn said. "We need a broad set of collaborative international agreements to address the nature of that threat."
The idea is moving forward. Last year, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia signed an agreement of principle on the cyber threat, and the countries are looking to expand the collaboration.
The U.S.-Australian alliance began more than 100 years ago, and now it needs to move into more current areas – Afghanistan, cybersecurity and counterpiracy, Lynn said, adding that U.S. and Australian leaders must be open to new ideas and practices for the future.
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